.005 surprisingly talkative

There have been long periods in my life when my conversations with God happened down on my knees or with folded hands, sometimes with a rosary, often in sanctuaries (at crazy hours of the night in order to have the whole space to myself). Pretty traditional. But I've learned, out of necessity in a variety of forms, to talk and listen to God in a variety of ways. It's kind of nice to know that some of the other ways I talk to God are every bit as traditional as some of our stereotypical images of prayer.

Walking. Intentional, reflective silence. Meditating on candlelight or icons or other art. Listening to trees and smelling clouds. Resting--emptying my mind enough that God can speak to me in dreams. I now find God to be "surprisingly talkative" when I do these things and others. God doesn't speak to me in all of these ways in a single day, or at least I haven't yet gotten that good at listening. But I find that, at different points along my journey, God and I agree to meet in different places, different postures, different sights and sounds and even tastes.

Feinberg writes about the fact that "God whispers" (p. 96). That's why we have to listen more carefully and stay very close to God in order to hear these divine whispers that will lead us down right paths.

Lately, especially now that it's warm again, I'm find God in nature. Perhaps it's obvious from the look of this blog, but I'm head-over-heels in love with the west and particularly with rocks. Wildflowers are a newer passion, but I love the way God shows off with bursts of color! Now that it's warm and sunny, I'm spending time with God in my garden, walking along the canals, and sitting on rocks in the middle of nowhere. Lately God is assuring me over and over that I'm in the right place, that I'm not on this journey alone but together with God. (I didn't know that I needed so much reassurance, but it sure feels good to get it!) I'm also getting God's message to me to rest, to find Sabbath, to not neglect the command to "be still and know" (Ps. 46:10).

Where are you finding God these days? What is God saying to you these days?

What about Sabbath and rest? Watch this and think about it.

.004 amazingly wise

I love Feinberg's personal story of being surprised at the wisdom that came from her own lips. I'm partial to this particular story because I'm a little jealous of the wisdom she was given. I've been stuck in similar situations myself and haven't received a pearl of wisdom like this one in my predicaments!

If you haven't read it, she's telling the story of being asked, "What gives you the right, as a woman, to get up and speak to this audience, which includes me, and talk regarding anything having to do with Scripture?" Her answer (that came from someplace beyond her): "Because I am his daughter" (p. 76-7). AMEN!

That's what gives any of us the right to speak about God or scripture. By virtue of being God's children, we're qualified to speak of God and susceptible to speaking wisdom.

If I may stray from our text and get very Methodist for a moment.... John Wesley, Father of the Methodist Church, recognized the importance of each person's experience of God. One result of Wesley's teachings (still firmly rooted in his Anglican roots) is what's now known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. The four parts of scripture, tradition, reason, and experience give us lenses through which to view the world. Combined, we get a well-rounded understanding of how Christians might live faithfully.

This mini-soapbox is the result of my experience of being discounted as both a woman and a young adult. I find that, time and again, my experience is doubted, questioned, or altogether discounted on the basis of age and/or gender. It's terribly frustrating! (Question my knowledge of scripture, challenge my book-learning of tradition, or disagree with my reasoning, but let me have my experience!)

I'm grateful to have it pointed out here that wisdom can be spoken by those who are willing to be vessels--and usually comes through us when we least expect it.

What about your experience? When have you been a vessel through which wisdom flowed?

.003 breathtakingly beautiful

What do you love about Jesus?

This is the question that changed our author's understanding of sharing one's faith. Feinberg writes, "...I thought sharing one's faith was a matter of coercion. Now I realize it's a matter of connection" (p. 55). Feinberg writes about loving Jesus for his beauty and finding beauty all around when she more readily identifies the Creator of those surroundings: "When I fix my eyes on him, then I can look at things in this world and better recognize which ones bear the fingerprints of the Creator. And I find myself worshiping the Maker of beauty rather than that which merely has been marked by beauty" (p. 53).

I get it. I started practicing yoga more than seven years ago. It's great for my health and for od for my often overwhelmed brain. Type A folks like me need something to slow us down and give us an excuse to be still and yet feel accomplished afterwards. An equally wonderful and completely unexpected gift of my yoga practice is the way it has opened my eyes to beauty. While yoga has somehow made me more attuned to physical beauty in other people, it is also undeniably connected to the beauty of the Creator. I see human bodies as works of art. Each is a differently shaped, a hand-crafted clay vessel sculpted by God. Each is the perfect work of art that God intended and bears God's own fingerprints. I receive it as an amazing blessing to see people as creations made and loved by the Creator rather than judging shapes and contours and colors the way society and media would have me to do.

One of my favorite children's sermons to give is to talk about the image of God. I ask kids what God looks like and get a variety of answers. (Or better yet, I ask kids to draw Jesus and get some of the coolest kid-art ever. I never fail to learn a lot about Jesus in the process of asking them to explain their drawings to me.) I tell them I've got a picture of God, but they'll have to look closely. I then show them a mirror. It's best when kids gasp in amazement! I wouldn't do this with children if I didn't believe that they are seeing God in that mirror, but that's precisely what I believe.

But yoga and bodies are just one way among infinite others to see beauty around you, me, and us. So where is it that you see God's breathtaking beauty?

And what do you love about Jesus?

.002 bighearted

As we journey with Feinberg and each other deeper into our relationship to the divine, we find God to be "bighearted." What exactly does the author mean by that? "God whose love cannot be contained, coupled by a desire for real relationship" (p. 32). I try to see both sides of the coin. I regularly look at different aspects of my faith and try to see them as an outsider or non-believer would. I am well aware that some of my beliefs must sound crazy to others, so I appreciate the skepticism of non-believers. But when it comes to this bighearted God and this definition of bighearted, I cannot imagine who would not want this sort of relationship.

Closely related to that invitation to real relationship is the invitation to real life. Feinberg writes, "Jesus isn't providing an explanaton of how to live as much as he is issuing an invitation to real life" (p. 39). Real life surely cannot happen without genuine love and honest relationship(s).

There's a lot to say about this bighearted God, but I don't want to direct us too specifically. Comment in any way you're inspired to do so, or begin by answering one of the questions provided for us in the book: "In what ways has God been bighearted with you?" (p. 198)

what's organic?

When I told my sister about this book and our online discussion, she was skeptical. The word "organic" in the title was off-putting to her immediately. She's surely not alone. I think "organic" often brings to mind tofu, yoga, Birkenstocks, and a Prius with bumperstickers for Ralph Nader and GreenPeace. (I don't know what's wrong with any of those things, but I can appreciate that they don't fit in with everyone's lifestyles...)

Our author uses "organic" in terms of her relationship with God to mean "Natural. Pure. Essential." If I'm geniune in my desire to draw near to God, then--of course--I want that relationship to be pure. I want it to be such an inseparable part of my life that it's as natural as breathing. I want to feel entirely dependent upon God, recognizing that God is essential to my every moment.

What about you? Where do you seek God? What qualities do you desire in your relationship with God? Do you want it to be pure? natural? essential? intimate? constant? surprising? what?

In the workbook that accompanies our book (and you're not expected to have the workbook, I'll just use it as a resource), we are asked, "Is there anything about seeking God that makes you uncomfortable?" What is it? Why is it uncomfortable? There are plenty of valid and admirable reasons for seeking some uncomfortable things. What are your reasons for it in this case?

.001 an organic appetite

In chapter 1, Feinberg writes,

"All too often I find myself tempted to live a distracted life. You know the kind--the one where, within the busyness of life, you still manage to perform the stand-up, sit-down, clap, clap, clap or regular church attendance; drop a check in the offering plate; hope for a new nugget of knowledge, understanding or insight in the weekly sermon; and check off a random, albeit short, list of acts of kindness to others. Somehow I'm supposed to feel like I'm living the Jesus-driven life. I don't." (p. 15)

What about you? Are you living "the distracted life"? Goodness knows it's easy to do. It's even what society tells us we're supposed to do. Let's assume YES. Let's assume we're all living (or at least tempted to live) "the distracted life." What do YOU do about it? How do you find God in the midst of so much chaos? How do you find Jesus in between the emails, texts, and tweets? How do you make time for the Spirit in the midst of round-the-clock multi-tasking?

Later in the chapter, Feinberg says, "I hunger for the simplicity" (p. 19). She points out that "God seems far more concerned with transformation than mere information" (p. 22). Transformation is harder! I know how to deal with information and I'm comfortable with it. Transformation calls me to be vulnerable, to let God into the places in my life where I prefer control, to hand over some of my desperate need to make all of my own well-researched choices...and yet, if I can do the hard work of letting go, I am more likely to find some of that simplicty for which I, too, am longing.

What does your soul need? Some simplicty? Some quiet? Some alone time with God? Or something completely different? How do you meet those spiritual needs? What gets in the way of trying to care for your spirit?

.000 luminesence

It's finally time to start our discussion of The Organic God! Ready? Go!


In the introduction (.000 luminescence), our author writes about someone experiencing all of the wonder and energy and excitement of God as she first sees luminescence. Where have you seen God? What wonder in nature have you observed that made every cell within you feel completely alive and energized? Did this experience draw you closer to God?


Margaret Feinberg also gives us some guidance for Bible study alongside each chapter. (Check out the "rainy-day reflections" section of the book that begins on p. 195.) Read Genesis 9:8-16 and Revelation 4:1-11--they're right here for you.


Post your comments so we can enter into conversation! Got your own questions for the group? Pose those to us here, too!

The Organic God soundtrack

When you get your copy of The Organic God, note that there's a soundtrack that Margaret Feinberg recommends to go along with the book. I haven't paired the songs with the chapters, but I have gathered the music and listened to it all. It makes for a great cd or iPod playlist, and I highly recommend it!

"Out of the Woods" (Nickel Creek)

"Unwritten" (Natasha Beddingfield)

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (U2)

"Homeward Bound" (Simon and Garfunkel)

"Come Away with Me" (Norah Jones)

"Maybe There's a Loving God" (Sara Groves)

"All Love Can Be" (James Horner, from the soundtrack of "A Beautiful Mind")

"Broken and Beautiful" (Mark Schultz)

"How to Save a Life" (The Fray)

"Rescue" (Jared Anderson)

"Talk" (Coldplay)

"Push" (Sarah McLachlan)

"Fire and Rain" (James Taylor)

"All Those Yesterdays" (Pearl Jam)

"Grace" (U2)

"Rich Young Ruler" (Derek Webb)

"Share the Well" (Caedmon's Call)

"Chasing Cars" (Snow Patrol)

"Kindness" (Chris Tomlin)

"You Still Have My Heart" (Rita Springer)
"Holy, Holy, Holy" [you choose the artist and version]

In 2005, I made a soundtrack of my life. It's got some of my favorites, but it's all relevant to my life, chronologically. If your life had a soundtrack, what would be on it? What song is playing in the background of the movie that is your life right now?

Our Triune God: All About the Love

Thinking theologically before we're reading...

St. Augustine left us many metaphors for the Trinity in his writings. As much as I love tradition (and I do--I'm about to quote Augustine for goodness sake!), "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost" doesn't really move me. I prefer "Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer" and other more creative interpretations of the Trinity. My new favorite metaphor is this one from St. Augustine that I ran across last week: God is the Lover, the Beloved, and the Love that unites them. Wow. That stirs my soul and gives me a new layer of understanding.

So what about you? Do you care? Do you relate to the Trinity or just stay out of the non-sensical three-in-one and one-in-three stuff? If it matters to you, why does it matter?

What awakens you?

While we're waiting for folks to order the book and get started, let's continue in introduction mode. Margaret Feinberg writes the following in her introduction:

"When I encounter something new that represents everything that is good and true and beautiful, something awakens inside of me. Maybe it's a heart cry for the Creator or maybe it's the Creator's heart cry for me. I do not know, but such encounters remind me that there is so much more to do and experience and know--not just about my world but about my God."

What is it that stirs your heart and excites your soul? What "so much more" do you long to "do and experience and know"? (Think Bucket List stuff.) Comment here to share these things about yourself as we continue getting to know one another.

Not ready to post? Learn more about our author in this 2-part interview here and here.

Why "The Organic God"?

Margaret Feinberg writes, "This book is designed to take you on a journey"--hey! a journey, like on the journey, which is where we are and why we are here! Anyway, Margaret was saying..."This book is designed to take you on a journey and to illuminte the beauty of God in your life...[so] that a part of you will come alive as you dance in all the brilliance of [God's] design." Who doesn't want to feel really, thoroughly alive? And who doesn't like to let loose once in a while and dance?!


We are on a journey--a long (God willing...), slow (God willing!) voyage. Why not enjoy it? Why not invite God to join us on the journey? Why not journey with companions into deeper spirituality?


As we slowly gather as a young adult (20- and 30-something-ish) group, comment below. Tell us who you are. Tell us a bit about your journey. What makes you feel most alive? And if you post some of your own dance moves on YouTube, I'll post those, too! :)

Young Adults, RETHINKing, and Organic

My profile, which I just wrote, uses the key phrases "young adult," "United Methodist," and "clergywoman" to describe me. Those are three factors that summarize a large part of my identity. While I once considered myself cutting edge, my colleagues are leaving me in the dust. I'm capable of blogging, but I haven't committed to it until now. I don't Facebook, and I never IMed. I text...but with spelling and punctuation that would make any English teacher proud. I've never posted anything on YouTube, and I still think only birds should tweet. Until...


This week the United Methodist Church launched a huge media and outreach campaign aimed at young adults called RETHINK CHURCH. The ideas of the campaign are amazing! The UMC is working hard to communicate to the un-churched or fallen away that we are about much more than 11 a.m. Sunday worship with a dress code. Now there are tons of ways to be part of a church...thousands of ways...reached through 10 thousand doors--really, just look!


As I read about this campaign in Interpreter (the hard copy, that is, which I received by snail mail), I realized that some of these high tech, hip ideas about how to use technology in ministry are written by old, white men. Competitor that I am, I will not let the old guys leave me behind while the church moves ahead!


That puts me in a tough place. My new (since July 2008) home in southern Idaho is a place where it is still possible to function without email. The church I serve (Burley United Methodist) is doing amazing work that is relevant in today's society. Our ministry doesn't utilize technology, which makes me question how relevant we can be. We are relevant to some, I suppose, while we are missing others because we operate in a parallel universe. We do a great job of reaching out to those with material needs and financial emergencies. We offer meaningful worship, complete with pews, organ, hymnals, and a variety of other worship paraphernalia items that have been used for centuries.


We are missing, I fear, the young adults who are not in crisis and are not comfortable in pews. We are missing those who are yearning for more intimate and meaningful connection than post-worship coffee hour conversation in the fellowship hall. We are missing opportunities for interested and interesting young minds to put their heads together and find God in times and places not scheduled on the church calendar. Surely God is tired of that calendar. And, while our United Methodist doors are are open, they swing both ways and people can go out even more easily than they can come in.


So here goes. I'm stepping out--boldly and perhaps foolishly--to try something new. I am stretching myself, and asking my peers at Burley United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church Burley to do the same. I insist that in our church all are welcome. In this venue, "all" gets a lot bigger, which is surely what Jesus is all about!


We young adults (20- and 30-somethings) at Burley UMC and 1st Presbyterian are going to be reading Margaret Feinberg's book The Organic God together...but apart...and together. Buy the book. (If you can't buy the book but deeply desire to read it and participate, contact me by commenting here, email, or church phone.) We'll read about a chapter per week, unless that feels to slow and we all want to dive into this passionate story about loving God more. As you read, check this blog and share your thoughts. I'll share some of what's on my mind, post questions to get conversation going, and thus we'll be in fellowship apart-together.


Need some face time? Or (more importantly) need some coffee?? We'll find time to gather at local coffee shops to chat about the book or whatever. Want to watch the videos that go along with the book? We can make time for that, too, but first let's get started on the book and in e-conversation here.


Ready? Order your book NOW through Amazon or the author's website. (Still not convinced? Take 2 min. here to see what you don't want to miss.) We'll start discussing the intro & chapter 1 on May 25 at the very lastest. I'll post before then to get us thinking and talking and e-fellowshipping.


Did you see the quote at the top? It's about joining people on the journey. It's about meeting people where they are. And here we are. Our journey together only continues from here.