2018 is the year of prayer here on Healthy Spirituality and today I want to share with you two prayers to ponder. Prayer is the theme for this year and we have been exploring various aspects of this practice in other posts such as Pray Slow and Seasons of Prayer. Sometimes slowly saying the words written by others in prayer touches our hearts and wakes our spirit. Their expressions mirror what I am experiencing and I catch myself saying, "yes! That is exactly how I feel too." I heard each of these prayers on different podcasts and jotted them into my journal for further contemplation. If you are curious about what podcasts stirred me in this way here they are: Renovare and Ruth Haley Barton's Transforming Center. The first prayer below is by Richard Foster from his book, Prayers from the Heart and reminds me to be honest and to come as I am, just me, to God. One of our greatest basic human needs is for love and acceptance and isn't it wonderful God continually opens his … [Read more...]
Monica – the Mother of St Augustine
"May 4 is the commemoration of Monica, the mother of St Augustine." I read this little footnote, in very fine-have-to-squint-even-with-reading-glasses print at the bottom of last week's church bulletin. I have read quotes from St Augustine and heard his story in some church history classes but his mom? I faintly remember hearing something about a St Monica, but really didn't know much about her. This being the month we celebrate Mother's Day, I think it is time to get to know a mother who apparently earned the right to be recognized by many church bodies throughout the year. What is a Commemoration? As believers, we are part of the body of Christ. This legacy exists across time and place and had deep roots in our history in the communion of saints. When a church remembers and lifts up a name of someone from our past faith history, we commemorated them. Many of these "saints" are not perfect, but all have a story that holds a lesson for our own personal walk with God. We see … [Read more...]
How To Incorporate Thomas Keating’s Centering Prayer Into Your Prayer Life
Centering prayer is one spiritual practice that helps me slow down to be with God. In April on this blog, we are looking at the keys of slowing down to spend time with God in stillness, slowness, and quiet time with God. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. Don't forget to get the updated handout called "Slowing Down to be with God." It contains ideas, resources, and questions to consider when getting off the busyness treadmill to abide, to be with God in prayer. You can download this free guide by clicking the button at the end of the post. I am excited to welcome guest blogger, Kevin Morley. Keven is a spiritual seeker who runs a blog called Satori Mind (www.satorimind.co.uk). Kevin uses silent prayer and contemplation every day in his journey of spiritual growth. Welcome to the Healthy Spirituality blog, Kevin! “Silence is the language God speaks; everything else is a … [Read more...]
Where is Your Sacred Ground?
Where do we find sacred ground? A place to be with God, to experience God. A setting so filled with God's spirit you want to take your sandals off and slowly and reverently enter. An environment teeming with peace, joy, and love. Where is your sacred ground? I pondered this question in my journal recently. At first, I thought I never reached this place before in my walk with God. Oh sure, I have been graced with a few mountain top experiences but being on holy ground? Then God in his goodness slowly brought to mind all the places, the touchpoints of his presence. Sacred ground is all around me – I just never fully appreciated it before or grasped its holiness. Taking Our Shoes Off on Sacred Ground In Exodus 3 we hear the story of Moses taking his sandals off in the presence of God. Moses worked every day minding his father-in-law's flock of sheep. An ordinary day. Nothing special planned. Just work. Suddenly Moses sees a bush that is on fire, burning without being … [Read more...]
Prayer – Creating Quiet Time with God – Guest Post
I have the best intentions, but often fail at my quiet time with God. As we ponder the topic of prayer this year, the practice of creating space in our crazy hectic lives for purposeful time with God is a necessary step. In April on this blog, we are looking at the keys of slowing down to spend time with God in stillness, slowness, and quiet time with God. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. Don't forget to get the updated handout called "Slowing Down to be with God." It contains ideas, resources, and questions to consider when getting off the busyness treadmill to abide, to be with God in prayer. You can download this free guide by clicking the button at the end of the post I am excited to introduce to you a guest blogger today, my friend. Deb Butterfield. I asked her to share some thoughts about quiet time with God. Debra L. Butterfield is the author of Carried by Grace: a Guide for … [Read more...]
Doubt – It’ll Be Okay: Finding God when Doubt Hides the Truth – Book Review
Doubt. Since we are exploring prayer this year on Healthy Spirituality, room needs to be made for times of doubt and unanswered prayer. How do we keep praying in time of waiting and indecision? Where is God when we don't experience him or hear his voice? Sheryl Giesbrecht shares her story and strategies for difficult times like these in her new book "It'll be Okay: Finding God when Doubt Hides the Truth." During her dark times, she would keep telling herself, "It'll be okay." She writes she wasn't sure what "it" was, but this phrase kept her on the search for God in her foggy times. I think we all can identify with experiences of doubt and uncertainty. It'll Be Okay is a new book what can help us through these difficult times. She writes: "Frequent flyers know what it is like to trust an airplane pilot to land a plane in zero visibility. To me, that’s what it is like to trust God when you can’t “see, hear, or feel” him. Pilots trust their radar and depend on their landing … [Read more...]
Pray Slow
I tend to rush. Scan the surface. Only occasionally take the time and energy to dive deep. I am learning to slow down, to pray slow. Slowness is another of the essential elements of praying we are exploring this month here. With 2018 being the year of prayer on the Healthy Spirituality blog, in April we are looking at the keys of slowing down to spend time with God in stillness (last week's post), slowness, solitude and silence. Each month this year on the Tending the Holy Thursdays there will be a focus on an aspect of prayer. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. I updated a handout I used in 2016 called "Slowing Down to be with God" and this will be this month's free guide for you. It contains ideas, resources, and questions to consider when getting off the busyness treadmill to abide, to be with God in prayer. You can download this free guide by clicking the button at the end of … [Read more...]
Desiring Discernment
Discernment accompanies many of my interactions with others in spiritual direction. Directees seek where God is touching their lives. They listen for his guidance, his presence and often they hear their own voices in what needs tending. What is Discernment? For me discernment is discovering and articulating how God is moving in our lives. We listen deeply together to identify how the spirit is guiding us in our daily steps and major life moves. Discernment is the sorting/sifting through all our desires, voices, wants, and needs bombarding our soul and choosing what is best draws us towards God. I believe we all want to make the best decisions whether they are significant life changing ones or discerning how to best live in everyday life. Facing a difficult time of indecisiveness and confusion twists our guts and fogs our faith. How can we live and thrive and grow as discerning people? Discernment is more than decision making. To discern in Latin means to discernere –dis = … [Read more...]