Presbyterian Mission Agency Labyrinth Archives

Finding a spiritual practice that enlivens your soul

Posted July 27th, 2021

I’ve been on an intentional spiritual formation journey for most of my adult life. As a young person, I struggled to find a prayer routine that felt right for me — body and spirit. I followed the more traditional ways to nurture spirituality: worship services, prayer groups and Bible studies. I even tried to establish a personal devotion routine. For guidance, I looked into the practices of the most spiritual people I knew — my abuela, Jovina, and my abuelo, Edgar. My grandparents’ prayer routine included reading the Bible following a book of devotions and kneeling beside their bed to pray silently. I was convinced that, with some modifications, this would work for me. It did not. My attempt to follow this routine ended up with knee pain, wandering thoughts, climbing into bed and falling asleep, prayer unfinished. I woke the next day feeling frustrated with “my lack of commitment” to a life of prayer.

‘Sing No Empty Alleluias’

Posted July 13th, 2021

As one who is always hoping to have the right words at the right time, and the right feel in music at the right moment, the Rev. Chris Shelton says he is “almost neurotic” as a worship leader.

Spiritual disciplines deepen faith

Posted February 8th, 2018

I walked away from the church at age 15. I wasn’t unique. Many teens walk away from the church, although it’s more common today than when I did it in the mid-1970s. No matter what the year, teens walk away from church for many reasons — spiritual laziness, lack of inspiration from worship services, worldly distractions, peer pressure (it’s not cool to go to church), the attraction of other beliefs (including agnosticism and atheism). But I walked away for reasons that were a bit different from those of many of my friends.

Pause Prayer Center a reflective oasis for Triennium participants

Posted July 21st, 2016

If you had a chance to share a cup of coffee with Jesus, what would you talk about? Young adults attending the 2016 Youth Triennium have the opportunity to imagine that conversation and record it into their personal journal at the Pause Prayer Center, a reflective and meditative antidote to the mostly high energy events that mark the triennial gathering held on Purdue University’s campus.