Apprentice 2 Jesus

Solitude

  • The gift of his presence

    They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32, NIV) The beauty of coming away in solitude is the gift of Christ himself. Read more

  • Sacred Idleness

    Work is not always required. There is such a thing as sacred idleness. – George MacDonald Read more

  • The freedom of solitude

    A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free. – Arthur Schopenhauer Read more

  • The beauty of solitude

    We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship. -C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory Read more

  • The place of silence

    I am headed out on Monday to three days of silence. It is a rhythm I work to put into my life every year now. Henri Nouwen helps explain why: “Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure.” ― Henri J.M.… Read more

  • Returning from Silence

    Leading a silent retreat was a new experience. It wasn’t as “silent” for me, but I still had a good amount of time given to silence. What I have discovered this time is the return. I am back into a full schedule after coming back Sunday afternoon, and my soul is restless. It is more… Read more

  • Some Thoughts on Silence and Solitude

    As we prepare for a silent retreat this weekend, I like to think of the words of others who have gone before: Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our lives are in danger. Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance… Read more

  • The Practice of Silence

    This weekend I am leading some brave souls in my church in a silent retreat. Here are some thoughts from Dallas Willard as we prepare for the weekend: Silence is a crucial spiritual discipline for American Christians today. Contemporary life also makes it one of the most difficult to practice. Silence is, in every time… Read more

  • The Lesson of the Controlled Burn

    Last week when I arrived at the retreat center for my silent prayer retreat the staff let me know they would be doing a controlled burn in the meadow near my cabin. It saved me from panicking when I saw the smoke a few hours later. Being a guy, I had to walk over to… Read more

  • The Gift of Silence

    The discipline of silence and solitude is God’s gift to us. It is not our time to come in with our agendas. It is his time to allow us to gear down. To put it bluntly for pastors, it is a time that is needed. We talk too much. There are times we need the… Read more