It is wonderful when a particular meditation leads to ecstasy, but it is far more common to be given guidance in dealing with ordinary human problems” (p22). And though George Carlin was an atheist, he can explain my sentiments here more succinctly than I ever could.

meditation is the one things that can sufficiently redirect our lives so that we can deal with human life successfully” (p22). How could you begin a conversation with Jesus throughout your day which sets a different posture of your heart to worship him?Perhaps this emphasis stems from Foster's own walking of the Quaker path where experience is prized over head-trips. But if we fill our lives with simple good things and constantly thank God for them, we will be joyful, that is, full of joy. Worship didn't do too much for me because it involves so much interaction with other people, but maybe I'm just not there yet. Masterfully capturing the central insights of Christ's teachings in a fresh way for today's seekers, he helps us to explore a revolutionary way to experience God by knowing him as an essential part of the here and now, rather than only as part of the hereafter.

Although influenced by Dallas Willard (prior to his publication of The Spirit of the Disciplines), Richard J. Then, you will notice a rather burning sensation in your will, realizing with horror that it is pulling an about-face. I think I let disappointment, other people’s responses, or lack of responses, set the bar for my ‘Holy Expectancy. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain.

The book might be a little dense (as many studies are), but it’s well-written and engaging enough for taking it one chapter at a time (which gives time for processing and applying, anyway). The whole thing could be likened to other religions and even non-religions and their disciplines or tenants or practices, etc.

Then I end up feeling bad and, upon taking a visit to see my relative (as I continue with the analogy), I tell them, "I'm sorry It's been a few days (or weeks) since we've really spent quality time. The Life You've Always Wanted offers modern perspectives on the ancient path of the spiritual disciplines. It also works well for anyone trying to be more spiritual which is really the same thing just wearing a different suit of clothes as far as I'm concerned. In The Emotionally Healthy Leader, best-selling author Peter Scazzero shows leaders how to develop a deep, inner life with Christ, examining its profound implications for surviving stress, planning and decision-making, building teams, creating healthy culture, influencing others, and much more. The life that pleases God is not a set of religious duties; it is to hear His voice and obey His word.

Dallas Willard, one of today's most brilliant Christian thinkers and the author of The Divine Conspiracy ( Christianity Today's 1999 Book of the Year), presents a way of living that enables ordinary men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. It’s about making time and space to be aware of Jesus and to bring him our heart, exactly as it is, and asking him to touch it. Foster's list of twelve disciplines, I've learned, is certainly not exhaustive, but they are an excellent place to start in the process of becoming firmly rooted in the Spirit's ability to transform us into the character of Christ. They help us to slow down, making time and space so that we can simply be with Jesus and let him do a transformative work within us.