There’s an important spiritual practice you might be overlooking. Lots of people are. But this one little thing can bring you a lot of peace. And I know you and me both could use more inner peace. That practice? Minding your own damn business. This is a key that opens the door of spiritual growth.

The new year is underway. 2019 is going to happen to us. Will our experience be good? Will it be bad? It’s hard to say because, honestly, most of this new year is going to be outside of your control. I can tell you one thing with certainty. Whatever your life will look like a year from now, it will look that way because of the time you’ve invested in preparation.

A new year has just begun, and that means we’re all thinking about goals and hopes and resolutions. Honestly, most of that is useless. Most resolutions fail. But if you really wanted to change your life for the better this year, there is one thing you could do that would have a massive impact. A simple little practice called gratitude. And I'm not joking when I say it can save your life.

Spiritual practices are crucial for intentional spiritual growth. They are so important that it's easy to start thinking that they really are what matters most. But that would be a dreadful mistake. N0 matter how helpful our various spiritual practices are, we can never confuse them with what matters most.  Essentially, we have to be careful not to mistake the trellis for the grape.

We all have friends, and we all know what it's like when friendship goes wrong.  Today, in a bonus episode, we're doing our first ever Apprenticeship Way interview with Mary DeMuth who has just written a book called The Seven Deadly Friendships. I want to introduce you to Mary because I think she's someone you should know, and her book may prove helpful to you.

You want peace. I want peace. We need to quiet those shrieking monkeys we talked about last episode. But how do we do it? Will God give us peace if we ask? What if the obstacle to peace isn't outside of us, or even in better prayers or spiritual practices. What if the obstacle is inside our own hearts and minds?

If you're like me, you've got a busy mind, always rushing on to the next thing; full of ideas, plans, questions, fears, and irritations. Or maybe your thoughts are constantly caught up in worry about the future, or maybe regrets from the past? Or do you find swirling anxiety cluttering your head?  Well, all that noise is an obstacle in your life and your pursuit of Jesus. It's time to tell your monkeys to be quiet.

Do you find yourself longing for those big, goose-bumpy, glowy moments of spiritual connection? Those mountain-top experiences are so great. They fill us up, and motivate us, and often leave us feeling connected with God. But you need to know something. If you're looking for that kind of moment, you may be missing something even more important.

Do you feel like you have to do ALL THE THINGS! Is FOMO a real fear for you? Do you struggle with anxiety or frustration because you can't seem to manage all the commitments you've made? Our culture is allergic to the idea of limits. We're told that effective people can do it all. But this is a lie. A good life, a peaceful and healthy life-even the Abundant life--is marked by a clear awareness of limits. You may be surprised to hear this, but limits are a part of God's good creation.

In our culture we bear an awful burden: The profound need to get our own way. This burden gets in the way of our relationships undermines our spiritual growth. It can even impede our sense of connection to God. Not getting our way is often painful, and we are hardwired to avoid pain! And yet there are times when not getting our way, even when it's painful, is the best possible thing. And of course, Jesus modeled this for us in the Garden of Gethsemane.