Bookmarks: 1. Trash day 2. Prayer for enemies 3. Dealing with haters 4. Prayer in spirit 5. Following guidance Related: Some more prayer...

Purity of heart is to will one thing. — Soren Kierkegaard This post has been on tap for years; I’ve come to feel the time to write it is now. On the one hand, however, I hardly feel I know what I’m talking about. I can see the goal, I can point to it, I can admire it, but I hardly have any idea how to get there. On the other hand, there are multiple directions from which to approach the subject, which fact doesn’t lend itself to the linear-sequential proneness of written w

A few days ago, in the “smoke pit” awaiting entry to the homeless shelter where I stay, I sat facing a choice of whether to feel good or feel bad. I allowed myself to stay in that state for some time so as to examine it. As I’ve observed many times in the past, it proved to be, apparently, a completely arbitrary choice. This really puzzled, and puzzles me. Choosing to feel good creates light. Choosing to feel bad creates darkness. There is so much “darkness” in the world

Below appears the syllabus for the course on prayer that I’m teaching at my church. Today we completed Week 2. =================================================== Effective Prayer DESCRIPTION Many people long to love and serve God — whatever that means — in ways more meaningful than mere ritual practices. This course will teach ways to focus one’s altruism so as to attain greater harmony within oneself and in one’s relationships. Anticipated outcomes: – improved self-accepta

From “Learning to pray:” “[T]he most common mistake I observe in other folks’ prayers [is] an assumption that God is distant and apart from human beings.” My belief is at the opposite extreme. On the one hand, God’s omnipresence means that God is fully present to every cubic centimeter of empty space, to every atom and electron of your being.

Wednesday 04/24/13 Facing various issues as to how to spend my time. The current appearance of this blog is a far cry from what I want, but I don’t want time spent redesigning it to take away from job search. The same dilemma presents in choice of whether to use my tax refund to restore my former website on Yahoo! for $125.00/year, or instead rebuild the site as part of this blog. My church is about to launch Saturday morning prayer services in which I will have a leadership