Episode 010 – Don’t Mistake the Trellis for the Grape Spiritual practices are crucial for intentional spiritual growth. They are so important that it’s easy to start thinking that they really are what matters most. But that would be a dreadful mistake. N0 matter how helpful our various spiritual practices are, we can never confuse […]
Can Gratitude Save Your Life?
Thanksgiving happened not too long ago. We only just finished all the leftovers in the ‘fridge. Maybe, at your house, too. Perhaps at your gathering, people went around the table sharing something they were thankful for. If you went to church that week, undoubtedly the sermon was about gratitude. But then Black Friday came and […]
How to Spot Poisonous Friends (TAW009)
Episode 009 – How to Spot Poisonous Friends. We all have friends, and we all know what it’s like when friendship goes wrong. Today, in a bonus episode, we’re doing our first ever Apprenticeship Way interview with Mary DeMuth who has just written a book called The Seven Deadly Friendships. I want to introduce you […]
Struggling to get into scripture? Here’s 5 ways to keep your experience of the Bible fresh.
Scripture was the foundation that kept Jesus centered. If we want to walk as Jesus walked, then scripture has to be foundational for us as well. It is a primary resource for staying connected to God’s voice. Very often, the main obstacle to a fresh experience of the Bible is our own past experience. People […]
How to Grab Yourself Some Peace (TAW008)
Episode 008 – How to Grab Yourself Some Peace. You want peace. I want peace. We need to quiet those shrieking monkeys we talked about last episode. But how do we do it? Will God give us peace if we ask? What if the obstacle to peace isn’t outside of us, or even in better prayers […]
A Low-Stress Guide to Finding God’s Will
I grew up in a church community where God’s will was a tangible thing. God’s hand rested heavy on the world in our view of things, and we had our part to play in God’s mission. So, discovering God’s will for our lives was crucial. What a waste it would be, we worried, to live […]
Tell Your Monkeys to be Quiet! (TAW007)
Episode 007 – Tell Your Monkeys to be Quiet! If you’re like me, you’ve got a busy mind, always rushing on to the next thing; full of ideas, plans, questions, fears, and irritations. Or maybe your thoughts are constantly caught up in worry about the future, or maybe regrets from the past? Or do you […]
Worried your prayer requests aren’t big enough? Pray anyway.
Some years back I was at a large Christian event. One speaker started off by thanking everyone who prayed for him earlier that day. Apparently, that morning he’d lost his keys. During an earlier session, he’d asked the group to pray for God to help him find them. Now he was thrilled to report that, […]
Your To-Do List Is Numinous (TAW006)
Episode 006 – Your To-Do List Is Numinous Do you find yourself longing for those big, goose-bumpy, glowy moments of spiritual connection? Those mountain-top experiences are so great. They fill us up, and motivate us, and often leave us feeling connected with God. But you need to know something. If you’re looking for that kind […]
Ten Ideas that Connected (2018 Top Ten Posts)
Intentional spiritual growth. That’s what lights my fire. I love the idea that we can learn and grow, and that it can happen without fear, or condemnation. We aren’t striving to prove anything or earn anything or impress God or anyone. We are receiving our life as a gift, and out of gratitude, learning how […]
Are we growing in faith, hope and love?
My son is a fruit appraiser. Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, apples. Before he consents to put one in his mouth, he will carefully evaluate it. Look at it from every angle. Smell it. Check for squishy parts. Only after determining that it rises to his standards, will he eat it. Bananas are acceptable for about […]
Making Friends With Your Limits (TAW005)
Episode 005 – Making Friends With Your Limits Do you feel like you have to do ALL THE THINGS! Is FOMO a real fear for you? Do you struggle with anxiety or frustration because you can’t seem to manage all the commitments you’ve made? Our culture is allergic to the idea of limits. We’re told […]
A Blanket for Rachel
From time to time, I share with you a guest post, when I find one that’s particularly helpful. This short story, from Richard Spillman, is such an encouragement. So often we get discouraged because the small good we do in Jesus’ name can seem to not make much of a difference. Ever feel that way? […]
The Freedom To Not Get Your Way (TAW004)
Episode 004 – The Freedom To Not Get Your Way In our culture we bear an awful burden: The profound need to get our own way. This burden gets in the way of our relationships undermines our spiritual growth. It can even impede our sense of connection to God. Not getting our way is often […]
When Jesus Changed Religion Forever (TAW003)
Episode 003 – When Jesus Changed Religion Forever Across the history of human religion we see the same structure over and over. In order to access God, or become enlightened, or get a blessing you have to go to that certain special spiritual place at the certain special time and there the special spiritual people […]