#Joyce Rupp

[dk-thrive]

If I wait to be perfect before I love myself, I will always be unsatisfied and ungrateful. If I wait until all the flaws, chips, and cracks disappear, I will be the cup that stands on the shelf and is never used.

- Joyce Rupp, The Cup of Our Life (Sorin Books; April 30, 2012) (via Alive on All Channels)

[fierysword]

Sophia is the one who journeys with the people: "Wisdom delivered her servants from their ordeals ... led by her along straight paths ... she showed . . . the knowledge of holy things" (Wisdom 10:9-10)... The strength and the guidance of Sophia..."the marvels that God has done"...are emphasized.

The Star in My Heart: Experiencing Sophia, Inner Wisdom by Joyce Rupp

[suziegallagher]

Day one journal

Day 1: Be Open to All That Shows Up in Your Life open During my quiet time I opened the email but it is only now an hour later when I realise how many things have been open to me. My dog was open to being taken for a walk, a driver was open to letting me go first, the door opened (but first I had to unlock it), the coffee cup with its beautiful cat motif stared at me open to be filled. Now as…

[forward-in-joy]

The Heart of Compassion

Compassionate God,

your generous presence

is always attuned to hurting ones.

Your listening ear is bent

toward the cries of the wounded.

Your heart of love

fills with tears for the suffering.

-- Joyce Rupp

[tinyshe]

Death & Grieving booklist

The Memory Book: A Grief Journal for Children and Families by Joanna Rowland

The Memory Box is also by Rowland and some recommend using these two together

No Matter What by Debi Gliori

When Daddy Died, I … by KJ Reider

Why Did You Die by Erika Leewenburgh (the first section is directed to adult guide 2nd portion child activities)

Parenting A Grieving Child by Mary DeTurris Poust

Handbook for Those Who Grieve by Martin Auz & Maureen Andrews

Seriously, God? Making Sense of Life Not Making Sense By Fr. Michael White & Tom Corcoran

Praying Our Good-byes by Joyce Rupp (she also has other books on Grieving)

Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies by Marta Feber

A B C s of Healthy Grieving by Harold Smith

A Widow's Journey: Reflections on Walking Alone by Gail Roper

Daily Prayer for Grieving Hearts (a Day Spring Devotional style book)

[leonbloder]

How Jesus Saves The World

The other day, I saw a thought-provoking post on social media from an avowed atheist I follow.  

I started following him a few years ago out of curiosity. Then, to my surprise, I discovered that some of his posts resonated with me and helped me ask excellent questions about my faith. 

I'm going to show the content of the post: 

Maybe our problem on this planet is that people expect someone else to come solve their problems instead of doing it themselves.

This is an honest and appropriate critique.  But while I am sure that many expressions of the religions listed in the post are "so heavenly minded, they aren't any earthly good," there are also some that are much more balanced. 

I can only speak to Christianity because that is my tradition.  

I currently lead a particular congregation that looks toward a day when the world will be made right but also does everything imaginable to make it as right as possible now. 

Granted, there are plenty of Christian traditions that go a different direction and, in my opinion, get led astray by bad theology.  It's an easy trap to fall into when the world seems so out of joint.  

It also absolves adherents from responsibility and, sadly, can turn them into self-serving isolationists when it comes to their faith.  We are seeing this happen in Christianity here in the U.S. at an alarming rate. 

Recently, I read a fantastic quote from author Joyce Rupp about this very thing: 

We can’t just sit on the roadside of life and call ourselves followers of Jesus. We are to do more than esteem him for his generous love and dedicated service. We do not hear Jesus grumbling about the challenges and demands of this way of life. We do not see him “talking a good talk” but doing nothing about it. He describes his vision and then encourages others to join him in moving those teachings into action. 

I also need to say this: 

Putting our faith into action to do our best to live as Jesus would have us live in our world isn't an example of "woke" Christianity; it is Christianity- at least Christianity as it should be. 

You see, you can long for a day when the shalom of God, as described by Jesus, will permeate all of Creation, and you can also work to bring that shalom to the world to fulfill that longing right here, right now. 

The vision of my church is Love God, Love Everybody, which represents this balance.  You show your love for God by loving everybody that God loves.  And if you can't bring yourself to truly love everybody that God loves, you might not love God as much as you think. 

And so we follow Jesus rather than sit on the roadside.  We put our faith into action to do everything we can to bring hope to the hopeless, healing for the broken, and inclusion for those left on the outside.  

We don't need to pine for a future savior---our savior, our rescuer, our example, has already saved, rescued, and shown those who follow him how to live.  

May it be so.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us now and forever. Amen. 

[globalworship]

A Lenten Litany (by Joyce Rupp)

A Lenten Litany (Joyce Rupp)

Response after each line: Holy One, you are shelter and strength for those in distress.

When loved ones experience pain and suffering…

When illness, aging, or chronic pain diminish our joy…

When doubts arise and confusion fills our minds…

When others fail us or refuse to forgive us for our failings…

When we stumble and stray from the path of goodness…

When death separates us from those we love dearly…

When financial problems threaten our security…

When things do not go the way we planned…

When depression or loneliness return again and again…

When broken relationships have not been mended…

When our faith strengthens and gives us courage…

When the precious gift of life is recognized and appreciated…

When unexpected kindness and caring comes our way…

When optimism stirs in our heart and springtime returns…

When the peace of Christ calms our anxiety and softens our sadness…

When we realize that our loving presence can make a difference…

When the joy of Easter quietly permeates our heart…

© From the revised edition of Out of the Ordinary, Joyce Rupp. (Ave Maria Press) +++

[iphoneartzy]

When We Trust ‘Don’t Know’ We Do Not Cling To The Past

Havasu. iphone 12 Pro iColorama app When we trust ‘Don’t know’ we do not cling to the past. We do not hold onto old points of view and stagnant opinions. When we trust ‘Don’t know’ we are open to being in process, with many possibilities and alternatives. We do not force things to happen. ‘Don’t know’ waits and explores, searches and considers, examines and trusts. — Joyce Rupp 100 People…

[willymac4]

An excerpt of "A Celebration of Winter Solstice" - by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr. "There is a tendency to want to hurry from autumn to spring, to avoid the long dark days that winter brings. Many people do not like constant days bereft of light and months filled with colder temperatures. They struggle with the bleakness of land and the emptiness of trees. Their eyes and hearts seek color. Their spirits tire of tasting the endless gray skies. There is great rejoicing in the thought that light and warmth will soon be filling more and more of each new day. "But winter darkness has a positive side to it. As we gather to celebrate the first turn from winter to spring, we are invited to recognize and honor the beauty in the often unwanted season of winter. Let us invite our hearts to be glad for the courage winter proclaims. Let us be grateful for the wisdom winter brings in teaching us about the need for withdrawal as an essential part of renewal. Let us also encourage our spirits as Earth prepares to come forth from this time of withdrawal into a season filled with light. "The winter solstice celebrates the return of hope to our land as our planet experiences the first slow turn toward greater daylight. Soon we will welcome the return of the sun and the coming of springtime. As we do so, let us remember and embrace the positive, enriching aspects of winter's darkness. Pause now to sit in silence in the darkness of this space. Let this space be a safe enclosure of creative gestation for you." https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmdf7XGuq1o/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sunglow-xoxo]

No matter how much light I carry within me, there will always be times of feeling lost, being confused, seeking direction. It is the way of the human heart.

Joyce Rupp

[philipchircop]

A BLESSING OF BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT FOR MOTHERS OF ALL SORTS, SIZES, AND SHAPES

O mothers, one and all, some of you have carried your children in your womb. Others of you have welcomed babes in need of your attention who came to you from another birth mother. May the love you’ve poured forth return to you in plenitude.

O mothers, do not live in regret of what you wished you would have done, or what you did do and wished you had not. As you look back on your mothering, may you remember that you tried to do your best, given the circumstances.

O mothers, those of you for whom much of your life with your children is before you, do not imagine you can do this alone. Remember it takes a lot of leaning on the Divine Mother whose heart enfolds every mother and child. May you draw strength daily from her kindly sustenance.

O mothers, do not forget to care for yourself. Find what enriches and gladdens your heart. Be good to your body and spirit. Remember you are worthy of care and attention. May you have the vitality it takes to give generously of yourself.

O mothers, you who have gone on to another sphere of life, we welcome our memories of you and remember how much you mean to us. May the peace you now have flow into the weary and troubled hearts of mothers everywhere.

O mothers, for the countless times your hard work and generous self-giving was never thanked or acknowledged, was rejected or taken for granted, may you know yourself loved and appreciated today.

O mothers, we call today on the Divine Mother to draw you to her spacious heart, to replenish what needs revitalization in you. May you know her comfort, peace, and tender embrace. May you hear the Divine Mother’s song of love humming in you. Amen.

Taken from Prayer Seeds: A Gathering of Blessings, Reflections, and Poems for Spiritual Growth © 2017 by Joyce Rupp (pages 30-31). 

Art: Divine Mother by Anand Jaggernauth 

[fierysword]

When we grow in wisdom, we often do so by going within to the darkness of our inner depths. Sophia is the Star who guides us and protects us on this journey.

The Star in My Heart: Experiencing Sophia, Inner Wisdom by Joyce Rupp

[suziegallagher]

Day 2: Pick a Soul Booster

platitudes The one liners in the email are those things that people say when they want to reassure but don’t have the words and the words they use are not necessary.A one line sentence to live for, for me… You are the Segullah (treasured possession) of God.

[insilencewaits]

Guide to Advent 2019 - Daily Meditations ...

Guide to Advent 2019 – Daily Meditations …

Advent Daily Meditations are returning on In Silence Waits this year!  I will be posting a short daily meditation starting on the first day of December 2019 through to Christmas day.

The theme for this year’s meditations is “comfort and joy“.  I look forward to sharing my advent journey with you.

  We don’t have to go far to find the treasure we are seeking. There is beauty and goodness right…

[evergreensoulthings]

“No two hearts are on fire with God in the same way. We are all called to live this vibrant love of God in our own way. In life's ups and downs, at times we will wonder if any fire remains in us. Because of our inner battles, we will at times resist the fire or fear its power. Yet, within us all, the fire of God continues to flicker even though we may not see its glow.

How do we keep the love of God aflame in us? We must stay close to the original flame of love, and draw near to the heat of God. Each time we intentionally draw near to God, we light a candle in our heart.”

~ Joyce Rupp in ~ May I Have This Dance? … Artist ~ Daniel Gerhart

[fialleril]

hi! i'm trying to get back into reading again and i figured, who better to ask for book recs than one of the best writers on tumblr imo! ^w^ what are your favorite books? which do you feel have influenced your own writing the most?

Thanks anon, you’re very kind. :)

It’s a bit cliche, but I think my two biggest writing influences are probably Tolkien and Pratchett. I also think I’ve been influenced a fair bit (though probably less obviously) by Tim O’Brien, Urusla Le Guin, the poets Mary Oliver and T. S. Eliot, and the spiritual writer Joyce Rupp.

My Tolkien influence probably isn’t nearly as obvious as it was when I first started writing fic, but imo it’s very present in how I think about stories and storytelling. Tolkien has what I’d call a theology of writing, a concept of the deep truth and transformative power of stories that’s really shaped the foundation of my thinking about fiction.

*

Okay, that said, here’s a few recs.

Fiction:

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien | Probably the single most influential work on the power of stories. Looks like a book of short stories about the Vietnam war. Is a book of short stories about the Vietnam war. Is also an absolutely devastating look at how we create and recreate our own reality through the stories we tell ourselves and others. In the final chapter, O’Brien looks back on his younger self and on the book he’s written and describes it all as “Tim trying to save Timmy’s life with a story.”

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston | This is another story that’s working on multiple levels simultaneously. There’s coming of age, liberation, coming face to face with the incomprehensible, and a deeply theological underpinning to the whole story.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien | Okay, this one seems obvious maybe, but I’m reccing it anyway because 1) I love this book, and 2) it’s so much better than the movies, like, I cannot even begin to tell you. If you’ve only seen the movies, please, please let yourself experience true goodness and read the book.

Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward | This book is tragically out of print but you can probably find it through your local library, and it is absolutely worth your while to do so. A fantasy novel in which the world is out of balance because the forces of good won, and it’s now up to a rag tag band of villains to save the world before all that goodness causes it to sublimate. Also features an excruciatingly bad pun as a major plot point, so of course I love it.

Discworld by Terry Pratchett | This is a massive series made up of many smaller series, and it’s infamously hard to know what books to start with, but I’d probably recommend either Guards! Guards!, Wyrd Sisters, or Reaper Man as a starting point. (That said, my first Discworld book was actually Hogfather, which I think makes a good first foray even if it’s technically in the middle of a series. Reaper Man isn’t the first of the Death books either, but I think it makes a better introduction than Mort. Same goes for Wyrd Sisters and the witches books.)

Deep River by Shusaku Endo | This is just a really gorgeous meditation on humanity, told through a series of stories about Japanese pilgrims visiting India.

Nonfiction:

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells | This is a searing, open-eyed, clearly written and honest look at the world being created by climate change. It’s the most comprehensive and well-documented book on the subject I’ve found, and it covers subjects most treatises on climate change don’t touch. The final chapters deal with the narratives we construct around our world, and how those narratives are challenged and changing as a result of our changing climate. Fair warning, though: if you’re someone who gets intense climate anxiety, I do not recommend this book.

Trickster Makes This World by Lewis Hyde | A gorgeously written look at the influence of trickster stories in myth, art, history, and pop culture.

Coyote America by Dan Flores | The story of how the US attempt to wipe out the coyote succeeded in helping them spread from sea to shining sea. This one is also a trickster story.

Dark Money by Jane Mayer | A deeply researched and exhaustively documented dive into the billionaires financing the rise of libertarianism in American conservative politics.

Flesh and Glory: Symbolism, Gender and Theology In The Gospel of John by Dorothy Lee | This one is extremely niche, fair warning, but it is my single favorite piece of academic theological writing, and it would be difficult to overstate the influence this book had on my theological worldview. If you’ve ever wanted to do some academic study of the Gospel of John, start here.