I tried to practice St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “Examen” which is a five-step daily prayer (memorized by the 5 R’s):  1. Relish – Express thankfulness. I thanked God for His backyard that he has provided to me as a place where I meet Him in the quiet.  2. Request – Petition for God’s grace to see and overcome any failings. There are many for me here, starting with cramming errands and tasks into my Sabbath.  3. Review – I reviewed the day with God.  4. Repent – Ask for forgiveness for faults that surface in my mind.  5. Resolve – Resolve to live tomorrow well and going forward.

It helps me (and I think Joshua also mentioned this during his story) to pray Psalm 139: 23-24 which reads,

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

This is both step 2 and step 3 of the Examen, to request God’s grace to see our shortcomings and review how it’s been going.

I most experienced God’s nearness this week when I feel that I’ve received a spiritual download from him.  This week I wrote down seven characteristics of the “new wine skin” church based on the first church in the Book of Acts.  I’m eager to share this with KCF in the future.