Devotions from Stephen Smith’s book,  Soul Custody “Solitude is a deliberate choice we make –like listening to the quiet and getting rested up-that enables us to be still before God.” We all need times of solitude or we lose our way.  Our soul requires nourishment that silence and solitude provide.  There is a rhythm of…

Devotions from Stephen’s book, Soul Custody Our world is so noisy and so are our hearts. Some fear the quiet because it is scary to be alone with their thoughts. But God often speaks in whispers, and we will not hear Him if we are not quiet.   Like Moses found out, God didn’t speak in…

Devotions from Stephen Smith’s book, Soul Custody Abundant living is a choice that requires a beginning step and more after that. If we want to change, we will need to let desire show us the way. God puts His desires in us and we need to get in touch with the longings of our hearts.…

Devotions from Stephen Smith’s book, Soul Custody How important it is to make space in our lives for what really matters. We can choose soul care that will, over time, bring healing, strength, and spiritual well-being. In fact, our small choices lead to larger choices and impact for a long time. Each day we choose…

Devotions from Stephen Smith’s book, Soul Custody Caring for our soul is never selfish or egotistical. It is the opposite for it is really an act of stewardship. Caring for our souls is an act through which God can replenish our hearts, restore our souls, and revive our day so we can meet the challenges…

Devotions from Stephen Smith’s book, Soul Custody Are we doing more but living less?  Making a living but not having a life?  Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives” Everyone who feels more dead than alive, more tired than energized, more burned out than motivated is…

Devotions from Brennan Mannings book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat The words of Beatrice Beuteau, “God’s love is not conditional. We cannot do anything to deserve God’s love-for which reason it is called grace; and we need not do anything to provoke it. It is already there.  Any love that is going to be salvific must be…

Devotions by Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat “Keep your own death before your eyes each day”, said Saint Benedict. In our society today there is a refusal to view life in light of eternity. There is a denial of death and a fantasy of invincibility.  Some find it too painful to consider separation from…

Devotions from Brennan Manning’s book The Rabbi’s Heartbeat The author said, “Genuine faith leads to knowing the love of God, to confessing Jesus as Lord, and to being transformed by what we know.” If we want to know what a person really believes, we don’t just listen to what he says, we watch what he…

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heaertbeat The author said when we lack a lively awareness of our core identity as His child, it is easy to become enslaved to the approval and disapproval of others.  Much of our day can be spent placating and pleasing people, and their opinions can hold a…