intimate prayer

“Prayer is like love. Words pour at first. Then we are more silent and can communicate in monosyllables. In difficulties, a gesture is enough, a word or nothing at all ~ love is enough. Thus the time comes when words are superfluous…The soul converses with God with a single loving glance . . . ”

Carlo Carretto

Continuing our conversation on prayer from yesterday, I love this quote. I think it speaks of a deep, intimate relationship with God, one in which words are not always necessary, in fact, are rarely necessary. We, because we dwell close to the heart of God and are listening for His voice, do not need many words to express how we feel. The silence may say all we need as our spirit interacts with the Holy Spirit.

Today, consider just being with God in silence for your prayer time. Lift the time up to him and just ‘be’.

Grace and

prayer task

“How can we possibly expect anyone to find real nurture, comfort and consolation from a prayer life that taxes the mind beyond its limits and adds one more exhausting activity to the many already scheduled ones?”

Henri Nouwen

Is this how prayer feels to you? I know it did for me. I would go through my exhaustive list and then realize I had forgotten to pray for someone who had asked me to pray for them. I felt as though I couldn’t keep them all straight. It made prayer seem more like another task rather then spending some incredible time with God.

I wanted my prayer time with him to be what he wanted it to be, not what I had been taught it should look like. So, I simply asked God how he wanted me to be with him. And, over time, he taught me. Prayer became much less a task to be accomplished and much more a time of loving and being loved by God.

Consider asking God how he wants you, as an individual, to be with him. We are each uniquely designed and each reflect something different about him. Consider discovering what your unique relationship with God really looks like.

Grace and peace,
Deb

the word

“The Word of Scripture should never stop sounding in your ears and working in you all day long, just like the words of someone you love. And just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart, as Mary did. That is all . . . Do not ask ‘How shall I pass this on?’ but ‘What does it say to me?’ Then ponder this word long in your heart until it has gone right into you and taken possession of you.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Scripture is given to us so we can learn about God. But, it is also given to us so we can recognize his voice and his movements in our lives. It is given to us so we can know him.

When you read the Word, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what God might want to say to you. Allow it to speak to you, personally. And then listen…ponder what you hear God saying and respond.

Grace and peace,
Deb

outside the box

Show me your way, O Lord
teach me your path
guide me in your truth
and instruct me,
for you are God, my salvation
for you I yearn all the day.

From the 25th Psalm

So many times, we think we know how to become closer to God. We’ve been taught ‘how to do it’ by more mature believers, we do what our parents did, or we’ve been taught by a church. We follow the formula and hope for it to lead us closer to God. But I don’t think it works that way. I think God does the initiating. I think God does the teaching. All we need to do is quiet ourselves, listen to him and allow him to teach us. He made us all individuals and it stands to reason that a ‘one size fits all’ relationship isn’t how God works.

May you listen to God and allow him to show you how he wants you to be with him….even if it is “outside of the box”.

Grace and peace,
Deb

be

“When our response has been played out in all of its fury, angst, or exuberance, we come to a place of rest in God. Here there are no expectations, demands, no need to know, no desire but to be in the Divine Presence, receptive to what God desires to do with us.”

Marjorie Thompson

Is this where you find yourself? Are you able to just ‘be’ with God or are you still striving to earn His approval or love? Have you abandoned yourself to Him or are you still trying to make Him do what you want Him to do?

May you rest in Him today. May you know that He loves you completely and that whatever He has for you in your life is so much better than anything you could plan for yourself. May you stop expecting, demanding, needing the whole plan to be laid out in front of you and just . . be.

Grace and peace,
Deb

desire

“The reason we are not able to see God is the faintness of our desire”.

Meister Eckhart

I need to be awake. I don’t want to sleepwalk through life. I don’t want to move from one day into another day without being aware of God and where He is moving. To see Him, I need to quiet myself and be intentional.

What is your desire like for God? Is having an intimate relationship with Him the most important thing to you?

Grace and peace,
Deb

expression

“The fact is there is nothing that we are doing that God could not raise up a stone in the field to do for him. The realization of this puts us in our true place. Though, lest we get too knocked down by such a realization of our insignificance, let me hasten to add that there is one thing that we alone can give God . . . and that is our personal love. No one else can give God our personal love. This is our great significance.”

M. Basil Pennington

What a beautiful truth and what an incredible privilege. We can give God our personal love. And as amazing as that is, what is even more amazing is that . . . we can receive His.

May you express your love for Him today and may you, in turn, bask in His love for you.

Grace and peace,
Deb

sabbath

no post today ~ enjoy the sabbath

life

We see the signs
but cannot always
divine their meanings.
You call us to move forward
not always knowing
whether what we grasp
in our hands
will prove to be
a seed of hope
or a thorn in our flesh.
Train our fingers,
that what brings life
we may with persistence hold,
and that which wastes
our souls
we may with grace release.

Jan Richardson

outside the box

Show me your way, O Lord
teach me your path
guide me in your truth
and instruct me,
for you are God, my salvation
for you I yearn all the day.

From the 25th Psalm

So many times, we think we know how to become closer to God. We’ve been taught ‘how to do it’ by more mature believers, we do what our parents did, or we’ve been taught by a church. We follow the formula and hope for it to lead us closer to God. But I don’t think it works that way. I think God does the initiating. I think God does the teaching. All we need to do is quiet ourselves, listen to him and allow him to teach us. He made us all individuals and it stands to reason that a ‘one size fits all’ relationship isn’t how God works.

May you listen to God and allow him to show you how he wants you to be with him….even if it is “outside of the box”.

Grace and peace,
Deb

rest

When you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.

Psalm 4

I used to go to bed at night and pray. I would mentally go through my list of people to pray for and somewhere in the middle of that list, fall asleep. I thought it was a wonderful way to drift off.

Now, I am silent. I review my day and look for the places where I was able to see God. Then I rest in God’s presence and do not speak. I want my last thought before I go to sleep to be only of God. Not of what I might want from Him but just ‘of Him’.

Consider, tonight, spending a few moments looking for where God revealed himself to you throughout your day. Then, just rest and allow your last conscious thought to be of Him.

Grace and peace,
Deb

relationships

"You can’t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth."

Unknown

Not much is more painful than to love someone who doesn’t return that love, to want to be in relationship with someone who doesn’t want the same thing.

I have a friend who is going through a tough time right now. She loves her child but there doesn’t seem to be any interest in a relationship on his part. What this young man doesn’t know is that his mom is an incredible woman. She is warm and gifted. She is generous and giving. She is nurturing and compassionate. He doesn’t see that there would be so many benefits to having her in his life.

God is using this painful situation to show her how she may need to redefine the word “family”. She is seeing that there are people in her life who want to be there. She is seeing that she has a lot to give others and she is beginning to give back what she has received. She is learning to depend on God for her sense of worth and dignity.

I am sad for her son. He is missing out on having a relationship with his mom. My prayer for him is that he realizes what he is missing before too much time has gone by.

Bottom line ~ relationships can bring immense joy or incredible pain into our lives. This side of heaven, they will continue to be a struggle. But, when we find our worth in God, although it may still be painful, we can rise above it.

Grace and peace,
Deb

transfigured

“As you begin spending time each day looking into the face of Jesus, beholding Him, and listening to His voice, you will find that your life will be transfigured from the inside out.”

Nancy Leigh DeMoss

For years, I tried to change those ‘character’ defects that plagued me. I knew what I should be doing. I would work really hard to change the behavior and I was able to do…for maybe two weeks.

As I’ve spent time just sitting with Jesus, I’ve surrendered my life and my behaviors to him. I’ve given up control of trying to change myself. I’ve turned that over to God. As I’ve done that, I’ve begun to see changes. A situation will come up and I’ll respond in a way that makes me step back and say “Did I just say that?”, or “Did I just do that?” I notice small changes that I am no longer trying to make; they are just happening.

I see these changes as transformation that is happening from the inside out. Sitting in God’s presence is allowing Him the time and the space to change my heart. And…it is his work, not mine. I cannot take any credit for it. And it seems like the most naturally thing in the world.

Consider carving out some time for God today…time to just ‘be’ with him. Surrender your heart to him, your struggles, your behaviors, your everything. And step back and wait for incredible changes to take place as you live out of a transfigured heart.

Grace and peace,
Deb

sabbath

no post today ~ enjoy your sabbath

transparency

“With regard to God, people often say, “There’s no need to tell him how I feel or what I desire because he already knows.” What is in question is not God’s knowledge but my trust in him, my willingness to be as transparent as I can be before him.”

William A. Barry

As a woman, I love to hear my husband say, “I love you”, or “If I had to choose all over again, I would choose you.” And, when I ask him why he doesn’t say it more often, he says “You already know it.” Sometimes he thinks that if he says it once or twice, it’s sufficient, or that implied love is the same as expressed love. But…even if I know it, I still like to hear it.

I wonder if that is what it is like for God. Even though he knows everything, he still wants to hear it. Not only how much I love him, but that I also know that I fall short. And I think he not only wants to hear me talk of it in generalities but in specifics. That way, I am ‘speaking’ it. It makes it more real to me. And it shows my trust in him. When I let go of my defensives and stand emotionally naked before God, he knows that I trust his love for me. He knows that I want to be real, to be transparent in front of him. And…I think he loves to hear me speak it.

Today, consider what it is that you are not saying to God. What are you hoping he ‘just knows’ to save yourself the pain of speaking it? Tell him…tell the One who loves you more than any other, the One who already knows, but wants to hear you entrust it to him.

Grace and peace,
Deb

prayer

Saint Theresa’s Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Take some time today to sit with this prayer and notice where God may be speaking to you.



Grace and peace,

Deb

love

…”the Lord does not look so much at the magnitude of anything we do as at the love we do it with…”

St Theresa of Avila

Sound familiar?

“ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.”

I Cor 13:1-3

No matter how great our achievements are, no matter how many people we impact, how many books we write, how many awards we win, how much education we have…without love, it all means nothing.

Lord…may I love today.

trust

“If we lack confidence that life is trustworthy, that a life of live encounters will take us towards wholeness, then we will forever feel the need to manipulate, and goal setting will be one of our major strategies.”

Parker Palmer, The Active Life

This quote struck a chord within me. I can be the master manipulator. And I know how to make it look oh so good. Know what I mean? I actually can make it look like it is for your good. I am not proud of this. I think it is a coping mechanism I picked up while trying to find my way through some challenging times in my early days.

Over the past couple of years, I have begun to find freedom in allowing God to set my agenda. Not always easy, not always comfortable, not always my first inclination. It is not easy for me to give up control. But then I realize I really don’t have all that much control.

This doesn’t mean that I sit in a chair all day long and wait for things to drop into my lap. I do have hopes, dreams and aspirations. What is does mean is that I try not to push into things. I want to look, pay attention and notice what God may be leading me into. I try not to create the outcome I want. I try to be open to whatever God has me. I hold my goals with open hands willing to let go of that which doesn’t fit with God’s plan.

May you trust that God will provide you with a life of live encounters that will take you towards wholeness….the wholeness He desires for you.

Grace and peace,
Deb

ancient future

“The sons and daughters of modernity are rediscovering the neglected beauty of classical Christian teaching. It s a moment of joy, of beholding anew what has been forgotten, of hugging a lost child. One of the most promising developments among evangelical Protestants is the recent ‘discovery’ of the rich, biblical, spiritual, and theological treasures to be found within the early church.”

Chris Armstrong

At times, I lead a class on how to approach the Scriptures in a transformative way ~ lectio divina. It is an ancient practice that has been a part of monastery life for over 1500 years. But, it is being ‘rediscovered’ in evangelical circles. And, it is to our benefit.

For years, I have approached my Christianity in a rational manner. I had knowledge of Scripture, knowledge of Jesus, knowledge of God’s character. But, when I began, several years ago, to practice a more contemplative spirituality, it is like my spiritual life was awakened from a deep sleep. The Bible now breathes hope into my spirit. Jesus now is someone I have an intimate relationship with rather than someone I have pledged my allegiance to. And I can picture God singing over me because He loves me. My spirit has new life.

We do not need to fear what the ancient church mothers and fathers passed down through the generations. If we can find a place, within our rational faith framework, for the possibility that we do not have it all figured out, and be open to learning some new ways to experience God, we may find ourselves moving closer to the Lord than we ever thought possible .. . not just with our head but with our heart.

Grace and peace,
Deb

words

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

Mother Teresa

How true are these words! But, unfortunately, hurtful words echo in our minds for a long time too. Be careful what you say and how you say it because it will remain with the one who receives it.

Grace and peace,
Deb

director

“The great master of ceremonies may be at work behind the scenes but often the drama on center stage is chaotic, unrehearsed and confused.”
C.S. Lewis

Does this sometimes describe your life? It sometimes describes mine! Life can be crazy busy and feel like a freight train out of control. It is at times like that, I need to remind myself who the master of ceremonies really is. No matter what it looks like on the surface, God is working underneath it all. I need to continually remind myself of that fact and rest in it.

What is chaotic right now for you?

What part of your life is the unrehearsed part?

Where is the confusion?

Consider asking God to show a ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse of how He is working in the drama of your life.

Grace and peace,
Deb

constriction

artist - Beth Cavener Stichter

constriction
lungs reaching for air
throat closing

trapped
pinned down
struggling against
an immovable object

now
there is nothing
holding me
nothing tying me down

but

still
tightness,
shallow breaths,
struggling, pulling

i want free!
i want release
i want to breathe
deeply ~

i want to fill my lungs
with the sweet air of freedom

trapped
by fear
of my own making,

unseen
but
just as real

hope

The East is getting out her gold
She holds it out against the night
and scatters darkness
with her light.
Then morning comes
climbing over the hill
like an eager, restless child.
She pauses just a moment
then cast her color on the earth.

Morning, color me bright
I’ve been afraid too long
The color of fear is dark
darker than night
But your glance is full of light.

Don’t hurry morning;
come slowly.
Dress yourself in light.
Climb over that hill lovingly
Hand me a new day hopefully
Get into my bloodstream, and
color me like the rising sun
slowly
I’ve a mind to be contagious
Color me bright.

/>Macrina Wiederkehr

waiting

The other day, I had a conversation with a friend. She is in a season of waiting; waiting for God to unfold the path in front of her. She is not struggling in the waiting but has made peace with it. This poem speaks to where she is in her journey.

Slowly,
she celebrated the sacrament of letting go
first she surrendered her green
then the orange, yellow and red
finally she let of her brown
shedding her last leaf
she stood empty and silent, stripped bare.
leaning against the winter sky
she began her vigil of trust.

Shedding her last leaf
she watched its journey to the ground.
she stood in silence
wearing the color of the emptiness,
her branches wondering:
how do you give shade with so much gone?
And then,
the sacrament of waiting began.
The sunrise and sunset watched with tenderness.
clothing her with silhouettes
they kept her hope alive.

They helped her understand that
her vulnerability
her dependence and need
her emptiness
her readiness to receive
were giving her a new kind of beauty.
Every morning and every evening
they stood in silence
and celebrated together
the sacrament of waiting!
Macrina Wiederkehr

Grace and peace,
Deb

prayer

Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.
Saint John Vianney


Do you see prayer like this? Or do you see it as a list of things and concerns you need to talk to God about? A form of prayer is intercession and petition, but there is so much more to this intimate act we involve ourselves in. Prayer is our love language with our God.

Allow yourself to soak in God’s love today during a time of prayer.

Grace and peace,
Deb

awareness

“Our ability to change is limited to the present moment. We can only affect this moment and hope it affects all the others.”

Margaret Becker

How true this statement is! And how many times I find myself living in the past. I fret about things I’ve done, or haven’t done. Did I do a good job with this? Did I make a mistake with that?

I also think a lot about the future. Where will I be one year from now? Should I do this or should I do that?

Sometimes, I find myself being in the present. It is something I am trying to practice more. No matter what I am doing, I want to be fully present to it. Because, if I live in the past or in the future, I am missing now. And now, right now, is really all I have. And, it is true - what choice I make in the moment truly does affect other moments in the future.

Point being, I don’t want to miss my present because I am wrapped up in what has been or what might be. Now is what I have. Now is what you have.

What is consuming your thoughts? The past? The future? What would it be like to work towards being fully engaged with right now?

Consider trying, today, to be present. Pay attention to what you notice. Thank God for today, for this hour, for this minute, for this moment.

Grace and peace,
Deb

sabbath

no post today ~ enjoy the sabbath

music

"Bach gave us God’s word, Mozart God's laughter and Beethoven gave us God's fire, and God gave us music so that we can pray without words." —

written in front of an old German opera house

Why is it that music can speak directly to our hearts? A song can easily take us back to a time in high school (good or bad!). It can evoke memories of a loved one who has passed away. It can bring up painful feelings of a broken relationship. It can remind us of childhood.


As a child, my mom loved country music. I can hear Loretta Lynn or Hank Williams Jr. sing, and once again, I am a 5 year old who is supposed to be taking an afternoon nap. I can picture my bed, the color of my bedroom walls and the sounds outside my window.


Somewhere Over the Rainbow reminds me of that one exciting night a year, as a child, when I would settle in for the annual viewing of The Wizard of Oz. The music that plays during the flying monkey scene still gives me chills!


The theme song, Tomorrow, from the Broadway play, Annie, was sung by my 16 year old sister-in-law a month before she was killed in a car accident. I cannot hear that song without feeling the loss of Lisa in my life.


Music can move me in ways that mere words cannot. I am thankful that God wired me in such a way that music is connected to my memory and my emotions. It can help me remember pivotal times in my life.


Give thought today to some of the songs that hold memories and emotion for you, whether those are feelings of pain or joy. Consider thanking God for the role music may play in your life….and go listen to a song that makes your heart sing.

Grace and peace,
Deb

friends

A couple of nights ago, I had the chance to spend some time with several women. We have been coming together to design a labyrinth for our church, something we have been doing for the last several years. We all have an artistic bent. We all have some experience in spiritual formation.
As they left my home, it occurred to me what a beautiful experience this is for me. We have such a level of respect for each other. I sense no competition, only an open and encouraging space to create. We each bring something different to the project and it is truly an exercise in cooperation and collaboration.
I have worked in other settings with women and, unfortunately, the experience was less than positive. Sometimes we, as women, can be so unkind to each other.
Take a few moments today and reflect on the women in your life who nurture the best in you, who want to see you be who you were meant to be and reflect God’s love to you.

Grace and peace,
Deb

happy new year!!!

Grace and peace,
Deb