I’m humbled by Kathleen’s wonderful post about how she’s come to pray with the ancient practices I outline in my book, 7 Ways to Pray. When writing I prayed so much that it would be a means of introducing some of these time-tested practices to people who might not only not have heard of them, but were suspicious of them. What a gift that God has used my book in her life in this way! Whether you’ve prayed in some of these ways for years or are not sure about them, I believe you’ll appreciate hearing more from her.
My particular Christian denomination used to pride itself on not—no, never—using set prayers. We wouldn’t touch traditional, handed-down-through-the-centuries prayers with anything but disdain. We were smug about it; superiorly smug in our thinking that prayer was just something you did off the top of your head. We were sure we knew all anyone needed to know about prayer.
Due to travel and relocating overseas I eventually changed denominations, but I happily managed to carry some of that attitude with me. Not for me were the stuffy old ways of prayer, I thought. I’ve had to work hard at staying closed-minded about the beautiful traditions of the ancient church, but denominational prejudice reigned well into my fifties.
That all changed on an unmentionable birthday when I blessed myself with attending a workshop on prayer. Truthfully, I didn’t pay much attention to the topic, I just wanted to hear the speaker, Amy Boucher Pye. She started the morning with an introduction to the concept of lectio divina. “Lectio what?” I said, remembering childhood teaching about the repetition of words that would put you to sleep. It turned out that not only did I stay awake, but as Amy introduced this new-to-me way of prayer something was coming alive in my spirit. I even acknowledged quietly to myself that often I had used Scripture to prove a point in discussion, just not considered the Word as a basis of praying.
Deciding to learn more, I attended one of Amy’s online retreats on lament. This was the year I lost a very precious relative and I was beside myself trying to figure out how to pray. Amy’s teaching on lament became art form powerfully pulling me closer to the King of Kings. She draws you in to the world, the history, and the creativity of prayer. In her book, 7 Ways to Pray Amy introduces the ancient ways in a way that intrigues and you just want to know more and experience more. I was astounded that God really did know what to do with my grief, my anger.
Yet, as I read this 7 Ways to Pray, I wondered “How can I trust these forms of prayer? What really is a lectio divina? Examen? Who is Ignatius? Won’t I just get bogged down in dark ages faith?” I pondered all this even as I was beginning to see changes in my prayer life. I needed assurance that while I had been taught to disregard tradition from the early days of my childhood, I was heading in a direction that pleased God. It’s hard to stand on tradition when you don’t believe in it.
In 7 Ways to Pray Amy faces these issues head on with clear guidance as to what prayer does in your life. Amy writes that prayer is meant to bring you closer to Jesus, and that when we pray, we see the “collaboration” and “uniting of our desires with the Holy Spirit”. This seems to be the test of a good prayer. In learning these ancient ways of prayer, you notice if you are coming closer to Jesus.
As you look at each chapter you are invited to see what draws you closer to your Lord. Creativity? Understanding of the Word of God? As someone who has never journeyed this way before, I found Amy’s writing to be a trusted friend as she shares her own experience of stepping into the ways of saints past who inspire the future. She writes to clarify, to enable the journey of others, not cloak in unrelatable mystery. I suggest you take 7 Ways to Pray and use it as a workbook. This is not a book to sit on a shelf. It’s to be used actively. Get your pencil, get your highlighters out and take note of what sparks your imagination. Write in the margins. Stick tabs on paragraphs that jump out at you. Have a go with one chapter, then the prayer in a next chapter. You will meet prayers that have been developed over the ages right down to this this age and see what happens.
While “top-of-your-head prayers” will always pop into daily life, I’m glad I’ve given myself the gift not only of the book 7 Ways to Pray, but the time in which to explore the ancient ways of prayer that Amy has made accessible even to a know-it-all like me.
Kathleen McAnear Smith just launched her website Global Grandmas. She is using what she learned in 7 Ways to Pray to enjoy the adventure of praying for her grandchildren as well as the wider family. Her book Beyond Broken Families encourages prayer for healing 21st century family life. This past year she was appointed as a Director of Families in Global Transition.
Order 7 Ways to Prayhere, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.
I invite you to spend some time praying with my dad’s painting, which he entitled, “Winter’s Day.” Yes, he lives in Minnesota where they enjoy scenes just like this. I miss the sunshine gleaming on the snow, the sound of the crunch under your boots, the brightness of everything covered in white.
Mind you, I noticed some buds on the trees today on my sunny walk and noticed some daffodils shooting up, and that made me glad…
Back to the painting. You could ponder a verse from Psalm 51, the song David cries out to God in repentance:
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7, NIV)
Spend some time asking God to reveal any sins that you could be freed from through confessing them to God. Receive his forgiveness and revel in being made whiter than snow.
[Image: By Leo Boucher. Used with permission; all rights reserved. A group of evergreen trees in wintertime, with snow on the ground and the sun creating evocative reflections.]
Welcome back to the 7 Ways to Pray blog series! I welcome Juliet Mitchell, who shares a beautiful picture of being safe and secure under God’s wings – whatever happens. Enjoy!
In 2019 my husband and I decided on a joint 50th birthday journey to New Zealand to visit my brother and cousins. My husband suggested that we take not only our daughter who has learning difficulties but my elderly father too, so that he could see his son. What a journey! We were kept safe despite a near car collision and a landslide that demolished the road we travelled on just an hour before we arrived.
The prayer practice I used then, and have since reading some of Amy’s book, is lectio divina. This is a 4-step practice of choosing a Bible passage to read, meditating on the passage or a word from the passage, praying asking the Holy Spirit to speak and lastly, listening to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say to us from God’s word. The passage I had dwelt on was from psalm 91:
‘He will cover you with His feathers, under His wings you will find refuge.’ Psalm 91:4
The Lord had shown me in a picture that even the tiniest feather from one of His mighty wings was enough to keep me safe. Enough to cover me, for His wings were huge, immense and powerful. To be in awe of! We were safe.
Fast-forward a year later to March 2020 and our lands and nations were facing a new threat as well as restriction on life. Nobody was able to make plans to travel to see distant family, certainly not with vulnerable and elderly family members. The Lord knew Coronavirus was coming, and I believe He had enabled our journey the year before. An opportunity to let each other know we loved one another.
Our second trip, just recently taken, saw us fly to Spain to visit elderly and poorly family we’d not seen for nearly three years. Again, I was reminded of:
‘Under His wings you will find refuge.’ (Psalm 91:4)
We were kept safe. We flew home a day before the region we were staying in closed to UK travelers, due to the advancing nature of the Omicron variant of Coronavirus. An opportunity again to let those we love know just that.
Perhaps I received this picture from this scripture for these two occasions as the Lord in His tender mercy kept safe our family. However, as I dwell again in prayer in this verse, I feel I should stay right beneath even the tiniest feather of His huge wings. Under a wing that more than covers me and those He has given me to love.
Juliet Mitchell is a wife and parent-carer who enjoys writing poems and short stories, usually to entertain her daughter. You can find her on Facebook.
Order 7 Ways to Prayhere, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.
I missed out writing about what I read in 2020, but want to join in with this yearly look back at a life in books. (Here are other years.) I read some 50 books in 2021 – down from 2020 but still a good number. I love reading and so yes, this may be more than you read – or of course less! Too often I read too fast, so I’m not saying my number is a gold star of achievement. I respect and laud those of you who read slowly and digest a work fully and thoughtfully.
I read most of my books on my e-reader, as often I’m reading works that aren’t yet published. I love a print copy when it’s a theology book that I want to underline and highlight, especially because I’m a visual learner so often can picture a passage later. That’s also why I can’t listen to many non-fiction books, because the words wash over me and leave me soon after I’ve heard them. I have experimented over the past couple of years with audio books, and find I enjoy listening to novels. In fact three of my four top reads from the general market are those I listened to.
For the highlights of the books I’ve read, I give you two books I birthed (and yes I’m proud of them!), five books I endorsed, four top picks from my monthly selections for the Woman Alive Book Club (you can find my selections from September onwards here with the full reviews), and three general-market novels I most enjoyed with one honorable mention.
2 Books I Birthed
7 Ways to Pray: Time-Tested Practices to Encounter God (NavPress/Form, 2021)
A hands-on guide for prayer – a book I wanted to write about for many years. Check it out if you haven’t already. If you have read it, could you please write a review?
Celebrating Christmas: EmbracingJoy through Art and Reflections (BRF/Credo, 2021)
The lovely 25-entry book to celebrate Christmas, with my dad’s lovely artwork and my reflections. As it’s the eighth day of Christmas you still have time to read it this Christmas season! Again, if you’ve read it, could you please leave a review online?
5 Books I Endorsed
What a privilege to be asked for endorsement for some amazing books! Following are my endorsements. Just a few additional notes: I’m a huge fan of Sharon Garlough Brown – I adore all of her books. If you’re new to her, start off with Sensible Shoes and then enjoy the other three books in that series before you move onto Wren and Katharine in this series. I got to give a blurb for my lauded teacher! That was amazing. Gemma Simmonds was my tutor on Ignatius at Heythrop College where I did my MA in Christian spirituality, so I was super chuffed to read and endorse her book!
I commend each of these – enjoy!
Feathers of Hope by Sharon Garlough Brown (IVP, 2022)
A novel by Sharon Brown feels like a gift, and even more so when we reenter the lives of characters we’ve come to love. Meeting Katherine, Wren, and the others again feels like a reunion with dear friends. One where we eschew the small talk and dive right into matters of the heart for a soul-strengthening conversation. Join in with this ordinary and extraordinary community of followers of Christ where no subject is too messy and love is given and received, sometimes awkwardly but always with grace and forbearance.
Journey to Love by Matt Mikalatos (NavPress, 2021)
We all want to love and be loved. But what does that mean? Through winsome stories and heartfelt reflections, Matt Mikalatos gently probes what love looks like as he welcomes us on a life-changing journey. Don’t miss not only reading this book but putting it into practice. You’ll never be the same!
Dancing at the Still Point by Gemma Simmonds (Form, 2021)
A joyful, freeing guide to retreats with fully accessible practices to suit a range of personalities. An approachable companion, Gemma Simmonds provides all we need for an enriching time with God. I can’t wait to try it out!
They’ll Never Read That by Tony Collins (Malcolm Down Publishers, 2022)
A fascinating account of the who’s who of Christian publishing in Britain from one who has lived through the highs and lows – not only learning firsthand from the legendary Edward England but experiencing redundancy from both sides of the table. In engaging prose, Tony Collins shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of books and magazines that shaped the lives and faith of thousands. Entertaining and informative.
The Whole Christmas Story by Jo Swinney (BRF, 2021)
During Advent we can become so mired in shopping and planning, parties and church services, that we lose our focus on why we’re dashing round. Jo Swinney’s book of Bible-based reflections provides a refreshing antidote as she helps us to step back and take a Google Earth view of the God’s grand narrative. Build in some time this year to journey with her about why Jesus was born in Bethlehem – your celebration of Christmas will be all the richer and sweeter.
4 Top Recommendations from the Woman Alive Book Club
I recommended fiction and non-fiction in the book club this year, enjoying, for instance, Patricia Raybon’s jaunt into a cozy mystery (All That Is Secret). For as much as I appreciate fiction, however, I see that my top reads include three memoirs and one spirituality book.
A Burning in my Bones by Winn Collier (WaterBrook/Authentic, 2021)
The winsome authorized biography of Eugene Peterson. An excerpt from my review:
Winn’s book isn’t hagiography; he presents Peterson’s blind spots as well as his wisdom and grace. For instance, for many years Peterson gave too much to the church to the expense of his family – his daughter once counted him being gone for 27 nights in a row. But the picture that emerges is of a man deeply committed to God and his living Word, a pastor poet who approached his work with love. I highly recommend this book.
Paul: A Biography by Tom Wright (HarperOne/SPCK, 2018)
Yes, I was a bit behind in reading this one by the renowned New Testament scholar. I loved it. Here’s an excerpt from my review:
It’s certainly not too late to read this wonderful biography; I highly recommend it. My only critique is that it’s a bit wordy at times – I wish it had been slimmed down to reduce the tangents and repetitions. That’s a small criticism though, for Paul: A Biography will help you appreciate this fascinating early pillar of the church, one who met Jesus on the road to Damascus and who was changed forever from a man who persecuted the followers of Jesus to one who proclaimed his message of good news.
Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey (Convergent/Hodder, 2021)
A compelling and well-written account of one wounded by Christians who finds healing and belonging through our loving, saving God. Excerpt from my review:
What especially struck me was Yancey’s comment that “deconstructing a person is easier than constructing one”. Through the mentorship of a godly father figure and his years of searching for truth through his writing, he’s succeeded in putting together a robust faith in a loving God who does not reflect the angry god of his childhood. Therefore, his memoir could be especially helpful to those grappling with painful experiences of Church or Christians who have wounded them. The paths that he and his brother have taken in their lives reveal starkly contrasting ways to deal with a false picture of God.
Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren (IVP, 2021)
A wonderful look at the Anglican compline; she writes with the fresh eyes and enthusiasm of one who has come to liturgical prayers later in life, digging deeply into these words that have withstood the test of time. Excerpt from my review:
I highly recommend this book whether or not you appreciate liturgical prayers. Her writing is deep, thoughtful and poetic without being inaccessible. Although at times she’s America-focused, this bent is not overly distracting. She includes some wonderful prayer exercises at the end, along with questions to discuss or ponder.
3 Favorite General-market Novels and 1 Honorable Mention
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J Ryan Stradal
My US editor told me about this book, mentioning it during a zoom call, and I thought he said Logger Queen. You know, maybe a relative of Paul Bunyan? But no, he meant Lager, and even though I didn’t know what an IPA was (oops – not an IPO like I just wrote! Ha!), I loved, loved, loved this book.
Here’s my review: I listened to this book on Audible, and at times found the listening a frustrating experience because I wanted to race ahead in the book (the narrator did a great job, by the way). I loved this story and its characters. I found it somewhat surprising that the author is a man, for its the women who shine; the women who succeed.
If you’re from Minnesota and have moved away, like I have, reading it will make you smile and feel nostalgic. People walking past me in North London would have seen me grinning and laughing, and must have wondered what was up, especially as my earbuds were hidden by my hair.
I loved it, even though I don’t drink beer and I even had to look up what an IPA is.
Anxious People by Frederik Backman
I finished listening to this wonderful novel on the drive back from leading a retreat at Penhurst Retreat Centre and so enjoyed the whole experience. What a delight – even though, yes, it’s about anxious people.
A bank robber robs a cashless bank… an unlikely premise for such a wonderful book. Surprising, endearing, lovely – even if the probability of some of it was unlikely.
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
Another delightful book to listen to. All I noted for my review was, “So fun and quirky. Really enjoyed it.” I loved Miss Benson and her grand adventure to find a particular beetle across the world, and the friends she met along the way.
Honorable Mention: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
I really enjoyed getting to be part of Adunni’s world in Nigeria, although it was harrowing. Following her move from her village to Lagos was fascinating.
But… I felt a bit manipulated as a reader with all of the stuff she experiences in her journey. Child marriage, her friend dying by the river, all of the happenings at Big Madam’s house – how she managed to make it through all of that intact and growing and not bitter seemed a stretch. I felt a bit like the author had an agenda in her fiction – which I never like.
But I’ve highlighting the novel because the writing was engaging and I really warmed to Adunni.
It brings me great joy to wish you a happy Christmas! Whether you’re experiencing unadulterated joy with the gathering of your dreams or you’re feeling sad about changed plans – or somewhere in between – may you know the wonder of the Gift of Christmas, Jesus, God and Man.
I’m grateful to know that so many of you have been enjoying my dad’s art (and yes, my reflections) in Celebrating Christmas. I know many have read it during Advent, but I wonder if it’s best read starting today on the eve of the season of Christmas – read two a day during today and the twelve days of Christmas, sitting under the tree with something hot and mulled in your hand.
May you know peace and laughter and joy and wonder and rest. As we in my family adjust to a different Christmas, we’re grateful for so many prayers and well-wishes.
I’m pausing the prayer guest blog series for a few weeks over the holiday period; I look forward to sharing some more wonderful contributions later in January. Here’s a prayer from Celebrating Christmas for this Advent season.
As we move toward Christmas, we can become overwhelmed with plans and carol concerts and baking and shopping and wondering whether or not to host that Christmas meal in these pandemic times. We can overlook the reason for all of this activity – Jesus being born.
Why not stop for a few moments and ponder the earthly vessel who hosted his earlier life, Mary? I love this painting of my dad’s – one similar to it appears in Celebrating Christmas. To be honest, I can’t remember why we chose that one over this one just now – you’ll have to check out the book to compare the differences!
You can use this painting as a prompt for prayer. Spend some time asking God to speak to you, perhaps reading through the story in Luke’s gospel of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary with God’s special invitation. You could open your heart to any invitations God might have for you – perhaps to collaborate with him on a new project or perhaps simply to spend some time enjoying each other’s presence.
May we like Mary respond to God, saying, “Be it done unto me according to your word.”
To buy a copy of Celebrating Christmas, see purchase options here.
[Image – painting by Leo Boucher. Used with permission. All rights reserved.}
Reading Ruth’s blogpost makes me smile. I love hearing her story of noticing God at work through his creation, as the robin darted to and fro during her daily walk. Practicing God’s presence can be achieved simply by noticing. I trust you’ll enjoy Ruth’s post – and do check out her lovely new book too (details in her bio).
I’d just finished my radio show for the day and as is my habit, I headed out the studios and down the lane for a brisk walk to the telephone pole and back before tucking into my lunch and preparing for the next day’s guests. As I made my way to the lane through the car park, I spotted a robin. I love that bird and seeing him there made me smile. “Thank you Lord for letting me see him.”
The broadcast studios are in a beautiful country setting with wide, expansive views and on this particular day, the sun was streaming down as I picked up my pace. The lane is lined with a hedge on either side and within in a few short meters I spotted the robin again. He darted out and hopped on the road in front of me. I laughed out loud and pointed, “I see you!” and then, he was gone, back into the hedge. I lifted my head to the horizon, closed my eyes for a moment and felt the warmth of the early afternoon sun sink deep into my skin. I breathed in and felt a sense of wonder. “I love you my Lord. I worship you. Thank you God that I get to do this. Thank you for helping me today. Thank you for my guests. Thank you for the listeners. Jesus please heal Mary and intervene on Steve’s behalf. Thank you for making a way for Marion to hear that song today. Forgive me Lord for being short with my colleague. I’m sorry. I worship you. ”
Out darts the robin from the hedge again. “That’s you Lord! I see you!” I laugh again. “That’s you Holy Spirit. That’s you! I see you. Thank you my God.” I laugh again. I’m smiling big now. I sense the presence of God all around me, like all of creation is singing His praise. The robin darts out of the hedge and hops on the road ahead of me a few more times before disappearing altogether. I feel a lightness within me. I know I am seen by my Maker. I am loved.
I go for a walk most days after my show. It’s an opportunity for me to process the last few hours and gives me a chance to encounter God in creation, but it doesn’t always result in the experience I’ve just described. It’s often far more mundane, but I am intentional about using the opportunity to reflect on the show and speak to God about the things on my mind and in my heart.
The story of the robin illustrates the way I’ve learnt to pray in recent years though and perhaps it’s something you can try. I’ve become deliberate about including God in everything. I choose to be intentionally aware of His goodness, strive to be vocal in my gratitude and am forthcoming with my foibles. This is how I’ve come to ‘pray continually’ as the Apostle Paul urges us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18. I used to think people who prayed for a parking space or asked God what clothes they should wear were weird, but I do that now, and I think it’s wonderful. Maybe I’m just weird, but these seemingly insignificant moments make me aware of bringing God into my every waking moment.
In what ways can you intentionally invite Jesus into the everyday moments of your life? I start my day with a time of stillness where I read my Bible and give the day to the One who made it. I ask God to help me stay close and be aware of him throughout. And then, I look for him in everything. Be on the lookout for your Maker today and acknowledge him with a thankful heart – that’s prayer.
Ruth O’Reilly-Smith was born in South Africa and has lived in the UK since 1999. Here she met and married her husband and they have twin boy and girl. Ruth started as radio broadcaster in 1995 and currently hosts a weekday radio show called, This Is My Story on UCB2, which is part of United Christian Broadcasters, a global Christian media charity. Ruth also enjoys writing and wrote for the Our Daily Bread Ministries publication for a number of years. She’s author of God Speaks – 40 Letters From The Father’s Heart, published by Authentic Media. You can read more of Ruth on her website, which is also where she posts regular Bible study blogs. Ruth’s Christian faith is central to all she does and her heart is to communicate God’s love in as tangible a way as possible. Find her at her website, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
Order 7 Ways to Prayhere, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.
The experience of heart-wrenching trials has pushed Claire even closer to God, especially as she has rediscovered the prayer of lament. She shares movingly and gives a helpful example of how to pray this way, based on Psalm 13. You won’t want to miss this.
These are all a regular part of my days right now, as I watch one of those dearest to me struggle in ways I almost cannot bear. Suffering (whether your own or of one close to you) can rend you speechless, spiralling into the abyss of a dark unknown, even as you cry out to God for rescue, for a glimmer of hope… for anything that shows he is at work.
Unfamiliar territory
I have to confess lament was not something I practised regularly until around five years ago. I come from an evangelical church that is not big on tradition, and does not follow a traditional church calendar. But it was when my sister’s marriage fell apart and my mum’s health began to deteriorate rapidly that the emotional turmoil inside of me needed an outlet. In the midst of this, a dear young mum in our church died, leaving a husband and three small children. All of a sudden I was grieving privately in my family but also publicly with my church family. As my husband and I tried to lead our congregation through it (he as the pastor, me the worship pastor) I felt suffocated, alone and with no way of releasing the pain within. When I gathered the worship team who would be playing that first Sunday after her death, I realised that we had no language to express what we needed to as a community, but also as individuals.
A God-given language
During that season, I was drawn back to the Psalms, gently reminded by God that so many are songs of lament, and that I had utilised them once before. In an incredibly painful time in my marriage, I had opened Psalm 38 and the words had leapt off the page to me, as they seemed to describe exactly what I was experiencing then: ‘My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning… I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart’ (Psalm 38:5–6,8).
Back then, it was a revelation of my own sinfulness and the resulting pain that caused me to lament. But in more recent years, it has been a cry from deep in my soul that has been almost unstoppable. It has become a way I have desperately tried to remain connected to God through circumstances that have threatened to engulf me or those I dearly love. Some days it can sometimes feel like all hope is lost – and yet lament is the bridge that helps me find my way back to God when he seems distant or hidden.
I don’t relish the experiences that have revealed how vital lament is to me, but I do cherish the renewed understanding that God has given us permission to vent all our anger, frustration, anguish, as well as our questions, through the examples in the Psalms and Lamentations – as well as of Jesus himself.
Faith and intimacy
I am walking a particularly painful path right now – and it has seemed relentless for the last few years. My mum passed away just before Covid, and almost immediately we were swept into working hard to keep our church community feel connected during the lockdowns, and now we are in the midst of an excruciatingly painful situation in our immediate family.
When my mum died, God spoke to me so clearly through John 11 – revealing an image of Jesus weeping alongside me. That has been a real comfort at times, but in other moments the sense of loss and pain has been overwhelming. In those times, I have come to view lament as part of my survival kit – an absolutely necessity to stop me from going under.
Lamenting with the Psalms
The pandemic has brought suffering to so many families, and this life is full of troubles (as well as joys). If you don’t regularly practise lament, I encourage you gently to try finding a psalm that seems to echo the cry of your heart and turn it into a prayer.
Here is an example of the way in which I use particular psalms as launchpads for my own prayers – I hope it is helpful to you, but of course do feel free to find your own individual way of lamenting before God.
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me?
God I can’t see you at work in this situation. It feels like I am having to cope on my own. I know you are there – please reveal yourself to me. Show me you haven’t forgotten us.
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
This all feels relentless, and it does feel like the devil is having a field day. I am finding it hard to keep batting away the discouragement, and my own depression. How long is this going to go on for Lord?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
We need you to move – we need release! Come and act, move so that those around will know that you are God. And bring me your discernment and wisdom to know what to do – and your energy. I am so tired Lord…
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
I do trust you Lord, however hard that is to say at times – and I do know that you are good and that your character cannot change. I also choose to worship you, singing songs of thanks, because I know they stir my heart and do me good. Thank you for the salvation you have brought me, thank you for the way you have led me in the past – and thank you for the way you have upheld my family. I know that you love them more than I do – and trust that you have a hope and a future for each one of us.
Claire Musters is a writer, speaker, editor and author of several books. You can follow her at @CMusters on Twitter and on Facebook or visit her website. Her most recent book, Grace-Filled Marriage (Authentic Media), was written with her husband and is available to buy from clairemusters.com – it is also part of the Big Church Read initiative (see thebigchurchread.co.uk/grace-filled-marriage/ for videos, reading plan and discussion questions). The devotional she wrote while her mum was dying, Every Day Insights: Disappointment and loss (30 readings and reflections to help bring comfort and hope), can also be bought direct from Claire, as can all her books – contact Claire on cmusters@Icloud.com for more details (including special Christmas offers).
Order 7 Ways to Prayhere, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.
Here we are in Advent, and I haven’t yet set up the Advent wreath or figured out if I’m going to read something different for my daily devotional time. Can you relate?
Whether we are super organized and have all of our Christmas shopping already done (and yes I do actually know a few people in this enviable position) or we are catching our breath, wondering where November went, it’s all grace. I am guessing God is more delighted that we’re preparing our hearts for Jesus rather than him chastising us for being a wee bit late.
Advent used to be a time of fasting, not feasting. Similar to Lent in that it’d be a season of preparing for the feast of Christmas. Culturally we’ve turned things around, however, and for many people, Christmas ends on the 26th. I so respect those who observe Advent in the historic sense, but I’m so much a creature of culture that I tend to do a bit of both – I set up the tree around now and have been known to listen to Christmas carols before Christmas Eve, but we like to observe Advent as a family and definitely like to extend the Christmas celebrations to Epiphany (for us even something as simple as eating our evening meal in the dining room makes it more festive).
However you’re celebrating the season, I hope you will sense God’s presence, drawing you closer to him.
Here’s a prayer from the first entry in Celebrating Christmas, which focuses on light. You can read the introduction and this first meditation in this sample, courtesy of BRF, my publisher. And yes, you can read this book day by day during Advent (it has 25 chapters) or while curled up by the Christmas tree during the twelve days of Christmas.
Jesus, you bring light and life. As I yield to you, your presence within me burns away that which is not holy. Help me to welcome your clarifying light, that I might be free of any sin that clings. May your light within be a gentle and welcoming beacon, a signal in these dark times of a safe haven. Amen
To buy a copy of Celebrating Christmas, please visit a Christian bookshop if you can. Here’s a list of places to purchase, including online.
