Bible study card/bookmark

I know... I'm one of the quirky creatures that likes to spend oodles of time on meaningless little things that probably don't matter.

So, today I made these business card-sized  cards with three "connecting questions" on one side, and a closing prayer from our 'Godspeed' study on the other side.

I like to use things like this as bookmarks, or even to carry around in my pocket.

These could be used for any Bible Study or Small Group. The connecting questions are good to open with, and if you're into formal written prayers, everyone could pray the prayer together at the end.

These connecting questions are the latest I've settled on from this post the other day. The prayer, of course, is from the post yesterday about the new bible study we are participating in.

And... that's what I did today. I have ten of these cards, and will likely have a couple left over if someone were to want one or two. I printed them at home using Avery business cardstock.

Godspeed (vs. fomo and yolo)

We started using new bible study material last night, and I'm kind of excited! Once a week the wife and I meet with another pastor and his wife. We've been doing it for a couple few years off and on. Most of the time we just go through the bible and don't use any other materials. We have always enjoyed it.

Last night we started an 8-week study called "Godspeed: Unearthing Holiness," by Julie & Matt Canlis. It is based on a 37-minute film called "Godspeed,"  which, as the blurb says, "is the story of an American pastor whose desire to change the world grinds to a halt in a Scottish parish... What began as a five minute video ended as a half-hour portrait of the people and places who had taught Matt to repent & rest."

The film, and study, includes footage from the likes of Eugene Peterson, N.T. Wright, Father Giles, and others. The sessions are entitled: place, presence, pace, identity, stability, names, and mission.

I think I am going to like it! I especially liked the introduction in the study guide. Hopefully they don't mind if I share it:

The word 'Godspeed' comes from the old English phrase God Spede - meaning may God flourish you. Many of us wonder: can I live at Godspeed in big cities? Is flourishing only for rural Scotland?

Godspeed is not a call to pack up and move to the country. To live at Godspeed means to be present to where we are, and present to who surrounds us.

So what keeps us from being present?

The Oxford Dictionary has recently added two words that give us some cultural clues: FOMO (fear of missing out, 2015) and YOLO (you only live once, 2016). Both of these reflect the urgency of modern life - the insecure drive to take advantage of every opportunity, wherever it takes us. But what if it takes us away from where we are supposed to be? Is there a word for that? Are FOMO and YOLO dictating our lives more than an attentiveness to the place God has us and the people around us?

Uh... yeah!!!

You know, this kind of reminds me of when we first started pastoring the little country church we were at for so long. Until I lost my way.

Anyway, the study format is solidly set up, and I'm looking forward to it. Each session closes using Lectio Divina (spiritual reading of scripture), and with this prayer:

"Father, thank you for unearthing holiness in us. Help us to join with Jesus in unearthing holiness where we already live [and work, I would add], and with the Holy Spirit's help, to love the people we are with. Amen."

I would like to memorize that prayer so I can use it often throughout the day as I try to learn to notice, listen to, and (hopefully) love the people I am with. The people in my parish.

Godspeed, my friends...

Practicing stillness

I picked up Mark Scandrette's book Practicing The Way of Jesus again the other day. Part 2 deals with 'practices.' Chapter 7 is "Experiments in Identity." I found this to be an incredible chapter.

Scandrette asks us to consider, "How would I cope if my work and identity were suddenly taken from me?" I've known several people in my life who have had this happen - maybe we all do at some point - and some cope 'okay,' while some not so well. Personally, I guess I am still trying to cope, and given that fact, I'd probably have to put myself in the latter category.

The remainder of the chapter then covers experiments in Awakening Creativity, Entering Silence, and Embracing Stillness.

When I read the part on Embracing Stillness... it really connected with me. So much so that I spent the rest of the day and evening thinking about it. Even going so far as to wonder about starting a class in practicing stillness at the Y! I doubt my boss would ever go for it, but I have to think there are not just a few people who would find it beneficial.

From page 114 on, Scandrette offers a description of an experiment in stillness prayer called 'Seeking the Kingdom Within.' It can be done as a one-time group exercise, or a four- to six-week daily practice with weekly check-ins and group practice.

It consists of, basically, doing just what the name implies... you practice being still. I suppose there are many ways you could look at it, depending on your religious inclinations or "non" inclinations. The book looks at it as a form of prayer.

They say the first step is to become still in your body: "The Hebrew word for 'repent,' shuvah, literally means 'to return.' Choosing to be still can be seen as a physical act of repentance - a bodily statement that you are no longer on the run, but returning to the love and care of your Creator."

A second step is to quiet your mind. I'm just going to quote from the book here...

"To do this, focus on your breathing. The Creator formed you and brings life to you, by breath. It may be helpful to use a 'breath prayer': either a favorite name you use to cry out to God, like 'Father,' 'Jesus,' 'Abba' or 'Daddy,' or a short text of Scripture. Here are a few that I've found helpful. From the Psalms: 'I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.' (Psalm 131:2). From the Gospels, the simple prayer of a tax collector: 'Lord have mercy on me' (Luke 18:13). Called the Jesus Prayer in Easter Orthodox tradition, "Lord Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"... 'In you I live and move and have my being' (Acts 17:28) is a personalized phrasing of the apostle Paul's speech in Athens. Another from the Psalms is a prayer of examen: 'Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts' (Psalm 139:23). One of my favorite breath prayers is very primitive; it's Hagar's exclamation when she encountered God in the desert: 'You are the God who sees me' (Genesis 16:13). You might find it helpful to slowly meditate on one of these prayers, as you breathe in and out, to help you become more attentive to God."

Towards the end is this final reminder: "Stillness prayer practice is not an end in itself, but a means to becoming more aware, responsive and surrendered to God in every moment of our lives."

They suggest, whether in a class or not, taking 20 minutes or so a day to practice... being still before God.
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Aside from the book, my mind is still whirring with thoughts of this. I suppose I like the idea of practicing stillness because of my interest in and practice of meditation over the past years. In many respects, I see them as one in the same (as far as my personal practice goes). I will often use the 'sinners prayer' or something like "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1) as breath prayers or meditations.

As far as a class in this... I think the Y is a perfect place for it - and the downtown one I work at especially. Supposedly the mission of the Y is: 'To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.' It fits that. I would think it also fits into the downtown business culture where people spend their days in meetings, on the phones, or interacting with others. Even from a societal standpoint - we are such a culture of movement and constant activity - the need to be still (and the need to practice being still) seems a no-brainer. Shoot, think of parents with small children!

I could envision a 30-40 minute class, maybe over lunch-time, where people could come and either sit, stand, or lay on a mat... and still their mind and body. They could pray if they want, or meditate, or... heck, they could sleep for all I care! I guess I would maybe make the stillness part like 20-30 minutes, and then allow 5 minutes or so on the front and back end for questions or discussion. I think Monday noon would be the best day to do it. The weekend activities are over and you're just getting back into the grind... What better time to need to re-connect with your Center.

The book deals with this from a prayer perspective. A simple google search on 'practicing stillness' brought up a ton more info from psychology to business leadership to child development. So it's not just about religion; it's about life and people in general!

I think part of the draw of calling it 'stillness' is that it's not meditation, it's not prayer, it doesn't have to be regilous or "eastern" or anything people might think of as 'weird.' It is simply being still. Nothing more, nothing less. And sometimes it's the simplest things that we have the hardest time with (therefore the need to practice).

Anyway, I doubt that I will do anything with it... but it's really the first thing I've felt at all inspired to do in some time - whether from a faith perspective or at work. I think the potential is there... but, we'll see.

Writing for relaxation

I can type pretty fast. I took typing on a manual typewriter in high school. Years of typing papers, and later sermons, and I feel fairly confident climbing around a keyboard. Yet, I wonder just how helpful that has been over the years... 

I was writing in my journal the other day - in a notebook with a blue ink pen - and it occurred to me just how relaxing that simple motion was. It had nothing to do with the journal, or even the content. The mere act of writing - pen (or pencil) on paper - and taking my time to make it legible... I'd never noticed the calming quality of such a craft.

Most of my life I've written by hand only because I had to. I was scribbling something down to remember it for later, or getting information, or doing an assignment. My handwriting was therefore never very good, because I thought the important thing was WHAT I was writing, rather than THAT I was writing.

Not that some of the things we write aren't important. I have just begun to marvel at the relaxing qualities of the act of writing itself though. Whether printing or cursive, there is something about taking the time to form letters and words that flow from the touch of two completely unalike objects. Moving pen (or pencil) on paper in a slow, methodical manner, almost like mini Tai Chi for the hand and arm. It is so calming.

Sometimes I miss smoking cigarettes - not because of the taste or smell - but the relaxation benefits are similar. I miss the chance to go outside, sit in a chair or on the porch step, and simply stop all else to puff on some ponderance ever so briefly.

So maybe handwriting is my smoking substitute! How about that? Perhaps I need to purchase a moleskin (though I prefer a notebook with the spiral on top - I'm a lefty after all) and keep it with me. Whenever I need a break from the stress of life, I can stop and pen some thoughts, jot some tittles, or maybe doodle a noodle. Hmmm...

Anyway, maybe I'm late to the game, but I'd never thought about the relaxing qualities of handwriting. Maybe you haven't either. If not, I suggest you give it a try? And remember... the slower the better.

Actually, right now I have this mental image of the alphabet from grade school (you know, up on the wall above the blackboard)... I wonder how meditative it would be to sit and reproduce that some day... both physically as well as mentally placing my mind in that time and place. Yes, I think I might.

Write now, right now. Right on; write on.

Let's get physical - with spiritual formation

I finally found my way into chapter 4 of Mark Scandrette's book 'Practicing the Way of Jesus.' This is an amazingly interesting chapter to me. I have always been a big fan of the practice of spiritual formation, but had never considered it quite like this: from a physical standpoint.

Yet, as he says, "We've been invited into an amazing life through the sacrifice of Jesus and the miracle of his resurrection." So...

Do you want to taste the intimacy of being God's beloved child? Do you want to collaborate with God's creative and redemptive work in the world? Would you like to live without worry, jealousy or lust? Could you forgive and love as you have been forgiven and loved? Do you want to experience victory over the temptations you struggle with and feel God's peace even when you suffer???

In this chapter, Scandrette speaks of their forty-day experiment in using the Lord's Prayer as a guide to exactly this kind of life.

Apparently he and a small group of guys did this experiment to see what kind of difference it might make for them. They made a fort-day vow of: no meat, no media, no solo sex, and a limited wardrobe of two outfits and one workout outfit - and a promise to memorize the Sermon on the Mount.

I will spare you the reasoning behind these four things specifically (or not spoil it if you want to read the book). I will, however, share his definition of discipline and how it differs from mere legalistic behavior modification.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 says: "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

In other words, there is a physical element to spiritual formation. As he explains on p.58:

"A discipline is an activity within our power that enables us to accomplish that which we cannot do by direct effort. Like training for a sport or learning to play the piano, we can train to do things we could never do otherwise. Training requires a purposeful change in normal activities and patterns of habit - either an action you abstain from or a new action you engage in. Disciplines are useful for connecting and directing the mind, body and spirit toward the same goal - the undivided, love-oriented life we were created for."

So, where does the Lord's Prayer fit into all this? Scandrette says, as he sees it, the teachings of Jesus seem related to five basic themes of human experience: (1) identity (Who am I?); (2) purpose (Why am I here?); (3) security (How will I survive and thrive?); (4) community (How can I belong?); and (5) freedom and peace (What can I do about my temptations and sufferings?). His contention is these themes are mirrored in the New Testament and reflected in the prayer Jesus taught his disciples - "which makes them easy to remember, and suggests the possibility that Jesus may have taught his disciples to pray according to this pattern precisely because it gives a vision for the life we were made for." Here is the breakdown:

1. Identity: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name"
2. Purpose: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"
3. Security: "Give us today our daily bread"
4. Community: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors"
5. Freedom and peace: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"

In the end, he suggests this exercise of praying the Lord's prayer for ourselves and another. As he says, "If the Lord's Prayer provides a summary of the life we have been created for, praying this prayer for ourselves and for one another can be a powerful way to train and express our desires for life in the kingdom of love."

Sounds like it's worth a try to me...

Study questions

If I'm honest, I really miss being in a small group/bible study type thing. It's somewhat of a challenge with my sleep/work schedule right now. I like to be in bed by 8 pm during the week. But... egads... is it not possible to find a few people who can commit to gathering once in awhile for edification, friendship and fun (maybe call it an 'eff-ing' group)?

Anyway, I randomly ran across these three questions I apparently used in a small group study at some point in the past. I believe it was something we'd done on Wednesday nights during Lent a number of years ago. We got together and everyone brought their own food, then we read a passage of Scripture together, and talked through these three questions (I think they may have come from Stuart Briscoe):

1. What? (What is this saying?) 
2. So what? (So what does it mean?)
3. Now what? (Now what will I do as a result?)

I'd apparently forgotten all about these, but I love the simplicity.

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On a related note, I follow a 'WholyFit Christian Fitness' thing on Facebook, and the other day they posted a little blurb on "How To Meditate." They broke it down like this:

• Read John 1:1 in 3 different translations
• Rephrase in your own words
• Ask 3 questions:
• What does this say about God?
• What does this say about people?
• How can you put feet on this verse?

I'm not as in love with these 3 questions as the ones above, but I am a fan of this type format - whether for personal meditation or group study.


So, this is what I've been pondering lately. Simple stuff; sustainable stuff; good stuff... that I miss.

Communion...

I was reminded of this post from 2008 and Mark Galli's book Beyond Smells and Bells the other day. I remember liking that book, and it's interesting that I/we are now part of a church body who participates in weekly communion, and with real wine and bread ("real" being an interesting term, given the nature here).

I had actually served as a pastor for many years before communion had any significance to me at all. I know, that seems weird. It probably is weird. However, it came to be quite meaningful to me. I think the change might have come when I started seeing the act of communion as a means of grace. I remember reading in one of Brian McLaren's books about how he offered communion to people who did not believe - perhaps as a way of opening themselves to God. That really struck me, and I started doing it in our church (allowing non-believers to participate). That seems so odd to me now - the thought that *I* would allow or deny someone to participate - but I really do think that was when my mind/heart started to see it differently.

Anyway, I am glad to be part of a group who makes no fuss about that. Why would we want to keep someone from experiencing Christ? That's sort of rhetorical, but not entirely. It reminds me of something Andrew Jones shared on Facebook yesterday upon hearing of former AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young's passing. He noted that a friend of his had actually become a Christian while working as a member of the road crew for AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' tour. How splendidly ironic is that!?

So, here is the aforementioned post from 2008:

On pp. 51-52 of Mark Galli's Beyond Smells and Bells he first quotes Benedictine writer Jerry Driscoll:

The word 'mystery' preserves the tension between the concrete and the divine. Something is definitely present, but what is present exceeds and overflows the limits of the concrete, even if it is present only by means of it. This is mysterious, in a way unique to Christian understanding.

Yep, I agree. Just because all we see are bread and juice (in our case), for instance, doesn't mean that is all that's there.

Later on p. 52 Galli says...

A minister says words and performs actions, but at a deeper level, it is Christ who is presiding. We share in bread and wine, but the reality is that we are taking Christ into us. It looks like this is all occurring in time and space, when in fact the boundaries of time and space are being shattered, when for a few moments "heaven and earth are full of [God's] glory."

When all is said and done, though it may look like we've done nothing more than re-enact a routine religious meal, in fact, as the concluding prayer notes, something terribly significant has occurred: "You have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the sacrament of his body and blood."

First meditation class - no finish line

Yesterday I participated in my first class at the Y. It was at the one I work at, and the class was in 'Guided Meditation.' The blurb in the program guide says:

"Come unplug and charge up your system. This class consists of light breathing exercises, casual stretch poses, salutations, and flow series. It will end with 10-15 minutes of relaxing meditation."

I don't know about all that, but it was good and I'm glad I went. There were 5 of us in the class plus the instructor. I was the only first-timer. Mats were set up with a towel and a block on each.

Before we began, the instructor gave a little detail about the elements of the class. This is really more of a rest and relaxation class. Then he mentioned how, if we think of life as some kind of race to the finish, how would we react if we were told there was, in fact, no finish line? I thought that an interesting thought worth considering...

After some brief stretching on our own, we finally began. We could sit any way we wanted, and I chose to sit cross-legged on the block. We then had 3 sets of 5-minute segments. The first was to try to relax ourselves, the middle to consider what we were grateful for, and the third to go deeper - perhaps in prayer, thankfulness, or however you wanted.

Next we were once again allowed to stretch, then we had a 20-minute session where we lay on the mat with our head on the towel and our feet elevated on the block. This was to be nothing more than a de-stress time. The guy next to me was snoring, and that's okay because napping is encouraged!

I thought I would fall asleep, since I was up at 4 am and worked from 5-9, but I didn't. I actually felt refreshed. I practiced breathing very slowly and deeply, and spent the bulk of my time in prayer.

When the class was over I walked across town to my car, drove home, and ran 5 miles on the treadmill. I felt pretty good. I suppose that means I'm going to be sick today or something. Anyway, I hope to attend this class some more.

Fueling your faith retreat

This past Sunday afternoon Jane and I took part in the 'Fueling Your Faith' retreat put on by the local YMCA. This is the blurb from their Facebook page:

Fueling Your Faith includes a four-hour retreat at beautiful YMCA Camp Potawotami (7255 E 700 S, Wolcottville IN, 46795) where participants are given training and time to put into practice renewing Christian principles of rest, solitude, silence, and reflection.

Checkin is at 1pm
Retreat begins at 1:30
Dinner is at 6pm
Campfire & s'mores at 7pm

The training will be led by Brenda Janks, the founder of Run Hard. Rest Well. It is a ministry that teaches people how to restore margins in life in order to be refreshed to love, care and serve.

I believe there were supposed to be around 60 people registered for the event. The only ones I knew were Jane, Tim (who organized it), and the CEO of the Y (who sat with us at our table). I was glad there was only one exercise where we had to share around our table - just because I don't like doing this in general unless it's among people I'm comfortable with. We sat with Marty, Tim & Flora(?), and Tabitha.

I can't really say that I learned anything new, but it was a worthwhile endeavor. Personally, resting well is something I have probably been fairly well attuned to over the past few years - what with coming through my own episode of burnout. So even though I may not have learned a lot, I can attest to the value of the things being taught.

I liked that there was a good mix of teaching time - and all the notes were printed out - as well as time to get outside and practice. There were two "get outside" times - one for 20 minutes and one for an hour. I found those times especially helpful, and I think they would be even more so for people under much greater stress than me.

I had two big take-aways from the retreat:

1. I need to make more time to write. By that, I particularly mean blog writing. I need to spend more time at it. More than merely writing about my day, I need to do some actual WRITING. I believe that is what feeds my soul. I think I've had a tendency to think it is wasted time (or that others see it as such), but this retreat seemed to point out that it's how I best renew and rejuvenate myself - regardless of how well I write.
2. I also think I need to force myself to get outside more. Not necessarily to do yard work, but to simply take in nature. It doesn't need to be for long, but even five minutes could do wonders.

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Some of the notes I highlighted: 

1.) Not sure of the source, but the instructor shared how healthy rhythms have been removed from the fabric of our society in these ways:

• Prior to 1897 invention of the light bulb = sleep was protected ( 2 1/2 hours each night)
• Prior to 1960s, US economics honored Sabbath rest = rhythm was protected
• Prior to 1980s, children's activities were confined to afternoons = evenings were protected
• Prior to 1990s, access to information was limited = boundaries on work were honored
• Prior to 2000s, people weren't accessible 24/7 = sanity was protected

 (Can you say 'tower of babel'?)

2.) "GREEN ZONE" - a study supporting the health/wellness benefit of going outside at least 5 minutes/day - especially by water.

3.) Anxiety assessment - p. 6 of notes

4.) Paradigm shift exercise (how to draw a circle with a dot in the middle without lifting the pen off the page).

5.) Camp Lutherhaven (Albion) daily retreats for free. Consider doing one every 6 mos. or so.

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So, all in all, I'm glad we went. The only real negative was the food. I would probably skip the meal the next time. We did skip the s'mores this time, because a campfire in near-90 temps didn't seem all that appealing. :)

The reformation, vocation, and hints of hope

I am still marveling my way through Tish Harrison Warren's lively little book 'Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life.' It continues to be good and I'm enjoying the read.

In chapter 7, entitled "Checking Email" she discusses an issue that has been at the top of my memory stack lately. I struggle with Christians who compartmentalize their faith. You know, they're super-duper-Jesus-y while at church or when talking about church, but they operate completely different at work and elsewhere. This is one of my struggles where I work and I haven't been able to put into words how I feel to the person I'm having this issue with. So it was interesting to me when I stumbled into this chapter.

I thought this ditty regarding the reformation especially insightful. I don't believe I've seen it put quite like this before. P.90...

"We often understand the Protestant Reformation as a conflict about doctrine. Justification. Grace versus works. Ecclesiology. Indulgences. And it was. But what captured the imagination of the commoners in Europe during the Reformation was not only the finer points of doctrine, but the earthy notion of vocation. The idea that all good work is holy work was revolutionary. The Reformation toppled a vocational hierarchy that had placed monks, nuns, and priests at the top and everyone else below. The Reformers taught that a farmer may worship God by being a good farmer and that a parent changing diapers could be as near to Jesus as the pope. This was scandal."

Over on p. 94 she then mixes in some thoughts from Peterson on vocational holiness and lays down these two tracks:

"We can't be holy in the abstract. Instead we become a holy blacksmith or a holy mother or a holy physician or a holy systems analyst. We seek God in and through our particular vocation and place in life." 

"Our task is not to somehow inject God into our work but to join God in the work he is already doing in and through our vocational lives."

Yes!

On the next page is this beautiful quip from Steven Garber (from his book 'Visions of Vocation' p. 189):

"In the daily rhythms for everyone everywhere, we live our lives in the marketplaces of this world: in homes and neighborhoods, in schools and on farms, in hospitals and businesses, and our vocations are bound up with the ordinary work that ordinary people do. We are not great shots across the bow of history; rather, by simple grace, we are hints of hope."

Wow! I love that last line:

"We are not great shots across the bow of history;

rather, by simple grace, we are hints of hope."

I will stop with one of the highlights the author brought out in the book:

"These are the small tasks in which we live out God's blessing and into which we are sent; we are blessed and sent into the real ways that we spend our hours."

Amen.

Little contentments matter too

I am presently reading Tish Harrison Warren's fabulous little book 'Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life.' It's another from the Renovare book club that I've glommed onto. I'm glad I did.

I will likely post a review of the entire book eventually, but today I wanted to highlight some gleanings from chapter 4 entitled "Losing Keys: Confession and the Truth About Ourselves." She bases it on Paul's phrase in Philippians 4:11 about learning to be content in all circumstances. Of course when we think of Paul, we think about his shipwrecks and beatings and persecution. However, Warren points out that most of our days are not made up of such things. As she says on p. 55:

"When suffering is sharp and profound, I expect and believe that God will meet me in its midst. But in the struggles of my average day I somehow feel I have a right to be annoyed. The indignations and irritations of the modern world feel authentic and understandable... In a shipwreck, yes of course, "Be content." But the third day in a row of poor sleep and a backed-up sink? That's too much to ask. In 'Letters to Malcolm,' C.S. Lewis says that people are 'merely "amusing themselves" by asking for patience which a famine or a persecution would call for if, in the meantime, the weather and every other inconvenience sets them grumbling.'"

Ah, yes. Right between the eyes, that one. Allow me to further quander you with some more quotage from pp. 56-57:

"I need to cultivate the practice of meeting Christ in these small moments of grief, frustration, and anger, of encountering Christ's death and resurrection - this big story of brokenness and redemption - in a small, gray, stir-crazy Tuesday morning.

Otherwise, I'll spend my life imagining and hoping (and preaching and teaching about how) to share in the sufferings of Christ in persecution, momentous suffering, and death, while I spend my actual days in grumbling, discontentment, and low-grade despair."

And....

"For some of us, the idea of repentance can bring to mind a particular emotional experience, or the minor-key songs of an altar call at a revival meeting. But repentance and faith are the constant, daily rhythms of the Christian life, our breathing out and breathing in.

In these small moments that reveal my lostness and brokenness, I need to develop the habit of admitting the truth of who I am -- not running to justify myself or minimize my sin. And yet, in my brokenness and lostness, I also need to form the habit of letting God love me, trusting again in his mercy, and receiving again his words of forgiveness and absolution over me. Rich Mullins, one of my favorite writers and musicians, said that when he was a kid he'd walk down the church aisle and be 'born again again' or 'rededicate' his life to Christ every year at camp. In college he'd do it about every six months, then quarterly; by the time he was in his forties it was 'about four times a day.' Repentance is not usually a moment wrought in high drama. It is the steady drumbeat of a life in Christ and, therefore, a day in Christ."

Whew! If you're reading this for the first time, I suggest taking a little break then coming back again to re-read... as many times as necessary.

There is so much more, and I'm not likely painting a very good resemblance of the chapter, but this seems a nice summation to end with (for me):

"Our failures or successes in the Christian life are not what define us or determine our worth before God or God's people. Instead, we are defined by Christ's life and work on our behalf. We kneel. We humble ourselves together. We admit the truth. We confess and repent. Together, we practice the posture that we embrace each day -- that of a broken and needy people who receive abundant mercy."

So what I'm thinking, as I/we head into this day, how will we react to small setbacks and inconveniences? Do they fit into our "theology of suffering," or are those just up to us? I like how the author here brings to light the need to learn to be content "in ALL things" - the little as well as the big. The importance of everyday repentance, confession of the small, and experiencing redemption even in the mundane. Yes, I like the idea of that. I need that.

The greatest trap in our life

I believe I mentioned awhile back that I am reading Henri Nouwen's 'Life of the Beloved.' It is a splendid book, and I very much like reading Nouwen. This book in particular actually comes from some writings he sent to a friend who was searching for meaning in life. I remember from back in my seminary days seeing Henri preach on this subject on the old 'Hour of Power' Robert Schuller telecast. 

(Link for the 8-part series on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFWfYpd0F18&list=PLACE9C7BAF6FA2D75; Link to another site: https://www.ohioilluman.org/ohio-illuman-news/2015/8/16/henri-nouwen-life-of-the-beloved)

Anyway, in this first post on the book I want to include a lengthy section from the chapter "Being the Beloved." It starts on p. 31 and runs through 33.

"Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can, indeed, present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection.  

When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. I am constantly surprised at how quickly I give in to this temptation. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking: "Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody." Instead of taking a critical look at the circumstances or trying to understand my own and others' limitations, I tend to blame myself -- not just for what I did, but for who I am. My dark side says, "I am no good... I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned." 

Maybe you think that you are more tempted by arrogance than by self-rejection. But isn't arrogance, in fact, the other side of self-rejection? Isn't arrogance putting yourself on a pedestal to avoid being seen as you see yourself? Isn't arrogance, in the final analysis, just another way of dealing with the feelings of worthlessness? Both self-rejection and arrogance pull us out of the common reality of existence and make a gentle community of people extremely difficult, if not impossible, to attain. 

I know too well that beneath my arrogance there lies much self-doubt, just as there is a great amount of pride hidden in my self-rejection. Whether I am inflated or deflated, I lose touch with my truth and distort my vision of reality. 

I hope you can somehow identify in yourself the temptation to self-rejection, whether it manifests itself in arrogance or in low self-esteem. Not seldom, self-rejection is simply seen as the neurotic expression of an insecure person. But neurosis is often the psychic manifestation of a much deeper human darkness: the darkness of not feeling truly welcome in human existence. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved." Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence..."

Wowzers!!! That is some powerful stuff right there. He looked me straight in the eye and called my name out loud. This is so much my struggle, and somewhat always has been. I can trace this back through my life to my earliest memories as a child.

I also think this is the reason I spend so much time in the spiritual disciplines. I need to constantly be guarding against the negative voices I hear, and doing everything I can to get in touch with the "still small voice" that whispers my real name.

It is a battle, but it just might be the most important one in all the world.

Random thoughts on words, community, presence, etc.

So I've just been thinking about a variety of things lately. I wish I could focus myself into writing more intentionally - maybe an article or two, even - but I don't seem to have a time spread where I can give proper attention to it. So, here are some randomlies.

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This past Sunday I was thinking a thought I've had many a time over the last few years. I was listening to a sermon and it struck me just how much I really do enjoy hearing sermons. Yes, there are some that are gruesomely awful, but I generally like just about any sermon, and feel I can learn something from just about anyone. I especially like those who teach from the Bible. Even though I did it for years myself, I still sometimes sit in awe.

On the other hand, though, I have come to a point where I honestly do not believe I could preach a sermon again. For awhile I just thought I needed a break. I had lost my creative edge. However, now I am afraid I don't have the emotional framework to be able to do it. I just can't see myself standing in front of people with any sort of confidence. Sometime I forget just how amazed I used to be when I did it regularly, because I have ALWAYS been very shy, yet for a time at least, God empowered me to speak in front of people in ways I never imagined I could. I'm afraid those days may be gone. And that's okay.

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On a separate but similar subject, last night we met with our (small) small group, and we always have someone read a Scripture passage. I then read the same thing from a different translation, and it was while I was reading it that it just started to sink into my bones. I'm not even sure if I was still audibly speaking it, but it was almost like I was living the words. It was a little eerie, but it also felt so very good and right. I am considering suggesting that we might try having each person read the same passage from now on (there are four of us in the group), just to see what happens.

Then, this morning I met with Tom for breakfast and we were talking about the idea of community. We eventually stumbled into a conversation about the importance of mere PRESENCE with others. So often I think people believe we need to be accomplishing something when we're together - that whole idea of 'quality' time over 'quantity.' But maybe our simple presence with one another is just as important as anything that's accomplished. Jesus isn't in our midst when "two or three are gathered" and are ACCOMPLISHING something. It's just when we're gathered in his name.

Tom shared about how in some cultures it is normal for someone to stop by and maybe just read the paper at your house or office. It's not always about what you talk about, or do, or anything.... but just being together. Then we wondered together about young people who get together and play video games, or look at their phone. We tend to discredit this as actual time spent together, but maybe it is just as worthwhile. Even a family hanging out watching TV at night. I dunno... Just thinking.

So, then, my morning reading (at work) from the Spiritual Formation workbook contained these words from Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Life Together):

"...the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God's Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation. He needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother's is sure."

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So, that's some innaresting stuff that's occupying my mind at the moment (innaresting to me). Words. The Word. Presence. Community. There's a real connection there. And it has nothing to do with 'orders of service,' times, structure, or denominational affiliation. Christ, however, runs through it all. I think that's what I've been looking for. May I look deeper, and become content more with the looking than any sort of achieving.

Memorizing scripture

The devotional I'm using had a thing on the Beatitudes of Jesus the other day. It said they are among the literary and religious treasures of the human race, and I would agree. They also stated that, along with the Ten Commandments, the Twenty-Third Psalm, the Lord's Prayer, and a few other passages from the Bible, they are acknowledged to be among the highest expressions of religious insight and moral inspiration.

I don't know about all that, but what I do know is that while reading it, it sort of ignited a spark in me to commit some of those passages to memory. I used to have many verses and passages memorized, but anymore there just doesn't seem to be as much storage space in the ol' noggin as there used to be. But it would probably be a good idea to work at it a little.

So, these are some of the things I'd like to be able to memorize from Scripture:

• Ten Commandments
• Twenty-third Psalm
• Lord's Prayer
• Beatitudes
• 7 signs in John (Jesus's miracles)

Certainly I could/should probably do more - and I had always wanted to memorize an entire book of the Bible - but if I memorized one or two from that list I'd be happy. Maybe three or four.

*On a side note.... One of the things I find frustrating nowadays with all the different translations is trying to decide which version of the Bible to use to memorize. The King James is rather archaic, but it seems the most natural for things like Psalm 23. I'm not a big fan of how the NIV words some of these better-known passages, but it's probably the most widely known. Hmmm... what to do?

Seeing my story differently

The other day I met with the pastor of the church we've been attending lately. He seems like a super guy. He is very low-key, humble, yet also has a good sense of humor. It was a nice meeting and I left feeling fairly upbeat.

Before the meeting, though, I was not feeling that way. When Brian contacted me he said he just wanted to get together to "hear my story." While I appreciated the contact, I dreaded having to go through my story again. Because I assumed he wasn't talking about my story of how I came to be a follower of Jesus, but rather the story of why I'm not longer pastoring a church.

Even after we met I found myself wishing I had a different story. My story sucks. It's a sad story of heartache and betrayal and abandonment. But then it occurred to me - just this morning, actually - that it's not my story that is bad.... it's the way I've been looking at it.

Everyone has a sad story of some sort in their life. I have been letting my sad story (or at least THIS ONE) define me. I have also only been looking at it from one angle. I've only been seeing it from how it effected me; and how it effected me at that point in my life. There could be (and probably is) an entirely different angle, and the things that have happened so far could have ripples and repercussions far and wide across many lives. Maybe those things happened for a very good reason in the grand scheme of things. Who knows.

Perspective.... is rather important.

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This morning I was reading through chapter 3 of the "Learning From Jesus" spiritual formation guide from Renovare. The chapter title is: 'Experiencing the Second Birth.' They discuss Nicodemus and Zacchaeus, and how they had very different experiences of coming to accept Jesus and learning to see their own lives through the lens of his story.

On p. 30 they quote from Malcom Muggeridge's book 'Jesus Rediscovered':

"The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ourselves to be at home here on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland, which is that other kingdom You proclaimed."

Ah yes... I am so often prone to forgetting that this is not my home. Granted, we pray and work for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, and we may get little glimpses of it here and there, but we should never find ourselves too content in this life.

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It's funny... This is nothing earth-shattering; nothing I haven't heard before or didn't already know; but sometimes it can make all the difference in the world to just take a moment and look at things from another angle.

Wisdom=beauty

I started today off a little awestruck by the 'Verse of the Day' on my sidebar: James 3:17-18...

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Then Facebook reminded me that 6 years ago I posted this tidbit on Mother Teresa:

Mother Theresa was once asked about her prayer life. The interviewer asked, “When you pray, what do you say to God?” Mother Teresa replied, “I don’t talk, I simply listen.”
Believing he understood what she had just said, the interviewer next asked, “Ah, then what is it that God says to you when you pray?” Mother Teresa replied, “He also doesn’t talk. He also simply listens.”
There was a long silence, with the interviewer seeming a bit confused and not knowing what to ask next. Finally Mother Teresa breaks the silence by saying, “If you can’t understand the meaning of what I’ve just said, I’m sorry but there’s no way I can explain it any better.”

My bible reading for today was exceptionally inspiring also. And then I read the following in Eugene Peterson's 'Eat This Book: A Conversation in The Art of Spiritual Reading':

"...despite the money and time our society expends in teaching us to read, nobody gives much attention or energy to teaching HOW to read. Among our ancestors reading involved a seeking of wisdom, becoming a mature person. With us it is more likely to be a retrieval of information so that we can answer a question or do a job. Spiritual reading is not contemptuous of information, but it has wisdom for its goal: BECOMING true and good, not just knowing about the facts of life or how to change a tire."

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I don't really know how to explain the beauty I find in those pieces of writing.

On the one hand I am mystified by the continued enamorment our society seems to have with Donald Trump. In my opinion - small as it may be - he is the "anti-wisdom." He represents all that is hateful, vengeful, ugly, and corrupt about our society. I do not understand how someone who claims to be a follower of Christ can read the Bible and justify supporting someone like Trump. I have an inkling the way it's done is merely to "claim" Christianity, but not look too closely at the bible.

On the other hand, though, aside from presidential politics and societal idiocracy... I discovered something that seems to be happening to me. The bible has become beautiful to me. I find great joy and comfort in reading it. And I'm not exactly sure why.

It could be because I no longer read the bible for "work." It is no longer necessary to write sermons or lead bible studies. As I have said before, I read a "two-year" bible. There is a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, a Psalm and Proverb for each day's reading. It finally dawned on me one day that the stories - stories that I've read over and over - have caught my interest again. Some days I will actually read ahead, but then go back and read it again the next day.

I also like the Verse of the Day on my sidebar, as well as a different one I get on my phone.

There is such profound wisdom in the bible. I would think that even non-believers would be able to see it, and maybe they do. It is so much more beautiful than the spewage coming out of Trumps mouth. And it's really not just Trump. My guess is his popularity stems from the fact he is the perfect representative of all the anger, hate, racism, belligerence, hostility, animosity, lunacy, greed, and whatever other negative thing you can think of in America right now.

We live in a world and a time that needs wisdom. Hope is not going to come from a loud-mouthed politician or businessman. I guess what surprised me this morning is my own personal rediscovery of wisdom/beauty in the bible. I am far, far, far from wise myself, but I feel like my bible reading makes a difference. At least for me.

Contemplating contemplation

I recently read chapter 7 in Eugene Peterson's "Eat This Book: A Conversation In the Art of Spiritual Reading." This particular chapter is on lectio divina - which is an ancient discipline of reading Scripture consisting of: lectio (to read the text), meditatio (meditate on the text), oratio (pray the text), and contemplatio (live the text).

I have studied and practiced this discipline myself for years. I'm sure I've written about it on this blog many times. One thing that really jumped out to me while reading this chapter, though, was what Peterson had to say about contemplation. I found it both interesting, and quite compelling. He referred to it in ways I'd not previously considered.

Contrary to popular notions of contemplative people, normally thought of as nuns or monks holed away in a cave in some remote location, Eugene lifts up the idea that ALL Christians are called to contemplation, and actually can do it. I will list a few instances from the book:

• On p. 110 he quotes Hans Urs von Balthasar, "The life of contemplation is perforce an everyday life, of small fidelities and services performed in the spirit of love, which lightens our tasks and gives to them its warmth."
• On 111 he quotes Kathleen Norris: "I have come to believe that the true mystics of the quotidian are not those who contemplate holiness in isolation, reaching godlike illumination in serene silence, but those who manage to find God in a life filled with noise, the demands of other people and relentless daily duties that can consume the self. They may be young parents juggling child-rearing and making a living... [I]f they are wise, they treasure the rare moments of solitude and silence that come their way, and use them not to escape, to distract themselves with television and the like. Instead, they listen for a sign of God's presence and they open their hearts toward prayer."
• I really like what Eugene follows that up with: "I stake my claim for the democratization of contemplation on the observation that virtually all children up to the age of three to five years are natural contemplatives: unself-consciously present to the immediate flower, absorbed and oblivious while watching an ant track its way across a log." (That mental picture really struck a chord with me).
• On p. 113 he states, "Contemplation means living what we read, not wasting any of it or hoarding any of it, but using it up in living. It is life formed by God's revealing word, God's word read and heard, meditated and prayed. The contemplative life is not a special kind of life; it is the Christian life, nothing more but also nothing less. But LIVED."
• He also notes that it's okay to think of ourselves as 'failed contemplatives.' In regard to living it out, we won't master it (we fail); but it's the trying that makes us contemplatives.
• I also really liked this call on p. 113: "Contemplative is not an elitist category of Christian. The importance of rehabilitating the word is that our culture has taken to using 'Christian' to refer to virtually anybody who is not a communist or a criminal. We need an unpopular word that kicks off some awareness of what is odd in those who live by faith in Jesus Christ, a verbal tool that calls attention to what is distinctive in this word-of-God-formed life. Maybe the awkwardness of this word in the climate of this age will signpost resistance to the acids of secularism that erode the sharp edges of our identity in Christ."

I suppose this was of great interest to me because I do consider myself somewhat of a contemplative person. But this opens up a whole new way of thinking about it for me. It's not just the ability to sit and think on Scripture while I'm alone, but the necessity of keeping it alive in the midst of life! Imagine contemplating, "The Lord is my Shepherd," at a party, or while in the office break room. Think of the peace and centered-ness that could add to ones life. Or, I think about when I'm with my grandchildren. Just the slowing down of my mind; the being "present in the moment" with them. I believe there is great transformative power possible through this practice.

This is good stuff, my friends. Important stuff. At least to me.

The path to life

I wrote awhile ago about going through this Chip Ingram series on "Spiritual Simplicity." We finished it up with the couple we've been meeting with a week or so ago (which is when I wrote this). The last session focused on Romans chapter 12 and Chip outlined what he believes God established as the "path to life."

He says the will of God is that we would be like Jesus; and we do that by loving God and loving others. From Romans 12 he says we get there by living a life...

1. Surrendered to God
2. Separate from the world's values
3. Sober (accurate) assessment of ourselves
4. Serving in love
5. Supernaturally responding to evil with good

This is the path to the kind of life God wants for us. The process for getting there is the B.I.O. (life) that I covered earlier:

Before God daily
In community weekly
On mission 24/7

He also pointed out 3 barriers to living this way:

• An unwillingness to go "all in"
• Your willingness to be vulnerable
• Your fear of failure 

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Personally, I have had my ups and downs with the path, as well as the barriers (certainly they go hand in hand). There have been times when I've been totally surrendered to God, separate from the world's values, able to accurately assess myself, serve, and supernaturally respond to evil. These were also the times I was "all in," willing to be completely vulnerable, and had no fear.

Conversely, it seems lately I have given in way more to the barriers, and therefore the top 5 items are a struggle.

It would be nice if one could say, "Okay, I'm going to get my act together and go about this the right way." Unfortunately - and probably quite contrary to what many people believe - I'm not sure it's something that can just be decided by a mere act of will. In my opinion, all these things boil down to SUBMISSION. Coming before God and admitting I can't do it (on my own), and asking for, relying, on His strength.

This is also linked to whether or not we trust God. It's hard to surrender to someone you don't trust. Like, "I'm not going to submit to God because I'm afraid he will want me to go to Africa and be a missionary." I suppose it's possible that he might, but it's also possible that he wants you to fulfill your wildest dreams in a way that you like (which could, by the way, include Africa). Perhaps this ultimately boils down to whether we believe God wants what's good for us, or whether we deep down believe God somehow wants to punish us for something. I dunno... maybe it's not that cut and dried.

So, I don't know that I have anything figured out, or how I would even rate myself on any of these at the moment. Certainly there are a lot of variables and intricacies. However, it is good to have some concrete items to stare in the face that I know I need his help with. Here's to going there...

Learning christ

So far in Michael Frost's wonderful little book 'Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People' we have been encouraged to:

• Bless 3 people per week - at least one of whom is not a member of your church.
• Eat with 3 people per week - at least one of whom is not a member of your church.
• Spend at least one period of the week listening for the Spirit's voice.

Today I wrestle with chapter six, which is the fourth habit to becoming highly missional: Learn. Frost recommends spending at least one period of the week learning Christ.

This seemed a strange wording to me, and Frost points out on p. 71:

"The expression 'to learn Christ' was a common one among the earliest Christians... In the early centuries of the Christian movement, conversion involved denying the pagan gods and entering a period of catechism, committing oneself to an intensive study of the person and work of Jesus. We would do well to institute a habitual study of the Gospels ourselves today."

There are two primary reasons he suggests "learning Christ":

1. There is devotional value in growing closer to Jesus, fostering intimacy with God, hearing the promptings of the Holy Spirit, sensing his presence through the beauty of his Word, and seeking to conform our lives more and more to his will. But also...
2. The more missional reason to learn Jesus is - we need to know him if we are going to share him as the reason for the hope we have.

The author calls for not only delving further into the Gospels, but becoming students of the whole of Scripture, which includes understanding the Gospels in their total biblical context. As theologian John Stackhouse has said:

"What did Jesus say?"... is the wrong question for Christian thought just as "What would Jesus do?" is the wrong question for Christian ethics. "What would Jesus want me or us to think, be, and do, here and now?" is the right question.

I was glad to see the main idea Frost emphasizes here is one of my pet peeves when it comes to the concept of missional living: the idea of incarnational mission. The term "mission" means "to be sent; to be propelled outward." Lots of churches seem to get this idea that being missional is going out to others with the Good News (rather than merely waiting for people to come to us). But the term "incarnational" takes it to another dimension. As Frost says, "It describes not simply going out, but also the difficult work of going deep with others." Just as God took on flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus, so his followers are called to dwell among those to whom we are sent. Being "missional" isn't about doing mere projects (not that there's anything wrong with that), but it is being LIKE Christ and dwelling AMONG the people we have been sent to.

Frost gives three suggestions for "learning Christ":

1. Study the Gospels - Read, reread, and reread again. He says Mark takes about ninety minutes, John about 2 hours, and Matthew and Luke about 2 1/2 hours each.
2. Read about Jesus - He cites several works on Jesus in the back of the book (I will list later).
3. Further viewing - He also recommends films about Jesus and the Gospels (also in the book).

So, another good chapter. I have sometimes been tempted to elevate the Gospels over the rest of the Bible, but I agree with the assertion that one is not more important than the other - it is the totality of Scripture, and how Christ comes through and ties it all together. I do miss the days when I was a better student of the Bible, and would like to be more intentional about getting to know Jesus. I want him to be the hero of my story, and the world's. I realize he is, but I want it to be more evident in my life and words. I want to know it in my heart, not just my head.

Listening for the spirit's voice

Today's topic is from chapter 5 of Michael Frost's great little book 'Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People.' It is on developing the habit of listening for the Spirit's voice in our lives.

This came at a very interesting time for me, personally. My present tribe is fond of emphasizing two main questions to ask ourselves: 1) What is God saying to you? and 2) What are you going to do about it? While sitting in our weekly worship gathering this past Sunday it became apparent to me that... I don't have a clue what God is saying to me. So I prayed about it a couple times that day. Then, on Monday, I opened up this chapter on listening for the Spirit's voice! Quite the coincidence, I would say. ;)

Frost suggests spending at least one period of the week listening for the Spirit's voice. Simply a time - preferably at least 20 minutes - where we stop and create space to commune with God. As he says on p. 58:

"How are we to know how to navigate our way through the world, eating with and blessing unbelievers, without the Spirit's voice to guide us away from falling into sin?

When I say "falling into sin," I don't necessarily mean getting drunk or running off with your neighbor's spouse (although of course we're never immune to making such choices). I'm referring to the much less dramatic but far more prevalent sins of fear and laziness.

Fear and laziness are mission killers. Fear of persecution, fear of standing out or causing offense, fear of having to answer someone's tricky questions--fear will shut down missional engagement every time. Likewise with laziness: I don't mean the kind of laziness that has you lying on the couch eating Doritos and watching sports on television. I mean the inner voice that prompts you not to bother with offering yourself in the service of others. Laziness tells you that you don't have the time; laziness whispers to you that you need to take care of yourself first."

He continues on the next page:

"My experience when engaging with my neighbors is that I must open my heart to the Holy Spirit in order to separate truth from untruth, fiction from knowledge, the honorable from the dishonorable. Figuring out how best to be an intriguing, blessing, godly presence in community isn't easy. If I'm going to encourage you to bless others and eat with them, it would be irresponsible of me not to also encourage you to listen to the Spirit."

This habit of listening is designed to provide us with the nurture, sustenance, and accountability for the missional lifestyle. So for those willing to undertake the challenge of silence and solitude as a missional habit, this is the advice he offers for fostering an openness to the Spirit's promptings:

1. Set aside a designated time - Actually block it out on your schedule. He prefers a Sunday or Monday (early in the week).
2. Eliminate distractions - Find ways to avoid any intrusion on the senses of touch, sight, smell, taste, or sound. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:6, "When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray... in secret." Again, he suggests 20 minutes or more, saying something often happens to the stillness around ten to fifteen minutes in.
3. Let God in - He suggests some type of "centering prayer" (more in this below). As Thomas Merton said, "The prayer of the heart has to be always very simple, confined to the simplest of acts."
4. Follow God's promptings - It is somewhat pointless to listen if we are not prepared to follow.

CENTERING PRAYER:
On pages 64-65 Frost talks about "centering prayer." Centering prayer is different from classic Eastern meditation, which is designed to empty your mind by pushing thoughts away or by having no thoughts. The key to Christian contemplative prayer (centering) is to focus our attention. Perhaps using a prayer-word, such as: amen, Abba, grace, love, let go, stillness, Jesus; or maybe the so-called Jesus Prayer (adapted from Luke 18:13) "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It's okay to let thoughts in, but we don't want to engage them. Ideally, after a period of centering prayer, our thoughts will begin to slow down, becoming more captive to the object of our worship, and shaped by the Holy Spirit.

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One thing that really leaped off the page for me in this chapter was the quote by St. Therese of Lisieux:

"If you are willing to bear serenely the trial of being displeasing to yourself, then you will be for Jesus a pleasant place of shelter."

Wow. That brought me such a sense of hope and comfort. I am often displeasing to myself. I like the thought that, rather than disqualifying me for Christ's love, it actually qualifies me as a "pleasant place of shelter" for Jesus; A person he wants to be with.

Naturally, as an introvert, this chapter on listening was much more to my liking than the acts of blessing and eating. It's not anymore important, perhaps, but I found it very timely and powerful.