category
Search by topic, scripture, category etc..
140 Results in 102ms
Display
Sorted By
-
Quote
On retreat we stop avoiding the pain of the disconnect between our deepest desires and the way we are actually living. We have time and space to reflect on our life rhythms to see if they are really w... -
Quote
Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work. -
illustration
Following Jesus Requires Real Commitment
What are you willing to do for love? An instructor for the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course shared with a class the major hang-up he had to get over before asking his wife to ma... -
illustration
The Most Powerful Choices in our Lives
The most powerful choices we will make in our lives are not about specific decisions but about patterns of life: the nudges and disciplines that will shape all our other choices. This is especially tr... -
illustration
Developing an Anthropological Foundation for the Spiritual Disciplines
Before my mentor, Dallas Willard, passed over to glory, I asked him what he thought about the rapid rise of the Christian spiritual formation movement. He said, “It is a wonderful thing, but my fear i... -
illustration
Never Stop Learning, Always Growing
The bottom line is this: never grow complacent. Never grow tired of learning. As soon as we stop learning we lose the capacity to grow and mature in our work and our relationships. This continual lear... -
Quote
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. -
liturgy
Contempt, a Prayer of Confession
Contempt is so painful To be dismissed, disregarded Questioning instead of dignity Accusation instead of personhood I have felt its sting and hollowness As have you, my Jesus Help me hear the needed ... -
illustration
Consolation Defined
The etymology of certain words can profoundly enrich our understanding and experience of life. Consider the word “consolation.” Its roots lie in the Latin words “con-” meaning “ “to be ” and “solus,... -
illustration
The Conversational Topper
Have you ever been guilty of being a “conversational topper”? The topper is someone who, when another confides a challenge or shares an exciting event, immediately connects that event to their own li... -
illustration
The Cleverest Person In England
Tradition has it that Jennie Jerome, who would eventually become Winston Churchill’s mother, once had dinner with the British politician William Gladstone. She left the meal thinking Gladstone was the... -
Quote
The life of a Christian is wondrously ruled in this world, by the consideration and meditation of the life of another world. -
illustration
He Saw it, He Loved it, He Ate it
Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of and other children’s books, gets many letters from his young fans. A favorite was a “charming” drawing sent on by a little boy’s mother. “I loved it,” Sendak ... -
liturgy
Heavenly Father, we come before Your
Heavenly Father, we come before Your throne of grace to confess our sin. We have been selfish instead of generous; we have been proud instead of humble; we have held grudges instead of forgiving; we h... -
liturgy
Holy God, You call us to a passionate,
Holy God, You call us to a passionate, all-consuming faith. Yet, so frequently, we give You half-hearted obedience or distracted, leftover moments of our time. You tell us that we are the salt of the ... -
liturgy
Eternal and Glorious God, Your grace
Eternal and Glorious God, Your grace calls us toward growth and service in You. Yet today we acknowledge the many times we have forgotten Your mercy and rejected Your love. Forgive us when we sin agai... -
liturgy
God of grace, you ask us to pray
God of grace, you ask us to pray without ceasing, yet we admit to you that we are easily distracted. Days and weeks can pass where we don’t acknowledge you. Neglecting our relationship with you, we de... -
liturgy
All: Knowing God, we often believe our
All: Knowing God, we often believe our way is the best way. In our arrogance, we ignore your will and your ways. We confess our dependence on knowledge and our independence from you. Thank you that yo... -
liturgy
Gracious God, our hearts are often
Gracious God, our hearts are often divided between what is good and what is evil. Not one of us is pure in heart yet we long to have a whole heart. -
liturgy
Gracious God, we desire to follow when
Gracious God, we desire to follow when you call. We long to live according to the ways of Jesus, yet we find ourselves stumbling. Forgive us for the times we have ignored your call to follow you in th... -
liturgy
Almighty God, harsh words and personal
Almighty God, harsh words and personal attacks can bring out the worst in us. We find ourselves spending energy on thoughts of retaliation and plans to protect ourselves. Father forgive us. We long to... -
liturgy
Gracious God–who opens Your arms wide
Gracious God–who opens Your arms wide to welcome us just as we are but who’s too loving leave us that way: in response to Your invitation we come humbly and boldly with our broken hearts and weak hand... -
liturgy
Gracious God, your Son Jesus came not
Gracious God, your Son Jesus came not be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. He is our Good Shepherd, whose leadership is less about the love of power, and more about the ... -
liturgy
Compassionate God—In Christ, you enter
Compassionate God—In Christ, you enter our condition; you experience our sorrow and our joy ... and redeem them. By Your Holy Spirit, you carry us along: in crisis and celebration, in despair and acco... -
liturgy
Dear God, my Heavenly Father, My heart
Dear God, my Heavenly Father, My heart is unclean, but you can purify it. My heart is full of darkness, but you can illuminate it. My heart is sad, but you can comfort it. My heart is wicked, but ... -
liturgy
Adapted from Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. Risen C... -
liturgy
Lord God, forgive us for how we have
Lord God, forgive us for how we have let our faith atrophy. We grow complacent, stagnant, and we fail to strive to follow you. Give us passion, give us courage, and give us motivation to excel for you... -
liturgy
Lord: In our times of weakness and our
Lord: In our times of weakness and our hours of need, Yours is the strength that enables us to carry on, Yours the shoulder we rest our heads upon. When our load is heavy and too much to bear, Yours a... -
liturgy
Lord Jesus: knowing that you are good
Lord Jesus: knowing that you are good and strong, loving, wise, holy and faithful, we come to you today in prayer for all the needs and concerns in our minds and hearts. Lord, we pray for Your whole c... -
liturgy
Lord—we’re so anxious we can’t
Lord—we’re so anxious we can’t wait! Some of us can’t wait for Christmas to come, while (honestly) some others of us can’t wait for it to be over. We’re not proud of it—but that’s just the way it is ...
Page 1 of 5
Top_level_categories by Topic
A
- Ability (1)
- Acceptance (1)
- Accidents (1)
- Accountability (1)
- Achievement (9)
- Adaptability (4)
- Advent (1)
- Adversity (1)
- Affection (1)
- Alcohol (1)
- All or Nothing (1)
- Alone (1)
- Ambition (2)
- Anger (5)
- Annoyances (1)
- Anxiety (2)
- Apathy (2)
- Arguments (1)
- Arrested (1)
- Arrogance (2)
- Assumptions (2)
- Attacks (3)
- Attention (2)
- Attitude (8)
- Authenticity (3)
- The Ancient World (1)
B
- Beauty (1)
- Being Heard (3)
- Being Known (2)
- Being Offended (1)
- Being Right (1)
- Being Stretched (1)
- Being Wrong (1)
- Belonging (1)
- Beloved (1)
- Beyond Understanding (2)
- Birth (1)
- Bitterness (2)
- Blindness (1)
- Bold Prayers (1)
- Boldness (1)
- Boundaries (1)
- Brain (1)
- Broken Relationships (1)
- Brokenness (2)
- Bullying (1)
- Burdens (1)
- Business (1)
- The Beatitudes (1)
- The Body (1)
- The Body of Christ (1)
C
- Called by God (2)
- Calling (9)
- Cancer (1)
- Care (1)
- Carrying our Cross (1)
- Celebrations (1)
- Change (10)
- Changing Habits (1)
- Character (5)
- Character Formation (1)
- Children (2)
- Choices (4)
- Christ and Culture (1)
- Christ The King Sunday (1)
- Christ's Death (1)
- Christ's Resurrection (5)
- Christian Community (1)
- Christian Identity (2)
- Christian Love (2)
- Christianity (2)
- Christmas (1)
- Church Attendance (1)
- Church Leaders (1)
- Church Unity (1)
- Circumstances (1)
- Citizens of the Kingdom (2)
- Civility (1)
- Civilization (1)
- Climbing the Ladder of Success (2)
- Coldness of Heart (2)
- Collaboration (1)
- Comfort (2)
- Comfort Zone (1)
- Comforting Others (1)
- Coming of the Kingdom (1)
- Commitment (1)
- Commitments (1)
- Communication (2)
- Community (3)
- Community Development (1)
- Community Service (1)
- Comparison (2)
- Compassion (9)
- Competition (1)
- Complacency (2)
- Condemnation (1)
- Confession of Sin (3)
- Confidence (1)
- Conflict (5)
- Conflict Resolution (1)
- Confrontation (1)
- Confusion (1)
- Consolation (1)
- Consoling Others (1)
- Contempt (1)
- Contentment (1)
- Context (1)
- Control (1)
- Controversy (2)
- Conversation (2)
- Conversational Prayer (1)
- Conversion (1)
- Coping Mechanisms (1)
- Corporate Christianity (1)
- Correction (1)
- Corruption (1)
- Courage (3)
- Crises (2)
- Criticism (4)
- Crucifixion (1)
- Culture (1)
D
- Dangers of Success (1)
- Darkness (1)
- Deacons (2)
- Death of a Loved One (1)
- Debt of Sin (1)
- Deception (1)
- Decision-Making (6)
- Depression (1)
- Desire (1)
- Desire for God (2)
- Destructive Behavior (1)
- Development Work (1)
- Devotion (1)
- Difficult People (1)
- Digital Age (1)
- Dignity (1)
- Discernment (2)
- Discipleship (3)
- Disciplines (4)
- Disconnection (1)
- Discontent (1)
- Disease (1)
- Dishonesty (1)
- Disobedience (1)
- Distortion (1)
- Distraction (2)
- Divine Intervention (1)
- Doctrine (1)
- Dreams (1)
- Drought (1)
- Drugs (1)
- Dying to Self (1)
E
F
- Faith (4)
- Faith and Doubt (1)
- Faith and Prayer (1)
- Faithfulness (2)
- Fallacies (1)
- Fear (5)
- Feasts (1)
- Feelings (1)
- Fellowship (1)
- Financial Loss (1)
- Football (American) (1)
- Forgetfulness (1)
- Forgiveness (5)
- Forgiveness of Sin (1)
- Formation (1)
- Foundations (1)
- Freedom from Sin (1)
- Friends (1)
- Friendship (5)
- Fulfillment (1)
- Fundamentalism (1)
- Funerals (1)
G
- Gathering (1)
- Generosity (1)
- Genuineness (1)
- Giving (1)
- Global Church (2)
- Goals (1)
- God (1)
- God Seeking Us (1)
- God with Us (1)
- God's Plans (1)
- God's Protection (2)
- God's Provision (1)
- God's Pursuit (1)
- God's Reign (1)
- God's Throne (1)
- God's Will (2)
- God's Word (4)
- Going to Church (1)
- Good and Evil (1)
- Good Life (1)
- Good News (1)
- Good Samaritan (1)
- Goodness (1)
- Goodness of God (1)
- Gospel (2)
- Gossip (1)
- Government (2)
- Grace (1)
- Grace and The Spiritual Disciplines (1)
- Grandparents (1)
- Gratitude (1)
- Greatness (1)
- Grief (3)
- Growing Up (1)
- Growth (2)
- Grudges (1)
- Guidance (1)
- The Good Shepherd (1)
H
- Habits (4)
- Half-Heartedness (1)
- Hatred (4)
- Healing (16)
- Healing Blindness (1)
- Healing the Past (1)
- Heart (2)
- Heart Change (4)
- Heaven (1)
- Helping our Neighbors (1)
- Helping the Poor (1)
- Heroes (1)
- Holiness (1)
- Hope (3)
- Hospitality (1)
- Human Condition (1)
- Human Development (1)
- Human Nature (1)
- Humble Prayer (1)
- Humility (6)
- Hunger (1)
- Hurting Others (1)
- Hypocrisy (1)
- The Holy Spirit (1)
I
- Identity (2)
- Ignorance (2)
- Ignoring God (2)
- Illness (3)
- Imagination (1)
- Immanuel (1)
- Immigrants (1)
- Impact (2)
- Impurity (1)
- In, But Not Of, the World (1)
- Independence Day (1)
- Indispensability (1)
- Individualism (1)
- Injury (2)
- Inner Critic (1)
- Innovation (2)
- Inside Out (1)
- Integrity (1)
- Intelligence (1)
- Intentionality (1)
- Intercession of Jesus (1)
- Intercessory Prayer (1)
- Intimacy (1)
- Invitation (1)
- Irritations (1)
- The Incarnation (1)
J
K
L
- Lack of Communication (1)
- Lack of Forgiveness (1)
- Laying Down Your Life (1)
- Laziness (1)
- Leadership (2)
- Learning (1)
- Light (1)
- Light of the World (3)
- Limitations (2)
- Listening (6)
- Little Things (1)
- Living for Christ (1)
- Living Life (1)
- Logic (1)
- Loneliness (1)
- Loneliness of Pain (1)
- Loss (1)
- Love (7)
- Loving your Neighbor (1)
- Loyalty (1)
- The Lord's Prayer (1)
M
N
O
P
- Pain (1)
- Parables (1)
- Paradigm Shift (1)
- Parents (1)
- Passion (4)
- Patience (1)
- Peacemaking (1)
- Persecution (1)
- Perseverance (1)
- Personal (2)
- Personal Agendas (1)
- Personal Attacks (1)
- Personal Transformation (1)
- Perspective (1)
- Physical Presence (1)
- Political Leaders (2)
- Politics (3)
- Poor (1)
- Possibility (1)
- Power (1)
- Power of Prayer (1)
- Prayer (3)
- Prayer Life (1)
- Presence (2)
- President (3)
- Pride (5)
- Priorities (1)
- Problem of Evil (1)
- Problems (1)
- Professionalism (1)
- Progress (1)
- Purity (1)
- Purity Of Heart (1)
- Purpose (1)
- The Passing of Time (2)
- The People of God (1)
R
- Race (Running) (2)
- Racial Reconciliation (2)
- Rage (1)
- Reason (1)
- Received by God (1)
- Receiving Forgiveness (1)
- Reconciliation (5)
- Recovery (1)
- Redemption (3)
- Reflection (2)
- Reframing (4)
- Rejecting God (2)
- Rejection (2)
- Relationships (3)
- Renewal (4)
- Renewing our Minds (2)
- Repentance (2)
- Rescue (1)
- Resentment (2)
- Rest (3)
- Restoration (2)
- Restoring Sight (1)
- Resurrection of the Dead (4)
- Retreat (1)
- Revenge (2)
- Righteousness (2)
- Risks (2)
- Roles and Responsibilities (1)
- The Risen Lord (1)
S
- Sacrifice (4)
- Sacrificial Love (3)
- Sadness (1)
- Salt and Light (1)
- Salt of the Earth (3)
- Salvation (1)
- Sanctification (1)
- Satan's Lies (1)
- Savior (4)
- Science (1)
- Seeking Power (1)
- Self-Achievement (1)
- Self-Actualization (1)
- Self-Awareness (2)
- Self-Centeredness (2)
- Self-Image (1)
- Selfishness (3)
- Selflessness (1)
- Service (4)
- Sex (1)
- Shame (1)
- Shelter (1)
- Shepherd (1)
- Sickness (3)
- Sin (2)
- Sinfulness (1)
- Sins of the Church (1)
- Slander (2)
- Smart Phones (1)
- Society (1)
- Solitude (1)
- Sorrow (2)
- Speech (1)
- Spiritual Disciplines (2)
- Spiritual Growth (1)
- Spiritual Problems (1)
- Spiritual Transformation (1)
- Sports (3)
- Stories (1)
- Storms (1)
- Stranger (1)
- Strength (2)
- Struggles with Prayer (1)
- Stumbling (1)
- Subjectivism (1)
- Success (5)
- Suffering (3)
- Suicide (1)
- Support (1)
- Surgery (1)
- Surrender (1)
T
- Taking A Leap Of Faith (1)
- Taking Inventory (1)
- Taking Thoughts Captive (1)
- Talking (1)
- Tasks (1)
- Teamwork (3)
- Tears (1)
- Technology (2)
- Tension (1)
- Terrorism (1)
- Theology (1)
- Therapy (1)
- Third Third of Life (1)
- Thought (1)
- Thoughtlesness (1)
- Thoughts (2)
- Throne of Grace (1)
- Tired (1)
- Tradition (2)
- Transcendence (1)
- Transformation (2)
- Trials (1)
- Trust (1)
W
Y
Top_level_categories by Reference