Podcast appearances and mentions of David G Benner

Welcome to our first episode of the King's Way Podcast Book Club! If you haven't already read the book we're reviewing, don't worry–this could be the talk you need to get you interested in reading it. And if you have read it, welcome to the club! Starting strong out of the gate, Trevor and Ryan were blown away by this month's book, The Gift of Being Yourself, by David G. Benner. The author's wisdom for understanding your true self in order to have an authentic relationship with the one true God is unmatched, and it was well worth the short read. Go check it out for yourself, and if you have, let us know in the comments what you thought about the book! February's KWP Book Club selection is: Simply Christian by N.T. Wright https://a.co/d/0UIlEEZ

To be truly listened to is a gift of hospitality for your soul. Our conversation on listening revolves around this idea that to be truly present and listen means we may have to slow down and set aside our own agenda for the conversation. Inspired by the book, The Listening Life (by Adam S. McHugh), we review what kinds of listening may not be so helpful and contrast that with the idea of being fully present to another. "To be present to you means that I must be prepared, temporarily, to be absent to me." - Sacred Companions by David G. Benner

  We don't have to tell you the world is on fire, as folks of faith committed to making a difference, many of us find it hard to stop, and care for ourselves. It often feels like a luxury, but in the radical tradition of writer, speaker and thinker Audre Lorde, Amy Jackson, founder of The Perch Place (a soul care org. based in downtown Aurora) is calling us to water ourselves, and make space for rest so we can rise another day, working for a world where justice, mercy, and Christ's love reigns. The Perch Place has in-person and online offerings: yoga, art classes, guided meditations, workshops, retreats and more!  "Learning about soul care helped me begin stepping into the healthy, flourishing life of purpose God created me for. It helped me become a healthier person spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and even physically, and it helped me see and work on my blind spots so that I could be in healthier relationships as well," she says. Amy is soul care adovcate, entreprenuer, speaker, yoga teacher and meditation facilitator. You can read more about her story here.  Here are some key takeaways from this epiosde:   Soul care moves beyond the superficial and focuses on living the healthy, thriving, and sustaining life God intends  for each of us. Some core practices we can lean into are short meditations (5 min or less) like the ones Amy has on her podcast, Just Press Pause, breath prayer, yoga, and welcome prayer. Establishing a daily self check-in ritual can help ground you, beging asking: How am I feeling? What do I need? How might I gave that to myself?  There are certain types of meditation (like a body scan) which are helpful for activists and change makers. Amy has two meditation offerings on her podcast which center expansive love and de-stressing:  Loving Kindness and Release Anxiety.  When we practice self kindness, we are better able to show up in community with compassion, love and grace. Check out Amy's book, 31 Days of Self Kindness which includes all kinds of practical and accessible support for prioirtizing your wellbeing daily. And one of Amy's favorite books, Soulful Spirituality: Becoming Fully Alive and Human by David G. Benner.       

En este penúltimo episodio de esta serie, conversaremos sobre ¿Cómo se recupera después de una relación rota? ¿Cómo vencer los miedos y temores que surgen posteriores a una ruptura? ¿Qué debo hacer cuando me doy cuenta que estoy yendo en la dirección incorrecta en mi relación? Recursos https://www.coalicionporelevangelio.org/articulo/cuando-una-relacion-termina/ https://www.amazon.com/mismo-Autoconocimiento-vocaci%C3%B3n-tarea-Siquem-ebook/dp/B00QKE6CWA/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1678337231&refinements=p_27%3ADAVID+G.+BENNER%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A7073871011&rnid=7073862011&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=DAVID+G.+BENNER

SHOW NOTES Welcome to Season 9 of the Soul Care Conversations Podcast! We are beginning Season 9 with a 3-part series on Friendship, and today will be a reading from a book that Steve contributed to, The Transformation of a Man's Heart. The Chapter is written by David G. Benner and is titled “Friendships: Experiencing Others on the Journey.” This chapter has such depth and wisdom on the importance of friendship in our lives. Take some time as you listen - take notes, contemplate the friendships in your life, and meditate on the scriptures that are mentioned. It will give you a new perspective on the soul friends in your life.   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN PODCAST The Transformation of a Man's Heart - Compiled and Edited by Stephen W. Smith List of Scriptures mentioned (PDF Document)   MUSIC USED IN PODCAST Music Break at 52:15: Anam Cara, performed & written by Caitlin Grey   FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM Facebook Soul Care Conversations Group Page Potter's Inn Main FB Page Instagram   CONTACT US podcast@pottersinn.com INTERESTED IN MORE SOUL CARE RESOURCES? Check out our recommended reading, books on spiritual growth, and our soul care blog. Want to experience soul care in person? Learn more about our soul care intensives and retreats. 

“There is nothing more important in life than learning to love and be loved. Jesus elevated love as the goal of spiritual transformation. Psychoanalysts consider it the capstone of psychological growth. Giving and receiving love is at the heart of being human. It is our raison d'être.” ― David G. Benner, Surrender to Love: Discovering the Heart of Christian Spirituality

We're all asking the questions: "Who I am I? What is my purpose? Is this all that I am, or is there more to my life than what I'm doing?" In this episode, we conclude our conversation with Eddy Smith about the process of discovering our purpose, but also living out that purpose every day. If we draw our identify from what we do, the relationships we have, or the possessions we have, what happens if we lose them all? Who are we then? The truth is that God created us for a purpose. We had a purpose before we ever started working. We will have a purpose once we stop working. Jesus doesn't invite us to do something; He invites us to become someone. In coming to know ourselves more, we increase our capacity to know God. And in coming to know God in deeper ways, we have greater capacity to know ourselves more. The two are connected. And as we begin to know God and know ourselves better, we can live out our purpose every day with joy, productivity, and multiplication. Resources mentioned in this episode: The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner. Search it on Amazon or click here. 40 Days with the Holy Spirit by R.T. Kendall. Search it on Amazon or click here. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day by Peter Scazzero. Search it on Amazon or click here. Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge. Search it on Amazon or click here. One Minute Pause App. Search it on the Apple or Android store. Guest: Eddy Smith Host: Brett Stewart (@brett.a.stewart Instagram) Co-Host: Braden Crow (@bradendcrow Instagram)

We're all asking the questions: "Who I am I? What is my purpose? Is this all that I am, or is there more to my life than what I'm doing?" In this episode, we begin a conversation with Eddy Smith about the process of discovering our purpose, but also living out that purpose every day. If we draw our identify from what we do, the relationships we have, or the possessions we have, what happens if we lose them all? Who are we then? The truth is that God created us for a purpose. We had a purpose before we ever started working. We will have a purpose once we stop working. Jesus doesn't invite us to do something; He invites us to become someone. In coming to know ourselves more, we increase our capacity to know God. And in coming to know God in deeper ways, we have greater capacity to know ourselves more. The two are connected. And as we begin to know God and know ourselves better, we can live out our purpose every day with joy, productivity, and multiplication. The book mentioned in this episode is The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner. Search it on Amazon or click here. Guest: Eddy Smith Host: Brett Stewart (@brett.a.stewart Instagram) Co-Host: Braden Crow (@bradendcrow Instagram)

Chapter 17: Truth Telling1. Mark 14:32-362.David G Benner, Sacred Companions (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books 2002), 67-68, 104

This week Steve and Tim take a moment to sit down with old friends of Impact Nations. Wayne and Sabrina have become "spiritual directors" over the last seven years. We were so curious to learn how this differs from a christian counselor or the commonly known idea of "discipleship".This week's episode is brought to you by the Beautiful Gospel Conference. Register today at www.beautifulgospelconference.com.Wayne and Sabrina referenced several links throughout the discussion:The Organization our school is connected with: www.sustainablefaith.comEvangelical Spiritual Direction Association: https://www.graftedlife.org/spiritual-direction/esdaBooks referred to:Sacred Companions by David G. Benner https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Companions-Spiritual-Friendship-Direction/dp/083083270X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JNOE685M0CZM&keywords=sacred+companions+by+david+benner&qid=1644173479&s=books&sprefix=sacred+comp%2Cstripbooks%2C206&sr=1-1Delves into the idea that our souls long for accompaniment, intimacy and friendship. Introduces you to the riches of spiritual friendship and direction.Forming the Leader's Soul - Morris Dirks https://www.amazon.com/Forming-Leaders-Soul-Invitation-Spiritual/dp/061586709X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3M68215USBKTS&keywords=forming+the+leaders+soul&qid=1644173643&sprefix=forming+the+lead%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-1Many Christian leaders are finding the nature of ministry to be unsustainable in today's culture, and are searching for help. They realize their initial enthusiasm and ministry training are simply not enough to reach the finish line.Sacred Rhythms - Ruth Haley Barton https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Rhythms-Arranging-Spiritual-Transformation/dp/0830833331/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28WCMWJA80JEV&keywords=sacred+rhythms+ruth+haley+barton&qid=1644174119&s=books&sprefix=Sacred+rh%2Cstripbooks%2C114&sr=1-1

David G. Benner dalam bukunya Surrender to Love mengatakan “Betapa berbedanya relasi, bisa dimulai ketika Anda menyadari bahwa Allah sangat mencintai Anda. Allah tidak bisa tidak mengasihi Anda.” Maka saat Anda mengalami dan menyadari betapa Tuhan mencintai Anda, Anda pasti menikmati relasi dengan Dia

Today's question came directly from our online Spiritual Formation Bible Study. To submit a question to the Chaplain's Corner, visit brookswrightministries.org to contact us. Put Chaplain's Corner in the Subject line. The resources mentioned in today's episode are by author: David G. Benner

April Gustafson is a data engineer at Spotify and is opening doors to better worlds through math and science. After working as a science teacher for both middle and high school students, April went to grad school for computer science and has kept the throughline of her purpose clear even as she's pivoted careers. Fueled by the desire to make science accessible to those who have typically been shut out of the equation, April is holding the door open for a more diverse range of perspectives. Throughout this conversation we explore redefining your purpose, grounding your identity in spiritual reality, examining false narratives, and daring yourself to start something new. As you'll soon hear for yourself, April has a big heart and with it she's dreaming up better worlds—for both herself and others. We're grateful for how April shared herself with us here and hope this conversation might spark some curiosity about how your own unique path might be opening up doors for those coming up behind you, too. Full show notes, downloadables, and links are also available at empoweredhumanacademy.com/32 Keep the conversation going... Table Question: Have you ever had a memorable spiritual experience? What did it feel like in your body? Journal Prompt: What's a false narrative that often returns as a loop inside your head? Action Step: Hold that false narrative up to the light, examine it, and now write out a counter to it. What might be true instead? Dare to imagine a better world for yourself. View the printable worksheet on Google Docs Further exploration: Watch April's YouTube series: The Scientific Implications of Taking Song Lyrics Literally Start With Why by Simon Sinek Beginner's Pluck: Build Your Life of Purpose and Impact Now by Liz Forkin Bohannon Surrender To Love by David G. Benner This is a production of Lightward, Inc.

It can be so debilitating to be told ‘you need to have boundaries,’ but as you grow the heart, a new empowered strength slowly builds within. ‘You really need to have boundaries’ How many times have you heard this said or even said it yourself? I always feel a little cringe when I hear these words. There is just something about it that sounds legalistic, mechanical, rules bound, and policy-driven. Nothing of the heart or any internal depth to it. This is why I prefer ‘Lines of love of respect.’ It seems to connect better to something that is of heart value. Something that is evolving. It also sounds condemning. You know you need boundaries, but you don’t know how to get there. It’s like there is a lack of internal strength even to define a boundary, express it and potentially enforce it. Condemning because it’s yet another mountain too high to climb. Perhaps this boundary stuff is an inside-out evolution. Evolution of the heart The unfurling of a fern frond is something that has captured my imagination for many years. It’s part of the logo for Turning the Page. Here in New Zealand, we call it the Koru ((Māori for ‘loop or coil’) and is the spiral shape based on the appearance of a new unfurling silver fern frond. There is a natural energy that pours through the fern to unfold its inner beauty and strength. It’s an evolution. There is a movement from the inside out. An unfolding of its God-designed deep inner beauty and purpose. I believe that we are much like this uncurling frond. If you try to force the process, you will break it. It’s got to happen in its own time and its own way. Some words to consider. Volution – A turn or twist about a center; a spiral. Evolution – the gradual development of something. An unspiraling. Beautiful Birthing The most beautiful birthings I have given witness to are when someone has done the hard inside-out work. They have gone deep into the core of who they are and the beliefs they have held. Toxic negative beliefs about themselves have been gently replaced by life-giving truth. The birth was not easy (never is), but it resulted from something growing within. The heart is issuing, or giving out, a newness of life. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 The heart has grown from within. It hasn’t been forced or manipulated; it’s been a natural outcome of doing the work. Often part of the process is to examine the toxic waste that has gathered around the heart and poisoned its true beauty and purpose. Shedding the toxic waste There is a toxic waste that often gets revealed through the conversations we have. The little put-downs, controlling attitudes, self-condemnation we say to ourselves and others. Our heart speaks out both good and bad in our words and actions. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart. Luke 6:45 If we are aware of the toxin, we try to hide it, but so often, we may not even know we have some toxic, poisoned, stinky – thinky going on in our hearts. Perhaps the groupings and relationships we have, develop and maintain the waste line. I wonder how many in Churches are trapped in groupthink. Toxic theologies abound. You can read some of them here. To Heal You Just Need to ‘Forget What Lies Behind’ Are you Praying Against Yourself? The Abusive Art of Self-Deprecation Your Faith has Made you Unwell   Does ‘Turning the other cheek’ mean I have to keep taking abuse? Growing your heart There is such a gentleness to this heart evolution that it’s hard to define. But it’s all enveloped in love. Love from others and a growing love and respect for the self. That Koru of unfolding fern wouldn’t stand a chance out in the desert. Rather it needs the protection and nourishment of a sun filtred forest. Discovering your truest value and worth is not self-centered narcissism; it’s more coming in line with the way you were always intended to be. The healed heart can issue out life-giving abundance to others. Our hearts come to have empowered lines of love and respect when we recognize that what’s inside is worthy of protection and nourishment. When we self-denigrate and put down our deepest value and worth, we continue to have flimsy boundaries. The winds and words of others easily crush us. Shoring up with sandbags There is a flood coming. It’s going to sweep into your home and destroy your most precious possessions. So you gather sandbags and build yourself a wall of protection. It takes effort and time, but you fill bags and build bag upon bag upon bag. The waters come, but you have built a barrier, a boundary, a line of love and respect for what you hold most dear to your self. You would do this for your physical home, but what about for something even more precious – your heart. Recently I have been building a sandbag wall to protect my heart from the intrusive hurtful voices of others and my inner critic. I have been giving my heart new food to feed itself on. Affirming the truth about ourselves Something I have been doing every day for the past four months is to listen to a series of short affirmations I have audio recorded for myself. These are short sentences that I want my heart to hear and believe. I want my heart to evolve out of these short-spoken truths. The first one I hear every morning is this. I am Zakar. I am remembering and moving into my world. I am leaving a mark. I am male. (read more about Zakar here) Some others are I am focusing on the positive/good things, and this gives me hope. I am giving my heart new beliefs to feed on I am resting my mind on God’s truth for me, and this is slowly shaping my brain. I am discounting my mistakes before they discount me I am holding myself to a standard of grace, not perfection I am building my life on great thoughts repeated over and over again until they are programmed in. There is gentle intentionality to the strengthening of my heart. That Koru beauty and purpose within my heart is slowly and gently growing in strength. Winds and abuses come and brush up against it. It hurts, but there’s a depth and resilience to the new me that is unfolding. Perhaps if I were a woman, I would want to say to my heart these words. I am Naqebah. I am revealing the beauty of God. I am displaying beauty. I am female. (read more about Naqebah here) This beauty I am talking about is not about physical appearance; it’s more about a deep inner beauty that reflects something of God’s own beauty. It is a beauty that needs to be revealed to be known. When we develop these core beliefs about who we truly are, then the boundaries, the lines of love and respect, the sandbags are strengthened. As we nourish the heart we build our boundaries, our lines of love and respect from the inside out. It’s an unfurling of our deepest self. Quotes to consider Human life must be about more than building boundaries, protecting identities, and teaching impulse control. Richard Rohr To shift a truth from your head to your heart, speak it loud, speak it often, and make a deliberate choice to believe it. David Riddell The role of heart and mind is to cooperate with truth by opening to love. We need the mind to know the truth of the heart, and we need the heart to know the truth of the mind. David G. Benner Real self-esteem comes from within; it is the existential, spiritual truth that we have value and worth intrinsically, because we are here and breathing, not because of anything we have or can do, nor how others regard us. Terrence Real Questions to answer When someone says to you ‘You need boundaries’ what goes on in your heart? What emotions get triggered? What toxic stinky-thinky do you need to be healed from your heart? What beauty and/or purpose needs to be released, unfurled, from your heart? Further reading Barry Pearman Photo by Fran on Unsplash

It can be so debilitating to be told ‘you need to have boundaries,’ but as you grow the heart, a new empowered strength slowly builds within. ‘You really need to have boundaries’ How many times have you heard this said or even said it yourself? I always feel a little cringe when I hear these words. There is just something about it that sounds legalistic, mechanical, rules bound, and policy-driven. Nothing of the heart or any internal depth to it. This is why I prefer ‘Lines of love of respect.’ It seems to connect better to something that is of heart value. Something that is evolving. It also sounds condemning. You know you need boundaries, but you don’t know how to get there. It’s like there is a lack of internal strength even to define a boundary, express it and potentially enforce it. Condemning because it’s yet another mountain too high to climb. Perhaps this boundary stuff is an inside-out evolution. Evolution of the heart The unfurling of a fern frond is something that has captured my imagination for many years. It’s part of the logo for Turning the Page. Here in New Zealand, we call it the Koru ((Māori for ‘loop or coil’) and is the spiral shape based on the appearance of a new unfurling silver fern frond. There is a natural energy that pours through the fern to unfold its inner beauty and strength. It’s an evolution. There is a movement from the inside out. An unfolding of its God-designed deep inner beauty and purpose. I believe that we are much like this uncurling frond. If you try to force the process, you will break it. It’s got to happen in its own time and its own way. Some words to consider. Volution – A turn or twist about a center; a spiral. Evolution – the gradual development of something. An unspiraling. Beautiful Birthing The most beautiful birthings I have given witness to are when someone has done the hard inside-out work. They have gone deep into the core of who they are and the beliefs they have held. Toxic negative beliefs about themselves have been gently replaced by life-giving truth. The birth was not easy (never is), but it resulted from something growing within. The heart is issuing, or giving out, a newness of life. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 The heart has grown from within. It hasn’t been forced or manipulated; it’s been a natural outcome of doing the work. Often part of the process is to examine the toxic waste that has gathered around the heart and poisoned its true beauty and purpose. Shedding the toxic waste There is a toxic waste that often gets revealed through the conversations we have. The little put-downs, controlling attitudes, self-condemnation we say to ourselves and others. Our heart speaks out both good and bad in our words and actions. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart. Luke 6:45 If we are aware of the toxin, we try to hide it, but so often, we may not even know we have some toxic, poisoned, stinky – thinky going on in our hearts. Perhaps the groupings and relationships we have, develop and maintain the waste line. I wonder how many in Churches are trapped in groupthink. Toxic theologies abound. You can read some of them here. To Heal You Just Need to ‘Forget What Lies Behind’ Are you Praying Against Yourself? The Abusive Art of Self-Deprecation Your Faith has Made you Unwell   Does ‘Turning the other cheek’ mean I have to keep taking abuse? Growing your heart There is such a gentleness to this heart evolution that it’s hard to define. But it’s all enveloped in love. Love from others and a growing love and respect for the self. That Koru of unfolding fern wouldn’t stand a chance out in the desert. Rather it needs the protection and nourishment of a sun filtred forest. Discovering your truest value and worth is not self-centered narcissism; it’s more coming in line with the way you were always intended to be. The healed heart can issue out life-giving abundance to others. Our hearts come to have empowered lines of love and respect when we recognize that what’s inside is worthy of protection and nourishment. When we self-denigrate and put down our deepest value and worth, we continue to have flimsy boundaries. The winds and words of others easily crush us. Shoring up with sandbags There is a flood coming. It’s going to sweep into your home and destroy your most precious possessions. So you gather sandbags and build yourself a wall of protection. It takes effort and time, but you fill bags and build bag upon bag upon bag. The waters come, but you have built a barrier, a boundary, a line of love and respect for what you hold most dear to your self. You would do this for your physical home, but what about for something even more precious – your heart. Recently I have been building a sandbag wall to protect my heart from the intrusive hurtful voices of others and my inner critic. I have been giving my heart new food to feed itself on. Affirming the truth about ourselves Something I have been doing every day for the past four months is to listen to a series of short affirmations I have audio recorded for myself. These are short sentences that I want my heart to hear and believe. I want my heart to evolve out of these short-spoken truths. The first one I hear every morning is this. I am Zakar. I am remembering and moving into my world. I am leaving a mark. I am male. (read more about Zakar here) Some others are I am focusing on the positive/good things, and this gives me hope. I am giving my heart new beliefs to feed on I am resting my mind on God’s truth for me, and this is slowly shaping my brain. I am discounting my mistakes before they discount me I am holding myself to a standard of grace, not perfection I am building my life on great thoughts repeated over and over again until they are programmed in. There is gentle intentionality to the strengthening of my heart. That Koru beauty and purpose within my heart is slowly and gently growing in strength. Winds and abuses come and brush up against it. It hurts, but there’s a depth and resilience to the new me that is unfolding. Perhaps if I were a woman, I would want to say to my heart these words. I am Naqebah. I am revealing the beauty of God. I am displaying beauty. I am female. (read more about Naqebah here) This beauty I am talking about is not about physical appearance; it’s more about a deep inner beauty that reflects something of God’s own beauty. It is a beauty that needs to be revealed to be known. When we develop these core beliefs about who we truly are, then the boundaries, the lines of love and respect, the sandbags are strengthened. As we nourish the heart we build our boundaries, our lines of love and respect from the inside out. It’s an unfurling of our deepest self. Quotes to consider Human life must be about more than building boundaries, protecting identities, and teaching impulse control. Richard Rohr To shift a truth from your head to your heart, speak it loud, speak it often, and make a deliberate choice to believe it. David Riddell The role of heart and mind is to cooperate with truth by opening to love. We need the mind to know the truth of the heart, and we need the heart to know the truth of the mind. David G. Benner Real self-esteem comes from within; it is the existential, spiritual truth that we have value and worth intrinsically, because we are here and breathing, not because of anything we have or can do, nor how others regard us. Terrence Real Questions to answer When someone says to you ‘You need boundaries’ what goes on in your heart? What emotions get triggered? What toxic stinky-thinky do you need to be healed from your heart? What beauty and/or purpose needs to be released, unfurled, from your heart? Further reading Barry Pearman Photo by Fran on Unsplash

Who am I really? We are on a lifelong quest to answer this important question. In this book club episode, Richard and Sam discuss “The Gift of Being Yourself” by David G. Benner, a psychologist and spiritual life coach. DONATE: If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support what we do, click here. RESOURCES: “The Gift of Being Yourself: The Call to Self-Discovery” David G. Benner. Buy it here. Pre-Order your copy of The Solomon Promise by Henry Blackaby, updated by Richard Blackaby here. UPCOMING EVENTS: Join others from around the world in the six-week online study, When God Speaks. Find out more and register here. Richard and Daniel Blackaby will be speaking at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, NC, May 17-19, 2021. Find more information or register here. CONNECT: Follow Richard on Twitter. Follow Richard on Facebook. Read Richard's latest blog posts at www.richardblackaby.com. Follow BMI on YouTube.

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 247 I am in my third year of participating in the Renovare (https://renovare.org/) book club. The first book in this season's set of four is "How to pray (https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B07NCZP5FK&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_6xBDFbDK658CK) " by Pete Greig. Quiet time coaching episodes will focus on his book for the next few weeks. You don't need to read it to benefit from these recordings, but you might like to get hold of a copy for yourself. I have finished the book and can thoroughly recommend it. A full review of the book will come at a later date in "What we are reading". Today we will reflect on the third chapter of the book, "PAUSE: Slowing & Centering". "To start we must stop. To move forward we must pause. This is the first step in a deeper prayer life: put down your wish-list and wait. Sit quietly. Be still. Become fully present in place and time so that your scattered senses can re-centre themselves on God’s eternal presence. Stillness and silence prepare your mind and prime your heart to pray from a place of greater peace, faith and adoration. In fact, it is in itself an important form of prayer." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 41). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. "The best way to start praying, therefore, is actually to stop praying. To pause. To be still. To put down your prayer list and surrender your own personal agenda. To stop talking at God long enough to focus on the wonder of who he actually is. To ‘be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him’." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 42). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. Theme scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God;” (Psalm 46:10 NIV11) The Latin word for "still" is 'vacate'. In other words, it's about stepping out of the way. How will we hear from God if we don't stop speaking first? It's a reasonable question to ask then, "How do I pause and be still?" There is no one way, but here are some suggestions from the book. They cover what is often called "centering prayer". 1. Relax You cannot make yourself relax. If you try to do so, you will probably just get more tense! However, you can stop still long enough to notice where you are tense. Find somewhere comfortable to sit, preferably somewhere quiet, and simply in noticing your tension you will find the ability to relax. The exact posture does not matter, since the Bible describes people worshipping whilst sitting, lying, dancing, kneeling, raising hands and more. Find the one that works for you. "Try to find a posture in prayer that is both comfortable and meaningful as you approach the Lord." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 47). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. 2. Breathe We are designed to breathe! I know you know that, but we spend more of our lives than we would like breathing shallowly. A sign of tension and anxiety. Wouldn't we pray better if we breathe better? "Some people get a bit jumpy about this kind of thing. They worry that breathing techniques might be the gateway to Eastern mysticism or New Age deception. Nothing could be further from the truth if our focus is Jesus." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 47). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. The issue is not the practice, but the focus. 3. Speak What should we say as we pause? Something simple. Something short. Something meaningful. "You could say ‘Father in heaven’ while breathing in, and ‘hallowed be your name’ while breathing out." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 47). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. The aim here is not so much to engage in conversational prayer, nor petitions - that may come later after this centering practice - but to find a phrase which helps heart, mind and spirit to find its home in our heavenly Father's presence. 4. Repeat You may find, as I do often, that, try as you might, your attention slips. Distractions come, and the consciousness of the presence of God goes. This is nothing to be worried about nor ashamed of. Gently bring your attention back to the reason for your pausing. "When you get distracted, you may find it helpful to imagine yourself in a rowing boat on a lake. A speedboat has roared by, rocking you violently, disrupting the peace. But remain calm. Allow your thoughts to settle, and serenity will soon return." Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (p. 48). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition. Conclusion “My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.” (Psalm 131:1–2 NIV11) Questions for discussion: What stands out to you about pausing to pray? How might your prayer life grow if you could learn how to pause before praying? Suggestion: Pause before praying, and record your experiences. Resources mentioned in the book: PRAYER TOOLS: Breath Prayer (prayercourse.org (http://prayercourse.org/) ). Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer (https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?asin=B003Z0CCI0&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_inzHFb077HSJX) , by David G. Benner. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org (http://www.malcolmcox.org/) . Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool" (https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/9167082/379662794.jpg) , a devotional look at the Gospel of John mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

This pandemic has taken a toll on our spiritual and emotional health. Some even say the lockdown may affect our personality. This week, Molly, Hakeem, and Richard chat through what it means to reestablish rhythms, take time to let go of the false self, and how quarantine might be a great place to unpack it all.    Resources we mentioned: The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner, Drama of Scripture by Bartholomew and Goheen,  Goals vs Rhythms article by Jefferson Bethke, How Lockdown may Affect Personality article.     Verses we mentioned: Psalm 69,  Philippians 2:4-12 Thanks for listening to this episode of the House of Learning podcast. This podcast is produced by A Jesus Church College, based at Westside: A Jesus Church in Portland Oregon.   AJC College train and mobilize the next generation of Kingdom leaders through an accredited four-year degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Leadership and Formation, combining classroom learning with mentoring and ministry apprenticeship, for a third of the cost of traditional college.   To find out more, go to ajccollege.org, or follow us on Instagram or Facebook, to find out if this is where God could be calling you to explore your calling.   If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review, subscribe, and share it with someone.   And if you have a question you'd like us to chat about, please let us know! You can email us at podcast@ajccollege.org. If you can, send us a 20-second audio recording saying who you are and where you are from, along with your question, and we'd love to include it in a future episode.

Today I'm going try and tackle, in an introductory way, the subject of calling, what it means to find your calling, and some suggestions on how to do that. And the reason I say this is introductory is that calling is something that unfolds over time in the context of a relationship with God. And neither I nor anyone else can help you sort out your calling in a 30-60 minute podcast where it's just me talking to you.   So this is us dipping our toes into the water, hopefully getting ourselves sorted out and moving in the right direction, and learning to avoid some of the common ways we get tripped up in our search for our calling in the modern world.   Join me today as we discuss:   1. Some o the reasons why calling is so difficult to sort out. 2. Five common misconceptions about calling. 3. Two important precursors to finding your calling. 4. Ten questions to aid you in sorting out your own calling. 5. Why you just can't find your calling by yourself. 6. The thing that is far more important than having a calling.   As always, we'd appreciate it if you'd tell others about the podcast. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe,  rate and review us on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.   Please visit us on our Facebook group for the Jesus Society Podcast. Just search Jesus Society Podcast, and I'm sure you'll find it. Feel free to suggest topics for episodes, ask questions, and share your own story of how the Father is loving you and transforming you.   Also, check out our website — thejesussociety.com.   Thanks for listening!   And remember, you are greatly loved.   _______________________ Resources for Today's Show: 1. David G. Benner, The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery (2015).   2. Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation (2006).   3. Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabille, The Road Back to You (2016).   4. Gordon Marino, “A Life Beyond ‘Do What You Love'”, May 17, 2014 (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/17/a-life-beyond-do-what-you-love/)

‘Prayer is more than you can ever imagine, because God is so much beyond what you can conceive’ – David G. Benner. Why is worship a necessary part of prayer? What does adoration of God begin to form in us? How are we changed, and how is our view of God changed by it? Praising God can help us more than we know, not because it stops us from thinking about our problems but because as we ‘hallow’ God’s name, all our stuff is bathed in the light of his presence. Praise, worship, adoration is a necessary part of the joyful formation of our prayer lives.

Today we're going to talk about reimagining prayer as dialogue as opposed to monologue. Prayer is communion with God, which is relationship-building. Prayer is where intimacy with God is forged. And as such, prayer is meant to be a two way communication with God. And that's really different from what I had always thought and from what I'd always been taught. And what I'm gonna describe here is what's called contemplative prayer. And Christians have been practicing contemplative prayer for well over a thousand years. But you hardly ever hear about it in evangelical circles. The truth is that our prayer lives tend to evolve over time, and go through a few predictable stages: The first way we often approach God can be thought of as saying your prayers. In other words, talking at God. The second stage in the evolution of prayer is talking to God. As we mature in our relationship with God, we become more comfortable finding our own words to speak to him rather than using the ready-made prayers of our childhood. And so we quit talking at God and we start talking to God, speaking to him from our hearts and telling him all about the things that are going on in our lives right now. So that brings us to the next stage in the evolution of our prayer life, which is listening to God. Instead of a monologue, prayer becomes a dialogue. We're still talking to God, but we're also learning to listen. Learning to listen in relationships is important. One of the first things marriage counselors often have to spend time on when a couple comes to see them is communication. And a big part of that is helping them develop some active listening skills. Because too often, couples just don't listen to each other. When one starts speaking, the other immediately starts formulating their response (or rebuttal). But the mark of a mature person, at least when it comes to communication, is the ability to really listen. And that's true also with my relationship with God. And just like in any healthy relationship, learning to listen involves shutting down my own inner monologue and learning to be attentive to the other person. So to do that with God, we've got to learn to embrace quiet. I don't think it's news to an of us here that we live in an insanely busy society. Or at least we did until the pandemic hit. And I use the word insanely on purpose. The frantic and overly scheduled way some of us have been living our lives is just not sane. There are countless studies and articles demonstrating that. Richard Foster, in his wonderful book A Celebration of Discipline, wrote, “In contemporary society, our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in “muchness” and “manyness,” he will rest satisfied . . . Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil.” Foster wrote those words in 1978! That's 42 years ago! And I think we'd all agree that things have only gotten worse. We're too busy and hectic and distracted and overwhelmed. And we feel it, but most of us don't have any idea how to live differently. But decluttering our lives isn't what we're discussing today. Today, let's start with learning to declutter our minds a bit when we spend time with the Father. Let's start with learning to embrace the quiet there. In the quiet, we engage the deepest parts of our soul and invite God into the midst of it. And that is where intimacy happens. And it's where transformation happens. In the podcast, I describe what this usually looks like for me. So, what does God sound like? What should I expect? So rather than being an inner, audible voice, I and a good many others have discovered that God's voice in our heads and hearts sounds more like a flow of spontaneous thoughts. In fact, I think this is the normal way God speaks to us. The Lord will speak to us in other ways, if necessary, but I think he'd rather we learn to discern Him speaking in spontaneous thoughts through His Spirit from within our own hearts. Now what do I mean by spontaneous? Well, the voice of God is Spirit-to-spirit communication, the Holy Spirit speaking directly to my spirit. We sense it most often as a spontaneous thought, idea, or word. Thoughts from my own mind, on the other hand, tend to be analytical and cognitive. I reason them out; one thought logically follows the next. The best way I can describe it is that occasionally when I'm in prayer or reading Scripture, I'll have a spontaneous thought that I know didn't come from me. It's not the direction my mind was going; it's nothing I've thought before, and often, because of my own biases or predispositions, it's not really something I would think of on my own. It's a bit of an unexpected surprise. Characteristics of these spontaneous thoughts that help me recognize and have confidence that they come from God: First, they're like my own thoughts, except that they come from a deeper place. In other words, they're qualitatively different from my normal thoughts. But because they come from within me, they're similar to my own thoughts. Deeper, richer, but similar. God's voice is often soft and gentle and easily cut off by any exertion of self. If I interrupt the spontaneous, intuitive flow with my own analysis, God usually does not try to shout above the noise to regain my attention. God's voice often has a deeper, richer content, meaning it is better and somewhat different than my own thoughts. God's voice is wiser, more merciful, more discerning, and much more aware of motives. Sometimes, like Jesus often did with his disciples, God will ignore the question you ask and address the real heart of the issue. God's voice often causes a special reaction within me. These spontaneous thoughts often produce a deeply emotional response. And see, my own thoughts don't. I don't know that I've ever moved myself to tears. But God has. There's sometimes a sense of excitement, conviction, humility, awe, or peace that results from hearing God's voice. God tends to speak with love in a way that leads us to freedom. So, when you think you've heard something from God, what do you do with it? People often get tripped up by the uncertainty of knowing how to sort out whether what I'm “hearing” is God or myself or even Satan? Those are good questions to ask. And just like learning any new language, this takes patience, discernment, and attentiveness. But let me give you some suggestions. First of all, compare what you think you're hearing with the Word. Paul says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The greatest protection we have on our spiritual journey is the Word of God. Scripture is our plumb-line. God will never contradict Scripture. But if you don't know Scripture, how will you know if you're being led astray by the voice in your head? A good knowledge of the Scriptures can save us from a host of errors and heartaches. You've got to have a knowledge of the Word of God. Secondly, check out what you're hearing with others. Find a few trusted and spiritually mature brothers or sisters in Christ who know you well, who love God deeply, and who love you. Tell them what you think God is saying to you and ask them to pray about that and help you discern whether it's God's voice or not. Because listen, I am so self-absorbed that there is virtually nothing I can't talk myself into and turn it into the will of God. And the only protection I have against that willfulness is the Word of God and the wisdom of the spiritual community around me. Thirdly, does it line up with the character of God? Is this something God would say? We know God is holy. We know God is loving. We know God is righteous. We know he is redemptive in nature. Does what we think we're hearing mesh with what we know about his character? Or does it seem slightly out of character? If so, there are two options: 1) Maybe you don't understand God's character as well as you think you do. Or 2) maybe you're hearing your own heart and your own will. Again, most of us are highly skilled at taking our own self-serving thoughts and baptizing them with righteousness. Number four — and this mostly pertains to those times when I sense God directing me to do something (which honestly isn't often for me)— does what I'm hearing pertain top an area for which I am responsible? As a general rule, God tends to give revelation only for the areas in which He has given authority and responsibility. Stay away from ego trips that looks for revelation for areas in which you don't have authority. Don't look for a “word from the Lord” for someone else, unless God has placed you in a position of responsibility for that person (like your children, for instance). If you think you hear something for someone else, be extremely cautious about sharing that, especially without running it past your spiritual community first. Number five — Will this produce good fruit and lead to freedom? God will never instruct you to do things that don't bear good fruit, and he will never lead you into bondage. He will speak life and peace and love into your life. He will instruct you toward things that bear good fruit. “The fruit of the Spirit,” we're told, “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23). God will lead you in those directions — always! Number six — Will this lead me to humility, and does it inspire greater trust of God? I have found that God is constantly calling me to greater levels of trust and humility. He will always lead you toward greater dependence on him. God has vested us with a measure of self-determination and free will, but that is best enjoyed within the context of a dependence on God. If what you think you hear leads you away from that, it's most certainly not of God. Now, what about the devil? This is a little tricky, and I'm not going to say a lot about it except to say that I do not believe the devil lives inside our heads. If you're a Christian, the Spirit of God lives inside you, and I do not believe the devil is allowed a place there. I believe that's scriptural, but it'd take more time than we have to flesh that out. But I will give you one passage that suggests that: 1 John 4:4, which is kinda our theme verse in the Jesus Society. It says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Some Final Thoughts: Don't expect to hear his voice every time you pray. I have not found God to work that way. In my experience, God is not “chatty.” He doesn't say a lot, but he can say more with a few words than anyone I've ever met. And those words will carry you for days, weeks, months, and years. Most of you have already heard from God; you just may not have recognized it as God. And not everyone hears God the same. My wife tends to hear him in songs. He often brings songs to mind as she's in prayer that speak to her deeply. But . . . she has the entirety of Christian hymnody memorized, so of course God would use that to speak to her. The point is, God speaks to us as individuals. And another thing — there are some things that in my experience God is just not interested in talking about. If you go to God with questions about the future or “what's going to happen,” (which is what most of our questions involve), God tends to go quiet. And I think I know why. In my experience, anytime you ask God to give you information that undermines trust, God tends to be silent. Remember that God's goal for you is your transformation. He wants to lead you to greater holiness and to untwist all of those little twisted places within you and to demolish all those hidden alliances you carry. I've got some more book recommendations for you if you want to go further into all this stuff. I can vouch for every one of them. They're all books I've read and they've all proven tremendously helpful to me in building intimacy with God. You'll find them below under Resources. In the end, you can only learn to encounter God by encountering God. Again, the quote from Arthur Miller that I gave you last week is helpful: “How does [God] so communicate with you? How will you know? Because God has designed your frame and understands how you are put together, and how you function, what you notice and what you ignore, what you read, what you hear, and what gets your attention. Because the Spirit of God is resident within you and has a job to do as you do yours — leading, nudging, instructing, guiding, opening new doors, reminding, questioning, affirming, prodding, sometimes engineering circumstances — strange, extraordinary things happen. If you need a knock on the side of your head, or a sense of God's love that will take your breath away — that will happen in God's time and in a way only you will understand.” - Arthur F. Miller, Jr. Thanks for listening, and I hope you'll be back. And remember, you are greatly loved. Resources for today's show: 1. Armchair Mystic: How Contemplative Prayer Can Lead You Closer to God, by Mark E. Thibodeaux SJ (2001, updated 2019) 2. Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, by Dallas Willard (2012) 3. Walking with God: How to Hear His Voice, by John Eldredge (2016) 4. Soul Work: Confessions of a Part-Time Monk, by Randy Harris (2011) 5. Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, by Ruth Haley Barton (2010) 6. Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, by Ruth Haley Barton (2006) 7. The Way of the Heart: Connecting with God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence, by Henri J. M. Nouwen 8. He Loves Me: Learning to Live in the Father's Affection, by Wayne Jacobsen (2008) 9. The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery, by David G. Benner (expanded ed. 2015)   Music and Sound by Nathan Longwell Music

Show Notes:Join us as we sit down to talk about the ancient practice of Lectio Divina. We talk about the process of Lectio, its movements, invitations, and how God meets us in it. Then, practice with us as we enter into Lectio together using Psalm 23:1-3.Episode Outline:-An overview of Lectio Divina-The movements of Lectio Divina (Attending, Pondering, Responding, & Being)-How God encounters us in this practice-Practicing Lectio Divina using Psalm 23:1-3-Peg & Jess share reflections on the practicePracticing Lectio Divina using Psalm 23:1-3 begins at 35:30Resources:Quote by Teresa of Avila: “The important thing in prayer is not to think much but to love much.” from (Interior Castle, New York: Paulist Press, 1979)Opening to God - David G. Benner, Intervarsity Press, 2010Lectio Divina - Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures - M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O. - The Crossroad Publishing Co., New York (1998)Too Deep for Words - Rediscovering Lectio Divina, Thelma Hall, r.c. Paulist Press, New Jersey (1988)https://www.anglicancommunion.org/media/253799/1-What-is-Lectio-Divina.pdf

It’s an isolated world, well, sort of, but it’s one that needs courage and compassion if we are going to create connection. Today as I write this, is it our first day of mandatory nationwide lockdown in New Zealand due to the spread of the Corona Virus. People have been told to stay at home. There is an eerie quietness to where we live. The motorway a few kilometers provides no hum. Two words keep coming to my thinking: courage and compassion. Courage I think of all those who hold positions of authority in our world. The courageous decisions they have had to take. Closing borders, shutting down economies, enforcing lockdowns. Some of the leadership decisions were not made in time; some decisions were made well. There is also the courage required in you and me in our everyday lives. We face the issue, and we do the right thing. We do the best we can. The word courage has its roots in the Latin word cor, which literally means “heart.” People all over the world may well be losing heart at the moment, losing their sense of courage. Seeing the overwhelming horror of this pandemic can cause a degradation of the soul—a whittling away of our life. Courage is needed by all to reach out to our neighbor and say you’re not alone. Compassion We’re not going to get everything right. Somethings we do in this world war will be successful others will fail. Will we be compassionate towards the leaders who will get it wrong? Will you be compassionate towards yourself in this time of crisis. Self-compassion absorbs the failures and forgives the self. It says you’re doing ok and that you’re loved. Compassion is the venue where we can sit with each other and say you’re not alone. Social isolation in a time of loneliness About eight years ago, I used to do door-to-surveying for a research company. I was given a specific neighborhood and told to survey every third house. There were also many other rules to my surveying to make sure I got a very accurate representation of the people living in the neighborhood. The one thing that surprised me the most was the number of people living by themselves. In the latest census, New Zealand has  405,000 people living by themselves. Now add in the fact that due to the pandemic, you can’t have your regular social activities where you can mix and mingle, and you’re heading towards more anxiety and depression. We need each other for good mental health. We were never meant to be alone. We may get through this through physical isolation, but we will be poorer and sicker if we don’t have a social connection. Connection needs courage and compassion In my gardening business, I work for many people who live by themselves. Age, illness, disability all in some way contribute to their need for someone to come and prune, weed, and tidy. So I am going to keep in connection with them. I have compassion for their potential social isolation and the courage they will need to face into this. I’m going to ring them and have a chat. Who in your social network needs you to connect with them? It could be a phone call, an email, a meeting over the internet. I recently sent out an offer (totally free) to all my email subscribers to have a chat or video call with me on the internet. If you want to chat, email me. barry@turningthepage.info It’s been so good to meet many of them for the first time. For me to get to know them and their situation. They learn a bit more about me too! Here’s the challenge Who, in your life, needs your connection? It might be the stranger, the neighbor, the friend, and even the enemy. Remember, you’re not there to necessarily solve their problems. What most people want is to know someone is there for them. Quotes to consider Courage is like—it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging. Mary Daly It takes courage to respond to the invitation to share one’s self with another person. David G. Benner Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ”What! You too? I thought I was the only one. C.S. Lewis  Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else. Johann Hari   To end loneliness, you need other people—plus something else. You also need to feel you are sharing something with the other person, or the group, that is meaningful to both of you. You have to be in it together—and “it” can be anything that you both think has meaning and value. Johann Hari Compassion for yourself is where you start when things are tough, not where you stop. Rick Hanson Compassion means entering the suffering of another in order to lead the way out.  Rosaria Champagne Butterfield Questions to answer What can we do in this time of social isolation to enable a safe social connection? Who are you being prompted to get in touch with? How are you compassionate to yourself in these stressful times? Further reading   Barry Pearman Image cc: Toa Heftiba  

It’s an isolated world, well, sort of, but it’s one that needs courage and compassion if we are going to create connection. Today as I write this, is it our first day of mandatory nationwide lockdown in New Zealand due to the spread of the Corona Virus. People have been told to stay at home. There is an eerie quietness to where we live. The motorway a few kilometers provides no hum. Two words keep coming to my thinking: courage and compassion. Courage I think of all those who hold positions of authority in our world. The courageous decisions they have had to take. Closing borders, shutting down economies, enforcing lockdowns. Some of the leadership decisions were not made in time; some decisions were made well. There is also the courage required in you and me in our everyday lives. We face the issue, and we do the right thing. We do the best we can. The word courage has its roots in the Latin word cor, which literally means “heart.” People all over the world may well be losing heart at the moment, losing their sense of courage. Seeing the overwhelming horror of this pandemic can cause a degradation of the soul—a whittling away of our life. Courage is needed by all to reach out to our neighbor and say you’re not alone. Compassion We’re not going to get everything right. Somethings we do in this world war will be successful others will fail. Will we be compassionate towards the leaders who will get it wrong? Will you be compassionate towards yourself in this time of crisis. Self-compassion absorbs the failures and forgives the self. It says you’re doing ok and that you’re loved. Compassion is the venue where we can sit with each other and say you’re not alone. Social isolation in a time of loneliness About eight years ago, I used to do door-to-surveying for a research company. I was given a specific neighborhood and told to survey every third house. There were also many other rules to my surveying to make sure I got a very accurate representation of the people living in the neighborhood. The one thing that surprised me the most was the number of people living by themselves. In the latest census, New Zealand has  405,000 people living by themselves. Now add in the fact that due to the pandemic, you can’t have your regular social activities where you can mix and mingle, and you’re heading towards more anxiety and depression. We need each other for good mental health. We were never meant to be alone. We may get through this through physical isolation, but we will be poorer and sicker if we don’t have a social connection. Connection needs courage and compassion In my gardening business, I work for many people who live by themselves. Age, illness, disability all in some way contribute to their need for someone to come and prune, weed, and tidy. So I am going to keep in connection with them. I have compassion for their potential social isolation and the courage they will need to face into this. I’m going to ring them and have a chat. Who in your social network needs you to connect with them? It could be a phone call, an email, a meeting over the internet. I recently sent out an offer (totally free) to all my email subscribers to have a chat or video call with me on the internet. If you want to chat, email me. barry@turningthepage.info It’s been so good to meet many of them for the first time. For me to get to know them and their situation. They learn a bit more about me too! Here’s the challenge Who, in your life, needs your connection? It might be the stranger, the neighbor, the friend, and even the enemy. Remember, you’re not there to necessarily solve their problems. What most people want is to know someone is there for them. Quotes to consider Courage is like—it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging. Mary Daly It takes courage to respond to the invitation to share one’s self with another person. David G. Benner Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ”What! You too? I thought I was the only one. C.S. Lewis  Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else. Johann Hari   To end loneliness, you need other people—plus something else. You also need to feel you are sharing something with the other person, or the group, that is meaningful to both of you. You have to be in it together—and “it” can be anything that you both think has meaning and value. Johann Hari Compassion for yourself is where you start when things are tough, not where you stop. Rick Hanson Compassion means entering the suffering of another in order to lead the way out.  Rosaria Champagne Butterfield Questions to answer What can we do in this time of social isolation to enable a safe social connection? Who are you being prompted to get in touch with? How are you compassionate to yourself in these stressful times? Further reading   Barry Pearman Image cc: Toa Heftiba  

Many women don’t think they are beautiful.  A tarnish is over their soul. But underneath, there is a beauty that can change a world, a delight that needs to be listened for and affirmed. There was a beauty there, and I wanted to affirm it. I could see it in the way she moved, the energy and thoughtfulness she placed into her intent. It was beautiful but tarnished. When I said she was beautiful, it was dismissed immediately. Her tarnished thoughts had crowded in and screamed comparisonitis memes. Comparisons to Instagram models and airbrushed movie stars. The women in the clothes catalogs alway with the beautiful skin. FatWrinklesHipsStomachHairBags Tarnished beauty Have you ever noticed that on metal objects, a thin film or layer builds up on the outside. It’s a tarnish, which is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over the surface. The outermost layer is undergoing a chemical reaction. Given enough time and the layers build up. The brightness and the ability of the metal to reflect is lost under layers of oxidation. Did you notice the word ‘corrosion’? It eats away at the internal, creates a crust, hides the glory of what’s underneath. To reveal the true and deep beauty of a tarnished object, those layers need to removed. Out comes some polish, something slightly abrasive and liquid. Then with gentle but firm pressure, a rhythm is formed of working the polish over the tarnish and wiping the accumulated corrosion away. Underneath the beauty is there. Shinning and a delight to the eyes. Alluring and dragging you in to know it more. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman fully alive. Living without the tarnish of others oxidizing corrosive norms. Was Mother Teresa beautiful? And certain women We don’t have an exact number of how many women were amongst Jesus followers, but we do know that there were quite a few. The Twelve were with him. There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company. Luke 8:1-3 In such a patriarchal male-dominated society, why were so many women magnetized by Jesus? Jesus was a safe man, and women are drawn to safe men. True men know real beauty is something more mysterious and alluring than anything of what a movie star can cosmetically enhance. Beauty is a movement of the soul, and we notice it when we observe well. Beauty is something to be discovered That sunrise was beautiful, but you have to get up early in the morning to see it. The bird song was beautiful, but you have to still yourself long enough to hear it. The smell of a beautiful rose is divine, but you have to stop and stoop to catch the scent. True beauty isn’t hand-delivered to you on a plate; it must be sought out to be experienced. The wonder of women Physical beauty, the tarnished perceptions, is fleeting, according to Proverbs 31:30. But there seems to be a beauty that sparkles brighter than a bunch of diamonds. The writer of Proverbs 31, possibly a woman (King Lemuel’s Mother),  describes a beautiful woman in the categories of how she cares for her family, her creativity, industriousness, business wisdom, and generosity. She has an inner strength and dignity and gives respect to her husband and the way he moves into his world.  I know many women like this wonder women. I don’t think they would consider themselves beautiful, because of the tarnish, but they are truly beautiful. Affirming the beauty I want to tell more women that they are beautiful, but I fear it will be misconstrued. People might well jump to conclusions that aren’t true. The words get filtered through the tarnish. I tell my wife, daughter, and granddaughter that they are beautiful, but even then, the tarnish might dull the impact of the words. I see beauty, it warms my heart, and I want to move towards and affirm it, so I might well say ‘that is a beautiful thing you do.’ It doesn’t speak to the wholeness of the beauty of who they are, but it might just cut through some of the tarnish. Affirming the sunrise, the bird-song, and the waft of beauty is a gift we can give to others. It takes intention, courage, wisdom, and observation. It’s a practice we need to become skilled at intuitively. Quotes to consider Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too is experience in the soul of the individual. David G. Benner Remain in beauty, and we will honor beauty everywhere. Richard Rohr People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross When inspiration touches talent, she gives birth to truth and beauty. Steven Pressfield Dying people can teach us … Often the attributes that define them drop away—the hair, the shape, the skills, the cleverness. And then it turns out that the packaging is not who that person has really been all along. Without the package, another sort of beauty shines through. Anne Lamott Questions to answer What is beauty? What is the corrosive effect on a woman’s soul from the ‘beautiful people’ images and models? How can a man affirm beauty in a woman without coming across the wrong way? Further reading Barry Pearman Image:David Pisnoy

Many women don’t think they are beautiful.  A tarnish is over their soul. But underneath, there is a beauty that can change a world, a delight that needs to be listened for and affirmed. There was a beauty there, and I wanted to affirm it. I could see it in the way she moved, the energy and thoughtfulness she placed into her intent. It was beautiful but tarnished. When I said she was beautiful, it was dismissed immediately. Her tarnished thoughts had crowded in and screamed comparisonitis memes. Comparisons to Instagram models and airbrushed movie stars. The women in the clothes catalogs alway with the beautiful skin. FatWrinklesHipsStomachHairBags Tarnished beauty Have you ever noticed that on metal objects, a thin film or layer builds up on the outside. It’s a tarnish, which is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over the surface. The outermost layer is undergoing a chemical reaction. Given enough time and the layers build up. The brightness and the ability of the metal to reflect is lost under layers of oxidation. Did you notice the word ‘corrosion’? It eats away at the internal, creates a crust, hides the glory of what’s underneath. To reveal the true and deep beauty of a tarnished object, those layers need to removed. Out comes some polish, something slightly abrasive and liquid. Then with gentle but firm pressure, a rhythm is formed of working the polish over the tarnish and wiping the accumulated corrosion away. Underneath the beauty is there. Shinning and a delight to the eyes. Alluring and dragging you in to know it more. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman fully alive. Living without the tarnish of others oxidizing corrosive norms. Was Mother Teresa beautiful? And certain women We don’t have an exact number of how many women were amongst Jesus followers, but we do know that there were quite a few. The Twelve were with him. There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company. Luke 8:1-3 In such a patriarchal male-dominated society, why were so many women magnetized by Jesus? Jesus was a safe man, and women are drawn to safe men. True men know real beauty is something more mysterious and alluring than anything of what a movie star can cosmetically enhance. Beauty is a movement of the soul, and we notice it when we observe well. Beauty is something to be discovered That sunrise was beautiful, but you have to get up early in the morning to see it. The bird song was beautiful, but you have to still yourself long enough to hear it. The smell of a beautiful rose is divine, but you have to stop and stoop to catch the scent. True beauty isn’t hand-delivered to you on a plate; it must be sought out to be experienced. The wonder of women Physical beauty, the tarnished perceptions, is fleeting, according to Proverbs 31:30. But there seems to be a beauty that sparkles brighter than a bunch of diamonds. The writer of Proverbs 31, possibly a woman (King Lemuel’s Mother),  describes a beautiful woman in the categories of how she cares for her family, her creativity, industriousness, business wisdom, and generosity. She has an inner strength and dignity and gives respect to her husband and the way he moves into his world.  I know many women like this wonder women. I don’t think they would consider themselves beautiful, because of the tarnish, but they are truly beautiful. Affirming the beauty I want to tell more women that they are beautiful, but I fear it will be misconstrued. People might well jump to conclusions that aren’t true. The words get filtered through the tarnish. I tell my wife, daughter, and granddaughter that they are beautiful, but even then, the tarnish might dull the impact of the words. I see beauty, it warms my heart, and I want to move towards and affirm it, so I might well say ‘that is a beautiful thing you do.’ It doesn’t speak to the wholeness of the beauty of who they are, but it might just cut through some of the tarnish. Affirming the sunrise, the bird-song, and the waft of beauty is a gift we can give to others. It takes intention, courage, wisdom, and observation. It’s a practice we need to become skilled at intuitively. Quotes to consider Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too is experience in the soul of the individual. David G. Benner Remain in beauty, and we will honor beauty everywhere. Richard Rohr People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross When inspiration touches talent, she gives birth to truth and beauty. Steven Pressfield Dying people can teach us … Often the attributes that define them drop away—the hair, the shape, the skills, the cleverness. And then it turns out that the packaging is not who that person has really been all along. Without the package, another sort of beauty shines through. Anne Lamott Questions to answer What is beauty? What is the corrosive effect on a woman’s soul from the ‘beautiful people’ images and models? How can a man affirm beauty in a woman without coming across the wrong way? Further reading Barry Pearman Image:David Pisnoy

This episode features Life Plan Guide Renee Clark. Renee helps others find out who they are (also goes way back with podcast host Sarah Burnett—it’s a great story!). Listen in to hear lots of wisdom on leading yourself well, just like Jesus did. Related Links: The Gift of Being Yourself- David G. Benner Rhythms of Renewal- Rebecca Lyons Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry - Tara Beth Leach  

Many live under a false identity, a name used for the convenience of others, but when we learn their true name connection happens. So what’s your real name? She said what her name was I knew that it wasn't her real name. Now that caught my attention because in front of me was a lady of apparent Indian descent. Being the curious character I am, I pushed a little further, and she told her ‘real’ name. I call her by her real name now. Connection. I understand why so many people with foreign names adopt a new name. Its called convenience. It’s easier for others to remember, to speak, and I suppose it is a statement of a desire to fit in. I’ve been carrying out this weirdo experiment for a little while now. Wherever I go regularly, and I see the same person serving me like at the petrol station, I ask them their name. If I think it’s not their real name, then I push a little further, ask them their real name, and endeavor to remember it for the next meeting. Some of the Asian names are difficult to say because of all the tonal inflections, but just because it might be challenging to pronounce does not give me a license to ignore their true name. My true name One person used the words ‘True name’ to describe the name they had been given. My brain leaped at the word ‘True’ because it’s opposite to the word ‘False.’ Maybe it is a false identity that we are dealing with — living under a false name. True self/ false self. Do we want to know something false? When I recently asked someone how it felt that I wanted to know their name, they said it felt good, nice, and special to think that someone wanted to ‘put the effort’ into knowing their name. I suppose they felt welcomed and valued. Welcoming the foreigner In God’s economy, there are no foreigners. God knows everyone and knows them all by name. Their true name. Explicit instructions were given as part of the law. “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don’t take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as a native. Love him like one of your own. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am God, your God.  Leviticus 19:33, 34 Welcoming the foreigner may be as simple as getting to know the true name of the person who mows your lawn or serves your food at the Dunkin Donuts. Lonely world We live in an increasingly lonely world, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The foreigner maybe someone you meet every day but is disconnected at a heart level of connection. It’s often inconvenient to stretch out and be vulnerable. To open your arms, metaphorically, and embrace the other means your own heart is being exposed to the potential of rejection. A behavior of love being misconstrued as an act of intrusiveness. When you learn their name Jim Wallis, in his book Faith Works, tells the story of a lawyer, Dale Recinella, who gets involved in helping out at a local Soup Kitchen. About twenty years ago, I started helping out at the noon meal of the Good News Soup Kitchen in Tallahassee. It was located in the city’s then worst crack/prostitution district, halfway between the State Capital and the Governor’s Mansion. I showed up every day in my three-piece suit to help from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The staff assigned me to “door duty.” That meant my job was to ensure that the street people are lining up to eat waited in an orderly fashion. Every day, I stood at the door for an hour, chatting with the street people waiting to eat. Before I came to Good News, “street people” was a meaningless term. It defined a group without defining anybody in particular. From the comfort of my car, my suburban home, and my downtown law office, street people were just “those people out there somewhere.” Then, one day, an elderly woman named Helen came running to the Good News door. A man was chasing her, threatening to kill her if she didn’t give him back his dollar. “Tell him he can’t hit me here ‘cuz it’s church property!” she pleaded. In true lawyer fashion, I explained that Good News is not a church, but he still couldn’t hit her. After twenty minutes of failed mediation, I purchased peace by giving each of them a dollar. That evening, I happened to be standing on the corner of Park and Monroe, a major intersection a few blocks from the State Capital and outside my law office. In the red twilight, I spied a lonely silhouette struggling in my direction from Tennessee St. “Poor street person,” I thought, as the figure inched closer. I was about to turn back to my own concerns when I detected something familiar in that shadowy figure. The red scarf. The clear plastic bag with white border. The unmatched shoes. “My God,” I said in my thoughts, “that’s Helen.” My eyes froze on her as she limped by and turned up Park. No doubt, she would crawl under a bush to spend the night. My mind had always dismissed the sight of a street person in seconds. It could not expel the picture of Helen. That night, as I lay on my $1500 deluxe, temperature-controlled waterbed in the suburbs, I couldn’t sleep. A voice in my soul kept asking, “Where’s Helen sleeping tonight?” No street person had ever interfered with my sleep before. But the shadowy figure with the red scarf and plastic bag had followed me home. I had made a fatal mistake. I had learned her name.  Let’s put an end to fraudulent living and get to know each other’s names, their true names. As we embrace the ‘foreigner,’ we might just learn something about our name and the identity we have. Quotes to consider ‘An embrace involves always a double movement of opening and closing.I open my arms to create space in myself for the other. The open arms are a sign of discontent at being myself only and of desire to include the other. They are an invitation to the others to come in and feel at home with me, to belong to me. In an embrace I also close my arms around the others – not tightly, so as to crush and assimilate them forcefully into myself, for that would not be an embrace but a concealed power-act of exclusion; but gently, so as to tell them that I do not want to be without them in their otherness. I want them in their openness. I want them to remain independent and true to their genuine selves, to maintain their identity and as such become part of me so that they can enrich me with what they have and I do not’. Judith M Gundry-Volf, Miroslav Volf. A spacious heart: essays on identity and belonging. Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named not good. John Milton The heart of spirituality is connection. When we believe in that inextricable connection, we don’t feel alone. Brené Brown There is a soul yonder which is lonely.” And he added, deep in his own mind, “I owe him a visit.” Les Miserables Victor Hugo The spiritual life is a life of engagement and connection, not a life of isolation and alienation. But healthy spirituality involves a particular way of relating to others and to the world. It involves relating in love. David G. Benner Questions to answer Whom do you know that might have a different name to the one they use with you? What stops us from asking someone their name? Who is a ‘foreigner’ to you? Further reading Barry Pearman Image Unsplash Cristian Newman

Many live under a false identity, a name used for the convenience of others, but when we learn their true name connection happens. So what’s your real name? She said what her name was I knew that it wasn't her real name. Now that caught my attention because in front of me was a lady of apparent Indian descent. Being the curious character I am, I pushed a little further, and she told her ‘real’ name. I call her by her real name now. Connection. I understand why so many people with foreign names adopt a new name. Its called convenience. It’s easier for others to remember, to speak, and I suppose it is a statement of a desire to fit in. I’ve been carrying out this weirdo experiment for a little while now. Wherever I go regularly, and I see the same person serving me like at the petrol station, I ask them their name. If I think it’s not their real name, then I push a little further, ask them their real name, and endeavor to remember it for the next meeting. Some of the Asian names are difficult to say because of all the tonal inflections, but just because it might be challenging to pronounce does not give me a license to ignore their true name. My true name One person used the words ‘True name’ to describe the name they had been given. My brain leaped at the word ‘True’ because it’s opposite to the word ‘False.’ Maybe it is a false identity that we are dealing with — living under a false name. True self/ false self. Do we want to know something false? When I recently asked someone how it felt that I wanted to know their name, they said it felt good, nice, and special to think that someone wanted to ‘put the effort’ into knowing their name. I suppose they felt welcomed and valued. Welcoming the foreigner In God’s economy, there are no foreigners. God knows everyone and knows them all by name. Their true name. Explicit instructions were given as part of the law. “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don’t take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as a native. Love him like one of your own. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am God, your God.  Leviticus 19:33, 34 Welcoming the foreigner may be as simple as getting to know the true name of the person who mows your lawn or serves your food at the Dunkin Donuts. Lonely world We live in an increasingly lonely world, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The foreigner maybe someone you meet every day but is disconnected at a heart level of connection. It’s often inconvenient to stretch out and be vulnerable. To open your arms, metaphorically, and embrace the other means your own heart is being exposed to the potential of rejection. A behavior of love being misconstrued as an act of intrusiveness. When you learn their name Jim Wallis, in his book Faith Works, tells the story of a lawyer, Dale Recinella, who gets involved in helping out at a local Soup Kitchen. About twenty years ago, I started helping out at the noon meal of the Good News Soup Kitchen in Tallahassee. It was located in the city’s then worst crack/prostitution district, halfway between the State Capital and the Governor’s Mansion. I showed up every day in my three-piece suit to help from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The staff assigned me to “door duty.” That meant my job was to ensure that the street people are lining up to eat waited in an orderly fashion. Every day, I stood at the door for an hour, chatting with the street people waiting to eat. Before I came to Good News, “street people” was a meaningless term. It defined a group without defining anybody in particular. From the comfort of my car, my suburban home, and my downtown law office, street people were just “those people out there somewhere.” Then, one day, an elderly woman named Helen came running to the Good News door. A man was chasing her, threatening to kill her if she didn’t give him back his dollar. “Tell him he can’t hit me here ‘cuz it’s church property!” she pleaded. In true lawyer fashion, I explained that Good News is not a church, but he still couldn’t hit her. After twenty minutes of failed mediation, I purchased peace by giving each of them a dollar. That evening, I happened to be standing on the corner of Park and Monroe, a major intersection a few blocks from the State Capital and outside my law office. In the red twilight, I spied a lonely silhouette struggling in my direction from Tennessee St. “Poor street person,” I thought, as the figure inched closer. I was about to turn back to my own concerns when I detected something familiar in that shadowy figure. The red scarf. The clear plastic bag with white border. The unmatched shoes. “My God,” I said in my thoughts, “that’s Helen.” My eyes froze on her as she limped by and turned up Park. No doubt, she would crawl under a bush to spend the night. My mind had always dismissed the sight of a street person in seconds. It could not expel the picture of Helen. That night, as I lay on my $1500 deluxe, temperature-controlled waterbed in the suburbs, I couldn’t sleep. A voice in my soul kept asking, “Where’s Helen sleeping tonight?” No street person had ever interfered with my sleep before. But the shadowy figure with the red scarf and plastic bag had followed me home. I had made a fatal mistake. I had learned her name.  Let’s put an end to fraudulent living and get to know each other’s names, their true names. As we embrace the ‘foreigner,’ we might just learn something about our name and the identity we have. Quotes to consider ‘An embrace involves always a double movement of opening and closing.I open my arms to create space in myself for the other. The open arms are a sign of discontent at being myself only and of desire to include the other. They are an invitation to the others to come in and feel at home with me, to belong to me. In an embrace I also close my arms around the others – not tightly, so as to crush and assimilate them forcefully into myself, for that would not be an embrace but a concealed power-act of exclusion; but gently, so as to tell them that I do not want to be without them in their otherness. I want them in their openness. I want them to remain independent and true to their genuine selves, to maintain their identity and as such become part of me so that they can enrich me with what they have and I do not’. Judith M Gundry-Volf, Miroslav Volf. A spacious heart: essays on identity and belonging. Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named not good. John Milton The heart of spirituality is connection. When we believe in that inextricable connection, we don’t feel alone. Brené Brown There is a soul yonder which is lonely.” And he added, deep in his own mind, “I owe him a visit.” Les Miserables Victor Hugo The spiritual life is a life of engagement and connection, not a life of isolation and alienation. But healthy spirituality involves a particular way of relating to others and to the world. It involves relating in love. David G. Benner Questions to answer Whom do you know that might have a different name to the one they use with you? What stops us from asking someone their name? Who is a ‘foreigner’ to you? Further reading Barry Pearman Image Unsplash Cristian Newman

When we keep looking at the mountain of struggle, we can feel crushed, but when we know someone greater than the mountain is with us, we can find the help we need. Mountains move when we meditate on Gods goodness. Where I live, I’m surrounded by mountains. They’re not very high mountains. The highest peak is only 196 meters high and has the name Mt. Eden and is a dormant volcanic cone. The highest mountain I have been up to is Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs. At 4302 meters it’s so high that the breathing is difficult, but the views are fantastic. A Mountain can be  imposing When you go to a place where there are many mountains it can be imposing. They dominate the scenery. Everywhere you look you see this fortress looming up into the sky. When you are at the base of the mountain, you look up, and you feel small. Tonnes and tonnes of rock piled up. It’s awe-inspiring, but it also blocks out the sun. In the shadowed valleys it can get bitterly cold and dark. Mental Mountain There are times when many of us can feel overwhelmed and undermined by the sense of living under a mountain. Guilt, shame, failure, loss, depression, anxiety bear down on us. It’s always there. It won’t shift, and it looms heavy with a cold shadow. We try to scale the mountain, fight against its slide. Perhaps we were never meant to fight the mountain anyway. Where does my help come from The Psalmist writes this. I lift up my eyes to the mountains—    where does my help come from?My help comes from the Lord,    the Maker of heaven and earth.Psalm 121: 1,2 There are many interpretations of what this beautiful psalm might mean. I think that the poet fully understood the dominating effect of a mountain. They look up at an imposing mountain: the struggle, the challenge, and the hard work. In our day, we would look for the chair lift or cable car — the quick, easy, and safe option. The Psalmist never had google he only had God. The best option was to build a life of intimate prayer. The help needed came from an intimate heartbeat relationship with God. The mountain to move  I have mountains in my thinking I want to move. Something I have found is that the more I focus on the mountains, the more I become mesmerized by them. They draw my attention in so that nothing else matters. My attention shifts away from the ‘maker of heaven and earth.’ The Psalmist calls us to look at the creator, not the mountain. Those mountains of trouble won’t last. They are temporal. God is eternal. Mountains move It’s surprising how when we shift our gaze back onto the creator, the fueled feelings can change. They seem to lose their power in the presence of the all-powerful. As we commit our mountains, hills, and road bumps to our walking companion, we learn to listen for the conversation going on. Together we find alternative routes through. The struggles lose their power to dominate our thinking. Mountains move when we find Gods goodness. Spiritual Exercise Name the mountains in your life, then notice every time that they form in your thinking. Gently bring your gaze back to Jesus, who is walking beside you. As you gaze on Jesus and listen to his words, note how the mountains lose their power. A reflection on the road to Emmaus Quotes to consider Believing all of my emotions is the shortest way into the loop of insanity. First the truth, then faith in the truth, then the feelings will come around. D. Riddell We cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness Richard Rohr God is not absent. It is we who fail to notice divine presence. It’s all a matter of awareness. Note: how aware are you of God, right at this moment. David G. Benner Being present simply means being fully where you are. David G. Benner PhD and Richard Rohr Each moment of awareness is a small awakening, and each awakening—no matter how insignificant it might seem—can be a doorway to becoming. David G. Benner What you pay attention to—what you rest your mind on—is the primary shaper of your brain. Rick Hanson Questions to answer What are the mountains that get your attention? What would Jesus say to you as you wak the pilgrim’s path? How do you focus your thinking on the ‘maker of heaven and earth’? Further reading        Barry Pearman Photo by Kyle Johnson on Unsplash

When we keep looking at the mountain of struggle, we can feel crushed, but when we know someone greater than the mountain is with us, we can find the help we need. Mountains move when we meditate on Gods goodness. Where I live, I’m surrounded by mountains. They’re not very high mountains. The highest peak is only 196 meters high and has the name Mt. Eden and is a dormant volcanic cone. The highest mountain I have been up to is Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs. At 4302 meters it’s so high that the breathing is difficult, but the views are fantastic. A Mountain can be  imposing When you go to a place where there are many mountains it can be imposing. They dominate the scenery. Everywhere you look you see this fortress looming up into the sky. When you are at the base of the mountain, you look up, and you feel small. Tonnes and tonnes of rock piled up. It’s awe-inspiring, but it also blocks out the sun. In the shadowed valleys it can get bitterly cold and dark. Mental Mountain There are times when many of us can feel overwhelmed and undermined by the sense of living under a mountain. Guilt, shame, failure, loss, depression, anxiety bear down on us. It’s always there. It won’t shift, and it looms heavy with a cold shadow. We try to scale the mountain, fight against its slide. Perhaps we were never meant to fight the mountain anyway. Where does my help come from The Psalmist writes this. I lift up my eyes to the mountains—    where does my help come from?My help comes from the Lord,    the Maker of heaven and earth.Psalm 121: 1,2 There are many interpretations of what this beautiful psalm might mean. I think that the poet fully understood the dominating effect of a mountain. They look up at an imposing mountain: the struggle, the challenge, and the hard work. In our day, we would look for the chair lift or cable car — the quick, easy, and safe option. The Psalmist never had google he only had God. The best option was to build a life of intimate prayer. The help needed came from an intimate heartbeat relationship with God. The mountain to move  I have mountains in my thinking I want to move. Something I have found is that the more I focus on the mountains, the more I become mesmerized by them. They draw my attention in so that nothing else matters. My attention shifts away from the ‘maker of heaven and earth.’ The Psalmist calls us to look at the creator, not the mountain. Those mountains of trouble won’t last. They are temporal. God is eternal. Mountains move It’s surprising how when we shift our gaze back onto the creator, the fueled feelings can change. They seem to lose their power in the presence of the all-powerful. As we commit our mountains, hills, and road bumps to our walking companion, we learn to listen for the conversation going on. Together we find alternative routes through. The struggles lose their power to dominate our thinking. Mountains move when we find Gods goodness. Spiritual Exercise Name the mountains in your life, then notice every time that they form in your thinking. Gently bring your gaze back to Jesus, who is walking beside you. As you gaze on Jesus and listen to his words, note how the mountains lose their power. A reflection on the road to Emmaus Quotes to consider Believing all of my emotions is the shortest way into the loop of insanity. First the truth, then faith in the truth, then the feelings will come around. D. Riddell We cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness Richard Rohr God is not absent. It is we who fail to notice divine presence. It’s all a matter of awareness. Note: how aware are you of God, right at this moment. David G. Benner Being present simply means being fully where you are. David G. Benner PhD and Richard Rohr Each moment of awareness is a small awakening, and each awakening—no matter how insignificant it might seem—can be a doorway to becoming. David G. Benner What you pay attention to—what you rest your mind on—is the primary shaper of your brain. Rick Hanson Questions to answer What are the mountains that get your attention? What would Jesus say to you as you wak the pilgrim’s path? How do you focus your thinking on the ‘maker of heaven and earth’? Further reading        Barry Pearman Photo by Kyle Johnson on Unsplash

This video is about LuncHour with Max Boyle who talks about the shift to missional youth ministry and community creation. Recommended Resources: Meet Generation Z by James Emery White- https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Generation-Understanding-Reaching-Post-Christian/dp/0801017017/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AS8EWW044OIK&keywords=meet+generation+z&qid=1558029441&s=gateway&sprefix=meet+generation+z%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1 Sacred Companions by David G. Benner- https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Companions-Spiritual-Friendship-Direction/dp/083083270X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sacred+companions&qid=1558029519&s=gateway&sr=8-1 Life of the Beloved- Henri Nouwen https://www.amazon.com/Life-Beloved-Spiritual-Living-Secular/dp/0824519868/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=life+of+the+beloved&qid=1558029579&s=gateway&sr=8-3 Screenagers Tech Talk Tuesdays- https://www.screenagersmovie.com/ Missional Youth Ministry- https://www.amazon.com/Missional-Youth-Ministry-Scattering-Specialties/dp/0310578841/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=missional+youth+ministry&qid=1558029706&s=gateway&sr=8-2 Fuller Youth Institute- https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/ Get to know Max: Max Boyle will be our next guest on LuncHour. Max is born and raised in Pasadena, CA. He has been in youth ministry since 2008 at Pasadena Foursquare Church . Max is known for his ability to love and create healthy teams and communities. He’s done this in the context of leading youth mission teams in local and global settings, as well as creating a video game community for teens and young adults in Pasadena. Max is passionate about equipping and partnering with youth to discover and live in their unique calling to God’s Mission. Max has his degree in Transformational Ministry from Life Pacific College and has been married to Jasmine Boyle for almost 8 years. They love to travel and go to Dodger games together.

David G. Benner gives a great introduction to the pursuit of self, all from a very Christian perspective. Will you respond to the sacred call?

How do we reconcile those “frightening parts” of ourselves that we have trouble facing? I explore David G. Benner's book, “The Gift of Being Yourself” to find out how to know God and know self.

My guest for The Happy Hour # 179 is Candace Payne. On the show today, you'll get to know the woman behind the Chewbacca Mask whose video became a viral sensation and the most-viewed Facebook Live video to date. Candace is a speaker and author of Laugh It Up: Embrace Freedom and Experience Defiant Joy, and the small-group curriculum, Defiant Joy: What Happens When You’re Full Of It. Candace and I start the show discussing all things movies by playing "Skip It or Ticket" and you'll learn how much I know about Star Wars (hint: I may have fallen asleep during one of the movies!). Candace shares how posting her Chewbacca Mask video changed her life literally overnight, and what it has been like to experience fame so quickly. Candace opens up about struggles her family has endured, including a time when they were homeless. Candace reminds us that through God we always have access to joy and freedom no matter the circumstances, and it's up to us to choose to fight for it. Candace will make you laugh and encourage you to embrace and experience joy, and I know you'll love my conversation with her. {You can listen to the show HERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Candace's Books: Laugh It Up: Embrace Freedom and Experience Defiant Joy, Defiant Joy: What Happens When You're Full of it Trying on the Chewbacca Mask Video Candace's single: Heal the World Candace's Website What Candace is loving: her pugs, breakfast tacos (egg whites, pico de gallo, avocado and lots of cheese!), and her iPad Pro What Candace is reading: The Gift of Being Yourself by David G. Benner The Happy Hour Facebook Group If You Only Knew Connect with Candace Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube Sponsors Christian Standard Bible GoGo Squeez Third Love