Transformation Blog

Wolves of the Heart The Lord has impressed upon me to share a story from my own life with you, one that is still in the writing.   It is a journey you may be on also. During my time at BIOLA in the Institute for Spiritual Formation, while I was in psychotherapy and spiritual direction, I had a dream.   It was a dream of extreme clarity and intensity, the kind the Holy Spirit uses to illumine something I might otherwise miss. In the dream, I found myself in a room—a subterranean cavern—that was quite dark, and yet I could see clearly through the shadows as though everything were illuminated by a dark-yet-bright light.   There was someone standing off to my right, just out of my range of vision, who was a benevolent Presence, a Guide. Before me on the floor of the cavern were many dark shapes, and as I looked more closely, I saw that they were wolves—hairy, gray, shadowy figures.   Although I recognized their potential menace to me, I was not frightened, only curious.  

Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster Week 5 Part 1— Moving Inward Chapter 4— The Prayer of Tears “Tears are like blood in the wounds of the soul.” Gregory of Nyssa OPENING PRAYER Prayer Project Review 1 .   Penthos          broken and contrite heart          inward godly sorrow          blessed, holy mourning          deep heartfelt compunction (heart sorrow)          prayer of tears 2.   Cut to the heart over our distance and offense to God’s goodness. (Acts 2:37)          Intimate and ultimate awareness that sin cuts us off from God. 3.   Hanging in the balance—our relationship with God.   4.   Charism of Tears = Deep Joy          The knowledge that our sin is healed. 5.   Lord, let me receive the Prayer of Tears. 6.   Wolves—for when we cannot weep 7.   “ The fire of sin is intense , but it is put out by a small amount of tears, for the tear puts out a furnace of faults, and cl

Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster Week 4 Part 1— Moving Inward Chapter 2— The Prayer of Examen “Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”   St. John Vianney OPENING PRAYER Prayer Project Review 1.   The Prayer of Examen is not the same as introspection—who does the examination?          I Chronicles 28:9          I Corinthians 2:10 2.   Examen of Consciousness—the Remembrance of love          How was God present today?          How have we responded to His presence? 3.   Examen of Conscience—the Scrutiny of love          Uncovering areas that need purification          Uncovering areas that need healing 4.   Remembering the mighty deeds of God          Covenants, miracles in the Bible          His works in our own lives 5.   Allowing God full access to our hearts          No room for apologies or excuses (remember Adam’s excuses?)                   God’s light exposes the t