http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwyAtgF8nxs

Celebration of Discipline.

The Path to Spiritual Growth – “Simplicity” & “Solitude”By Richard J. Foster

Presented by

Tomika McFadden and Angeline Lee

United Theological Seminary - Dayton, OH

• Meditation

• Prayer

• Fasting

• Study

• Simplicity

• Solitude

• Submission

• Service

• Confession

• Worship

• Guidance

• Celebration

An Introduction to Simplicity…

• What is the spiritual discipline of “simplicity”?

• What gift does the practice of simplicity offer a practicing, spiritual leader?

Psalm 62 (NRSV)Song of Trust in God Alone

To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;from him comes my salvation.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

3 How long will you assail a person,will you batter your victim, all of you,

as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.

They take pleasure in falsehood;they bless with their mouths,but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone my soul waits in silence,for my hope is from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.7 On God rests my deliverance and my

honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is

in God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah9 Those of low estate are but a breath,

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;they are together lighter than a

breath.10 Put no confidence in extortion,

and set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,12 and steadfast love belongs to

you, O Lord.For you repay to all

according to their work.

A Prayer of Simplicity

“O God, we beseech thee to save us this day from the distractions of vanity and the false lure of inordinate desires. Grant us the grace of a quite and humbled mind, and may we learn of Jesus to be meek and lowly of heart. May we not join the throng of those who seek after things that never satisfy and who draw others after them in the fever of covetousness. Save us from adding our influence to the drag of temptation. If the fierce tide of greed beats against the breakwaters of our soul, may we rest at peace in thy higher contentment. In the press of life may we pass from duty to duty in tranquility of heart and spread they quietness to all who come near.”

Walter Rauschenbusch

http://www.pbs.org/godinamerica/people /walter-rauschenbusch.html

“The Beauty of Simplicity”

• What is the spiritual discipline of “solitude”?

• What gift does the practice of solitude offer a practicing, spiritual leader?

An Introduction to Solitude…

Psalm 43 (NRSV)

Psalm of Solitude

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly

people; from deceitful and unjust men deliver me! 2 For thou art

the God in whom I take refuge; why hast thou cast me off? Why

go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Oh

send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring

me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling! 4 Then I will go to the altar

of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise thee with the

lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and

why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again

praise him, my help and my God.

A Prayer of Solitudeby Thomas Merton

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me and I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does

not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.

And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

I know if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know

nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you alwaysthough I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.I will not fear for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Song of Solitude

Blue God by Jessica Reedy

The attached song via the YouTube Link is by Sunday’s Best Star, Jessica Reedy. The song is entitled Blue God. According to Jessica Reedy the song was written to express her thoughts about her current place with God. This song was chosen to serve a two-fold purpose. The first purpose that this song serves is to depict that Jessica Reedy was experiencing what St. John of the Cross describes as, “the dark night of the soul.” The second purpose is because this song is relevant to my current life space and my own “dark night of the soul.”

Group ReflectionHow Can We Experience a Spiritually Disciplined Life of Simplicity and Solitude?

Five Minute Challenge

Close your eyes, reflect on your day and play it scene by scene in your mind.

Now, take a deep breath and exhale. In the exhaling, silently, thank God for

your day and allow God to remove the weight of your day.