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Consolation, Desolation, and the Examen Prayer

He who goes about to reform the world must begin with himself, or he loses his labor. -St. Ignatius of Loyola Something that has been paradigm shifting for me has been the Examen prayer. As a husband, father and non-profit worker, the Examen has been impactful for me, for self-awareness as well as for my spiritual development in Christ-centered discernment. I've found that it's a useful tool to see where God is at work, and is calling me to Himself throughout the day. Along with this prayer (that I'll share below), there is language (terms) that Ignatius introduces us to, called: "consolations and desolations." Generally put, a desolation is the experience of situations or circumstances that [...]

By |2019-05-16T04:54:28+00:00June 15th, 2017|Prayers and Blessings, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

A Beautifully Uncomfortable Blessing

I love blessings: prayers asking for God's favor and protection. From the ones we find in Scripture, to the long tradition of blessings that have been passed on from generation to generation through rich heritage, I've been greatly impacted by having others pray them over me. I also enjoy praying blessings over others, and there are some blessings that I kiddingly call "safe blessings," and some that I call, "dangerous blessings" - not that they do harm, but they embrace what we would normally consider desolation for the purpose of the greatest consolation of experiencing the Love of Christ more deeply. This is one of my favorites, that I categorize as a "dangerous blessing." While I'm not [...]

By |2019-05-16T04:43:48+00:00May 21st, 2017|Prayers and Blessings, Spiritual Formation|

Be the Helpers

  "If you look for the helpers, then you'll know that there's hope." Fred Rogers It's overwhelming, really, where we have found ourselves. True, we do see the great needs in the world a little bit: the hurricanes and other natural disasters are often in the headlines, but let's be honest: scandal sells and attention is often drawn away from the great needs of the world (which can actually broaden our worldview), and are often given to the most negatively sensationalistic stories that the headlines can muster. Some studies actually show that the psychological effects of the negative sensationalism in the news actually can result in the watchers to begin to catastrophize worries in our own lives. [...]

By |2018-01-16T05:50:49+00:00November 4th, 2016|Jesus Shaped Community, Kingdom of God|

Minimalization for Maximum Mission

  “The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.” Elise Boulding Even from an early age, the words of Jesus found in the Gospels have resonated so deeply in my mind and heart. I've always seen Jesus, not as a blue-eyed, pale-skinned, white and tidy figure, but an olive-skinned, dusty-footed rabbi: joyful, passionate, and driven, as He took the Kingdom of God wherever He went. So close to my heart are some words from the Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor [...]

By |2018-01-17T22:14:25+00:00June 4th, 2016|Jesus Christ, Kingdom of God, Minimalism, Simplicity|
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