“In a noise-polluted world, it is even difficult to hear ourselves think let alone try to be still and know God. Yet is seems essential for our spiritual life to seek some silence, no matter how busy we may be. Silence is not to be shunned as empty space, but to be befriended as fertile ground for intimacy with God” — Susan Muto

“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer” — Luke 5:16

Living in an age of technology and information silence is a really hard thing to come by. We are bombarded with constant sources of amusement, words, music, advertising, alarms, and voices. Our cultural milieu is one of noise and lots of it.

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“Our desire to know more, read more and study more can be another expression of our culture and its inquisitive nature. Knowing God, not knowing more, is the goal.” — Richard Rohr

“The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it” — Deuteronomy 30:14

Lectio Divina which means “spiritual reading” in latin, is an ancient practice of reading, hearing, and praying the Scriptures. It is a way of approaching the Scriptures for the purpose of finding a personal message from God, for we believe the word of God is living, active and always fresh, and it is God’s desire to speak to us through it.

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“The examen makes us aware of moments in our lives that at first we might easily pass by as insignificant, moments that ultimately can give direction to our lives.” —Dennis Linn

“So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus would be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.” — Philippians 1:9-11 (MSG)

The daily examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of your day, a way to use your head and test your feelings in dialogue with God. Engaging in the examen offers a way for you to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for your life.

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Breath prayer has been used throughout the history of the church as a way of living out Paul’s instruction. Prayer linked to the rhythm of our breath offers opportunity to pray without ceasing, and since we are all breathing all the time this form of prayer really does have the potential to become as natural as breathing…

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A few weeks ago we wrapped up our sermon series in Esther, and with it a short exploration of Christian spiritual practices. Often when we think of spiritual practices (or often called disciplines) we think of things like bible study, prayer, worship, and giving. These are probably the most commonly discussed practices within the church, and while all of these are good to engage with, there are numerous others which have been used by Christians throughout the history of the church for the sake of experiencing the presence of God in a transformative way…

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