Ready to explore outer space? No, Healthy Spirituality has not been taken over by aliens from a distant planet. 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. Last week we delve into what sacred space looked like and next week I will write about internal sacred space. Today is finding the sacred in the external, the outer spaces of our lives. Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again. — Joseph Campbell As usual, I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “10 Tips for Creating a Sacred Space at Home,” with suggestions for forming a space in your home and even some blessings for your area. You can get this PDF at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the post. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the download will enhance your walk with God. Be sure to sign up to get … [Read more...]
Search Results for: 5 Ways Spiritual Retreats Transform Your Life
Four Outstanding Options for Slowing Down to be with God
Four Outstanding Options for Slowing Down to be with God Welcome back to this special week on Health Spirituality – the 2016 Spiritual Summer School with the theme of Slowing Down to be with God. I am posting Monday through Friday and then live streaming daily on Facebook Live. You can find me about 1:30 eastern on my Facebook author page with the exception of Friday where I will be broadcasting at 9:30 am eastern. I hope you can join me there too. Each day here on the blog and on Facebook live, we will explore different aspects of Slowing Down to be with God. So far we have set the stage for slowing down to be with God on Monday and on Tuesday we began to unpack the word SLOW starting with the letter S and I shared Six Strategies for Slowing Down to be with God. Wednesday we explored listening to our language and the language of God as we slow down to be with him. Today we take the third letter in the word SLOW, the “O”, and explore four outstanding options for slowing … [Read more...]
Six Strategies for Slowing Down to be with God
SPIRITUAL SUMMER SCHOOL – FIVE DAY SERIES – SLOWING DOWN TO BE WITH GOD Six Strategies for Slowing Down to be with God We may all want to slow down to be with God, but how can we put this into practice? Today I am sharing six strategies for slowing down to be with God. This is a special week here on Healthy Spirituality. While I regularly post only twice a week on a variety of topics, this week I am presenting Spiritual Summer School with the theme of Slowing Down to be with God and am posting Monday through Friday – yes all five days. In addition to the words here, I am live streaming, Monday through Friday on my Facebook author page around 1:30 eastern, talking about this week’s topic and hopefully having a conversation with some of you.On Friday I will be broadcasing at 9:30 am eastern. I hope you can join me there too or watch the replay. Each day during Spiritual Summer School, we will explore different aspects of Slowing Down to be with God. Today is exploring … [Read more...]
Lessons from Dorothy Day
What lessons can we learn from the life and writings of Dorothy Day? For May's Tending the Holy Thursday theme where I delve into a topic or a person of faith for several weeks, we have been exploring Dorothy Day. Today is the third of this series; here are first two: Introduction to the life of Dorothy Day 12 Quotes from Dorothy Day Remember I created a free Reflection Guide for you to download by just clicking the button at the end of this post. I think this guide would be great to copy and keep in your journal for further contemplation. It has several quotes divided by topics, followed by a writing/reflection prompt and questions with space to write. I hope it blesses your journey with Dorothy. Lessons Learned I have been “walking” and learning from Dorothy Day since 2005 – she has been quite a companion. As soon as I think I have read everything about her and know what I need to know – a new insight, quote, or reflection pops up. Social Ministry – Just as our … [Read more...]
Three Pentecost Symbols
Three Pentecost Symbols Pentecost will be celebrating in many of our churches this coming Sunday. I love the imagery and symbols of this important day in the church. Many Christians emphasize Christmas and Easter – and rightfully so – so why do we ignore this key moment in our church? I compiled a guide for ideas to celebrate Pentecost. You can download this resource at no cost by clicking on the button below. Click here to get Pentecost Ideas What is Pentecost? Pentecost is sudden and powerful arrival of the Holy Spirit in and around the disciples and their friends gathered together in Jerusalem Pentecost means "the 50th day" and marks the end of the Easter season. According to the second chapter in Acts, here is what happened: Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the … [Read more...]
How to Prepare your Heart for a Spiritual Retreat
I leave Thursday for a spiritual retreat – a four day silent one that feeds my soul. I love spending time in deep conversation with God and getting away from the noise that bombards me – both internal and external. But one thing I have learned from taking multiple retreats is to take the first step days before leaving. How do you prepare your heart for a spiritual retreat? A farmer wouldn't just cast seeds on hard uncultivated ground. A writer outlines a book plot. A cook purchases the necessary ingredients for the big meal. Priming your spirit for spending time with God is like any of these types of work – usually some preliminary prayer and pondering best prepares us. 6 tips on how to prepare your heart for a spiritual retreat: Pray – Ask God to start now to quiet your internal chattering, so you can listen deeply to his voice. Ask for protection for your time away. Ask God to be with your family so your worries can stay at home and not rattle around your spirit while you … [Read more...]
Getting Ready for Lent – A Prayer and Resources
Henri Nouwen wrote this Lenten prayer, which is so fitting as we get ready for Lent as it starts next week. “The Lenten season begins. It is a time to be with you, Lord, in a special way, a time to pray, to fast, and thus to follow you on your way to Jerusalem, to Golgotha, and to the final victory over death. I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I also want to follow my own desires and lend an ear to the voices that speak about prestige, success, pleasure, power, and influence. Help me to become deaf to these voices and more attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the narrow road to life. I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for me. The choice for your way has to be made every moment of my life. I have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts, words that are your words, and actions that are your actions. There are not times or places without choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing you. Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and … [Read more...]
Spiritual Practices of Reading and Retreating
Reading and retreating - going on a retreat - are two practices that nourish our spiritual growth. In our everyday hectic distraction-filled life we need to be intentional about what feeds our spirit. Too often we focus on other people’s needs or give into the addiction of busyness. We neglect the holy habits that help us hear, know and love God. Reading My bedside stand has been full of great books that have called to me lately and I thought I would share a few with you. Yes I am one of those types that have many books going at one time. Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn - I am revisiting this book as I attempt to honor the Sabbath more each week. This book explores the different dimensions of ceasing, resting, embracing and feasting - a very holistically approach to the Sabbath. Daring Greatly - Brene Brown. I mentioned this book on my recent post about Being Stretchedthis year. Brene researches the value of having the courage to be vulnerable and how that can … [Read more...]