The Grace Narrative

Today is the third installment inspired by Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons and I'm happy to introduce you to my friend Terri Shown as we discuss creativity as a form of renewal. You will enjoy hearing about her experiences, her stories and her heart for sharing her creativity. Bonus note: we basically lost track of time and talked so much this is going to be a two part episode. (I could not bring myself to edit out that much content- it's just so good!) Thanks for joining in today to hear my conversation with my friend, the talented Terri Shown.

There is no way to overemphasize the importance of connection in our lives! My friend and counselor Kayla Little joins me in this episode of our current series based on Rebekah Lyon's book Rhythms of Renewal with some wise and practical ways of strengthening our relationship with others in order to "spur one another on" and "bear one another's burdens".

I've been looking forward to this discussion for a long time! I get to talk with my dear friend Heather Walton in this episode which is always a treat. We talk about SO MANY things- from what a restful quiet time looks like, to tech detox, our attitude about Sabbath, and even calming the chaos that always happens when the kids get home from school! It's a bit longer than normal - I mean, it's a strategy episode so we get nitty gritty with the details - and I just love it! One of my favorite things is at the end where Heather talks about the mission of the retreat center she is one of the founders and directors of and how to go about scheduling a time away for intentional rest.

Today's episode is going to lay the foundation for our series on Rhythms of Renewal. This is a topic I'm passionate about because it has been such a means of grace in my own life. What is the scriptural basis for the rhythms of rest, restore, connect, and create and why are they so important? Those are the questions we'll answer today.

We are squeezing as much as we can out of summer while simultaneously preparing for fall. What an interesting mix! As we prepare to talk about how to rest, restore, connect and create in future episodes, I think it's important to evaluate our daily routines to see where we might need to make room for or adjust our habits that put us in a position to receive renewal. I hope and pray this reair of Finding the Rhythm of Your Season sets the stage for you to do just that as we embrace God's way in the everyday.

In this episode, I'm going to share about some little gifts of grace that have made recent months more enjoyable in everyday living! It's like answering the question "What's saving my life right now?" I've said this before and I'll say it many more times I'm sure…it's in the reflecting that we actually learn from our experiences. These are the things that came to mind as I was reflecting. Some are spiritual, and some aren't- I have a practical one, a physical/spiritual one, and kind of a silly one- but all of them I consider blessings. Like grace notes in my life.

Remember Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." If we are going to discern our season, I think we should know what spiritual fall, winter, spring and summer look like, right? By describing physical seasons we can draw some pretty enlightening parallels that help us know our spiritual season. In this episode, we are going to focus on how to recognize winter and it's purpose in our growth. Even if you've heard teaching on this before, keep listening because the Holy Spirit is always in the business of revealing more truth as we focus on Him.

Today we are going to dive into how viewing our spiritual growth as a cycle offers a much better understanding with deeper trust and peace than having only a conventional linear view of our lives. That's a lot of words- maybe a little philosophical sounding, but rest assured that we are going to do what we always do. We are going to identify a common challenge, share real life examples of how it's part of our narratives, and of course, discover the role that grace plays as we explore what God's Word has to say about living in the tension of this challenge.

I truly hope you are reminded today of the power of connected relationships- this gift the Lord has given us to bond with our people. The next time a loved one comes to talk to you, I hope this practice of listening with your face is something you find helpful and strengthening in your relationship. And spiritually, I hope that you find a new level of intimacy with God as you seek his face, knowing his face is already focused on you! He welcomes you and wants to show himself to you. Listening with your face is another chance to embrace God's way in the everyday.

Margins are essential for anyone desiring wholeness and freedom from "hurry sickness". I don't believe we were created to live in a constant state of overwhelm that crowds our spirit. Margins give us space to breathe and freely experience the peace and joy we all crave. Learning how to create margins has been a life-changing experience that the Lord in his grace continues to teach me about. I hope you'll be encouraged today to take steps in implementing margins. I'm cheering you on!