REST Ministries

Amazing Story!

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:08:17 MST

Watch this refreshing personal testimony about God's blessings by well known Christian author / speaker Francis Chan. It is an amazing story that God can recreate in you as well! Copy and paste the following link in your web browser: http://www.nationalchristian.com/1095 Prepare to have your thinking challenged and to be blessed!

Another 25 Minutes Just Passed...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:12:48 MST

Twenty-five minutes - 1500 seconds...not much time when you really think about it. It is only a few minutes more than we average checking Facebook daily. Twenty--five minutes isn't even one half of our lunch hour. Many of us spend more time than that driving to and from our work each day. As we think about it, there doesn't seem like much of anything of importance could happen in just twenty-five minutes. After all it takes a full twenty-five minutes just to make a box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice! Now I like a good plate of wild rice as much as the next guy, but I would hardly classify it as top priority importance! Pause and think for a moment. In the time it will take me to jot this blog - the very same time it takes to boil a box of rice, our country will lose one more of its most precious resources. In this past twenty-five minutes, we will have lost one pastor from ministry due to moral failure, burnout, breakdown or contention within the church. This reality costs us one of our priceless clergy every twenty-five minutes, twenty-four hours a day / seven days a week / fifty-two weeks a year! By the time we celebrate the incoming new-year in this country, over 21,000 individuals in ministry will walk away from their calling in ministry in 2011; and many will walk away from their faith entirely! And as tragic as that statistic is, 21,000 heartrending losses in the lives of those in ministry...the ripple effect to their families and faith community is immeasurable! Tragic, catastrophic and heartrending loses, because many of these losses could have been diverted and avoided with the proper proactive, preventive care. Just one aspect of ministry REST Ministries specializes in is this type of proactive pastoral care for those in ministry. For more information on how you can assist in this crucial work of rescuing pastors in distress contact us at info@rest-ministries.org with the subject line rescuing pastors. Also be watching here for a link to a video on this subject in the near future!

Attention: Personal Retreat Tool Kit NOW at a 40% discount!

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:47:51 MST

Due to overwhelming response, the Personal Retreat Tool Kit is now available at a 40% discount. Tool Kit owners see such a tremendous value in the Tool Kit, we want to make it available to even more people. Now for only $12 you can receive your own personal copy of this priceless retreat tool. This Tool Kit includes: Sabbath Rest History and Teachings, What to Expect, Journal Tips, Names of God, Suggested Readings, Defined Psalms, Personal Spiritual Assessment, Fasting Teaching, Testimonies and many other useful tools to assist you in your spiritual walk. Whether you retreat with REST Ministries at Shepherd's Gate Inn or at another secluded location, you will be sure to want to include your own personal copy of REST Ministries' Personal Retreat Tool Kit! This E-book is available for easy, secure download by simply pasting the following link in your browser:http://resources.rest-ministries.org/products/tool-kit and following the simple instructions. In addition, if you have scheduled a personal retreat at Shepherd's Gate Inn, you can receive an additional amazing discount just for the asking! Just email info@REST-Ministries.org with "Tool Kit Discount Code" in the subject line for a huge additional discount (70% total)! Please check back often at the resources site as we will soon have several excerpts from the Tool Kit for you to peruse. We will also be soon adding some selective teachings and some of the Shepherd's Gate Inn's recipes as free downloads! In addition we will be soon offering a membership option.that gives you premium specific teaching materials, podcasts, the most requested and sought after recipes and other discounted specials (such as reduced stays at the Inn, special group retreat offers, premium teaching materials, pastor appreciation certificates, gift certificates and other special offers). Check back often!

760% Increase

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:51:55 MST

God has supernaturally blessed the ministry of REST Ministries here at Shepherd's Gate Inn. We are on track to end 2001 with a 760% increase in the number of individuals God has blessed and encouraged over the previous year. What an amazing God! Where God moves, we must obediently follow!

Priceless Assistance

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:52:44 MST

With ever-increasing guests comes escalating work! God didn't bring such an amazing increase to overwhelm REST Ministries' staff; God had a plan. As God provided astounding abundance in the harvest of retreat guests, he has also supplied many willing workers. God has brought forth nearly 175 individuals to assist with the workload by volunteering their time, resources and talents at various times over the past year! Where God moves, faithful people follow.

Year-end Giving Deadline Rapidly Approaching!

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:50:20 MST

Did you know the deadline for some non-cash donations is as early as December 12th? Did you know you can donate business interest, real estate, mutual funds and stocks to REST Ministries through National Christian Foundation Indiana and receive an immediate tax deduction? Please copy and paste the following link into the address line of your search engine for deadlines and more information: http://indiana.nationalchristian.com/1016

October is Pastor Appreciation Month

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:51:06 MST

Don't know what to give your pastor for Pastor Appreciation Month? Express your gratitude to him / her with a gift certificate to Shepherd's Gate Inn! Email info@rest-ministries.org for more details.

Christmas Lunches & Dinners at Shepherd's Gate Inn

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:30:08 MST

Looking for someplace new for your group to have a very special Christmas lunch or dinner? Well look no further because Shepherd's Gate Inn is hosting such events for the month of December! Learn more by clicking on the newsletter tab.

You can help REST Ministries recieve $50,000!!

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:21:17 MST

It is as simple as clicking your mouse and you can assist REST Ministries to receive a $50,000 grant! Follow the following link to the Giving of Life Grant site and vote for REST Ministries. The more votes the better our chances. Register and receive 3 extra votes. Here is the link: http://givingoflife.com/browse/rest_ministries_inc/ . If it doesn't connect you just copy the link to your browser. Thanks for voting

Did You Know...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:37:05 MST

Did you know you can donate non-cash gifts (real estate, business assets, stocks, even a portion pf your business and many other non-liquid assets) to REST Ministries today? You can donate such items, maintain current ownership, receive an immediate tax benefit, and avoid capital gains taxes! You can give more to God right now and less to the government! Did you also know through establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity, you can not only fund the ministry work of REST Ministries and receive the afore mentioned benefits, but receive regular annuity payments for the rest of your life? There are some very interesting ways to be generous! For more information on these amazing ways to partner with REST Ministries please contact The National Christian Foundation of Indiana at http://indiana.nationalchristian.com/home. Or call Jim Cotterill @ 877.623.4639. God loves a cheerful giver...what are you waiting for?

Praying the Psalms

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:18:54 MST

Prayer is the most important part of the Christian life, it is the way we communicate with God, and the way God communicates with us. In prayer we participate in the work of God, and we lift up to God the praise and Glory that he has entrusted and given to us. However, I've found that there are times in my life where I don't know what to pray, or how to pray, or if what I pray is appropriate. I often need a guide to prayer, or someone to tell me what to pray. Several years ago, I was taught that one of the best place to go to learn to pray is the Psalms, I haven't turned back since. The Psalms are a treasure trove of prayers. I would say the Psalms are the pinnacle of written prayer. Not only are they inspired by the Holy Spirit, but they have been used by the Church as prayer since the Ascension of Christ. Often, however, the Psalms are studied and not prayed. Though studying in and of itself is not a bad thing, we limit ourselves to very small perimeters by only trying to glean knowledge from the Psalms rather than praying the Psalms to God. They were originally written as song and prayers, they should be used as such. However, some might object to this with the classic objection to all "written prayer": that a preformed and pre-written prayer is not "from the heart" you aren't "really praying." This is a very narrow view of what prayer is - is worship music therefore not prayer? The Psalms are not only prayers, but they are prayers given to us by God to pray to Him. Therefore, they are our tutors in prayer through the Holy Spirit. We can learn what kind of things we can say to God, and what he wants to hear from us. When considered in light of this, the Psalms open up a whole world of prayers that we might not imagine that God would want to hear from his creation. For a few surprising examples consider a few lines from these Psalms: Psalms 44:22-26 Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not cast us off for ever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For we sink down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love. Psalms 22.1-2 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Psalms 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits- who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Psalms are full of prayers for every situation in life. There have been times in my life where all I could do was pray the psalms because of the pain and confusion I felt in myself. I couldn't think of words to express my emotions, but God gave them to me in his Word. One more thing about how amazing the Psalms are, Christ is through out all of them. Christ is the center of all of reality, As Christians he is the Person we live in, find our meaning in, and live out to others. Christ is veiled in the words of the Psalms. It is a joy to be praying a Psalm and gain an insight into the work of Christ in my life. The section of Psalms 103 above is a perfect example of this; it is in Christ that God does all these things for us. One final insight that I've found helpful in praying the Psalms.There are several Psalms that might make people uncomfortable, ones that ask for vengeance or the destruction of the wicked. I've taken these Psalms in two basic ways in the way I pray them to God. Sometimes I use a Psalm that talks about God fighting my enemies and destroying them as a prayer against the evil one's schemes to destroy or stop me from doing God's will. A good example of this is the beginning of Psalms 35 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" Another way of taking Psalms of this violent nature is by imagining the battle ground as your soul and the evil as that which God is cleaning out and making holy. Psalms 101 is a very good example of this: 1I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. 2I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; 3I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. 5Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. 6I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. 7No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes. 8 Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD. If you imagine the land as your inner life, then you can see that there is both good and evil raging there and God is with you destroying the evil and replacing it with the good. This way of reading these types of psalms might seem strange to some, but I've found it most helpful in my times of praying the psalms. So there it is, my plug on why you should pray the Psalms, I hope you found it helpful and encouraging. If personal experience is what convinces you, praying the Psalms probably saved my relationship with God and helped me come to a place where I was praying to a real Person, not just a concept or idea.

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:58:11 MST

My internship will be ending in a few weeks, and the last few weeks have been really chaotic for me (thus the sporadic of blog updates). I've had some health issues that have forced me to go to Indianapolis several times for doctor's appointments etc. I'm hoping that this is over for the most part and I can get back to working around here. Though I'm finding that my energy levels are pretty low so it is hard to find the strength to work long days. It is in these times that we can really learn a lot from God, it is often in weakness, difficulty, and hardship, that we can learn a lot about ourselves and God. One thing that continues to be a theme in my life right now is the importance of practicing God's presence. I am also astounded by how difficult it is. Some people might thinking that practicing God's presence is not for them, that it is only for an elite class of Christians who have a special in with God. This however is not true at all. "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1.27). "His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature" (2 Peter 1.3-4). "I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph 3.16-19). Every Christian has the Holy Spirit in them ("and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit"(1 Cor. 12.3)) and through the Spirit of Christ, Christ lives in us and makes us participants in His divine nature through His love and grace. That is what the Bible and Christian tradition testifies to, but why does experience seem to testify the opposite? Perhaps it is just me, but I find it very difficult to keep this reality (that Christ is with me/within me at all times) present in my daily life. To put it another way, it is very difficult to believe that an unseen reality really does exist and is more real then that which I see. There are probably a lot of reasons, but one is that we live in a society that believes that only what is seen and sensed is real. Matter is most real, and anything non-material is less-than-real. This however is diametrically opposed to the reality of the life of Christians. Reality is made up of the seen and unseen world, and it is in fact the unseen that is most real. It is only in our egocentric view of reality that we imagine that what we see and experience is most real. If the above is true, and the unseen is very much real, and Christ dwells in us and his presence is always with us, guiding, loving teaching and protecting. How do we get to the point where we know and experience the presence of Christ with us? I don't know. I have to take it in faith that what Christ has done and is doing is reality and that he does dwell in me through his Holy Spirit. Right now, I simply have to discipline myself to remember that Jesus is with me and I am with Him. This is much harder then I imagined, but it is the life of the Christian. Christ in us, and I want nothing else. But when we do come to the realization of the presence of Christ, there is nothing quite like it. It isn't necessarily an experience (if we seek the experience of Christ and not himself, we seek an idol), but it is more an assurance, a peace. It is coming into line with the reality of the World: That Christ is in you and that this is our hope of Glory. Tradition jeden: This week I recommend the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It is a daily devotional focused on the reality of The presence of Christ in our lives. It is a source of encouragement and comfort to me on this journey of coming in to the realization of the presence of Christ in my life. Tradition dwa: As I said earlier I have a few weeks left here at the Inn, pray that I end strong and with a lot of energy. After all the sickness (and with the possibility of it not being over) I'm feeling quite drained. Please pray that I will find strength in God's presence as I finish my time here. Pray for Chuck and Becka, they are facing a very busy fall schedule with out any help (so far) pray that God will provide help (part or even better, full time!).

Fear and Love

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:20:10 MST

"The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." (Prov. 1.7) "... But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him..." (Ps. 103.17). "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4.18-19). Perhaps many of you have sensed the tension in Christianity concerning the meaning of fear. You've probably feared God's punishment quite frequently and if we were honest, a lot of our spiritual life is motivated by fear of punishment. But according to St. John perfect love (Christ) casts out fear and fear has to do with punishment, so it would seem to follow that perfect love cannot have anything to do with punishment. Then what is proper fear that love does not cast out that the former verses we quoted allude to? Well let us consider the proverb and then the psalm and see if we can come to an understanding of fear and love. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. This confirms that there is a proper type of fear in relation to God. When we conceive of fear in personal situation punishment, rejection, or some other negative situation is usually creeping behind that fear. Now consider that neither punishment or rejection leads to more knowledge, both punishment and rejection function to isolate and dislocate people from each other. If God is Love (1 John 4.16) and love is as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13, then the fear of the lord that leads to knowledge cannot be the kind of fear motivated by punishment or rejection. I think that the proper kind of fear of God that leads to knowledge is a recognition of the ontological gap (the gap that stands between God and creation because God is completely different than his creation) between God and creation which leads us to a position of humility and awe in the presence of God. The fear of the Lord is a place of humble active receptivity where open ourselves for God to tell us who he is, not who we imagine him to be. One should notice that this kind of fear does not exclude in any way the love of God, in fact I think it is essential for one to love God (or anyone) to sit humbly and say "I don't know you, teach me who you are." So there is no fear (of punishment) In love, but by all means there is humility and awe. The fear that is in love is the of awe of the otherness of the beloved. Perhaps we could say that the fear (humility in the presence of God) is the beginning of knowledge, and love is the dance of being known and knowing God (1 Cor. 13.12). This is hard. I think most of us want to believe that God love us, but we sit in fear of his punishment. Living here at the Inn I have spent a lot of time alone. I must confess that time alone without distractions brings a lot to the surface that you'd rather ignore. Perhaps the hardest thing that has come to the surface is the fact that I imagine God to be more of a moody parent who rejects or accepts you based on what you do rather then A Loving Father who accepts you as you are and wants the best for you so much so that he sends his Son and Spirit to make it possible for the very best to happen. Now, is there a difference between punishment and discipline? I want to say yes, as Hebrews 12.5-10 seems to imply. However, the motive and root of discipline is Love: "...he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness" (Hebrews 12.10). So whatever discipline is, it comes from God's desire for our good and the end result of full communion with Him in Love. Love is a many splendid thing, but it is also terrifying and beautiful. Let us not make the mistake of casting away love because it is so misused and abused, to replace it with other motivating forces for salvation. God saved the world because he love it, and we patriarchate in God in Love, nothing else will do. Tradition haon: The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen. It is about Christian leadership in the modern world, I'm usually pretty skeptical about anything on Christian leadership, but this is amazing. Tradition do: The Inn has been and continues to be really busy! Please pray for strength and stamina for Chuck, Becka and myself!

The Glory of God Shines Through

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:23:47 MST

In this heat I am struck by the fact that God is the sustainer and preserver of the whole universe, and that his creation shines forth the Glory of God. The modern-world suffers from a lack of understanding how important nature is to its Creator, and how nature reflects the love, provision and care of God. Even the news only emphasizes the bad that occurs, no one see a new real on the fact that the corn grew again this year. The Psalms speak clearly about nature and how it speaks of God: Ps 19.1-6 The heavens are telling the glory of God;  and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.   Day to day pours forth speech,  and night to night declares knowledge.   There is no speech, nor are there words;  their voice is not heard;   yet their voice goes out through all the earth,  and their words to the end of the world.   In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,  which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,  and like a strong man runs its course with joy.  Its rising is from the end of the heavens,  and its circuit to the end of them;  and nothing is hidden from its heat. The natural world also offers us a place to pray, commune with God, and a way to remember His presence in our daily life. Below is a beautiful piece of writing by a Modern Desert Father from the Egyptian desert; I was given this by a close friend and student of his. Take it, read it, and consider that when we experience nature as permeated with the Glory of God, we not only see his magnificent handy work, but we also begin to see ourselves as participating in His Glory. The Cosmos is Our Daily Office When it is hot pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit and let this outside heat be your constant reminder. When it is cold pray for more unity with the Lord and let the cold remind you of how sin can bring the coldness of heart and put out the fire of love. When it rains, pray for the free grace which is given to all of us and pray for those who have not grace of God in their life. At midday, our Lord was crucified. Do not let go of this moment in which we were reconciled to God. It is time to forgive all sins and injuries that we have sustained. When you see the clouds pray for the Shekinah of God to protect you from evil. Pray also that this Shekinah overshadow the church. At evening, it is time to remember our own death and give an account of what has happened during the day. Let us give thanks for what we have done and pray for the people whom we have seen and pray for a peaceful time for our sleep. May the trees remind you of our growth (Psalms 1:3) and the roads of Jesus who is our Way, the building of our eternal dwelling with the Holy Trinity where we will not dwell in what is made by hands. When we enter our dwelling let us remember our eternal dwelling in God and pray to be secured by God�"s justifying grace which cannot be compared with our doors and walls. If you have your hope in the life to come and in the resurrection and the eternal life pray that your bed be your grave and your covers be your shrouds. Say with the Lord, "Father into your hands I commit my spirit", and sleep. Do not let this become the chains of servitude. As for the movements of our body: When you sit to pray, you are sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father in Jesus Christ. When you stand to pray, you are in the position of the resurrection with Christ our Lord. When you kneel to pray, say the same words of our Lord in the garden and surrender daily to regain your peace, the gift of God to us. Enjoy sleeping as someone who is waiting to be raised by the Lord. When getting dressed, pray that the Lord may take away the old life and give you a new one. Give thanks for everything you eat and drink, for this is not in essence separated from the Holy Eucharist. If Christ is the food and the nourishment of your life then every meal will become a chance to pray to receive Him and to be nourished by Him waiting for the Meal that gave new meaning to every meal. May your walking be always a renewal to commit your life to the Way of the One who is our only Mediator. This does not mean, however, that each of the above should be performed with particular words or fixed manners; nor does one fix a particular way of behavior, because the sense of the presence of the Lord is the goal of prayer. Our prayers and our behavior are unified to adjust our life to our fellowship with the Lord. I hope this blesses you as much as it does me. Christ is everywhere (cf Col 1) and as Christians he resides in us through his Holy Spirit. May we be reminded of the reality of Christ in us as we enjoy His creation, and the lives He has given us! The Traditions will be back Friday. One must not let tradition become Lord! Peace Ethan Harrison

Two Thoughts from Two Busy Weeks

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:18:59 MST

When it rains it pours here at the Inn. This week we has ten guests, so most of my week was spent making food, mixed in with a good amount of cleaning with a side of yard work to keep me on my toes. The past two weeks were perhaps the busiest weeks I've had thus far at the Inn. I really enjoyed spending time getting to know people and also the hard labor that goes with hospitality. I was joking with Chuck yesterday say that this internship is making my eligible for all blue collar jobs. Even so, it was a good week. In the midst of the cooking and weed-whacking my mind continued to return to two thoughts which I will share with you. Often we imagine that our lives are divided between "spiritual" things and "secular" things. We live as if we are in God's presence on Sundays, and the other days He stays in His house and we go our separate ways. However, I must insist that this is utterly false. The Scripture quite blatantly testifies that Christ through the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling in everyone who has died and been raised with Him (Cf. 1 Cor. 3.16-17; Rom 6). However, I just want to stop there and admit to you all that just because scripture say it, doesn't mean I truly in my deepest part of my life believe it. I want to believe it ("help my unbelief") but my experience says differently. If we were all really honest, most of us would admit to the same types of doubts: does Christ really live in me? I think that if it is not true that Christ lives in me and I in Him then our faith is in vain. So in faith (believing and hoping in the Trinity who is love and loves me and the world) I believe and ask for help to believe that Christ is with me always and that nothing can separate me from Him (Rom 8.39). If this is true, then at least as Christians, God is always present, there is no such thing as "sacred" and "secular". However I want to go one step further and point out that this is also true for people who aren't Christians yet (cf. Col 1.16-17: "all things" seems to mean what it says: literally All Things). There is a difference (and at the same time no difference at all) between Christians and those who are not yet Christians, but either way Christ is Lord of, Creator of, and Sustainer of all. So that is the first thought, God is present and Lives in me, and everything is Spiritual. Note: for those precocious thinkers out there who might ask "What about sin and evil?" My simple response to this is that sin and evil are the absence of Good and Love (evil) or the participation in the absence of Good and Love (sin). The split between sacred and secular is not the same as the difference between good and evil. The second thought that themed my week was doing my everyday activities for the love of God. I really don't know how to flesh this thought out. To put it simply I just tried to pray in the midst of the work I was doing and tell God that I was doing this because He loves me and because I want to love Him. I am slowly realizing how important this is. If every act is in God's presence, and I can do everything for his Love, then everything I do has significance. The significance is not in the things i do themselves, but the relationship that is being strengthened in doing them. I don't really have much else to say. Abba loves us. Tradition one: This week my recommendation comes from a book I'm reading for the Ministry of Pastoral Care Conference I'll be attending this next week. The Healing Presence by Leanne Payne. It is a really helpful book for any Christian to read especially those who are interested in understanding the reality of "Christ in me" that i talked about above. Tradition two: Please pray that God works in my heart and life at this conference. Pray for Chuck and Becka as I am gone, that God would give them the energy they need to continue working here at the Inn!

A Portrait of Christ

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:46:21 MST

Well I knew this day would come, I mean it was only a matter of time... Chuck and Becka let me take over the blog, and now they've skipped town and I'm running the show here at the Inn now! I've enjoyed the responsibility thus far, however with all the cooking and cleaning I've had to keep up with around here, I haven't been able to nail down a good blog topic for the week. Well, let me put it another way, a concise blog topic. In fact what the main area of thought that my mind has been working in the last week or so is an area that is impossible to be concise about, namely the love of God (well impossible for me as of right now). As someone who writes (I by no means claim the title of writer), there are some topics that are either comprehended and expressible or apprehended and analogically expressible. Love is of this latter type, and this week my limited powers of writing have flown the coop because of the trepidation that comes from the desire to write on something so earth shattering, awful (in its true sense) and at the same time quiet, and mundane. This is not writers block, this is biting my hand in fear of doing an injustice to that which is beautiful. It is like trying to describe a Van Gogh with random letters from a scrabble board, or trying to listen to a beautiful piece of music in the midst of a crowded room. Who am I at 23 years of age to speak of what holds the universe in place? So without further pretension or stalling i submit that this task is beyond me. However, I can do one small thing. I can offer an insight that helped me understand the Love of God in a truly beautiful way. I offer this not as an original idea (thought not quoted i contribute this idea to Dr. George Bebawi) but as a fresh perspective to the explication of the Love of God. Preface: Growing up when I heard the scriptures read, particularly the Gospels I always kind of got annoyed with Jesus for not saying "I love you" to people. I mean if God is love and Jesus is God, you'd think that he would be able to say those simple words... or so I thought. Insight: The question: If God is Love and Jesus is God and the testimony of St. John ("No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known") and Hebrews ("He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word") are true, then to look at Jesus is to see Love. If this is so, why doesn't Jesus ever express his love in a verbal form, why doesn't he ever say something like "I am Love." He made a lot of other "I am" statements, why not that one? The quotation:"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends" (1 Corinthians 13.4-8). The Turn: did you catch the answer? Love does not boast. If God is Love and Jesus is God, then to say "I am Love" would be boasting of love and therefore unloving. The Beauty: And this is just one example! all of what Paul explicates as love Christ exemplifies and exists as: 1 Corinthians 13 is a verbal portrait of Christ, of God incarnate, of "God is Love." The Finale: If God is Love and Christ is God, then Christ is Love. If we are in Christ and Christ in us, then we abide in Love and Love abides in us. And if love is what Christ did, said, lived, died, and what St. Paul so beautifully explicates, then my dear friends we are in the presence of awe and wonder, and dirt and grim: Love is not something Christ participated in, it is Christ. We are in the presence of the limitless love of God who is a human being and offered the world new life in Himself. If we are in Christ we are a new creation, the old has gone the new is come (cf. 2 Cor. 5.17). Epilogue: If we are in Christ, and he in us and Christ is love, then Love is no easy matter. If Christ is love then love is the life of Christ, the death of Christ. To put it simply if we are to take serious what Christ said to his disciples: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13.34-5) then we cannot live a life of ease, but one that is lives out the love that Christ shows us in His life. We must be Christ to the World, Love to the World. Thanks for reading. Tradition один This week's suggestion comes from one of my favorite authors on the Christian life Brennan Manning: The Rabbi's Heartbeat. It's short, sweet and beautiful, a really encouraging book in dark time or times of loneliness. Tradition два This week I've been manning the Inn by myself, which I've enjoy quite a bit. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to serve those who come to the Inn! So I thank you for those who have been praying! Summer is flying by and we are pretty busy, pray that we have the energy to really meet people as they are and bless them in their time of rest! Peace Ethan Harrison

The art of Being Patient with God (and others)

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:03:43 MST

If God is love, and love is patient, then God is patient. Dry, short and to the point, no? I'm sitting here at my computer, trying to think of an analogy, metaphor or imagine to imbue the word patience with some meaning, to put some flesh on it. The funny thing is that when I hear the word patience I imagine tranquil and calm. However, when I practice patience I experience things more akin to crucifixion, death, and sacrifice. Patience like humility is a charism (gift) of the Spirit that we often talk about but rarely put into practice. Why is that? I think its because patience requires something of us that we absolutely hate giving up: control. How is patience and control connected you might ask? Consider: when you have control of a situation it is up to you how it will span out; timing, place, etc are in your hands. When you are in control waiting doesn't have to happen, thus patience is not required. Also consider that the times that you are impatient are usually in situations or with people who are out of your sphere of control. Or you are impatient when people or situations have stepped out of your sphere of control and you want them to "get back in line." In my mind patience and waiting are closely connected. If this intuition is true, then we are not only supposed to be patient with other people but also with God. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Ps. 25.5) Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! (Ps. 31.24) I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; (Ps. 130.5) When you wait on God, your patience is tested, more so then in any other situation, because you can't bring God into your sphere of control. You can't manipulate him, you can convince him it is time, you can't do enough good action to get him to move. You just have to wait, be patient. Patience is the respect of a persons ability to say no, patience is admitting that you don't have control over the object of your patience. Patience does not demand, it waits. Waiting for the Lord is painful, this is not tranquil or pleasant it is a raging battle to let go. However this does not just apply to our relationship with God. Patience in all our relationships means great sacrifice, and great self-control. If we are truly patient with others we must let go of any form of control or manipulation we have or could have over them. To be patient is to love another enough to let each other decide, patience allows space for freedom in relationship to happen. This is perhaps the hardest part of patience, the risk of the no, the hope of the yes, and the suffering that comes in waiting. Often when we talk about the story of the prodigal son (or the story of the two sons) we consider the actions of the sons. However, let us consider the father. When I think of the father two images come to mind, his run and his embrace: the meeting and forgiveness. Recently, I've realized there is something much deeper going on with the father, his love is more then just a moment of forgiveness. His forgiveness existed from the moment the Son asks his father for money (aka. wishing the father dead). One might imagine that the "loving" response was to say no to the son and try to control him. However, the opposite occurs, the father gave him the money, and spend who knows how long living in crucified patience with the son. Every day the son was gone the father waited patiently for his return. It seems absurd, does it not? This story gives us a taste of the patience of God, the love of God, the very depths of God. Another example of patience is Christ himself. Christ did not only show patience with his followers, but also his enemies. But he also had to be patient with his Father. Look at the temptation of Satan in Matthew 4: the temptation to bring about the kingdom in other ways other than the cross was (among other things) the temptation to not be patient with the plan of salvation that the Father set before Jesus. Patience is relinquishment, it is letting go for the sake of the other, for the sake of Love. Patience is thy will be done. Love is patient. To love God is to be patient with him, to love others is to be patient with them. Perhaps we imagine that it this task is manageable: of course I can be patient with God, I know he has his best in my for me. While it is hard to be patient with others, I know through Christ all things are possible. However, entailed in these two areas of patience exists a third that no one wants to face, and everyone fight for control: yourself. The truth is, you'll never learn patience unless you are patient with yourself. If you are continually trying to fix yourself, make yourself to be the best you imagine yourself to be, constantly striving to improve yourself as quickly as possible, then I would suggest that your patience with yourself and with God are both lacking. Patience with yourself and with God are incontrovertibly connected. What is functioning behind my lack of patience is a lack of trust in God. I imagine that I have control and can change myself, and yet I don't change, therefore I am impatient and frustrated with myself. However, the only way I can come to have patience with myself is to trust God and let go of my imagined control. To drop my sphere of control. To turn my face to God and say "I trust you, infuse me with the patience you have with me as your Holy Spirit takes control." One final thought. Sometimes I feel like I don't love God enough, or I don't have any real way to show him love. I realized recently that if love is patience, then waiting for Him and being patient with others is to love him. Perhaps you (like me) would prefer a more glamorous form of showing love to God, but I think patience is very close to the heart of God, and to be patient with God is to love God. I'm sitting at this computer looking for a way to sum up what I've said, a way to bring what I've said into reality, and the only thing that seems to do patience justice is Christ. Tradition eins: This week I want to suggest something a bit unusual for me: a book that I can't put the whole seal of approval on, yet the golden nuggets in this book (and its sequel) are worth the stuff you might not agree with! That being said the book is The Road Less Traveled and Further along the Road Less Traveled. By Dr. Scott Peck. Apparently these were pretty popular in their day and for good reason. Check them out especially Dr. Peck's thoughts on love. Tradition zwei: Things are going to be really busy over the next two weeks here at the Inn. Chuck and Becka are going to the North American Christian Conference this next week leaving me in charge at the Inn. Please pray that Chuck and Becka have a good time at the Convention and are able to meet some people who need REST ministries in their lives. Please pray for me as I host several retreats by myself! Peace Ethan Harrison

Sickness

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:59:34 MST

Most of life's unexpected turns can be taken two ways: as inconvenient or as a new opportunity. Sometimes getting a break from work isn't what we want or expect or at least the type of break is unwelcome. Either way, one morning you wake up feeling so dizzy that all your energy is spent keeping the food you don't have in you down, and bam! You are really inconvenienced, or Bam! You have a new opportunity to look for God in the moment of suffering. It just so happens that this week I had that very experience. I was ready to work hard and get a lot done around here at the Inn, but Tuesday morning came with a violent dizzy spell. I had to go up to Indianapolis to figure out what was wrong, which lead to a two day sick vacation. Sickness is kind of a blessing in disguise, sometimes. Everything slows down, you feel like your whole life is put into slow motion, and in the case of dizziness you feel like your mind no longer belongs in your body, like it is trying to not so gracefully escape the world through a whirring dervish of pirouettes. Being sick brings to mind how very limited and fragile life is, how truly dependent I am on the ever present grace of God for my well being (let alone existence). Often sickness has a centering effect as well. How you may ask? When you're sick your whole body screams it, you can't do anything well, you are groggy and in pain, you are suffering. All your thought and concentration are centered on that pain and the best ways to relive that pain. When I was dizzy all I could think about was laying down in complete stillness lest my consciousness succeeded in its plan to abscond. I was completely centered on my sickness, nothing could distract me from controlling that sickness. It is that centering effect that intrigues me. When I have to face my weakness, my mortality, frailty, I am given a choice: to wallow in self pity or to turn my inner life to Christ. In that moment of turning in to try to deal with my suffering I have the choice to turn to Christ for help and others. Sickness and suffering in general always gives us this option: to rely on ourselves or to rely on Christ (and others). Sickness also forces us to reevaluate our lives, it can give us the grace to see what really matters. I was pretty annoyed with being sick and having to go to my parent's house for a couple of days. I wanted to be productive! I wanted to get work done. But no, I had to sit and relax and just let those concerns go. It is so easy for us to get wrapped up in our work, in our doing that we often forget that we are created to Be in relationship with God, not do in relationship. It is only in our being with God that our work is properly ordered. You must be in Christ before you can do what he has called you to do. And we must continually rest in Christ and his grace so that we can do our work to his glory. So now its Friday, I'm going to get the work I need to get done this week, and I'm thankful for the hidden grace of dizziness (and I am feeling better for those who were wondering). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2 Corinthians 1.3-5. Tradition un: This week I want to recommend piece of literature: Gilead by Marilynn Robinson. This is one of my most favorite pieces of modern literature. It is the story of Pastor John Ames who is an old pastor In Gilead. He married in his old age and has a young son. The book is written as an extended letter to his son about life, beauty, forgiveness, and Love. I can only describe the book as stunningly beautiful. Tradition duex: God continues to bless is with the support we need, and I am very thankful that God continues to bring personal retreaters to the Inn. We are continuing to raise and seek financial support for the Inn, which is a some what daunting and overwhelming activity. Please pray that God brings the right people who would be willing to partner with our ministry. Please pray for Ted and Joy Reese (the owners of the Inn) who continue to support us, may God bless and keep them as they continue to walk in faith with us here at the Inn. Peace, Ethan Harrison

Home

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:56:34 MST

You know those times when you walk into a house and you feel instantly relaxed, like you've lived there your whole life? Or perhaps it happens when you are with a certain group of people; in their presence you feel truly at peace, calm, and in the present moment. Perhaps it is a smell, or a certain food that makes you feel like you are welcomed, or that time has finally reached a livable pace: you are no longer afraid of missing out on anything because you are exactly where you want to be. Home: we all want it, but most of us don't know where to find it. I was inspired to write on home and hospitality as I reflected on the events of last Thursday. We had a full house of people: a staff retreat and a lunch with the National Christian Foundation of Indiana I was put in charge of cooking for these people (with the help of two lovely assistants: Kurt and Denise). In the rush of the moment, I must admit making people feel at home was a peripheral thought. But I realized afterwards that a freshly cooked meal, a home-like atmosphere, and good conversation are essential to hospitality, and all of these can contribute to what that sense of "home." I've had several conversations about what "home" is, and it continues to allude definition. Some think it is primarily a space, others would argue that it has more to do with people, I personally associate home with good cooking. However, at my age "home" is a pretty loosey goosey thing. I've lived a nomadic life for the last five years, and the next place I call home will be something I have to create. I think our desire for home is rooted in something much deeper then we are quickly to admit. If you boil all the feelings and ideals and associations down, you are given a thick, sauce consisting mostly of safety, mixed with a good dose of belonging. However, if this sauce is to be perfect we must add the strongest of liqueurs: Love. In the end our desire for home, reflect the deepest human desire: to be at home with/in God. St Augustine summed up this deep longing in these words: "Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee." We are created to be at home in God, only God can provide us with true safety, belonging, and Love, for He is Love. However, this brings up a tension that permeates the entire Christian life: home is here, and home is not here; we are both pilgrims who are traveling and pilgrims who have already arrived; the Kingdom of God is here and is coming. We cannot make the mistake of saying home is only here, or home is only after Christ returns, it must be both! Because Christ came and made his home (his dwelling) among/in and we now see his glory (see John1.14). However, He also left and sent His Holy Spirit to create us into His Beloved, His Bride, His Body. Now we await for the day when God will make his final dwelling among men, and Heaven and earth shall be Home. And as we await the Holy Spirit is making us home in Christ. Home is like a son, who - long gone - is met by his aged father running at him at a pace too quick for his old knees. Home is like being found by your beloved, after being lost in the woods for hours. Home is like the a big tree that casts it shade for people to enjoy life together under. Home is a fountain, a well, a few (thousand) loaves of bread, and a calmed storm. Home is Christ. Hospitality is an underrated and often ignore gift of the Spirit. However, it is the icing that holds the cake together, the butter that makes all thing wonderful. It is the garnish and the most basic ingredient. Hospitality is the sacrament of self-giving love to another: it is kneeling and washing your guest's feet, it is breaking the bread and passing the wine. It is the gift of one's self to another, it is the making of the home we live in now, in anticipation of the home we have in Christ. I hope that as I work here at the Inn, I may learn what it means to be hospitable, to make people feel welcomed and loved, to break bread and do dishes. I hope that if you, my dear reader, decide to come to The Inn for some rest, you might taste the rest that we all long for, the rest that we can only have in Christ. Now consider the words of a Poet: Leisure by William Henry Davies. What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows. No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass. No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars like skies at night. No time to turn at Beauty's glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance. No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began. A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. Tradition uno: This week I want to recommend a book I'll be drawing from for some later blog posts: The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. It is his meditation on the Desert Fathers concentrating on solitude, silence, and prayer. Written specifically to ministers, however, I do believe it would benefit anyone. Tradition dos: Please pray that God would be at work in our lives (Chuck, Becka, and mine) as we continue to figure out new ways of getting the word out about The Inn. Please pray for me, God is really stretching me in ways I need, but it is difficult. I am so thankful for being here, because it is right, but the right and good thing are so often the hard thing. Pray for protection from the evil one. Peace Ethan H__________

Let Me Introduce Myself...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:32:21 MST

Hello, I am Ethan, and I am taking control of this blog. We could pretend that Chuck and Becka don't know (though of course they do), or we could imagine that I'm something more than an intern at REST ministries. In truth, we would imagine correctly in this instance. Since we've begun to imagine let us turn our mind's eye to another image: imagine coming to Shepherd's Gate Inn. Imagine the drive through the beautiful Indiana countryside filled with shades of green, yellow and blue (or a variety of other earthy colors depending on when you imagine you would come). As you are driving you take a turn on a fairly nondescript road, coming to the end of this little road you start ascending a steep hill. You begin to wonder if you've come to the right place as your engine wines. At the crest of the hill your eyes bulge with surprise at the beauty of the house in the distance. When you reach the circle drive in front of this stately and quiet house you take a deep breath turning off your engine. You take the risk of stepping up to the front door (it is a risk because you've been questioning whether this is the right place for a good three minutes now). But your concerns are soon quieted as you meet Chuck or Becka, welcome to Shepherd's Gate Inn: a place of silence and solitude, a place where time and space slow down, where you can escape from the rush of life to bask in God's presence. Now that you know my first name (don't expect my second for a few weeks; too hasty), and we've spent some good time imagining together, I'll reveal three things about myself to you. 1. I first met Chuck and Becka when I came to their retreat space in Converse IN during my junior year of college. I spent four days in retreat, and it was a real blessing, I learned a lot about silence and listening to God. These four days are a part of quite a large story and path which has not come to its fruition, but the signs along the way speak volumes. Here are a few of them: God is Love, Silence, Solitude, Prayer, In Christ, Abba, perichoresis. 2. I studied History and Philosophy at Taylor University, and if I could have spent a few more years there I would've studied literature, psychology, and theology. This could tell you a lot about me, but don't be fooled, there is more! I maybe a bookish person (some days I aspire to be an amateur librarian), but I'm also a decent cook, and gardener (read: all around grunt worker here at The Inn), and budding lover of all things beautiful. 3. I like cheese, no strike that and amplify it! I am enamored by cheese! You might think that this would not be as important as the deep and slightly self-adoring statements above, but you would be wrong. Cheese is a magnificent beautiful fruit of the work of God and the ingenuity of man, mixed with a little chance, and a lot of mold. Give me the strongest, smelliest cheese and I will bless you and God for its odor, its texture and its glory. To enjoy cheese is to enjoy a true gift. Now then, where does this leave us? Well it leave me with the task of updating this blog about once a week with thoughts, information about REST ministries, and whatever I can get away with. To conclude, I tip my hat to you my dear reader and to tradition ("tradition!") by beginning two that will hopefully continue on throughout the summer. Tradition Uno: a suggested book. This week's pick is a recently discovered book by Robert Farrar Capon entitled The Supper of the Lamb. It is part cook book, part theology, and whole totally awesome! If you enjoy food, simple things and God you'll love this book. It has received Ethan's stamp of approval (if you don't believe me, buy a copy, bring it to Shepherd's Gate Inn and you'll receive the stamp of approval (both you and the book!)!). Tradition Due: Prayer is so very important (understatement?) in fact it is essential; put another way: prayer is life and faith and relationship. So I humbly ask that you would take some time to pray to Our Father in Christ through the Holy Spirit and while you bask in the presence of our God please bring these request before Him: (1) That God would continue to give Chuck and Becka the strength, rooting, and excitement that it takes to keep this place running. (2) We are building up financial support and radically trusting that God will provide it, pray that we continue to trust that God will give us what we need to do the work he has set before us. Lastly, (3) please pray that God brings the people to Shepherd's Gate Inn who really need rest and retreat, especially the ones who think they do not. Thanks for reading! Peace Ethan ________

Rock of Refuge

Thu, 19 May 2011 02:55:21 MST

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2. We often try to be a rock of stability within ourselves, but our strength is eroded by the the merciless tide of demands that wash over us. Sometimes the reason we feel so overwhelmed, however, is not simply because of our schedules and the stresses of life. No, sometimes we feel overwhelmed because we run to the wrong rock for shelter. - Jennifer Rothschild The Lord has become my Fortress, and my God the Rock in whom I take refuge. Psalm 94:22

He wants to broaden our horizons!

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:57:43 MST

With God, every aspect of life is totally sacred the moment He touches it. There is no distinction in the mind of God, as there is in ours, between secular and sacred when He has a dynamic part in it. He desires that the total round of our little lives be lifted out of the mundane round of impoverished days, to the lofty and broad sweep of living to our fulllest capacity ander His control. He wants to broaden our horizons. - Phillip Keller "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Our new site!

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:15:51 MST

Thanks for visiting our new web site. Check back often to see new posts...better yet, subscribe to "RSS" feeds to be updated on every new post! Also click on the bottom of the web page to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

FEAR

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 08:12:32 MST

A friend of mine said Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear and God can't coexist! For more encouragement on fear check back on later blog posts.

New Dessert served at Shepherd's Gate Inn

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 08:47:02 MST

Served this dessert last night to our guests here at Shepherd's Gate Inn and everyone loved it! Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert 24 -oreo cookies 2 T. butter, melted 1-8oz. pkg cream cheese 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 1/2 cups confectioners's sugar, divided 1 (16 oz) container of Cool Whip 15-mini Reese cups, chopped 1 cup cold milk 1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix 1. Crush16 oreos; toss with the melted butter and press into an ungreased 9-in. square dish; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the cool whip. Spread over Oreo crust. Top with chopped Reese cups. 3. In another large bowl, beat the milk pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on Medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in remaining Cool Whip. 4. Spread over Reese cups. Crush remaining 8 cookies and sprinkle on top. Chill for at least 3 hours.

Check It Out!

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:13:40 MST

This web site is totally new with many new features and information. Take your time to meander through all the pages. We are particularly excited to introduce our new retreat facility, Shepherd's Gate Inn! Reservations for the Inn are filling rapidly; don't hesitate another moment, book your retreat now!

Seems We Have it a Bit Mixed Up!

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:20:28 MST

Seems we have it a bit mixed up. We have a room in public places and homes we call a Restroom. I don't know a single person who would be eager to spend a day resting there (especially in most public ones I have visited). Wouldn't the bedroom be better titled the restroom since it is there we go to rest? We have a room called the living room which in most homes is never lived in. For most of us the kitchen might be better referred to as the living room since that is the hub of where life happens for most families. Churches aren't much different when it comes to names. Many churches now have a Welcome Center. Shouldn't the whole church be the welcome center...must we journey to a specific location in the church to feel welcomed? Many churches now have a Worship Center; as I paused to think about that particular name, my mind went to a specific scripture. In 1 Chronicles 16:8-11we see that our heart might better be called the "Worship Center!" Praise the Lord and pray in His Name! Tell everyone what He has done. Sing praises to the Lord! Tell about His miracles. Celebrate and worship His holy Name with all your heart. Trust the Lord and His mighty power. Worship Him always (CEV). Worship isn't just singing on Sunday morning! We are called to live a life of worship...worshiping God always! Louie Giglio states, "Worship is our response to who God is and what He has done by what we say and how we live." God reveals Himself and we respond...worship! Not just any old response but respond with all of your heart! In order for us to be able to respond in worship from our "worship center," we must be alertly, watchfully, intentionally, actively seeking God's revelation of Himself. We must be focused on Him! We live in a world of a great multitude of distractions every minute. It is easy to become distracted, multi-focused and the result is an empty "worship center" in our heart. One of the best ways I have found to be driven to the heart of worship is to take a break from the busyness of life and ask myself, "How have I seen God reveal His Names?" God has over 600 names in the Bible. Simply ask yourself, when have I seen God be my Strong Tower, my Provider, my Healer, my Deliverer...? As you remember seeing God reveal His Names, you are naturally drawn into worship. So take a REST (not in the restroom) from life (which doesn't happen in the living room) and welcome God into your heart (not the Welcome Center) and allow your Worship Center to be filled with worship for the only One worthy of praise.