Welcome

I got the idea for this new blog at the end of the week of New Wine, a Christian festival in Somerset, in August 2011. You might guess from my profile that, although not entirely house-bound, I don't very often get out, and it occurred to me that I might try to create a blog to encourage in our faith people like me whose lives are limited in one way or another. I'm hoping that readers will feel able to contribute their own positive ideas. I'm not sure how it will work, but here goes...!
Teach me, my God and King, in all things Thee to see...
A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye,
Or, if he pleaseth, through it pass
And then the heaven espy.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Rethinking prayer

One of the best talks I heard at New Wine was given by Michelle Tepper from Oxford. Its title was "Rethinking prayer - how to live in a constant conversation". I have to say it wasn't a typical "How to" seminar, like 4 easy steps to success. It was actually exploring 1 Thessalonians 5 from verse 12, which includes the severe advice to "pray without ceasing". I went because even with all my enforced inactivity I'm a pretty hopeless pray-er. One of Michelle's main points was that prayer is conversation, not shopping list, and that implies intentional listening, not just emptying your mind, not conducting an internal monologue, but listening to the Word, listening within the community and listening to the Holy Spirit. She also pointed out how much God treasures our company. He really likes us conversing with him. That changes prayer from being a duty to being an invitation. I found so much to explore in the talk that I've put it on my iPod.

I also have on my iPod an app which my Scottish friend, Mary Kennedy (who's off to the World Youth Day in Madrid on Saturday), recommended. It's probably my favourite, even better than Shrek Karting! It's called Three Minute Retreat (costing just 99p from the Loyola Press:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/3-minute-retreat/id323368405?mt=8). It's not a substitute for intercession, but to quieten my spirit and remind me of the presence of God it's wonderful. I imagine for someone in a high-pressured job and for people who just have little space in their lives it's a God-send.

It takes you through steps of relaxing in God's presence, reading a verse or two of the Bible, briefly meditating on it and then applying it, and finally providing a short prayer (or use your own words). Oh yes, and there's quiet music (optional) and stunning photography. It's a wonderful three minutes!

Sometimes my body and mind are too weary to summon up the energy to put things into words or to concentrate on reading the Bible, but this little app just takes me where I want to be, aware of the presence of God.
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