Spirituality Class Update

After six days of class, I am up to 29 pages (front and back) of class notes. This is in addition to some 170 pages of notes provided in our class binder. Suffice it to say, there's a lot I'm chewing on. Here is a grab-bag of some favorite quotes from class thus far; I've tried to sort them by topics.

On our human will
* Don't tell God "I can't" when what you really mean is "I won't."
* How can someone be responsible if they are not given space to do so? [a great insight into why God gives us free-will and how we can approach parenting]
* God will not, as a rule, compete for your attention. [which is why we typically have to get quiet in order to hear God]

On the Church
* Alchoholics Anonymous developed because churches weren't welcoming drunks.
* Does the gospel I preach produce disciples or religious consumers?
* The main problem with organized religion today is that it's distracted [focused on secondary things]
* There must be more to Christianity than "keep them coming" on Sundays.
* Legalism is a form of superstition. [Like, say, a lucky rabbit's foot that provides the illusion of control.]
* God gives us gifts in order to bless others, not in order to prove anything about us.

On the spiritual disciplines
* The spiritual disciplines are not righteousness but wisdom. [They don't make you right with God; they empower you to become the person God wants you to become.]
* Often we theologize ourselves out of prayer (perhaps in trying to protect God from "failure").
* Jesus took naps.
* In solitude, we learn that we are not alone.
* Listening is one of the greatest gifts we can give (and can often be the greatest witness to our faith).
* How easily do I buy into the assumption: "if you're not busy, you're not important."

One to grow on
* May you come to see that Jesus has faith in you.

Dallas and Jane Willard