Finding your Groove Spiritual Habits for Every Day Crossroads Church, Fall 2015.

Transcription

1 Introduction or Why am I here? Finding your Groove Spiritual Habits for Every Day Crossroads Church, Fall From biblical times to present day, people have used spiritual practices to draw closer to and better hear God. In this seminar we will introduce some of these practices, look at their basis in scripture and talk about how they can be made part of your daily or weekly rhythm. We will take time to try some of them, and we will talk about how to try others at home. First, take a minute to answer the question: Why am I here tonight? Consider the following passages and quotes: discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness (NASB) train yourself to be godly (NIV) Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness (NLT) 1 Timothy 4:7 A disciple is a follower of Christ. At Crossroads our goal is to produce fully devoted followers of Christ. Here's what I've learned about that process after being a Christian for 30 years--it takes discipline to be a disciple. To become more like Christ, I must engage in certain disciplines or "healthy habits". If I want to be like Christ I have to take the time and effort to do what Christ did...to build into my life times of silence and solitude...times of reflection and prayer, etc. I wish there were a magic wand to wave that would produce instant maturity. There's not. As I say often, there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. It's all about doing the right things over a long period of time. That's discipline... and that's what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Pastor Phil Print So on one hand, we recognize that even the most iron-willed self-discipline will not make us more holy, for growth in holiness is a gift from God (John 17:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 2:11). On the other hand, we can do something to further the process. God has given us the Spiritual Disciplines as a means of receiving His grace and growing in Godliness. By them we place ourselves before 1

2 God for Him to work in us. - Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Sometimes we refer to these spiritual activities as disciplines, or practices, or habits. Why are three different words used to describe these activities? Discipline Practice Habit Training in a new and/or difficult activity. We often need to start here. Repeated performance of an activity to acquire skill. Something that you can look forward to, but it still requires intention. Something that is repeated regularly and naturally. This is the goal for spiritual activities. The Spiritual Disciplines, Practices and Habits Are: a way to put ourselves before God, inviting the Holy Spirit to work in our lives a way to fulfill scriptural commands and examples often done in secret sometimes challenging, yet rewarding a way to invite God to work in our own lives Are not: A way of earning salvation A way of earning God s favor A way to impress people Joyless A way to judging who is in and out Do: Respect the freedom of the Spirit: God is in charge Respect our temperaments and gifts Take into account our season of life Respect the peaks and troughs, mountains and valleys (consolations and desolations) Require a decision to pursue What surprises you about this table? Reassures you? Concerns you? 2

3 Practice 1: Silence, or Don t just do something, sit there! The habits of solitude and silence are considered primary spiritual habits, without which all our other efforts are hampered. For this reason we will introduce these first. Solitude is the voluntary and temporary withdrawal into private for to either be alone with God, or to participate in other spiritual habits (ex. prayer, journaling, Christian meditation). Silence is the voluntary and temporary refraining from speaking so that we can better hear the small still voice of God. Some reasons to seek solitude and silence. 1) To follow Jesus example. a) Matthew 4:1 The Holy Spirit led Jesus for a 40 day period of solitude, to prepare him for his ministry. b) Matthew 14:23 Jesus sought solitude in the midst of his ministry 2) To hear the voice of God better a) 1 Kings 19:11-12 Elijah hears the gentle whisper b) Habakkuk 2:1 Habakkuk waits for an answer from God c) Galatians 1:15-17 Paul seeks solitude before beginning his ministry 3) To express worship to God a) Habakkuk 2:20 A time to be silent before God 4) To express faith in God a) Psalm 62:1-2 (5-6) David waits in silence and in hope for the Lord b) Isaiah 30:15 In quietness and trust is your strength 5) To be physically and spiritually restored a) Mark 6:30-32 Jesus and the disciples withdraw and rest 6) To seek the will of God a) Luke 6:12-13 Jesus withdraws for a night before choosing the apostles. 7) To learn control of the tongue Learning to keep silent for extended periods of time can help us control our tongue all the time Donald Whitney a) Ecclesiastes 3:7 a time to be silent and a time to speak b) Proverbs 17:27-28 words used with restraint. 3

4 Practice 1: Silence In-class exercise We are going to spend some silent time alone with God, working through this exercise (between 5-10 minutes is a good amount of time to start with this practice). Some people find it helpful to write out their thoughts and prayers. There is space below to do this. 1. Pray for God s help, for example. Lord, thank you for your goodness to me. I want to grow closer to you. Please help me to focus on you in silence 2. Consider the fact that the Creator of the universe wants you to come to Him and spend time with Him. 3. Pray for the Spirit s help in developing habits that help the Spirit to work in us. 4. Express your love for God. Ask that God will increase your love for Him. 5. Silently, read Psalm 62:5-6 (below). Stay with this passage for a while. Consider what this says about God. Thank God for this. Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 6. Relax in God s presence. Thoughts and discussion: 4

5 Practice 1: Silence At-home practice make it part of your week Spend some silent time alone with God, working through this exercise (between minutes is a good amount of time), adapted from Invitation to Solitude and Silence (Ruth Haley Burton): Identify a time and physical space in which you can be alone on a regular basis. Choose a spot in your home or outdoors that helps you to settle into a quiet and receptive state of being. Experiment with what works and what doesn t until you find the time and place that works for you. Begin with a modest goal, especially if silence is a new practice for you. At the beginning, even 10 minutes can be challenging. At first, it may seem as if things are getting worse rather than better. Once we slow down, we begin to notice how loud it is inside. But as you persist in seeking God in silence, the sediment in your soul will slowly begin to settle. Settle into a comfortable and yet alert position, but not one that will lend itself to falling asleep! Ask for a simple prayer to express your willingness to meet God in silence. This prayer is nothing more than a phrase that gathers up our desire for God and helps us to stay present with it. For example, I set with my hands open and begin with a simple statement of openness to God such as, Here I am. A short prayer coupled with a physical expression of our heart attitude can be a powerful way of helping us maintain an expectant, listening posture before Him. The posture of my body and this simple prayer express my willingness to release my agenda and my desire to receive whatever God wants to give. At other times, the posture of kneeling or even lying prone on the floor expresses my heart towards God. Don t be discouraged by distractions; they are inevitable. When distractions come, simply let them go by, like clouds floating across the sky. Help yourself return to your original intent by repeating the prayer that you have chosen. It s critical to resist the urge to judge your experience in silence. Remember, the purpose is not to accomplish anything. Rather, the purpose is just to be with God, to commune with Him beyond words, in a way those who are in love know so well. Even when it doesn t feel like anything is happening, something is happening. The sediment is settling, the water is clearing, and we are preparing ourselves to see in ways we have never seen before. 5

6 Practice 2: Prayer of Examen, or So, how was your day? Jesus was very clear that we are all expected to pray. Consider the following passages: Matthew 6:5, And when you pray Matthew 6:6, But when you pray Matthew 6:7, And when you pray Matthew 6:9, This, then, is how you should pray Luke 11:9, So I say to you: Ask ; seek ; knock Luke 18:1, Then Jesus told his disciples they should always pray True prayer is not a mere mental exercise, nor a vocal performance, but it is far deeper than that it is spiritual communion with the Creator of heaven and earth. C.H. Spurgeon We are most likely familiar with different aspects and/or types of prayer, such as confession, intercession, praise, thankfulness, and healing. This is a very rich topic, and Crossroads has had small groups devoted to the topic. Here we are going to introduce a specific type of prayer; the Prayer of Examen. In this prayer, at the end of the day we review our day with God. We do this to see both the high points and low points, bringing both to God. People have presented different ways of doing this. One I have found most helpful is written out on the next page. Try this daily or weekly, at the end of the day. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16, 6

7 Practice 2: Prayer of Examen At home exercise make it part of your week 1. Pray for God s help to bring clarity and understanding as you review your day. 2. Review the day with gratitude, looking for the joys and delights in your day, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Praise God for these things. 3. Review the day for the times that you were hurt. What emotions did you experience? Bring your wounds to God to heal. 4. Review the day for the times that you stumbled or fell short of what God wants for you, in your thoughts, words or deeds. Confess these to God 5. Choose one part of your day to pray through. Perhaps it was an interaction with someone, perhaps strong emotions you felt because of a situation. Ask God to help you understand. 6. Look forward to tomorrow with hope. Ask God to give you strength for the day. Ask Him to help you see the day with gratitude. Rest in God s presence. 7

8 Practice 3: Christian Meditation, or Chew on this! Let s consider some scripture first: Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. - God speaking to Joshua, Joshua 1:7-9 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. Psalm 143:5 Summing it all up, friends, I d say you ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Philippians 4:8 (The Message) Scripture tells us to meditate on three things: God s word, God s works, and things that honor God. Christian meditation can be characterized in the following ways: 1) Invitation to God to teach us 2) Focus on a small section of scripture, not for study but for transformation. 3) Pray about (talk, listen and ponder) what we are learning Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God s voice and obey his word. It is that simple. I wish I could make it more complicated for those who like things difficult. It involves no hidden mysteries, no secret mantras, no mental gymnastics, no esoteric flights into the cosmic consciousness. The truth of the matter is that the great God of the universe, the Creator of all things desires our fellowship. Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline 8

9 One particular format of meditation is Lectio Divina, or Holy (or Divine) Reading/listening. This is not a necessary format, but has been found to be fruitful in guiding meditation on Scripture. A summary of the steps are listed below. You will see that the first step is to settle down and let the frantic activity of the day fade. Silence and stillness - PLACE YOURSELF in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent Pray for God s help, and allow yourself to enjoy silence for a few moments. Reading/Listening - THEN TURN to the text and read it slowly, gently. (Note that in a group setting, the passage is often read three times, with silence between.) Savor each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the "still, small voice" of a word or phrase that somehow says, "I am for you today." (Note that it may not be the phrase you were expecting: the Holy Spirit can point out our blindspots during meditation) When you have found a phrase the touches you, then Meditation - NEXT TAKE the word or phrase into yourself. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories and ideas Allow this inner pondering, this rumination, to invite you into dialogue with God. Prayer - THEN, SPEAK to God. Interact with God as you would with one who you know loves and accepts you. And give to Him what you have discovered in yourself during your experience of meditation Give to God what you have found within your heart. Contemplation - FINALLY, SIMPLY rest in God's embrace. And when He invites you to return to your pondering of His word or to your inner dialogue with Him, do so. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they no longer are necessary. What are your thoughts on these steps? Are you drawn to this Christian practice? Are there any parts about which you are hesitant? 9

10 Practice 3: Christian Meditation In-class exercise We are going to practice this now (we will take about 15 minutes). Silence and stillness Get comfortable. If you are going to make notes during your meditation, get your pen handy now. Become silent, and pray for God s help Reading/Listening I will read a passage three times, with a slight pause in between each. Listen for a phrase or word that jumps out at you. At the end of the third reading, write the phrase or word here: Meditation - Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories and ideas. It can be helpful to make notes about why this has spoken to you; is it a comfort, a challenge, has it exposed a blindspot or wound? Prayer Pray to God about what He has shown you. Often you will go back and forth between Meditation and Prayer. Use the space below to write you prayer conversation. Contemplation Finish by resting quietly with God. We will wrap up after 15 minutes. What were your thoughts about the method of Christian meditation? 10

11 Practice 3: Christian Meditation At-home exercise make it part of your week When you do this at home, make sure you can have minutes of uninterrupted quiet time. You may have to do this early morning, late at night, or when people are out of the house. It is helpful to choose a passage of scripture in advance. Otherwise if you are reading scripture trying to find one that speaks to you, you may end up frustrated (as a passage may not jump out until the second or third reading). Below is a list of passages that have been found helpful. 1 John 4:7-11: God is Love Mark 4:35-41: Jesus stills a storm Matthew 5:1-10: The Beatitudes Matthew 5:13-16: Salt and Light Psalm 19 Psalm 51 As well, you can use the Crossroads daily reading list as your source for passages. 11

12 Practice 4: Writing Psalms, or What I really mean to say is Sing to the Lord a new song Sing to the Lord, all the earth Psalm 96:1 A rich practice that merges prayer and meditation and takes them a step further is writing psalms to God. Writing a psalm is a way to gather your thoughts and emotions, acknowledge where you are and then offer it to God. Personal psalms are marked by honesty before God. Below are the steps that some suggest (based on steps from Marc Alan Schelske, see references). Note that the first four steps are included in Lectio Divina (which we looked at previously). In fact, steps five and onwards can be a natural progression from a time of Lectio Divina. Silence and stillness. - Get yourself in a quiet space where you can write comfortably, and won t be disturbed for twenty minutes or more. You ll need a notebook or journal. Ask for God s guidance -. Make sure your heart is ready for what God will show you. Remember the promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us in all truth. Pick a Psalm -. Choose the Psalm that you re going to use as a model for your own psalm. You can look up the Psalms by theme, to select one that is relevant to what you are facing. Starting suggestions are listed on the next page. Read, Deep read, Reflect. - This is reading for reflection (not bullet points). Read the passage three times. First, read it all the way through, looking for the general sense and theme. Second, read it through thinking about the person speaking in the Psalm; what are they facing and what are they like. Don t speed read; instead read aloud (but quietly), pausing after each line. Let the words sink into your heart. Find your connecting point - What part of the Psalm speaks to what you? What part do you currently identify with most? This passage will be your starting point for your own psalm. Write your own Psalm. - Here is where you create your own psalm. If you reflected on the meaning of the Psalm and a portion of it spoke to you, then take it line by line and let the theme of the Psalm shape your own. If you get stuck, 12

13 write the same line but personalize it in your own words and contemporary language (for example, what does it mean that the Lord is my shepherd?). Where it makes sense insert the specifics of your own circumstances or spiritual condition. Turn off your internal editor at this stage; just get the first pass out. After you have written it out, go back over it and edit it once. Look for places that you might have slipped into churchy language, and removed it or replace it with what is going on in your heart. You don t have to have every verse in the original psalm represented in your psalm only include what is meaningful to you. Pray your Psalm - Pray your psalm back to God, out loud if surroundings permit. If you re a musician and you re moved, sing it out with a simple melody. (if you are not a musician, you may want to learn to chant your own psalms, see Chanting the Psalms in the references) Repeat it once or twice. Then end with a short time of reflection and listening. Make some notes below the psalm on what this practice taught you about God, yourself and your relationship. Once you ve done this you have something very precious your own prayer, inspired by scripture, informed by your own circumstances. Do this a few times and you ll slowly develop your own prayer book. Choose a variety of different Psalms Psalms of celebration, of sorrow, of doubt, of worship. - Marc Alan Schelske Starting suggestions for Psalms Psalm 3 short. Facing hard times and asking for God s involvement. Psalm 6 short. In the middle of sadness, looking for a sign of God s presence. Psalm 13 short. Trying to find faith in the middle of loneliness and depression. Psalm 19 medium. Celebrating God and making confession. Psalm 40 long. Waiting for God and expressing faith in the time of waiting. Psalm 51 medium. Confession and repentance. 13

14 Practice 4: Writing Psalms - In-class exercise Write your first pass on the left side of the page, so you have plenty of room for the final version (on the right). Psalm Theme: Main point (for me): First pass Edited 14

15 Practice 5: Giving Blessings, or May the Lord We know the power of words; the uplift that a kind word or encouragement can bring, and the sadness and anger a harsh word causes. This week we look at the practice of Blessing; we won t find this in lists of spiritual habits, which is surprising as words of blessing are throughout scripture (we will look at examples later). The prayer of asking for blessing from God is a benediction (roughly meaning to speak well ). The LORD said to Moses, Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them. Numbers 6:22b-27 A benediction may be offered by anyone who hungers and thirsts for God and God s righteousness, and may be offered to and for anyone who is seeking to know and follow God. It may be offered anytime and anywhere, in person or through prayer. Benediction is a marvelous means of serving God and others, and may be practiced by the most experienced pastor or by the newest Christian who longs to be a blessing. It is almost always appreciated and is always used by our Lord to accomplish good, when offered sincerely. Robert Rakestraw & Jane Spriggs, Heart Cries You may have noticed that most of the Epistles (letters) in the New Testament have at least a blessing at the beginning or end, and often both. The opening blessings tend to be similar, regardless of the author. They show that the theme of grace, mercy, peace and love from God 15

16 is central to biblical greetings (see for example Romans 1:7, 1 Timoth 1:2, 2 Peter 1:2, 2 John 1:3, Jude 2) There is more variety in the closing blessings, which tend to be related to the theme of the letter it closes. Examples are shown below (see also Romans 15:5-6, Romans 15:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24): May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 What you might notice is that the blessings have a similar form: they acknowledge a particular aspect, characteristic or attribute of God (i.e. hope, joy, peace, grace, love, fellowship, peace) and ask for that to become real in the receiver s life (i.e. overflow with hope, receive peace and God s presence). This will help us in the practice of giving blessings, outlined below. At the beginning this may appear mechanical, but it will become natural with a bit of practice. Step 1) Identify the need in the person to whom you are giving the blessing. This may have been shared directly as a prayer request, or have been the theme of a conversation. Step 2) Recall the characteristic or promise of God that is related to that need. This step is important, as it reminds us of who God is, and sets the stage for what you are asking for. Step 3) Describe what you want God to do in that person s life. Be specific. Step 4) Put it together as a sentence or two. Starting with the word May is helpful. This example illustrates the steps. Step 1) the need: healing from illness Step 2) The relevant characteristic or attribute of God (Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) God our Creator Step 3) The action you want God to do in the person s life Heal you, restore your body, revitalize your spirit, and comfort you as you recover. 16

17 Step 4) Put it together: May God our Creator [the characteristic of God] heal you, restore your body, revitalize your spirit, and comfort you as you recover. [the action] Practice 5: Giving Blessings In-class exercise Giving blessings is naturally interactive. At this point everyone can get into small groups of 2-4. In your group, share a need or burden you are carrying or a problem you are facing. You don t have to get into details if you are not comfortable; you can just say a single word, if you wish, such as illness, or loneliness or job security. For each person in your group, write out a blessing using the template below, and then bless each person in the group in turn, out loud. Do this looking at the person. You can hold their hand or put your hand on their shoulder, if you are both comfortable with that (ask first!). The concern, worry, fear or need Relevant attribute of God The action you want God to do in the person s life 1) May 2) May 3) May 17

18 Any time when you feel like asking if you can pray for someone (or they ask if you can pray for them), consider giving them a blessing. You may want to first ask if you can give them a blessing. Practice 6: Celebration, or And God saw it was good (Jesus) My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10b Consider the definition of Celebrate. Which of these is related to our lives as believers? Celebrate: 1. To rejoice in or have special festivities to mark a happy day, an event, etc 2. To observe a birthday, anniversary, etc 3. To perform a solemn or religious ceremony 4. To praise publicly; proclaim Far and away the most important benefit of celebration is that it saves us from taking ourselves too seriously. This is a desperately needed grace for all who are earnest about the Spiritual Disciplines. It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most free, alive, interesting. Celebration adds a note of gaiety, festivity, hilarity to our lives. After all, Jesus rejoiced so fully in life that he was accused of being a wine-bibber and a glutton. Many of us lead such sour lives that we cannot possibly be accused of such things. Now I am not recommending a periodic romp in sin, but I am suggesting that we do need deeper, more earthy experiences of exhilaration. It is healing and refreshing to cultivate a wide appreciation for life. Our spirit can become weary with straining after God just as our body can become weary with overwork. Celebration helps us relax and enjoy the good things of the earth. Celebration also can be an effective antidote for the periodic sense of sadness that can constrict and oppress the heart Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline We are going to end the seminar by looking at Celebration (which is different from Worship). Celebration is enjoying life, people and creation with the senses God has given us. We really 18

19 shouldn t need training in this; what we often need is to give ourselves permission to enjoy what God has given us. 19

20 Exercise in Celebration At-home exercise make it part of your week Choose two of these activities, one to do on your own and one to do with others, and do them with a thankful spirit. Do it with no other goal than to enjoy what God has given us. Express your love for God in the form of a personal psalm. Remember, this is between just you and God, so don t worry about making it perfect, simply be honest. Use your creative gifts (we all have them!) to celebrate God ( Those who create sculptures and paintings and plays and music are a great gift to us. - Foster). For example, sketch, draw or photograph someone, or some scene in nature (think about landscapes, or close-up views). Celebrate God as the Creator by planting a garden (or an in-door herb garden or a terrarium in the winter). Cook a meal for friends, and celebrate the gifts of friendship and laughter and food. ( Let go of the everlasting burden of always needing to sound profound - Foster) Sing and dance! Sometimes the heart spills over and we have to let it out. Make family events into times of celebration and thanksgiving. Also spend more time playing family games or watching movies or reading books together. Go for a bike ride or a run through a park. Sit by a fire pit with friends. Enjoy each other s company.. When you have done this at-home exercise of Celebration, post a picture or comment about it in social media, with the hashtag #CrossroadsCelebrate. Follow that hashtag to see how others have celebrated. 20

21 Wrap up or What now? Take a few minutes to answer these questions: What is the most important thing you learned? What is the most surprising thing you learned? The most challenging practice was: The most enjoyable practice was: The goal is to make some of these practices a regular part of your daily or weekly rhythm. It makes sense to start gradually. Specifically, consider adding one of the practices we discussed to your daily or weekly rhythm. Based on your answers above, which one would you want to add? The one that brought you the most joy? The one that was most challenging? Make a commitment to add one practice to your schedule I will practice at this time of the day/week After this practice has become a habit, consider adding a second practice. May God bless you and guide you as you seek to draw closer and follow Him 21

22 Recommended Reading The Life You ve Always Wanted John Ortberg. This is a very readable look at how to incorporate the spiritual disciplines into everyday life. Celebration of Discipline Richard Foster. This is considered a classic in the area. Every chapter can be re-read for new insights. The Spirit of the Disciplines (Understanding how God changes lives) Dallas Willard. This book gives more of the theology of how and why God changes the lives of believers. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Donald Whitney. This book looks both at believers from the past that grew because of the spiritual disciplines, and practical suggestions on how to live them out. The Practice of the Presence of God Brother Lawrence. A small book, but there is plenty to ponder and re-read. Spiritual Classics Richard Foster & Emilie Griffin, editors. This book has writings grouped by twelve spiritual disciplines, and questions for reflection. Invitation to Solitude and Silence Ruth Haley Barton. A short but in-depth, with many practical suggestions for incorporating times of solitude and silence into our days. The Only Necessary Thing Henri Nouwen (Wendy Wilson Greer, ed.). A collection of Nouwen s writings on prayer. The Reflective Life Ken Gire. Another book worth reading (and re-reading) slowly. The Sacred Romance Brent Curtis and John Eldridge. A wonderful call to a deep understanding of God s passion for us. Too Busy Not To Pray Bill Hybels Ordering Your Private World Gordon MacDonald Freedom of Simplicity Richard J. Foster Heart Cries: Praying by the Spirit in the Midst of Life Robert Rakestraw & Jane Spriggs Love Does Bob Goff. Focus on service to others. Chanting the Psalms Cynthia Bourgeault gives a frame work for learning to chant psalms. No musical background required. As well as an act of worship and prayer, chanting can aid in memorizing scripture. - some more notes on writing Psalms 22

23 23