There are Three Activities to complete for Who is God? and Four Activities to complete for Relationship with Jesus.
Complete Activities below and then YOU MUST complete and submit online reflection that will act as your attendance.
Please complete these activities BEFORE our Session on Sunday, June 27th!
Doodle Prayer--The act of drawing actually helps your mind better focus on your prayers and listen for God-- draw images, write words/phrases, it's your prayer, draw what you would like!
Lectio Divina--Lectio divina is a slow, rhythmic reading and praying of a Scripture passage. You pick a passage and read it. Notice what arises within you as you read it. Then you read it again, and then again, noticing what words and phrases grab your heart and noticing the feelings that arise. You respond to God about whatever is stirring within as you read and pray with the passage. Finally, you rest and let God respond and speak to you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Slowly and thoughtfully, read the Scripture passage the first time. What word or phrase captures your attention and grabs your heart? Linger with it whenever this happens.
Slowly and prayerfully, read the passage again. What is God saying to you in this passage? offering you? asking you? What feelings are arising within you?
Slowly and prayerfully, read the passage again. Respond to God from your heart. Speak to God of your feelings and insights. Offer these to God.
Possibly read the passage another time. Sit quietly in God’s presence, asking, “What are you saying to me?” Rest in God’s love, and listen.
As you end your prayer period, you might close with an Our Father or another short prayer. It might be helpful to jot down in a journal what arose during this time. What did you speak to God, and what did God offer you?
Spiritually Balanced- we all have had times that it has been hard to pray or when God seems distant. Maybe you don't have a consistent prayer life until now. We call these the "desert" times. They can be brought on by stress, worry, boredom, or just because we stopped putting effort into our prayer.. We have to work at getting back into balance and regain a healthy spirituality!
Background-- An algorithm is a word associated with math and computer programming. It's about creating a type of flow chart to get you from point A to point B. It isn't necessarily a straight line and there are many things that can pop up altering how we get to point B...
Watch--a short clip from THE BIG BANG THEORY. Sheldon is trying to create an algorithm to help him develop a friendship with someone. when his fried says something, he readjusts his flow chart trying to develop his friendship... what and listen to some of the things he tries to do!
3 Takeaways- our relationships, have deficiencies. We have to reevaluate friendships and continue trying but most importantly you need to continually find ways to spend time together!
OUR friendship with Jesus also needs these things to happen!
Create a list of characteristics that make a good friend and bad friend
Think about these characteristics when referring to Jesus... which side does Jesus fall on?
Find a spot in your house/room/yard that you are comfortable being in.. a place you feel safe to spend time with Jesus. Pick items that will help you to spend time in prayer with Jesus..
Examples of items:
Google Search "images of Jesus"
pick one that is a good representation of who Jesus is for you!
Save the image and email it to me!
karen.luke@dor.org