The Breath

The Breath
The Active Presence of the Holy Spirit, Week 3

Do you know what I find frustrating? When people tell me to try something without a great deal of explanation. I want to know what I should be looking for. I want to know what I am in for. I want to know.

But that is not how we learn to breathe is it? When you emerged into the world, covered in the paraphernalia of birth, you had one task: to breathe. You coughed, snorted, and wolfed down lungs full of the one thing your body cannot go an hour without. Air.

The Dance

The Dance
The Active Presence of the Holy Spirit, Week 2
By Andrea Lingle

You know those moments in life that expose you for the faker you are?

I have no clear understanding of the Trinity.

There. I said it.

I have an understanding of God as an unknowable entity to whose operations we apply different names.

God is...

A Life and Death Matter...

A Life and Death Matter of the Holy Spirit

The Active Presence of the Holy Spirit, Week 1

By Adam White

“Theology is truly a matter of life and death.”

This is what my then-professor, Dr. Joerg Rieger, said to all of us students on the first day of our Systematic Theology class at Perkins School of Theology in the fall of 2012. My immediate reaction was thinking – “I don’t think I signed up for the right course…I wonder if there is enough time to still swap classes. I hear Prayer and Spirituality is being offered this semester.”

Journey

Journey
by Robert Bishop

We at the Missional Wisdom Foundation have struggled with our elevator pitch almost since the beginning.

How does one describe all of Missional Wisdom’s various projects?

Our work touches a lot of people in a lot of ways and in a lot of places, and it can be hard to connect all of the pieces without a whole lot of explanation. We tried various metaphors to describe our mission in general terms, but never quite hit on a summative image.

Recently, we settled on a single, simple sentence:

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayMissional Wisdom FoundationFebruary 22, 2017journey, experiment, learning, Launch & Lead, Robert BishopComment

A Practice of Photography

A Practice of Photography
by Ryan Klinck

As we prepare to begin a new series of devotional thoughts in a couple of weeks, we are taking this time to spotlight some new work of several Missional Wisdom Foundation staff members.

This past semester at Perkins School of Theology, I led groups of students through a spiritual practice that I designed for a final project in my Spiritual Practices and Pathways class. This spiritual practice interwove aspects of lectio divina, silence, iconography, and film photography into prayer space. Many students were moved by the experience, especially during a time when they were overwhelmed with finals.

Retrospective

Retrospective
The Rule of Life, Week 16
By Andrea Lingle

I commit to this rule of life and to the well-being of this community, out of gratitude to God who forgives, heals, and makes all things new. May my life be a blessing within and beyond God’s church, for the transformation of the world.
-From the MWF Rule of Life

So, we did it. We talked about a Rule of Life for sixteen consecutive weeks.

And I think it has changed my life.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleFebruary 8, 2017Rule of Life, Theme III, Andrea Lingle, spiritual practiceComment

The Importance of Witness

The Importance of Witness
The Rule of Life, Week 15
by Adam White

We will share the redeeming, healing, creative love of God in word, deed and presence as an invitation to others to experience the transforming love of God
-From the MWF Rule of Life

You are a witness.

Really, you are! For instance, you are currently giving witness by way of reading a weekly devotional, for which we are very appreciative.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteFebruary 1, 2017Adam White, Theme III, Rule of Life, witness, Simple HarmonyComment

Pursuing Justice

Pursuing Justice
The Rule of Life, Week 14
By Adam White

We will pursue peace with justice
-From the MWF Rule of Life

If you could live at anytime in history, when and where would it be? Who would you want to see? What would you do? Why?

As a once-student-of-history, these are the questions I still find time to dream about. Me? What period of time and location in history would I want to visit? Be careful asking that--this newsletter is supposed to be short!

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteJanuary 25, 2017Adam White, justice, Rule of Life, Theme III, peace, Simple Harmony, WesleyComment

Reflecting the Light Inside

Reflecting the Light Inside
The Rule of Life, Week 13
By Adam White

We will practice racial, gender, and other forms of reconciliation wherever we find sinful and destructive walls of division between people
-From the MWF Rule of Life

The first toy I ever remember playing with as a child was a glass triangular prism. I used to lie on the ground by the window on sunny days and play with the prism, refracting the light that was coming through the sun onto different surfaces. Sometimes, I’ll admit, I would shine the light into the eyes of my older siblings and parents. What captivated me most about this tiny, seemingly insignificant glass object was how the light could be refracted and present an array of colors that could change shape.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteJanuary 18, 2017Adam White, Rule of Life, Theme III, reconciliationComment

Enough

Enough
The Rule of Life, Week 12
by Andrea Lingle

We will practice regular Sabbath as a means of renewal so that we can lovingly serve God and neighbor
-From the MWF Rule of Life

Sabbath is a word that, for me, used to sound a lot like restriction. It might be a strange pronunciation, but it was not until I found myself practicing Sabbath in the context of community that Sabbath manifested itself into the practices of rest and freedom that truly reflect this ancient directive.

Wisdom for the Way, DevotionalAndrea LingleJanuary 11, 2017Rule of Life, Theme III, Andrea Lingle, SabbathComment

Ring-aRound-the-Rosies

Ring-aRound-the-Rosies
The Rule of Life, Week 11
by Andrea Lingle

We will practice mutual accountability with a covenant group within the community, for how we serve God and neighbor
-From the MWF Rule of Life

Ring around the rosies,

I resemble my parents and my children resemble me. The writers of the creation accounts included in the Torah made it clear that human-kind resembles its Creator.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleJanuary 4, 2017Rule of Life, Andrea Lingle, Theme IIIComment

Blessed

Blessed
The Rule of Life, Week 10
by Andrea Lingle

We will serve God and neighbor out of gratitude for the love of God
-From the MWF Rule of Life

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

My family lost a baby three years ago. We have not yet healed from this grief. Sometimes I still find myself staring into the middle distance lost in a moment so large and disorienting that I have to, mentally, follow the bubbles to the surface. In the weeks following her death, I was screened for depression. “Yes, I cry every day. Yes, I feel detached. Yes, I have lost interest in my normal activities.” We decided to watch and wait. Situational depression due to grief should only last three to six months.

Gifts for the Common Good...

Gifts for the Common Good of the Spirit
The Rule of Life, Week 9
by Adam White

We will use our spiritual gifts, talents and abilities to serve God within and beyond this community
-From the MWF Rule of Life

There are natural gifts and then there are learned gifts. If you ever wanted to find a way to understand what your natural gifts are and what gifts you can develop, then intentional monastic community is the place for you!

Caring Together...

Caring Together for God's Gift of Creation
The Rule of Life, Week 8
by Adam White

We will honor and care for the gift of the earth and its resources, practicing ecologically responsible living, striving for simplicity rather than excessive consumption.
-From the MWF Rule of Life

“Debt” is a word that often makes me cringe. I think it is because throughout my life, and probably yours, there have been numerous warnings to stay away from debt. For instance, to have financial debt is to be in a lower position, having to owe money to someone or something.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteDecember 14, 2016Theme III, Rule of Life, Adam White, sustainability, creationComment

Family Dinner

Family Dinnner
The Rule of Life, Week 7
by Andrea Lingle

We will be hospitable to our faith community through participation in our worship, fellowship and mission.
-From the MWF Rule of Life

In my past I have thought of the word hospitable as something that you did that was larger than life. Hospitality was having a perfectly decorated Christmas tree. Hospitality was a clean house and a perfect meal. Hospitality emanated from the same ethos as glossy magazines and could be offered as soon as the pillows on your couch were in order.

Read more

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleDecember 7, 2016Theme III, Rule of Life, Andrea Lingle, hospitalityComment

Not Alone

Not Alone
The Rule of Life, Week 6
by Andrea Lingle

We will be hospitable to our neighbors in our families, neighborhoods and workplaces.
-From the MWF Rule of Life

Being hospitable is something that is absurdly simple and yet overwhelmingly hard. Where is the line between hospitality and recklessness?

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleNovember 30, 2016Theme III, Rule of Life, hospitality, Andrea LingleComment

The Contemplative Stance

The Contemplative Stance
The Rule of Life, Week 5
by Andrea Lingle

We will practice a contemplative stance in order to be present to the world and ourselves.
-From the MWF Rule of Life

How are you here? How are you absent? Do you believe that contemplation is a good use of time?

When a pilot is learning to fly in low visibility conditions, he or she is instructed to disregard the sensation of being upright and rely on the gyroscope. Without visual reference, a person cannot tell which way is up. That is why divers tell you to follow your bubbles.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleNovember 23, 2016Theme III, Rule of Life, Andrea Lingle, contemplative, contemplative stanceComment

Mutual Accountability

The Struggle and Grace of Mutual Accountability
The Rule of Life, Week 4
by Adam White

We live in a world that struggles with accountability. The kind of accountability being addressed here can be defined as the sacred thread of mutual support that pierces through our individual self, others, and God. Our struggle with accountability though, really shouldn’t come as a surprise or shock us.

Wisdom for the Way, DevotionalAdam WhiteNovember 16, 2016Adam White, Rule of Life, Theme III, accountability, grace, Epworth ProjectComment

Praying

Praying in a Variety of Forms
The Rule of Life, Week 3
by Adam White

We will use a variety of forms of prayer
- From the MWF Rule of Life

The wonderful thing about prayer is that every person will bring to it her or his own unique emphasis, style, and rhythm. Bringing these individual practices into a house or group of persons who come together in prayer offers an intriguing and, at the same time, challenging space to embrace. Questions begin to arise like, “How do I personally and passionately connect to God while sharing with others?”

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteNovember 9, 2016Adam White, Theme III, prayer, Rule of Life, Abide, Epworth House, Epworth ProjectComment

Prayer

Prayer, God's Daily Multivitamin of the Holy Spirit
The Rule of Life, Week 2
by Adam White

What expectations and intentions are you bringing into prayer?

Be honest now! Prayer can be a difficult subject to approach because of the weight of the expectations and intentions we carry with us.

Wisdom for the Way, DevotionalAdam WhiteNovember 2, 2016holy spirit, Rule of Life, Theme III, Adam White, prayer, AbideComment