How to Observe Lent and Be Ready for Easter Lent begins this year on March 1 and Easter arrives April 16. If we start thinking now how to spend these next 40 days preparing our hearts for Easter, we can be better ready to start on Ash Wednesday. Two weeks ago, I shared a little about the Lenten seasons, what it is and the 5 A’s of getting ready. I loved Henri Nouwen’s quote too. This week let’s explore different ways to observe Lent that bring us closer to God during this time, so we are ready to hear the Easter message in April. Hold this question in your heart: When you wake up on Easter morning, how will you be different? 4 Ways to Observe Lent The Internet and Pinterest overflow with specific ways to observe Lent. Here are four broad categories of activities with a few examples in each one to inspire you on how you get your heart ready for Easter. The four types of Lenten ideas are Clear out, Climb in, Care for, and Cheer up. Observe Lent - Clear Out If we picture … [Read more...]
5 Prayer Tools to Strengthen Your Prayer Life
In February, we have been exploring how to strengthen your prayer life – one of the most frequently asked questions I hear. Prayer is a foundation for all healthy spirituality and most of us have a strong desire to be with God more deeply in prayer. The last Thursdays on Tending the Holy Thursdays we’ve looked at the flow of prayer and 3 practical prayer habits. Next week I will tell you the story of one man’s habit of unceasing prayers and how he lived a life of prayer. Don’t forget to get the free download to accompany the month’s topic. This month I took a PDF I offered one time last year and expanded it to include new information. “Prayer: 13 Ideas for Keeping Prayer Fresh” is available at no cost by clicking the button at the end of this post. I added ideas for prayer triggers and included a list of well-loved prayers from others, besides adding new resources. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the download will enhance your walk with God. Be sure to sign up … [Read more...]
Falling in Love with God on Valentine’s Day
Falling in Love with God on Valentine’s Day During the children’s moment at church on Sunday we talked about Valentine’s Day and how this day gives us an opportunity to tell the ones we love how much we do love them. I took the kids over to the painting in front of the church and we looked at Jesus praying. Who is he talking with? Who is Jesus listening to? Do you think they are telling each other about their love for one another? A few years ago, I read a reflection where the writer wrote how much she loved God and was falling in love with God more and more. It was at that point, I realized though, I felt I had a good relationship with God, I was NOT madly in love with him. God and I had an honest conversation about the distance of my heart from his. I asked him to help me fall in love with him. God answered that prayer and now I find myself over and over again amazed at his love, head over heels in love with the Creator and wanting to spend time with my … [Read more...]
3 Practical Prayer Habits to Strengthen Your Prayer Life
How to strengthen your prayer life continues to be one of the most frequently asked questions when I lead retreats, see the results of this blog’s readers survey, and in my spiritual direction practice. Prayer is a foundation for all healthy spirituality and most of us have a strong desire to be with God more deeply in prayer. Exploring our prayer life and ways to strengthen and enhance how we prayer is this month’s Tending the Holy Thursday series. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore. Last week I wrote about the flow of prayer and invited you to be aware of how you pray and what draws you closer to God and what pulls you away from him. I hope you did observe something in the flow of prayer throughout your day that strengthens your prayer life. This week I am sharing 3 practical prayer habits - triggers, types, and time - to strengthen our prayer life. Next week we will explore some prayer tools that can help us and the last … [Read more...]
Are You Ready? Lent is Coming Quickly
Lent is coming quickly. Are you ready? I know, I know what you are thinking. You just got Christmas put away. You barely remember your New Year's resolutions. And the Super Bowl is finally over. You can’t begin to think about the next holy season yet. But you can do a few things to get your heart and mind ready for the Lenten Season. Let’s talk about Lent this Tuesday and next week I will share with you some practices to consider trying during Lent. What is Lent? First, what is Lent? The 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays, comprised the season of Lent. It begins on Ash Wednesday which this year falls on March 1. The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “lencten” meaning spring. The symbolism of 40 days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness preparing for his ministry and being tempted by Satan. I like the sound of spring, but hesitate at the temptation and wilderness portion. LOL Traditionally Lent is a time of repentance, fasting, and … [Read more...]
How to Strengthen Your Prayer Life
One of the most common answers shown in last fall’s readers’ survey was this concern: How to strengthen your prayer life. Prayer is a foundation for all healthy spirituality and most of us have a strong desire to be with God more deeply in prayer. Exploring our prayer life and ways to strengthen and enhance how we prayer is this month’s Tending the Holy Thursday series. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore. Prayer became an obvious choice after reading the survey results. Each month I also include a free download to accompany the month’s topic. This month I took a PDF I offered one time last year and expanded it to include new information. “Prayer: 13 Ideas for Keeping Prayer Fresh” is available at no cost by clicking the button at the end of this post. I added ideas for prayer triggers and included a list of well-loved prayers from others besides adding new resources. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the download will … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings –What I Learned in January
January Monthly Musings One-twelfth of the year is gone already. Wow. Time seems to speed faster and faster, doesn’t it? Just one reason why stopping and capturing the moments each month has become a valuable practice for me. Each month I pause and look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. Living this reflective practice helps me slow down and savor this precious gift of life we’ve been given and all the gifts to be discovered given by such a loving, gracious God. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. Let’s wake up to the wonders in the ordinary all around us. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musing Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal or a calendar. Copies of my Monthly Musing Journal are available on Amazon and are a convenient way to keep track of the little things in life we often miss. Or if you want to click the button at the end of … [Read more...]
How to Create Inner Sacred Space
We’ve purchased the 2017 calendar. Some of us (this is so me!) have geekedly planned our year – vacations, dreams, goals and inked them into the schedule. I’ve uncluttered my closet and began my organizational assault on my kitchen drawers. My outer spaces and my external sacred spaces are in order. Yet the restlessness, not feeling quite at home feeling continues. I have neglected one of the most important sacred spaces for all of us – my inner space. How do I find/create/restore my inner sacred space? This Month’s Sacred Space Series Silence is hard to find. Noise, distractions, interruptions, and the lure of busyness interferes with experiencing God’s presence. Even if we quiet and slow down the outside world, creating inner sacred space seems impossible. This month’s our Tending the Holy Thursdays series is exploring the practice of creating sacred space. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. The first week we … [Read more...]