Cultivating an Inner Life with God

There will be 3 times this semester when our student council, along with staff, interns and other student leaders will meet to learn and grow together. The first of these meetings happened last Monday night. Through the next few posts I want to share a little bit of what these times are about and invite you to be a part of those gatherings in October and November.

Our particular Wesleyan tradition tells us that the fullness of our Christian faith has two deeply related and yet different aspects to it. And there are lots of ways to name these two aspects. What they have in common is that they are about the ways that we encounter God and God's grace and are transformed, more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus.

One aspect focuses on our inner life. John Wesley called the practices of our faith that focus on this "works of piety". Things like reading, studying, reflecting on Scripture. Prayer of all kinds. Receiving communion. He thought that these things were about what we could call "personal holiness". I like to talk about it using the language of "cultivating an inner life with God".

The other aspect that forms the fullness of our faith is about our outer life. Our life with and among others. John Wesley called the practices aimed at this "works of mercy". And he said it's about all the different ways that we can do good to the bodies and souls of people. If cultivating an inner life with God is about personal holiness. These practices and postures are about what Wesley called "social holiness". And he taught that Jesus made it clear that real holiness can't remain "personal" but that it very quickly has to get "social". That is the inner life is MEANT to be played out and lived in the web of relationships and the very real social contexts we live in every day.

These two aspects of our faith are the focus of our Christian leadership and formation gatherings this semester.

Our September meeting focused on cultivating our inner lives with God. We shared some of what that has looked like for us. We practiced one way of praying with Scripture, called Lectio Divina. And then we spent time naming one way that we feel called to grow in our inner lives with God.

We're treating it like an experiment that we're running with God for the rest of this semester. How will God meet us in these places? What will God teach us about our selves? When we fail or when it doesn't go like we hoped - even there - what are we learning? How is God giving us grace and a clearer vision of how best to grow in our lives with God?

And we're checking in on each other to see how it's going. Asking some of these kinds of questions to one another.

If you weren't able to be a part of that gathering, but this is something you'd want to explore or be a part of, mention that to me or Paige and we'd love to help you get an experiment going and support you along the way!

(Next post I'll share about what we'll be doing in October and share some of how you can be a part of it)

Grace + Peace,

Tony Jeck

Campus Minister

Ash Wednesday 2022 Devo- Hays Jones

Hey guys!

So as I was reading through the scriptures assigned for today, I was reminded of the fact that life with Jesus is not easy. I feel like sometimes when we think about life with Jesus, it’s easy (for me at least) to forget all of the troubles and hardships that go along with that.

In the 2 Corinthians scripture for today, Paul writes “as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distressed; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work; sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love. . . . genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 

I think Paul’s words do a great job describing many of the hardships of life with Jesus. But in the last few verses, he takes these things that outwardly seem worse, and reframes them to reveal the characteristics that remain. Through these hardships we can continue to be genuine, known, living, rejoicing, making many rich, and possessing everything. Even when times are hard, God is still there.

In the Joel passage, he says “‘Even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning’. Rend your heart and now your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity”.

Even when things are hard, God is so gracious and compassionate, and we should return to Him. 

“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.” Psalm 51:8

During this season, let us hear joy and gladness, and let our broken bones rejoice.

Because of Christmas

We don’t really get to be together as a Wesley community during Christmas. And this event that we aren’t together for, well, it’s a really big deal!

And as I say that, you think, “Of course it is, Tony!”

But it’s an even bigger deal than you know!

I shared the following quote with the Wesley staff at our Christmas party earlier this month. And wanted to share it now, with you:

It’s from the 4th century father of the church, St. Athanasius, in his short but powerful work On The Incarnation.

...through this union of the immortal Son of God with our human nature, all humanity is clothed with incorruption in the promise of the resurrection. For the solidarity of humanity is such that, by virtue of the Word's indwelling in a single human body, the corruption which goes with death has lost its power over all.

You know how it is when some great king enters a large city and dwells in one of its houses; because of his dwelling in that single house, the whole city is honored, and enemies and robbers cease to bother it. Even so is it with the King of all; He has come into our country and dwelt in one body amidst the many, and in consequence the designs of the enemy against humankind have been foiled, and the corruption of death, which formerly held them in its power, has simply ceased to be.

What Athanaisus is saying is that because of what has happened in Jesus EVERYTHING is NOW different just by the simple fact that Jesus is who he is.

Because ALL of God comes to happen together with ALL that we are in the person of Jesus, there is now something brand new and life giving opened up to us.

Now, he’s not trying to downplay the significance of the cross or Jesus’ death and resurrection. No. He just wants to slow us down before we get there to let us marvel at what God has done in coming to us in Jesus.

In these days of Christmas, what does it mean for you to wonder and reflect on God’s solidarity with you in Jesus? In whatever you or those around you face or carry, can you allow this reality to enter in - In Jesus, God joins you in that. God stands with you, is your companion, enters into the hurt, the sadness, the longing, the confusion. And Athanaisus says this kind of solidarity to humanity is what finally undoes the designs of the enemy and the power that has so long enslaved us.

So, Merry Christmas! God is with you!

Set Apart Time for God

So we are in the 6th week of school and this is like the time, for me at least, that I have to be start getting more serious. First round of tests are done and I usually don’t do so hot because I’m still feeling out what its going to be like. The beginning of a new year/semester can be a hard time to distinguish the parts in our life that are important and areas that we should stress more. As a senior, I still struggle with figuring out how I am going to balance everything. For example, I spent the first couple weeks of school sick, but as I was getting better and could start to put more energy into things I had to really crack down on what I needed to do. I probably should have put more energy into catching up on schoolwork since I missed two weeks, but instead I stressed about the perfect outfit for the first game (still important to me but I could’ve made the better decision to do school work). A lot of times I see myself doing this in my faith life too. I often think that doing all my Wesley things are more important than feeding my spirituality alone. It reminds me of the passage Luke 10: 38-42 which reads:

“38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing.[a] Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus points out to Martha that she is spending time stressing about the “wrong” thing. And yeah, she thought she was doing the right thing and neither is inherently wrong but she is working so hard that she is not focused on the presence of Jesus, and that’s hard for me too. There’s a quote from a monk (I think) that says, “Sometimes faith is about subtraction rather than addition.” So for example, subtraction could look like subtracting one Wesley event a week or putting a sleep timer on my phone so that I can set apart time for God. The intention is very important and so doing things that kind of force you to spend time could kick-start a habit of setting apart time. So as we continue this semester, think of ways about how can you subtract or even just say no to things so that you can have time intentionally set apart for God’s time. Setting time apart for things that I think are “productive” is so easy but ultimately those things will be taken away, but the presence of Jesus will never be taken away, as a little tie to Ecclesiastes, everything in life is ultimately “meaningless” unless you have an aspect of Jesus in it.

Peace,

Caroline Deck

Ministry Update for Fall 2021

IMPORTANT COVID-19 MINISTRY UPDATE

As we've seen a marked increase in the number of COVID cases across Lee County over the last few weeks, and as we prepare for 30,000 of our closest friends to come/return to the campus of Auburn University over the next couple of weeks, I wanted to share an update on how we'll begin in ministry together this semester at Wesley.

As of today, we are planning to offer the full range of ministries and to have our building fully open as a place for people to study and hang out without putting limits on capacity. But, just as the University is doing, we are going to begin the semester by wearing masks when we are indoors.

We're all going to live this way together, regardless of vaccination status, for a few reasons -

1. This is the best way for us to protect ourselves and others from getting sick. The Delta variant is proving to be especially contagious and transmissible.

2. We hope that over the next couple of weeks we will meet and begin to get connected to hundreds of new students! We want to create as safe an environment as we can for these new connections and friendships to be made.

3. As God's people, it becomes especially important that we live not for ourselves or for our own comfort and convenience, but that we look to the needs of others - especially those most vulnerable. And we do this because this is precisely the way that Jesus is toward us!

Last year, when we were in the peak of the pandemic and without any vaccines, what guided us then needs to continue to guide us now - Wesley's three general rules: Do no harm. Do good. Grow in your love for God.

As I said above, we do not plan to reduce capacity or limit use of the building. And we do plan to have Thursday night dinner! We will wear masks while we go through the line to get our food. Once we're at our seats, we can take off our masks and eat. Then we'll put our masks back on... and then off to Bible Studies or Freshmen Community!

There is some risk in having this meal. We will do what we can to mitigate that risk. But I see how much this shared time together is one of the most tangible means of grace to so many of you - giving you time to be together, enjoy one another, get worked up about the raffle, and eat a Sister Schubert roll or two or three.

And so I hope you can hear our commitment to take seriously the situation we are in as it relates to COVID and also to take seriously what you need to be supported and grow and thrive in relationship to God and one another, even during this time!

As a ministry, we will not have any kind of limitations to participation based on vaccination status. AND what is also true is that I will continue to invite everyone who is able to be vaccinated to go ahead and do just that, as it is the surest and safest way to the other side of this. There are a number of places around Auburn where you can receive the vaccine for free. And we'd be glad to help you find one of those. Auburn University has an incentive program that it is rolling out this fall for students who can show proof of their fully vaccinated status - with some of the prizes being things like A-Zone parking and free tuition for the semester! If you've been hesitant to get vaccinated, I hope something in all of this might encourage you to take that step.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. And thank you for being a part of Wesley. I am praying for you as we begin this new semester. I have such a sense of anticipation and hope for how God will be at work in and through you and this ministry!

May the grace + peace of Christ be yours

Tony Jeck

Campus Minister

Tips for navigating this particular round of finals -

I received this email from Duke Divinity’s chaplain during my last semester of my masters, not long ago. It was really helpful to me. I touched it up with some Auburn/Wesley specifics and wanted to now pass on to you what’s been given to me…

Stress is a normal and expected part of life. Attending college during a global pandemic in a country wrestling with issues of systemic racism and painful political polarization magnifies that stress. Anxiety is ever-present in this moment. The baseline of anxiety means that things that would otherwise not have as much impact or would not feel overwhelming instead may feel very overwhelming. You may find yourself unable to do work at the level you have previously (both in quality and volume). This is normal, and to be expected. Have grace with yourself. 

With so much uncertainty, find a sustainable pace for the road ahead. Scripture says we are to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1), but what type of race? At this point, we know this is not a sprint. It is not even a marathon. It is an ultra-run whose end we do not know. Considering that, find a pace you can sustain indefinitely and identify the practices that renew your energy.  

Jesus said to love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:9). This commandment presumes that you love yourself as God loves you. God cares for you and caring for yourself is an important part of following Jesus. Self-care will mean different things for different people. Here are a few practical basics: 

·         Get enough sleep. Sleep is an important part of giving your body and mind a rest. It will help restore your physical and mental resource. Sleep deprivation has short term and long-term impact on health. Many times, your mental focus will be clearer, and you will be better able to absorb new information or do necessary creative writing when you are well-rested. Jesus slept in the storm, and you can too. 

·         Eat a good diet. At minimum be sure you are eating. Food is fuel for your body and mind! God makes Godself known in the breaking of bread and sharing a meal—there is something holy to mealtime. We’ll have a dinner break at 6pm under the tent THIS Thursday evening. (I don’t know if Dominos counts as a “good diet”, but the fellowship/holy meal sharing - we've got that covered for sure!)

·         Move. Exercise is good self-care for many people (rather tortuous for others). Exercise can help release the tension that builds up in your body when you are stressed. Even if you are not interested in being a mega-athlete, getting out for a walk and breathing fresh air is good for you. We’re offering FREE yoga at the tent tomorrow at noon! Make use of the Rec on campus. Better yet get outside - head to Chewacla or Kiesel for a couple hours to walk or hike or throw the frisbee or just stare at a tree and breath some fresh air.

·         Create a little structure. In these days when we have lost many of the rhythms and markers of time, be intentional to inject structure and patterns into your day. Set a daily alarm. Shower and get ready (whatever that looks like for you). If you were making your bed pre-Covid, make your bed now. Set aside time for prayer or reading of scripture. FaceTime or call (or whatever you do to keep in touch with folks!) Set a general schedule for your day (even if you know there is inherent flexibility).  
If you are on medication to manage anxiety or depression, now is not a good time to quit that medication. If you are not on medication but have wondered if you should be because your anxiety and/or depression is increasingly difficult to manage, reach out to your doctor and advocate for yourself. 

·         Stay connected. The social isolation of Covid-19 is one of the hardest aspects of this season. Even in a time of social distancing, it is still important to take breaks and to find balance. It is important to set aside time for relationships, family priorities, spiritual focus, and other hobbies or passion. It is simply not as easy to form relationships as organically as before the pandemic. You may have to be more intentional to find times with friends. Spending time with others (even virtually) is an important practice.  

·         Take Sabbath. Make sure you set time away from school and schoolwork. Sabbath is a fundamental part of the Christian life—it is meant to be a gift and an opportunity for refreshment. 

·         Give thanks. It is a right and a good and a joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks to God. Studies show that reflecting each day on sources of joy and grace, even in the midst of the hardship, can be an important practice for improving mental health. Make time for gratitude. 

We were not created to be alone or to be socially isolated. We were created for community! There are people within Auburn Wesley and the wider Auburn network who can be sources of support to you and those you care for. Trust in your ability to listen to the physical, emotional, and mental cues your body provides and reach out when needed.  Please know David and I are glad to meet with you one-on-one via Zoom or in person.

A Prayer for Today

Here is a prayer that I’ll hope you’ll pray today. May it not only help us to guard our hearts and minds from all that would seek to draw us away from Christ and our neighbors. But let us take up these kinds of prayers that we might be able to live and embody the faithfulness of Christ, now more than ever!

Remember, Prince of Peace, the people of this country and state, divided as we are by so many things.

Deliver us from every evil that blocks up the way of your saving work among us, and fulfill your promises to establish your kingdom of peace on earth as it is in heaven:

From believing and speaking lies against others, 

O Lord, deliver us 

From narrow loyalties and selfish isolation, 

O Lord, deliver us

From fear and distrust of others, 

O Lord, deliver us

From false pride and arrogance, 

O Lord, deliver us

From the lust for riches and power and privilege, that drives us to not see the needs of our neighbors, 

O Lord, deliver us

From every thought, word, and deed that divides us and separates us from the realization of your love, 

O Lord, deliver us 

Teach us, God of every nation, to see every question of national policy in the light of our faith, that we may check in ourselves and in others everything that  stirs in us that makes for war, ungenerous judgment, all promptings of self-assurance, all presumptuous claims.

Grant us insight to recognize the needs and aspirations of others, and remove our suspicions and misunderstandings, that we may honor all people in Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Amen. 

Prayers for this week

Throughout this election week we want to share prayers that can help guide you in how to move through this week as someone who belongs to Jesus. We hope you’ll pray them, make them your own, add your own heart and desire to them, share them with friends, let them be a part of your conversation around this significant event.

So here’s a place to begin -

Teach us, God of the whole universe, to see people by the light of the faith we profess, that we may check ourselves against all ungenerous judgments, all presumptuous claims, that, in recognizing the needs of others, we may remove old hatreds and rivalries and begin to do the work that leads to new understandings, that we may genuinely be a part of your redeeming work here and in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

A place to be able to talk to actual people

There are a number of challenges that come with navigating your college experience during the pandemic. One of the things that has begun to be a common theme is how much we miss and really need opportunities to be able to sit and talk to actual people! To be able to have a place to share about life and how we’re doing and what's going on and the sense we have about what God might be up to in the middle of all this. And this need isn’t just an extrovert problem - This seems to be a near universal, right now!

In light of this, I want to point you to our discipleship groups that are about to form over the next week or so. They are small groups of 5-7 people of the same gender/same age who meet weekly to share life and study Scripture and to pray for one another. (As with all our ministry opportunities this semester, masks and distancing will be practiced).

I don’t offer this as the final solution to this need, but I do, whole heartedly, think it can be a REALLY significant part of how you find a community of support and growth during this time where personal connection feels at a premium.

Check out the sign up below and consider if this might be both a good gift to you from God, but also a way that you can be a part of God’s reaching out to others through being a part of a group like this -

Freshmen sign up here

Sophomores, here

Junior + Seniors, here

Correcting a mistake... and a bit more about what it has to do with us

Hey friends, if you were with us for worship last night, then you know we talked about how to live as people who

1. Do no harm

2. Do good

3. Grow in our love of God

And that one of the things that John Wesley said about doing no harm is that we have to pay special attention to the kinds of things that are most frequently causing harm and the types of evil that are most commonly practiced… and the ways we participate in them.

Near the end of our time together I was reflecting that one of the places so much harm is done has to do with the deep wound and pain of racism and racial injustice in our country. I mentioned Jacob Blake - who was shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha, WI last week.

I misspoke saying that he was murdered.

Jacob Blake did not die. He has survived. But he is paralyzed and in the hospital.

It is really important to me that I do everything I can to speak clearly and truthfully to you every chance I’m given. And I am so grateful to those of you who quickly and kindly corrected me in my error. This is important for our life together as a fellowship!

Thank you!

But I want to say a bit more. I recognize that talking about the continued shootings of Black people by white police officers is a charged topic and that there is a good degree of complexity to these issues. But complexity does not mean “impossible to talk about” or that ambivalence is acceptable. When I hear of the ongoing shootings what I hear is the clear and too tangible reminder of how deeply entrenched racism is in the very foundations and fabrics of our shared life together in this country. And this means law enforcement, justice system, prisons, health care, schools, housing… and the church.

And so the call to “do no harm” is a call to me and to us, to wake up to the bias and racial prejudice that we - that I - all too often just accept as normal... or maybe don’t even notice, because we don’t HAVE TO notice. The call to “do no harm” says, “No, now’s the time to notice!”

And the call to “do good to the bodies and souls of people” is a call, in this instance, to attend in a special way to the bodies and souls of our Black sisters and brothers; to be with and for them in whatever ways we can; to recognize how long and deep the pain and injury of racism, in all its many forms, runs in our country. And how deeply it shapes the experience of being Black in America.

So - today, join me in praying for Jacob Blake and his recovery. Pray for the police officers that are involved. Pray for the two protestors who were shot and killed.

But also, let’s pay attention right where we are. This is not a far off thing. It lives in our hearts and in our campus community and in our communities of faith.

And you and me - if we want to be a part of the movement of God in the world, we’re called to

1. Do no harm

2. Do good

3. Grow in our love of God

Grace + Peace,

Tony

Sunday Night into Finals

We always get together for a brief time of worship and centering on the night before finals begin. Typically that centers around communion. This year, given the circumstances we were reminded that we live from every word that comes from God as we reflected together on Psalm 46:10. In case you missed it, you can watch it HERE.

We invite you to carry these simple but powerful words of God with you into the rest of your week - “Be still and know that I am God.”

Grace + Peace

Sunday Night Worship - Celebrating our Graduating Seniors!

Our Srs. and staff, last night after worship, got together for a “group picture”

Last night our graduating seniors led us in worship, sharing stories of faith and the ups and downs of the journey and the kinds of friendships that are formed in and through Christ. We love them and are so proud of them and can’t express enough how wish we could be together to celebrate them; to give hugs and handshakes. We will find a way to do that down the road.

But for now, in case you missed it, you can watch the worship celebration HERE.

Easter Sunday Night Worship Gathering -

Happy Easter Monday!

It was such a delight to get to gather last night and to celebrate the life and power and creativity of our Risen Savior!! Thanks to everyone who helped to lead us!

In case you missed it, you can find it here!

May the Grace + Peace of the Risen Jesus be a reality in your life today.

Seven Words of Christ from the Cross - Reflections for Good Friday

We recognize the we cannot be together to observe and share in the deepest and most sacred parts of the story of our salvation. So, we wanted to create something that you could listen to on your own. In some ways reflecting on the suffering and death of Christ is something that requires some quiet space. And so, perhaps you can find some time and space to sit and listen and reflect on Christ and his suffering love. It is meant in particular for Good Friday, but we hope that you’ll take some time with this at some point this Holy Week.

May the grace and peace of Christ guide you on this sacred journey.

Palm Sunday Worship (zoom) Gathering

Our Holy Week journey has begun. It’s pretty different this year. Typically, in our life together, Holy Week is marked by almost daily occasions to be together for prayer and reflection. So while we cannot get together in that way, we are so grateful for these chances we have to be together, like last night, in worship. Thanks for all who were a part of leading us!

In case you missed it, you can check it out HERE!

May grace and peace be with each of you as we make this journey with Christ to the cross!

Worship - Sunday Night, March 29, 2020

We met together on zoom for worship. Thanks to everyone who played a part in helping us to offer our lives to God during that time! We are so grateful for these chances to be together, uniting our hearts and minds to Christ. Please continue to share these group gathering opportunities with other students and friends. We need these sources of community and grace, now more than ever.

In case you weren’t able to be with us you can find it HERE

Worship, via Zoom - Sunday Night, March 22

We gathered last night for our first time as a worshiping community. In case you weren’t able to jump on, or wanted to listen again, you can find that HERE.

Here is the image that I shared as we reflected on the fact that Jesus knows deeply what its like to be found in the wilderness. And so we can trust that he is with us and we can call out to him. Reflect on this image alongside these words from Hebrews 2.

“Christ in the Desert” by Ivan Kramskoi

I also shared about the way the wilderness is NOT a spiritually neutral time or space. In this strange season we will find in it an opportunity to grow closer to God… or we will find that we feel at a greater distance from God. So it may be worth praying and pondering on these two questions in the wilderness:

1. What are the temptations for me in this season?

2. What are the invitation of God for me in this season?

I shared that one of the ways me and my family are seeking to grow closer to God in this time is through giving time everyday to a weekly gospel reading. You can find the readings for this week HERE. I am thinking that our time together this next Sunday may well center around this week’s gospel, John 11:1-45. We’re not sure what that time will look like yet, but we will be sure to share that information as we move closer to Sunday.

Grace + Peace

Last Night's Announcements and Such - Thursday Night Dinner - LIVE, via zoom.

We got together for a bit last night to check in with one another, to share some announcements and a few things that will be important for us to walk well together through this unexpected season of life. You can watch that HERE

Thanks to all of you who showed up! It was great to get a chance to see one another!

Cultivating an Inner Life with God - Some Guides

Last night in worship we talked about the need to cultivate an inner life with God. To find some practice of the inner disciplines that can help us to go deep and not settle for shallow, surface-y lives. But to live from a place that is deeply tethered to God's life and love.

There are so many different ways to do this. I want to keep this simple as a starting point and insist that when I talk about cultivating inner disciplines I mean:

Some practice of listening to and communicating with God in prayer along with some practice of giving attention to God through Scripture

I want to share some resources that can help you as you explore the variety of ways that Christians have found to pray and give attention to God through Scripture.

Some books that you could get to help you explore these things, that have been helpful to me -

The Sacred Way - I really appreciate this book. Explores 16 different practices. He doesn’t do “inner” and “outer”, but instead divides the practices by “Contemplative Approaches” and “Bodily Approaches”. Each chapter gives a little history of the discipline, some theology behind it, and then spends the rest of each chapter giving you first steps in how to begin practicing.

The Celebration of Discipline - A Classic introduction to the variety of Christian disciplines. I was first introduced to this when I was in college. In many ways it is what got me started on this journey. The movement of our current Sunday night series is based off of how this book is organized: Inner, Outer, Corporate Disciplines. So last night was In; next week: Out; then Together.

Soul Feast - I love how this one is organized and written. Full of great quotes and questions to help you reflect further in developing a rhythm of life for yourself with the disciplines.

Benedict on Campus - Written by a campus minister to explore some of the practices that he has found to be most helpful and significant as he has walked with students over the years. I have used a couple pieces of it in some of what I have done among us. You’ll find it a good introduction to a handful of meaningful disciplines.

Each of these offer looks at multiple ways of praying and engaging with God through Scripture.

Here are a few more focused resources, which focus on particular practice -

Prayer -

Wonder, Fear and Longing - This is a great little book that wants to walk you into a number of different ways of praying that attend to the deepest places in us - places of wonder, fear and longing.

A Simple, Life-changing Prayer - Some of you have heard me talk about a way of praying at the end of each day called the “examen” that helps us to look back on our day and with Christ’s help, to begin to notice God’s presence and activity in our ordinary life. This is a little book introducing that.

Here’s a place you can find more about it

Open Mind, Open Heart - I have also found the practice of centering prayer to be meaningful to me as a way of beginning my day. It is a pretty different way of praying, because it doesn’t want to be full of words. It wants to teach us to learn how to sit in and be aware of God’s presence. This is a good introduction to the practice.

Reading Scripture -

Read, Think, Pray, Live - this is by the same guy that wrote “The Sacred Way” but it’s a little book all about the practice of Lectio Divina. I have used this book a number of time with groups to begin to teach this as a regular practice and have found it to be a good guide!

If you want to begin a practice of studying Scripture - pick a book you’d like to start with and then pick up any of NT Wright’s “For Everyone” commentaries (the link is to the Matthew, part 1, but he has them on all the NT books) and read that along with your reading.

A good study Bible can be helpful in beginning to dig deeper. Pay attention to footnotes and introductions and references to other Scriptures, etc. I’d recommend any of these - NISB; HCSB; WSB

Putting it all together -

A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God -

A Gide to Prayer for All God’s People -

I’ve found these little guides to be helpful to me in giving me a rough outline of how I might pray and read in my time with God. If that kind of starting point can help you, check them out. My favorite part is all the quotes they give for each week.

And there’s SO much more we could get into with all this. But, here’s a start.

Please let me know if you have questions or something specific you’re searching for or wanting to cultivate in your inner life with God. I’d love to talk with you about that and help you to simply begin!

Grace + Peace,

Tony Jeck

Spiritual Disciplines - Meditation

Psalm 19:14(NRSV)

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable to you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Hello everyone! If you’re reading this, then welcome to this month’s spiritual resource! This month, we’ll be focusing on a practice that has greatly shaped my faith journey, the practice of contemplation, often referred to as meditation. Meditation is a very broad term that applies to many practices, which attempt to train attention and awareness to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. It is important to note that what makes meditation Christian is purpose. We are creating space in our minds for Christ. For me, Meditation has become a kind of Sabbatical practice, a moment of rest every day. Over the centuries, many of our sisters and brothers in the Christian tradition have engaged in these practices, and they are a valuable resource to us today. One of the things to keep in mind about meditation, is that it takes practice. It takes practice to let your body relax and your mind be present. So often we get ourselves caught up in all of our work, all the time, and our minds are just used to running autopilot 24/7, so it may take time for you to become accustomed to mindfulness.

Here are some meditation resources:

Meditations playlist (Compiled by me)

link (Spotify)

Vapor - Album by (The Liturgists)

link (Spotify)

Articles on the Examen spirituals

link (website)

Salt and the Sound - Artist that makes good tracks to sit with

link (Spotify)

Wishing you all peace and every blessing,

- Jalen Cutchens