Inspiration

Humility is the Way

Reflections for contemplative living

Humility is the way to meaningful connection. We experience a wonderful transformation in our attitude each time we, with God’s help, suppress our ego and ask for God’s blessings on someone we envy, fear, worry about or simply don’t like. Any action we take out of genuine concern for someone else’s well-being will heighten our own – many times over.

Continue reading “Humility is the Way” →
Inspiration

What Do You Believe?

Reflections of contemplative living

A person must believe in something in order to know anything about God.  Do you seek to understand in order to believe or do you believe in order to understand? In this Easter season, we just witnessed belief and understanding in the Passion.  

Continue reading “What Do You Believe?” →
Inspiration

The Prayer of Letting Go

Reflections for contemplative living

For most of us, it’s hard to let go of the people we love.  We want the best for them and we’ve spent years trying to coach them. We’ve worried over their plights and relished their successes. We wonder how that can be wrong.

Continue reading “The Prayer of Letting Go” →
Inspiration

Hope in the Darkness

Reflections for contemplative living

We live in a world where we find uncertainty around most every corner we turn.  Even with faith and a firm foundation, it can be a dark and depressing place.  For those who struggle with mental illness, a thread of hope can be the difference between life and death. 

Continue reading “Hope in the Darkness” →
Inspiration

Learning to Love

Every human person consists of both a body and soul. Just as our body needs things to survive and grow, such as oxygen, water, food, etc., so our soul needs things as well, such as faith, hope, and love. These spiritual longings point to the truth that every human person has a natural desire for God. 

Continue reading “Learning to Love” →
Inspiration

Humility is the Way

Reflections for contemplative living

The narrow path is one of humility.  Our souls long to rest in their pure state as God designed. But the human condition is the struggle with the ego that shapes and adapts us to living on earth.  God’s mercy so greatly wants to act within us that all we need to do is open the door. 

Continue reading “Humility is the Way” →
Inspiration

Avoiding Gossip

Reflections for contemplative living

One of the ideas in twelve step recovery is placing principle above personalities.  I find myself leaning into this practice often these days.  So much of the conversation in the United States has to do with individual truth coupled with attitudes that create division.  Over the years, I’ve struggled with keeping my side of the street clean as it is tempting to pass along things we hear about other people to make ourselves feel better than. 

Continue reading “Avoiding Gossip” →