spiritual rhythms*

“Your desire for more of God than you have right now, your longing for love, your need for deeper levels of spiritual transformation is the truest thing about you” - this is a line from the introduction of Ruth Haley-Barton’s ‘Sacred Rhythms’. Read it again.  Because, when it comes to our rhythms (our deliberate patterns of time with Jesus), this changes everything! Rather than “I really ought have do my devotional today” or “I must pray more” these deeper desires compel us to choose patterns that open us more and more to the presence of God.

The choice to orient our life to God’s transforming presence is always ours: rhythms help us to say yes to this desire, day by day. These practices are ancient - modeled by Jesus - and some are needed Daily (some multiple times a day), some Weekly, some are more Occasional.

None of them happen by accident; rhythms usually need to be set, sometimes carefully planned in advance (and we must all beware our enemy - our phones!) We’ve put together a list of resources below to help you get started.

Our encouragement (to all of us, always) is to take this a step at a time. Don’t try them all at once, don’t just copy someone else’s, don’t ignore the reality of who you are, and what your life is currently like. Start by asking Jesus what is one way you can deepen your awareness of His presence in your life today. 

IMPORTANT REMINDER: As soon as this becomes religious, we have already lost. This is about making time and space for LOVE.