Still Forming - Comments

Amy comments on Where Does Your Self Rest?

Amy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:28:24 +0000

I was just commenting to a friend today that I have found a place to rest since I lost my attachment to my self-identity. My performance mentality was exhausting until God allowed life to take me off center stage. It was a season of detachment from ... almost everything! God helped me to break some ingrained attachments: my compulsive-servant role in friendships, my belief in my own ability to keep my children from any harm or failure, and my boundless life as extrovert.

Detachment is a discipline that I practice regularly to create space for God to lead me back to my truest self. The less attached I am to outcomes or people-pleasing or controlling my children or my things, the more God frees me up to enjoy them as they are. It is a beautiful rhythm of grace and freedom.

Suz comments on The True Self as Particular and Universal

Suz — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:39:47 +0000

Thoughtful post, Christianne! I suppose the expression of the "true self" is both particular and universal. If it is God expressing/inhabiting/enlivening our particular frame/soul, then this will look different in everyone.

Your wrote: "The true self may be many things — universally, for all of us — that depend not on our specific particularities but simply on our bearing the image of God." The words "bearing the image of God" made me think of how it is we "carry" this image and how we are each an essential part of our unique and particular image-bearing.

Kim comments on Learning Your Heart: Practicing Prayer of the Heart

Kim — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:55:26 +0000

Christianne, this image of Jesus is so compelling to me. I have never before been so struck by the humility of Christ in listening to me.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo! Do you have any idea where I might be able to get a copy of this rendition of Christ? I did a bit of online research without luck.

Thank you for your ministry on this blog!

Kim

Lisa comments on Where Does Your Self Rest?

Lisa — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:57:13 +0000

This sort of rest is something I find myself asking about daily.

It was easy to find when all of my time was my own, when I could follow heart whims, and had enough physical rest to really focus in and find that wholeness of rest.

It's quite a bit harder to find in these days when my day is highly scheduled and I arrive at home in the evening exhausted and with several hours of tasks left to accomplish.

And so I find myself working to find it. To have little moments of the quiet that feeds that rest in me. To spend the time with Jesus that brings it. To care for myself by recognizing that keeping a bit of order in my physical space leaves me mental and emotional room for rest. To find moments of creativity.

It's a question I need to ponder, what is it that really does allow me to find that deep rest? And how do I meet those needs?

Leanne comments on What Is It About That Rest?

Leanne — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:20:31 +0000

I think for me it's being present. Not thinking about what I'm doing next, or one step in front of the other, or thinking about what happened yesterday. Not thinking about the duty (about the guilt of not watering the rose the day before like I was supposed to), the responsibility like Rebecca said, the grumbling heart ...

It's weird but it's being present, in the moment, and not being obsessed with myself or what others think of me. Self kinda doesn't even come into it. Hmm, I need to think about this more instead of blathering here :)

Rebecca comments on What Is It About That Rest?

Rebecca — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:06:42 +0000

For me, it isn't so much the actual activity, but Posture of my heart. For instance, I can come to the activity of bathing the children and putting them to bed with a grumbling, frustrated heart that is thinking about the DUTY and TASK ahead. When I do that, I find myself exhausted and joyless... Looking forward to just being done! But, when I come to it filled with gratitude for four healthy children, for being able stay home and care for them, with wonder at the miracle of love that I see blossoming in my very own home, the same task becomes a joyous event and I am invigorated instead of exhausted.

Kim comments on Where Is the Strength in Your Life?

Kim — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:02:15 +0000

Hey girl,
I'm learning that my strength is in the place where I can hear the voice that says, "You are my beloved, and on you my favor rests." I'm awakening to prayer as a place of receiving blessing. A place where I can lay things down and open myself to being loved. And getting up from it rested and loved again (cause I sometimes forget the love, and that makes me tired.)
Thanks for the post!
Warmly,
Kim

Leanne comments on Where Does Your Self Rest?

Leanne — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:02:52 +0000

It's really hard to find that true rest. I like that you identify the false self being what exhausts us, but where I seem to find true rest is in fleeting moments (like this morning while I was watering the newly transplanted rose and just looking around), or when I'm on retreat at a monastery.

Maybe I need to just look around more.

Suz comments on With You in the Storms

Suz — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:03:46 +0000

A timely post. I just posted on the storms myself.

Terri comments on What Does He Say to Our Shame? The Benefits of a Reverse Perspective

Terri — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:18:33 +0000

I help people do this all the time in counseling and in my friendships. And you're right...it's so helpful to do this for one's self as well. I have to remember my own skills when I'm feeling despair about my self, and remember that I'm probably not the lone exception to the truths that I help others to embrace.

You'd be a great counselor. :)