Tag / mindfulness

advent candle wreath
by Karen Twinem

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Advent

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Do you want a calm Christmas? A holy December? This is where to begin.

Step one is always the Christmas Pledge. I wrote it down decades ago and can’t find the source. But it has served as a pathway for a meaningful Advent.

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 child or grandchild pick out the gift. We gave a goat to a family in Africa 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.
  • Put up an Advent wreath, lighting the candle of hope on Sunday.
  • Introduce Advent activities into your Christmas calendar.
    • Advent calendars are trendy. You can make a meaningful one digitally or with 25 envelopes. I have a refillable Advent box similar to this. I put mini Christmas ornaments on it for the mini-tree. Others put Advent activities on real calendars.
  • Go through your list of “must do” events to see if they reflect your values.
  • Reach out to family members and neighbors who vote differently than you do.
  • Find an Advent devotional to read each day during your quiet time.

We kick off the First Sunday of Advent with church attendance. Then we set up the barn in our nativity scene … empty. We add the people and animals as the season progresses. We also make Christmas cookies for tea in the afternoon.

On Sunday, I start an Advent devotional from those I have collected over the years. I rotate so this year’s devotionals include “Meditations on the Birth of Jesus: A Renovare Advent Resource for Spiritual Renewal” by Miriam Dixon and Margaret Campbell. I also may add “Hidden Christmas” by Timothy Keller. It’s first on a list of recommended Advent devotionals that you can find on Goodreads here.

Step by step, day by day, you can have the quiet holiday you crave. All you have to do is apply these ideas, based on Christian mindfulness. A holy Advent season leads to a happier new year.

symbols of thanksgiving
by Karen Twinem

Write Down Your Blessings This Thanksgiving

Parts of the world are at war. We may be missing loved ones. And the cost of Thanksgiving may be much higher than last year. Nonetheless, the Lord has been so good to us.

Today, let’s look with intention at what’s right and how God has blessed us. Listing our blessings helps us to stay focused on what is good in our lives. You can write it on a piece of paper, a computer screen or a pumpkin!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

For example, I am thankful to the Lord for:

  • MRIs and CAT scans that finally show what’s wrong that can be fixed.
  • Our marriage that has remained solid despite everything.
  • Food, water and a warm house.
  • My granddaughter and the miracles of technology that allow us to spend time together.
  • My wonderful kids.
  • A more consistent Christian mindfulness practice.
  • My spiritual director, small group leaders and pastors.

And there’s lots more on my list. Please make one yourself and spend time thanking God for what you have. You will feel much better.

It might be fun to keep it, so you can compare it to next year’s list.

You also can create a list of unanswered prayers to compare. This year I am praying for healing, increased understanding of God’s will and visiting my family.

illustrates mindfulness in nature
by Zeeva Usman

Practicing Christian Mindfulness Through God’s Natural Healing

In a world that moves at a dizzying pace, Christians often find themselves longing for peace, presence, and spiritual renewal. The practice of Christian mindfulness offers a way to pause, to breathe, and to truly notice the presence of Jesus in each moment. But mindfulness isn’t only about the state of the soul—it also has implications for the body.

Throughout Scripture, we see that God cares deeply for our physical well-being as much as our spiritual health. From the use of herbs and oils in biblical times to the invitation to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), there is a rich connection between faith, mindfulness, and natural healing.

This connection invites us into a holistic way of living—one that nurtures body, mind, and spirit through God’s provision.

Mindfulness as a Christian Practice

When people hear the word mindfulness, they often think of secular meditation or Eastern practices. But Christian mindfulness is different. It is the intentional awareness of God’s presence here and now. It’s about paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings while keeping your heart anchored in Christ.

In Mark 6:31, Jesus told His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” He knew that rest and reflection are essential. Mindfulness in a Christian context can look like:

  • Sitting quietly with Scripture, reading slowly and prayerfully
  • Walking in nature while thanking God for each sight and sound
  • Breathing deeply and reciting a short prayer like “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”
  • Eating a meal with gratitude for God’s provision

By integrating these simple practices into daily life, Christians can experience greater peace and spiritual clarity.

God’s Natural Provision for Healing

The Bible contains numerous examples of natural elements being used for healing. Long before hospitals and pharmacies, God equipped His people with plants, oils, and other resources for their health.

Some examples include:

  • Figs – Isaiah 38:21 records how a cake of figs was applied to King Hezekiah’s boil to help him recover.
  • Leaves – Ezekiel 47:12 speaks of trees whose leaves “will be for healing.” Revelation 22:2 echoes this, describing the leaves of the tree of life for “the healing of the nations.”
  • Oil and Wine – Luke 10:34 shows the Good Samaritan using oil and wine to treat wounds. James 5:14 calls for anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord.

These remedies weren’t separate from faith—they were often paired with prayer and trust in God’s power. Healing in biblical times was holistic, addressing both physical and spiritual needs.

Where Mindfulness and Natural Healing Meet

At first glance, Christian mindfulness and biblical natural healing might seem like separate topics—one focusing on the inner life, the other on physical care. But they share common ground. Both invite us to slow down, pay attention, and steward the body God has given us.

When we are mindful, we notice the signals our bodies send us: fatigue, tension, hunger, or restlessness. This awareness can help us take better care of ourselves through prayer, rest, nourishing food, and natural remedies.

Mindfulness also allows us to approach health with gratitude rather than fear. Instead of anxiously chasing every wellness trend, we can prayerfully discern what God is leading us to do for our bodies—whether that’s using herbal tea for digestion, applying essential oils, or simply going for a quiet walk in His creation.

Biblical Mindfulness in Daily Health Routines

Here are some simple ways Christians can integrate mindfulness and natural health into daily life:

  1. Morning Gratitude with Tea or Herbal Infusion
     Begin the day with a cup of herbal tea while reading a short passage of Scripture. Use the time to thank God for the new day and ask for His guidance.
  2. Prayer Walks in Nature
     Take a slow, intentional walk outdoors, focusing on the sights, sounds, and scents of creation. Offer prayers of praise for what you see.
  3. Mindful Eating
     Before a meal, pause to acknowledge God as the provider. Eat slowly, noticing flavors and textures, and reflect on how the food nourishes your body.
  4. Anointing and Prayer
     If you’re feeling unwell, consider anointing yourself with a small amount of olive oil while praying for healing, in line with James 5:14.
  5. Evening Reflection
     At the end of the day, take five minutes to sit in silence, reflect on where you experienced God’s presence, and release any burdens to Him.

A Faith-Based Approach to Wellness

In today’s fast-paced and highly medicalized society, it’s easy to forget that God has always been the ultimate source of healing. While modern medicine is a gift, many Christians are rediscovering the value of combining it with biblical principles of natural wellness.

This doesn’t mean rejecting medical care—it means seeing it as part of a broader picture in which prayer, natural remedies, and mindful living all have a role.

By caring for our bodies in ways that honor God’s design, we align ourselves with His wisdom and show gratitude for the gift of life.

Learning More About Faith and Natural Health

For Christians who want to go deeper into the biblical and practical aspects of natural health, there are educational opportunities designed specifically for believers.

One example is Faith College of Natural Health, which offers courses and degrees in natural health, herbalism, nutrition, and biblical wellness. These programs explore how faith and holistic healing can work together, equipping students to serve others with both spiritual and physical care.

For anyone interested in integrating Christian mindfulness, biblical healing principles, and natural wellness into their life or ministry, such training can be a valuable resource.

Final Thought:
Christian mindfulness and natural healing are not separate disciplines—they are two expressions of the same truth: that God cares for the whole person. By slowing down, becoming aware of His presence, and using the gifts He has provided in creation, we can walk in greater health, peace, and intimacy with Him.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 John 1:2

a glimmer of light represents glimmers
by Karen Twinem

How to Feel Calm? Look for Glimmers

Any one dealing with anxiety these days? Scientific research continues to validate Christian and other forms of mindfulness as a sure way to feel calm. It says we literally can feel better when we look intentionally for “glimmers” in the present moment.

What are glimmers? The term comes from the Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges in 1994. The theory emphasizes the role that the autonomic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve, plays in our health and behavior. Glimmers and triggers are cues on opposite sides of the spectrum that impact the nervous system.

You’ve probably experienced triggers: cues that activate our fight-or-fight response or flee response. Triggers can be very subtle, even unconscious. One example would be the impact of the smoke from a barbecue on a person who survived a burning house. Our triggers automatically make us anxious, fearful or even angry.

Glimmers are the opposite: positive cues that tell us we are safe and connected. They bring us back to calm and happy. Glimmers include petting a dog or cat, laughing with a friend or sniffing your late mother’s favorite perfume. Do you have a happy place? It’s surely filled with glimmers.

Christian mindfulness brings the joy of the Lord into the picture. Enjoying God’s presence helps us slow down and find glimmers all around us. And the glimmers spark gratitude, which makes moods even brighter.

Glimmers Defeat Anxiety

Elle Studio + Wellness reports that, for every trigger, we need three glimmers. In today’s world, I think we need all the glimmers we can get.

The Simple Things, a British magazine I love, had a story on glimmers in its February 2025 issue. The article’s author, Lottie Storey, talked about the importance of “glimmer hunting.” We all have different glimmers. We can look for them in nature, music, friendships and scents. Giving up some time scrolling on the phone will allow us the quiet we need to find more of them.

Some suggest keeping a list you can use to counter triggers. Here’s a few of my glimmers:

  • Petting and snuggling Bert and Ernie, our cats
  • Decorating my Grandma Corbett’s bookshelf for the current season
  • Stickers of affirmative sayings on my to-do list
  • A beautiful blue sky with white clouds
  • Pictures of my kids and granddaughter
  • Trees changing color in autumn
  • The scent of a rose
  • A funny book
  • Sarah Young’s series on “Jesus Calling”

Each person’s search for glimmers requires mindfulness. As always, I recommend Christian mindfulness, the practice of the presence of God in the present moment. Stay in the present moment with God, paying attention to your senses. What do you see, hear, touch or taste that brings you a glimmer of joy? Can you talk about that with God? Can you bring it into your life more intentionally?

Once you know what makes you feel peaceful and joyful, you can bring more of it to your day. Sharing these feelings of joy with God in gratitude brings you closer to the source of peace.

It’s an ugly world out there. We need glimmers in our lives every day.

A Bonus Glimmer: Trini-T Ministries

Stickers and T-shirts with inspirational, message-based designs are important glimmers for me. I recently found Trini-T Ministries, which creates gifts, apparel and devotionals to encourage believers and spark conversations of faith. Each product reflects the presence of Jesus in our everyday lives. Check out trini-t.com and use our one-time discount code PRESENTINCHRIST to get 15% off through October 31, 2025.

For more thoughts, check out this post How to Find Lasting Joy

bible verse emphasizing the content of the blog
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
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
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.

God is in this shower
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.

illustrates use of commonplace book
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?

by Karen Twinem

Using Loved Ones as Mindfulness Bells

Your mindfulness bell can talk to you. And ask for things. And even be difficult at times. How? Just decide to use a loved one … your spouse, your child or even a pet … as a mindfulness bell.

A mindfulness bell is a sound that reminds you to stop and turn your attention to the present moment … to the person in front of you. Like many people, I’ve had apps to schedule mindfulness bells during the day. 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. … like that.

Having your bell be the sound of a selected person is different. You never know when they will want your attention. So, when they speak to you, you practice Christian mindfulness:

  • Stop
  • Take a breath
  • Ask for God’s presence and help
  • Focus all your attention on loving the person

This idea came from reading “The Mindful Family Guidebook: Reconnect With Spirit, Nature, and the People You Love.” Its author, Dr. Renda Dionne Madrigal, is a Turtle Mountain Chippewa, a clinical psychologist and a certified mindfulness teacher. She sees mindfulness from an indigenous American viewpoint, which has many differences from my own.

Her idea of using your child as a mindfulness bell appealed deeply to me. Dr. Madrigal calls this “an informal stopping-and-noticing practice.” Just as many of us stop and pay attention when our phone app (or even the telephone) rings, Dr. Madrigal suggests we stop and pay full attention when our child wants us.

My children are grown. I’ve decided to use the practice with my husband and a very shy cat.

Don’t have the experience of stopping for a mindfulness bell? Dr. Madrigal suggests that you try an app for a few weeks to get used to it. A good one is the Insight Timer app.

It’s easy to pretend that you don’t hear the 14th call of the day. And it’s easy to feel that your tasks are more important than a mindful response to someone else’s need. But doing this will exercise your attentiveness muscle while building your ability to live in the moment.