63 | Lectio Divina and Positive Affirmations: What Is the Secret Sauce to Nurturing Faith?

Finding a deeper connection with God through simple devotionals, prayers and affirmations can bring peace and purpose to your busy life, even during the most chaotic seasons.

• Christian devotions provide vital connections with God that nurture our spiritual lives and illuminate our path toward holiness
• Centering Prayer moves beyond words to open our whole being to God who is "closer than our breathing"
• Lectio Divina allows us to read scripture with "the ear of the heart" to engage in conversation with God
• Scripture-based affirmations reshape our mindset by internalizing biblical truths
• Setting faithful boundaries, as Jesus demonstrated by withdrawing to pray, creates space for spiritual growth
• Nurturing your soul through intentional practices can transform not only your life but impact those around you

Schedule your one-on-one Aroma of Christ coaching session with me at paulabehrens.com to discover how easy it is to customize a devotional plan that you'll wake up excited to embrace each morning.

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Episode Transcript

Paula Berhens (00:01):
Are you ready to deepen your spiritual journey
with simple devotionals,empowering prayers and
transformative affirmations?
Welcome to Living on Purpose inChrist, where we merge sacred
moments with uplifting words foryour soul.
Today's episode promises to beyour source of hope and
encouragement as we explore thepower of faith in everyday life.

(00:25):
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,

(00:46):
this podcast is for you.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I

(01:10):
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
We're all just doing our bestin this journey of faith, a
beautiful work in progress.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you ready to infuse yourspiritual journey with a

(01:32):
peace-filled confidence?
Spend just 60 minutes with meto experience joyful and
engaging ways to embrace yourrelationship with God.
Discover how easy it really isto customize a devotional plan
that you'll wake up each morningexcited to embrace.
All of this in your one-on-oneAroma of Christ coaching session

(01:53):
with me.
Schedule your call now atpaulabehrens.
com.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S dot com.
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.

(02:15):
Today we'll journey into a worldwhere sacred moments meet the
uplifting power of positiveaffirmations.
We will be expanding ourspiritual journey, as we explore
several interesting topics.
We'll jump right into faith andthe things we can do to
experience, more fully, thepresence of God and His Holy
Spirit, even in our busiest days.
It is my prayer that today'sepisode will be a beacon of hope

(02:38):
and encouragement that willuplift and support you as you
navigate your dailyresponsibilities.
Let's begin by reflecting on thesignificance of Christian
devotions.
These precious moments ofconnection with God are vital to
nurturing our spiritual lives.
Whether it's through readingthe Bible, spending time in
prayer or contemplatingscripture, these practices serve

(03:01):
to ground us in our faith andpurpose.
Devotions are not simplyroutines, they're opportunities
to open our hearts to God'sdivine whispers to us.
Which always brings to mind,Psalm 119, verse 105, "Your word
is a lamp to my feet and alight to my path.
" This powerful verse reminds usthat devotions are meant to

(03:24):
illuminate the pathway tobecoming more holy, to opening
our hearts to the idea of beingset apart for God's purposes.
That's what being holy means.
It means being set apart forwhatever God has in store for us
for that day.
I remember a conversation with achurch member and good friend a

(03:45):
while back.
Her name was Mary Brandt.
She was a devoted Christian whowould start her days with a
quiet moment of devotion by thewindow.
She described it as her dailybreath of life, as essential as
the air she breathed.
It was in those peacefulmoments that she set her
intentions for living inalignment with Christ's
teachings that day.

(04:06):
Mary was a mentor for me.
I remember saying often that ifanyone had reached perfection
in the Lord, it was Mary Brandt.
I remember our quiet timestogether in our weekly H.
I.
S.
"His in Service" prayer groupin the beautiful historical
sanctuary of Chappell HillMethodist Church, where we

(04:27):
enjoyed a few moments each weekof Centering Prayer.
Centering Prayer is based on thewisdom saying of Jesus' Sermon
on the Mount, where heencouraged his followers with
these words, "When you pray, goto your inner room, close the
door and pray to your Father insecret, and your Father, who
sees in secret, will reward you.

(04:48):
" That's Matthew, chapter 6,verse 6.
It is also inspired by writingsof other major contributors to
the Christian contemplativeheritage, including John Cassian
, the anonymous author of TheCloud of Unknowing, Francis de
Sales, Teresa of Avila, John ofthe Cross, and Thomas Merton.

(05:09):
"Be still and know that I amGod," would be a good scriptural
word picture of centeringprayer.
Most often we think of prayeras thoughts or feelings
expressed in words, but that isonly one expression of prayer.
In the Christian tradition,centering prayer is considered
to be the pure gift of God.
It is the opening of the mindand heart, our whole being, to

(05:33):
God.
It is the ultimate mysterybeyond thoughts, words and
emotions.
Through grace, we open ourawareness to God, who is closer
than our breathing, closer thanour thinking, closer than
consciousness itself.
Centering prayer is a methoddesigned to facilitate the
development of prayer bypreparing our hearts and our

(05:53):
minds to receive this gift.
It presents ancient Christianwisdom teachings in an updated
form.
Centering prayer is not meantto replace other kinds of prayer
, though, rather, it casts a newlight and depth of meaning on
all of our other prayers.
It is, at the same time, both arelationship with God and a

(06:15):
discipline to foster thatrelationship.
This method of prayer is amovement beyond conversation
with Christ to communion withhim.
If you're looking to deepenyour connection through
centering prayer, considersetting aside a specific time
each day that aligns with yourdaily rhythm.
It could be during the calm ofdawn or the stillness of night.

(06:38):
Use this time to sit in God'spresence in silence, simply
listening for his guidance.
Lectio Divina is another awesomeway to connect with God through
a blending of his word withprayer.
Lectio Divina is sometimesdescribed as reading scripture
with the ear of the heart.
This method of prayer wasfounded by Saint Benedict and

(07:01):
Pope Gregory in the 6th century,although its roots date back to
the Christian scholar Origen inthe 3rd century.
Lectio Divina has been a corepart of the Christian faith for
centuries, and over the lasthundred years or so, it's become
widely practiced within boththe Catholic and the Protestant
churches.
It's a prayer method with deeproots and a powerful connection

(07:24):
to God.
This form of prayer isdifferent from reading the Bible
for study or analysis.
Rather, the passage is read asthe living word of God, through
which he can speak into ourhearts.
It's a way to engage God inconversation and listen for his
words.
It's a time when we allow theear of the heart to listen for

(07:45):
God's still small voice.
Here's a little snippet of oneof my Lectio Divina devotionals.
Okay, before we get started, Ijust want to say, if you're
driving, there are parts in thisdevotional that I guide you to
close your eyes.
Please don't do that.
If you're driving, keep youreyes open.
Okay, let's get started.

(08:26):
Relax now, breathe in yourfrankincense and rest in the
presence of the Lord as I guideyou through a time of prayer
using Lectio Divina.
To prepare, we will be readingfrom 1 Peter 2, verse 5.

(08:48):
Go ahead and close your eyes,get comfortable and clear your
mind for prayer.
Relax your body.
Place both feet on the floorand rest your hands in your lap.

(09:14):
Now pray this prayer after me,"Dear God, come into this holy
space and speak to my heartthrough your words that I will
hear today.
" Continue with your eyes closedas I recite a New Testament

(09:42):
passage about the priesthoodfrom 1 Peter 2.5.
Listen for any word or phrasethat catches your attention.
"Like living stones, letyourself be built into a

(10:02):
spiritual house to be a holypriesthood, to offer spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to Godthrough Jesus Christ.
" Now hear the passage from 1Peter three more times.

(11:21):
And this time with the ears ofyour heart, listen to each
individual word and open thecenter of your being to hear
God's messages.
Okay, I hope you enjoyed that.
You can find the full versionon my website at PaulaBehrens.

(11:44):
com.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com.
As we continue our journey,let's explore the transformative
power of positive affirmations.

(12:04):
Affirmations based on scripturearen't merely feel-good
phrases, they are statements oftruth as found in God's Word.
They do have potential and canreshape our mindset and,
ultimately, our lives.
In Philippians, chapter 4,verse 8, we are encouraged to
focus on "whatever is true,noble, right, pure, lovely and
admirable.
" This is an example of abiblical affirmation where the

(12:26):
Apostle Paul instructs hislisteners to reflect on these
virtues, and it can also be asimple way that we can redirect
our minds, even today.
Okay, so let's consider amodern-day affirmation like, "I
am created in God's image, andhis love empowers me.
" This is a biblical truthreworded in a simple phrase

(12:48):
that's easy to remember, "I amcreated in God's image and his
love empowers me.
" By internalizing these simplewords, we embrace our divine
identity and the immense lovethat God offers to us.
Try writing down oneaffirmation each day that aligns
with your spiritual values.
Incorporate it into yourmorning or your evening routine.
Speak it aloud with conviction.

(13:10):
You can even develop a powerpose to go along with it, if you
like.
This simple yet profoundpractice can build a resilient
mindset that is rooted in faith.
Now let's tie it all togetherwith the art of setting faithful
boundaries.
Boundaries in a Christiancontext are about honoring your

(13:30):
own needs while maintainingcompassion and kindness.
Yes, I said honoring your ownneeds.
Remember, Jesus often withdrewto solitary places to pray.
These were his moments ofsetting boundaries, while
prioritizing his connection withthe Father and tuning out the
chaos of the world around him.
By setting boundaries, youallow space for the Holy

(13:54):
Spirit's whispers to permeateyour life more fully.
This could mean saying no tocommitments that drain you, or
unplugging from technology toembrace quiet reflection time.
Consider what boundaries youneed to implement in your life
to enhance your spiritualjourney.
Perhaps it's setting aside anon-negotiable time each day for

(14:15):
prayer or Bible reading.
Or maybe you can just start bydesignating a space in your home
as your spiritual sanctuary.
Remember, these boundaries areacts of self-care that will help
you think about what reallymatters in life.
To illustrate the profoundimpact of devotions and
affirmations, let me share astory with you about a father

(14:37):
and a husband who facedoverwhelming stress at work and
at home.
Feeling detached andspiritually drained, he finally
decided to incorporate nightlydevotions and daily affirmations
into his life.
The shift for him wasremarkable and his family even
noticed his renewed energy andpeace.
His children observed that heresponded with more patience and

(14:58):
understanding.
Of course, this was coming fromhis newfound spiritual balance,
a beautiful reminder andtestimony of how nurturing our
soul can ripple out,transforming not only our own
lives but those around us.
As we wrap up today's episode,let us remember that nurturing
our soul requires intentionalmoments of devotion, strength

(15:20):
drawn from positive affirmationsand the wisdom to set faithful
boundaries.
And, of course, there's prayer.
This sacred blend will guideyou toward a life of purpose,
peace and divine connection.
I hope this episode has inspiredyou to cultivate deeper
spiritual practices and toembrace the affirming power of
Christ's love in your life.

(15:42):
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you enjoyed this episode, wewould truly appreciate it if
you would take just a fewmoments to follow the show and
leave a review.
Also, spend just 60 minuteswith me to experience joyful and

(16:06):
engaging ways to embrace yourrelationship with God.
Discover how easy it really isto customize a devotional plan
that you'll wake up each morningexcited to embrace, all of this
in your one-on-one Aroma ofChrist coaching session.
Schedule your call now at PaulaBehrens .com.

(16:26):
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .com (no spaces).
Be sure to check the show notesfor all the links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intoHim and walking in His wisdom.

(16:47):
See you next time.