Join Me in an Advent of Solitude

"One of the new challenges of our generation is the impact of technology on spirituality. This warrants serious consideration. If we are not careful, technology has a way of compromising our ability to present to ourselves, to God and to each other--all of which are fundamental elements of spiritual life...Exhaustion sets in when we are too accessible too much of the time.

A soul-numbing sadness comes when we realize that a certain quality of life and quality of presence is slipping away as a result of too much "convenience"."

-Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, by Ruth Haley Barton

MY LONGING:

The author just described the underlying reaction I feel after a bout of losing myself behind a screen:

Soul-numbing sadness.

I can hardly go an hour without reaching for my phone, just to check in--no matter what I am doing-- writing a novel, playing with my kids, praying, reading a devotional. Everything I do, has room for a screen check.

I've trained myself to be connected ALL.THE.TIME. But, when it comes to connecting with God, I've squeezed that time to connect into the slivers of seconds between life and screen checks. Hardly any time at all.

Something deep inside me knows this is not how I am suppose to live the moments of this life. Deep down inside me, I know that I've been sabotaged, and I've allowed it to happen.

MY QUEST:
So this Advent season, I am going to be more mindful of SOLITUDE, rather than screen time. I am going to use the extra moments, or the actual moments, to tap into the quiet, to dip my attention into the present, and to find a new rhythm for my living--I hope to be transforming to spiritual wakefulness on a consistent basis.

I am dedicating this next season as an ADVENT OF SOLITUDE.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do? Does this resonate with your heart at all? I've spoken with many friends who feel the same longing, who have actually taken time apart from social media because of the noise, and the need for quiet. Does this interest you, too?

Check out the invitation below:

THE INVITATION:

Join me in an ADVENT of SOLITUDE.

First things first.

WHAT IS ADVENT?  The period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

WHAT IS SOLITUDE? The quality or state of being alone (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) OR according to Ruth Haley Barton, "An opportunity to interrupt this cycle {constant noise of our society} by turning off the noise and stimulation of our lives so that we can hear our loneliness and our longing calling us deeper into the only relationship that can satisfy our longing."

The only relationship that I've found to satisfy my longing, has been through Christ. He is the wholeness of life, the one who has given me a hope and a Way to live into each next step. I've lost my connection with Him, to be quite honest. And so, I am going to offer Him this next season of Advent where we focus on His birth, to bear a new rhythm that connects me to Him.

An ADVENT of SOLITUDE  is  a season of FASTING from social media connection, and instead, connecting to God in   SOLITUDE,   PRAYING,  AND   BEING   PRESENT, with the hope of transforming  daily life into a rhythm that syncs with God (more than WiFi). ;)     

THE CHALLENGE:

A SEASON: For the weeks of Advent, I'll disconnect from social media for a certain amount of time, and carve in time for Solitude. I am choosing to disconnect all Advent long, except for the Monday morning check-ins. If you choose to join in this Advent of Solitude, do what you feel is best for you (although, I strongly recommend disconnecting for a good long while. It truly is good for the soul. :) )

DAILY: Each morning, I'll spend some quiet in prayer--just God and me. I am going to buy an actual alarm clock and keep my phone away from my bedside. I hope to buy a journal as well. It has been a few years since I journaled my prayers. It's a wonderful way to stay focused on what my heart wants to say.

WEEKLY: Each week, I will carve out an extended amount of time to just spend time in Solitude. God and me only. Praying, but not reading. Sitting and listening. Breathing. Allowing God to speak, to move, to enjoy my undivided attention. (I will probably do this on Saturday morning for an hour or two while the family is asleep.)

CHECK-INS: Each Monday morning, I will get on to social media (for me, it will be just this day only), and check in on my Facebook Page (facebook.com/dicken.angie). If you choose to join in the Advent of Solitude, you don't have to share what is between you and God at these check-ins, just stop by and receive some encouragement, and let us know that you are spending your Advent focusing on Solitude.

MY HOPE:

I am going to do this to re-prioritize my moments. To become more present for my family, and more attuned to my relationship with God. I want to start a new rhythm this Advent, so I can step into 2019 without that "soul-numbing sadness". I want to transform my days into being and not just doing. I want to meet God again.

If you choose to join in the ADVENT of SOLITUDE, please join me on December 2nd, the first day of Advent. Stop by my author page (facebook.com/dicken.angie) for pre-check-in.

Faith in His People

My heart has sunk low this week. It is trembling-in-waiting. It is groaning in prayer. Yet, it's also refraining from pouring out an awful mess that would destroy more than heal. News about mistreated children always does this to me. Heck, fiction about children being mistreated does this to me. But, I've never been so physically sickened by it as I have these past days, when there are thousands of children affected, and there has been a blatant refusal to do anything about it.

After thrashing about, typing posts, then erasing them, crying out to Congressmen and my husband and my pastor...I wear my brain out. I am helpless. I sour with the bitterness that seems to spew from my darkest thoughts. Then I walk away, then I return again to the same neurotic pattern of thrashing about, typing posts, writing my Congressmen and blurting out to my husband...eh. Finally, after all that back and forth, the whiplash of my mental well being, after every thud of my heavy heart, I see God waving His hand over "there", trying to get my attention. He meets me in my hysteria. Only He can distinguish the love from fear...wisdom from foolishness. And only He can unwind the fleshy mess from His strands of Grace within me. Once I have taken a breath and calmed myself, I catch a glimmer of a surprise that I did not expect in my anger. It has jolted a startling heartbeat of peace within me. These past hours, I've witnessed God's people, a DIVERSE multitude of His believers, uniting in heart cries of one accord. No matter their doctrine, or differences, their cry is the same as mine. And in these dark hours, I find quiet for my soul. Even for just a moment.
Because of the love I've witnessed, the pleasant aroma rising from friends, family, sisters, and even places I had sworn off--people who'd once tripped me up--I've discovered that I am part of this magnificent whole. I am united to the heartstrings of others in a significant way.

There is power in that.

There is a strength larger than borders or councils or cages. For, I know--I have to believe--this type of Power will prevail. When the real life nightmares rattle my spirit and bring bouts of weeping--perhaps, I can still cling to hope. I can hope in change. I can hope in the fact that as much as I cry in anguish, the Lord's cry is even louder--and by the witness of His People, I believe it is so.

People of God, pray now. We must pray for changed hearts in our leaders...I truly believe the issue of refusing to release children isn't one of law or policy (I know there are some who see policy/politics differently...and many of them love God with all their hearts. If that's you, I am not against you...I am not talking politics right now. I am addressing the willful inaction to release children. You can think one thing about policy, and still stand by the humane act of keeping families together). Whatever side of the aisle you perch on, can we ALL still agree that these babies need their mamas? Can we please consider in this moment--ONLY the child, ONLY the reunion? I beg you, let's get those babies back to their mamas.

 Pray. Act. Call. And pray some more.

 United we stand...as a People of the God Who LOVES.

I am Complaining to YOU, God

I am reading Richard J. Foster's book, Prayer.

I am seeing God in a whole new way. An authentic way. A grace-filled way. My glasses have been removed during this journey post-valley walking in my marriage (although, sometimes, I wonder if I'm just walking through a higher plane in the valley. Not quite sure that I've cleared this valley. Sometimes, not sure I've seen the light except for glimpses).

God's grown bigger...but fuzzier too. I think it's because I always tried keeping Him in the frame of my "glasses" and now that they're gone, I am blown away by how much bigger He really is.

This book that I'm reading though, has given me permission to do something I've rarely done before--Complain to God ABOUT HIS absence. It's strange that I've never thought to do it before, because this no-no in my head, is all over the Scripture.

It seems disrespectful, ungrateful, irreverent. A sin.

But, just like the psalmists and others before me, sometimes, I just gotta. Just like when I try and share my concern with my husband, or complain to him about the crap we deal with in our lack of communication and unequally-yoked ground. It just has to come out for my own pent-up heart overflow.

Same thing with God. I've got to figure out some stuff, and it has to do with Him...or the lack of His action in my life.

Above all else though, He's the safe place to do it too.

If God is really my Father, then, just like my children so often do to me, I can complain to Him. He can handle it.

So yeah. I am going to leave this post there. Kinda itchy, kinda gravely on my tongue. A bit aggravating and non-conclusive. We are humans. And, although we want answers and we want them now, life just doesn't happen that way.

But, I can complain about it in a safe place.

Before I end actually, I'll include Psalm 13 for example. He's big enough. And I am only going to grow deep if I get my fit out. The thing is, I KNOW, He'll still meet me on the other side of that fit. That's Grace. Isn't it?

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

2 

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

Having sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

3 

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

4 

And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

5 

But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

6 

I will sing to the Lord,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Purposeful Conversation

Yesterday was a day of conversations. Not just chit chat, but heart-guided truth and purpose that only

comes from surrounding myself with genuine people.

Two of the three people prayed over me.

One encouraged me to step out in a fresh dream-direction.

And I sit here today, still processing it all, wondering how to make these next steps count, how to prepare my heart for the goodness of God's handiwork.

I don't have anything profound to say, any complaint or a-ha moment, but I do have the meat of my quiet time, and I will post it here to ponder and grow...and continue on the path He's prepared for me.

Justice For the Fatherless and Oppressed

I have decided to go through the Psalms while I Bible journal. And today...TODAY...my heart's cry

leapt out on the page. I have been thinking on the refugee situation in Syria. It is close to my heart, more than anyone might know. And God met me in His Word. If only to kindle Hope and assurance that my heart is focused where it should be.
I must act...in prayer, but also in practicality. I just need to find out how. Ann Voskamp gives us a call to action HERE

Yes, Lord, YOU shall provide the ultimate justice for the the oppressed. Let it be so. And let Your People arise against the man of the earth.

Faith-Filled Friday

Prayer warriors leave their mark at my seat before each Wednesday night.

Ever been mentioned to the Creator of the Universe without asking? 

Have a faith-filled Friday...and weekend!

A Mother's Tether

I came to Panera by myself, with every intent to study the word of God without the distractions of my busy house. The study I am in right now, has not found it's way into my heart as I hoped. I have definitely received nuggets out of it and have even blogged about it before, but either pregnancy ADD or my heart's condition has brought me up to a wall every time I try to push forward in the study. So, I logged into the free wifi, and went to one of my sure-thing websites, Proverbs 31. And yes, God was there waiting.

The first devotional I read was about friendship. It spoke of how "as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another." You know I have been contemplating my friendships these days. And I can only think of a few friendships in my whole life where this verse applies. One being my husband. How often I forget that he is my unconditional best friend. He sharpens me in such a way, that I sometimes struggle with the humility it brings. I pray that I sharpen him too!

But the second devotional...this gave me a word picture which I will never forget, and for that I am forever thankful. The message was about children who go astray as adults, and although I am not "there" right now, the author's words struck such an impression in my mind that I know I have gained much as a parent tonight:

"So go right now and tether your child to God with a lifeline of prayer."

Friends, how awesome it is that we have the power of the Holy Spirit to connect our children to God even when they refuse Him and have their backs turned? My children are at a young age right now, and I feel so privileged to be able to tether them to the God of the universe with prayer, before they even get the chance to stray. The author of the devo says that Jesus did this with Simon Peter and told him that "God has asked to sift him like wheat" but when he was ready to repent, to go and reveal God to his brothers. Jesus focused on Simon's eventual witness to bring glory to God after the trials. He didn't say he would take the trials away from Simon Peter, but that the trials would bring him through to God's plan! God allowed Simon Peter to stretch his tethered rope far from Him, knowing that he would eventually release the tension and come back to the loving hand of God.
Oh that I allow my children to take their own steps knowing that I have tethered them to God in prayer, and that I will give God the room to grow them through the trials!