Ever since I first read Richard Foster’s book called Prayer and learned that there were many different ways to pray and connect with God and not just the intercessory approach my evangelical church practiced, I’ve thought that it’s valuable to learn about those other methods. Today’s guest is Rich Lewis who blogs teaches about centering prayer at Silence Teaches. He shares how he discovered the contemplative practice called centering prayer, how he goes about it every day and what the benefits are in his life.

Some of the stories Rich shared with us:

• Growing up in Pennsylvania and the spiritual climate of his childhood

• Sit comfortably

Books and resources mentioned by Rich:

• Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots

Great quotes from Rich:

God is thrilled to have me as his son. And God is really not angry with me. God loves me. God constantly loves me.

I’m in the spaces between my thoughts.

Sit with God. Walk with God.

Sitting with God quietly changes you. It’s wonderful.

Connect with Rich at his website Silence Teaches or Twitter.

The post Rich Lewis Says Centering Prayer Changes You appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Mike Sares is a pastor and author at Denver’s Scum of the Earth church. Today, he shares how he became the founding pastor of Scum, the unique ways God has spoken to him, and why risk and art are so important to the church, even today. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Get Mike’s book detailing his story, God’s work in his life, and the challenges of his unique ministry. Pure Scum: The Left-Out, the Right-Brained and the Grace of God

Stories Mike shared:

• How he came to Christ after high school

Great quotes from Mike:

God does not give these supernatural experiences capriciously. Usually it’s because we’re going to need one.

It appears unspiritual but really is.

Good Christian art can save a nation.

If you want to hear more about Mike’s story, get his book Pure Scum: The Left-Out, the Right-Brained and the Grace of God (affiliate link).

The post Mike Sares and Water, Spirit, and Scum appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Trevor Kapralos is a nurse in the Washington DC area. I met him through another Halfway There guest (and good friend) Rob Karch. That’s appropriate because if there’s a theme in Trevor’s life it’s the power of Christian community for living this life of faith together.

Trevor the power of Christian community in the following stories:

• The unusual assignment to cover a Belarussian church in Uttica, NY (10:45)

Great Quotes:

The newspaper gave multiple pages, it ran over multiple days and it was pretty well received but the impact was personal for me and for my wife.

You are not the first person to go through this, nor the last.

I don’t know where we would be without community.

Mentioned links:

• Keith Giles Denver Area event. Details are found here. Please sign up so we can make this event happen!

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Paul Sohn is an author, public speaker, and coach who works with millennials to answer life’s biggest questions. He recently founded Qara, an organization dedicated to providing resources for those in the formative adult years, the 20s. His book, Quarter-Life Calling: Pursuing Your God-Given Purpose in Your Twenties, helps guide young people through confusion into the purpose God has for them.

But how did Paul get here? We talk about that and so much more:

• Paul’s shares how his family’s life was changed when Bill Graham came to Korea in 1972 and his father gave his life to Christ. Paul grew up in a Christian family and finally committed his own life to Christ at age 14 and his faith personal when he decided to study abroad in Vancouver at a Christian school. (5:49)

Great Quotes from Paul:

No one is with me except God.

When I surrender, God’s calling on my life is so much bigger.

The more I discovered more of who Jesus is, the more I know myself.

Your 20’s are your defining decade. But so many people in their 20’s feel lost, they feel stuck and don’t know where they are going.

I’m realizing how broken I am. There is power in vulnerability. Pursuing your calling is hard. It’s difficult.

If you enjoyed Paul’s story, connect with him on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). His posts will enrich your life. And get Quarter-Life Calling: Pursuing Your God-Given Purpose in Your Twenties at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The post Paul Sohn and Finding Your God-Given Purpose appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Happy Memorial Day, my friends!

This is one of those holidays that I always think of fondly because (a) it’s the unofficial start of summer and I usually smoke some sort of meat, (b) my grandmother traces the widespread adoption of this holiday to our family (naturally!) so why not enjoy it, and finally, (c) it’s a perfect time to reflect on those who gave their lives for all that the United States represents.

Today on Halfway There, I share some reflections on my father-in-law who also gave his life in a roundabout way for the cause of freedom. This is a blog post that I wrote about him on an old blog I used to write.

Perhaps you’d like to share a story about someone you know who has sacrificed for their country, too. Feel free to do that here or on social media.

The post Happy Memorial Day! appeared first on Eric Nevins.

In this betweenisode, we talk about the amazing transformation of King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. You’ve heard the Sunday School stories but did you know he acknowledged God as the true sovereign of the universe? That story doesn’t get shared as often but it’s one we can learn from.

Listen above or in iTunes, Google Play Music, or Stitcher Radio now!

The post The Testimony of a King (Daniel 4) appeared first on Eric Nevins.