I Want to Simplify Your LivesâŠ
The credit belongs to MJ. MJ Layton: Episcopal priest. She told me. She planted the idea.
I was scarred up pretty bad from leaving Redeemer Presbyterian Church Downtown. In my personal spiritual practice, I struggled to pray. I struggled to connect with the scriptures as I read them. If I read them.
MJ bandaged up my wounds. She too, had left the evangelical world. It was a restless form of Christianity, she told me. Always more to do. Always something new to take on. Always an activity, a podcast, a spiritual practice, a seminar, a mission trip, another rule to put in place.
Stop.
Thatâs what she told me. Stop. And rest. Listen to your devotional podcast. Show up for worship. Take the Holy Eucharist. That was enough.
When Others Are Telling You to Read More, I Want to Tell You to Read LessâŠ
I decided to sit down and write out all the things I had been taught to do. What was required to be a good evangelical Christian? I counted at least 21 rules:
Attend menâs group, womenâs group, youth group and Bible study
Read a mountain of books on Christian living, Christian inspiration and Bible trivia
Set up a sophisticated index-card system to manage prayer requests
âŠHow many can you come up with? Tell me in the comments.
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