The Prayer Notebook App

I learned of this helpful prayer app by way of Anne Voskamp's excellent blog, "A Holy Experience." The Prayer Notebook has transformed the analog process and format of a prayer journal into a digital app for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Other features include:

*Group prayers into categories
*SMS or email contacts when you have prayed for them
*Tweet what you are praying for
*Schedule prayers daily, weekly, or for a specific day
*Set an alert for prayer requests to remind you to pray
*Mark prayer requests as answered
*Password protect your prayers

Though my prayer process is far less list-oriented than it used to be, it is easy to see the adaptability of this app to almost any prayer routine. Check it out at http://prayernotebookapp.com/.

The Church Could Benefit from Women in Leadership

Numerous churches and denominations exclude women from leadership roles. Though I think the hermeneutic that leads to their conclusion is a flawed one, I understand that they believe that in so doing they are being obedient, principled, and biblical. Still, imagine what benefits the church could reap if this were not so. I offer the following as Exhibit A:

Simplifying the Soul

Paula Huston's Simplifying the Soul (Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit) is a beautiful, memorable, and practical book.

It's such a lovely book that I think I regret that it is intended for reading during Lent. Don't get me wrong: it is perfect--in tone, in style, in application--for Lent. But it seems to me it could be profitably read and enjoyed at any time of the year. And, though it is written by a Benedictine oblate and published by Ave Maria Press, it is far more ecumenical than you might think.

Simplifying the Soul invites the reader to slow down and, well, simplify. It is pitch perfect. It draws beautiful, thoughtful lessons from the author's life, from the writings of the Desert Fathers, and of course from the Bible. It is, as one of my favorite writers, Phyllis Tickle, says, "A verbal retreat that invites both the soul and the body to a holy retooling."

I read it last year. It is so good, I have pulled it out to read again this year.

Thoughts from a Recovering Pastor

Shaun King, on his blog Shaun In the City, recently posted an insightful post entitled, "7 Thoughts from a Recovering Pastor."

It starts like this:

From 1997-2011, I served 3 different churches in some pastoral or ministry role – including 3+ as Senior Pastor of Courageous Church in Atlanta. It chewed me up and spit me out. I’ve written about most of the highs and lows here on my blog. All things considered, I still love and believe in the church.

I admit, though, that I now only attend church occasionally, speak at churches rarely, and am still recovering and struggling to find my way in the contemporary church. I’m wide open to the possibility that the problem is me. This is not a post on how the church is ugly and I’m not.

I have a few rather random thoughts on the church that I want to share. While they do come from my own personal experiences, they each could transfer to your context.

He goes on to hit the proverbial nail on the pastoral head. Or vice versa. At any rate, go read the whole thing. It's worth it, whether you are a pastor, a church leader, a church member, or none of the above.

Wisdom Is Proved Right By Her Actions

This standing desk may well be the wisest purchase I have made in a long time (except for your book, if you're one of my fellow authors). It has drastically reduced the amount of time I spend sitting during my work day, and that's a good thing. It also djangles my creativity (see what I did there?), I think, to change posture off and on throughout the day. And, as everyone knows by now, THEY say sitting for long periods is bad for your health. And I am always careful to do what THEY say I should do. As should you. Unless you're one of THEY, in which case you already knew that.

A Bear Too Far?

Really?