Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Prayer and Heart Stillness (Prayer Summer)

Door, Church of the Nativity, Jerusalem

One of our Prayer Summer partners, Paula Holtz, sent me this email and gave permission to post it. Barb writes:

"Prayer Summer is wonderful!  After many years of battling against the "weapons of mass distraction" the Lord made it very clear that I was to start the day with Him, no ifs, ands, or buts.  It isn't a finger-pointing, scowling directive, but a loving call to come to His arms before I even glance at my computer.  I have all the essentials now right next to my bed and have set up an area for prayer right there.  In the past I have interrupted prayer time with a myriad of "must do's"  and had a terrible time concentrating.  Even my devotional music was a distraction, so I've opted for silence.  

My husband and I just watched a 2006 video called "Be Still" on contemplative prayer, which confirmed everything the Lord (and this blog) has been trying to tell us.  On that video, great saints and servants such as Dallas Willard (who recently went home to Jesus), Richard Foster, Calvin Miller, Beth Moore, give a VERY convincing case for silence and listening


The sad thing is, my husband and I are pastors!  It's not that we haven't known about this.  (In his defense, he is less distracted than I, so this is my confession, not necessarily his.) I just want to thank you for lovingly chiding us into this Relation Ship journey.  We are being blessed!"

(Note: I've shown the "Be Still" dvd at Redeemer - it's excellent!)