When we rush through life, we miss moments that spark wonder. When we miss wonder, life can start to feel shallow and without meaning or beauty. How can I become more attentive to wonder in my daily life?

Distraction is seductive because it doesn’t make demands on us. But ultimately the deeper hunger for what is true and holy will call to us through the veil of our diversions. What in my life right now is a distraction I could reduce or eliminate?

We carry our “stuff” – our issues, our struggles, our compulsions – with us wherever we are. While our impulse may be to flee to a new place when something is not working out for us, the desert wisdom is to stay and become present to ourselves just as we are. What “stuff” needs my attention right now so I can deal with it in a healthy, faithful manner?

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that [my sheep] may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10). How do you experience “abundant life”?

The sermon discusses scarcity vs abundance. What forms of scarcity do you experience? How does Jesus’ promise of abundance help you to address that sense of scarcity?

When it comes to talking about scarcity vs abundance, the word “enough” carries with it a lot of weight. What does “enough” look like for you?

We live in a world that wants us to shoot arrows from our bow again and again, without regard to how stretched we feel, how close to breaking we often come with the multiple demands placed upon us. What are the ways you push forward in your life even when tired and depleted?

Jesus also practiced a rhythm of work and rest in his daily life. Every day, he goes to temple to teach, and then he goes to the Mount of Olives to rest and retreat. He knows the necessity of replenishing his reservoir of energy. What is your own Mount of Olives, the places or moments where you can rest?

Lent is a great time to experiment and grow in spiritual practices. I encourage you to try hard to incorporate some time for rest into your lives. What is your experience with Sabbath rhythms and how can you add some Sabbath to your life?

Mary did not hold back her grief and tears when she encountered Jesus after Lazarus' death, and neither did Jesus.  What is your relationship weeping? Do you cry freely, or do you hold back your tears?

Their are some people at the gravesite of Lazarus who criticize Jesus for mourning. They say, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” The implication is that he should just pull himself together and help already. When you notice the impulse to be strong and hold everything together, what are the practices that help you to soften towards yourself?

We have all experienced different kinds of grief throughout our lives. Some grief is relatively easy to release, while other sources of grief can remain with us even for our entire lives. What are the griefs you still carry? How might you make space to honor these?

On the one hand, being a good planner is a gift. However, planning can also be an act of trying to control life. What is your own relationship to calendars, planning, deadlines, and to-do lists?

When we are always making plans for what we want to happen, we lose the opportunity to pay attention to the moments that call us to something we could not have imagined.  What are the ways you schedule your life that end up costing you or depleting you?

Silence is the primordial sound of God, speaking into our lives. The Prophet Elijah encountered God’s presence in a sound of sheer silence. God still speaks to us in the silence, but that voice is often drowned out in everyday chatter. When was the last time you experienced a prolonged silence? What was it like? How could you include more silent times in your day/week?

We love to have a plan because it creates a sense of safety and certainty. What are the aspects of your life where you crave certainty?

While we love to have a plan and a sense of safety and certainty, we also tend to love surprises. Has there ever been a time of your life when what unfolded was even better than what you could have imagined?

Mystery can be intimidating, because it emphasizes the unknown. But mystery can also be intriguing, drawing us closer to the thing we seek to understand. As you ponder the gifts of mystery, what true hunger do you discover?