In the book Every Moment Holy, Andrew Peterson writes, “There are no unsacred moments; there are only sacred moments and moments we have forgotten are sacred.” [1]
Think about that.
If you’ve ever slipped up in forgetting an important appointment, I’m betting you made every effort to re-schedule.
If you’ve ever forgotten: a friend’s birthday, to call your mom, to run a necessary errand, or to pick up those much-needed supplies, I’m betting you did whatever was necessary to circle back and find a resolution.
To forget is to be human—and we’ve all been there and done it.
But what Peterson is inviting us into is the sacred practice of recalling; to combat our human forgetfulness with acts of remembering.
Regardless of how you may feel at the moment—that life is hard, easy, boring, confusing, ugly, messy, frustrating, or downright ordinary—you must not forget, every moment of your life is holy.
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We’ve been exploring the soul work of wonder this month, and with the word wonderment in mind—a state of awed admiration or respect—may we invite you into a few moments of pause?
Consider this:
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What might reveal itself if you were to invite God’s presence to bring a renewed sense of admiration and respect for the forgottenness of your life’s sacrality?
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In the same way you schedule appointments, or make birthday phone calls, or find time to run errands, schedule time to reflect on the truth of this concept: “every moment holy” applies to your life.
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How could eyes of wonderment reorient the everyday and ordinary spaces of your life?
“It could be said that to find beauty in the ordinary is a deeper exercise than climbing to the mountaintop … To encounter the holy in the ordinary is to find God in the liminal—in spaces where we might subconsciously exclude it, including the sensory moments that are often illegibly spiritual.” —Cole Arthur Riley [2]
—With Joy
Spiritual Director
Co-Founder & Content Director
cindy@joyover.com
Pause for Thought
“Just to be is a blessing, just to live is holy. The moment is the marvel.” [1]
Pause for Practice
Studies show we have a much greater capacity for memory retention and a deeper sense of appreciation when we simply write something down.
Today’s practice is a journaling exercise with prompts inviting you to sit with your ordinary answers as you prayerfully invite God’s presence to infuse your ordinary with a renewed sense of appreciation and respect.
Grab a journal or a piece of paper, and write down responses according to the spaces indicated.
Write the following:
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The time of day __________________ .
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The day of the week __________________ .
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The weather outside __________________ .
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The current month __________________ .
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The season __________________ .
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The year __________________ .
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Your stage of life __________________ .
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Your age __________________ .
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Your biggest struggle __________________ .
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Your greatest joy __________________ .
Now, with your responses filled in, add “is holy” after every answer. Linger over the reality of each statement and allow the richness of each truth to sink in. When ready, talk to God about anything and everything that surfaces.
Pause for Prayer
Read the poem below by Richard Wagamese—Indigenous author and Canadian journalist from the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations in Northwestern Ontario—and use it as a prompt for prayerful dialogue with God.
“What’s needed are eyes that focus with the soul. What’s needed are spirits open to everything. What’s needed is the belief that wonder is the glue of the universe and the desire to seek more of it. Be filled with wonder.” [4]
- [1] Every Moment Holy by Douglas McKelvey, Foreword by Andrew Peterson, p. xiii.
- [2] This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley via Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation, The Spiritual Practice of Awe, From the Center for Action and Contemplation, December 6, 2023.
- [3] To Grow in Wisdom by Abraham Joshua Heschel, via Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation, The Dignity of All Things, From the Center for Action and Contemplation, December 5, 2023.
- [4] Pacific Jubilee’s Newsletter, Less Work and More Wonder, by Julie Elliot, January 17, 2024.
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- Click here for previous month’s art offerings
P.S. How delightful gifts create such wonder in our ordinary moments 🐶
