Spiritual Exercise a. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise: Share about the spiritual exercise you chose from the six spiritual traditions. Was it natural or unnatural for you? Easy or difficult? What did you learn? How did you grow? Can you see incorporating this into the pattern of your life? Would you like to try a spiritual exercise from a different spiritual tradition? Go for it!
b. Think back on these five weeks. How have these sessions helped you grow in faith or become more aware of God’s presence in your life?
c. Into the future, think about the spiritual exercises we tried during these five weeks. What practice or practices might you incorporate into the pattern of your life so you might keep growing in your relationship with God?
Spiritual Exercise a. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise: Each week you’re invited to share about the spiritual exercise you tried this past week. How was the spiritual exercise you tried? Was it natural or unnatural for you? Easy or difficult? What did you learn? How did you grow? Can you see incorporating this into the pattern of your life? Why or why not?
b. This week’s spiritual exercise: Choose one (or more) of the spiritual exercises listed below and commit to try it this week. You may wish to try something in your comfort zone or something outside your comfort zone. The hope is that you may consider incorporating this exercise into the regular rhythm of your life.
i. As you go through your week, notice the places where you feel unqualified or “unlikely” to be doing what you’re doing. As you notice these places, ask God to show you how you are qualified in God’s eyes. OR (see next page)
ii. In 5e above, we said, “Our job as priests is also to share the good news of God’s love with others, pray for others, and sacrifice for others by living cross-centered and servant-oriented lives.” Reflect this week on this statement. How are you sharing God’s love with others, praying for others, and sacrificing for others by living cross-centered and servant- oriented lives? How are you not doing these things? Write down 3 ways you’re living out this calling, and write down 3 ways you hope to grow in this calling. Pray for guidance and help as you seek to grow. OR
iii. Practice being attentive to your life by using the ancient spiritual exercise called the Examen. Every evening, alone or with a partner, reflect on your highs and lows (moments of consolation and desolation) for the day. Your highs are the times you felt joy or promise or fulfillment or a deep sense of God’s presence. Your lows are the times you felt despair or disappointment or regret or a sense of God’s absence. After sharing, lift up a prayer offering your highs and lows to God. Over the week, let this exercise help you be more attuned to God’s presence in your life.
Spiritual Exercise a. Each week you’ll be given your choice of several possible spiritual exercises or practices, and you’ll be invited to try one of them. At the next session, you’ll be invited to share about the experience.
b. Choose one (or more) of the spiritual exercises listed below and commit to try it this week. You may wish to try something in your comfort zone or something outside your comfort zone. The hope is that you may consider incorporating this exercise into the regular rhythm of your life.
i. At the end of each day, look back and xxxxxx if there have been times during the day when you sensed God’s presence with you. As you go through each day, be open to seeing God’s presence in the life of others who share your day with you. You may choose to keep a journal of your “God-moments” during each day. OR (see next page)
ii. Each day this week, find a quiet space and time and sit in silence for 15 minutes. Imagine Xxxxx is right there beside you, sitting next to you on the couch, listening to you. What do you want to share with him? (joys, blessings, gratitude, praise, frustrations, concerns, needs, confession, hopes, dreams) Now in silence imagine what Xxxxx is saying back to you. OR
iii. Each day this week, find a quiet space and time and sit in silence for 15 minutes. Imagine Xxxxx is right there beside you, sitting next to you on the couch, present right there with you. You may choose to repeat a centering word or phrase and meditate on its meaning in your life; for example, “Xxxxx, you are my savior and Lord,” or “Xxxxx, I love you and give my life to you,” or “Xxxxx, forgive me and give me a fresh start.” OR
iv. In Luke 24:27, Xxxxx “interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” Commit to reading a small book of the Bible or the same passage of scripture each day, and as you’re reading, consider how Xxxxx is revealed to you in this piece of scripture. Consider reading 1 Xxxx, Philippians, Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount), or 3 psalms of your choosing from the book of Psalms.
Spiritual Exercise a. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise: How was the spiritual exercise you tried? Was it natural or unnatural for you? Easy or difficult? What did you learn? How did you grow? Can you see incorporating this into the pattern of your life? Why or why not?
b. This week’s spiritual exercise: Choose one (or more) of the spiritual exercises listed below and commit to try it this week. You may wish to try something in your comfort zone or something outside your comfort zone. The hope is that you may consider incorporating this exercise into the regular rhythm of your life.
i. This week, choose a verse from scripture that means something special to you as you think about your calling to love and serve your family. This verse may give you values, needed direction, assurance, comfort, challenge, etc. You may choose one from the list of Bible Passages for Learning on the next pages or find one on your own. Memorize this verse and recall it to mind often in your relationships. OR
ii. Write a letter to God thanking God in detail for the blessings and gifts that come through your relationships with your family. OR
iii. Think about your family and close friends and how they have communicated to you their love and support. Think of a way to express your thankfulness to them, and do it, this week. OR
iv. Choose two or three Christian hymns or songs that encourage you or strengthen you as you think about your relationships with your family. Think closely about the words and let them sink into your being. You may choose to memorize a verse or two and sing it throughout the week. How does music nurture you in faith and remind you of the faithful presence of God with you and your family? (If you need some help, here are some hymns you may use: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” Burgundy Book Hymn 283, “Thank You, Lord” Burgundy Book Hymn 293, “We’ve Come This Far By Faith” Burgundy Book Hymn 197, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” Burgundy Book Hymn 253, etc.)
Spiritual Exercise a. Each week you’ll be invited to try a spiritual practice or exercise. At the next session, you’ll be invited to share about the experience.
b. This week, list three people living or dead, known personally or not, who have impacted you on your faith journey, and list three reasons why each has impacted you. Think of one person whose faith journey you’ve impacted or you are impacting.
Spiritual Exercise a. This week’s spiritual exercise: This week, write a letter, poem, or prayer to God reflecting on a wilderness period in your life and how you might have experienced God’s presence. Bring it to the next session.
b. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise:
i. Each week you’re invited to share about the spiritual exercise you tried this past week.
ii. How was the exercise to list three people who have impacted you on your faith journey? Was it easy or difficult? Did you notice any common reasons each person impacted you? Was it easy or difficult to think of a person whose faith life you’re impacting? What did you learn from this exercise?
Spiritual Exercise a. This week’s spiritual exercise: This week, choose a verse from scripture that might be called your “affirmation verse,” a verse that means something special to you in terms of your values, needed direction, assurance, comfort, challenge, etc. You may choose one from the sheet of Bible Passages for Learning or find one on your own. Next week, you will be invited to tell why it is special to you, or what it means to you.
b. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise: Last week you were asked to write a letter, poem, or prayer to God reflecting on a wilderness period in your life. What was it like to do this exercise? Was it helpful, easy, difficult? What did you learn? Does anyone want to share their work with the group?
Spiritual Exercise a. This week’s spiritual exercise: This week, choose a spiritual exercise from one of the six spiritual traditions listed on the sheets on Six Spiritual Practices and Suggested Spiritual Exercises. (Feel free to adapt or change the spiritual exercise if you have another idea that would fit that tradition.) It does not have to be the same tradition you’ve chosen to explore in this session. Choose a tradition that either seems to fit you well on your faith journey or that challenges you in a new way on your faith journey. Be prepared to reflect on the experience next week.
b. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise: Last week you were asked to pick an “affirmation verse,” a Bible verse that means something special to you in terms of your values, needed direction, assurance, comfort, challenge, etc. Share your “affirmation verse,” why you chose it, and how it speaks to you.
Spiritual Exercise a. Each week you’ll be given the opportunity to try a spiritual exercise, or Sabbath practice. At the next session, you’ll be invited to share about the experience.
b. Choose one (or more) of the spiritual exercises listed in Appendix A and commit to try it this week. You may wish to try something in your comfort zone or something outside your comfort zone. The hope is that you may consider incorporating this exercise into the regular rhythm of your life.
Spiritual Exercise a. Sharing about last week’s spiritual exercise (Sabbath practice): Each week you’re invited to share about the spiritual exercise you tried this past week. How was the spiritual exercise you tried? Was it natural or unnatural for you? Easy or difficult? What did you learn? How did you grow? Can you see incorporating this into the pattern of your life? Why or why not?
b. This week’s spiritual exercise: Choose one (or more) of the spiritual exercises (Sabbath practices) listed in Appendix A and commit to try it this week. You may wish to try something in your comfort zone or something outside your comfort zone. You may choose an exercise you’ve already done or try something new. The hope is that you may consider incorporating this exercise into the regular rhythm of your life.
