“Our task is not to search for God but rather to open ourselves to the reality of God’s search for us. The initiative is God’s; the response is ours.” ~ Fenhagen, More than Journeyers
How do you pay attention to God’s initiative?
Tasked
Native
“How wonderful it is to be able to feel things deeply! The sheer delight of fresh air when you have been indoors all day; The never ending wonder of sunrise and sunset; The sound of wind through the trees and the utter wetness of the rain;” ~ Howard Thurman
How do you become God’s dwelling place?
Over and over again
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
-over and over announcing your place
in the family of things. – Mary Oliver
How does the world offer itself to your imagination?
Sacred arts
The Sacred Arts come from an expression of the soul that has found itself loved. That soul, in answer, longs to return to God the immensity of His love. The creative arts give voice, eyesight, color, wings to that ardent response of the heart. ~ Mother Betty Pugsley, CJ
How do you give color and wings to your response?
Skimming the surface
“When we rush from one thing to another, we skim over the surface of life losing that sacred attentiveness that brings forth revelations in the most ordinary of moments.” ~ Christine Valters Paintner, Abbey of the Arts
How do you sink into revelations?
Making space
The command is “Do not work.” Just make space. Attend to what is around you. Learn that you don’t have to do to be. Except the grace of doing nothing. Stay with it until you stop jerking and squirming.~ Dallas Willard
How do you make space?
With the Eyes of the Heart 