"The Elusive Gift of Joy" by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

The Elusive Gift of Joy

One of my favorite parables, as told by Jesus in Luke's gospel, is the story of the prodigal son. In the 15th chapter of that gospel, Jesus is teaching a number of lessons on the subject of what it means to be lost.  In telling the stories, he uses images to which audience can easily relate. So, he tells them about lost sheep, a lost coin, and finally a story about a lost son. In each of the stories, Jesus seeks to convey the extent to which we search for that which is lost and the joy we experience upon its recovery.

The story of the prodigal son is my story. When I read it, I am reminded of the many times I became lost! Like the young man, I have done some foolish things. Like him, I made some unwise decisions.  Like him, I went down the wrong path and separated myself from family, church, and my support systems. Like him, I have been distracted by wild living. And just like him, I had to find my way back home.  But, let us go back to the beginning of the story because there may be some facts about this young lad that may have eluded you.

The prodigal is the second son in this family.  Growing up behind an older brother, who was responsible and mature, was a challenge. In fact, he found it difficult to compete with his older brother. His brother did everything well, and why not?  As the oldest, he had only adults as examples. Consequently, the older brother got all the accolades and positive reinforcement. Even more than that, being the first born son, his family embraced him with great affection. Since the prodigal could not compete with his older brother, what did he do?  He sought negative attention and became the bad boy of the family. How do we know this fact?  Just look at his actions.  At the first opportunity, the prodigal son abandoned his family and relocated in a far off land! More than that, he sought a lifestyle that was corrupt and wild! He followed his heart's desire, that was until the money ran out.  Once he was broke and friendless, it was only then that he came to his senses. As he pondered his situation, he began to think about the elusive gift of joy.

With his inheritance in hand, he thought he could buy his happiness. He threw off the shackles of responsibility, which freed him to live the life he wanted for himself.  Or at least so he thought.  So he indulged in the party life, without a care in the world, nor thinking of the consequences of his actions.  As long as he had the money to buy his happiness, he lived in his delusion. And his delusion was that he was living the joyful life.

Now, ponder this story for a minute, look around you. How many times do you see the drama played out in your life with family and friends?  How many people do you know who seek to find their joy smoking a joint or downing a six pack of beer? What about those who seek to feed their sexual appetites with multiple relationships at the same time?  Are they seeking the elusive gift of joy?  Is enough ever enough to fill them with that joy? So, what is the answer?  What did this young man have to do to change course?

One of the conditions that affects the human spirit and forces us into poor choices is the issue of denial. Denial does not allow us to seek that which is truth. Denial blinds us from the facts. Denial fills our minds with fear of what may be taking places at the moment and forces us to accept other answers or other solutions. We all do it! The big question is, can we break free of denial's grasp on our lives? In the case of the prodigal son, he had to be honest with himself. He needed to look deep within himself and search his soul to rediscover what brought joy in his life.

Once this young man broke through his denial, the elusive gift of joy was right in front of him.  He needed to go back home and return to his father's love and embrace. The reality is that home offers us more than a place to rest our heads. Home is a sacred place where we learn about holy values such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22)  When we grasp these fruits of God's Spirit, is this not how we really want to live our lives?

"Toxic Sibling Rivalries" by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Toxic Sibling Rivalries 

In the 4th chapter in the book of Genesis, we are introduced to the tragic story of two brothers.  The firstborn son was Cain and the second was named Abel. Their parents were Adam and Eve. Cain, the older, was a tiller of the soil, while his brother tended to the flocks. When it came time to make their offering to God, Cain offered up the first fruits of his crop, while Abel offered the fat portion of his animal sacrifice. When the gifts were received by God, He appreciated the animal sacrifice of Abel's above the crop offering of Cain's. In response, Cain grew in anger at his brother, the result leading Cain to seek revenge. So, Cain killed his younger brother. This story is the first recorded episode of human violence and toxic sibling rivalry. When God confronted Cain and inquired about Abel, Cain responded, "Am I my brother's keeper?" This story is the first recorded drama of human violence,  but it would not, however, be the last.

As we continue reading in Genesis, we come across the story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac. Now, in those days it was a custom to give your blessing to your first-born son. This blessing was a critical gift for the well-being of your first male child. In this case, it would have been Esau. The boys' mother, however, favored the younger brother Jacob, and she conspired with Jacob to steal his older brother's blessing. Consequently, when Esau was out hunting for the family, the younger son snuck into his father's tent posing to be the older son. Since his father had failing eye sight, he could not tell one son from the other. As a result, Jacob tricked his father and received the blessing meant for his brother! And, with this blessing, Jacob would have nations honoring and kneeling before him. When Esau discovered he was robbed of his father's blessing, the boy wept. Esau was angry, and Jacob had to flee from his brother's wrath. Yet, in doing so, Jacob discovered his destiny with history.  This saga of toxic, sibling rivalry continues on from biblical times to the present day. If you look, it is everywhere, if not within your own family, then in families close to you.

When toxic, sibling rivalries are allowed to fester within families, such emotions disrupt the family unit and in extreme cases can even lead to violence. Such relationships can last a lifetime with no resolution. These rivalries not only affect the family unit, but such discord can even creep into a community.  

Allow this thought to percolate in your mind. When Cain slew Abel, this was not the first time that Cain's anger got the best of him. I submit that this rivalry was an ongoing saga between the two brothers. I imagine that Cain's angry emotions kept building until he exploded in a fit of rage! And why not? Growing up in a household of boys, you have to ask yourself what young boys do? They learn how to fight. They cultivate jealousies and plot out their revenge. This pattern of behavior may follow them into their adult years if not resolved.  

Families are sacred spaces! In this wonderful institution created by God, parents are given the awesome responsibility to teach their children in the ways of righteousness. In this loving setting, children can see what it means to be honorable. Children can learn what it means to be forgiving. In a righteous household, trust is something that is developed and cherished. Honesty is part of the code of conduct.When mistakes are made, children are not harshly treated, but treated with mercy so that they can be merciful. Most of all, children are directed to grow into the persons that God intended them to be.  

In the stories of Cain and Abel and Jacob and Esau, siblings did not grow up valuing the uniqueness from the other. They did not lift each other up and support the individualization of their brothers. In doing so, they could not recognize that they had their own unique gifts and that they were each special in God's eyes. They were not taught that one of their roles was to encourage and lift up their siblings. In essence, to be their brother's keeper. When brothers do this, they won't become competitive or jealous of the other. Stop for a moment and think about healthy families. When you see siblings supporting and encouraging one another, is not conflict greatly reduced?  Does not their love for each other glow like the morning sun?  

In closing, allow me to raise one more troubling thought. If siblings grow up in a household of conflict and jealousy, it is difficult to set aside those memories. There is no denying that you experienced that hurt. If you think about it, your memory may be distorted. For example, have you ever returned, after a long absence, to your grandmother's house as an adult and discovered that her house was not as big as you remembered it?  In fact, now it looks quite small.  Is it possible that our memories hold the same perspective? That which is large when we were young has now grown small as we became adults. Yet, we react as if those hurtful memories are still large. We have the capacity to change our perspective if we are willing to break through our denial of memories that have been distorted. 

Remember, that on that Good Friday when Jesus painfully hung on the cross, He never talked about that experience and memory after His resurrection. His perspective had changed; He didn't look back.  Instead, He pointed us to the future. 










  

"Healing the Soul" (part 3) by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

"Healing the Soul" (part 3)

Introduction

If you were to go the Colorado Olympic Training Center and talk to some of athletes in training and ask the question, "How do you prepare for a competition?" Some would say that it begins by preparing your mind. This preparation requires that you, through the discipline of meditation, concentrate on your given routine and imaging your completing the performance perfectly. The theory is that by training the mind the body will follow. No matter what the sport, ice skating, down hill slalom, diving, or gymnastics, you want to train your muscles to respond automatically to what your brain tells them to do. Such a mental excersise demonstrates the power of the mind to direct your human response. Taking this principle a step further, using the mind to heal the soul is an important concept in the healing of memories while allowing the Spirit of Christ to guide you along the way.

Over the years, I have used the gift of inner healing in helping people overcome emotional trama which has left them with a deep sense of guilt, shame, betrayal, the pain of physical abuse, abandonment, and the list goes on. For example, I have been able to witness a healing of a young man who accidentally killed his neighbor. He needed to find forgiveness. Then, there was the young mother who came to me filled with shame as she finally confronted the reality that she was the victim of incest. There was another woman who sought to heal her soul having been victimized by a rape when she was younger.  Each of these situations was successful as we prayed and allowed the Spirit to transform their memories.

Now, there are some in the Christian community who argue that this gift is not found in the Scriptures and therefore is not valid. I, however, will argue the point and direct them to the fruits of this spiritual exercise. Is it not the role of the Spirit of Christ to address the emotional wounds of his beloved? Doesn't Jesus still heal? 

The Memory

Consequently, to heal a memory you have to be able to return to that memory.  To do this, I remind my subject that their brains are like a DVR and are always recording what we see, feel, smell and touch. And with our minds, we have the unique ability to hit the rewind button and go back in time. When they do this, I usually have them get into a comfortable sitting position and then close their eyes. They are then instructed to go back to the day of the trauma and begin to describe in every detail what they see, touch, hear, or smell. It goes without saying that this can be difficult and emotional. There are times, however, when a subject cannot recall a specific memory. In such cases, there is a composite memory. The composite memory is made up of multiple memories woven into one. All of these memories are of multiple episodes. In any case, it is extremely important for the subject to articulate everything they are experiencing which helps me to gain insight to memory and trauma. As they articulate the event, there are many times when I can see some unique feature that was missed or deemed irrelevant, only to discover that these events are extremely important. After the memory is relived, we begin to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and observations of what they had experienced. This review of the event will at times offer new insights into their trauma.

Then, I will ask them to revisit the memory, only this time, to allow Jesus to become visible. What is interesting is that sometimes they can see him, and on other occasions they might hear His voice or sense His presence. In every case, I have to be careful not to direct the scene. Each person has to be allowed to imagine their own scenario without me interjecting my thoughts, as tempting as it is at times. Consequently, their healing comes from within them, which is critical.  If I were to interject my thoughts and feelings, then their healing can escape them. Their encounter needs to be their personal experience.  Furthermore, I have discovered that when the Spirit enters the memory, what is done, is far different from what I might think in terms of outcome.  For example, I was dealing with a subject who was victimized by incest. As she played back her memory and she saw Jesus enter the room, he walked up to the bed she and the relative were him. I was expecting the Christ to angrily confront the man. That did not happen. Rather, Jesus went over to the bed and put the little girl and the man on His knees and said, "I love you both!"  The little girl was then able to say to the man, whom she loved, "I forgive you."  This act was extremely important, since the relative had passed away a few years after this story. She finally had closure to her nightmare and found peace and resolution.

After we finished with the second memory, we had a debriefing. I then asked her, if that second memory with Jesus was real? She said that it was very real!  As we continued to talk, I could see a transformation in her face, and her face told the rest of the story. There were no more tears and no more tension in her facial expression. She was unburdened. Most importantly, as the Spirit guided her, the Spirit made know the true character of Jesus. She learned that in the ugly memory, that the Christ was there, and she was not alone.  As He made himself known, He expressed His love to her and the relative.  And finally, Jesus bought reconciliation and healing to her soul.

Conclusion

The healing of memories is an important tool for members in the Christian community who have been scarred by emotional trauma. When this is done with a good practitioner, this spiritual exercise can quickly address the wounds that damage the soul. These wounds need to be exposed by prayer, meditation, and discernment. As we use the gift of our minds to look into our past, we invite the Christ to transform those hurtful memories into  positive ones.  As a result, the memory that lives on in the person is a joyful encounter with the Lord of Life.

"Healing the Soul" (Part 2), by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Healing the Soul  (Part 2)

Introduction

Do you remember the last time you had a major blowout with you spouse or significant other?  It was probably heated, and your emotions got the best of you. After you had a chance to cool down, you resumed the topic in a more conciliatory speech. As you talked out the issue, you could see how there was a misunderstanding and the issue was misconstrued, or perhaps you were just wrong. Whatever the case, you reconciled having resolved the argument, and you were able to move on in your lives. Had you not resolved the argument, the hurt would have continued only to resurface at a later date.  Emotional hurt never resolves itself; it needs to be acknowledged and expelled. When we deal with emotional trauma, we open the doors to healing and peace.

What I have come to acknowledge both in my life and the lives of others that when we have been traumatized, especially when we were children, we are emotionally stuck in time. As a result, we process many of our thoughts, feelings and actions through this first emotional crisis. Having been frozen in time, we are unable to mature emotionally when we have found ourselves in similar circumstances. So, rather than facing an emotionally troubling issue like an adult, we respond like the hurt child. Just think, how many times have you responded in such a way? Have you ever used the phrase, "You're acting like a child!"

Healing that Inner Child

When you come to realize, that you are being affected by childhood memories, how do you begin to address such issues? You start with your belief system. Faith opens your mind and allows you to be guided by the  Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important to understand how the voice of God is speaking in the session. Will you see a vision, hear a voice, feel a presence, or be reminded of a Scripture verse that directly speaks to your issue? Faith takes you there!  

I once was doing a session with a man I will call Thomas. When we went back to the memory that was causing him trauma, we were at the point of envisioning Jesus in the memory.  However, nothing was happening; he could not see, hear, or feel the presence of Christ. Up to this point, I never had that happen in a session and I was greatly puzzled. So, I stopped the session and began to question him further. What I discovered was that he had a "blockage". Even though he was an active member of the church, he did not believe he was worthy to enter the Holy Presence of God. Consequently, he could not allow the presence of Christ to enter his memory. To continue, we had to address the issue before continuing.  Having addressed his faulty theology, we were able to finish the session with healing results. My friend started off as a doubting Thomas and ended up as a believer! 

I had long learned that as you begin a session, you invite the Spirit of God to be your guide. I long ago noted that when Jesus was asked to do a healing, he often asked the person, "Do you want to be healed?" Why did he do this?  I believe it was because when a person is healed they have to take responsibility for the consequences of the healing. They have to change their lives around. There will be no more excuses for their behavior. If they were a beggar, they now had to become a contributing member of the community. Their healing meant that their lives were changed.

When you start a session, you begin with prayer.  It could be a short, simple prayer. A good place to start is by reading and meditating on a short passage of Scripture like Psalm 46. You might have your own passage that brings you comfort. The point is that you want to open your spirit to the Spirit of God. Furthermore, when you seek to do a session, it is important to have a person who either has practiced the art of inner healing or the helper is a mature Christian who has demonstrated that they have the gift of discernment. You also have to remember that sometimes our memories are emotional time bombs that can detonate when we pry them open. You don't want to be left there to pick up the pieces, saying "What do I do now?"

What I suggest is to search a reading list on the subject to become familiar with the spiritual discipline of Inner Healing. There are a number of books and Christian authors out there who have prayerfully written on the subject.

Remember, once you choose to do an inner healing, you have crossed into a spiritual world, and that world contains land mines if you are not careful. For this reason, the spiritual world can be confusing in the hands of a novice even though they may be well-intentioned. So, if you still decided to seek a practitioner, you can easily google, "Healing of Memories", and that search will provide further guidance.      

In my next session, I will deal with the second step to healing using your DVR.

"Healing the Soul" by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Healing the Soul

Gathering for the Holidays

When I was active in parish ministry, there were times when someone would come into my office in a nervous mess.  After sitting down, they would explain that they would go through this anxiety as the holidays approached.  Their anxiety was rooted in the fact that some family member, a father, mother or sibling, was coming to the family dinner, and their presence would raise all of this emotional baggage!  Every time they would come, there were all these issues that they brought with them. Invariably, some time during the visit, old issues would creep into the conversation, and the family argument was on. If alcohol was involved, the matter often became worse.  

When presented with this problem, I often offered a simple solution. Before the visit with that family member, the host could define the boundaries of the family visit. They could lay down the rules as to what were acceptable topics and what were not. If the affected party could not abide by the rules that were laid down, it was suggested that they may want to reconsider their decision to join the family. It was their choice. There were, however, other occasions when a situation called for more than establishing boundaries.  What was needed was the healing of the soul. 

Healing the soul, or sometimes called healing of memories, was a Christian technique that was used by practitioners who were skilled in addressing painful memories of an individual. I had learned of this practice when I was in seminary and attended a workshop by Francis and Judith MacNutt.  Francis was a former Roman Catholic priest, but who left the order. He, however, continued to lecture and write a number of books that were read throughout the Catholic and Episcopal Churches.  

What is Soul Healing?

Allow me to answer by sharing an example.  One day while sitting in my office, a woman entered in tears. She quickly got to the point and told me that her husband was leaving her.  She was devastated!  I then began to question her as to the issues in her marriage. As we talked, it became clear that the possible divorce was a serious matter, but there was a deeper underlying issue going on in her soul. Abandonment!  So, I continued my query and began raising questions about her previous relationships. It was no surprise that I quickly learned that she had a plethora of relationships where she was left behind.  As hurtful as the possible divorce was at the time, she was devastated by the fact that she was going to be abandoned one more time. My question was, where was this cycle rooted?  When did this fear develop? Like a criminal detective with each question I got closer to the answer.  At that point, I asked her about her relationship with her father. She confided in me that there was always the fear that he was going to leave her. "Tell me more", I retorted.  She then began to share a vivid memory that had plagued her all of her life. In this memory, she was able to recall every detail. She told the story as if she were reliving the event.

When she was quite young, she shared that she was attending school in a small Wyoming town.  Her dad had picked her up from school just as a storm was beginning to hit. And like always, the wind was howling and the snow was spitting. As they reached the out-skirts of the town, the car died. Her dad then told her that he had to walk back to town to get some help and she needed to stay with the car.  As a seven year old, she could not understand why she could not go with her dad. From the back seat as her face was pressed against the back window, she watched her father disappear into the dusk.  With tears in her eyes and with the Bronco swaying back and forth from the fierce wind, she felt abandoned and feared her father would not return.  In addition, the wind was blowing so hard she feared that the Bronco would roll over. After giving me every detail of the event, she opened her eyes as the tears were once again flowing. She relived the event as if it had just happened.

Immediately after revisiting that memory, we sat back and examined the event. Then we stopped and entered a time of prayer, praying that the Spirit of God would enter that memory.  After a time of prayer, I ask her if she would be willing to go back into the memory. This time there was going to be an exception. I asked her if she could image Jesus being there with her.  She agreed to relive the memory.  She was instructed to once again close her eyes, hit the play button, and begin to describe every detail of the memory.

As she shared the event once again, she was immediately comforted by the fact that Jesus was in the vehicle with her. Although He did not speak, he was visible. He had placed His arms around her. Then she mentioned that she was cold. From out of nowhere, it struck me and I asked what she was wearing. "A dress," she replied. I questioned her further about the location of her coat. She said that she did not have one! It was a moment of revelation.  I could see her face was now filled with a sense of peace, and she fell asleep in Jesus' arms as she waited for her father to return.

After that second time of reliving the memory, we once again discussed the event.  From the perspective of a little girl, her father had abandon her. Now, as an adult, she understood the dynamics of the event.  Her father was trying to protect her from the elements. When he left her in the Bronco, it was an act of love. Even more important, she experienced the real presence of the Christ in her life.
Was Jesus really in the memory?  From my perspective, he was guiding us along the way. In the end, the memory of that fearful event was not the original, but a transformed memory of healing. Yes, she ended up in a divorce, but she was no longer harboring feelings of abandonment. Was the healing event real? Did I somehow manipulate the session?  I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Healing of the soul is not a new phenomenon; I was reminded of this fact in John's Gospel 21:15, the reinstatement of Peter.  As you may recall on that night that Jesus was arrested, Peter, when confronted by a number of individuals, denied that He knew Jesus nor was he one of his followers, not once, nor twice, but three times. So, when Peter sees the resurrected Christ for the first time, Jesus asked, "Peter do you love me?"  The apostle answered in the affirmative. Then, once again, Jesus asked Peter, " Do you love me?" Again Peter affirms his love. If that were not enough, the question is put to Peter a third time! Why was the question asked three times? Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, knew the answer before He even asked. Peter, however, needed to erase from his memory his denial of Jesus and affirm his love to the man whom he stood before--the resurrected Lord of Life.  

In this short presentation, I condensed a two-hour session to just a few paragraphs for the sake of brevity.  In the mean time, allow me to leave you with these questions. How long have you been carrying around your hurts?  Do they still hold you hostage?  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could heal our hurtful memories and those of our children and grandchildren immediately after experiencing an emotional trauma? We need not be prisoners of our past! In my next episode, I'll share with you the steps of healing the soul.

  

The "If and Then" Clause by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

The "If and Then" Clause

Popular Culture Myths

As our families prepare for Christmas, many parents are telling their children stories about Santa. In their story telling, they will encourage their children to write a letter to Santa Claus telling him that they have been good. And if they have been good, Santa will honor their wish and on Christmas Eve provide the present they desire. Parents will also note that if the children were bad then Santa may not visit their home. Of course, this is a subtle way to control our children. I call this principle the "If and Then" clause. Unfortunately, this teaching  does not end when we are children. The "if and then" clause is found in many aspects of our society that governs many of our thoughts and actions. This principle is found in our law, our economics, even in our theology.

 Just the other day I was watching a TV evangelist speaking on this very principle. He was stating that if a person was good then God would reward them. The evangelist was correct. This principle is found through out the Old Testament. I concur that God has spoken through the Hebrew Scripture, but the story of redemption is only fulfilled in the New Testament. As the TV evangelist continued to teach, I found myself questioning his thesis. Is God like Santa Clause?  Does God give out gifts, only if we are good boys and girls? And if we are bad is there no blessing?

As I pondered these questions, I concluded that the evangelist was teaching from the Old Testament.  We are, however, New Testament Christians and as a result have a greater understand of who and what God teaches us through Jesus Christ. As a result, the "if and then" clause is no longer valid.  Before you question my conclusion, allow me to offer this insight.

 A New Teaching

In New Testament teaching, Jesus calls upon his followers to follow Him and walk in His footsteps.  He encourages us to live a life of righteousness. He teaches us to love as God loves without preset conditions or prejudice. We are to love unconditionally. He encourages us to seek justice. When called for, we are told to be merciful. Joy should govern our thoughts and actions. When we fall short of the mark, we are to seek forgiveness.  In other words, to follow Jesus is to accept Him as the bread of life that feeds our souls, Jn. 6:39. To follow Him is to accept Him as light of the world which directs our lives. And with each step, we put our trust in the great shepherd of the flock who protects us along our journey, Jn.10:11. With such trust, the Christ will lead us to eternal life. This gift of eternal life is a present reality and not a gift that is given in the future. In Christ, we have eternal life now! Jn.11:25. So, the call is to follow the Christ who is "the way, the truth and the life", Jn. 14:6.  Is there any other example of what it looks like to be totally human?

In this journey of faith take note; the gifts that God gives through Jesus Christ are inherent in the life we choose to live. If we choose to live a life of righteousness, we are blessed by our decision.  If we choose to be just, we will always be blessed by our actions. If we choose to live by love, that love will be automatically returned to us, ten, twenty, and even a hundred fold! You see, beloved, if God is of a pure heart, nothing un-pure can co-exist within His nature. Perfect love will always drive out that which does not belong. So, in Jesus Christ, we discover what it means to be fully human. And when we decided to follow and live as He lived, we discover the extent to which we are blessed.  Our blessings are a present reality and not a future hope.  

Establishing a Sacred Space by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Establishing a Sacred Space

A Quiet Place at Home

When I was growing up, one of the things you would always find in our home was an altar. This was used by both of my parents. The altar was made up of statues of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St. Michael and St. Anthony. Of course, there was a crucifix and a Three-D picture of Jesus. Although we kids did not use the altar, my parents prayed there every day. What I noted with amazement, was that when my mom was struggling with an issue or question, she would go to her sacred space, pray and come out of the room with a sense of peace. Her quiet time led her to the answer.

A Dedicated Space

I realize that many families do not establish altars at home; this idea is an Hispanic custom. Having a

dedicated space, however, is important to one's spiritual formation. This sacred space is not only a sanctuary to lift up our concerns, it is a place to listen to how our prayers are being answered.  Consequently, a sacred space must be intentional. The space should be established where it is free from household chaos and negative energy. Next, one may want to establish a focal point, a simple cross or other item that reflects your faith. A small votive candle is always a nice touch and symbol. The focal point helps us to focus. Having established a space and focal point, using the space you may want to quiet your mind. Yes, your mind is going to jump around from this thought to that. If you, however, avail yourself of God's Spirit, He will take you in the direction you need to go. Don't be surprised if  you end up in a place or find an answer you would not have chosen for yourself!  If we believe in the power of meditation and prayer, then you need to be open to the answer. Next, be patient! There are times when we meditate and pray that answers are not immediately available.  When the time is right, the answer may just pop into your head, or someone says just the right thing and you have an "aha" moment! Or, you could read a passage in a book or in the Bible and the answer is right there for your eyes to witness. When you have your answer, then at your next quiet session, offer up your thanksgiving.

Finally, allow me to leave you with this final thought. When you are seeking divine inspiration, you must sometimes accept the fact that you may be called upon to be the answer to your own prayers!

Biblical Insight

If you are still intrigued with the subject of revelation and discerning how we hear the voice of God, allow me to direct you to my book, Walking Through the Weeds.  In chapter six I go into greater detail as to the many ways of how God speaks to His beloved people. In scripture, we have over four thousand years of recorded human history. In these biblical stories, mankind was constantly hearing the voice of God. To hear that voice, we must remain astute. Consequently, when a biblical character was sharing how the Lord was speaking to him or her, pay close attention. What you will quickly note is that God continues to speak to you from your dreams--that quiet voice within you. When you're taking that quiet walk along a mountain lake, the voice of God can be seen in the creation He has established. Then, there may be that one person who comes in at just the right time to say just the right thing that you need to hear. Or, on a certain occasion you may receive information from the spiritual and mystical realm of angels. Just as fascinating as angels may be, man has also had the opportunity to see visions of what could be. Most importantly, we are all blessed by the Word of God as recorded in the Bible! The Bible is the story of your redemption and mine. And, as any good story is told, the creator is made known in his creation. 

The Voice of God, by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

THE VOICE OF GOD

THE DEBATE

Each fall while living in Douglas, WY, I would drive up to the Laramie range to gather my load of fire wood for the winter. It was my quiet time, and this trip was to be no different.The drive up to Esterbrook, where this little chapel was located, would only take about 40 minutes. When I got into my truck and set off, I immediately knew that this trip was going to be different.  Out of nowhere, I was entering a debate with God. 

                                                                                                    Allow me to put the debate into context.  A week prior, I was down in Cheyenne at a Christian conference. The leader of the conference was raising the question as to whether or not we had dedicated our lives to Christ.  If not, he was going to offer an altar call. This was rather a strange event for an Episcopal Church!  Did I go up? No.  You see, beloved, I'd been baptized, confirmed, sang in the choir, and was on the governing board of our local parish. In other words, I was a member in good standing! So, why did I have to make this new commitment?  The question haunted me all week, and now it was following me all the way up the mountain. I could not shake the voice that was reigniting in my head.

As I got to Esterbrook Chapel, I stopped my truck, slammed the door and yelled out, "What in the hell do you want from me!?"  The voice said, "I want your commitment!"  I finally capitulated as I declared one condition. "Don't put me on a soap box somewhere thumping on a Bible and telling sinners  to repent. All of a sudden, the debate was over as I committed my life to Christ.  It was a moment in time that changed the course of my life.  

From that moment on, my life was slowly being transformed. That which I used to do, no longer had the same appeal. I found myself buried in inspirational books and reading the Bible for the first time.
The funny thing was, I hated to read for pleasure--dyslexia does that!

Walking as a Spirtual Discipline, blog by Lawrence S. Perry

Walking as a Spiritual Discipline

Nov.2019

In this blog, I would like to invite you to take a journey with me.  No, not a physical journey to some far off land. This journey will require you to use your imagination and enter into your soul and explore some of your deepest thoughts. Yes, it is a spiritual journey, one that will help examine your life and look at where you have been and where God's Spirit is leading you. At times, this will not be an easy journey, because it may require that you have to look at some difficult times in your life.  But, trust me, the time you invest will be well worth the effort as you come to understand that the path upon which you found yourself will be a path you would not have chosen for yourself.  However, you will rejoice and celebrate as you find new meaning in your life.

 Why Walking?  

I suspect that when you got out of bed, you did not give the steps you took much thought. If you were not afflicted with a physical deformity, walking is something which we do not think much about.  Each step is an automatic sequence in response to your brain waves. We think about a direction we want to go, and Zap! we are on our way. What if the act of walking is more that just a mechanical exercise? What if the act of walking takes us down a path that opens some of the deepest secrets of our lives? What if walking opens up Godly revelations that lead to new visions or addresses old concerns? Would this idea change what we think, act and feel about the world in which we live and how we live out our lives? With these thoughts in mind, we will quickly conclude that walking is a spiritual discipline that may be worth exploring.

What is spiritual about "walking"?

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to supervise a Christian Jr. high church camp.  It was always a week of high energy! To help release some of that youthful energy, I always scheduled one day to hike up Laramie Peak just west of Douglas, WY.  The mountain ascended 10,000 into the heavens, and it took hours traversing the switchbacks to reach the top. Once reaching the top, I had the kids sit down to eat their lunches and then took the time to open the minds of these impressionable children. My attempt was to raise questions as to what spiritual lessons they had learned on the long trek up the mountain. We talked about how difficult the climb was, what we encountered along the way, how the terrain changed along the way, and whether or not this long difficult journey was worth it. This discussion was taking place as we gazed out over the horizon.  You see, from the peak you could look to the east and your eyes could see the western plans of Nebraska. If you looked to the south,  you could gaze in awe at the peaks of the Rocky Mountains.  From our vantage point, I reminded the kids that a few hours earlier when we started our trek in the valley below, our vision was obstructed by mountain and trees encountered along the way. But now, we could lay claim to the magnificent glory of God and his creation. Our vision was unobstructed, and we could see to the far reaches of the horizon! Only then could I teach them how we can look at life from different perspectives and how we encounter God along the way.


What I had hoped for was that the kids could learn what it meant to walk in a sacred space. And while in that space, to stop and listen to the voice of God as He was whispering in their ears.

Now, I wish I could say that these thoughts were my original pronouncements, however, I cannot take credit.  The reality is that my wisdom was gleaned through the Old and New Testaments. You see, the Bible has a lot to teach us about what it means to "walk".


Walking is not just the physical means to get from here to there. Walking, as used in the Scriptures, will offer a profound definition which point us to a spiritual journey. If you have any doubts, just look at the many ways in which the Bible uses the term. For example: In the Old Testament the people of Israel are always called upon to "walk" in the ways of the Lord. (1st Kings 2:1-4) In Isaiah 33:15f the prophet encourages his followers to "walk in righteousness", and they would find refuge in God. In John's gospel, the apostle records Jesus as saying that He, Jesus, is the way, the truth and the life, whoever believes in him shall have eternal life. (Jn. 14:6)  In other words, those who walk in the footsteps of the Christ will find true life! Furthermore, John reminds us that when we walk, we walk in love. (2 Jn. 6) Walking with God opens our minds and souls as to what it means to love.

Consequently, we cannot deny the importance of walking as a spiritual disciple. So I ask you, when was the last time you took a walk? And when was the last time you stopped to hear the whisper of God's voice in your soul? You're now invited to join me in walking into sacred places!