bible verse emphasizing the content of the blog
Featured by Karen Twinem

Love Someone You Don’t Like

Generosity means more than giving money. Sometimes the Lord wants you to give something more precious: your kindness. And not just to your own kind.

Working or volunteering in any type of organization introduces you to some people who rub you the wrong way. They think differently than you do. They vote differently. They are too negative, or too nosy, or too bossy, or too difficult in any of dozens of ways.

And then there’s your family. Yes, your in-laws count. Even the cousins.

However these people behave, you do have one thing in common: Jesus loves all of you. And here’s some tough news: Jesus wants you to be loving toward them.

Now, if a person is violent toward your body or abusive to your soul, Jesus asks you to pray for them and keep your distance. But if the person is merely the most annoying human being you’ve ever met, you need to do more.

Pray About It

Take some time in quiet reflection and prayer. Confess to the Lord your struggles and failures in living out His will with this person. It’s always helpful to ask the Lord if you are so focused on the specks in this person’s eye that you are missing the logs in your own.

Are your thoughts about the person making things worse? Are you the mean person in this relationship? Do you need to ask for forgiveness? If the person is also a Christian, reflect on the big picture of Christian love in this post.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you exhibit the behavior that Jesus seeks. Can you be just a little more friendly? Can you look for ways to be a peacemaker?

Improved behavior for me often starts with praying for the person and for my own behavior. Then I can watch to see if I:

  • Assume the worst about the person’s intentions.
  • Have an elitist attitude toward the person.
  • Expect to be annoyed.
  • Gossip or complain to others about the person.
  • Wish bad things would happen to the person. Or even good things, if it would get the person out of my life.

When you know you are going to see the person, pray about it. Lift the meeting or the moment up to God and ask Him to bless it.

Once you are together, listen to your automatic thoughts. And deliberately practice friendliness. This does not excuse the person’s bad behavior. It is just being kind.

Think about one thing that you can do for this person that is kind and friendly. And do it. Jesus will smile at you in that moment.

picture of Jesus
Featured by Karen Twinem

Abiding in Jesus Eliminates Anxiety

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:4-5 New International Version (NIV)

Abiding in Jesus ends worry. So how can we remain in Jesus, as other translations say?

Brian Hedges on Christianity.com wrote:  “I believe three things are implied: connection, dependence, and continuance. Don’t think of these as three successive steps, but as three interwoven aspects of abiding.” 

1. Connection

A branch is connected to the vine, and a vine to the branch. This is what theologians call “union with Christ.” This union (or connection) is mutual.

2. Dependence

While the branch and vine are connected, the branch is depends on the vine. The vine is not dependent on the branch. The branch derives its life and power from the vine. As John 15:4-5 says, we are dependent on Jesus for everything that counts as spiritual fruit. Apart from him, we can do nothing.

3. Continuance

Abiding also involves continuance. “Abide” in Greek (meno) means remain, stay, or continue.

How Can This Become Reality Rather Than a DREAM?

I believe the first step is to practice the presence of God.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to You.

James 4:8

Become increasingly aware of God’s presence. This requires developing habits that allow you to feel more connected, dependent and constant in Him. The Bible calls this abiding or walking in the Spirit.

This is something that I have been working on for about 20 years.  At first, it takes trust in God’s power and discipline on my part.  Eventually it becomes easier and easier. God worked with me (even an anxious mess like me!!) to develop an increasingly undivided heart toward Him.

And, as it says in Psalm 16:11, “In your presence, there is fullness of joy.” Joy in the presence of pain and suffering is, indeed, a gift from God.

Do you want more of God in your life? Or does that thought frighten you? We are all in different places. If you’re scared, that’s OK. God loves you. Let me introduce you to a person who abided in God so completely that we still talk about it 400 years later.

Meet Brother Lawrence

Nicholas Herman, born around 1610 in Lorraine, was one of the best-known Christians who practiced the presence of God. Lorraine was then a Duchy of France. A parish priest named Lawrence educated Nicholas, who became well read and very interested in a life with God.

Nicholas fought as a soldier in the Thirty Years War. He sustained a near-fatal injury that left him disabled. He was in chronic pain for the rest of his life.

At mid-life, he entered a newly established monastery in Paris. There, he took the name Brother Lawrence and became the cook for the community. The community grew to over 100 members. After 15 years, his duties changed. He worked in the sandal repair shop. Even then, he often returned to the busy kitchen to help out.

While repairing sandals or working in the kitchen, Brother Lawrence discovered and then followed a pure, uncomplicated way to walk continually in God’s presence. For some 40 years, he lived and walked with God at his side.

After his death, some of his letters were collected. Joseph de Beaufort, representative and counsel to the local archbishop, first published the letters in a small pamphlet. The following year, de Beaufort released a second publication. He titled it ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’. In this work, he included the content of four conversations he had with Brother Lawrence as introductory material.

In this small book, Brother Lawrence explains how to continually walk with God. His direct approach to living in God’s presence is as practical today as it was 400 years ago.

Start With Continual Conversation

De Beaufort wrote:

Brother Lawrence related that we should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s Presence by continually conversing with Him. It was a shameful thing to quit His conversation to think of trifles and fooleries. We should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of God, which would yield us great joy in being devoted to Him.

He said we ought to quicken and enliven our faith. It was lamentable we had so little. Instead of taking faith for the rule of their conduct, men amused themselves with trivial devotions which changed daily. He said that faith was sufficient to bring us to a high degree of perfection. We ought to give ourselves up to God with regard both to things temporal and spiritual and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will. Whether God led us by suffering or by consolation all would be equal to a soul truly resigned.

So do you have any “trivial devotions that change daily?” Do you think about “trifles and fooleries?” Yes. Me, too.

Brother Lawrence’s life also reflects the Benedictine tradition of ora et labora … work while praying and pray while working.

We have a disadvantage over Brother Lawrence in that we live in a loud time.  Many Christians, we try to combat that through quiet in the morning and perhaps quiet time at night.  But the world often wins during the day. 

The Holy Spirit Works Through Habits

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 New International Version (NIV)

When we become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit who is with us all the time.  We can trust God to help us build habits that make us more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit. These habits keep us connected to God.  This is not just for the extremely devout, but can be accomplished by all of us.  What we do need is faith.

There are many ways to draw near God.  Each individual can find the best way for them among many different habits. You might be drawn to one or more of these things.  The goal is not the habit, but to commune with God on a more consistent basis.

Walking in God’s presence has been absolutely essential for me to live with joy and peace under the difficult circumstances of having loved ones with mental illness and all that comes from this. I put my habits into a routine called a Rule of Life. I call this Christian mindfulness.

Kenneth Boa wrote a book called “Life in the Presence of God: Practices for Living in Light of Eternity.”   He also has created a free PDF with many exercises and habits to help you. You can find it here.

Boa notes that we must trust God’s work through the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds. No book or training guide can get us there, only God.

Here are some of the exercises:

The name of Jesus

Repeat Jesus’ name or some other short phrase, such as “Come Holy Spirit,” to yourself when you are walking, standing in line, waiting and so on.  It also helps to say it when you are in bed going to sleep. 

The thank you walk

When you feel upset or stressed, go for a quick walk.  Thank God for the good things you see around you:  the sky, the clouds, the grass, the flowers. 

The gratitude journal

Record what you’re grateful for in the following categories:

The glory of God’s creation: ____________________________

A material blessing: __________________________________

A relational blessing (someone in your life): _______________

A spiritual blessing: __________________________________

Cards with a Bible verse

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This one is a good start.  As other verses speak to you about God’s presence, write them down on cards as well.  You can rotate, and hopefully, memorize these verses to use to connect to God.

Flash prayers

Select situations when you will do a flash prayer, such as:

  • Upon waking
  • While sitting down for a meal/eating
  • Before making or answering a phone call (at work or home)
  • While sitting in traffic at a red light
  • While waiting in a line
  • When lying in bed about to fall asleep
  • Other: _________________________________

Flash Prayer Examples:

  • May I love and serve you and others today.
  • This is the day the God has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
  • I thank you in all things.
  • I love you, Lord.
  • By your grace, Lord
  • Where would I be without You, Lord?
  • Unite my heart to fear Your name.
  • Other: _________________________________

Seeing God in Encounters

For each person you meet:

  • Assume God is working in that person somehow.
  • Ask yourself, “Is there some way I can share the love or presence of Christ with this person?”

Practicing this with everyone you meet may feel too overwhelming. So start this exercise with category of people: family members, colleagues at work, those who serve you (e.g., waiters/waitresses, cashiers, salespeople, or postal workers), or anyone you meet for the first time.

Imagine how attractive Christianity would be if we were all joyful and at peace with God all the time. Jesus wants us to abide in Him. And we can.

Jesus can help this worried woman
Featured by Karen Twinem

Living in the Present: Jesus’ Teachings on Worry

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus of Nazareth gives some strong commands about worrying. This verse impacts me in multiple versions of Scripture.

Revised Standard: “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.”

NIV: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The Message: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

WORRY IS NOT FROM GOD

What situations cause you to obsess about the past or worry about the future? For me, seeing someone I love suffer from mental illness is extremely painful. The nature of the illness is that symptoms come and go unpredictably. I never know what today brings. I tend to obsess over the past with “what ifs” or “if onlys” as well as to dread the future.

No matter the cause of our worry, it is never from God.

Jesus commands us not to worry. To help that happen, he says we only need to think about one day: today. In reality, none of us knows what today will bring. But we know, from Jesus, that we can expect trouble in this life.

The Rev. Dr. Robert Allen Hill, in a 2009 commencement address to the seminary, said we actually can expect trouble every day. His rule: “Expect it. Accept it. Address it. Forget it.” Refusing to worry gives us additional strength to do this.

Give Your Entire Attention to what God is doing now

Therese of Lisieux said her sole concern was to carry out the will of God as it was revealed to her second to second. “I just keep concentrating on the present moment. I forget the past and preserve myself from worries about the future,” she wrote.

Two related spiritual disciplines cultivate this ability: recollection (meeting God within yourself) and the practice of the presence of God. These practices are what I mean by the term Christian mindfulness.

Recollection is also called centering down. Below is one simple method:

  • Sit still in a quiet place.
  • Hold your palms down on your lap.
  • Offer up all your thoughts and anxieties.
  • Turn your palms up once your mind is calmer.
  • Receive peace from God.

The practice of the presence of God cultivates alertness to God at all times. You relate to His constant presence through brief acts of recognition and prayer. This allows each activity in your life to be an opportunity to meet God. How?

  • Focus on one activity at a time.
  • Invite God into this activity.
  • Love the person in front of you.
  • Express gratitude to God when the activity is done.

Isn’t Mindfulness Buddhist?

Much talk about mindfulness comes from a Buddhist slant. It has a different philosophical foundation and a different goal from the Christian form. Some Buddhist techniques can be transferable to a Christian with the extremely important addition of focus on God.

Buddhists look at the moment. Christians look at God in the moment.

The present moment is the only place where you can meet God. So we must give up fantasies, impossible dreams, “what ifs” and “if onlys” in favor of living in the present.

Christian mindfulness sees every moment, every person and every activity as an opportunity to meet God. To do this, we must be “all there” in the moment, giving love to God and people.

My guardrails in this practice are a vibrant spiritual life and a commitment to God’s will. I am a structured person. So I keep lists of things I feel God wants me to do in my station in life. (Retired writer, wife, mother of an adult child with schizophrenia, mother and mother-in-law to my other kids, small group leader, and, best of all, Grandma!) Then I do the next right thing, as my husband says.

Christian Mindfulness Can Eliminate worry

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” 2 Timothy 1:7 says.

Worry comes from a spirit of fear. It is often is a response to stress. Biomedical literature suggests that individuals are more likely to have a stress response if they:

  • Feel they have little control over stressors or are chronically disempowered.
  • Feels they do not have predictive information about how long or how intense the stressful situation will be.
  • Do not have many outlets to vent frustration.
  • Do not have adequate social support for any confinement caused by stressors.

Christian mindfulness reduces the stress response. Being fully present empowers people to take small steps and create real changes to their external environment. So the brain has less opportunity to build scenarios and forecast troubled times ahead.

Inviting God into every situation from brushing your teeth to having that tough conversation with your teenager changes everything. God helps you deal with whatever happens when the time comes.

PRaying the Scripture eases chronic worry

Praying the Scriptures is another spiritual discipline that eases worry. I often pray in the first person, reading the Scripture and saying “I” for “you” or “we.” Here are prayers from three Scriptures, for example.

  • Based on Philippians 4: 6-7: God, whatever today brings, help me not to worry about anything, but in all my prayers to ask You for what I need. Help me to always ask with a thankful heart. And please send your peace, which is far beyond my understanding, to keep my heart and mind safe in union with Jesus.
  • Based on Ephesians 3: 19-21: Help me to come to know your love, even though it can never be fully known. Help me to be completely filled with the Holy Spirit, your very nature. To You, who by means of Your power working in me, are able to do much more than I can ever ask for, or even think of. To You be the glory.
  • Based on Matthew 6:34: “Therefore I will not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

This keeps the mind busy translating the Scripture into prayer. And it brings peace. God will help you with whatever bad thing is stuck in your worried mind. Just concentrate on his presence.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Grow in the Lord (and Dump Anxiety) During Lent

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Today is a good time to think about how you would like Lent to change you this year. Many of us need help with anxiety, for example. We’d focus on ways to help with that on this blog during Lent.

Every Lent, I always do a reading program. You also can consider the ways you can make changes to your patterns of in prayer, fasting and generosity.

Once you, under God’s guidance (of course), develop your program, having an Ash Wednesday service is always useful. If your church does not celebrate Ash Wednesday, here’s a service you can do at home.

Write down a list of your sins. Burn the paper in a bowl or ashtray. Then pray: 

Let us ask our Heavenly Father to bless these ashes, which we will use as a mark of our repentance. Lord, bless these ashes. Wearing them reminds us that we are from the dust of the earth. Pardon our sins and keep us faithful to the resolutions that we have made for Lent. Help us to prepare well for the celebration of your Son's glorious resurrection.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Mark each person’s forehead in the sign of the cross saying, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.”

Close with this prayer: 

Loving Father, today we start Lent. From today, we make a new start to be more loving and kind. Help us to show more concern for the less fortunate, the hungry and the poor. Help us to love you more and speak to you more often. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. 

Next time, some recommendations for releasing anxiety to the Lord.  We've talked about this during the election.
God is in this shower
Featured by Karen Twinem

Is God in the Shower?

Of course. God is in the shower with you. And you can experience it through Christian mindfulness.

This practice allows us to walk in the presence of God in the present moment. Even when we are getting wet.

Showers often are the opposite of Christian mindfulness. (Much more so than baths, but that’s another post.) You turn on the water, get in and suddenly you are pondering yesterday’s meeting. Or that talk with your kid’s teacher. Or what to say to your spouse about the unfinished project that’s taken up the coffee table for weeks.

Why shower like that when you can experience the joy of the Lord as the water sprays on you? It just requires attention and gratitude. If you decide to pay attention to the experience, it can become a calming, precious part of your day.

When you turn on the water, thank God for running water, for hot water, for soap. Many people in the world do not have these things, and you do.

As you clean yourself, pay attention to the smells. Right now I have lavender, rosemary and mint in my shampoo and conditioner. And there’s a spray of eucalyptus hanging from the shower nozzle. God made all these scents. So express gratitude for that.

You can also thank God for a body that works (at least for the most part). And for hair, if you have it. You can wash scars while you thank God for successful operations or, in some cases, beautiful babies.

When thoughts about other people (past, present or future) occur, notice. Lift them up to God in prayer briefly, and get back to experiencing your senses.

As you dry off, offer up prayers for people without the things you take for granted. And ask for the grace to maintain a clean mind, mouth and heart in the day ahead. I usually end the experience with worship music as I dress.

Finding God in water is a good experience. So try to enjoy God’s presence in the shower. You may want to do it everyday.

Featured by Zeeva Usman

Sacred Breaths: Inviting God’s Spirit into Your Daily Rhythms

Editor’s Note: I hope you enjoy this guest post by Zeeva Usman.

Life often feels like a race we didn’t sign up for — a constant whirlwind of responsibilities, distractions, and noise. Between the demands of work, family, and personal goals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and spiritually disconnected. Yet, amid the busyness, God invites us into a deeper rhythm—a sacred rhythm where His Spirit infuses every moment of our day.

Inviting God’s Spirit into our daily lives isn’t reserved for quiet retreats or Sunday mornings. It’s a practice we can cultivate in the ordinary moments: during a morning coffee, a commute, or even in the middle of a stressful meeting. It begins with intentionality, and it transforms how we live, breathe, and move through each day.

Here are ways to invite God’s Spirit into your daily rhythms, making every breath sacred.

1. Start Your Day with God

The first moments of your day are powerful. They can set the tone for how you approach everything else. Instead of diving straight into your to-do list or scrolling through your phone, begin your day with God.

Find a quiet spot, even if it’s just for five minutes, and acknowledge His presence. Pray, meditate on a Scripture verse, or simply sit in silence, allowing His peace to fill you.

Psalm 143:8 says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” These early moments create a foundation of trust and reliance on God that can carry you through whatever challenges lie ahead.

2. Breathe in His Peace

Breathing is something we often take for granted. It’s automatic, and yet it holds incredible spiritual significance. In Genesis 2:7, we see that God breathed life into Adam, making him a living being. That same breath sustains us today.

Throughout your day, take intentional breathing breaks. Pause, close your eyes, and take a deep breath in, praying a simple phrase like, “Lord, fill me with Your peace.” As you exhale, imagine releasing stress, worry, and distractions.

These “sacred breaths” act as gentle reminders that God is near, offering His peace and presence in every moment. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

3. Turn Mundane Tasks into Worship

We often separate the “sacred” from the “secular,” thinking that worship happens only during church services or quiet prayer times. But God calls us to live every moment as an act of worship, even the mundane ones.

Washing dishes, folding laundry, or commuting to work can become sacred acts when done with a heart focused on God. As you work, offer a prayer of gratitude, hum a worship song, or meditate on a Bible verse.

Colossians 3:23 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” When you approach your tasks with this mindset, you invite God’s Spirit into the ordinary, making it extraordinary.

4. Invite God into Your Decisions

Life is filled with decisions, big and small. From what to eat for lunch to how to navigate a challenging conversation, each choice is an opportunity to seek God’s guidance.

Before making a decision, pause and pray. Ask, “Lord, what would You have me do in this situation?” Listen for His guidance, which may come as a sense of peace, a conviction, or even through Scripture.

Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Inviting God into your choices ensures that you’re walking in step with His will.

5. Practice Gratitude in the Moment

Gratitude shifts our perspective. It moves our focus from what we lack to the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives. Cultivating a heart of thankfulness is a powerful way to stay connected to His Spirit.

Throughout your day, take note of the small blessings: the warmth of the sun on your face, the laughter of a friend, or the quiet comfort of a cup of tea. Pause and thank God for these gifts.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude not only draws us closer to God but also fills us with joy and peace.

6. Pause and Listen for His Voice

In the busyness of life, we often miss the gentle whispers of God’s voice. He speaks to us in the stillness, but we have to be intentional about creating space to hear Him.

Take a few moments throughout your day to pause and listen. This could be during a walk, a lunch break, or even while waiting in line. Ask God, “What do You want to show me today?”

Elijah’s encounter with God in 1 Kings 19:12 teaches us that God often speaks in the “gentle whisper” rather than the loud and dramatic. These quiet pauses can recalibrate your heart and mind, helping you stay aligned with His Spirit.

7. End Your Day with Reflection

As your day comes to a close, take time to reflect. Where did you see God’s hand at work? How did the Holy Spirit guide you?

Spend a few moments in prayer, thanking God for His presence and asking for rest and renewal. Surrender any worries or unresolved emotions to Him, trusting that He will provide the strength and wisdom you need for tomorrow.

Psalm 4:8 beautifully expresses this trust: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Ending your day with God’s presence ensures that your heart is at peace and ready for rest.

8. Create Sacred Rhythms for Your Life

Finally, consider how you can establish daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms that draw you closer to God. This might include setting aside time for morning devotions, observing a weekly Sabbath, or scheduling regular retreats for spiritual renewal.

Sacred rhythms are not about rigid routines; they’re about creating space for God in your life. They help you stay grounded in His presence, no matter what life brings.

Closing Thought

Inviting God’s Spirit into your daily rhythms is a transformative journey. It’s not about striving for perfection but about fostering connection—letting Him guide your steps, calm your storms, and fill your life with His peace and purpose.

Each breath you take is an opportunity to acknowledge His presence. Each moment is a chance to make the ordinary sacred. So breathe deeply, live intentionally, and let your life be a beautiful reflection of His Spirit at work within you.
Author Bio: Zeeva Usman is an experienced content manager at Christian Marketing Experts and a content specialist at Salt of Heaven, where she uses her expertise to create impactful, faith-centered content. When she’s not crafting words, Zeeva finds joy in worshiping and singing for the Lord Jesus, drawing inspiration from her faith to encourage others.

shows diversity of Christians
Featured by Karen Twinem

Pray for Christian Unity

Today is the best possible day to pray for Christian unity. It’s the traditional time in the church year. It’s Martin Luther King Day in the United States. And then there’s a presidential inauguration. Since Jesus prayed for unity at the Last Supper, you might even call it his dying wish.

Today, the Christian church is far from unified. Searching about this unity online brings up a lot of material about why unity is not a particularly good thing. As well as some divisive material on both sides of the political spectrum.

Weird, isn’t it? I myself have experienced hateful behavior from other Christians who view issues differently than I do. Surely this is not what Jesus wants for us. That’s especially true when everyone in the disagreement is sure that Jesus is on their side.

What Martin Luther King Can Teach Us

Recently, I attended a Vineyard USA workshop on principles and practices that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used as the core of the civil rights movement. This was a nonviolent movement, so much so that Dr. King told people who couldn’t promise to remain nonviolent to stay away. His “10 Commandments” of nonviolence offered me inspiration for dealing with the divisive nature of today’s Christianity:

  1. Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
  2. Remember always that the non-violent movement seeks justice and reconciliation – not victory.
  3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
  4. Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
  5. Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
  6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
  7. Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
  8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
  9. Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
  10. Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.

If we follow these rules (which King insisted that even nonChristians in the movement do), we will find it much easier to approach each other as Christians.

I began my faith walk as a Lutheran before I converted to Catholicism, in part because it was the only church in my deep, DEEP South town that was integrated. Years later, unable to support the idea of a male celibate priesthood any more, I moved back across the line to the Protestant non-denominational church. So I’ve heard a lot about what both side of the Protestant-Catholic lanes think about each other.

Some things are purely untrue or misunderstood. Others are differences in style. Some are doctrinal disagreements. But Jesus surely asked all of us in the 21st century to strive for unity during the Last Supper. And I have found devoted Christians to admire in both camps.

Placing country over Christ is a form of idolatry. It strains some American churches today. We all should be able to say “Amen” to Jesus’ prayer.

Pray for Christian Unity

This prayer for unity is one I’ve adapted from “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers.”

Oh Lord, help me to speak and behave in Christian love with all who claim you as Savior.
Give me the grace to have courtesy and refrain from violence of tongue, heart, fist and online behavior.
We pray to you for your holy Christian church in my own neighborhood and around the world.
Help us to accomplish reconciliation.
Fill the church with your presence and your truth.
Keep it in your peace.
Where it is corrupt, reform it.
Where it is in error, correct it.
Where it is right, defend it.
Where it is in want, provide for it.
Where it is divided, reunite it.
For the sake of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Build a Holy Atmosphere in Church

Jesus said, when two or more gather in His name, He is with them. Can you feel Him when you get to church on Sunday morning? Not all the time.

In fact, sometimes the hassle of getting to church overshadows the joy of being in church. Especially in the first 10 minutes. We can make that better.

What we do in the 10 minutes before church begins can enhance the experience of God’s presence for everyone. Many American churches, including my own, do not particularly stress this. Yet, church-goers can take simple steps to contribute to a devout and loving atmosphere, reflecting God’s presence.

Catholics, especially older Catholics, do better. They enter church quietly, genuflect before the altar (where Jesus is) and kneel to pray. Schooled by the dirty looks of millions of mothers, many Catholics know how to behave themselves while waiting for service to start.

That was me once. God has put this on my heart now because I no longer view the minutes before service as a time to center myself. Instead, I first guess how loud the drum will be as I pick a seat. Then I say “hello” and hug my friends. And I ensure that I have a cup of coffee and that my phone is off. How the mighty have fallen.

Twice this week, I came across Richard Foster‘s comments about “cultivating holy expectancy” before church. This synchronicity is usually a sign that God would like me to pay attention.

In “Celebration of Discipline,” Foster calls on us to behave in a way before church that creates an atmosphere where all can sense God’s presence. This helps those who arrive “harried and distracted.” I have dragged both rambunctious toddlers and resentful teenagers to church, so I know how harried and distracted feels. Now, as an empty-nester, it’s my turn to help build the atmosphere unless of requiring support from it.

Foster, who is Quaker, knows the importance of silence. He writes that, since we listen for God’s voice all week, we should expect to hear it at Sunday worship. To help others sense this, we need to get to church early and pray.

He recommends getting to church 10 minutes early. Once there, try his three suggestions:

  • Be seated and lift up your heart to God. Offer praise. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and make God’s presence obvious.
  • Pray for the pastors, worship leaders and all other participating in the service.
  • Look around to find someone to pray for. God often makes it obvious who needs your help.

I intend to continue greeting my friends who are sitting nearby when I get to my seat. But I also plan to make praise and prayer an important part of the moments before the service begins. How about you?

illustrates use of commonplace book
Featured by Karen Twinem

Start a Commonplace Book in 2025

Stay close to God’s heart by starting a commonplace book in 2025. You can do this as a journal, a notebook or even my choice, a card file.

In any form, commonplace books are not journals. Instead of writing down your thoughts or activities, you write down quotes, Scripture, ideas and observations. You can write out impressions you receive in prayer. What an easy way to remember these things!

Leaders and writers throughout history have made commonplace books, which achieved widespread use in the Renaissance and the 19th century. They are gaining popularity again today. When you create your own, you join a group of people like Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain.

To get started, simply select a blank journal or notebook. You can also buy a stack of 3″-x-5″ index cards and a card file box.

Your commonplace book contains:

  • Quotes from Scripture that seemed to be aimed right at you.
  • Statements that seems to come to your mind from God’s heart.
  • Wise words from sermons, Bible studies and small group activities.
  • Comments made by your spiritual director or a close Christian friend.
  • Snippets from books and podcasts that move you.
  • Drawings or picture that speak to you.

I have been using 3-by-5 cards for this purpose since the late 1980s. It’s amazing how cards that are more than 40 years old can still feel instructive. I add to the collection whenever I read something that seems directly right at me.

I use the cards daily: one card a day when I am planning my schedule. I also put them on the refrigerator, stick them to a bulletin board and use them as bookmarks.

For example, I placed this remark from an interview with Richard Foster in Mimi Dixon’s book “Worth Celebrating” on a commonplace card this week:

“Now I would like to provide one simple counsel as you go forward in this with-God life. How about us making our lives one grand experiment in bringing holiness and hilarity together in one life-giving unity! Let’s combine seeking after God with an ease and lightheartedness in our spirituality. Maybe even levity and freedom of spirit.

“This combination of a life focused on the divine Center with a lighthearted spirituality is seldom seen in our day. It is an occupational hazard of religious folk to become stuffy bores. So, perhaps we can relax a bit and enjoy being present with God. Maybe we can even have a good belly laugh at ourselves whenever we get too intense!

“I don’t mean this in an outward or showy way. We need to not “try” to be joyful. Instead, we simply invite God to produce deep within us a well of life bubbling up and flowing out. We can ask to experience a deep river of divine intimacy, a gentle river of holy living, a dancing river of jubilation in the Spirit, and a broad river of unconditional love for all people. Such a river of life will surely draw others in.”

Now … isn’t that a quote worth revisiting time and again?

nativity scene reflects Christmas
by Karen Twinem

Start Advent With a Christmas Pledge

As the first week of Advent begins, decide to enjoy the season with Christian mindfulness. I always take a Christmas Pledge.

I wrote this down decades ago, and I can’t find the source online.  It has served me well.

The Christmas Pledge

  1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts.
  2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways that presents.
  3. To re-dedicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family.
  4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas.
  5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.

You can fulfill the pledge in many ways:

  • Give a Christmas present from your family to World Vision or another charity. You can have the youngest children pick out what the gift can be. We gave chickens last year.
  • Prepare a blessing bag with a Christmas card or other Christmas twist to give to the homeless you see. To learn more about blessing bags, click here.
  • Give a warm handwritten note to those you love most.
  • Introduce Advent activities into your Christmas calendar.
  • Go through your list of “must do” events to see if they reflect your values.
  • Reach out to family members and neighbors who voted differently than you did.

Advent can be the quiet holiday you crave. You have to view it through the lens of Christian mindfulness, or you will be swept along with the secular tide. A holy Advent season will lead to a happier new year.