Articles By: Juanita Rasmus

I was given a book as a gift last year and I decided to pull it down and begin to read it. The book 25 Books Every Christian Should Read: A Guide to the Essential Spiritual Classics by the Editors at Renovaré. I glanced down the table of contents and nodded as I scrolled the titles of the early spiritual classics. Some I’d heard of, some I had not. There noted as number “24” was Mere Christianity by Clive Staples Lewis aka C. S. Lewis, a book I had always wanted to take a summer or so to read.

And here it was right before my very eyes all nicely edited by Brenda Quinn for those of us who still have to make a living while we are trying to become solid believers. It was short, sweet and to the point.

I don’t particularly promote myself as having the gift of hospitality. Although I am aware, that as believers in Jesus Christ I am expected to live hospitably. I am growing to see that hospitality and the experience of the stranger can arise in any place. My daughter and I had a rare opportunity to visit a lakeside retreat facility as the guest of a friend. It is one of those that offer in-suite kitchens so that you can prepare your meals should you choose. We decided to head to the nearest food store one of those big box kinds.

My oldest Godson, Jackson was about 18 months old when he and his sister, Tamara, were sleeping over while their parents coped with a cancer diagnosis. I dropped Tamara off at school, and Jackson and I headed to one of my favorite hang out spaces—the outdoor labyrinth of a nearby church. I entered the area with my usual sense on sacred “awe.” Jackson entered the space with wide-eyed wonder. I always paused at the entrance of the labyrinth in reverence for the Holy that I encountered there and, quite frankly, to settle myself from the rush of carpooling, breakfast preparation, children gathering and the like. I took in a deep breath and before I could exhale I heard the Spirit say, “Today, he is your teacher.”

I am a journal keeper.

I’m so grateful that our editor at Conversations invited us to use lectio and listen for God regarding our past year. Frankly, I had never considered the idea.

I recently Googled the trailer from the Julia Roberts movie “Eat, Pray, Love.” Julia’ s character had gone into her bathroom in the middle of the night, shut the door and prayed the only way she knew how. She said prayer was so remote to her that she started to say “Hello God I’m a big fan of your work!” Julia’s character was in pain.

Two weeks ago, I attended the Apprentice Institute held in the booming metropolis of Wichita, Kansas. One of the keynote speakers is a dear friend of mine, Mindy Caliguire. Her presentation was entitled “Hounded by Heaven Living into Personal Transformation”. I got settled into my seat as Mindy began her presentation. She’s a gifted speaker and writer, and I was ready to hear whatever she had to say.

I am on retreat even as I type this. Over the years I have found that I need to pull back from the maddening that is sometimes my life. I have found that retreats have given me an opportunity to schedule time alone to regain my equilibrium. Retreats help me align myself to the presence of God. When I am no longer sensitive to the fact that I’m barking and biting or that my life has again become unmanageable, retreats make space for me to simply “be still and know”.

The time of “really going thru”, feeling isolated from God, from the familiar comforts of life—whether it be a state of contentment or familiarity of a “ normal” routine—the  desert time is often as though you’ve turned off onto a road that you’ve never encountered. Now all the senses are on alert and there are no familiar icons pointing out the right direction. The desert times are often disorienting and can easily stir up, just beneath the skin, anxieties that seem to lie dormant until times like these. These are the times when illusion and reality seem equally illusive.

I am learning that I am probably headed away from God when I am not taking care of my “SELF”. I met with my therapist last week. I’m officially living in the “m” word (menopause!) and I am grateful for her stabilizing influence on this sea of “change”.

I’ve been exercising my creative side and I have been amazed at what my art has been revealing to me about me. Now, I’m not trained in art but I’m involved with The Art Project Houston and we are bringing the power of creativity to the homeless community in our city. So I’m along for the ride!