Friends And The Gift Of Years

front-st-brendanThis morning I had the privilege of sharing on Spiritual Formation (the Elemental Leader) with a group of about 12 people at Dominion Hill’s Five Star Pastors Retreat.

In that group, are many who I count as great friends over the years of my own journey of faith. I could barely speak, seeing in their eyes the years of faithfulness, worship, hope and life-giving that mark their worlds.

If the Spirit of God gives one the gift of speaking to, ministering to, one’s friends – then one should regard the moment as one of the most priceless treasures a lifetime can hold.

I felt my soul rising and falling with theirs as we reflected on the movements of the soul according to Ignatius, the necessity of penetrating deep into the Scriptures according to Madame Guyon, and the revery we must take in the mundane according to Chesterton.

The visions of the Elemental Leader flashed in our eyes, as we seek to emulate Jesus – by the strength of his Spirit within. What a privilege. We share years of our story – we reclaim then when we embrace again.

In this one life to live, enjoy your friends, and the gift of years that keeps you connected deep in the soul.

AVAILABLE NOW

Sheltering Mercy and Endless Grace help us rediscover the rich treasures of the Psalms—through free-verse prayer renderings of their poems and hymns—as a guide to personal devotion and meditation. Sheltering Mercy helps the reader pray Psalms 1-75; Endless Grace leads in prayer through Psalms 76-150.

The church has always used the Psalms as part of its prayer life, and they have inspired countless other prayers. Each book contains 75 prayers drawn from the Book of Psalms, providing lyrical sketches of what authors Ryan Smith and Dan Wilt have seen, heard, and felt while sojourning there. Each prayer is a response to the Psalms written in harmony with Scripture. These prayers help us quiet our hearts before God and welcome us into a safe place amid the storms of life.

These artful, poetic, and classic devotional books are a perfect gift, and feature compelling stunning illustrations and hardcover binding, offering a fresh way to reflect on and pray the Psalms. Co-written with Ryan Whitaker Smith, Brazos Publishing.

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