Spiritual Formation

Solitude is a Place

2019-05-16T23:49:30+00:00By Joel|Solitude, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

"Silence and solitude [is] the medicine for curing, among other things, deep distraction." - Chris Hall Lately, I've been rethinking and praying about what solitude looks like for me. As an introvert, I love (and thrive in) quiet. It re-energizes me. It fills the tank. However, I've found over the years (especially now) that it must be more and more intentional, and I believe that rings true regardless of temperament. Factors that change the landscape of our ability to find solitude range from where we live (i.e. living in the city, in a dorm, etc.) to having kids, as well as having networks of relationships, and yes, even technology effects our ability to find it. It [...]

Be Filled with the Helper

2019-05-16T05:50:05+00:00By Joel|Missional Living, Spiritual Formation|

Much of what I aim to cultivate in this space is focused on the inward journey, however, really, the heart behind Simply on Mission is the outward journey: sharing the love and grace of God in a way that overflows from a place of true identity. In other words, it looks like compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and grace in our relationships and how we engage the world (i.e. being close to the brokenhearted, remembering the poor, standing with the oppressed and downtrodden, etc.). The thing is: we are used to doing. Especially in our western culture, we measure our worth by our literal or metaphorical resumés, and when we do that, we often begin to believe the lies of [...]

Still, Like a Tree

2019-05-16T05:36:14+00:00By Joel|Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Stillness|

"...in an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still." (Pico Iyer) As I've been pursuing the practice of stillness, I have read a book called The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer, a travel writer. Throughout the book he makes keen observations about stillness, and in a wonderful Ted Talk that he presented, he said, "The trip, in other words, gave me some amazing sights, but it's only sitting still that allows me to turn those into lasting insights" Here, Iyer makes the realization that amidst [...]

Stillness

2019-05-16T05:24:33+00:00By Joel|Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 “Let us be silent, that we may hear the whisper of God.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson A rhythm of grace (a life-giving spiritual practice) for me has been the practice of stillness: being still; stopping; resting. It's interesting how counter-intuitive it seems to our culture right now, doesn't it? Being someone who grew up in a generation that spanned a progression from analog to digital, I remember when life moved 25-45 mph, telephones were attached to the wall, photos were shared by waiting for the film developer to call you letting you [...]