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Norma L. Brumbaugh

Inspirational Writer, Author, and Speaker

PO Box 6432, Chico, CA 95927
nlbrumbaugh@gmail.com

Keep a smile in your heart.

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That Secret Place, Part 2 of 3

This is a continuance from Part 1 on “That Secret Place: Time Alone with God in Silent Sacred Space: Awaken Your Spiritual Life to Close Relationship with God.”

Prayer, Meditation & Contemplation

A contemplative approach to spirituality is not the norm for most regular church-attenders. The term itself may confuse. You may envision some form of transcendental meditation. The practice of meditating in the silence is not TM. This is a spiritual discipline undertaken to grow closer to God and live an authentic spiritual life.

To those with concerns, who believe practicing a meditative approach to spirituality is contrary or adding on to God’s Word–by elevating personal experience as equal in value to the inspired biblical text–I assure you, that is not the case.  We guard the fidelity with which we approach and interpret scripture. 

What is true, however, is that biblical-based meditation has a place at the table. Some of the ancients understood this. They partook of what God offers as they sought God to know and follow Him. Some in the faith community seek to know God in this way.

Some are less likely to embrace contemplative Christianity or anything that resembles the mystical side of religious experience. We, and I say, we–for I was taught and hold most of these same beliefs and religious leanings–have been cautious or suspicious of any spiritual teachings too experiential-based. There is reason for this concern.

Christianity’s foundation rests in truth as in what is absolute truth. What is true about God, Christ, and the validity of God’s Word form this foundation. As Christians, we strive to be faithful to the teachings of Christ, God, the Spirit, and the holy scriptures. 

God’s Word shows us how to live through its message, theology, and redemptive story. Our personal experiences related to our spiritual beliefs dovetail in sync with biblical edification, spiritual growth, and godly transformation. Serious followers of God don’t want to stray from rightly dividing the Word of God.

Meditating on scripture doesn’t take away from, rather, it adds to. Those of you who are familiar with Jesus Calling and its sister books like Jesus Always, know what meditating produces. Sarah Young’s books are examples of personal recordings of thoughts God gives during her times alone with Him. They align with scripture and are true to God and His Word. They “add on,” in that they minister to the heart in a personal way.

That Secret Place shows how to draw close to God in this same way.

More later.

. . .

Photo by Victoria Bilsborough, Unsplash

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New Year, Fresh Start

Reflections on 2020

As I write this, the date is December 31, 2020. People are asking what we’ve learned during this strangely odd year of 2020. More than learning, I would say we have grown in our insights on how to endure.

We have gained understanding for what the refugee may feel, how the incarcerated may feel, the “in-need-but-doing-without” may feel, and with a greater respect for the way depression alters outlook when it slows the ability to “be” present. Strong people have admitted to being depressed this year.

We have gained understanding about our human need for inclusion, interaction, activity, sharing, touching, being together, giving, and helping. Simply put, we humans need each other.  We are also more aware of our own mortality, our fragility, and our sense of being one isolated person of many socially distanced isolated people. We’ve empathized to a greater degree than we have in the past.

We have known people that are suffering, serving in the medical front lines, people who’ve died of the Covid or complications, famous people, ordinary folk, friends and family. Everything is upside down: schools, businesses, vacations, travel, employment, entertainment and so forth. Four hundred businesses lost in Butte County alone this year. That’s a lot of people hurt and people sadness. We’ve sympathized with others to a broader degree in many respects than we’re used to.

It’s been quite a year. Besides the racial tension, BLM and the defund the police movements, the Covid-19 traumatizing virus—which has changed life as we knew it, there is the other grand 2020 player, the political trauma and biases, which has isolated whole blocks of people who now feel disenfranchised, disregarded, and hated for their beliefs or who they voted for, by the other half of the populace.

This undercuts who we are as a free people in a free land.

Aspirations for 2021

What is the solution? Do we just carry on? I believe we must do more than just “carry on.” We must reach higher. All of us could help, love, and care more. We could look beyond our own wants, to provide safety, inclusion, grace, kindness, and life in our own communities and beyond.

We can dig deeper. We can aspire to more.

This is the 2021 challenge: Aspire to >more, >better, and >best. No excuses.

But how can we do this? I have five suggestions:

    • One, we start being the leader, and we stop being the judge.
    • Two, we do what we can to put a bright spin on things, and we stop being a sour voice about the things that we can’t change, anyway.
    • Three, we trust the future to God–He knows what He is doing–and we don’t give up doing what we are called to do.
    • Four, we do the next best thing, whatever that is. You keep reaching forward, instead of remaining on pause.
    • Five, we make it a habit to praise God for what is happening personally, inter-personally and intro-personally, socially, nationally, and internationally. That should about cover it.

“Do for,” even if they don’t do for you back. Pay it forward, and pray it forward.

I’m aspiring to having a better 2021. I don’t want another year like 2020, it was especially hard on my emotions. I’m going to reach forward. In fact, I’m already thinking of ways to make it better so I’m doing more than just enduring. I’m going to be thriving. How? I’m going to be engaged in moving forward, and to not being overwhelmed and stagnated by the difficulties. It’s a mind game, as it always is. It’s also a trust in God game, as it always is. . . .

I’ll keep you posted.

. . .

Photo by Chris Barbalis, Unsplash