Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39 (NCV)

Recently I met a friend that was going through a difficult time. In the midst of our conversation I encouraged her to remember that Jesus is always with her. To remember that he is there as she takes each breath. That led to us having a discussion about how we can view Jesus as someone up in the clouds, keeping an eye on everything happening down here on earth where it often feels like survival of the fittest. Often in our desperation, we tilt our head toward heaven wondering if he is actually paying attention?

During the holiday season, we were reminded that he is Emmanuel, God with us! In the midst of all the brokenness this world has to offer, Jesus chooses to be with us, to dwell in us, to care for us in our deepest joys and our deepest pain.

When we slow down we can notice more than our fear or anxiety, we notice God’s goodness and the gift of his son. He’s with us! Maybe you will catch a glimpse of him in your child’s eyes, or in the new friend you just met. He is with us and his desire is to connect. Let’s not be so busy we forget to look for him. Explore some ways you can slow down in the resources below.

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God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning—Day Six. - Genesis 1:31 (MSG)

We live in a hurried society where the temptation is to be constantly on. Learning to take space to rest in the Lord in direct response to our hustle culture is a discipline. Spending time in silence stillness and solitude before the Lord can bring us into that space of Sabbath rest.

This is not meant to be a legalistic practice but one that gives us a break from always being on and one that right sizes us with God. When choosing to try this practice, see if you can take a day away from technology, away from regular household duties, away from work responsibilities and simply be. Rest. Consider beginning and ending your day with scripture and prayer. Take a slow walk and maybe a nap. Enjoy your family if they are with you. Rest in the goodness of the Lord.

Feel free to pick a day that works for your schedulclass=e and if a whole day feels like too much, begin with a section of the day. Explore the resources below to learn more about the practice of Sabbath.

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Be still, and know that I am God.... - Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we’re so caught up with the busyness of life, we tune out God. At this moment, you probably have many things going through your mind. Acknowledge the noise and static of your mind. Think about the distractions in your life, the things that block out God’s voice in your life. Allow yourself to rest a moment in silence. Ask God to quiet your thoughts and put aside distractions so you can focus on him and hear his voice through this journey.

Be still and know that he is God.

As Christ followers we want to root all we do in prayer. A personal relationship with Jesus or abiding in him across our life stages, pain, struggles, etc. As we encounter Jesus we are transformed into whom we were created to be and we believe that prayer changes our own lives and the lives of those we encounter. This type of silent prayer is different than when we petition and is designed to help our hearts align with God’s.

For some of you this might sound like a breath of fresh air. For others your gut began to tighten as you saw the title about being still and quiet. If you are intrigued or prompted to try this form of prayer take a look at the resources below.

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“Immerse them in the truth, the truth Your voice speaks.” - John 17:17 (VOICE)

While many tend to think of prayer and Bible reading as separate spiritual practices, they can be even more powerful when combined into one practice of “praying scripture.” Praying the Scriptures allows you to use the words and emotions of the Bible to gain more confidence in your prayers.

What do we mean when we say “pray scripture?” It is simply ordering a time of prayer around a particular text in the Bible. This can mean either praying the prayers of the Bible word-for-word as your own prayers, or personalizing portions of the Scriptures in prayer to your own needs or situation.

Here are a few examples of passages that work well for this: Psalm 23 (NIV); Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV); Isaiah 40: 28-41 (NIV). Feel free to explore other ways of reading scripture below.

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Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. - 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

Social engagement is one of the fastest ways for us to settle. We were created to live in community and we need each other. Forming communities helps create stability when we are unified under a shared purpose. As Christians, we are bound together in one Communion – the Body of Christ. Many of the prayer practices we have talked about were formed from early Christians many of which were a part of a monastic order, living together with a shared purpose and prayer life. While we are not living in a monastery our prayers should still reflect the unity found in the body of Christ. This requires a commitment to our own inner work allowing God’s grace to be present in the way we love and interact with our neighbors, even if we do not see things the same way. Christ brings us together and our worship unites us.

Explore the resources below and reflect on the following questions:

• How am I doing with community based living? Am I sharing life with others?
• Am I aware of personal wounds that might prevent me from engaging? Can I seek help for those?
• What are some creative ways to reach out to another this week and encourage or pray for them?

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