Advent 2023

Screwing Around With Our Dependencies in Lent No. 92

This episode is a meditation on screwing with our dependencies in Lent.

In the language of the Twelve Steps of addiction recovery: we are powerless over our drug of choice, and our lives as we know them are unmanageable.

The purpose of Lent is to subvert our addictions that we might become more dependent upon the love of God. But we cannot do this easily. We cannot force our way toward healing and holiness. When we over-function and strive toward God, we set ourselves up for regression.

In this episode we turn to the wisdom of Thomas a’Kempis, that we “uproot just one vice per year.” This is to say we must make a plan for Lent that is gracefully approachable.

I encourage you to use the 40 Ways to Spend Five Minutes with God prayer guide for your Lenten practice.

Download a digital copy of the prayer guide
Download a’Kempis The Imitation of Christ chapter 11

Advent Meditations Pt VI Before God We Are Always Beginners No. 91

This is the conclusion of the six-part series of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God. In this meditation, Josh reads from the end of the prayer guide a meditation on how before God we are always beginners.

This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written with new prayer practices and Biblical rationale.



Download a digital copy of the prayer guide

Advent Meditations Pt V Longing & Expectation in the SOUL No. 90

Let's return to prayer, to longing and expectation in and through the soul during Advent.

In this meditation, Josh offers a short meditation of praying with the soul. We attended to our bodies in the previous episode. We are bodies. We are also souls. This is the fifth of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God.

This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written with new prayer practices and Biblical rationale.



Download a digital copy of the prayer guide

Advent Meditations Pt IV Longing & Expectation in our STRENGTH No. 89

Let's return to prayer, to longing and expectation in and through our bodies during Advent.

In this meditation, Josh offers a short meditation of praying with our strength, in and through our bodies. This is the second of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God.

This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written with new prayer practices and Biblical rationale.



Download a digital copy of the prayer guide

Advent Meditations Pt III Longing & Expectation in our Minds No. 88

Let's return to prayer, to longing and expectation in our minds during Advent.

In this meditation, Josh offers a short meditation of praying with the mind. This is the second of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God.

This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written with new prayer practices and Biblical rationale.



Download a digital copy of the prayer guide

Advent Meditations Pt II Longing & Expectation in our Hearts No. 87

Let's return to prayer, to longing and expectation in our hearts during Advent.

In this meditation, Josh offers a short meditation of praying with the heart. This is the second of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God.

This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written with new prayer practices and Biblical rationale.



Download a digital copy of the prayer guide