Those of us of a certain age will likely remember the old Sunday School song encouraging us to be mindful of what we focus on and what we listen to. The importance of doing so has never been more vital, considering the multiple avenues through which our senses are bombarded these days.
This month, I’m going to share some of my favourite podcasts, a couple of my favourite audiobook providers, and two apps that I use virtually every day in my devotional time. I’m also going to touch on why it’s crucial to “turn off the noise” from time to time and calm my squirrel brain. Hopefully, these will be helpful to you as well.
First, Audiobooks
Like many people, I signed up for Audible way back when and, for the most part, used my monthly credits for lengthy books. My search for more economical options, led me to Chirp Books and then Kobo Plus from Rakuten Kobo. As a result of discovering audiobooks, I have spent a plethora of hours consuming books even when my eyes were too tired to focus and my brain too scattered to concentrate without the auditory input.
And speaking of auditory input . . .
There has been an explosion of podcasts and apps in recent years. Below are some of my favourites in various categories:
Faith-Building
She Reads Truth (SRT) with co-hosts Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams, a podcast which corresponds to the Bible reading plans SRT publishes. Even though I don’t purchase the corresponding materials, I get a lot out of this weekly podcast.
A good friend of mine and I have been going through several of the reading plans on the You Version app over the last number of months. I find them great springboards for deeper study on a variety of topics.
I also use the ESV app five or more days a week. I appreciate the dimension the narrator adds to my Bible reading. (It’s best if I follow along so I don’t get distracted. Me and my squirrel brain.)
Skills Development
The Creative Penn with Joanna Penn, a podcast on writing, self-publishing, and related topics.
The Modern Editor Podcastwith Tara Whitaker, a podcast with lots of tips for 21st century freelance editors.
Writing at the Red Housewith Kathi Lipp, a podcast in which Kathi and her guests discuss the many facets of being a traditionally published nonfiction author. (Kathi and her guests also touch on fiction writing and self-publishing from time to time.)
Other
Grit ’n’ Grace with Cheri Gregory, a podcast about approaching life as a highly sensitive person, an HSP. This podcast is excellent for Christian woman who are HSPs and for those who know someone who is an HSP.
The Lazy Genius with Kendra Adachi, a podcast about “being a genius about things that matter and lazy about things that don’t.” Note: Listeners are encouraged to decide for themselves what’s important to them. No cookie cutter approach here.
The Next Right Thingwith Emily P. Freeman, a faith-based podcast about determining and taking the next right step in the various areas of our life. (I use the guided journal by the same name.)
Still . . .
It’s important to “unplug” periodically.
Here are three reasons I find it important to regularly be quiet:
We can soak in the sounds of nature instead of what’s playing on our earbuds.
We’re able to think more deeply about what we’re learning and what’s important to us if we’re not going from one thing to the next to the next.
When we’re quiet, we have the opportunity to listen for God’s still, small voice.
In December we’ll examine the connection between quiet and rest, something most of us will likely need after the busyness of the Christmas season.
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
Why is it important to know that God has a name other than “God”? That He revealed His name to Moses and to the people He had chosen?
Lots of people talk about God… with lots of variations on who they think He is. So His name, as revealed in the Bible, tells us who we’re talking about. So to quote the prologue, “The question at the heart of this book [is]: Who is God?” And the answer is important, because the prologue also asserts that “We become like what we worship.”
So this is a book for Christians (others are welcome too) where we can check our ideas about God against what He says about Himself, with a view to learning to follow in His ways. There’s a lot of misinformation about God floating loose in society, and we’re not immune to absorbing some of it. That’s why we need books like this one.
In six chapters, God Has a Name dives deep (yet accessibly) into the text of Exodus 34:4-7, where God told Moses His name: Yahweh, often rendered in our Bibles as “The LORD.”
Lest that sound heavy or dry, let me say I love the friendly, conversational tone. This is not your great-grandparents’ stilted theology text. It’s deeply researched, drawing from many contemporary and long-past writers, and the occasional Hebrew word does pop up, but I found the delivery refreshing.
We can (and should) read this Bible passage on our own, prayerfully spending regular time in the Scriptures. There’s much more to it than I’ve ever dug up on my own, though, and I’m grateful for John Mark Comer’s teaching on it.
Each chapter begins with a portion of the passage. The pattern is to: 1) explore the original language, 2) look at where the passage shows up elsewhere in the Bible (it’s quoted or referenced so many times!), 3) look at how Jesus reveals this Exodus-Named God in the New Testament, and 4) “think about what who God is means for who we are” (prologue) and how that might reshape us.
I found this book invigorating, and I definitely need to read it again. Highly recommended! You can read the first chapter online here. Or for a taste of the full contents, check out the author’s God Has a Name sermon series at Bridgetown Church, Oregon. Just click the name of each installment to listen.
New York Times bestselling author John Mark Comer is currently based in Los Angeles, working with Practicing the Way (check the site for spiritual formation resources). To learn more about the author and his ministry, visit johnmarkcomer.com. Scroll down far enough, and you’ll find various podcast options as well as his books.
[Review copy from the public library via Hoopla Digital.]
If you’re looking for an instructional book on practicing the spiritual disciplines, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for a memoir of an ordinary layperson trying to get closer to his God and grow in his faith, The Making of an Ordinary Saint is a good choice.
It’s a candid look at one man’s search to follow the spiritual practices modelled by Jesus and in so doing to lose the frustration that seems to be taking over his life.
Each chapter shares his attempts to focus on a different discipline, introduced by a brief explanation of that discipline. He’s honest about the struggles, the failures, the benefits, and the costs. He also includes a few “interlude” chapters warning of potential hazards. (Hazards to spiritual disciplines? Oh, yes. For example, can you say “pride”?)
Subtitled “My journey from frustration to joy with the spiritual disciplines,” this book includes a foreword and reflections by Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline (and father of Nathan Foster).
I found the original Celebration of Discipline inspiring. Truth told: Most of what I read remained head knowledge instead of moving into my daily walk with the Lord. That’s not the book’s fault, and now that the spiritual disciplines are again on my mind I hope to be more intentional about them.
I was slow to engage with this book because the author’s frustration came through so clearly that I started feeling it too. Negative emotions transfer too easily. But his story drew me in, and his journey reminded me of the hope the disciplines offer of closeness with God.
This is not a book that will leave “regular” readers feeling they’ll never measure up. But it gives glimpses of reward that make the cost well worth paying.
One of the things Nathan Foster learned, something I think so many of us need to internalize, is this:
“… a clear and deep knowing of God’s love for me has been the key remedy I needed to untangle many of the problems I faced. …I have come to believe that God’s love is the central message of Christianity, that living the kingdom life must be born out of an active response to a deep knowing of one’s place as a much-loved daughter or son of the Author of Life.” (p. 66)
I’m grateful for the chance to read The Making of an Ordinary Saint, and I highly recommend it to anyone desiring a closer relationship with God. We would do well to follow it up with Celebration of Discipline and with some of the resources at Practicing the Way, the ministry related to the book by John Mark Comer. (I’ve only listened to some of their material to date and haven’t yet read the book. What I’m hearing is resonating.)
Do you love to pray? Avoid it? Flat-out think it’s pointless? Wherever you are on the spectrum, this book’s for you.
I love this invitation in the introduction:
Most of us get about knee-deep in the Christian life, discover that the water feels fine, and stop there. We never swim in the depths of the divine intimacy Jesus won for us. This book is an invitation to swim. [Kobo version, introduction, page 5 of 7]
In an accessible, nonthreatening (and non-judging) manner, author and pastor Tyler Staton acknowledges the many questions we have about prayer and shares stories of both victory and disappointment.
Drawing from the Bible and from a wealth of diverse sources past and present and across denominations, chapters explore ten basic aspects of prayer, inviting readers to begin where we are and to grow from there. Each chapter closes with a simple and practical application exercise, making it clear that there’s no fast track to mature prayer. It’s very much a process and well worth working through the exercises.
Readers are encouraged to learn stillness before God, leading to adoration and worship and confession. We’re challenged to grow in intercession and petition, and to persist in what can seem like a long silence. (A note on stillness: Chapter 2 does an incisive job of unmasking the cost of the hurried lifestyle that has a hold on so many of us.)
Burned by past experiences that have left scars? Chapter 9 invites us to “Hold your deep question before God, inviting him to bring healing. …It is through this process that you will discover the faith to ask again…” [Kobo version, page 26 of 26]
Ultimately, the book invites us to make prayer a daily part of our lives, both our own spontaneous prayers and also the prayers of the psalms, the Lord’s Prayer, and more. The intent is to use the words and phrases to shape and direct our prayers rather than simple repetition. (See also my review of Praying the Bible, by Donald S. Whitney, which expands on this method. Note, I think Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools is the richer of these two resources, yet both are valuable.)
My only negative with this book comes in the epilogue with the description of King David entering Jerusalem as king, bringing the Ark of the Covenant in the procession on a cart. In 2 Samuel 5:6 – 6:19, we read a different story. The takeaway from the illustration still applies.
I highly recommend Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools for anyone with even a passing interest in prayer. If you can, get a print copy so you can mark it up. I have the ebook (highlighted in many places) and have also listened to the audiobook (read by the author himself, which is always a plus). Although it reads like a letter, it has the depth of a textbook and one pass wasn’t enough. I expect to read it again.
Abiding in Christ, by Andrew Murray (Updated edition. Bethany House, 2003)
This year, when I sensed God’s nudge to focus on the word “abide,” I searched out resources on the topic. This straightforward devotional classic from Andrew Murray has been a liberating source of hope.
What can I say in a review without trying to summarize all of Andrew Murray’s teaching?
First: He takes the pressure off. Yes, believers need to do our part and keep turning to God and choosing to abide in Christ. Yet despite our limitations we can believe it’s possible—not through human strength but because it’s God’s invitation – instruction – command in the first place. It’s the Father who metaphorically “grafts us into the Vine” who is Jesus, with the Holy Spirit as our nourishment.
So, whether I feel it or not in a given moment doesn’t change the fact that on God’s end it’s a done deal. I can rest in that and keep turning back to Him.
The other key point I remember is the challenge to abide fully in Christ—which means not also abiding in self.
Beyond that, I recommend you go read the book! A digital version is available through the Hoopla app, if your public library has that service. But a print copy is inexpensive and a valuable resource for any Christian.
I like the updated language, although I’m surprised the revisions didn’t convert the original use of “he” for “the believer” to something more inclusive. The book was published in 1895, at which point “he” was the catch-all for male/female/unknown. I hope this won’t be a barrier for younger readers.
Andrew Murray (Wikipedia link) was a South African pastor, teacher, and writer. His books are considered classics by many Christians and are often quoted in more current works on Christian living.
A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by one of the teachers who attends our church. Her goal? To see if I would be willing to speak to her Gr. 7/8 class about publishing a book—since one of their current assignments is to write books for the Kindergarten students.
I was over the moon!
Because she offered me an entire period (or two), I decided to walk the students through the entire process and called it “From Book Idea to Bookstore.”
When I sent Paula the outline, she was thrilled. <happy dance>
Was I looking for opportunities to speak? Nope! (Although I do love speaking to groups about things I’m passionate about.)
Did God open doors because of who I am, where I attend church, and what I do? He did.
And He can do the same for you. Isn’t that incredible?
Before we accept an opportunity, it’s important to ask ourselves a series of questions—even when our first impulse is to jump up and down (possibly metaphorically) and say, “Yes. Yes! YES!”
Here are six questions we can ask ourselves when it comes to discerning if the time is right to say yes to an opportunity that comes our way:
Do I have time to take this on and do it well? Do I REALLY have the time?
Why am I considering taking on this new opportunity? Is it something that excites me? Do I feel called to say yes? Am I doing it because I’m flattered to have been asked? (If your answer to the third option is “yeah, I think that’s it,” know that it’s okay to simply say, “Thank you so much for asking, but I’m unable to take on this task.” If you believe this is the right answer for you, be willing to respectfully but confidently stand your ground.)
What am I willing to set aside in order to take on this opportunity? (Sleep, regular physical activity, time with family and friends, etc. are not likely what we should set aside—at least not for any significant length of time.)
Will my other responsibilities suffer?
Will the excitement wear off and leave me feeling overwhelmed? (Even though I love to spin “all the plates,” recent feelings of overwhelm have me examining what I will be setting aside and what I will be continuing to do in the days ahead.)
Before giving my answer, have I prayed about it and sought wise counsel from someone I trust?
There are far more questions you could ask yourself before taking on a new opportunity, and I’d love to hear some of yours.
But . . .
When that awesome opportunity comes your way that you’re fairly certain / absolutely certain you should say yes to . . .
GO FOR IT!
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
How do you feel when you open a book and see a solid page of text with virtually no white space?
More importantly…
How do you feel when you open your schedule and see virtually no white space?
Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about it?
What can you do to overcome the overwhelm and avoid burnout?
Here are eight suggestions:
As a Christian, prayer is always the best place to begin.
Divide your To-Do List into three categories. The three I use are Yes!, Maybe, and Would Be Nice. Be careful how many things you list in your Yes! column. I would highly recommend adding Downtime (in ink) to your Yes! column every day. Go for a walk. Read a book. Listen to a podcast. Don’t let things you’ve always wanted to do end up in the Would Be Nice column week after week.
Take a look at your Procrastination List. Offload any of the responsibilities you can’t realistically accomplish in the near future. Add (and complete) at least one remaining item to each week’s schedule until the list is cleared. When I cross something off my Procrastination List, it feels as rewarding as crossing ten things off my everyday list and energizes me to get back to the day-to-day.
When creating your To-Do List, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you have the luxury of creating your own schedule and you have more energy in the morning, complete the tasks that require extra energy and brain power before lunch whenever possible.
Remember that no is not a bad word. We’ve all been in situations when someone asked us to do something that would only take an hour or two, but it felt like the proverbial straw that would break the camel’s back. It’s okay to decline. I know this is true, but I’m still learning to apply said truth.
When asked to take on a responsibility that you would really like to accept, ask yourself what you can remove from your schedule instead of trying to shoehorn in the new task.
Make use of the Auto Responder on your email and let people know that you will be incommunicado when you’re on vacation. Resist the temptation to check in. True Confession: While I love making IRL (in real life) connections, my phone has become this extravert’s connection to the outside world, and I have to be extremely disciplined when it comes to setting it aside.
As you get older, it will likely become evident that you can’t accomplish everything you dream of. While this can be discouraging, it can also help us determine our highest priorities and create a To-Do List that mainly includes those things we would regret not accomplishing. For example, those dishes really can wait until morning. Playing a game with your family, meeting an old friend for coffee, or sitting down to work on that book you want to publish are likely more important.
Create white space in your schedule—and guard it diligently.
Take it from someone who, for the most part, loves to spin “all the plates”…
Sometimes it’s best to tuck the majority of those plates in the cupboard—at least for now.
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
Good Friday … the perfect day to step back from the everyday.
Not simply a day off work, but a day to focus once again on what the Lord did for us approximately 2,000 years ago.
As Christians, this reality is the basis for all we believe. For all we do. At least it should be.
While attending a Good Friday service and fellowshipping at a church potluck may be on our agenda, more importantly, this is the perfect day to practice some less common Christian disciplines. Not that potlucks are a Christian discipline, but you know what I mean.
It’s a perfect day to explore silence.
Excuse me for a few moments while I “preach” to myself.
Between my To-Do lists, social media, audiobooks, podcasts, TV shows, etc., etc., etc., I rarely experience silence / stillness of any kind. And most of that is my own doing.
Today, I may do one or more of the following. Perhaps you’d like to do the same.
1. Set aside my To-Do lists. Those everyday tasks can wait.
2. Go for a walk on my own and listen to the sounds of creation. No earbuds allowed.
3. Take my camera along on my walk and snap pics of the beauty all around me, evidence of God’s creativity and so many other aspects of His character.
4. Ramble until I stumble upon truth in my journal. I haven’t done this in a very long time.
5. Meditate on God’s Word by leaning back, opening the One-Minute Pause app, closing my eyes, and drinking in the recorded truths.
6. Read a chapter in Emily P. Freeman’s How to Walk into a Roomand listen to one or more corresponding blessings available on the Quiet Collection app.
7. Memorize one of more Bible verses that pertain to this pivotal weekend.
8. Fill our home with praise and worship music. Thank you, Prime Music.
Which of these inspire you to step back from your everyday?
Which ideas would you add to the list?
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
When you stumble across information you didn’t know previously, do you find yourself saying, “You learn something new every day”?
We cannot, however, hope to stumble across the facts and insights we need simply by chance. It’s important to develop a reliable system to expand our knowledge base.
Here are nine of my favourite ways to learn new things:
Read both fiction and nonfiction (audiobooks, ebooks, physical books).
Many people think there is little to nothing to be learned from fiction. Years ago, the Lord held up a mirror in the form of the female protagonist in a series I was reading, and I saw myself. And let’s just say the traits I related to were not particularly admirable. This reinforced my desire to mature and become less selfish and more like our Saviour—and that is a very good thing to learn.
Listen to podcasts.
There are podcasts about pretty much any topic you can imagine. It’s easy to learn something new every day by listening to those that interest you.
Participate in social media communities.
In most cases, we get the most out of the social media communities we belong to by actively participating and getting to know our fellow group members. We can learn from the group’s host and from one another.
Host FB groups.
You may start a Facebook group on a topic that interests you with the objective of sharing your insights with others. And while you’re doing so, you’re likely to learn from those who join your group as well.
Prepare and post short videos online.
Creating even short videos has taught me so much: how to create an event in my FB group, how to be comfortable online, how to be more succinct (trust me, I can ramble even when “talking to myself”), how to set aside perfectionism (as long as we’re providing educational and/or entertaining videos, most people don’t care if we’ve put on make up and have a picture perfect background or if we stumble over the occasional word)… The more videos I post, the more I enjoy doing so.
Teach children and youth.
Most of us likely realize the best way to get a firm grasp on lessons we’ve learned in the past is to prepare to teach them to others. I regularly teach the 2s and 3s at church, and even revisiting extremely familiar stories is a great way to marvel at them once again. And teaching the youth this month has been a real joy.
Journal my thoughts, something I call “rambling until I stumble across truth.”
No one ever has to read our journals, making them a safe place to work through the tangle of thoughts racing around in our head. Sometimes (often) I surprise myself with my own words.
Spend time in person and online with insightful people.
While we do learn things in unexpected ways from unexpected sources, we must be deliberate when it comes to discovering the specific information we need. While we must be careful whose advice we follow, there are numerous ways to ascertain if what worked for others will work for us. And when we find reliable sources of helpful info, we’re going to want to keep learning from these individuals.
Grab a coffee with a friend.
Even when we get together with a friend or family member simply to catch up, we often gain new insights and come away encouraged. Hopefully, others feel the same after they spend time with us as well.
What’s one of your favourite ways to learn something new?
Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
