Are you looking for a summer read that will be easy to follow and change your life? I believe that “Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life” by Tish Harrison Warren is a must read for you!
She sets up the book looking at the various routines we each have in our lives. For example: waking, making the bed, and brushing our teeth. These are all routines that we easily go through without putting any thought into the task. What I love about the book is how the author shows you where God is alive and active in those moments and how we can connect with Him through these simple acts.
“The often unseen and unsung ways we spend our time are what form us. Our mundane moments, rooted in the communal practices of the church, shape us through habit and repetition, moment by passing moment, into people who spend their days and therefore their lives marked by the love of God.”
Isn’t that incredible? This month alone we have 43,200 minutes that we can use to worship and serve our Holy God. If you are like me, a lot of those minutes are mundane. When we begin to reframe our thoughts and treat each small act as service and worship, it becomes part of our very breath to look to our Savior as we go about our day.
My biggest takeaway was found in chapter one. She wrote about rising out of bed. When I wake up, I would typically grab my phone or hit snooze and think about all my to dos that were on my list for the day. But after this mind shift, I began thinking through the gift of air in our lungs and living out this day for the Lord. My practice shifted, and when I wake up now, I begin to rise, praising God for who He is and for giving me another day to live fully for Him. Dedicating the day that lies ahead of me and leaving behind the troubles of yesterday, I sit in the stillness of the morning, soaking in His presence.
I hope you can carve out a little time for reading this summer, and I highly recommend this book -- Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year Winner -- as an option, whether it’s on your own or getting a few friends together to process this thoughtful book.
Tip: In the back of the book are study questions, if you would like to take it to the next level. The book was a very well-received study material for one of our Thursday evening groups this year!
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Susan Veenema has been in education for almost 20 years supporting children with disabilities and their families and currently works for the Department of Education. Susan and her husband, Jeremy, love exploring Chester County with their two older biological daughters and three foster children. People are her passion.
TO COMMENT ON THIS BLOG:
Write your comment, click POST COMMENT, fill in your first name (other fields are optional). Click COMMENT AS GUEST. There is no need to login.
JOIN US FOR SUNSET YOGA ON JUNE 15
Join High Places Yoga for Sunset Yoga with Nancy Pledger and Shannon Hargreaves! High Places Yoga is a Christ-centered yoga practice that empowers wholehearted worship in our daily peaks, valleys and everything in between. This outdoor event is open to women of all yoga levels, including beginners.
When: Tues., June 15, 7:30-8:30pm (Rain date: Thur., June 17, 7:30-8:30pm)
Where: Willowdale Chapel Kennett
Bring: A yoga mat, any props for your practice, water bottle, towel (for under your mat), and $7 donation.
For more information, visit www.highplacesyoga.com. No registration required.