Have you ever walked through a season of life when finding the time to open your Bible seemed impossible? When the busyness of life—or perhaps struggles with your mental health—become overwhelming, it can be hard to slow down, quiet your mind, and spend meaningful time with God.
Through many dark seasons of my own life, I’ve struggled to read Scripture and pray. Perhaps you, like me, have longed for a way to connect with God that meets you where you are and ministers to your soul in a different way.
What if there were gentle faith practices that offered the hope and help you need when life makes you weary—without demanding that you follow a strict structure? My guest discovered these practices herself during a season of grief and anxiety.
Becky McCoy is a writer, retreat leader, and spiritual director trained at Adelynrood Retreat Center. As a young widow who has processed her grief and learned to live with anxiety and depression, Becky uses her experiences to guide women in discovering gentle, trauma-informed ways of being and believing.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Alternative spiritual practices for dark seasons of life
- The beauty found in observing creation
- How to practice stillness
- And more!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
- Spiritual Directors International
- Sucker Punched Podcast
- [BOOK] In the Company of the Weary: Ten Gentle Spiritual Practices for Your Tired Soul
- Connect with Becky on her website, Instagram, Facebook, or Threads
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) There is more than one way to connect with the Lord. When we as Christians talk about upkeeping a consistent spiritual practice, we are typically thinking about prayer, devotionals, and reading Scripture. However, there are many ways we can deepen our faith and invest in our relationship with God. A few of these were mentioned in our conversation, including ancient practices like Visio Divina, which involves observing works of art and prayerfully meditating on them. This could also be a thoughtful expression of our own creativity and skills.
2) Practice stillness. We rarely slow down enough to be still, especially if we are feeling worried or stressed. When we allow our minds and bodies to slow down, we are creating a space to exist where God can be with you. If you’re reading this and your mind just jumped to prolonged periods of intense meditation, I want to dispel that thought now. You can start with just a few minutes whenever you have time in the day. Think of these as pauses to be in the beautiful. While you are waiting to pick up your kids from school, why not turn off the radio and notice what is around you and how you are feeling?
3) Consider how your soul wants to connect with the Lord. Many people were taught that time with God has to have a rigid structure, but the reality is far more open-ended. We don’t have to carry the burden of trying to prove our faith; rather, we can seek time with the Lord by tending to what He has put into our soul. Do you feel like moving your body in dance? Writing a poem? Pausing between bites to fully enjoy the taste God has given to our food? All of these are ways we can connect with God and the wonderful world He has made.
About Becky:
Becky McCoy is a writer, retreat leader, and spiritual director trained at Adelynrood Retreat Center. As a young widow who has processed her grief, learned to live with anxiety and depression, and adjusted her perspective on what it means to suffer, Becky uses her experiences to guide women in discovering gentle, trauma-informed ways of being and believing. Becky earned her Master of Arts in Christian Theology and Spiritual Formation from Regent University and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care.
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