Jean Brender
Compassion: Having a Heart for Others
What does it mean to have compassion? In her Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun describes compassion as “feeling with...
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JEAN BRENDER - SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
Jean Brender
Apr 13 min
Visio Divina: A Way of Seeing With Our Eyes
Goodsalt Images Have you ever gazed at a scene in nature or on canvas and been moved by what you saw? When I was a child, my mother read...
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Jean Brender
Jan 203 min
Holy Invitations
Welcome to the New Year! Many of us may find ourselves pondering and planning what we would like to accomplish and change about ourselves...
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Jean Brender
Oct 27, 20233 min
The Renewal of Retreat
Fountain and cactus garden at Spirit of the Desert Retreat Center, Carefree, Arizona, USA Do you give yourself space periodically to step...
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Jean Brender
Sep 23, 20234 min
Reading About Others' Spiritual Journeys: A Wellspring of Encouragement and Inspiration
If you were to write the story of your life, including the spiritual aspects, what would you include? We all have our own unique stories...
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Jean Brender
Aug 15, 20234 min
Opening Up Space in Our Lives by Practicing Simplicity
Do you feel overwhelmed by an overscheduled calendar or the time and effort that it seems to require to take care of all your stuff?...
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Jean Brender
Jun 15, 20234 min
Studying Scripture
Do you ever feel lost or wonder what direction would be best for you to go? The psalmist in Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible,...
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Jean Brender
May 27, 20233 min
Lectio Divina: Sensing God's Presence and Speaking in Reading the Bible
How might we engage in reading the Bible? We can read scripture in a variety of settings and ways, i.e., through individual study,...
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Jean Brender
Apr 24, 20234 min
The Spiritual Discipline of Noticing
Have you noticed anything lately that has touched and inspired you? Or have you been surprised at what you missed noticing? Recently, I...
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Jean Brender
Apr 4, 20233 min
The Examen: Reflecting on Your Day With God
Have you ever reviewed your day while mindful of the presence of God? In his book on You Are What You Love, James Smith emphasizes the...
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Jean Brender
Mar 25, 20235 min
How Might We Pray to God?
Have you ever wondered about what you should be praying to God? Apparently concerned about this question, Jesus’s disciples requested of...
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Jean Brender
Mar 7, 20233 min
Contemplative Prayer
In recent blogs, we have considered the spiritual disciplines of solitude and silence. Both provide space for us to engage in prayer with...
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Jean Brender
Feb 20, 20234 min
Silence: Making Room for Noticing God
Does silence make you uncomfortable? Do you feel the need to fill gaps in conversations? Or even share with others the first impression...
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Jean Brender
Feb 7, 20233 min
Solitude: Opening Up Space for God in Our Lives
Are you finding it difficult to catch your breath and to have a quiet space to think? Many of us are bombarded with noise, interruptions,...
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Jean Brender
Jan 24, 20232 min
Deepening our Relationship with God Through the Spiritual Disciplines
What has helped you sense God’s presence in your life? For the past couple of months, we have considered how various practices and...
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Jean Brender
Jan 14, 20232 min
Sensing the Presence of God in the Seasons of Life
How would you describe the season of life that you are currently in? If asked that question, some might describe their respective season...
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Jean Brender
Dec 17, 20222 min
Sensing the Presence and Majesty of God in Music and Song
Have you ever sung a song or listened to one that uplifted your spirits and gave you a sense of transcendence? Music and song have the...
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Jean Brender
Dec 9, 20222 min
Sensing God’s Presence and Friendship Through Prayer
Since the beginning of time, people have prayed – in many ways and for many things. What is prayer? Ruth Haley Barton defines it in...
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Jean Brender
Nov 27, 20223 min
Sensing the Presence of God in Fellowship with Friends
Have you ever experienced a sense of God’s presence while you were enjoying time with your friends? C.S. Lewis, one of the most...
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Jean Brender
Nov 23, 20222 min
Sensing God's Presence in Gratitude and Giving Thanks
What are you thankful for today? I find that I frequently plow through the day without reflecting on that question. In her book Spiritual...
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