Our idea of control is an illusion. We have very little say in what happens around us or to us; we only have a say in how we react and respond to the challenges that we face.
All tagged spiritual formation
COVID-19: A Lament
I believe that this moment is inviting us to lament. Why? Because God is present in our reality and invites us to be present.
Little Things Matter
Little things can change the entire story. And if you aren’t diligent in the little things, can you be trusted to pay attention to the big things?
Developing Community
We do not see individualized, compartmentalized faith modeled in the New Testament.
Through a Glass Dimly: Emotional Intelligence As Discipleship (Part 2)
The gospel is an emotional story that requires emotional intelligence to discern and follow.
Hide and Seek
It’s a strange thing when we put God in the role of the hider and us in the role of the finder. That’s not the biblical story at all.
Help Me Pass On My Faith to My Grandchildren
As grandparents, we can—and should—be active in the spiritual formation of our grandchildren.
All of You is Welcome Here
To love is to invite each other to bring our full selves and all of our experiences to the relationship.
Discipleship or Spiritual Formation? Time to Embrace One and Shelve the Other
Spiritual formation is a good and helpful way of describing our faith development. Discipleship calls us deeper.
What Is Mentoring?
At a basic level, there are three modes of mentoring: active, occasional, and passive.
Minimum-Security Monastery
These moments of silence got me thinking about two kinds of people who live in cells: inmates and monks. So what if I could help these inmates see this jail as a monastery?
Pursuing Joy
As Christians, we are called to be a people of joy. But despite God’s wisdom in inviting us into this way of life, being joyous is not always an easy endeavor for us.
Lazarus, Come Out!
As I sit imaginatively with this story, I find myself identifying with Lazarus. I find myself in a season of life with God that feels grave.
Helping Our Children Choose Baptism
It is a tragedy if certain children are more invited into this beautiful ritual than others are.
Mentoring As a Tool for Transformation
When used in a church setting, mentoring can also be transformational and is a valuable addition to a church program.
Puzzles and the Spiritual Life
Sometimes the spiritual life can be like doing a puzzle. It can feel pointless. It can feel frustrating. It can even feel chaotic.
Seeing with Godly Eyes (Part 2)
Sometimes you have grown so used to the problems that you don’t see them anymore: that squeaky door, the quirky light switch that just won’t seem to work right, the overgrown yard.
Surprise! A Spiritual Discipline
I equally love and hate surprises. If I sense somewhere in my gut that somebody is withholding a fun secret from me, it nearly drives me crazy.
Envy at Church
The very people who have the greatest possibility of being close to us are the ones we are most likely to envy.
Eat Slowly and Enjoy
In most of our consumption, whether food, Netflix, media, or people, we quickly ingest without taking the time to appreciate the experience.