The importance of staying engaged

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” -Genesis 28:16

We are a people of snap decisions. We don’t want to waste our time investing in something that isn’t going to be worth it in the end, so we are quick to decide if something is worth our time or not. If not, we move on—quickly.

Do you judge a book by its cover?

How many pages do you read before you give up on an author?

How many minutes of a movie do you watch before you decide if you will finish it?

Do we carry this mindset into our spiritual disciplines? Do we come to bible reading, prayer, worship, sermons expecting God to reveal Himself to us in the first 3 minutes? If not, do we move on?

If so, we will miss out on the greatest God encounters of our lives. Jacob wakes from a dream and cries out, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Later Jacob wrestles with a strange man all night long. In the morning he realizes he was wrestling with God. Two disciples on the way to Emmaus walk with Jesus all afternoon, but only at the end of their journey realize they had been with the Lord.

We don’t always know when God is among us. Sometimes we only realize we have been in the presence of God after a divine encounter. Perhaps we should not be quick to decide we will not hear from God in this day, in this hour, in this moment.

Posted: May 18, 2010  |   URL: http://www.embracethegodlife.com/post/610404231/the-importance-of-staying-engaged
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FILED UNDER: spiritual formation patience 
"There’s a tendency, even among those who are trying to buy less stuff, to call everyone “consumers”. The company needs to please its consumers … we consumers need to vote with our dollars … we need watchdogs to protect consumers … consumers are buying less during the recession.
Let’s stop that. We are not consumers.
We’re people."

— Leo Babauta, mnmlist: we are not consumers

Posted: May 13, 2010  |   URL: http://www.embracethegodlife.com/post/595173888/theres-a-tendency-even-among-those-who-are
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FILED UNDER: Consumerism consumers 
"God is so amazing that even if you planned Him a surprise party it wouldn’t work."

— Ashlyn, Age 5

Posted: April 27, 2010  |   URL: http://www.embracethegodlife.com/post/553337073/god-is-so-amazing-that-even-if-you-planned-him-a
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FILED UNDER: wisdom of children 
On Not Writing

Reading about writing is not writing.
Reading about all the reasons people do not write is not writing.
Feeling bad about not writing is not writing.
Planning time to write is not writing. 
Watching LOST is not writing.
Shopping for writing tools is not writing.
Talking to people about your writing project is not writing.
Looking for the perfect place to write is not writing.
Redesigning your website is not writing.
Whining about not having time to write is not writing.
Searching for the perfect writing software is not writing.
Organizing your pens is not writing.
Listening to Grammar Girl is not writing.
Grading papers is not writing.
Teaching class is not writing.
Browsing The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks is not writing.
Googling “developing a writing habit” is not writing.
Going to Starbucks with your writer friends is not writing.
Talking with your therapist is not writing.
Shopping at levenger.com is not writing.
Training for a marathon is not writing.

Ironic: This has been sitting in my drafts folder since December 19.

What about you? What do you do when you are “not writing”?

Posted: April 26, 2010  |   URL: http://www.embracethegodlife.com/post/551025038/on-not-writing
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FILED UNDER: writing distractions 
"Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us and take it seriously so that it can grow and become stronger in us. In this way we can live with courage, trusting that there is a spiritual power in us when we are together that allows us to live in this world without surrendering to the powerful forces constantly seducing us toward despair. That is how we dare to say that God is a God of love even when we see hatred all around us. That is why we can claim that God is a God of life even when we see death and destruction and agony all around us. We say it together. We affirm it in each other. Waiting together, nurturing what has already begun, expecting its fulfillment—that is the meaning of marriage, friendship, community, and the Christian life."

— Henri Nouwen, The Path of Waiting

Posted: April 14, 2010  |   URL: http://www.embracethegodlife.com/post/521551721/christian-community-is-the-place-where-we-keep-the
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FILED UNDER: waiting community