Dear friends in Christ,
Summer is here, and with it comes a different rhythm of life for many readers. Perhaps things slow down a little at home, at church, or at work. With longer days, there’s more sunshine to enjoy outdoors. Gardens flourish and need work to do that!
It’s good to pray in local churches, to savor the presence of God in spaces that are consecrated for prayer and hallowed by long use. But it can also be good to pray in the company of nature, with natural beauty as our inspiration. In nicer weather, I often pray the evening office in a nearby park.
I encourage you to make a regular habit—or if not that, occasional opportunity— of prayer in the outdoors. It can change our perspective, and open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to the glory of God in new ways. Perhaps you’ll find (or make!) a labyrinth. Maybe you’ll have a particular place or a particular time of prayer.
If you’re not sure where to start with daily prayer, the Forward Movement prayer website offers brief devotions, morning and evening prayer, podcasts, daily scripture readings, other prayers, and more. Or bring along a favorite book.
New seasons invite us to new habits. Let’s all make new habits good ones, shall we? It will bless us, and this might just be what we need to bless those around us.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
Tomorrow at 3pm ET: A Summer with Paul online Bible study
Now available: Signs and Grace, a FREE video course on the sacraments
Check out our new prayer cards, featuring “A Morning Resolve” and “For Today”
Explore scripture and creation together: The Creation Care Bible Challenge