When you think of God, what image forms in your mind and heart? “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer In my spiritual journey, my image of God has evolved. How I saw him as a child - an old man, peering down upon me, ready to judge my every move – is so different from the loving presence I now experience. Dare I admit, God is now not always male to me, either. To take the time, to see into your heart, asking the question: What is my image of God? takes courage, time, and vulnerability. When I am honest, I find at times, how I view God may not be the healthiest for my spiritual growth. But when I name it, describe how I see God, I learn so much more about God. Changing Image of God A few years ago, I realized God often appeared as far away, on the far side of a room. Oddly and surprising to me, God seemed unapproachable, distant, out of grasp. I was shocked to recognize how this image of God still lingered within my … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Letting Go
In Ohio, colorful leaves are letting go. Trees model for us the necessity of times to release, shed, unburden our lives as a healthy way to live. Seasons revolve, not precisely, but predictably, teaching us lessons if we pay attention. The spiritual practice of letting go is perhaps one of the most challenging of the disciplines. One that takes courage to release what is comfortable and known, and step into faith, not knowing what to expect next. Letting Go is October’s Tending the Holy Thursday theme. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore in depth over several weeks. Each month I also include a free download to accompany the month’s topic. This month I wrote out for myself and want to share with you a list of “50 Things to Let Go.” These examples are ideas of people, stuff, ideas, and beliefs that we may cling to that no longer fit, serve, or help us in our journey. I don’t plan to release all 50 of these at one time, but to have … [Read more...]
Walk It Out – Book Review
Some books come along in our lives at just the right moment. A few weeks ago, I prayed for help in living a more devoted life, more fully connected with God. I needed guidance to jumpstart my spirit by hearing God deeper. I felt a yearning to live like Jesus did, as he called us to in the Sermon on the Mount. Then Tricia Goyer’s newest book arrived. Walk It Out – Book Overview Walk it Out – a Radical Result of Living God’s Word One Step at a Time is an inspirational, practical read. I love how she weaves her honest life stories amidst real-life ideas, actions steps, and thought provoking questions. As we search for where God is leading us, Tricia also offers great suggestions to balance our lives without doing too much. Walk It Out reminded me once again life isn’t just about me. “Sometimes in the busyness of our Christian walk, we forget that our ministry is not all about us and what we have to offer God. Many of us think it’s up to us to figure out God’s purposes for … [Read more...]
Palm Tree Lessons
Palm trees - my heart skips when I first see their distinctive majestic shapes, waving gracefully and welcoming me into their locale. You see I live in Ohio and palm trees don’t grow here. I recently wrote about how trees embody my spirituality and palm trees are one example of the lessons I learn from pondering these elegant creations of God. I think this affection is rooted in my childhood. We vacationed a lot in Florida where my dad’s sisters lived and palm trees represent fun and family to my heart. I am now learning palm trees also serve as symbol of faith for me. My hubby and I just returned from Florida and witnessed some of the destructive aftermath from the recent hurricanes. We saw broken billboards, tarps on roofs and even a few trees atop of cars. Side streets were still lined with limbs and palm branches, but we rarely saw any uprooted palm trees. My sister-in-law told me this is due to their unique root system. I am learning to pay attention when my spirit is … [Read more...]
I’m Thankful For Tacos!
I’m thankful for tacos. Did you know, not only is today fondly called Taco Tuesday, but tomorrow, October 4, is National Taco Day? When you read this post, I will just be getting back from vacation so thought we'd need a light reading today. Let’s have some fun with this idea! Taco Trivia In 2016, Americans ate over 4.5 billion tacos! That’s 490,000 miles of tacos, which could take you to the moon and back or, if you prefer, could, at 775-million pounds, equal the weight of two Empire State Buildings. No one really knows the full history of this yummy meal, but some experts report that the word “taco” came from the silver mines in Mexico in the 18th century. Tacos were the little explosives, pieces of paper wrapped around gunpowder and place into holes in the rock. When detonated, the ore was easier to extract. Yeah! I’ve eaten some hot sauce that exploded in my mouth, too. Others say the taco predates the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico during the 16th century. They … [Read more...]
The Wonder of Trees
I love trees. The symbolism of trees is one of my favorite spiritual images. I wrote about this a few years ago on Healthy Spirituality on this post about how the symbol of a tree helped heal my brokenness. I have also listened for the Lessons from the Olive Trees on our trip to the Holy Lands. Listen to the trees as they sway in the wind. Their leaves are telling secrets. Vera Nazarian But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought. Jeremiah 17:7-9 The Wonder of Trees Did you know trees talk to one another? Check out this Tedtalk about how this happens. The researches says, “Forests aren't simply collections of trees, they're complex systems with hubs and networks that overlap and connect trees and allow them to communicate, and they provide avenues for … [Read more...]
Lessons in Wonder from Tolkien
What are the lessons in wonder? Who inspires you to wonder? In September on Healthy Spirituality, we explored the practice of wonder. Many creations of God inspire me and I am sure move you too. I wanted to feature a person who wondered, whose creativity encouraged others to wonder. When writing about the Hobbits last week, naturally I thought JRR Tolkien. Who was Tolkien? I had to look up to discover what JRR stood for: John Ronald Reuel. You can impress your friends by knowing that! Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892 and came to England after his father died at the age of four. As an adult he was a professor of English at Oxford where he became friends with another creative, C.S. Lewis. A devout Catholic, Tolkien’s friendship with Lewis, an agnostic, eventually brought Lewis into the faith. Besides faith, these two liked to debate the worthiness of fairy tales and imaginative storytelling. Tolkien believed in their value, stating, "The imagined beings have … [Read more...]
What Can National Hobbit Day Teach Us?
What can National Hobbit Day Teach Us? National Hobbit Day? Yes, you read that right. Tomorrow, September 22 is National Hobbit Day and the celebration of two of JRR Tolkien’s most beloved characters – Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins. “The Hobbit, was born on September 22, Third Age 2890. Frodo Baggins, the central character in the LOTR trilogy, on the other hand, is 78 years younger than Bilbo, having been born in the Third Age year of 2968.” The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series is well known and loved by many. Here is a fun fact to remember: The Fellowship of the Rings, first in the Lord of the Rings series opens with Bilbo Baggins announcing his eleventy-first birthday. Instead of saying "one hundred and one" they say "eleventy first" and that with every other three plus digit number. So in honor of Bilbo, Frodo and Tolkien – let’s look at some lessons and quotes to ponder on National Hobbit Day. Lessons from the Hobbit As I reread this book and … [Read more...]