Spark My Muse

My newest book "The Way of the Desert Elders" is now listed on Amazon here tiny.cc/elders PLEASE PRE-ORDER! Today, I give you a brief into to the book details and read and explain the table of contents.

My conversation with author, Cindy S. Lee involves topics of great importance and interest to me. Cindy is thoughtful and spacious and one of just a few contemporary authors I cite in my new book on topics of spiritual formation.We discuss themes of her book: Contemplative Witnessing: BIPOC Centered Spiritual Direction Find it here (amazon affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4kyFPqb Some of what we cover:Avoiding the loss of the sacred self.Embodied spiritual practicesSpaciousness as a presence we carryThe power of silence in community and what comes after that. Watch the unedited conversation on Youtube here

Aimee Byrd on identity, belonging, healing, church abuse, and seeing ourselves in each other.

I was delighted to be a return guest to Jasmine Bellamy's monthly occasion called "The Call to Love Experience"—a live online gathering that provides spiritual grounding, learning, deep listening and where we discussed themes in my first book (The Wild Land Within) and my upcoming book (The Way of the Desert Elders). The audio episode this week is a slightly edited and curtailed edited of the experience offered to you in hopes you connect with Jasmine, her work, and the recording of the full event.I give you the embed of it here below. Dig deeper into Jasmine's work here: https://love101ministries.com Bio:Jasmine is the Founder and Spiritual Director of Love 101 Ministries, and dedicated to helping individuals foster more loving relationships with themselves, God, and others. Through examining the theology and cultivating the daily practice of love, she serves as a spiritual companion, guiding you on a path to a life filled with deep and abiding love, peace, and joy. She views life through this lens, believing that the spiritual journey shapes us to become more like Love and to discover our truest selves.

A return guest Michelle Van Loon speaks to me about her 50 years involved in many versions of Christian Evangelism and getting rid of what is non essential from her book Downsizing. Get over to the YouTube Channel here to see some videos and PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! Get her book here (Amazon affiliate link)

Hello! Today I celebrating ten years of bringing you Spark My Muse podcast episodes. 606 releases! To see my video message about that go here

Today is an introduction to wise Amma Sarah of the Christian Desert Era.

the three momentous conceptions from Réne Girard and his keen insights on human behavior, violence, and...

Beth is back and we have a great conversation about her newest book Becoming The Pastor's Wife: How Marriage replaced Ordination as a Path to Ministry. Don't miss the extras and links here: https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/159866213 To hear the bonus material go here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/125168475

Host, Lisa Colon DeLay instructs on the three core wounds we all experience and how her new product creates a unique visual representation of these places for each person.

A conversation with storyteller and performer Max Stossel.

Host, Lisa Colon DeLay and Mark S. Burrows discuss his new books and translation projects of poet Rainer Maria Rilke in a fascinating conversation.

Limited Series: Part 11 (Howard Thurman) final episode on Imagination as the Angelos of God

This and one more installment will bring an end to this series that offers Howard Thurman's wisdom from 1963 to our time. It's a time when violence, hate, and othering are quite apparent and hope for human reconciliation in our nation and world seem scant. Thurman's thoughts on what is needed ring ever true. To see more images related to this episode and support what I do, go here after you listen. https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/153658116

Limited Series – part 9 : Howard Thurman: Disciplines of the Spirit | How Ma Walker reconciled the axe-wielding barber

From host Lisa Colon DeLay and Spark My Muse podcast as Limited Series – part 8 : Howard Thurman: Disciplines of the Spirit on PRAYER [2 of 2]

Hello friends, I'm glad to be bringing you more from Howard Thurman and this time on prayer. Check out what is happening where I post my articles and other goodies:https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/p/limited-series-part-7-prayer-1-of

Thurman speaking about the suffering of the innocent and the intertwining of death, life, and suffering (from the Disciples of the Spirit)

PART 2 of the chapter on Suffering in the 1963 work of Dr Howard Thurman called The Disciplines of the Spirit (host Lisa Colon DeLay)

A reading and reflection from the Suffering chapter from Disciples of the Spirit by Dr Howard Thurman (1962)

A reading and reflection from the Wisdom and Stature chapter from Disciples of the Spirit by Dr Howard Thurman (1962)

A reading and reflection today from host Lisa Colon DeLay of a segment from the Commitment chapter in the work called Discipline of the Spirit by Dr Howard Thurman.

Limited Series (part 1) Deep dive into commitment, growth, suffering, prayer, and reconciliation (from Dr Howard Thurman 1962 - Disciplines of the Spirit) brought to you from host Lisa Colon DeLay.

A time for a pause for our high resolve.

Today is a reading and reflection on three short essays of Howard Thurman that I hope find you encouraging. If you want to connect with my blog on substack you can go here: https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/151848975 Find me also on YouTube and subscribe ⭐️ at the main channel HERE,especially if you already enjoy YouTube. What a Spiritual Challenge this month with some accountability and soul care?It's not strenuous, it's free, it's a way to get us thinking, dialoguing, and moving toward better ways of being. Come on board! ❇️ The November Challenge Patreon post ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/posts/4-4-quarterly-113008968

A deep-dive on discernment with Lisa Colon DeLay and Adam Shields.

A reflection on Psalm 145 in light of our times from host Lisa Colon DeLay

From host Lisa Colon DeLay, a powerful reading and short reflection on the incarnational aspects of pain from the fantastic book An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor.

A reading about expectation as patience and joy from "Out of Solitude" a 1974 work by Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

Today a portion of a lesson I presented this past Sunday at my church on Psalm 51 a lamenting and remorseful poem/song and the background and story of King David's epic treacheries. It might surprise you. FIND a lot of related slides, images/art, and extras at the PART II page: https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/publish/post/149978108 Find me also on YouTube and subscribe ⭐️go here or subscribe at the main channel HERE,especially if you already find yourself poking around YoutTube. What a Spiritual Challenge this month with some accountability?It's not very strenuous, it's free, it's a way to get us thinking, dialoguing, and moving toward better ways of being. Go here for that ❇️ The October Challenge Patreon post ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/posts/4-4-quarterly-113008968

The Challenge of October is Ownership and the Theme for the Quarter is Give and Take. Here's how we begin to explore and learn from each other. It's the final quarter of 2024 and it's time we link arms and join forces to enrich each other spiritually in more concrete ways.  I've set up a challenge. It's not very strenuous, but it's a way to get us thinking, dialoguing, and moving toward better ways of being. Please, be a part of it. I explain that in the audio today. Here's a preview, in video form,and I hope you will find me on YouTube and subscribe ⭐️go here or subscribe at the main channel HERE,especially if you already find yourself poking around YoutTube. FIND INFO HERE too. https://open.substack.com/pub/sparkmymuse/p/october-ownership ❇️ The October Challenge Patreon post I refer to can be found here ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/posts/4-4-quarterly-113008968

Featuring the work of Sr. Laura Swan and some wisdom from "The Forgotten Desert Mothers" which is one of her intriguing books.

Who was Martin of Tours where we get the word "chapel" from.

Host, Lisa Colon DeLay offers a reading from Howard Thurman and reflection that includes Abba Evagrius's view of agency.

some bits from Politics of the Brokenhearted: On Holding Tensions of Democracy written by a hero of mine Parker J. Palmer

Reflecting on the scandalous spiritual practice of giving in secret from host Lisa Colon DeLay

Robert the contemplative's work is the feature today. "I do not Dream of Labor"

Host Lisa Colon DeLay shares some of the writings of French mystic, social philosopher, and activist in the French Resistance during World War II, Simone Weil (1909-1943) whose posthumously published works had particular influence on French and English social thought.

Valuable insights of visual artist Emmanuel Osahor and images from his Garden Series.

Host, Lisa Colon DeLay bring you a guest interview conversation with Chuck DeGroat on Trauma, Connection, Desire, Possessiveness, Healing, and more.

Desert Wisdom of Abba Macarius on the strengthening of free will, among other things.

Host Lisa Colon DeLay explores the Desert Wisdom on Acedia which leads toward Nihilism

Dr Howard Thurman spoke of prayer as the hunger of the heart and the way we lay claim to our identity (circa 1980)

A fascinating chat with YouTuber sensation Tiffany Dawn who's in the middle of a deconstruction journey

The corporate American model won't grow us into a healthy spiritual community. We must unlearn the business model.

Host Lisa Cólon DeLay converses with author Micha Boyett on dignity, justice, and love in the dream of God—themes in her book Blessed are the Rest of Us

Why the rich cannot be a part of what God is up to.

Let's start understanding how Dissociative experiences happen and understanding the Spectrum of Dissociative Identity Disorder which can be experience at least once by up to 75% of the population.

The failure of pop psychology (5 Love Languages) and the what the empirical studies actually tell us about lasting relationships

Lisa Colon DeLay features an insightful work from Image Journal's editor-in-chief James K.A. Smith on, among other things, the impact of the life's work of Gego (Gertrude Goldschmidt) on display at the Guggenheim in 2023.

Returning guest, Cassidy Hallconverses with host Lisa Colon DeLay on a variety of topics from Cassidy's new book entitled Queering Contemplation.