Nouwen, Lawrence, Fiddler: Unceasing Prayer

“Our minds are always active. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thought? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love.” —Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey (HarperSanFrancisco, 1997).

The book to turn to first, to begin to understand unceasing prayer, is Practicing the Presence of God. It is a very small collection of the teachings and experiences of Brother Lawrence, a French Carmelite monk who was the cook for his community in Paris in the 17th century. The book was compiled by Father Joseph Beaufort from letters and four conversations with Brother Lawrence, as he described his walk with God—not from the head, but within his heart. He saw God in every aspect, in every second of his life as he washed pots and pans, purchased wine, or cooked the meals—continually conversing with God. He never became weary of doing small things for the love of God—believing that intervals of prayer should not be different from other times; seeing God as a friend he would not want to be estranged from; feeling God’s presence more acutely in sickness than in good health.

My favorite fictional role model for continually being in conversation with God is Tevye in the 1971 American dramatic musical, Fiddler on the Roof.

I try to watch the movie several times a year and go to see the play whenever it comes close to Little Rock.. It is long but so worth journeying with Tevye in his persistent conversations with God through many trials.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Release party!!!!!!!!!!!

Come and get a signed copy of the new book

Just in time for the holidays

A Spiritual Rx for Advent Christmas, and Epiphany

The Sequel to A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter

Both are $18

All Money from sale of the books goes either to Camp Mitchel Camp and Conference Center in Arkansas or Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast

Seibert’s, 27 River Ridge Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227

10 to noon, Saturday September 14, 2019

RSVP joannaseibert@me.com

Marrying Orthodoxy to Orthopraxis

“There’s a movement in the church to marry action and contemplation, to connect orthodoxy and orthopraxis. We’re not throwing out the things we believe, but we’re also focusing on practices that work out those beliefs. In the past few decades Christianity has primarily been about what we believe. But in Jesus we see an invitation to join our actions with a movement rather than ideas and doctrine. People have grown tired of a Christianity that can say what it believes on paper but doesn’t have anything to show with our lives.”

—Adapted from Shane Claiborne, When Action Meets Contemplation (Center for Action and Contemplation, 2010), disc 1.

Orthopraxis, or practicing our faith, is different from orthodoxy, an adherence to a certain belief. It is a paradox. We need both. We need to frame and reframe what we believe; but if we do not put that belief into practice we are like a “noisy gong.” I am one of those people Shane Claiborne talks about who has lots of t-shirts spelling out social justice issues—but until I write letters or make phone calls or visit those in prisons or those who are sick or in trouble,

I am not putting that belief into practice. I have learned this most pointedly from younger people. The women in my family marched in the women’s march the day after the recent presidential inauguration. We were talking with our feet. We were inspired to do more by the crowds and speakers at this protest.

That day has become like an icon for me about reaching out from the words of my comfortable t-shirt and visiting and making calls and protecting those in need. I know in my heart that this is the way the Spirit works. We are called to study about God and the Spirit, but we are also compelled to find the God within ourselves that will lead us to discover the God in others.

I share with spiritual friends that when I am attempting to find God in others, God is most apparent in those in need. God most readily shines in those who are sick or dying or seeking recovery, or in those at our food pantry or at our dinners for homeless veterans. Practicing the ministry of orthopraxy teaches us the most about orthodoxy, about God.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Release party!!!!!!!!!!!

Come and get a signed copy of the new book

Just in time for the holidays

A Spiritual Rx for Advent Christmas, and Epiphany

The Sequel to A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter

Both are $18

All Money from sale of the books goes either to Camp Mitchel Camp and Conference Center in Arkansas or Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast

Seibert’s, 27 River Ridge Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227

10 to noon, Saturday September 14, 2019

RSVP joannaseibert@me.com

Gratitude

“Live your life so that the fear of death can never enter your heart. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light. Give thanks for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. And if perchance you see no reason for giving thanks, rest assured the fault is in yourself.” —Ascribed to Chief Tecumseh.

aaron burden . unsplash

Gratitude is definitely a secret to a Spirit-filled life. Those in 12-step recovery groups believe that we are less likely to go back to our old addiction—what they call “a slip”—if we continue in the way of gratitude each day. Whenever someone in recovery is not doing well, the most-suggested remedy is to start making a gratitude list to refer to every day, especially at night.

The insight from Trees for Life founder Balbir Mathur that he “travels in a boat called Surrender. His two oars are Forgiveness and Gratitude” which serve as a guide for our life. As long as we can surrender to a power greater than ourselves and are willing to forgive and remain grateful for what we have been given, we live a life of peace. Our blood pressure stays closer to normal. We are less likely to become irritated at all of life’s hiccups: our computer is not responding; someone has said something unkind; We have expectations of ourselves and others that are not being met; our body is not working the way it should; We are not getting our way or achieving our plan for the day.

Guided by forgiveness and gratitude, we can live assured that there is a grand plan beyond our own.

My husband and I once made fun of an older man, a friend of his father’s, who so often said, “You must have an attitude of gratitude.” Well, we both know now that there is no greater wisdom for living than this simple formula.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Release party!!!!!!!!!!!

Come and get a signed copy of the new book

Just in time for the holidays

A Spiritual Rx for Advent Christmas, and Epiphany

The Sequel to A Spiritual Rx for Lent and Easter

Both are $18

All Money from sale of the books goes either to Camp Mitchel Camp and Conference Center in Arkansas or Hurricane Relief in the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast

Seibert’s, 27 River Ridge Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227

10 to noon, Saturday September 14, 2019

RSVP joannaseibert@me.com