For today’s blog, I want to share a little early morning “pep talk” from an Orthodox Archbishop, Anthony Bloom (taken from “Beginning to Pray,” pp. 75-77). It will get you going! “Awake in the morning and the first thing you do, thank God for it, even if you don’t feel particularly happy about the day … Continue reading A Whole Life Worship Pep Talk

One of my whole life worship friends, Diane, shared with me how worshiping the Lord helps her to abide. She writes: Finding time to worship everyday helps me to abide especially when the storms of life are raging around me. Christ is the eye of that storm. If I keep looking up at that circle … Continue reading Abiding through worship

Last night I woke up at 3am in a panic. Something just gripped my mind and heart as I was filled with anxiety. A small, still Voice told me, “Just breathe … and pray.” So I took deep breaths. I tried praying the Jesus prayer, but it was too long. All that could come out … Continue reading Breath Prayer

As we seek to worship God with our everyday ordinary lives, one of the biggest hurdles to meaningful connection is when we encounter those situations that overwhelm us: trials, conflicts, roadblocks, setbacks and the like. Usually, there are strong emotions that accompany these events, like fear, anger, anxiety, sorrow or discouragement. If you’re like me … Continue reading The Secret Power of Welcoming the “Un-welcomable”

Yesterday, I preached a sermon on "Worship in the Everyday Ordinary. It expands some of the thoughts I shared earlier this morning. Click here to stream the podcast. Enjoy!

Many Christians find it difficult to integrate their spirituality into daily life. Exercising spirituality in the interior world of Personal Worship Time is safe and comfortable. It is relatively easy to worship the Lord in the protective confines of solitude. However, it amazes me how quickly meaningful spiritual focus is lost once I encounter the … Continue reading Worship in the Everyday Ordinary

I use an approach called “Lectio Divina” when I have my Scripture time in Personal Worship. Lectio Divina (which means “Divine Reading”) was a spiritual discipline developed by St. Benedict in the 5th Century. Its application is varied, depending on the tradition, and I view it a principle than an exact methodology. The main thrust … Continue reading Hearing God through Scripture – Lectio Divina

I was in college when I started having a regular devotional time. I was excited to introduce this spiritual discipline in my life and, for the first few weeks, I was pretty consistent. But then it got increasingly difficult to maintain this time. I found it hard to stay awake while I read my Bible. … Continue reading Jesus Wants to Meet with Me!

In the Old Testament times, the great saints marked their encounters with God by constructing an altar to Him. Abraham did this several times, as did Isaac and Jacob. Moses built God a tabernacle and David desired to build God a temple. These structures’ sole role was to be a place where the Presence of … Continue reading Personal Worship Time – Putting Our Lives on the Altar

 The first movement of the Whole Life Worship paradigm is at the most foundational, simplest place where worship can begin: the human heart or spirit – the innermost part of a person. In John 4:24, Jesus said that God’s true worshipers “must worship in spirit and in truth.” While people can worship God with their … Continue reading Personal Worship