Walking Prayer Labyrinths
Walking a labyrinth is a way to bring my physical, spiritual, and emotional self to God in prayer. Each slow, intentional step helps me to stay present, to pay attention to something I might otherwise miss. As an “embodied prayer” practice, labyrinths are a reminder to pay attention to the inner workings of my heart even as I pay attention to the rhythm of my breathing, the pace of my heart rate, and the pace of my steps.
Favorite Spiritual Formation Apps
If you're anything like me, using your phone, tablet, or computer while attempting any kind of spiritual practice can be more of a distraction than anything else. Before I know it, I’m scrolling Instagram or checking my email instead. Sometimes, I find it easier to keep my phone, iPad, and computer in a completely different room when I’m in prayer.
Still, the world we live in today affords us so many opportunities to discover new ways of engaging our spiritual lives and connecting with Jesus, so I wanted to share a few favorite spiritual formation apps with you!
The Prayer of Examen
Over the last several years, the Examen has been a prayer practice that I keep coming back to again and again. When I’m tired of the typical “quiet time” routine, or when I simply need something to draw me into a prayerful space, I pray the Examen. It’s probably become my very favorite spiritual practice, and I feel as though the Lord has used it to draw me into deeper, simpler intimacy with Him.
Vineyards, John 15, and the Rhythm of Lent
In the vineyard, we can’t force the grapes grow, no matter how hard we labor and toil. It is beyond our power to produce them. But we have a massively important role: we have to prune and thin the vines. We have to spray to keep mold from growing, and tie on bird tape so the grapes don’t get eaten by birds. We can’t make the sun shine, but we can pull the extra leaves off so that the sun’s rays can reach the grapes directly.
Spiritual writers for centuries have been constantly trying figure out where God’s work ends and ours begins. I received an email from a friend last week that said, “Especially intriguing is the mystery of how God is the one who initiates, and we cooperate with it all.”
What Spiritual Direction Can Give to you
I was directing someone in a retreat setting recently and the directee entered into the session skeptically, having never experienced spiritual direction. Within a matter of minutes though, they began pouring out their heart to me and told me, “I haven’t really told anyone this before.” It felt like I was standing on holy ground. Providing that space gave them an avenue to voice the depths of their heart. Something about us comes alive when we get to articulate the depths of our souls and is met by God’s and another’s loving presence.
What to Expect in Spiritual Direction
Our approach to spiritual direction through CURATE, and what you might experience in a typical session.
What Spiritual Direction Is (…and what it isn’t)
So what exactly is spiritual direction? Here’s our attempt to explain it.
Enjoying a Recent Pastor’s Retreat
How a recent retreat for pastors could be an invitation for you to prioritize your own retreat with the Lord
A Thanksgiving Prayer
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Rachel’s Story with Spiritual Direction
Rachel’s journey and call to spiritual direction, from Young Life staff to serving in HR for a missions organization, to moving to Northern California.
The Story Behind CURATE
So how did we come up with the name “CURATE”? And what exactly is the heartbeat behind our ministry? Read more to find out!