Quiet on Purpose

I don't think I'm alone in admitting that over the years, I've often thought that God went through some kind of metamorphosis between the Old Testament and the New Testament. We tend to think of "Old Testament God" as angry, vengeful, harsh and demanding, but "New Testament God" as soft, fluffy, and full of grace. In an astonishing account of God revealing himself and his character to Moses, today's verse shows us some phenomenal descriptions of a compassionate and gracious God. In the Old Testament. It blows me away, and beckons me near. I hope you'll listen in!

Read it! 

Questions from today's episode: Do I believe, today, that God's disposition toward me is one of compassion? If not, what do I believe instead? Knowing that God calls himself compassionate and gracious, is he inviting me today to lay down whatever lie I may have embraced and receive his compassionate love instead? How will I respond?

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

I admit, I've been spending a lot of time lately talking about how my own personal life has felt heavy, burdensome, and lacking in joy. I don't mean to be a downer, what I mean to be is authentic. If your struggle resonates with my own, maybe there's something for you here. One thing I deeply believe is that God intends for us to have joy. An authentic experience of a full, joyful life. So I'll keep pursuing it as long as there is breath in me, even if it doesn't come easily. Maybe especially because it doesn't come easily. I hope your life is full of joy today. But if you struggle sometimes too, listen in!

Read today's verse here

Questions from today's episode: Is my life lacking in joy right now? If the answer is yes, am I willing to invite God to reveal to me any unconfessed sin I might need to address? In the quiet of this space, is there a gentle invitation to turn back to him? How will I respond?

That story about King David and Bathsheba is here

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance. Thanks Caleb!

We see some hard things in the Bible, including what kind of love we're called to if we want to follow Jesus. We're called to give up everything in our love for others, just like He did. But, just like so many other things, we're not asked to do this in our own strength. In today's episode, we're taking some time to remember what kind of love we're called to, and then to consider how we get there. I hope you'll listen and be encouraged!

Read it for yourself!

Questions from today's episode: When I think about giving everything to love others, what obstacle immediately comes to mind? I name that thing before Jesus and admit to him how hard it feels. I let him know if it feels overwhelming, confusing, or simply impossible. Then I ask him to show me what it might look like to recognize my dependence on him in this area. And I respond once again, to his invitation to get into his yoke and allow him to carry the burden of the doing.

If you're a Rich Mullins fan...and if you don't know the story about the Jesus Record

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance - thanks, Caleb!

Continuing on from our previous episode, we're looking at Jesus' invitation to "take on" his "yoke" and his offer to provide rest for our souls. There are some super refreshing visuals in these two short verses that we might miss since most of us don't have much knowledge of historic farming practices. When it comes down to it, the kind of rest I'm looking for goes way beyond a spa day or even a tropical vacation. And that's what he's offering here. I hope you'll listen in and find this episode as refreshing to listen to as I found it was to write!

Read it for yourself!

Questions from today's episode: What am I struggling to surrender to Jesus today? Is it my whole life? Or maybe just one element that I'm not willing to let go control of? What is Jesus saying to me in the quiet right now? What is my response?

Soul Rest by Amy R. Dunham

Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

Sometimes life starts to feel heavy. When that happens, weariness sets in. But Jesus invites us to come to him for rest. It's such a beautiful invitation! Are you weary today? Listen in!

Read it for yourself! 

Questions from today's episode: What weariness or burdens am I carrying today? Am I trying to carry them alone? The invitation today is clear, "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." What is my response?

Worn by Tenth Avenue North

O Come to the Altar by Elevation Worship

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

As we step gingerly into the year 2023, we can't help but acknowledge that we've all been more than a little beat up over the past few years. All that we've experienced globally and nationally has had a very real personal impact on every single one of us. And that truth has implications. Our natural tendency when feeling beat up and wounded is to withdraw, to turn inward. I'd like to suggest that true healing is found in a different posture, and I'd like to invite you to join with me as I pursue an openness that I believe will make a difference in my life and in the lives of those around me. Let's do this together!

Read it for yourself at Bible Gateway Version 2 here.

Questions from today's episode: Is there a particular type of person or circumstance where I struggle most to feel compassion? Is God inviting me to trust Him in a new way as I consider this struggle? What is my response?

Quiet on Purpose music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

This is the final week before Christmas, and here at Quiet on Purpose, we're working to make it easy for you to continue the practice of intentional, purposeful quiet. Just a few minutes of intentional stillness and listening makes all the difference in the way we show up this Holiday season, so listen in today, to this, our final episode of Advent - focused on Love.

Questions from today's episode: What is one way you've experienced God's tender love for you in the last week? Name one person you know personally who is in need of the tender love of God right now. If you are willing, ask God how He could use you to demonstrate His love to them this Advent. Then respond.

"Noel" featuring Lauren Daigle

Quiet on Purpose music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be so busy for all of us that even regular habits of intentional, quiet listening can fall to the wayside. Quiet on Purpose is here to help us all take a few short minutes, even just one day a week, to quiet our bodies, and our hearts, and listen to God. This week, we're following the traditional church calendar into the third week of Advent - a season of anticipating the arrival of the Christ child. This year, each of our Advent episodes is focused on slightly longer portions from a Psalm. In this, our 3rd Advent episode, the topic is Peace, and the reading is Psalm 4. Listen in! *Also, scroll down for the link to a beautiful Christmas carol that talks about Peace!

Questions from today's episode: What, if anything, is threatening your peace right now? Are you feeling afraid, anxious, angry, sorrowful? Take a moment to bring that into the light of God's presence. Then pause. What eternal truth is He whispering in the silence that brings peace to your soul today?

*Audrey Assad "Bells"

Quiet on Purpose music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be so busy for all of us, that even regular habits of intentional, quiet listening can fall to the wayside. Quiet on Purpose is here to help us all take a few short minutes, even just once a week, to quiet our bodies, and our hearts, and listen to God. This week, we're following the traditional church calendar into the second week of Advent - the anticipation of the arrival of the Christ child. This year, each of our Advent episodes will be longer portions from a Psalm.  Today our second Advent episode is on Joy, from Psalm 16. Listen in! *Also, scroll for the link below to a beautiful Christmas carol on Joy!

Questions from today's episode: Have you ever experienced the joy that the psalmist is talking about in this Psalm? Are you experiencing it now? If you've never experienced it, could it be that you are pursuing something other than a relationship with God as your ultimate prize and source of joy? Listen quietly for the invitation God might be extending to you today. Consider how you will respond.

*Phil Wickham's Angels We Have Heard on High 

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be so busy for all of us, that even regular habits of intentional quiet listening can fall to the wayside. Quiet on Purpose is here to help us all take a few short minutes, even just once a week, to quiet our bodies, and our hearts, and listen to God. This week, we're following the traditional church calendar and beginning a 4 week series on Advent - the anticipation of the arrival of the Christ child - and our first episode is on Hope. Listen in!

Questions from today's episode: Where have you placed your hope today? Is there an invitation for you here, at the beginning of Advent, to choose a new and better hope? What is your response?

Here's a beautiful about the kind of Hope we're talking about today! 

Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance