It should not surprise me, but it does.

I should not be surprised that one of the many ways God communicates to humanity these days would be via email. But I was this morning when I logged on my iPad with a cup of coffee to wake me from my deep, dark sleep.

Yesterday, like so many days that surround my birthday, I wanted so badly to retreat and pull away from Life. I felt as if my spiritual discipline was not being exercised, like God and I were on different days, with me somehow falling far behind. My mind just couldn't focus, and the noise inside my head kept me confused and detached. Nothing too unusual for me on my birthday.

I woke up this morning feeling like I was going to decend again into this weird, dark and familiar place, when lo and behold I receive this devotion from The Henri Nouwen Society entitled "Creating Space for God"

"Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating. It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better. Discipline in the spiritual life is the concentrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God's guidance.Thus, discipline is the creation of boundaries that keep time and space open for God. Solitude requires discipline, worship requires discipline, caring for others requires discipline. They all ask us to set apart a time and a place where God's gracious presence can be acknowledged and responded to."

Meditate: "Come to my help O God; Lord, hurry to my rescue." Psalm 70:1

Pray for the Central Luthern Church in Van Nuys, CA for their work in recovery ministry and homeless outreach, may God's blessings be with them and may God hear the cries of the poor to whom the Church serves.