Last month I participated in a silent retreat at Holy Cross Monastery. Yes, you read that correctly. I voluntarily signed up and went on a retreat at which no one talked for days on end. And yes, there were other people at this retreat. Twenty-five of us or so went
It’s easy to get into the habit of thinking about life and the events happening around you in very specific ways. We cling to tried-and-true thought processes because it’s easier than expending more thought energy to think in a different way. But living more simply as a Christian minimalist means
I, like many who attended American high school, remember reading and learning about Henry David Thoreau. A naturalist who eschewed society, he is especially known for his famous book Walden. Thoreau lived in a simple cabin on Walden Pond for 2 years, only ate beans, and spent his time alone
As the pandemic continues to drag on, many of us are having a difficult time feeling positive or excited about life, as well as feeling unmotivated and/or stuck. If you’ve felt like this, you’re not alone. I’ve felt it myself– It’s usually accompanied by a sense of numbness, apathy, or
Right after Christmas, there is a major milestone that everyone is very much aware of: the starting of a new calendar year. For some, this marking of a new year is full of joyful expectations. Excited about the possibilities, these folks look forward to starting something new and what the
Note: This is a guest post written by Kate Gungor, Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Good Shepherd New York. She is a practicing spiritual director both with individuals and in groups, and also works as a coordinator with the Center for Christian Spirituality at General Theological Seminary. When Becca (The
Note: This post is an excerpt from the book Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living, which releases May 17th (today)! The “Why” Christian minimalism can change our lives in incredible ways. We know it won’t always be easy, but we also know that pursuing this type of worldview and
If you’re anything like me, you’re a time traveler. Not a literal time traveler (sorry to disappoint!), but a time traveler in our brains. We are almost always thinking about the past or the future. Which means… we are almost never thinking about or focusing on the present. For example,
Elijah was running for his life. The corrupt rulers Ahab and Jezebel wanted him dead. The prophet fled to the wilderness, and God provided food and drink to strengthen him on his journey. He traveled for 40 days and 40 nights, and he was told to stand on Mt Horeb
It’s that time when everyone starts thinking about the upcoming year, and many of us start making New Year’s resolutions. Here’s a question for you: How many New Year’s resolutions have you made in the past? And how many of them have you actually kept for the whole year? If