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Discerning Grace
Discerning Grace episodes
- Advent Week 4 - Peace
Welcome to our last Sunday in Advent. I hope the season has been meaningful for you. Come and listen as we dwell on the idea of Peace. May your heart be warmed. Merry Christmas!
8 min - Advent - Week 3 - Joy
Welcome to the third week in Advent. The virtue I am discussing is joy. I will read some scripture that uses the word joy, quoting from: King David, Zephaniah, Elizabeth, and Mary, mother of Jesus. These passages help us get a more rounded view of the word, “joy”. This is not an easy virtue to take hold of, but is hard won through suffering, pain, and sometimes sorrow. Like any journey with God, it is always worth it.
Ponderings:
- If I would make a choice to chose joy twice a day, what would that look like?
- Can I choose joy over my body’s messages? Hunger, pain, exhaustion, etc…?
- What would I need to change to have the time to relax, focus on God and accept His gifts?
- We are 3/4 the way through Advent, what makes this year different than last year?
Click here for weeks transcript
Click here to register for our January gathering
11 min - Advent - Week 2 - Love
This is the second week in Advent. Has the business of life overwhelmed your great intentions for Advent this year? Welcome to life, the best plans can quickly unravel. I want to encourage you that you can still begin to prepare for the Christ Child. God waits for us to come, wherever you are, He is longing to meet with you, come.
Pondering:
- What does God’s love look like to me?
- Can I ponder the idea that maybe I don’t have true control over my life?
- What would I have to let go of, to embrace Joy?
- How am I waiting or preparing for the Christ child?
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Click here for this weeks transcript
11 min - Advent - Week 1 - Hope
Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent. Join me as we look at the meaning of Advent and the beginning traditions and what Hope means to me today. Look at website to sign up for the retreat on January 8th 10 am-12:00. As we celebrate and review together our experience of Advent.
Here is this weeks transcript
10 min - Worship - Week 1
This week will begin the first discipline in the category of corporate or community disciplines. We will begin with the exercise of Worship. Reading the psalms and looking at some ideas to prepare ourselves for worship.
Ponder
- What is my definition of worship?
- If I am honest, how do I prepare to accept God’s Spirit when I go to church?
- Do you come to a service expectantly?
- What images arise with Br. Lawrence and his idea of” The Presence of God”?
This weeks post
This weeks transcript
12 min - Remembering my Dad
This week I am taking a break from Spiritual Disciplines to remember my father. At 91, he went to be with his Savior. Over the past week I have been reminded of the fingerprints of God all through his earthly life. Here are a few of my personal highlights.
10 min - Service - Am I serving those God sends to me?
This is our last week in the Discipline of Service. We will look at other types of service as well as the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. Join us as we stretch our hearts and minds with the example that Jesus offers.
Ponderings:
- What benefits do you receive from serving others?
- What type of service makes you the most uncomfortable? What would it take for you to attempt it?
- Which service comes easiest to you or where is your natural bend (talent) in the realm of service?
- What service do you wish others would be willing to offer you?
- Has your heart warmed to the idea / fear of service?
This weeks transcript
11 min - Service - What is Service?
Welcome, I will be expanding on the different types of service we as Christians may focus on for spiritual growth. This is not an exhaustive list, rather a sampling of different ideas we may use in our walk with God. These are based on the writings by Richer Foster in Celebration of Discipline. Join me as we look at simple ways to grow in this discipline.
Ponder
- Look over the prayer of service and pick out some of your strengths.
- What areas are uncomfortable to talk about or listen to? Why?
- When did someone last serve you?
- If you could add one way to serve today, what would it be?
- God is gracious, are you hard on yourself after listening to this chat on service? Why? God is slow to anger abounding in love. Sit in His love for 3 minutes, what happened?
Click here for this weeks transcript
Here is the prayer of service
13 min - Service - What is the Discipline of Service?
The discipline of service comes in many forms. The idea of being a servant or slave to Christ can bring up a mixture of feelings and visual images. Some may be uncomfortable to us. The concept of more of Jesus and less of me becomes evident in this episode of Service. Come join as we wrestle with our pride and the idea of humbleness.
Ponderings
- How comfortable are you with the phase “slave/servant of God”?
- Where do you see service blending into another spiritual discipline?
- What steps can you take to get your ego out of the way so you can serve?
- Do one act of service in secret. No one but God will see, how do you feel?
Click for this weeks transcript
13 min - Submission, Freely Setting Aside Your Wants for the Needs of Another
Welcome, join us on the final week of submission. Let us not look at gender but at the example of submission Jesus provides. Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ. For many, me included, this is not an easy discipline to practice. Let the life of Jesus continue to encourage and motivate you.
Ponderings:
- Take some silent prayer time to submit your day to God’s plans for you.
- What happens when you notice a need, can you give in secret, without recognition?
- How does it feel to let go of your need to share your point of view and allow others to make the deciding decision?
- When you take time to submit to God’s leading, is submission still just as difficult?
- What if before you voice your opinion, you submit to others and really listen to their ideas before you talk?
12 min
About Discerning Grace
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Short practices to support your Spiritual Journey. Come join us at discerninggrace.com for more information and resources.