The Importance of Praise and Thanksgiving

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love and His wonderful works for the human race. For He has satisfied the thirsty and filled the hungry with good things.”

— Psalm 107:8-9 CSB

In September 1620, 102 men, women, and children left England to sail to the new land known as America. By the Spring of the following year, over half of those people had died from illness and deprivation. The next Fall, after a successful harvest, the remaining pilgrims celebrated a three-day feast to thank God for his faithfulness and goodness to them. This is the origin of what we celebrate every 4th Thursday in November- Thanksgiving.

One of those pilgrims, William Bradford, who sailed on the Mayflower to America, quotes portions of several Psalms, including Psalm 107, in his journal regarding the journey that he had experienced. His journal entry is a praise and thanksgiving for God and what he had provided for them, even amid struggles and loss.

As we approach Thanksgiving 2023, over 400 years from the story of the pilgrims and our country’s beginnings, it seems like a good time to consider the importance of praise and thanksgiving, specifically to our creator, God.

Both praise and thanksgiving are commanded in the Bible, but there is an important difference. Prayer, worship, praise, and thanksgiving are often intertwined, but at its simplest, praise can be described as acknowledging and appreciating who God is, and thanksgiving is thanking God for things he has done.

Psalm 145:3 tells us, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. (ESV) 

We are commanded to praise God and know he is worthy of praise, but how often do we do it? Right now, can you think of any attributes of God worthy of praise? His faithfulness, provision, generosity, and patience are a few that come to my mind. The Bible is full of verses telling us of his attributes, and thinking about these is a wonderful way to know him better and grow in faith. When we take the time each day to praise him, it helps remind us that we are merely human and that He is a great God for us and with us. Sending this message to our souls is reassuring and can bring peace even in distress.

“We can always find a reason to praise. Situations change for better and for worse, but God’s worth never changes.”

— Matt Redman

We are also commanded to thank God for all he has done. Right now, can you think of things God has done or is doing in your life? Giving me breath to live, unlimited forgiveness, and hearing and answering my prayers are a few things that come to mind. Humans are forgetful, and it’s important that we remember to thank God for the things he has done for ourselves, others, and our world. 

When we accept the invitation to praise and thank God, our thoughts focus on His power and goodness, among other things. In a world that is so often calling our attention to things that bring worry, anxiety, and distress, you can see how obeying these simple commands can bring good things to your mental health and the health of your very soul.

Entering into and participating in praise and thanksgiving is simply a choice. God’s commands are for our flourishing, but we are given the freedom to participate or not. When I look at the responses of people like William Bradford, who endured great hardship and yet are able to respond with praise and thanksgiving, I can see that being intentional to make these a part of my daily life is not only easy but they are also very valuable for a life well lived.

Here’s to a journey filled with praise and thanksgiving!

Spiritual Health and Wholeness with the Enneagram

Have you heard of the enneagram? I first heard about it at a Christmas party. I was intrigued by everyone laughing and joking about their “number.” Soon after that party, I took assessments, bought books, and listened to podcasts about this ancient tool used for self-awareness. Many years later, I am excited to have been learning how the enneagram is a valuable tool for spiritual formation, leading to health and wholeness.

Before I start, I want to let you know that if you are a Christian and are against the Enneagram, I am not here to talk you into liking it. If you are here today to learn all the ins and outs of this tool, that is not what you will find here. (But I do want to encourage you to investigate.) If you are here to learn some basics about how the Enneagram, appropriately used, can help you grow in knowledge about yourself, help you grow closer to Jesus, and help you show empathy, compassion, and love to others, then please keep reading.

As I mentioned, the Enneagram is a tool. It is not a necessary resource for humans to flourish. It cannot transform you into Christ-likeness. God does the transforming. A.J. Sherrill, author of The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation, writes, “...as a tool, it has proven to be incredibly useful in revealing what motivates our behavior as humans and in showing whether our choices are leading to health and wholeness.”

Here, we are going to take a brief look at how understanding your number or type can help you to 1) learn more about yourself, 2) grow closer to Jesus, and 3) learn to love others in a more like Jesus does

How The Enneagram Can Help You Learn About Yourself

Once you discover your number, you will find that your personality type has strengths and weaknesses, a core fear, a core desire, and more. In discovering your number, you can learn how you operate in health and unhealth. With this information, you can learn what changes will help you move toward health and wholeness.

For instance, I learned I am a 2w1 (Two, wing One). A two is most commonly called the Helper and is in the heart triad. A Two is often described as loving, caring, and a befriender. Strengths of Twos include being thoughtful, self-sacrificing, and generous. Weaknesses of Twos include neglecting their own needs, being manipulative to get their needs met, and being passive-aggressive when unappreciated.

In learning about myself, I can learn how to make different choices that move me into health and wholeness and closer to the person God intended me to be: the person who is secure in God’s unshakeable love.

How the Enneagram Can Help You Grow Close to Jesus

The Enneagram shows us our core fear, desire, weakness, and longing in each type. When we know ourselves, we can better appreciate how God made us and ask him to help us with our weaknesses, fears, desires, and longing. The goal is to have these areas of our life more in line with his originally intended design for us as image bearers of God. The Enneagram gives us a roadmap to where we need God’s healing most. 

As Christian leaders are experiencing the Enneagram as a helpful tool in Christian life, more and more resources are being made available that pair up specific spiritual practices and scriptures to aid in healthy spiritual formation. 

For instance, Ones struggle with the need to be perfect and right. Scripture that may be helpful to meditate on would include Romans 5:8, “..but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” and Romans 8:1, “Therefore there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” Spiritual practices particularly helpful for Ones include walks in nature and abandoning outcomes to God.

In learning more about myself and God, I can grow closer to Jesus, growing in my understanding of his love for me, my love for him, and my love for others.

How the Enneagram Can Help You Love Others Like Jesus

Learning to love like Jesus is a lifetime endeavor. God is working in us to form us to be a blessing to and for the sake of others. On the path to loving others like God are characteristics such as compassion and empathy. When we understand how people with each of the nine numbers approach life with their core fears, desires, longings, and weaknesses, we can be more understanding, compassionate, and empathetic. We can grow in a greater appreciation of our fellow man; each image bearers of God, with their specific struggles and needs. 

This tool can improve our relationships at home, work, and church. With this tool, we can intentionally communicate with one another with each person's type (number) in mind.

When we have a basic understanding of another’s core weakness, fear, desire, and longing, we can be more patient and understand how they approach life. 

Further Resources

I hope you can see what a valuable tool the Enneagram can be. Of course, like anything else, it needs to be used in a way that brings health and wholeness and is not abused to bring hurt and pain. It is a tool that can be just fun and interesting, but it can also help you thrive in your relationships. It is a tool that can lead to a life filled with more peace and less stress. 

If you want to learn more, I have listed several of my favorite books below, describing their particular focus. I hope you will find one (or two!) that will help you along your journey.

1. Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith by Bill and Kristi Gaultiere — This is my newest enneagram book, written by the founders of Soul Shepherding, where I am receiving my Spiritual Direction training. As the title says, this book shows you ways to grow emotionally and spiritually through understanding the Enneagram. It is so well organized, practical, and easy to read.

2. The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation by AJ Sherrill — This book shows you how knowing ourselves can make us more like Jesus. This book helps show the reader how their personality type shapes their faith journey.

3. The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut — This was my first book on the Enneagram, and as the title states, it is complete and thorough. If you want to be more of an Enneagram expert, this may be the book for you. The book includes topics you don't find everywhere, such as information about subtypes and antitypes. Clear and comprehensive. 

4. Becoming Us by Beth & Jeff McCord — Gospel-centered and focused on the marriage relationship, this book is very practical and thorough in helping you understand how to better be in a relationship with another number. It benefits those with marriage in the near future or those who have been married for decades.

5. The Enneagram in Love and Work by Helen Palmer — This is not a book that I have read cover to cover. Still, it has been constructive and insightful, particularly in helping me understand better the dynamics of working relationships. It is excellent for those who are in leadership or who work in team environments.

Being intentional to take the time to learn about yourself and others for the Kingdom of God is time well spent. I hope what you learn will be as helpful in everyday life as it has been for me.

Soul Care: The Road to Knowing God

I recently came out of a six-month journey through the book of Philippians. It was a slow journey where I took small portions of Scripture and meditated on them. I would use the Lectio Divina process to reflect, pray through and seek God’s direction for my life with these small portions, week after week, month after month. 

After this time in Philippians, Paul’s deep love for Jesus struck me like never before. As a Pharisee, Paul spent much of his life knowing about God. But when Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he began his journey to experientially knowing God.

Even as Christians, we can share a similar experience with the Apostle Paul, where we know much about God without robust growth in knowing God personally and intimately. 

Learning about God and how He has revealed himself in the Bible is essential. But how can we go from knowing about God to knowing Him?

1. Know Jesus — the Bible tells us that to have peace with God, we must know Jesus for who He is. We need to know Him as God come in human flesh, fully God and fully human.

2. Know the Bible — The Bible Project describes the Bible as “a unified story that leads to Jesus.” Knowing, reading, and studying the Bible is a lifelong pursuit in understanding who God is and who I am.

3. Seek to know God — ideally, we seek to know God as soon as we come to know Jesus, but we often find ourselves knowing about Him instead. 

Here are some intentional ways we can grow in our knowing God:

1. Ask Him. Let God know that you want to know Him. If your desire is not what you would like, ask Him for that too.  

2. Make time and space for spending intentional time with God. Practice soul training exercises like taking Sabbath, silence, gratitude, lectio divina, and margin.

3. Live a life of faith. How are you living today that requires faith in God? What evidence is there that you trust in God and not just yourself?

4. Surround yourself with a healthy community of believers. God’s intent has always been community — healthy community. Healthy community is not perfect, but is identified by love, encouragement, and a desire to be like Jesus.

5. Read The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith. An easy-to-read book that helps you identify false narratives about God while encouraging spiritual practices to help you grow.

6. Read Knowing God by J.I. Packer. A Christian classic that is both theological and practical.

7. Grow in prayer. Prayer, at its simplest, is talking to God. Remember to end your prayer with a time of waiting and listening for a response from the Holy Spirit. How is God inviting you to participate with Him today? An excellent resource for this is Practicing the Way’s Prayer Practice with its companion book, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, by Tyler Staton.

Knowing God is a journey that can bring peace, joy, and contentment to your soul as you live your everyday life. 

Here’s to enjoying the journey together!

Rejuvenate Your Soul: Living in the Easy Yoke

Could your soul use a refresh, revamp, or some rejuvenation?

I think many of us would say yes. Many of us would admit that our souls are tired, worn out, and need an answer to that problem. The good news is that the answer to a soul needing rejuvenation could be as easy as checking on your yoke and making a few simple adjustments. But first, let’s look at what a yoke is and what Jesus means when he uses the term “easy yoke.”

When Jesus was here on earth, teaching his disciples, he said, 

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest [renewal, blessed quiet] for your souls.” (Amplified Bible)

Those who heard those words would be familiar with a yoke at that time. They would call to mind a wooden beam between two oxen (or other animals) that would enable them to pull or carry a heavy load by equally distributing the weight across their shoulders. Those listeners would also be familiar with the yoke as a metaphor for service or submission.

But what does that mean for us today?

Perhaps it is helpful to look at Eugene Peterson’s The Message, which says:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Jesus offers a way of being that results in a rested soul and an internal sense of freedom or lightness, regardless of external circumstances. He is offering himself — a humble, gentle teacher who can show you the way to the kind of life intended for those living in the kingdom of God. Life is often challenging, but the easy yoke is an easier way to do hard things.

This is an invitation that needs to be accepted!

And yet, in a sense, I think many of us, possibly unintentionally, don’t accept the invitation. Or maybe we don’t know what to do or how to do it. Sometimes we intentionally take Jesus’ easy yoke, but over time, we lose our way and find ourselves yoked up with something or someone other than Jesus. Sometimes as we’re going along, we can make certain decisions or do certain things and find ourselves no longer yoked to the easy yoke of Jesus and discover that we are yoked to the lifestyle of Instagram or have yoked up to what our pastor is preaching, or to what our boss expects of us.

We all yoke up with something or someone. We can yoke up with work, influencers, success, and culture, to name a few.

Perhaps you are yoked to Jesus, but your soul still feels worn and tired. If that is the case, here are some areas that may help you identify where some intentional change is needed:

Work(ing)- do you feel the urge or need to earn God’s love? Do you try to look good on the outside, needing to prove yourself to others? If this is a normal feeling for you, you may be carrying the burden of work. You may need to replace lies about earning love with the truth of the unconditional, never-ending love of Jesus.

Under commitment- Dallas Willard wrote, “The general human failing is to want what is right and important, but at the same time not to commit to the kind of life that will produce the action we know to be right and the condition we want to enjoy.” This can be a case of wanting the easy yoke life but being unwilling to commit intentionally to spiritual disciplines, spending time with Jesus, or following his teachings.

Control- there are many reasons we may feel the need to control situations, micromanage or cling to “our way.” However, Jesus' easy yoke is one where we trust Him with every moment of our lives, living in His strength and not our own. If we are in Jesus’ easy yoke, we won’t feel the need to manipulate or make things happen.

Listening- our life is our school, and Jesus is our teacher. Are we paying attention? Are we listening to what our life and teacher may be telling us? We need to heed the voices of Jesus' easy yoke, not those that lead in another direction.

The easy yoke is available to followers of Jesus. Although it does not take work, it does take intention. As you learn to follow the way of Jesus, you will feel your soul renew, relax and rejuvenate. As you experience that internal rest that only comes from Him, you won’t want to lose it or go back — you will want to abide.

Here’s to learning on the Journey together!

Valerie

The Healthy Soul: Present with God

If you’ve spent much time here with me on the topic of soul care, you will quickly start to see a theme. So much of soul care is about paying attention. We often live at a frenetic pace and if we don’t we often fill our lives with noise. Noise from social media, news, podcasts, and other forms of media. When we are feeling overwhelmed we might go on a vacation or have a staycation where we fill our day with fun things only to hop back on our treadmill called life, shortly after.

While we may be enjoying or trying to enjoy the “good life” we still have that sinking feeling of discontent, stress, anxiety or depression. 

Where have we gone amiss?

In all of our living, it is quite possible that we miss that which is the most life giving, enjoyable part of life: the presence of God.

If you are His child, you have been given the greatest promise known to man: “I will be with you always.” (Psalm 16:8, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 28:20)

Another interesting aspect to soul care is that it is always free, easy and available to all of God’s children. In addition, so many of the ways we can care for our soul are counter to our culture. Spending time with God can actually sound boring, unattainable or something we just don’t have time to do. None of that is true.

The truth is that being intentional about practicing the presence of God is life-giving, life-changing and priceless!

Being intentional to be with God opens your life up to greater love, peace and (en)joyment!

Here are some ways that you can begin to practice the presence of God:

• Every day simply choose to direct your mind toward God. This can be challenging at first as we are used to thinking of other things, but over time you will find that you can actually train your mind to start thinking of God on its own. Ask God to help you.

• Surround yourself with things that remind you of God. This can be as simple as post-it notes in the inside of your kitchen cabinets, on the bathroom mirror or in the car.

• Memorize one or more Scriptures that speak of God’s presence or any Scripture that encourages you in general.

• If you have a Bible reading routine, before you begin, invite God to be with you and direct your time. He is already with you, but I have found it powerful to give the invitation as a way of saying “I want to be with you, I want to know you are here with me.”

• If you practice Sabbath, be intentional to spend time resting just in the presence of God.

• When you pray, don’t end your prayer and move on about your day. Instead, keep the conversation open. You might even say, “I’ll talk to you more in the car, (or kitchen or bathroom or where it is you are going to be).” Before you know it, you will be talking to Him throughout your day without much thought or effort- it will become a habit.

• Lastly, if you want a little more inspiration, check out the little book, “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. I recommend the modern version, HERE

As always, it is a great idea to start with God and ask Him how you might be better at being present in God’s presence.

I am confident you will find that growing in His presence makes all of life brighter, better and more as He intended it to be.

Here’s to enjoying His presence on our journey!

Valerie

Soul Care: What To Do When You Feel Stuck

Feeling stuck in our journey with Jesus is a common experience. Being stuck in the Christian life can feel frustrating, defeating, and even depressing. The causes of stuckness are many and varied. Seasons of life like a new baby, job, school, or a simple schedule change are common reasons for finding yourself stuck. Sometimes the reasons are more complicated, like sin issues or neglecting our souls. The good news about stuckness is that although the causes are many, there are also an amazing number of solutions to set you free! You can go from feeling frustrated to satisfied, happy, and content with some intention.

Below, we will look at a common area where we find ourselves stuck and then conclude with some help for feeling stuck in general. The solutions are approached through the 3 C’s: Connecting, (being) Creative, and Community.

Tools for Getting Unstuck

The three C’s approach to moving from stuck to freedom and satisfaction are:

Connect — Intentionally choosing to connect to your source of strength and wisdom: God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. The best place to start with anything in life is with the One who created you and knows you better than anyone! Instead of seeking answers on the internet, Seek answers from God. (Psalm 86:6-7)

“We go astray when we attempt to do spiritual work, without spiritual power.”

— A. W. Tozer

(be) Creative — God is the creator and made us to be creative. Intentionally think outside the box, breaking through self-imposed rules and expectations.

Community —Ideally, this is your church small group, a soul friend, or a spiritual director.

Now that we have defined our tools let’s look at one of the most common areas of stuckness and brainstorm using the 3 C’s together.

One Common Area of Stuckness: Bible Reading/Devotional Time

Maybe you haven’t picked up a Bible or had a devotional time in days, weeks, months, or years. Perhaps you started a plan (January 1st, anyone?) and haven’t progressed as you hoped. Maybe you don’t like reading but know that Bible reading/devotional time is vital to your soul health. Maybe what you have been doing feels dry or boring. No matter the reasons, solutions are here!

Connect — Always the best first step. Simply pray to God regarding your situation and ask Him for help. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but I do suggest being completely honest (He knows anyways). The next step is to take some time to listen. If you don’t sense any promptings, then it is time to pay attention. Pay attention for the answer to your prayer from friends, sermons, podcasts, and even social media. Answers can come from many sources but always align with God’s word and character.

(be) Creative — The ways to be creative are many and unique to you and your personality, resources, and individual prayer. Here are a few ways to be creative in the area of Bible reading/devotional time:

• Change up your sources. Purchase or borrow a new Bible version or style, devotional book or try an app. 

• Instead of, or in addition to reading, take advantage of, audio devotional books and Bibles. Another way to listen to the Bible or text is to ask an older child or spouse to read to you while driving. 

• Change up the time and/or place.  

• If you are on a reading plan and are behind, you can keep forging ahead and end not on time, keep reading trying to catch up, or even block out where you are behind and jump up to where you are supposed to be to eliminate the feeling of always being behind. You can catch up on the blocked-out section during hidden opportunities such as waiting at doctor appointments, airplane rides, or vacation time.

Community —

• Partner with a friend or spouse. 

• Create a Bible/devotional book club that meets regularly to keep you on track and provide accountability.  

• Enlist the help and encouragement from your small group, soul friend, or spiritual director. Ask for suggestions for ways to refresh and renew your current rhythms. Remember, being stuck is common, and there is plenty of advice out there that speaks from a place of personal experience.

Now you can see how the 3 C’s can help you to break through challenges with Bible reading/devotional time. These tools can also help with prayer, other spiritual disciplines, and almost any area of your journey.

Resources: 

Here are some ideas that I (Valerie) or Alisa have personally used that you may find helpful along your way.

Bibles

Alabaster Bibles — each book is one book of the Bible. They are beautifully presented with artistic imagery and photography. 

Abide Bible — I absolutely love this Bible, which was created to help the reader engage with Scripture through journaling, prayer, contemplation, engaging through art, and more.

ESV Journaling Bible — this Bible comes in many different forms, including individual books of the Bible.

Study Bibles — I have personally used the ESV Study Bible, but there are many styles and translations. A good Study Bible can be inspiring and fun.

Devotionals

Seeking God’s Face: Praying through the Year — with a foreword by Eugene H. Peterson, it is both a prayer book and a devotional book, which also follows the church calendar.

New Morning Mercies by Paul Tripp — not light reading; the author is frank, direct, and gospel-centered.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day: A 40-Day Journey with the Daily Office by Pete Scazzero — helps you to grow in your daily awareness of God’s presence and grow in your relationship with Him.

Apps

The Bible App — is free and amazing! You can access dozens of Bible versions, use audio for Bible reading, find devotional plans, and more.

Lectio 365 — morning and evening prayer and scripture plan

Every Moment Holy — brings prayers to our everyday liturgies and can be used as a daily devotion, thought, encouragement, or meditation

First 15 — daily devotional, which helps you spend your first 15 minutes with God. It also has an audio option which is great for taking in the bathroom when you are getting ready daily.

Tools

Bible Project — articles, podcasts, reading plans, and classroom experiences to help you understand the Bible in an approachable way.

Bible Recap — website, podcast, and books all to help you read through and 

learn from the Bible.

Encouraging each other on the Journey!

Valerie


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Cultivating a Healthy Soul: Silence and Solitude

Tired — almost fatigued. Restless. Irritable. Disconnected from God. This summarizes how I was feeling recently on an ordinary day. I could not point to an event or reason that was the cause of these less-than-desirable feelings. But because I am on the well-paved journey of listening to my soul, I stopped and asked myself and God, “What’s going on?” I then had that small, still prompting in my heart that said, “Silence and Solitude.” At that moment, those three words told me the answer and the solution to my problem.

I hope you are also on a journey to Soul health. Just like feeling pain in our bodies indicates a problem, we can listen to our souls as a way of knowing that our soul needs some attention. That day, all my feelings showed me that I needed to stop and ask my Father and Creator what was happening. He made me, knows me, loves me, and gave me the answer and solution that He knew I needed. He knew the answer I wouldn’t have come up with alone. In that moment, He became my Great Physician, healing my soul.

This spiritual discipline does not have to be costly or time-consuming. You don’t have to read a book or take a course to take advantage of its benefits today. Over 60 years ago, C.S. Lewis noted, “We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence….” 

What is Silence and Solitude, and what does it look like?

Practicing the Way explains Silence and Solitude by saying, “Simply put, it's a moment of intentional time in the quiet to be alone with God.” And John Mark Comer, in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, says, “Solitude is when you set aside time to feed and water and nourish your soul.”  

At Soul Shepherding, they explain that “solitude is for being alone with God. It is completed by silence. In other words, if you are practicing solitude and silence, they come together as one experience. The purpose and joy of that experience is time doing nothing except being with God.”

How to practice Silence and Solitude

Here at Intentionally Ordinary, we like to keep things simple, practical, and easy to integrate into your life. So, at this time, I would like to give some simple tips on practicing Silence and Solitude in an easy but impactful way.

One way to start practicing Silence and Solitude is to take advantage of what Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline calls “little solitudes.” When we are paying attention, we can find hidden moments such as: 

1. Those early moments before the family awakes — instead of thinking about the to-do list for the day, grabbing the phone, or even pressing the snooze button, be intentional to lie quietly and focus your mind on God. 

2. Sitting in traffic — instead of listening to music, news, or podcasts, direct your thoughts to God. You don’t have to say or do anything, although I find it helpful to imagine Jesus sitting next to me or imagining myself in a meadow underneath a tree with Jesus. Use your imagination for what feels relaxing and comfortable to you.

3. Mealtimes — if you are by yourself, take a few moments to quiet your body and mind and focus on God and his presence. If you have a family, make it fun for the whole family and invite everyone at the table for a moment of silence. This can even help your children develop this skill at an early age.

As you seek to be more intentional about Silence and Solitude, you can try some of these ideas:

1. Create a “quiet place” to look forward to just “being.” In our home, we have a room where the children rarely play. It has a minimalist feeling, adorned with plants and a big front window for just sitting and enjoying the view. This place naturally brings me peace just by entering into the space.

2. If you have an outdoor area, create a space to be by yourself in the fresh air. This space can be as simple as a chair with a table and a potted plant. This outdoor space can even be a park, or maybe you have a church building or resort area that brings feelings of peace to your heart.

3. Take a Silence and Solitude walk by yourself, and bring intentional focus on seeing God in nature.

As you move deeper into this discipline, you can plan for longer times of planned silence and solitude, which might mean 10 minutes, a partial day, or even longer. Silence and Solitude nourish our souls; as you make it part of your life, your soul will crave it. If you are like me and occasionally get off track in caring for your soul, you will begin to see the signs as I did (with some help) when I felt less than great.

On that recent day when I was struggling, I thanked God for prompting me to spend time with Him in Silence and Solitude. I simply sat in my chair and quieted my body and mind, which led to feeling His presence and refreshing my soul. It was less than 10 minutes of outer and inward rest. So restoring!

Recommended Resources

If you are interested in digging deeper, here are some helpful resources:

Bible verses on Silence and Solitude: https://soulshepherding.org/bible-verses-on-solitude-and-silence/

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Here’s to being on the journey to healthier souls — together!

Transforming the Soul Through Meditation

I’d like to share with you what I believe to be one of the easiest and most accessible avenues to transformation by God’s word: Scriptural meditation. Meditation is a simple yet impactful practice. The C.S. Lewis Institute defines Biblical meditation as 

“the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God…”

Simply put, to meditate on Scripture is to reflect on or ponder a small portion of God’s Word for an extended amount of time.

Christian meditation is unlike eastern meditation which aims for the emptying of the mind and instead aims for us to fill our mind with God, his truth and his promises.

For instance, recently I have been reading slowly through the book of Philippians.  A few days ago I started reading chapter two which in the New Living Translation  starts with this question:

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? 

I continued to read the chapter but before I closed my Bible, I went back to verse one above.

I thought about that question- a lot. Although I have read that verse many times over the years, I have never stopped and asked myself to answer that question. As I closed my Bible, I continued to ask myself that question. I thought about what it means to belong to Christ. I thought about encouragement. I continued to ask myself throughout the day, all the ways I could think of that I have personally received encouragement from belonging to Christ.  

As you might imagine, by simply meditating on the passage and the answers, my mind was filled with encouragement throughout the day! God’s promises and encouragement filled my heart, mind and soul. And because my thoughts were occupied with good things, I had no room for stressful, unhelpful, or otherwise negative, unwanted and unneeded thoughts. No wonder Psalm 1 says that the person who meditates and delights in God’s word is blessed!

As you can see, this kind of meditation is not complicated but it is beneficial in many ways. 

Here are just a few ways you may benefit from being intentional about meditating on Scripture:

1. Your mind is filled with the thoughts of God and his promises 

2. Your mind is set on things above (Col. 3:2) and renewed (Romans 12:2)

3. Your heart is turned to prayer and praise

4. You are more likely to memorize the Scripture that you meditate on

5. You entering into the promises of God (Psalm 1)

If you haven’t engaged in Scripture in this way, I hope you will give it a try.  

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

1. If you are already in a reading or devotional plan, pick a verse or portion from your reading to intentionally stop and think about. Take that verse with you throughout your day. Recall it or keep it in the front of your mind as much as you can. Ponder and reflect on the words, thoughts and ideas.

2. If you are not already following a reading or devotional plan, simply pick out a verse or portion of the Bible that catches your attention. If you want, you can even search the internet by looking up “popular Bible verses” or something similar.

3. Stick with your verses for one day, a week or longer.  As long as it is impacting you, stay with it.

4. Use sticky notes to help you remember your verse.

5. Engage with others. Do you have a soul friend or discipleship group that you could share with? If you do, this will help deepen your engagement and bless others as well!

Let us be intentional in taking small steps that open our souls to the transforming power of God’s word as it enters deeply into our hearts and minds. 

Enjoy the journey!

Oxygen for Your Soul: Breath Prayers

Do you experience worry, anxiety, overwhelm, or trouble staying present in the moment? Do you desire to feel more connected to God on a daily basis? If you answered yes to any of the above, then Breath Prayers may be for you.

I was first introduced to Breath Prayers in my spiritual direction training last year. Since then, I have slowly made them a part of my rhythm of life. I have found them calming, grounding, helpful, and encouraging. As a Spiritual Director, I have shared them with my directees, family, and friends, and now I’d like to share them with you! 

In Breath Prayer Guides by Bill Gaultiere, Breath Prayers are described as “a simple yet powerful practice to turn our rhythm of breathing in and out into a continual conversation with God.” Simply put, Breath Prayers are a way of taking deep, slow, intentional breaths as you inhale God’s word in and slowly out.

One of my favorite Breath Prayers is from the 23rd Psalm. This psalm is a favorite when I feel stressed from traffic (I live in Los Angeles!), overwhelmed with tasks, or feel the need to be in control in some area of my life. When I get any of those types of feelings creeping into my mind or showing up in my body, I first breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that I can find immediate help with a simple Breath Prayer. Here is how it works:

1. I take a slow, intentional, deep breath as I say to myself, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

2. I slowly exhale, releasing tension as I say to myself, “I have no need.”

3. I repeat until I feel the undesired feelings lessen or disappear. 

My usual experience is to feel relief from the unwanted feelings. I have also found that it reorients my mind to the truths of God’s word and His presence with me. It’s a win, win!

There are many choices for Breath Prayers; here are a few of my favorites:

(Breathe in) Peace…(Breathe out) Be still…

(Breathe in) More of Jesus…(Breathe out) Less of me…

(Breathe in) Fear not… (Breathe out) God is my (Confidence, Helper, Shepherd)

When I have a little more time, I love to use this one at home where I find a quiet and comfortable place and close my eyes.

Breathe in God’s word, breathe out stress.

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know I AM

Be still and know

Be still

Be

I always feel more relaxed and peaceful after that one!

If you would like more information on Breath Prayers, please feel free to contact me at care@intentionallyordinary.com, or you can get more information from the Breath Prayer Guides by Bill Galtiere at Soul Shepherding’s website.

I hope you will try them and intentionally bring more peace, calm, and time with God into your life.

Enjoying the journey together!

Valerie

For more breath prayers

We include breath prayers in almost everything we do because we’ve experienced their incredible power and simplicity. Our Habit Formation Workbook includes a breath prayer for each habit of the body, and our Half-Day Spiritual Retreat Guide integrates a section where you can create your own breath prayer. We hope you get to experience the power of breath prayers with these incredible spiritual formation resources. Check them out!

Decluttering Your Inner Life

Recently, here at Intentionally Ordinary, we have been doing some reorganizing and decluttering in our closets and kitchen drawers. We have been taking small steps that are making a big difference. At the end of last year, we were starting to feel those uncomfortable feelings that come from disorganization and clutter; feelings of frustration, irritation and annoyance, to name a few. 

Just like external clutter in our homes or work environments can have negative effects on our lives, the same is true for internal soul clutter. Signs of soul clutter can include stress, worry, irritability, anxiety, depression and more (if needed, please see a medical professional if you are struggling in this area). Even if you are not experiencing any of these feelings, it is always a good idea to include soul declutter as a regular part of your soul care.

Here are some easy and practical steps for decluttering your soul:

1. Set aside a small chunk of time to spend in silence and solitude. Quiet your mind and body and allow yourself to pay attention to what feelings and thoughts surface.

2. Ask questions such as: Is there something that is bothering me? Someone I need to forgive? Something I need to give up? Something I need to change?

3. Invite Jesus into this time of searching and again pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. 

4. End your time with space to just relax and breathe. So often our souls are in need of rest and time to just be without pressure or criticism. Allow yourself to relax and enjoy the moment.

5. Respond by writing down what you have discovered and make a plan. It is also a good idea to share with a soul friend to help you further process or provide accountability.

So often we just need to stop and pay attention. When we make this a regular practice, we will often find we are more at peace, more content and less overwhelmed by daily life.

Another great resource for soul decluttering is to meet with a Spiritual Director. As a trained listener, your Director can help you identify areas of your life that are disordered or unattended to, that cause feelings of distress or unease. It is also a time for you to receive empathy and clarity and rest for your soul.

Let’s be intentional to take small steps, together, towards happier, healthier souls!