It’s personal. Sort of. But not private.
Only you can discover your best practices for the spiritual disciplines of Word and Sacrament, prayer and worship, silence and solitude.
But you discover your way best with the help of others, both ancient and contemporary.
Dr. Myers and Dr. Briggs might suggest that an INFJ might study scripture differently that an ESTP. (Mulholland did some excellent work on this, by the way, in Invitation to a Journey).
A “painter” might have a very different expression of their prayer life than a “pointer.” Morning people and night people might go about the practice of solitude in completely different ways.
But we come to the aid of our fellow members of the body of Christ when, with our different make-ups, different experiences, different backgrounds, we share our stories with one another.
A friend from Dallas told me about Invitation to a Journey. That and M. Robert Mulholland’s other works on the devotional life have been transformative for me.
A cousin who died just before attending seminary left me, through my aunt, Dobberstein’s Minister’s Prayer Book. I learned at my grandmother’s funeral that she had prayed for decades that one of her family would become a pastor.
I’m walking the way of faith with a Texan, a cousin and a grandmother I hardly knew.
None of us take this journey alone.
The faith journey is personal, but not private. God has no grandchildren, but we’ve all got sisters and brothers and many, many cousins in the faith.
Who’s journeying with you?
Everyone, even pastors, need someone who will encourage them along the way. We all need people in our lives who nudge us to take the next steps on the adventure, who will explore matters of the faith together, who will pray for us and with us.
I love presenting at Grace Place Wellness couples’ retreats. And I really love walking around among the tables to eavesdrop on the conversations that follow. It’s such a joy to watch people bless one another, and to be blessed by them myself.
If I could, I’d lead a retreat every week!
Since January, thanks to those who join me online, I’ve had the privilege of doing just that in the Grace Place Wellness Online Community.
Some of us gather live each Tuesday for a short topic related to spiritual or relational or vocational wellness, then huddle up in smaller breakout rooms for conversation. Others watch the video later and discuss it with friends.
We’d love to have you be a part of the community and join us on the wellness journey together.
We need each other, and we need your wisdom. I hope you’ll check us out this week!
Thanks for reading.
