Can you really turn your day around in just sixty seconds? Sometimes all it takes is a few moments of resting in the presence of Jesus to relieve anxiety and find what we need to keep going. In this week's episode, we'll learn a short and simple practice that will help you turn away from whatever is going on in your life and focus on Jesus, asking for more of his love and life. [This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

This Week's Practice: The One Minute Pause

*This practice is adapted from Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad by John Eldredge.*

How to Do the Practice:

• Step away from the noise and chaos of your day.
• Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
• Remember that Jesus is with you and cares for you.
• Pray: Jesus, I give everyone and everything to you.
• Ask for union with God and for more of his life and love to fill you.

Two Ways to Use the Pause:

• Set a reminder on your phone to go off at a couple different points in your day
• Use the pause in moments of overwhelm or anxiety

Download The One Minute Pause app from John Eldredge to be guided through the practice (the app is completely free).

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever spend time reading the Bible and feel like you didn’t really get anything out of it? You read the words, but they didn’t really connect with your heart. In today’s episode, we’ll do a practice together that will allow us to listen and receive from Scripture in a new way. [This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

This week’s practice: Lectio Divina (or, Divine Reading)

For a free printable guide to use as you do this practice, visit lindsaysterchi.com/free.

These steps are adapted from Adele Calhoun’s Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.

The passage used in this episode’s practice is Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV).

• Silencio (Silence)
• Close your eyes, take a couple deep breaths, and rest in God’s presence.
• Lectio (Read)
• Simply read or listen to the passage of scripture, slowly and without rushing.
• Meditatio (Meditate)
• Read or listen to the passage a second time. Notice if a word or phrase stands out or connects with you.
• Oratio (Respond)
• Read or listen to the passage a third time. Based on what you’ve heard or experienced, respond back in prayer to God.
• Contemplatio (Contemplate)
• Before you leave this time, rest in God’s presence and offer a prayer of surrender. Consider how to carry what you’ve heard or experienced into the rest of your day.

Ideas of scripture passages for this practice:

• Ephesians 3:14-19 (the passage used today)
• Colossians 1:9-14
• Psalm 63:1-8
• Psalm 23

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if spending just five minutes reviewing your day could lead to significant growth and change? In this episode, we’ll learn the short but powerful practice of the daily review. As we pay attention to our lives in the presence of God and make small adjustments along the way, we’ll see steady and sustainable growth over time that will change our lives. [This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

Show Notes:

This week’s practice: Daily Review

1. Decide when you will do the review.

2. Ask God to show you what He wants you to remember about your day.

God, help me to remember my day the way YOU want me to see it.

3. Draw four arrows (up, down, left, right), leaving space between each one.

4. Write down one thing that comes to mind for each arrow.

Up: What was my high for today? When did I feel most like myself or most alive?

Down: What was the low for today? When did I feel least like myself?

Left: When was I moving away from God? When did God feel distant?

Right: In what ways did I move towards God? When did God feel close? 

5. Look over what you wrote and ask God if there’s anything He wants you to see or know.

6. Close with a prayer of surrender, knowing that tomorrow is a chance to begin again.

Example prayer: God, I thank you for the good moments of my day, and I receive your grace and mercy for the low points. I pray that tomorrow, you will give me the strength and courage to show up in my day and with others as my full, true self in Jesus. I thank you that you were with me today, even in the moments when I didn’t even FEEL you there. I pray that tomorrow, I will be aware of your constant love and presence. Thank you that tomorrow is a chance to begin again and receive fresh mercy and grace to start a new day. Amen.

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever gotten to the end of the day and realized you didn’t give God a second thought? We know God is always with us, but it can be a struggle to remember that in the middle of a busy day. This week’s episode will teach you a practice that will help you learn what it means to “pray continually,” and to find stillness and connection with God that will last beyond your quiet time. [This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

Show Notes:

1 Thessalonians 5:17

This week’s practice: Breath Prayer

Identify a short phrase or sentence that expresses what you need from God right now, and pray it throughout your day to remember God’s presence with you

How to Practice Breath Prayer:

1. Spend some time reflecting in God’s presence to identify what you most need from God right now.

What is one thing you want to ask of God right now?

What is one thing you need to remember about God?

1. Looking over your list of responses, pick what most resonates with you today and turn it into a phrase or sentence that will be your breath prayer to God.

Examples:

God, give me patience.

Jesus, fix my eyes on you.

Holy Spirit, give me strength.

1. Put this prayer somewhere you’ll see it throughout the day.

Examples: put on a post-it or set a reminder on your phone.

1. Pray your breath prayer right in the middle of your busy day, especially when you feel anxious or overwhelmed (this doesn’t have to be out loud, of course!). Allow the prayer to re-focus your heart and attention on God, reminding you that He is always with you

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

• GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel like your mind never slows down? Our minds are crowded with thoughts and lists, worries and stress, and it can feel like inner stillness is impossible. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing a practice called “download” that can help you get the mental clutter out of your head, and clear some space for inner stillness and peace. 

[This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

Show Notes:

This week’s practice: Download

Clear your mental clutter by writing down your scattered and messy thoughts. This will help you still and focus your mind so you can pay attention to yourself and to God.

How to Practice Download:

1. Grab a piece of paper that you don’t mind throwing away when you’re done, and a pen.
2. Set your phone timer for five minutes.
3. Write down your thoughts to get out the mental clutter.
4. Write stream-of-consciousness, jotting down anything that pops in your head.
5. Write a to-do list of nagging tasks taking up brain space.
6. Focus on one issue, problem, or source of anxiety. Write out all your thoughts, questions, or stress about just that one thing.

BONUS STEP: Try first doing this practice of download, and then following that with the practice of five minutes of silence (from last week’s episode). See if it helps to get things out of your head and onto paper before you sit in silence makes it easier to be still without your mind racing or being distracted.

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever noticed how much noise there is in our lives? Because of this, silence can feel kind of radical, and a little uncomfortable. In this episode, we’ll talk about why silence is the best place to start if you want to grow and connect with God. I’ll walk you through how to get started with a 5-minute practice of silence, and we’ll discover why this simple practice is so powerful. [This episode is part of the summer replay series of my favorite episodes. New episodes return in Fall 2021!]

Show Notes:

What Silence is NOT:

• Praying words to God
• Getting warm fuzzy spiritual feelings
• Hearing answers from God

What Silence IS:

• Creating space for God
• Resting in God’s presence
• Allowing your mind to slow and settle

How to Practice Silence:

1. Pick a time in the next 24 hours to do this practice and put it on your calendar.
2. When it’s time to begin your practice of silence,  set a timer on your phone for five minutes.
3. Close your eyes and open with a simple, one-sentence prayer: God, I’m here and I’m listening.
4. Simply be still and rest.
5. When the timer goes off, end your time with a short, one-sentence prayer of gratitude for the time of quiet in God’s presence.
6. (Bonus step) Reflect on how the experience was for you. How did you feel? Did the experience of silence bring RELIEF or RESISTANCE?

***This episode is part of the summer replay series of some of my favorite episodes. To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does life feel like a performance of trying to get it all right? It can even feel like we have to perform to gain God's approval. But God isn't impressed by our success or disappointed by our failures. In this episode, we'll look at why viewing God as our "audience of one" isn't always helpful, and what it means to live WITH Him instead of FOR Him. 

This Week's Practice: Reflection on Surrendering vs. Performing

Listen to the song "Lean" by Nichole Nordeman (you can find it here.) 

Ask God to show you where in your own life you might be performing, rather than simply surrendering. And whatever you do today, imagine that God is doing it WITH you, that he is right there beside you each step of the way.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I will not be releasing new episodes of the podcast this summer, but there will be a few replays of my favorite episodes (marked REPLAY in the podcast feed).

To find out when new episodes are available:

• Subscribe to the podcast
• Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
• Sign up for my email list (you'll also get a free download: "Your Toolkit of Five-Minute Spiritual Practices")

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are the loudest voices and influences in your life? While it's great to learn from other people, sometimes we are looking to the wrong source to teach us how to live. In this episode, we'll pay attention to who we follow and why, and how to know when it's time to turn down the outside voices.

This Week's Practice: Reflection Guide

When you notice that someone you admire online has a loud voice in your life, whether that’s positive overall or negative, ask yourself:

1. What about this person is appealing to me?
2. Is what they are sharing real, or does it feel staged or manipulated to look better than it is?
3. Is what they share helpful?
4. How do I feel when I engage with their content? Do I feel encouraged and inspired? Or do I feel shame and less-than?
5. When I’m inspired by what someone else says or does…How might that look like uniquely for me? What would it mean to live that out as ME in my unique life, rather than simply trying to copy how someone else does it?

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you want to change, what do you do first? But before we take action or try to fix what's wrong, there's another question we must consider first. In this week's episode, we'll explore what it looks like to start with the right question when it comes to our spiritual growth.

This Week's Practice:

1. Spend some time reflecting on this question: What does God want to form in me right now?
2. Then, ask God to show you: What practices will create space for God to do that?

Mentioned in this episode:

Episode 3: Clear the Mental Clutter (practice of download)

Episode 21: The Power of the One Minute Pause

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel like you keep running up against the same wall over and over again? When we feel stuck, we generally have one of two responses: We either fight and try really hard, or we give up in defeat. In this episode, we'll talk about the first essential step to breaking through the walls that keep us from moving forward.

This Week's Practice: Seeing and Naming the Wall

1. Consider: Where are you feeling stuck? In what areas of your life are you struggling to change?
2. Close your eyes and picture a physical wall. What does it look like? What does that wall represent to you?
3. Imagine what is on the other side of that wall. What is this wall keeping you from? Who do you want to be, and what does life look like on the other side of it?
4. Imagine yourself beside the wall and think about your posture towards it right now. Are you fighting against it, trying really hard to break through? Or are you turning away from it, pretending it’s not there or trying to run away from it? 
5. Imagine that Jesus is there with you at the wall. How does it feel to know he is there with you, and that you’re not alone? 
6. What might Jesus want to say to you about this wall, this place where you feel stuck?
7.  Consider if there’s a next step that you can take with Jesus to begin moving forward wherever you are stuck.
8. Receive the invitation of Jesus to surrender and rest in his presence as you face the wall together.

Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this episode, would you help us spread the word by sharing it on social media? Tag me (@lindsaysterchi) on Facebook or Instagram so I can connect with you there. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Connect with us on social:

@newhopechurchcc

www.newhopechurch.cc/listen

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram: @lindsaysterchi

Facebook

lindsaysterchi.com

Subscribe to the other podcasts in the New Hope Podcast Network:

The New Hope Podcast (weekend messages)

New Hope Underground (a behind-the-scenes look at all things NH)

GL Talk (a podcast for group life leaders)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.