“Intentional silence, even for a mature Christian, can feel either scary or entirely superfluous, but when we make time for silence, we carve out space for transformation. We have to detach in order to attach. . . . We’re pushing aside outer noise and saying yes to an inner stillness where God has the chance […]
“The kingdom of God is not about escaping suffering. The kingdom of God is about coming into deep, abiding communion with Jesus Christ and being transformed into His likeness, even through suffering. . . . I believe victory reflects God’s power back to Him, not our perfectly followed formula. . . . If we could […]
“Breath prayer is a simple, contemplative prayer that builds muscle memory as we abide with God. . . . It is a simple way to . . . come to a place of rest in the presence of your Emmanuel. When we marry Scripture or a prayer phrase with our breath, we experience being quieted […]
“The 3 R’s — Rest, Receive, Respond — is a contemplative practice that grounds us in God’s presence through rest and invites us to receive and linger in an encounter of His love before we respond out of spontaneous gratitude.”- Summer Joy Gross “See what love the Father has lavished on us, that we should […]
“Emmanuel is always speaking life. And, Dear One, when Scripture shines a spotlight on a different Scripture that uproots a rooted lie, hold on tight. This is the beginning of your untangling. Sometimes when you encounter that Scripture, you feel like a cat basking in the warmth of a sunbeam. . . . Sometimes . […]
“Lectio Divina is a relational reading of the Word. As we slow down the Word, His story becomes even more tender. His words are wound around our years, and over time we are grafted into His redemption story. Lectio Divina invites us to come to the Word, not as a conqueror, but with openness and […]
“We don’t have to stress and strain to be restored; our work is to believe and surrender to God’s guidance and life-giving love. We don’t have to ‘dig up stuff’; God will show us where and what needs healing. We don’t have to fear God’s restoration project; God is not out to get us, but […]
“Christ’s salvation work on the cross has raised us from the dead, but we’re still wrapped tight in behaviors that keep us from walking free. When we are bound tight, we still have one foot in the grave, experiencing more hell than heaven. With a call to repentance, the Lord invites us to ‘Come out’ […]
“A prayer posture is a simple way to stay attentive to the One who’s always attentive to us. . . . Prayer postures are invitations to stay present to deep inner work as our bodies remind our hearts to pray.”- Summer Joy Gross “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this […]
“Our posture can position us to engage the holy with our full attention. Our bodies, not just our souls, were meant for prayer. . . . Prayer has become an even greater struggle in a world of beeps and buzzes and easily attainable information. Sometimes staying present to the voice of God takes an intentional […]
“We are hurried and harried, surging from one agenda to another, while life with Emmanuel passes us. . . . . Even amid the pain, God spreads a table for us in the wilderness, providing for us in our suffering. Surprisingly, gratitude that grows naturally from present moment awareness can become the way we scoot […]
“When our bodies are grounded in the present moment, we are quiet enough to become attentive to the uninterrupted symphony of praise that rises from every corner of creation. . . . We become available to the mixture of joy and sorrow we’re carrying . . . available to each other. We also become available […]