by Christine Sine
As I sit and look back over the last few weeks and all that I have learned from this time of discernment, I am more aware than ever that discernment is a way of life, not something that I do now and then put on the shelf for the next couple of years. Part of what I have been doing over this last week is bringing my thoughts together so that I can clearly see the next steps that I need to take.
What Have I Learned?
This time of discernment has had some wonderful outcomes.
- It has deepened my faith in who God is and opened up new levels of intimacy in my relationship with my divine companion.
- It has increased my confidence in who I am and who God has called me to be.
- It has stirred my creativity to consider new ways to express my love both for God and for neighbour.
- It has enriched my life journey and encouraged me to notice with wonder and awe things that in the past have seemed dull and lifeless.
- It has encourage me to take one step at a time, being patient for God as God leads me one step at a time.
This process has also led me back to a framework for ongoing discernment that I wrote several years ago with questions and practices that you might like to consider too.
What Is The Unique Gift You Bring To the World?
I believe my unique gift is The Gift of Wonder and through it, I give people a pathway through which to enjoy God. I talked about this last week in my post, Providential Encounters. Re-affirming this through my own reflections and the comments of friends was both encouraging and energizing as its helped me realize that this really is where my passion lies. This kind of revisiting of what God calls us to do is so healthy especially in a disruptive time like this. God doesn’t always say keep moving in the same direction. Sometimes there is a definite nudge to change.
So what is the unique gift that you feel you bring to the world?
However, having established this foundation, I realize I need to take some new steps.
How Do You Nourish This Gift?
This is probably the most important question for any of us to ask once we have discerned our gifts. It is not good to feel you have a gift without doing the hard work to nourish and strengthen it.
To continue effectively sharing the gift of wonder with others I must:
- Be self-aware and tend to my self-care. For me, this requires a balance of physical, spiritual and emotional care. My contemplative times in the morning, my awe and wonder walks, and regular physical exercise are all elements that contribute to my self-care.
- Name the tensions. What destroys my sense of wonder and how do I adjust? When I am distracted, what do I have trouble naming and how does this lack of self-awareness make me vulnerable? I have found that these are very important questions for me to ask myself and I have added them to my Sunday review of my week.
- Follow the stirrings. Be attentive to what your life says, maintain your freedom, enjoy God – only a few words but so much expressed in them. My attentiveness to my life can come through books that I read, people I speak to, imaginings that stir in my mind. It’s an exciting process but I sometimes think it isn’t one for the faint hearted. This discernment really is a way of life and we need to take it seriously every step of the way, painting the flexibility and resilience that it demands of us.
As a result of this process, I have decided to hold a new seminar on wonder – one specifically geared towards healing during this challenging time. I did it for Inhabit and for Word Made Flesh, but must confess I did not really take it seriously until this week.
Wonder in the Healing Process Webinar – September 16, 2020 at 3pm PDT. I hope that you can join me.
How do you feel you can nourish God’s gift within you?
Wonder in the Trauma Healing Process
(C) Christine Sine
A number of people have told me that The Gift of Wonder, and the online retreat that came out of it, have increased their joy and brought healing and wholeness to them during this challenging time. As a result, we have decided to hold a free webinar on Wonder In the Trauma Healing Process. For those that have not read the book, this would be a good introduction. To those that have, I think it will provide new dimensions for their own life.
Alice Walker, author of The Colour Purple says, “I think the foundation of everything is wonder.” She has grasped a reality few of us acknowledge in which the wonder of God’s presence in us, and around us is present at every moment and in the midst of every pain and joy. We underestimate the power of awe and wonder to transform and heal us. In this session, we will explore three dimensions of awe and wonder – the wonder of God hidden in every aspect of creation; the wonder of God hidden deep within our souls and the wonder of a God whose nature is laid bare in the pain of our world. We will discuss the impact various expressions of these, like awe and wonder walks, laughter, play and lament, have in bringing renewal and transformation and see how they draw us closer to God and can be used to help us heal the traumas of our lives.
Wonder is an attitude of life and we need to nourish it and expand it into every part of our life. I hope you can join us and look forward to helping you continue your journey of discernment too.
As we end another week I am sure that like me, many of you are looking for a service that will believe your stress and contribute to your peace. Here is this week’s Taizé style service from St Andrews Episcopal church in Seattle. I hope that you find it refreshing and renewing helping to provide the resilience and strength that you need to to negotiate the following week. So make yourself comfortable, light a candle, and take some deep breaths in and out.
A contemplative service with music in the style-of-Taize for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below.
“Even in Sorrow” – Composed by Kester Limner in March 2020 for the people of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Seattle, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).
“Da Pacem Cordium” – Copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé.
“O The Deep Deep Love of Jesus” – Public domain hymn, arrangement by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).
“Kyrie” – Music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers, text by Kester Limner. Shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).
“My Peace” – Copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé.
by Tom Sine
Flag of the United Nations
Photo above: President Truman speaking at the formation of the UN in San Francisco in 1945.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has plunged America into a deeper state of disruption and paralysis than any major global event we have experienced since World War II. New Zealand is among the countries that has been most disciplined in reducing the spread of the virus.
The US has been one of the least disciplined with over 170,000 people losing their lives, as of August 17. And the Pandemic is still rapidly spreading in the US due to failed government leadership. As schools are just beginning to open in the fall of 2020, 1,193 students and teachers have just been quarantined in Georgia. Schools all over the US are likely to experience similar shutdowns as students and teachers come down with the virus. Clearly, we haven’t experienced the worst of this global crisis yet.
Most people have never experienced this kind of totally disruptive global crisis before. However, some of us who are older, can remember the last global crisis… World War II. It was not only globally disruptive, but no one had any idea of how it might end.
Historians remind us that in 1941 the United States was still recovering from the great depression. When the war started in 1942 for the US, a huge number of men were drafted and many women replaced men in the front lines back home.
While 170,000 have lost their lives to Covid-19 as I write, nearly 300,000 American soldiers died by the end of World War II. Of course, the global death rate was much higher by the end of that destructive war and many national economies were devastated as well.
In 1942, when I was six years of age, my parents moved our family from Twin Falls, Idaho to San Francisco, so my dad could take a job in the ship yards. He helped build troop ships.
However, I still remember everyone discovering how disruptive life suddenly became. All of us as kids particularly found the frequent evening air raid drills particularly upsetting… sitting in the dark waiting for the “all clear” signal. Even though I was only a child, I realized the stark reality that the outcome of that war could have gone either way. Thankfully, the war with Germany ended on May 8, 1945.
I was eight-years-old in 1945. That year, I also got my first job delivering newspapers to tenants in the five-story apartment housed on Nob Hill where I lived. One day after I finished delivering my papers, I went up on the roof of my last apartment house… where I had no business being. To my surprise, I discovered half a dozen soldiers, camping tents, guns and supplies. I asked them, “What are you doing here?”.
A sergeant responded, “There is a meeting of international leaders being held at the Fairmont Hotel one block up on Nob Hill.” He added, “Since we were still at war with Japan, this part of San Francisco was a high security area.” I thanked him and gave the soldiers my leftover newspapers.
I headed up that hill every day after I delivered my papers. The first day, I discovered a long line of black limos delivering leaders from all over the world to the Fairmont Hotel. I only recognized President Truman and Molotov, the diplomat from Russia, from the newsreels. It was amazing to watch this parade every day for three weeks.
Midway though my daily trips to the Fairmont Hotel, I learned what this multi-week event was all about. The United States was hosting the first meeting of 50 allied nations to develop a charter to start something called the “United Nations”. On June 25,1945, these nations signed an accord to create this new organization to work together to create a better future.
As an eight-year-old, I sensed, with others in our neighborhood, a very welcome sense of hopefulness. I suddenly heard adults discussing ways to overcome political differences and find more collaborative ways forward. I even heard my parents discussing how both republicans and democrats were exploring how to work together to not only rebuild the US but also launch the Marshall Plan that helped countries in Europe to rebuild.
Reportedly at the end of WWII, “Winston Churchill’s cabinet was amazed and heartened to witness the ascendance of human goodness—altruism, compassion and generosity of spirit and action”
Is it possible as we race into the 2020s, that after new vaccines are tested and adopted and we begin to take our lives back, that we too, can begin to put aside our differences and begin to work for the common good? Wouldn’t this be a great opportunity for people of faith to challenge one another to put away anger, fear mongering and conspiracy theories? Wouldn’t this be a good time for people of faith to join hands?
Wouldn’t it also be a good time for our churches to also join many of our young people, that I wrote about last week, that are working together for racial, economic and environmental justice to create a better future for all peoples?
Peter T. Coleman is also convinced that overcoming this destructive pandemic could be like the end of World War II. He has expressed the hope that it could become a spring board to much more aggressively work for the common good. “Coleman is a professor of psychology at Columbia University who studies intractable conflict. His next book, The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization, will be released in 2021.”
He adds, “The extraordinary shock(s) to our system that the coronavirus pandemic is bringing has the potential to break America out of the 50-plus year pattern of escalating political and cultural polarization we have been trapped in, and help us to change course toward greater national solidarity and functionality.”
We pray that defeating this destructive divisiveness will again give birth to “a generosity of spirit” and a commitment to once again work together for the common good.
What are your ideas of how we can join those who are already working together for the common good? Email me and I will share some of your ideas in my next post!
Join the Launch Team!
If you are interested in joining the Launch Team for our book, 2020s Foresight, please contact me and visit our Facebook page.
- Buy it on Amazon on September 1st, sharing images of the book online
- When the book arrives, post a picture of you holding it on social media
- Read it, & post a 5 star review on Amazon, if you find it worthy… say a few nice things in any case
BTW… If you decide to read the book with a few friends, let me know… either myself or my co-author, Dwight Friesen may be able to Zoom into your group and join your conversation. It is designed to be a study book with questions at the end of each chapter. We would value your feedback.
Credit for photos above:
- Truman: By Unknown photographer – [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1631423
- Flag of the United Nations from the Open Clip Art website. Modifications by Denelson83, Zscout370 and Madden. Official construction sheet here.United Nations (1962) The United Nations flag code and regulations, as amended November 11, 1952, New York OCLC: 7548838., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=437460
By Lilly Lewin
Jesus is always asking questions! Sometimes I love this about him, and sometimes I just want a straight answer! This is a season of many questions.
Can we go back to school? What does it mean to be the Church outside the building? Can I afford to pay the rent? When will I feel safe?
Just to name a few.
In the gospel passage this week, Jesus asks his disciples a BIG Question… What are the people saying about me? and Who are they saying I am?
Peter, when asked, like always, jumps in with a strong response! “You are Messiah! You are the Christ! Our Savior, the One we’ve been waiting for for so long!” You can just feel his excitement and his enthusiasm as he answers Jesus’s question.
How are you answering this question today in the midst of everything going on around you and around the world? Read the passage and consider the questions& actions below.
Matthew 16:13-20
13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ 14And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ 15He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ 17And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ 20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
QUESTIONS to ponder or journal with from this passage:
What big questions is Jesus asking you right now?
How are you responding to the questions arising in your heart?
In the midst of all the chaos of this pandemic, of all that the world is going through… what is the Holy Spirit revealing to you?
What are the rocks, the foundation stones, that you are building upon to keep you close to Jesus?
What are the rocks, the foundation stones, that you need to help you live out this kingdom life here and now? Talk to Jesus about this.
What do you want to let loose/set free? People, things that are holding you captive like emotions or physical things, or things in the world that are causing injustice. Tell Jesus to loose these things!
What things do you want to take captive?
Is there something Jesus has shown you that he doesn’t want you to disclose to others right now? Some secret insight, gift, inkling that is not ready to be shared? Ask Jesus to show you.
ACTION:
GRAB two chairs and two cups of coffee, tea, water or other favorite beverage and sit down with Jesus. Use your imagination. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you see Jesus as He really is. Sit and listen! Receive the gift of his great love today! Take time to tell Jesus where you are right now. What your feeling, what you are fearing, allow Jesus to be with you and sit with you and be your peace today!
Find a large ROCK and use it as reminder that Jesus is building his Church, his kingdom of love and grace in you and through you, even in the midst of a pandemic!
Amen.
by Barbie Perks
When I was in lockdown in South Africa a couple of weeks ago, I was reading an online devotion from the Scripture Union UK WordLive site. I have been mulling over it ever since. It was a challenge to think a little differently about the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15; Matthew 13:1-23). Luke says the seed is the word of God, and describes the reactions of those who hear it in terms of belief, salvation, faith, testing and maturity. Matthew describes it in terms of understanding the message about the kingdom, and how growth results from that understanding.
The challenge I took from the devotion was to reflect a little more on the meaning of the parable, going a little deeper than just reading it, thinking it just refers to hearing the call to salvation, therefore since I am already saved, I don’t need to respond to it any further. The seed is the word of God – the message about the kingdom – what am I understanding about the seed, the message today since I became a believer nearly 50 years ago?
A farmer went to sow his seed: there are many ‘farmers’ out there today – in print, on tape, online, in person – sharing the word of God in many formats. Who are you listening to? What are they saying? Are you studying the Word of God for yourself, so that you know that what they say is truly based on a sound knowledge of the Word?
Seed fell along the path, it was trampled, birds came and ate it up: a path is a well worn place that many have travelled – how often do we hear the same Bible passage preached on, and just ignore it because we are so familiar with it? Think of the other parables of Jesus, his castigation of the Pharisees, his praise of those who had faith in his ability to heal. Think of the sermon on the mount, those wonderful ‘guidelines’ for living the Christian life! Think of the Advent season. Think of Easter. How often do you actually “hear and understand the message”?
Seed fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil – it sprang up, but withered because it had no root/moisture: it’s interesting that this seed is received with joy, but testing and troubles cause it not to grow. Which talks and sermons, which books, which studies and discussions have you heard, read, participated in that have brought a joyful insight into your situation, that sadly has been short-lived because of the overwhelming reality of your circumstances?
Seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants: people who hear the word, but the worries of life, deceitfulness of wealth and pleasures choke the word and make it unfruitful. There is a certain lack of maturity that results because we are so concerned with everyday matters and worries, we don’t get a chance to put into daily practice those things that we know would help us grow in our faith. Our level of trust, faith and knowledge of God remains very basic. We know we should be producing ‘fruit’ but wonder what that ‘fruit’ is. What concerns and worries do you have, very especially at this time of pandemic, panic, riot, economic and political instability that could choke your faith and trust in God?
Seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – 30, 60, 100 times what was sown! Oh, don’t we all want to be this seed!! Matthew says it’s the person who hears the word and understands it; Luke says it’s those with good and noble hearts, who hear the word, retain it and by perseverance produce the crop. What is the attitude that we come to God’s word with – a desire to understand, to be changed, to be productive for the kingdom? When life throws curve balls at us, when the devil attempts to take the word away from our hearts – how do we respond? Do we retain what we have learned in good times, that will sustain us and help us to persevere through the bad?
Jesus ended his parable saying, “He who has ears, let him hear”, and in Luke 8:18a he says “consider carefully how you listen…”
God, grant me ears to listen and hear your word, a heart to receive your word with joy, a mind to understand and put into practice what I learn, and a calm, trusting spirit to enable me to persevere and grow in my knowledge of you.
Photo above © Christine Sine
by Carol Dixon
A Psalm of lament and praise in a time of coronavirus
How shall we praise you, Lord, our God?
When we are locked down,
how shall we praise you?
When the doors to your house are barred,
and your people cannot assemble?
When those desperately in need of money and work
cannot even wait in the market-place?
When we have to circle round people in the street,
and to queue for shops maintaining safe distance?
When we can only communicate
by hearing on the phone,
or seeing on the screen;
or digitally messaging,
or even just waving through a window?
When we cannot meet our parents and children,
grandparents and grandchildren,
or other family members and friends?
When we cannot touch them in their flesh and blood,
to know they are really alive?
How shall we praise you?
How, like Thomas, shall we not see yet believe
that your son is raised among us?
How shall we praise you?
How can I praise you, Lord?
Are you plaguing us with this virus
to punish us because we have all done wrong,
or thought wrongly,
or felt wrongly,
or just been wrong?
If so, why do only some die,
and those, apparently, the ones who are the least worst or most caring amongst us?
Or are you trying to teach us a lesson?
If so, why is it so hard to learn?
And how are we to find the answer
when we do not even know the question?
Or are you still the same loving God,
coming to us in our sufferings
and opening up the way to new life in Jesus?
Lord, I will try to praise you.
Through gritted teeth,
I will try to praise you.
I will try to remember that you have created all things,
and this virus is part of your creation.
I will try not to hate it
but seek to mitigate its harm.
I will try to keep myself and others safe.
I will work to pray for them
and seek to help in whatever way I can.
Lord, when I cannot pray or worship
help me be aware of all your people
and your saints and angels
hovering around me,
lifting me up.
When I feel alone,
let me feel you near me,
even if only for a moment that enables me to go on.
Let me hear you say
“Peace be with you”.
Lord, I will praise you.
Let all the peoples praise you. ©Revd Kenneth Howcroft (Used with permission )[Methodist 50 days Summer Reflections]
Recently, I came across the above awesome modern Psalm written during the current crisis. I found it very honest and powerful and it reminded me of how we need to be straight with God in our prayers – not wallowing in despair but truthfully sharing with God how we are feeling.
One of the Psalms in the Old Testament that spoke to me recently in my prayer time when I felt that the Coronavirus pandemic is never ending is Psalm 13. John Bell’s ‘How long, O Lord’ is a call for help that God in his mercy hears our cry.
The second Psalm that resonated with me is Psalm 137. This anguished cry from the heart is by someone unwillingly dragged off into exile in a foreign land, having witnessed the total destruction of his homeland and the death of many of his friends and relatives. The pain and anger in the words is almost palpable.
While I cannot begin to imagine how terrible that must be, this Psalm gave me great comfort and hope in a time of pain and difficulty in my own life. Some years ago I was laid aside with an illness that forced me to rest every afternoon in bed for almost 2 years and I had to give up most of my usual activities including my work as a lay preacher and co-ordinator of our church folk group. I felt as though I was in exile in a strange land. Yet it was in this time of disconnection from the familiar that I learned to draw near to God in new ways and began to ‘sing the Lord’s song in a strange land’ as God gave me the gift of hymn writing.
In grief and loss, I cry to you,
And by your cross, you see me through;
You hold me up, bearing my pain,
I drink your cup and live again.
When I am weak you strengthen me,
And as I seek your face, I see
You weep my tears, share my heartbreak,
And all my fears from me you take.
Jesus my Lord, reach out your hand,
Just say the word and I will stand,
Wounded and pained, my heart I yield,
Broken and drained, yet I am healed. © Carol Dixon
(music available from carol.dixon@talktalk.net)
Photo by Carol Dixon
Jesus himself spoke honestly to God and to those around him and his statement ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ encourages us as we follow in his footsteps by the way we live our lives. If we are truthful when we speak to God and others, ‘speaking the truth in love’ and are willing to look for life-giving hope in dark situations, then the life that was in Jesus will live in us and guide us on our way with him.
Is there someone you know who needs God’s mercy today in their lives to whom you can bring the love and peace of God in this pandemic, through prayer or action, to lead them on the path from despair to hope? Is God calling you to walk the way of Jesus bringing truth and life in the Holy Spirit into their lives – and yours?
In a recent survey, we were told that people really like the prayer cards in our store, so we are offering them on sale for the month of August! A book bundle includes the book as well as a set of prayer cards. If you have not checked them out yet, please do!
These cards are great for using as a spiritual practice that allows you to focus on the words and photo by tangibly holding the prayer card. They make a great gift for family and friends as well!
Book Bundles on Sale!
- The Gift of Wonder + Gift of Wonder Prayer Cards
- Return to Our Senses + Breath Prayer Cards
- To Garden with God + Celtic Prayer Cards
- A Journey into Wholeness + Breath Prayer Cards
- A Journey Toward Home + Advent Prayer Cards
- Waiting for the Light + Advent Prayer Cards
- Return to Our Senses + Study Guide + Breath Prayer Cards – Download
- To Garden with God + Celtic Prayer Cards – Download
Prayer Cards on Sale!
For the month of August, our prayer cards are on sale! One card set is $9.99 and 3 sets are $24.99!
Breath Prayer Cards: Uniquely designed with a breath word and prayer each card will help lead you into a powerful meditation. Contains 12 cards in a set.
Celtic Prayer Cards: Each set contains 10 prayers inspired by ancient Celtic saints or contemporary Celtic writers. A short reflection on the back of each card will introduce you to the Celtic Christian tradition.
Advent Prayer Cards: This set of 12 cards will help you reflect on the Advent and Christmas story. They begin with Celtic Advent including 6 for Advent, 1 for Christmas Eve, 4 for the Christmas season and 1 for the Eve of Epiphany.
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