Tag: Community

Spiritual Challenge: A prayer walk.

hiking

Flickr photo from this source.

I’m curious to know if you’ve ever been on a prayer walk? Would you please tell me in the comment section/link below?

The weather (in North America) is changing to mild temperatures, and the beauty of Spring is here.

I’d like to inspire you to carve out 20-45 minutes, (or more, if possible) within the next few days from the time you read this, to absorb the beauty of creation, and the God of it.

This beautiful picture gave me the kick to write this post. Let’s both do it. Go to your calendar now, check for a spot, and mark it down. Morning time, evening, weekend, whatever. You truly have 20 minutes, I know it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. We both know-once you mark it down-it’s quite likely to happen.

With this time, you can allow yourself the experience of a guided prayer walk, using some, or all of the guidelines I’ll lay out below. It will help create a place in your heart to experience the presence of God within and around you. It’s really the perfect Rx for the spring season.

Some suggestions for your walk time:

Items to bring along-

– Comfortable, durable, Shoes

-(if needed) Sunscreen/basic first aid kit

-Water

-Snack

-Notepad and pen

-Camera

(Some of you may want to bring a Bible. If you feel this is important, I am suggesting that you read Scripture before you go on this walk, and if you’d like, bring along a passage, or verse that is on your heart.)

First, allow yourself to acclimate to your environment. Notice your surroundings. Walk deliberately, and also wait, sit or rest, once in a while, and take in your surroundings. Put hurrying aside.

Second, as issues, or chatter run through your mind, push them gently aside, or if they are quite intrusive, jot them down, and give yourself permission to think of them, at another time. (You may may find it helpful to briefly lift those things to God in prayer, and purposefully “hand them over,” before you continue your walk.)

Third, continue until you feel like you’d like to find a comfortable place to sit, or rest, for a little while. The jot down something about your surroundings, and associations that may come to mind about God, and God’s character. Note your response to God, or his creation. Or, record other thoughts you feel are meaningful, or maybe things you would like to explore further, at some point.

Fourth, enter into a time of prayer. It can be any length of time. This is a time of conversation, and also worship. Worship involves  adoration of God. Speak, but also listen.

Fifth, be where you are.

Sixth, Continue your journey until you are ready for it’s conclusion. During this time, you may want to spend more time in prayer, engage in vigorous exercise (walk at a rapid pace, for instance), gaze appreciatively at nature, or sit in quiet, or a bit of each. It’s a free-play, or freeform period of the hike/walk, where you can have all the freedom to enjoy it in the way which makes the most sense for where you are right now in your life. Sense God’s love for you, and his delight in you. If you cannot, ask him for the grace to do so. Forgive others, and forgive yourself.

Seventh, when done, offer a brief prayer of thanksgiving, and accept God’s grace. Receive from God. After a few minutes, write down noteworthy thoughts, experiences, ideas, sensations, or insights that happened along the way, or during your prayers.

Eighth, Later, share some, or all, of your notes with at least one other person.

You may want to walk with another friend, a spouse, or in a small group etc.

How rewarding this is!

For this, I suggest that a period of prayerful silence be observed during the whole time,

and conversations between people be postponed until after the walk is through.

Group discussion after the walk may prove very fruitful.

If you give this a try, I’d love to hear how this goes.

Will you please share your experience here?

(Photos you’ve taken can be sent to ovationeneterprises (at) verizon (dot) net)

May God be with you.

(Jesus Doll) Oh, no, you didn't… (updated)

 

This “toy” begs a few questions:

Batteries and Holy Spirit included?

Will he be found eating among the trampy Barbies?

If you hold the toy while praying, does it count as an idol?

Can he heal other toys?

If he breaks, will the toy fix itself after 3 days?

What’s your caption, or headline?

Coping with Pain (The ironic strategy)

 

Why are we so often alone in our pain?

 

There is a terrible irony in the typical human’s response to pain.

Emotional, physical, or mental suffering is most often considered personal, or about one’s self, and so it is dealt with on one’s own.

A suffering person, ready to divulge their pain, may say, “This is hard to say out loud,” or “This is difficult to share with people I don’t know that well.” The pain has been internalized, and taken in, stewed.

We all do it. But now I ask “why?” Habit maybe, yet we do terrible jobs of healing ourselves. Our wounds fester and putrefy.

Outside perspectives, and the gracious love of community offer healing we can never find alone.

I wonder if the broken-ness of this world makes us retract. Maybe a flight/flight instinct is at first to simply be self-preservative. In reality, we are not alone, our pain is not unique. But, the shock, and upset sends us into hiding, or a kind of “hunker in the bunker” mode. The bitter stab, the disappointment, or the awfulness of suffering makes us fear, and mistrust, so we give ourselves no option but to withdraw, and go inward, taking the pain with us. It rarely finds a good exit. Then we lick our festering wounds, in solitude, even as we may curl back unnoticed, behind the dumpsters of the very hospital (a situation) that could being healing, comfort, and hope. Don’t we?

Could pain really be something different altogether, and we might just be misapprehending it far too much?

                         Could it be a way to lead us home?

                                       Is it a way to lead us into each others arms, once again?

Those who have been calmed and gained healing, find that healthy community is the surest way to growth, start invigoration, locate meaningful purpose, and heal hurts. How is it that so many of us suffer quietly, and alone, in the margins?

How very strange that together, we suffer alone! The irony is horribly striking. How awful too, I think, that we’ve also missed something big about others who suffer. We too often shoot our wounded, by condemnation or inattention. Or push them out, somehow, into further isolation. How coarse. How morbid. The God who welcomes the outcast, the wounded, the sick, and the sinner, mingles with them, pulls them in, and is close enough to touch their afflictions, and pass them bread.

Let us think of ways to come out of our own sufferings into the light and healing nature of community with others, God has provided. Beyond that, let us reach out to those isolated, or away from us–those silently hurting. Let us understand that they will try to handle their pain themselves, but they cannot. We can kindly be there, to hear them, offer friendship, and love. But most of all, with or without words, reassure them that no one suffers alone, not any more.

Do you have comments about suffering or isolation?

Please contribute.

If you take this to heart, and do something about it, please share that with us. Thank you.

My ugly Confession.

I have a confession to make.

ambition while missing the point

 

In about 2 weeks, this blog site will be a year old. In the last 5-6 months, I’ve been trying pretty hard to write interesting, helpful, or entertaining stuff for this place, almost every single day. I’ve made fantastic contacts, great new friends, and I’ve had a good time doing it.

This is hard to admit, but, I have to confess, that I’ve been blogging mostly to build a larger reading audience. A little while ago my agent told me that I stood a good chance to have my material published, but the biggest obstacle was “lack of platform.” Lack of platform sort of means, not too many care who you are, or what you do. A successful blog can change that, and help a writer build this much-needed platform. I know there’s nothing shameful about writing a blog and hoping others read it, but my remorse at this moment is that I realize I have made it my means to an end. I’ve been holding so tight to this idea that I can generate a solid readership base to, as Pedro says, “make all my wildest dreams come true,” that I didn’t realize I was putting it before the whole point, which is to share myself and my God with others. In a real sense, I’ve thought of this blog as a vehicle to “get me somewhere,” and I’ve made it an idol. Sometimes I have said to myself, “Well, it’s really both, a vehicle and my ministry.” This may be true, and I hope things work out like this, but if my priorities or motivations shift weight, things get off balance. And they have been.

I stopped long enough for God to speak to my heart, and in my spirit, it seems “he” said, “Let it go.” I got a little panicky at first. “Completely? What? Huh? What ‘chu talkin’ ’bout Willis…er, Father in Heaven?”

Then it seemed like God nudged me, and “said,” “Don’t be such an extremist.” This threw in off a little. So, I sort of looked around sheepishly for a little, almost looking for an exit, but without trying to be obvious about it. It seems like God “said,” “You’re clutching. Stop it. Just write and stop thinking about the rest. It’s none of your business.”

This bothered me. I felt out of control. Of course, it was a false assumption that I really have control like I was thinking I had. But, then I thought about what that might feel like…to hand things over… and I tried to “put that skin on.” Even just putting it on halfway felt SO nice. Relaxing. Like the pressure was off, and leaving the room, like a smog lifting. So, I stopped that exercise midway, I took a deep breath and I yielded. I took my sweaty feet off the pedals and coasted. I waited. And nothing happened. Nothing, for better or for worse, but I felt much better.

I wanted to tell you about it, because I know I haven’t been thinking the right way. I know that has to change, and I’m turning my heart the other way. I may post less often, but maybe there will be more true joy and inspiration when I do.

I do hope many are blessed by this blog, and resources, but I’m not going to transpose the priorities anymore, if I can help it, (with God’s grace). This will happen on a heart level, and it might not even be apparent to you, but I hope that my honesty will not only encourage you to look carefully at your own priorities, and goals, but also be a way to ensure that I stay congruent to my core convictions and values, in the way and nature of my God.

It’s hard to make confessions because, sometimes, it makes you feel really weak, stupid, or like some kind of a scum bag. It’s risky. The temptation to keep on a mask, and act like things are all pulled together, can be a strong influencer. Even though it feels embarrassing, it’s still the only way to move forward, and toward shalom (well-being/peace). I’m trying to be brave.

Thoughts… comments?

Featured Blogger: Matt Appling!

I’m so grateful that Matt was willing to participate with me here at this blog.

I’ve been visiting and enjoying Matt’s increasingly popular blog, thchurchofnopeople.com for about 6 months. Last year he was awarded his Masters of Divinity at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently the lead teaching pastor of Levi’s House -Kansas City, MO, and is also the co-founder SaveAfrica.com (an organization that brings the gospel and builds schools in the Sudan.)

I sent Matt a few questions, to which he responded. I’ll share those, and what I came up with as my replies, as if to recreate that we were chatting fire side over some hot cocoa at a ski lodge. Try, if you will, to picture Matt in a white, cozy. cable knit sweater. 

(me) Wow! I love this fireplace. Anyways, let’s get started. So, Matt, what is your blog about and what drives you to do it? 

 
(Matt) My blog’s “official” description is that it contains all the sermons I would give if no one showed up to church. That is, when it comes to Christianity, ministry, politics, or life, I try to speak my mind in an unvarnished way. Most of the time, the topics of have been random, but all of a sudden, a bunch of similar topics began stacking up in my mind, thus January has become “Doubt Month,” and it’s been pretty amazing, if I do say so myself…mostly for the comments that have built the conversation. 

I started the blog because I was inspired by all the ‘big’ blogs I was discovering, and there’s nothing better than trying to stand toe-to-toe with your heroes. It would be better if I could try to do that and not fail, but since then, I’ve discovered that I’ll never stand toe-to-toe with them. But I have a modest audience who give great comments, and I’ve been at it for over a year now. That’s an addicting combination. 

It does seem like you take the gloves off sometimes, but it’s really refreshing and challenging. Writing like that, for all the world to see is a risk, for sure–much like that sweater you’re wearing. But it’s gutsy, and I appreciate that!


Do people misunderstand you, and your intentions? 

 
I think so. My wife says I’m an “acquired taste,” whatever that means. I think it means I’m an “onion,” with lots of “layers,” or some silly produce-related analogy like that. When it comes to blogging, people have certain expectations from Christians. Well, I’m not particularly theological. I’m not really flamboyant with my faith. And sarcasm seems to be Kryptonite to some really “nice” Christians. So people don’t know how to react to me…or I’m just really bad at blogging. 

So some guy new reader can’t get all the personal info he wants just by reading my blog, so he sends me an email asking what my “stance” is on the “millennium,” which seems about as out of place as asking what kind of underwear I prefer, and I didn’t even know I was required to be standing on it.

Sometimes when people say “acquired taste,” it’s sort of a nice way of saying, “hard to stomach.” (lol) I’ve noticed, as well, that some people/Christians ask those types of questions hoping to size others up to plop them in a category, maybe it’s “wicked or good,” or “of the devil or of God,” or doctrinally like them or wrong etc. (and their belief HAS to be the one that’s spot on, of course). It’s almost like they don’t know how to figure anything out, unless they figure you out first, and “discern you.” It’s funny to me, because if you know who God is, and are walking with him, the bulk of the rest of it falls into place. Those questions have (at least) a streak of fear in them I think.

What do you wish Christians would understand better? 

 
Lots of times, I’m writing about the ridiculous things we as Christians and people just accept at face value. That’s the problem with people I think. Lucky for me, it creates a lot of blog fodder. 

I guess that’s a good lead in to pop in your blog address again, here.

What ministry is closest to your heart? 

My house church. (www.levishousechurch.com) I guard it closely. It’s the best dang little group of people I’ve ever been a part of. We’re sending a missionary from our own little congregation all the way to Sudan next month to preach and find a site to build a school, designed and funded by us. (saveafrica.com) 

Most people would never give a house church a chance. I call it an experiment in doing more…with less. And it’s working. 

I just love hearing that. It’s great for people to remember that serving God as a church body, being missional, or being the hands and feet of Jesus does NOT take a big church budget, a large facility, or hefty church membership rolls.

I think Levi’s House is just ahead of the curve on this one. I’ll be checking in to see how you are doing things, and what you are doing over there, and I hope others will be inspired by your updates as well.

Well, this whole time, we’ve been awfully serious. I simply love your sense of humor. Your guest post on stuffchristianslike.net had me rolling on the floor laughing, (or for those readers only familiar with text-speak: ROTFL!) What I really want to know is, if you had the chance, what VeggieTales character would you be? 

That’s a tough one. Which one is the best arm wrestler…because that would not be me. Well, I guess none of them have arms. Wait, how do the vegetables do anything without hands? No, no, this can’t be right. Okay, I guess I’d be one of the Rapscallions. That’s a name that inspires fear and respect, right?

Matt, you are a man of many layers. This has been really nice. Thanks for participating! Now is your mug of cocoa ready for a refill? …