When we were leaving very early in the morning last month, to take Tori off the college for the first time, my mom sent me a text. It was just four short words. “Love you. Be brave.” It was her prayer to me as I struggled to let go of my first child, to send her off into the big world and hope that she would embrace her new home, do well, but perhaps most importantly as a mom, that no one would break her heart and that she would be safe. I have pondered since that text as to why those words changed my entire day. Why I was able to drive to Chestertown that day, be there for the entire day, unpacking and taking in that we would go home with one less family member in the car and that our lives had changed dramatically in that moment. I …show more content…
Perhaps that’s why the book of James moves onto the community aspect of prayer. “My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner 's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” I know the verse talks about sin, I hear that part, but I think the most important part is that it speaks of the responsibility we all have for one another. Prayer in the quiet of our room or our hurting hearts is one thing, but prayer with those who are holding our hearts with us, is quite another. The community may be holding our hearts in joy, like when we celebrate a marriage in our sanctuary or when we worship each Sunday and sing prayers of joy or when a baby is born. But the community also holds us in prayers over sickness and pain and loss. The prayers of the community shape the congregation of believers and allow us to more acutely become the body of Christ. As we pray with one another we get the chance to listen for God’s voice through someone else’s experiences. Prayer with another also allows us to be God’s words and voice in the world. It gives flesh to the misty God we can’t quite get our brain around. If we are open prayer can actually change relationships and lives. The disease may not be cured, the shattered relationship may not be completely healed, the job may not be found, but there is still healing and grace in our moments of
The cornerstone of any relationship with someone is the ideal of grace and mercy. When grace is absent, dealing with people becomes difficult we develop issues with trust. Grace involves hoping that God is listening and will answer all prayers in ways according to His will. Digging into the cross of hope and prayer, this paper discusses the theological definition, biblical foundation, and practical application in order to identify how the two connect. These principles have helped me learn what it means to be a Christian.
The day I moved away, a lot of things were going through my young mind. As I took my last look at my home, I remembered all the fun times I had with my family and friends through out my life. Now I was moving 800 miles away from all of that with no insight on what lied ahead for me. As my family and I drove away from our Michigan home, I looked out the window wondering what Virginia would be, and what my friends were doing. A lot of things were going through my mind at the time. At the time my main worry was if I would make any friends, and how I would adjust to everything. During the whole drive down, my mother would often let me know that everything would be all right and I would like it. Trying to be strong and hold back my tears, I just shook my head no, wondering why we had to move so far away. Life would be different for me and I knew it would.
The following essay will evaluate the importance of the journey that takes place from Systematic to Practical theology; this view will be explored through Ronelle Sonnenberg’s research done regarding ‘being together’ in a youth setting. This essay will first build on the basis of Practical Theology; furthermore addressing the importance of the community aspect within a youth setting; this will lead to the process that takes place between a Systematic stance, leading to a Practical theological stance.
Mitchell, Curtis C. 1984. "The case for persistence in prayer." Journal Of The Evangelical Theological Society 27, no. 2: 161-168. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed March 16, 2014).
A pastor has a great responsibility to minister the Word of God and to be a shepherd to his people. The pastor must be committed to biblical truths when he engages the work of the ministry. Some of these truths include: The Bible is the infallible Word of God, his preaching must be from the Word of God, and he must do proper exegesis to get to the authorial intent and proclaim that to his congregation.
We need to look at prayer with deeper thoughts. Prayer isn’t just closing your eyes, folding your hands and speaking. Prayer is a much more meaningful part of religion. We all need to pray, God himself demands us to pray. Prayer is defined as an act of God, a god or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving. When most people pray, they just say the same prayer, like the Lord’s prayer for example. Saying the same prayer isn’t really such a bad thing, its more about the meaning and the time that you spend praying. Prayer shouldn’t just be looked at as a routine or habit, but as more of a love poem to express ones self to God. Questions such as: why do we need to pray? What is this prayer?, and What does God command us to pray for? Are what we should be asking ourselves before we come to God in prayer.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” According to Buddha, everyone needs some form of spirituality to define his or her life and existence. Webster Dictionary defines spiritualism as “a system of beliefs or religious practices based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, often times through mediums.” Though this is one general definition of spiritualism, this concept is one that does not hold a conclusive meaning. Each and every single person has the ability and right to create and practice their own idea of spiritualism. From ancient times to present day, the term and practice of spirituality has transformed, particularly from region to region. Despite the discrepancies in practices and overall understanding of this idea, spirituality has had an effect and impact upon all of humanity since the creation of time. This religion that is believed to have been established in the early eighteen hundreds, after two little girls claimed to have the ability to talk to spirits, sparked interest in this spiritual movement, allowing it to spread rather rapidly over many geographical locations. Aside from being recognized as a religion, spiritualism is also believed to be a form of philosophy and a science in which spiritualists believe that there is life after death and try to demonstrate this through the ability of attempting to communicate with those that have passed on. Spiritualism was socially different from other religions in existence at the time because it presented followers with a more tolerant belief system that assimilated the principles and facts from a selection the world's religions. Spiritualism also made it acceptable for women to play a disti...
My definition of religion has mostly stayed the same, but my perception of it has changed. At the beginning of the class, I assumed religion was something you believed based on your moral principles. I now believe that those moral principles are based on the religion that you believe in. Your religion changes your perception of the world and how to go about in it. Your religion tells you what is right and wrong in the world and answers all of the big questions one asks. Religion according to our book is, “A pattern of beliefs and practices that expresses and enacts what a community regards as sacred and/or ultimate about life” (Van Voorst 6). That definition was one thing that really got me thinking about my own personal idea of what religion
I originally came across ‘Beginner’s Grace’ while working as a chaplain intern at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. I had found myself at a loss as to how to best pray with my Christian patients. It was a confusing experience for me, as I’d considered myself to be very comfortable with the prayer practices of my own Buddhist tradition. Consequently, I began to search for resources that might help me to break down some of the ‘mechanics’ of Christian prayer. I was uncertain how to initially engage in Christian prayer; should I begin with lord or God?, how should I conclude?, how much religious scripture was expected ‘in between’. Ultimately, I felt confused and uncertain about Christian prayer.
As I sit and reflect over my life, I ask myself where have I come from, where might I currently be, and what does the future hold for me according to my faith formation. This was a time for me to weigh the progress of my formation that happened over the years and to see the influential players who made it possible. Within this essay I will use two of James Fowler’s stages of faith to evaluate my own life and be able to see that through these stages I can be able to help develop others faith as well. It is through these stages that have shaped my life into becoming the faithful person that I am today.
Every prayer that every person has ever made has been heard by God. He hears everything and He sees everything. If our prayer, or prayers, has not been yet answered, it is important that we do not lose faith or stop believing that He will help and answer our prayers because He will. God has special timing for everything and when the timing is right, your prayer or prayers will be answered. Like they say, “God works in mysterious ways.” Trusting in Him and believing in Him is pivotal.
Prayer is so powerful that we don’t even realise what it can do for others and our own lives. The physical world is always effected by what’s happening in the spiritual world first so prayer is the place to go!
School prayer, in the context of religious liberty, is state-sanctioned or mandatory prayer by students in public schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, state-sponsored prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited. Countries which prohibit or limit school prayer often differ in their reasons for doing so: In the United States, school prayer cannot be required of students in accordance with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Spirituality can have many different definitions, depending on who is asked. It can be something as simple as looking for a higher meaning to life, or something so complex that one can base their beliefs, religion and overall life around it. There are several different ways to express one's spirituality; rituals, songs, dances, stories, and writings are all common methods of expression.
According to Hutchison (2015), “religion is symbolic patterns that consists of values, beliefs, behaviors and experiences” (p. 184). I personal conceptualize spirituality as a vital role in my life that helps me during a time of sickness, forgiveness, and needed guidance. Spirituality helps guide me throughout life during the difficult times I have encountered. Spirituality impacts my life in positive ways that influence and regulate my behavior and health. Health is very important to me; I believe the spirit can heal a person from their sickness. It seems that the spirit heals me every time I pray to be healed from sickness. The spirit gives me strength at a time of weakness. When I feel at my lowest point in life I call on the spirit to pick