Here & Now
An invitation to Pause, Encounter, and Grow together.
An invitation to Pause, Encounter, and Grow together.
A contemplative’s journey.
Lent Day 18
Selah Companion
My tummy twists and knots. My heart wrenches. My soul searches my living room for relief. I see my favorite blanket, so soft and soothing. I see my tablet, ready with a diversion in games. I see my Bible, Truth, and Jesus inside. A lesson pops into my head, another essay to write and share with others. The moral is right there: I could self-soothe, divert my attention, or go to the Source of healing. But teaching lessons is just another diversion in disguise, an opportunity to escape the heartbreak. I decided to stay grounded and feel the feelings. I hurt.
I don’t pick up my Bible. I tried reading it last night but ended up in hypothetical theological arguments. I’m so tired. I don’t want to argue anymore. I pick up my blanket and wrap it around me, and it soothes me. I feel my muscles unclench a little. I play games on my tablet, and my thoughts untangle and relax. Calmer now, I pick up my Bible and read. “But I trust in your unfailing love,” it says. I am almost ready to receive the message. I stay still.
I decide to trust. I feel the freedom from self-condemnation. It’s OK not to follow the direct path to God. He’s with me. It’s OK to self-soothe. He’s with me in the softness and the comfort. It’s OK to recreate and divert attention from pain. He’s with me on the journey. It’s OK to return again and again and again and again to Love. He’s with me.
It’s OK.
An online contemplative gathering that meets every Friday at 10am PST. Free for anyone anytime. Register to receive Zoom link.
OCT 23 & NOV 6: Join us on-line for a two-part Creative Contemplative workshop led by Wendy Bryant and Cindy Waple. No artistic experience necessary.
An online contemplative gathering that meets every Friday at 10am PST. Free for anyone anytime. Register to receive Zoom link.
SEPT 2023-APRIL 2024: Selah's "signature" course, Online, Meets one Saturday per month.
A monthly in-person gathering for contemplative practice in Gig Harbor (WA). Meets monthly on second Mondays.
An online contemplative gathering that meets every Friday at 10am PST. Free for anyone anytime. Register to receive Zoom link.
NOV 19: Sample Selah Companion Conversations before regular meetings begin Jan 2024. Led by John and Marissa Kiemele. RSVP for Zoom link.
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SEPT 2023-MAY 2024: Expand your capacity as a Spiritual Director through practice and training via Zoom.
FALL 2023: Join writers from the Selah community on alternating Tuesday evenings (every two weeks) from 6-7 pm. Get your words flowing by writing in community through Zoom.
An online contemplative gathering that meets every Friday at 10am PST. Free for anyone anytime. Register to receive Zoom link.
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Selah Center
P.O. Box 2724
Gig Harbor, WA 98335