Posts with the tag “spiritual-practices”

Breath Prayer - Connecting with God by connecting with Breath  Read More

Daily Life Cues - remembering God throughout the day  Read More

Seasons, Rituals, and Traditions - recurring ways of remembering God  Read More

Gratitude - Thanking God as a form of worship  Read More

The Jesus Prayer - Prayer through repetition.  Read More

Prayer Journaling can happen in a number of different ways, but in this video Pastor Nate shares a method that has been a meaningful way of writing his prayers for many years.  Read More

Centering Prayer - praying through listening  Read More

Lectio Divina - a meditative way of reading scripture.  Read More

As we step into a New Year you might be looking for a new way to connect with God. The history of the church is filled with valuable spiritual practices that help guide you in new ways of praying, reading scripture, and reflecting on your life.Here is a link to a short video that will teach you about the St. Ignatius Examen. This is a brief, daily prayer that helps us notice God’s presence in our ...  Read More

Sunset seemed to be the ideal time to offer thanks for all the blessings of that day.  Read More

“Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”  Read More

Rituals connect us with God, and with one another, and with the long story of believers who found hope in these same prayers and songs.   Read More

Lord, remind me to use the gifts that are right here for me.   Read More

Volunteer. Find an opportunity to volunteer your time and use your gifts and abilities to bring life and possibility to a cause.  Read More

Re-watch a favorite movie. Allow yourself to experience a favorite story anew and embrace the delight of witnessing this movie again.  Read More

Listen to the birds. Enjoy the sounds of spring and take time to notice the signs of new life that are bursting from the winter slumber all around you.  Read More

Give away a bag of unneeded items. We often have far more stuff than we need. Take time today to fill a bag with unwanted clothes or other items and donate them to an organization that can use them to bless others.   Read More

Give yourself the gift of a peaceful rest today, don't feel guilty about it, really enjoy the time to rest.  Read More

Make a fire or light a candle. Gathering around a fire has long been a space for communities to gather, tell stories, and think deeply. Today, either with others or alone, take time in front of a fire to consider the gifts of God and the promises of the resurrection.   Read More

Write your representatives. research who your government representatives are and take time to write them an email about a subject you care about.   Read More

Explore. Go on a walk or take a drive on a new path. The thrill and excitement of discovery reminds us that God has promised to make all things new.  Read More

Wash your face. Splash water on your face 3 times and remember the promises that God makes to us at our baptism - you are God's Beloved Child and nothing that happens today can take that away from you.  Read More

Learn something new. Our minds are a gift from God and the ability to learn is a possibility each and every day of our life.   Read More

Forgive someone else. Challenge yourself to let go of a grudge or some anger. Let God's promises of resurrection and new life take hold in you through the reconciliation of your relationship with another.  Read More

Human connection and relationships are so valuable and important and yet we can become so busy that we fail to attend to this essential element of our life.  Read More

Walk or run. Get your heart rate up a little bit and give thanks to God for the life that is in your body.   Read More

Create a work of art. Give praise to God the Creator for the ways that creation and creativity continue.   Read More

The power and wonder of story unites cultures and people and fills us with wonder.  Read More

We often do not breath deeply enough but get into the habit of quick, shallow breathing and yet proper breathing has been shown to have tremendous health benefits.  Read More

Above all, the Apostle Paul continually speaks of the centrality of Jesus Christ. It’s a good message for us today as we face political divisions, economic struggles, and the sheer complexity of life   Read More

Take a moment to stretch and to feel your body growing and strengthening through this simple practice.   Read More

The beauty of nature is all around us and speaks to God's handiwork, yet we rarely take time to stop and enjoy it.   Read More

Throughout the scriptures God uses water to bring salvation. As you drink your glass of water reflect on this simple, live-giving substance.  Read More

Take a long time to notice the details of a piece of art and let it be an avenue into prayer.  Read More

The time for weekly worship connects us with the promises of Christ's resurrection in a consistent and unique way.   Read More

Music is able to move us in ways we can't fully describe.   Read More

Throughout the history of the Christian faith, the Sacred Meal of Holy Communion has been a reminder of Christ's Resurrection.   Read More

Care for a friend in need. We all know someone who might need a listening ear or additional attention. Sometimes, the simple kindness of another can bring hope in completely unexpected ways.   Read More

Forgive yourself. We all can be so hard on ourselves; clinging to past mistakes, past shame, past guilt. We read in John's Gospel, "if the Son sets you free, then you are free indeed." Allow yourself to experience the freedom Christ makes possible today and always.  Read More

Plant something today. Every spring, new life bursts forth from the ground and the trees around us, a visual, physical reminder of God's resurrection power.  Read More