Welcome to this blog about living as apprentices of Jesus!
One of Karen's favorite quotes is: "Whatever job we get and whatever task we are assigned can serve as a container for grace" (Eugene Peterson in "Practical Resurrection"). We pray that the words and sentences on this blog may also serve as "containers of grace" for its readers.
Joy and Karen
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Category Archives: The 12 Steps and Spiritual Formation
“I can help you with that!”
Living as Apprentices We were talking about the Holy Spirit. One person in the group said, “For a long time I didn’t know a lot about the Holy Spirit. Now I do, but I don’t often remember to ask for … Continue reading
A Shadow Boxing Post Script
Bobby McFerrin, best known to some of us by his rendition of the song Don’t Worry, Be Happy, is a ten-time Grammy award winner, vocal innovator and improviser, world renowned conductor of classical music, and a vocal teacher. He is … Continue reading
Posted in Living as Apprentices, The 12 Steps and Spiritual Formation
Tagged Bobby McFerrin, On Being, shadow boxing, The Good and Beautiful God
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The Kingdom of Me
“I often want to say to people, ‘you have neat, tight expectations of what life ought to give you, but you won’t get it. That isn’t what life does. Life does not accommodate you, it shatters you. It is meant … Continue reading
Posted in Living as Apprentices, The 12 Steps and Spiritual Formation, Uncategorized
Tagged expectations, The Kingdom of God; Al-Anon
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The Beauty of Shadow Boxing – conclusion
Living as Apprentices Yet one more thought is necessary to understand the process of shadow boxing. That is: while we are in the process of self-examination, we must treat ourselves kindly. We must live in the memory that God sings … Continue reading
The Beauty of Shadow Boxing – Part 2
LIVING AS APPRENTICES The idea of shadow boxing (explained in an earlier post) is directly related to the 4th – 7th steps of The Twelve Steps, which are the backbone of the recovery movement. These steps point out the need … Continue reading
The Beauty of Shadow Boxing – Part 1
LIVING AS APPRENTICES My favorite definition for the term spiritual formation comes from M. Robert Mulholland: “the process of conforming to the image of Jesus for the sake of others.” And my favorite expression of that process is a phrase … Continue reading
“Victory is Absurdly Impossible to Everyone, except God”
LIVING AS APPRENTICES Sarah Young’s devotional, Jesus Calling, has become the “quiet time” reading of choice for many Christians. I have gone through this book several times and been blessed. We even give it away to the participants in our Apprentice … Continue reading
Training in Shadow boxing
LIVING AS APPRENTICES The sun shyly made an effort last night. Right at the closing of a November-like day in October, it painted the tips of huge puffy gray clouds a light yellow. The sky looked like a mountain range topped with creamy lemon frosting. This striking sight reminded me of … Continue reading
Posted in Living as Apprentices, The 12 Steps and Spiritual Formation
Tagged Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the 12 Steps, Richard Rohr, Shadowboxing, Twelve-step program
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Living as Apprentices 