The joy of journalling
Yesterday I posted some thoughts on why we go on spiritual retreats and some guidelines on how to conduct your own personal retreat in this article Spiritual Retreats: Powerful Tools to Increase Our Faith. Today I thought I wanted to share the details of how Tom and I actually conduct our retreat. I hope that it is helpful for you.
I usually start our first retreat session with a centering exercise like a breathing prayer to focus my mind. Tom starts with reading the scriptures of the day and writing out the psalm of the day in his journal . It is amazing how often this speaks to where he is at and what God is nudging in his life. The second step which both of us do is to read over what we committed to on the previous retreat and then read back through our weekly journals for the last 3 months. I use coloured markers to highlight what quotes, ideas and comments stand out for me from my three months of journaling, often rewriting these book quotes and prayers I have composed so that they become part of that continuing journey. I find this is a wonderful way to explore the threads of the journey God is weaving in my life.
At the end of this session we share our thoughts and insights with each other. Sometimes we ask each other questions or give advice. On our last retreat, reading back over my notes, I read again about the Trappist Monks who are successful “because they worked from a contemplative centre fully present to God rather than to the business they are doing.” When I mentioned that to Tom he asked: “What does working from a contemplative centre mean to you? What are the concrete outcomes you want to accomplish as a result of this approach?” His question became the pivotal point of my retreat time, helping me to evaluate the effectiveness of my contemplative practices and their role in stirring my imagination and guiding my path. His question made me realize how important it is to listen not just to what we sense God says to us directly or through scripture, but also through the questions of those around us. Questions like this don’t tell us what to do or to think, they open our minds and our hearts to the answers that God has already placed within us.
The second session focuses on honestly evaluating how well we have adhered to God’s path during this period. After praying about this and often repenting for how little I have applied what I learnt, I like to spend time in contemplation. I use a modified Lectio divina, either reading scriptures that have stood out for me in the last few weeks or a book that I felt God had prompted me to bring on this retreat. Sometimes I read through short passages, on other occasions I skim quickly through the book or books, incorporating quotes that speak to me into my retreat journal. I often highlight or underline these and then spend time reflecting on them.
The last session is for setting goals for the next few month. First I work on my personal life outlining disciplines for physical exercise, scripture reading and prayer, other spiritual practices I need to be more rigorous about. I also set goals for balancing my schedule – making sure that I leave plenty of time in my day and week for fun and relaxation, for the garden and time with friends.
My second area of goal setting is for my relationships, starting with our marriage, then friendships, hospitality and mentoring relationships. I have loved the way that this area of goal setting has drawn me slowly into mentoring relationships as well as an intentional approach to some of our hospitality, using it to build friendships and collaboration for our ministry.
The third area I set goals for is my relationship to the world around me. For years I struggled with my lack of practical involvement in ministry out into our neighbourhood and so was delighted when I was asked recently to be part of the steering committee for an interfaith group sponsored by Seattle Tilth that is encouraging churches and communities of faith to start community gardens. This area of goal setting often reminds me of my commitment to “bring glimpses of God’s shalom into peoples’ lives” and though I know this is not a time for me to work overseas, it has led me to intentionally develop mentoring relationships with leaders of small charitable organizations whose work and passion I can encourage and help grow.
Autumn arrangement
I know that at this season lots of us are looking for creative recipes not just to use the pumpkins we are accumulating but to use the last of the fresh produce we are purchasing from CSAs or farmers’ markets or harvesting from our garden. The recipe that I posted last night was so popular that I thought I would continue to post others over this week.
This soup is one of our favourite. I have slowly perfected it over the years (at least i think so) as the produce in our garden has proliferated and I have needed to get more creative in the ways that I use it. It can be adapted to take advantage of what is cheap and easily available at this season or better yet what is still flourishing in the garden. The only true essentials are the beans, wheat berries or you could substitute quinoa, onions, tomatoes and cabbage.
1 cup dried beans (use Scarlet Runners from the garden or large lima beans)
1 cup wheat berries or 1 cup quinoa
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 14 oz canned tomatoes, diced or quart jar of homemade marinara sauce
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup carrot, peeled and cut in ½-inch chunks
1 lb cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 lb chard, kale or collards, chopped
½ lb green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch lengths
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup winter squash, chopped
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
Soak beans and wheat berries in separate bowls overnight. Drain and set aside. Cook dried beans until just tender (45 min – 1 hour). In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until soft. Add garlic, sage, and rosemary and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add soaked wheat berries, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until wheat berries are al dente (1 – 1½ hours). If using quinoa no prior cooking is necessary. Add cabbage, squash, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, garden greens, and soaked beans with their liquid. Cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender (15 – 20 minutes). Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.
This soup can be adapted to take advantage of whatever vegetables are most plentiful.
Tom and I are just back from one of our quarterly retreats. This has probably been one of our best ever as so much seems to be blossoming in our lives and in our ministry. Reading back over my notes from the last retreat, I was struck again by the Trappist Monks who are successful “because they worked from a contemplative centre fully present to God rather than to the business they are doing.”
When I mentioned that to Tom he asked: “What does working from a contemplative centre mean to you? What are the concrete outcomes you want to accomplish as a result of this approach?” His question was the pivotal point of my retreat time and made me realize how important it is to listen not just to what we sense God says to us directly or through scripture, but also through the questions of those around us. Questions like this don’t tell us what to do or to think, they open our minds and our hearts to the answers that God has already placed within us.
Working from a contemplative centre does not come easily for me. My busy lifestyle and type A personality mean that my mind is quickly distracted from what God is saying to me through scripture, prayer and the voice of others. Setting concrete outcomes can be even more challenging – I like free flowing creativity. However, each time I go on retreat I realize that growing my faith and my closeness to God only occurs when I commit myself to structure and discipline. Listening, reflecting and responding to the whispers through which God seeks to draw me close is essential. And do do that I must slow down, take notice and then take action.
Coming close to God does not happen in a vacuum. We all need the questions that others pose for us to guide us into discernment. Years ago, I heard British theologian John Stott speak. He reminded us that “the answers we get depend on the questions we ask.” And we do not always frame the best questions for ourselves. The questions God would have us address may rise from within our own spirits but they more often come through the voices of others – through friends and relatives as in this case, or through the joys and suffering of those with whom we share the planet. They can also come through listening to God’s creation – God speaks through the beauty and the pollution we see around us.
So my challenge this morning is – what voices are you listening to? How do you nurture the contemplative centre in which you are fully present to God?
I normally post all of the Light for the Journey Prayers on Saturday but loved this prayer by John Birch so much that I wanted to make sure it was not overshadowed by some of the others from the week. And it reflected my feelings exactly as we visited Camano Island this morning and saw the pole barn at the Mustard Seed Village with the roof (at least the first stage) now on. More photos here
I enter this day with joy
knowing you are with me
every step of the way,
knowing there is a purpose
to each breath that I take,
knowing there is a hope
toward which I walk.
I enter this day with faith
knowing you are the strength
which I depend on,
knowing you are the love
that is all embracing,
knowing it is your peace
which calms my soul.
I enter this day with praise
knowing that I worship
with service as with voice,
hoping that my words
might reveal your truth,
hoping that your grace
might touch another heart.
© John Birch – http://www.facebook.com/
Today’s post is by Kimberlee Conway Ireton, author of The Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year and a newly released memoir, Cracking Up: A Postpartum Faith Crisis. Please forgive her wondering words today. She’s been reading too much N.D. Wilson.
Today’s post is being simultaneously published over on Godspace. Please forgive its wondering words. I’ve been reading too much N.D. Wilson.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Psalm 8:3-4, ESV
A little girl with bobbed red hair, dressed head to toe in pink—she’s even carrying a pink backpack—just walked in the door of the café where I sit. She’s holding the hand of a middle-aged Latina woman.
A dark-haired young woman sits at the table across from mine. She taps away at her MacBook keyboard and sips a green smoothie.
Outside, a motorcycle rolls to a stop at the curb. Its tanned and tattooed rider flexes his forearm muscles in the autumn sun as he revs his engine and turns the corner.
The number two bus turns the corner. A blonde toddler hanging onto her mother’s hand crosses the street behind it. The mother’s booted feet strike the pavement with the force of hurry.
A boy only slightly older than my eldest and with hair the same color, crosses the street during a lull in the trickling traffic. His blue backpack bounces up and down in rhythm with his steps.
Cars roll to a stop at the four-way stop sign. Each car holds a driver, maybe some passengers. Each of those drivers, each passenger, each passerby on the sidewalk has a story, a place they’ve come from, a place they’re going.
Do you ever stop to wonder just how remarkable that is?
Do you ever stop to think that God knows each of their stories, those places they’re leaving and the places they’re heading for?
Do you ever ponder how deeply God loves the teenager with the lacrosse stick who’s walking past you? The middleschooler with her violin case? The shortest of the three boys crossing the street, the one wearing neon green athletic shoes? And his two companions, too?
Do you ever sit in awe at the incomprehensible enormity of a God who knows each of these passing strangers by name, who numbers the very hairs of their heads?
Do you ever marvel at the terrible odds against their paths and yours ever crossing? And the even greater odds against such a chance passing occurring on a Wednesday afternoon when the sun is shining and the air shimmers blue? (This is Seattle in October, after all.)
Do you ever smile at a total stranger and receive a smile in return? Do you pause to thank God for that moment of connection, that thread of communion, that tiny foretaste of a feast of friendship to come, not today or tomorrow or even in this life, but forever?
Do you ever wonder, if, when you reach the shores of that eternal land, the stranger who smiled at you on this blessed ordinary Wednesday afternoon will recognize you and you her and your hearts will leap for joy that you have known each other before?
Do you ever fall on your face in awe over the fact that anything at all exists, let alone you with your particular story, your past that leads to someone else’s past to someone else’s all the way back to the foundation of the world? Do you ever stop to think just how unlikely the particular combination of atoms that is you actually is?
Do you ever stop to ponder the God who formed each of your atoms from stardust and breathed life into them so that you could sit here in this café where strangers sip green smoothies at the next table and pass by outside the window? Do you see them? Every last one of them sitting, walking, driving, smoothie-drinking, stroller-pushing, boot-wearing, violin-carrying, inspirited stardust.
And when you finally see them for the glorious creatures that they are, do you ever say a prayer of blessing over them? Do you ever ask for their good? Do you ever pray for the glory that is in them to shine forth, blazing starlight into the darkness of a shattered world?
Do you ever stop? Do you ever see? Do you ever touch your stardust skin and raise your face to the starlit sky and cry glory?
image credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Today’s post is written by James Rempt. A graduate of Trinity Western University, James Rempt currently works as a contractor for an Investment firm in Seattle, where he also lives. He is 28 years old and enjoys hiking, writing, fishing, playing music and working cross culturally, and is currently supporting a small church plant in the Seattle area. I was particularly interested to hear about James’s trip to Williston because I had also just read this article about the EPA allowing fracking waster water for consumption by animals and this one about a Texas town with no water because it is being used for fracking.
By now most Americans have heard of the controversial practice of “fracking” (or hydraulic fracturing); the process by which pressurized water and chemicals are used to break apart shale to extract trapped oil deposits. You may have also heard of the Bakken oil fields, a large area located throughout the Williston basin region of North Dakota. Thanks to the technological development of fracking, North Dakota is now second to Texas for oil production in the U.S and by 2010 production outstripped pipeline capacities for transporting oil out of the Bakken fields.
While on one hand this has created economic prosperity for oil companies and certain lucky prairie dwelling residents in towns like Williston, (not to mention fomented rumors of the United States maintaining net oil exports and becoming energy independent in the next decade), a sometimes overlooked side of this story involves the environmental risks of fracking and social and economic effects of this relatively new oil boom on near by communities. A number of articles have explored the sex industry’s growth in Williston, where prostitutes fly in on weekends from out of state to make upwards of 2k per night. While that and the stories of increased violence are notable (if not sensationalized), there is an over arching story of struggle and change, often with negative impact, that is rarely explored outside of the communities effected by the Bakken oil boom.
In August 2013, I traveled with 4 friends from my church to Williston North Dakota, a major hub of the Bakken fields. We went to learn more about this promised land of natural resource and plentiful economic opportunity, where its rumored truck drivers can make 100k in less than six months. Our desire was to listen to locals and produce a short film (posted below). What we discovered, in the words of my friend Justin Thomas, was a “broken promised land”. Some have certainly found prosperity as a result of the oil boom. But the citizens we spoke with in Williston, while somewhat hopeful for positive change in the future, almost all told stories of frustration, disappointment and serious community degradation. While officials we interviewed were quick to point to the “growing pains” and “prosperity” in Williston, the struggles that have arisen there (where in 7 years the population has increased by some estimates nearly 6 times its pre-oil boom level) are too great to ignore.
In the midst of this brokenness, the question inevitably arose, “How can the church be the church here”? With input from local public servants, educators, pastors and other residents from religious and nonreligious backgrounds we brainstormed a few ideas, creating a list (below) of needs the church has a unique opportunity to engage in “Boomtown USA”.
Fixed income housing and wellness support – While property values have increased substantially in Williston (spelling big rewards for those willing to sell or rent their properties), those with fixed or limited income have suffered greatly, especially the elderly. Subsidized resident housing or assistance in other areas of life like discounted vehicle repair, food, or living support for those on fixed income in Williston will go a long way towards allowing the community to survive the impact of the oil boom.
Resources for the homeless – The influx of workers into Williston has created such a high demand for temporary housing that hotel rooms and apartments are rented for greatly inflated prices. According to Amy Kruger, Executive director of the Williston Convention and Visitor Bureau, Williston has gone from having 607 hotel rooms to 1698 in only the last 2 years. Many of these hotels serve as short-term homes for those in the oil fields. For those who do not find work immediately, homelessness is a very real issue. Local services for the homeless are few. Churches and social centers in the area are not equipped physically, logistically or experientially to handle the spike in homelessness, especially in the midst of frigid North Dakotan winters. Some form of support or partnership with organizations working for positive change for the homeless or those poorly prepared to handle life in Williston is essential. Organizations that are already established in urban contexts elsewhere could help a prairie town like Williston, which has not established reliable networks for dealing with the types of social issues commonly found in urban centers.
Addiction rehabilitation services – Several public servants we spoke with mentioned the need for increased rehabilitation support. Community focused support in this area appears to be a notable need in Williston.
Man camp community support – Outreach to the living facilities that sprawl throughout the areas surrounding Williston known as “man camps” could be an incredible opportunity for the church to truly be the church in the Bakken fields. These facilities house thousands of workers far away from their social support systems back home, and could likely use some form of caring community. Our research revealed only one small ministry that advertised outreach to these facilities. If outreach could focus on these residents it could make a meaningful impact towards transformation and support.
Child care – There is a lack of available child care in Williston and the surrounding region. A ministry or non-profit providing day care, a pre-school, or other service could support those on the margins in Williston due to drastic cost of living increases.
Community integration programs –Locals told us that the temporary workers make little meaningful contribution to the community. Two key reasons are clear: 1. Long time residents of the region have seen several smaller oil booms in past decades and are calloused towards new comers (frequent reports of disorderly and careless behavior blamed on oil field workers certainly don’t help to warm relations). 2. Oil field workers are usually temporary and therefore rarely contribute to the community. If programs could be developed that both integrate those working in the oil fields into some aspects of the community and give them an alternative outlet to the destructive forms of recreation that often make headlines in the media, it may serve to relieve tensions in the community and bring about a greater level of health and communication. Something as simple as a sports league catering to those in the oil fields may serve this purpose.
One thing is certain; there is ample need for the church to be the church in Williston and the surrounding regions affected by the oil boom. More is needed than short-term outreach. We need people willing to live and reach out in a holistic way, to dig in and live “in light” of the message of gospel, listening to and attending to the needs of the community on every level.
Do you feel called to serve in this capacity? Do you feel called to support? If so, we would love to know! Contact: justint(at)calvaryfellowship.org
And please, take moment to watch the short film we put together here:
Williston, North Dakota from Calvary Fellowship on Vimeo.
As we race towards All Saints Day I find myself reflecting a lot on those who have gone before me and helped shape me into the person I am today. I think particularly of the prophetic voices that have challenged me through their words and actions to realize that the world is not as God intends it to be and that I should be involved in doing something about it.
Richard Rohr says “the role of the prophets is to call us out of numbness.” Since the beginning of time, prophetic voices both in and outside of scripture have been calling us to consider change of some sort. Sometimes it is spiritual change, other times it may be economic, political, or systemic change. Regardless of the emphasis, prophets challenge us to consider a better future. We live in a world that continues to change rapidly. We live in the midst of a rapidly changing world, church and environment. People are rising up and calling individuals, communities, nations, and everything in between out of numbness and toward justice, mercy, equality, and love.
The prophetic voices that have called me out of numbness this year are many and varied. Some are faithful friends and collaborators like Paul and Liz Sparks who came to dinner a couple of nights ago. Paul is one of the founders of the Parish Collective whose emphasis on presence, place and practice constantly challenges me to consider my own community involvement and outreach.
Other prophetic voices have come through my reading. Mark Van Steenwyk’s new book The Unkingdom of God: embracing the Subversive Power of Repentance, As Mark says:
Christianity is carrying a lot of baggage. Two thousand years of well-intended (and sometimes not so well-intended) attempts to carry forward the good news of God with us have resulted in some murky understandings of the teachings of Jesus and the culture of God’s kingdom. To embrace Christianity, sometimes we have to repent of what we’ve made of it.
Mark’s book challenges me to consider the many ways in which I still allow myself to be subverted by the ways of the world. A good reminder that I need on a regular basis.
Other prophetic voices have come through those I know that have died this year. Not just my mother but also people like Cal Uomoto who died just a year ago of cancer. Cal’s amazing work through World Relief here in Seattle with refugees challenges all of us As Titus,one of his sons shared:
My dad was a generous and kind man and from him we learned how to be compassionate.. He opened our home to people who had nothing, who were coming from war-stricken countries or from refugee camps where they’d lived for 10, 15 years. From those experiences, we gained a world perspective.
This year has brought me into contact with a rich array of people across the world, many of whom have spoken into my life in prophetic ways. For me this year many of the prophetic voices have not been well known inspirational speakers or cutting edge theologians. They have been the ordinary people who surround and support Tom and me and the MSA team and ministry. People who comment on this blog and constantly challenge me to walk with integrity and live the talk. People who encourage me to keep writing, praying and speaking out when I feel discouraged. People who support us when we come up with ideas like the Mustard Seed Village that sometimes sound more like si-fi imagining than reality.
All of us are prophetic voices for someone. Any time we encourage, support or cheer for someone to make decisions for a more just, more generous, more loving life we are being prophetic. We are helping bring their dreams and God’s dreams for the future into being and that is I think what being prophetic is all about.
Take some time this morning to think about the prophetic voices in your life. How can you, this All Saint’s Day, celebrate what they have contributed to you over the year?
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