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Choose your Mores
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Choose your Mores

My Dear Seeker,

The evil one subtly lures us into distrusting God by convincing us we need more. If some is good, more must be better. (Reread my last letter for a fuller discussion about this subject.) How, then, does Jesus woo us into believing in and acting from a trusting heart? By using the same motivation, desiring more, but with a different object as its goal.

As I said before, desires are not bad, they fuel our choices, spark us into action, and can lead us to life. It is the goal of our desires that can be deadly. Remember Satan cannot create, so he must twist a God-given goodness into something harmful and hurtful.

Jesus also invites us to desire more. The more he encourages is to have more of God. We are to make choices based on our desire to trust God. This is the more he sought, it is the way of life he invites us to follow.

Every choice we see Jesus making is based on his desire to be united with the will of his Father in heaven. He made the choice to leave heaven and become poor for our sake, fulfilling the will of the triune God. He did not desire and seek after people’s good opinion. He suffered dishonor in the eyes of the world because he desired to live out of the Father’s heart toward humankind. Jesus cast himself onto the care of his Father in heaven. He trusted God for all, his daily bread, his ministry, and ultimately his life and death. He humbly depended on God for everything.

St. Ignatius said it this way: choose poverty which leads to dishonor which leads to humility.  Yikes. Who wants to be poor and dishonored? It is definitely an upside-down world Jesus embodies.

A more contemporary way of understanding Ignatius’ insight is choosing contentment/simplicity which leads to suffering which leads to dependence.  

When we make choices to be content living simply, and doing without certain things, we will suffer to some degree and suffering leads us to God. For example, choosing to ride your bike to work and leaving your car at home. This small but simple choice, made out of love for God’s world, reduces your carbon footprint but increases your inconvenience. Now you must suffer the weather, the time constraints, and the lack of flexibility that driving your car would allow you. You must trust God with your schedule, your safety, and your social calendar.

The starting point of the evil one’s strategy is the lure of riches/more. Jesus’ way of living starts with inviting us into humility. We want humility, don’t we?

Life will bring you many choices. The choice you make will be rooted in what you most desire. Your enemy will attract you toward a choice that will bring you worldly riches and honor. Jesus will attract you toward a choice that leads you to trust God more and to desire the will of the Trinity.

Every choice you make in life has these two options. Jesus would have you choose life.

With you on the journey,

Debby

Desires
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Desires

My Dear Seeker,

To understand the choices we make and prepare to make ones that turn us toward God, we must understand our desires. It is desire that leads to choice. What we want we make choices to get. What we are attracted to, we find a way of moving toward. What we don’t want, we attempt to find ways to avoid. Desire fuels our choices.

There are two competing strategies for attracting our hearts and shaping our desires; therefore influencing the choices we make. The evil one’s and Jesus’.

The evil one’s strategy can be summed up in a word – More. I will be happier if I have more.  If some is good, more must be better. It is only natural for me to work harder to acquire more. More possessions, more influence, more friends, more security, more beauty, more, more, more.

This strategy develops a connection in our mind between what we possess (things, accomplishments, relationships) and our identity. It is tempting to think we are more because we have more; or are less because we have less. We judge ourselves and one another by these measures of success, leading to pride, arrogance, and independence from God.

St Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits said it this way: Having Riches leads to Honor (in other people’s eyes) which leads to Pride.

A more contemporary rendering might be: Acquiring More leads to Success which leads to Independence (Self Sufficiency).

This lie is hard to identify because it is relatively counter-intuitive. Why wouldn’t we want a bigger house if we could afford it? It makes sense to strive for more, working hard to enter that next pay grade so that we can take better care of our family and make sure they are provided for and don’t have to go without anything that would bring them happiness and security.

The wickedest aspect of this strategy is that it takes a good thing and turns it into an idol. For example, wise stewardship. Of course, God would have us consider the financial welfare of our family, the problem comes when we trust our bank account to provide the security that God alone can ultimately provide. We chase the More. We give lip service to trusting God’s provision, but our worrying hearts and anxious thoughts prove we have bought the lie. We say we trust God to provide, but live as if it were up to us and our hard efforts to accomplish the best.

Oh, Jesus, save us from these lies! We’ll talk about his strategy to influence our choices in my next post.

With you on the journey,

Debby

The process of Spiritual Formation: How the church can aid the making of disciples
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The process of Spiritual Formation: How the church can aid the making of disciples

by Debby Bellingham ⓒ2022

The role of the Church

What does a church community do for the person who wants a transformed life? How does it help promote the process of being transformed into the image of Jesus?

To answer this question, we must first address some foundational issues: What the community looks like

  • Who comprises it.
  • What the leadership of this community looks like.
  • What the community life does in and for the process of transformation.

The community

It has within it a group of disciples on the narrow path, eager to learn to live and love as Jesus. With their best effort, they are committed to God and God’s kingdom and they cooperate with the daily grace the Spirit provides for this process of transformation. This group is the “yeast” of the community, small in number, yet influencing the whole. The sweet fragrance of their lives with Christ invites the rest of the community to walk the narrow path.

The leadership

The leadership of this community is made up of disciples who are personally submitted to this process of transformation; whose ministry is to invite all to join the journey on the narrow path; who prayerfully live in relationship with one another in a way that promotes the kingdom of God through their willingness to sacrifice, their disregard for who gets credit and their commitment to love and belong to one another.

The community life

Being with God together provides discipleship benefits that being with God alone, although necessary and good, does not. In the gathering of the saints, there are relationships that act as mirrors; we can see ourselves more clearly, both the areas of our life gifted by the Spirit for the building up of the body and the yet converted areas that need the transforming touch of the Holy Spirit. Relationships sharpen and purify. Also, being together informs and energizes life for the “non-gathered” days of the week. Strength and desire are gained to live a missional lifestyle.

Community-Aided Spiritual Formation

Having addressed these foundational issues, we can turn our attention to the process by which these gathered disciples and the gathering of disciples aid an individual in the process of spiritual formation.

As Dallas Willard said, “Discipleship is learning how to do what Jesus said (e.g. Sermon on the Mount), learning how to lead one’s whole life as Jesus would, and learning how to act in the power of God, the power of the Kingdom.” We must do explicit spiritual formation training in each of these things. We must develop a curriculum that allows disciples to grow in their ability to live and love like Jesus, to become like Christ in every way.

The church’s primary task

In order for a person to desire to live the life of an apprentice of Jesus, he/she will need to be able to envision a life that is attractive and doable. That is why one of the church’s primary works of spiritual formation is to correct a person’s identity. People suffer from a whole set of identities and we must not add another to their load. Instead, we must help them gain the identity of being God’s beloved child and then equip them to live the whole of their life from this singular identity. The possibility of knowing yourself as loved, accepted, and useful in the kingdom of God is a vision worth pursuing.

Stages in the life of a disciple
Three primary stages of faith in a disciple’s life have been identified at the risk of oversimplifying the process.

  •  Infancy
  • Youth
  • Maturity

Each of these stages has different developmental needs and, therefore, spiritual formation activities must provide opportunities that address the unique requirements of that stage of growth.

Also, these stages do not necessarily progress in an orderly fashion. In fact, movement is more cyclical than linear.

One can even be mature in one area of their discipleship, while still infant- like in another. Although the process of spiritual transformation takes place in a progressive and orderly fashion as the Spirit of God is heeded and employed, the terrain of the soul is not unlike the terrain of our earth – some areas are civilized and others are yet wilderness. It is God’s intention to claim all the territory of our lives for his Kingdom, one area at a time. God’s kingdom and rule progress in a person’s life as the Spirit is allowed access and as obedience follows.

Even though the content of the training in discipleship might vary from stage to stage, there are four elements that must consistently be present in each stage to foster spiritual transformation. With each season of growth, a person will need correct and biblical knowledge; they will need to develop practices that allow this knowledge to be lived out; they will need experience to test the new practices and; they will need relationships to support them as they grow.

Infancy

This term is used to describe someone new to the life of discipleship. Like a baby, they are hungry for spiritual nourishment. They are full of energy and eager to learn and grow; they provide joy and freshness to the community. They need information, education, training, and boundaries to thrive in this phase of their spiritual transformation.

During this stage of the spiritual journey, the disciple would benefit from Christ-like curriculum that taught them the truth of the scripture, gave them the opportunity to study the life of Jesus, and taught them how to read and study the scriptures. Exposure to good and sound writings of the saints of old is helpful during this phase. They should be taught the whole gospel, what they are saved from (death) and what they are saved for (life). It is important that at this early phase of spiritual transformation they explore their identity, recognizing their “false” self and their “true” self. They should develop disciplines of the spiritual life that allow them to practice engaging God through prayer, worship, and study. The sacramental life should also be emphasized, beginning with the Eucharist and Baptism. During this stage of growth, they will need opportunity to practice what they are learning, service projects, both within their community of faith, and outreach to the larger community. Feedback is essential. They will need a group of like-minded people with whom it is safe to process their spiritual journey – its ups/downs, high/lows, successes/failings.

Of course, every church community will need to form means of such equipping as is unique to their style and expression. Below are examples of how some churches have addressed the needs of the spiritual infant among them:

  • Baptism preparation and rite
  • Bible Studies that allow the word to be opened and trusting relationships to be formed
  • Topic-driven classes (e.g. worship, community, prayer)
  • Classes taught on specific books of the Bible (e.g. “Sermon on the Mount”, gospels)
  • Classes taught on the disciplines of the spiritual life
  • Service and mission trips
  • Testimonies shared in a larger group
  • Fellowship retreats focusing on the building of relationships in Christ
  • Recommended booklists

Youth
As a disciple matures in their faith, they will move into a phase of spiritual disequilibrium. They may experience a disruption of their faith in a general way (doubts about God, their salvation, etc.) or in a very specific arena of their life (the Holy Spirit is claiming new ground). The spiritual “honeymoon” is over, and now the loved one is learning to walk by faith, not by sight. Often in this phase of spiritual transformation, the disciple is angry, either at him/ herself, at the church, or at God. The summation of this anger can be captured in the phrase, “You’re not enough.”

The disciple is seeing areas in their life where they are to “put on Christ”; they realize that the narrow way is not a magic carpet. Their trust in God for salvation does not instantly convert them to a perfect follower of Jesus. They have habits, thoughts, and reactions that are not transformed. Disappointedly, they think they are not good enough.

Another young disciple may recognize how much the world needs the good news. There is injustice and oppression in the world and the church is not doing much about righting these wrongs. They rally for a cause and charge God’s community with not caring for the things God cares about. Accusingly, they think the church is not doing enough.

Still, another may face their shadow-side, feel overwhelmed by its immensity and the thoroughness required of the Spirit of God on this narrow road, and blame God for not fixing them immediately. The road is too long, the burden too heavy and they think God is not powerful enough.

The youth brings energy and a prophetic voice to the community of God. They are not content with the status quo – they long for and expect the perfection God promises. Often, during this phase of spiritual development, passion and emotion are the fuel for action or even inaction. The maturing disciple needs this energy and desire to be harnessed for the good of the Kingdom. They need practice in submitting their whole person, minds, wills, and emotions to the Lordship of Jesus; practice in authentic relationships and competency; and always, they need reinforcement of their identity as Christ’s beloved.

It is at this phase of development, that a disciple needs a continued exposure to the patient and unconditional love of God, given in relationship with others on the journey. Opportunities for knowing themselves thoroughly in the context of God’s acceptance will allow the Spirit to bring the light of God’s mercy and justice to their awareness. They need to be useful for the Kingdom, putting their skills and gifts toward a ministry of God’s choosing. They need to discover how to balance their “doing” with “being” and to learn that without a connection to the vine, the branches produce nothing.
Again, each congregation will address these needs differently, according to the graces and temperament of the body, but below are ways some churches have addressed the particular needs of the spiritual youth.

  • Training for leadership
  • · Small group leadership
  • · Compassionate ministry opportunities
  • · Service projects
  • · Small prayer/accountability groups
  • · One/one mentorship
  • · Extended and intensive opportunities to practice the disciplines
  • · Deeper exploration of the kingdom of God (putting into practice the “Sermon on the
  • Mount”)
  • · Spiritual Formation retreats on topics such as anger, worry, lust, etc.
  • · Topical classes (e.g. spiritual warfare, lifestyle evangelism, work as a ministry)
  • · Practice in “putting off the old and putting on the new”

Maturity
A mature disciple is one who is willing and able to live and love like Jesus. This follower has learned to submit to the will and love of God, trusting their whole life to the care of God. They act in response to the nudges of the Holy Spirit and have increasing evidence of the Spirit’s fruit being born in their lives. They live for the glory of God, not their own, willingly admitting their shortfalls because they know they are accepted in God’s love. Their minds have been made new by the scripture, their hearts have been softened by the love of God, their souls display the effect of obedience to God and their bodies are vessels of God’s active love toward the world.

At this stage of spiritual transformation, the disciple needs two primary things: opportunities to give away what has been given to them, reproduction; and retirement. Retirement does not mean a stop of activity, it means a rest from activity, enjoying the fruit of one’s labor, spending time reflecting on the goodness and love of God, to have occasion to further explore the interior landscape of their soul.

These needs can be met by providing them with occasions to share what they have learned of the spiritual life, either through personal relationships or a more formal setting. They need affirmation that they have gifts to offer the community of Christ. They will continue to grow as they give away what God has so generously given them. They would benefit from further exposure to the more ancient disciplines of the Spirit and then be given settings where they can practice these habits of heart – environments where they can become more like Mary and less like Martha; choosing the better lot, to sit at the feet of Jesus and soak up the love.

Ways some churches have of meeting these needs are listed below.

  • Teaching opportunities
  • Leading ministry projects
  • Silent retreats
  • Spiritual direction
  • Mentoring younger disciples
  • Writing about what they know
  • Prayer groups (Lectio Divina, centering prayer)

Conclusion

Abbott Moses taught, “Go, sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything.” The Spirit of God is able to teach and form a disciple in isolation, apart from a community of believers. Yet, we as the church are invited to aid the Spirit in the teaching of a disciple by creating an environment that fosters spiritual growth and then supplying structures to allow that disciple to progress in the work of learning to live and love like Jesus.

Age is not necessarily a factor in spiritual maturity, although there are life lessons we gain as we advance in years and responsibilities that are useful in the process of spiritual transformation. One can be young in years and wise in the Lord. Or one can be an adult chronologically, yet a baby when it comes to controlling impulses.

The process of spiritual transformation cannot be a program, planned and implemented by a good-intentioned church. It is as unique and as varied as the individual. And this must be recognized by any congregation that desires to be a community dedicated to the spiritual formation of followers of Jesus. It would be much easier to administer a cookie-cutter type program, one size fits all – “follow these steps and arrive at the destination of a mature disciple.” But that is not the nature of discipleship, nor is it even possible. True, there are particular developmental milestones that are universal in the maturation of a person’s discipleship, but these milestones are not predictable in a person’s life, nor are they linear.

One will most likely, need to learn and then relearn these spiritual lessons as they encounter new situations in their life, gain new insight about their souls, or are shown another face of God. As was mentioned earlier, this process is more cyclical than linear.

Because of the unique nature of the individual and the varied speed of progression in the spiritual life, it would be helpful if a community, committed to helping disciples mature in their faith, had a means by which the disciple could “self-identify” their levels of spiritual maturity, indicating areas they feel are the growing edges of their life in Christ. This information, unique to their experience, could then be shared with a pastor or church leader, who could prayerfully, steer them toward the appropriate spiritually-forming events.

This would require much more of a pastoral presence in the life of the disciple; it would be much more effort than just giving them a predetermined course of study. It would mean listening to them, not fixing them; being with them, not speaking at them; holding them; longsuffering with them; knowing them; loving them. It would require of church leadership to live their own lives and love the flock as Jesus did.

Announcing the Good News!
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Announcing the Good News!

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain

My Dear Seeker,


You are an important person in God’s plan! You have been given a particular assignment and Jesus sends you into the world to proclaim the good news and cast out demons. (Mark 3:13-15)


Proclaiming the good news – announcing life. Casting out demons – destroying death. Two sides of the same coin. The people you love need the whole penny! Announcing the good news is the first order of business. The flock you shepherd needs to hear your voice telling them of the hope the gospel brings.

Good news is necessary and so needed in this world of ours. Most of us, knowingly or not, live in the conviction that bad news reigns. We look around and see destruction seeming to march in victory. Sure there are little pockets of life-sustaining activities operating in the midst of death-dealing events and circumstances, but they seem the minority, the underdog, the exception.

And when we turn our attention away from the big picture of the world’s situation and look within our own souls, we are even more convinced that darkness and disease have the upper hand. Of course within our souls, there are exceptions to the death principle at work within us (thank you God), but there is plenty of evidence that proves darkness and death still have control over a lot of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Ask St. Paul. He talked about his own struggle with this conflict in Romans 7. We might despair…

…except for the announcement of the good news – the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near (Matt.10:7). Hope stirs. “If the Kingdom of Heaven has come near to me, here and now, maybe there is hope. If God has come close, if the power and authority of the rule of God are available, Life has a chance. I can dare to hope that God’s love and power can bring life to death’s outposts in the territory of my soul. Praise our God.”

Which leads to the other side of this coin – the casting out of demons, which I’ll talk about in my next letter.


With you on the journey.
Debby

Being vs. Doing
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Being vs. Doing

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain

My Dear Seeker,

In our last correspondence, we spoke of Jesus’ choice and call of you. Your response to his invitation readied you to hear his voice and receive an assignment to carry out in your Kingdom life. He follows up the appointment by giving you a role or title that announces your identity and gives you the authority to carry out this assignment. (Mark 3:13,14a)


You are “mom” to your kids, “wife” to R., “worship leader” to the musicians and choir at church. These names cause others to relate to you with your assignment in mind. They do not determine your value or worth, God’s choosing of you does that. Be careful to not confuse what you do (God’s assignment) with who you are (God’s chosen). Such a mistake would bring death to your own soul and would not bring life to the flock you shepherd in Jesus’ name.


There are three elements entailed in fulfilling this assignment – 1) To be with Jesus. 2) To proclaim the Good News. 3) Cast out demons. (Mark 3:14,15) The first informs your “being”, the second two describe the fruit of your “being.”


To be with Jesus is your essential and elemental requirement. It is the soil from which your life and ministry will grow. It means sharing his life, knowing him intimately, and caring about what he cares about. It requires time and commitment, born out of love, not fear or regulations.


Years ago, when I married Jack I took up running as a wedding gift to him. Running was a part of his life, he loved it. I wanted to “be with him” in the things he cared about. And because I loved him I chose to participate in the activity he valued. Love prompted my choice and even on days when I don’t “feel” like putting on my running shoes and hitting the road, love keeps me committed to the daily training regimen.

Practically speaking, when we are talking about being with Jesus, we’re talking about spiritual disciplines; practices we commit to because we love the Lord and want to share his life. It is love that keeps our discipline in place, not legalism or superstition. Slow down and get in touch with the love that has drawn you to Jesus. Let this love woo you to the mountain so you can listen to the Lord. Your being with Jesus will look different than mine and it may even look different than you imagine. Try not to predetermine what your spiritual practices will be, let the Holy Spirit direct your ways of being with Christ.

And even when you don’t feel like it, let your love of God keep you committed to the daily training regimen of the Kingdom life. Your soul will need the restoration of such disciplines as you go about your God-given assignment.

With you on the journey,

Debby

This is Easter!
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This is Easter!

We had just moved into our new condo in San Francisco. I was sorting through the unwanted items the previous owner had left behind under the deck, it was dark, murky, and damp. Some of the boxes, rusty rakes, and clay pots might be useful, the rest would need to be thrown out.

I lifted a box and was surprised when the most beautiful fragrance emerged. The lovely fragrance came from a clay pot. I took it out from under the deck and into the light so I could get a better look at it.

The pot contained a hyacinth. It was pale (colorless, like white asparagus) and since the box covering it prevented it from growing upward, it had wrapped itself around the perimeter of the pot that contained it.

Although formed by the pot’s limits, the darkness and the confinement could not suppress its truth.

I placed the pot in a sunny spot on my deck and within a day, it was transformed. It stood straight, reaching for the sun and it turned a beautiful lavender color. Freed from its darkness and confinement, it could become the lovely flower it was created to be.

This illustrates the power of the Gospel. God created you in God’s image and planted a seed of beauty and truth in you. This is your true self. But, like my hyacinth, your true self has been distorted and hidden by sin.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection address the sin that binds you and deforms you.

Let’s talk about sin. Some people have a problem with sin or the word/concept of sin. They’ve come to understand it in a cultural or societal or even a religious interpretation…we are worms, worthless, and there is no good in us.

This is not a biblical picture of sin and its effect on us. Remember before original sin there was original grace.

Dallas Willard says in Renovation of the Heart, “Sin does not make us worthless, only lost.”

Let’s start at the beginning:

Genesis 1 – Humankind was created in the image of God and declared “good.” There is a God spark inside every person that is tended by God. It is guarded and never extinguished like the eternal flame at Arlington Cemetary.

Then, of course, came Genesis 3. Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had asked them to avoid, saw that they were naked, felt shame, and attempted to clothe themselves. Sin became incarnate.

Although created in the image of God (good) we also have inherited the image of Adam and Eve (sin). We are sin tainted, it’s in our spiritual DNA, like fat marbled in a piece of meat.

Simply speaking, Sin keeps the hyacinth in the dark, hindering it from being the colorful and beautiful flower it was meant to be.

Jesus is described as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He purposely entered our world, taking on flesh and bones, and carrying our sin with him when he was killed and placed in the dark, dank tomb.

The dark couldn’t kill the hyacinth and death couldn’t hold Jesus. He rose and now shares his death-less life with us.

Jesus tells us of God’s heart toward us in Luke 15 the prodigal son. (Did you know prodigal means extravagant, spending resources freely and recklessly? I think this parable should be known as the prodigal father!)

“All I have is yours.” This is what the perfect Father says to the not-perfect son.

We are coheirs with Jesus. All that is true of Jesus is true of us by grace. (Gal 4:7)

You see, we are not just good people who do bad things, nor are we bad people who do good things. Take heart! We are beloved sinners.

Like my hyacinth, your true self has been distorted and hidden by sin.

And like my hyacinth, God seeks you, finds you, and brings you into the light so you can stand tall and beautiful.

This is the Good News! This is the story of Easter!

A shadowy confession

A shadowy confession

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain


My Dear Seeker,

I often feel so inadequate to be writing to you about the things of the Spiritual Life. I frequently come face to face with my own monumental flaws, flaws that cause dark shadows to be cast on the landscape of my soul. At such times I am tempted to cower in their shade, eyes closed, hands over my face. Cold and accusing, I am convinced that there is no good in me, I am helpless, I can’t even look beyond the darkness of that gloom. I am lost in my pain.

But, I remember God’s truth, even when I don’t feel it. There is hope. Shadows are only cast when there is a source of light. God’s light is shining in me and on me. God’s love is illuminating my life, and it is his kindness that causes my pain. In his light, the contrast between life and death is obvious. My eyes are opened to the times and places I prefer the comfort and familiarity of death. Oh the pain of knowing there is life available to me and I cling to death. Oh, the pain of having to die to death.

How in the world is it possible to step into the light? There must be a way out of the shadows.

Take courage, my soul. The fact that you know you are in the dark is the beginning. Realizing you are living in the shadow reminds you that there is light. Remove your hands from your face, open your eyes, and look toward the light. Remember the feel of the sun on your face, the warmth of the daylight on your skin, and the relaxation you experience when resting in the sunlight. Focus your mind’s attention on the goodness of that light. Choose to remain with these thoughts holding them in your baptized imagination. When you are tempted to avert your eyes from the light and look again toward the darkness, repent. Practice letting yourself choose to stay with the light.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” Helen H. Lemmel

This interior turning is the source of the transformed life. Facing Jesus, choosing Jesus, remaining focussed and intent upon Jesus is the only way into the light. It is a difficult practice to develop, we are bent toward the dark. It requires effort and commitment to stretch toward the light. But I am convinced that this work is our cooperation with the grace of God. When we face the light, the shadows fall behind us and we see only the glory of God.

With you on the journey,

Debby

You live in the year of the Lord’s favor!
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You live in the year of the Lord’s favor!

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain


My Dear Seeker,

The Sabbath we’ve been discussing, described in Luke 4, gave Jesus the opportunity to announce who he was and why he had come into the world. When handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, he unrolled it and searched for the very words that would explain his purpose and his mission. In Isaiah, there are plenty of passages that show the Lord as judging, angry or punishing. Jesus did not choose one of these passages to reveal God’s heart toward the world. The closing phrase of Jesus’ mission statement captures God’s intention, “I came to announce the year of the Lord’s favor.” The year of the Lord’s favor, not the year of the Lord’s displeasure; favor, as in honor, acceptance, approval. Having made this announcement he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down.

End of story. Or should I say beginning of story?

You can begin your day with the expectation of God’s favor going before you preparing the way. Every meeting you enter, every conversation you have, every errand you run, all brim-full with the goodness of God for you. Live in this truth and your attitude toward all that fills your day will be different. Your eyes will be opened to see God’s activity all around you.

In a football game I recently watched the quarterback got sacked, injuring the shoulder of his throwing arm. The commentators kept referring to the way he “favored his right arm” as evidence of the pain the injury caused him. To favor an injured body part means treating it gently, not putting your full weight on it, and recognizing it needs special attention to return to full capacity. 

God’s favor offers you such treatment. God knows you are injured, have been wounded, need to be protected from further harm and damage, and has given you the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ to guard and allow healing for your wounded soul and body.

Jesus ushers in the year of the Lord’s favor, not the moment, nor the day, nor even the week, but the year. This promises that every season of your life will be covered with the Lord’s favor over you. The Springs of your life, when all is new, fresh, bursting with life and energy; the Summers when life is slower and warmth has its healing and nurturing way in the earth and in your soul; the Autumns when death, disguised in beauty and brilliance is mingled with the abundance of a hard-earned harvest; and even the Winters, when you experience coldness, emptiness and are tempted to doubt the coming again of Spring; all seasons of your life come and go under the watchful and attending God of heaven and earth. All are opportunities to receive God’s favor.

As we speak of God’s favor, let this thought stretch your imagination, you are God’s favorite! Allow yourself to bask in the pleasure of being God’s favorite. You are the only you and you are God’s favorite you! Think about it this way, I bet you have many pairs of shoes. Each pair was purchased because you liked them. You have a favorite pair of running shoes, a favorite pair of shoes you wear with your jeans, and a favorite pair of slippers you wear around the house. All your shoes are your favorite ones. In the same way, God loves all of us equally, and each of us is the favorite child, created for the exact purpose of living the life with which we are blessed.

Go forth in the light of God’s favor resting on you, walking before you, following you; know that God’s favor hovers over you, protecting and covering you; the very ground you walk on is the favor of God underneath you, holding and establishing you.

You are God’s beloved.

With you on the journey,

Debby

Lies can hold us prisoner
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Lies can hold us prisoner

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain


My Dear Seeker,

Jesus continues his mission statement by announcing that he came to bring release to the captives. Jesus is the door through which prisoners walk into freedom. To all who are held captive, he brings the good news that there is release and liberation in relationship with him.


Think about the ways you feel imprisoned. Your captor may be a habit you can’t break or a relationship that keeps you a victim of sorts. Maybe you are locked up within the consequences of an earlier bad choice, or in a body that houses sickness or disease.


It is death in its many forms that hold us captive. Defeat and despair are the guards that march sentry around our souls, whispering to us that the cell we inhabit is locked forever, don’t even try to escape; the bars that confine us are unbreakable and unbendable; the door is shut and sealed, and there is no key to fit it.


But, these are all lies! Jesus has turned the table – his death took death captive! His resurrection swung wide open the prison door and the bars that formerly held us now melt like the illusions they are, and we can walk into freedom. This is the truth!


Consider this good news – in Jesus you are free to do whatever you want! The wonder is that in Jesus and with Jesus what you want will lead to life and away from death. Freedom comes not by abandoning rules and laws, but by embracing them; trusting that God has established them for your good. If God has asked some obedience of you, you can be sure it is the Lord’s love that prompts this request. True freedom is experienced when you are bound by obedience.


Unlike you and I, there are some who are literally held captive, through such things as wrongs they have done or because of unjust powers. Does this promise of Jesus hold true for them? How does Jesus, incarnate, bring them release? First of all, in their spirits. They are connected to the love of God through Christ Jesus and no other authority can determine their eternal outcome or their present joy. Sadly, some will physically die as prisoners and on that day they will realize in their person what they have experienced in their spirit, the freedom of a beloved child of God. And God’s Spirit active in us will encourage us to remember these temporally imprisoned friends through our prayers, our visits to them, and our work for justice.


May the freedom Christ bought you bring you joy and abandon.

With you on the journey,
Debby

It’s a privilege to be poor????
by

It’s a privilege to be poor????

Biography of a Soul…notes to a seeker.

Like St. Teresa of Avila, whose Abbess instructed her to write her Autobiography of a Soul, creating a map to follow toward the heart of God, I offer a Biography of a Soul, notes to encourage and equip your heart to seek God’s heart.

Like Screwtape to Wormwood, I make practical suggestions about how to continue toward God’s good will. Read on, won’t you?

Mary Cassatt, The Two Sisters, Public Domain


My Dear Seeker,

Jesus came to bring good news to the poor. The best news the poor could receive is that the resources they are lacking are now provided. The poor have no money to purchase what they need; they have no power to influence the system; they are faceless, invisible, abused, and exploited. The poor need provision, recognition, and protection. Jesus is our provision. Jesus is our power. Jesus is our protection. That is good news. In Jesus’ economy, being poor comes with privileges.

In order to receive the good news of Jesus, we must confess our poverty. This admission is a very humbling experience. It means admitting to ourselves and to others that we can’t take care of ourselves, we need help. It means we must rely on another to supply what, in our mind, we think we should be able to supply for ourselves. Sometimes it means admitting that we have particular needs or desires that we think (or wish) we didn’t. Admitting our poverty requires our ego to die. We can’t pretend that we are wealthy or powerful or that we have it all together. In this dying, we receive the gift of poverty.

To us who are the privileged poor, Jesus says, “do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear.” Why? “Because your heavenly Father knows what you need and will supply your every need out of his abundant riches.” (Luke 12) These promises are sweet, pretty, and very poetic. They bring great comfort and are easy to believe when I am not in touch with my poverty. But when I am out of resources and in real need, I find myself wondering if they are practically and literally true. My soul cries, “I don’t see how you can provide, the need is too great.” Doubt pushes out faith and the vacancy in my soul is filled with fear.

Fear, the great thief, whispers,

  • “Will you have enough? Maybe you should withhold, God will understand.”
  • “Don’t be too generous, remember you have lots of bills to pay.”
  • “Ignore the pleas of that homeless man on the street, he’d just use the money for drugs.”
  • “You need to put that extra money aside for the future instead of taking the widow out for a nice dinner, her husband probably left her plenty of money. Who’s going to take care of you in your old age?”
  • “Why don’t miracle provisions happen for you, as they do for him? He must be more faithful than you. No wonder God doesn’t provide for you, you’re not obedient, you don’t deserve his kindness.”

On and on, fear wages its campaign of dread and worry.

In this cycle of fear and anxiety, be glad that Jesus knows our process intimately and interrupts fear’s tirade. Immediately after telling his followers not to worry, he adds these tender and gentle words, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He knows that in the face of potential lack, our natural tendency will be fear. Jesus knows that we will forget his promises of provision and will think it is up to us to strategize our solvency. And this forgetting keeps us living in fear. We need to live in the place of trust, in the arms of the good shepherd, Jesus. Picture yourself, a little lamb, being carried in the strong and gentle arms of the one who loves you and gave his very life for the privilege of holding you close. “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

With you on the journey,

Debby