Hello there!
I am discerning with God regarding the future of the podcast and/or trying new ways to practice the spiritual disciplines online. Will you do me a favor, please? Just take a brief moment to add a comment on the website with the following: your name, city, country and one reason you are listening to my podcast. Your voice will help me in making some important decisions in coming weeks. Thank you for joining in and may God’s presence be trusted as near!
Deepest Peace,
Todd
Artwork: Resurrection by Jan Richardson
(http://www.janrichardsonimages.com)
Music: Asian 7s by Ely
(https://soundcloud.com/ely_loves_you/asian-7s)
Lectio Divina 
Hi. I just found your podcast, and I really liked it. I’m a young and new minister, and I’m struggling to find both my preacher’s voice and my footing. Amid all the academic preparation during the week, I’d essentially forgotten the practice of lectio divina for myself. If I don’t rest in God and the Word, I can’t preach it. I found you on textweek.com, and I don’t know if you’re regularly listed there, but the inclusion of your podcast in my weekly preparation has been profound. While I hope you can continue, if you do not, at least leave the site up so that others (selfishly, me) may find the previous lections and gain comfort and peace from them.
As an aside, I really liked the meditative music and nature sounds, especially as a pleasant surprise inside my urban, siren-hearing home. Thank you for your ministry, even as you discern how it may change.
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nuts, if forgot to mention that my name is Marie Mainard O’Connell, and I’m listening from Little Rock, Arkansas as I learn to pastor First Presbyterian Church here in town.
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Hi Marie,
I just want to thank you for taking the time to write your note. It helps a ton to better know who I am connecting with out there! As a spiritual director, I find it more satisfying when the communication is going two directions. The discerning I’m doing about my online ministry is more about how I can deepen and widen it, not whether to end it or not. It’s been too much fun! I plan to continue Lectio Divina when in doubt but also I’m looking to expand to offer downloadable personal retreats you can take to the retreat center of choice. Maybe you would like to be in on a pilot of one of those retreats? At any rate, you keep the faith over there in Little Rock. God’s keeping faith in you!
Deepest Peace,
Todd
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Dear Todd,
I think trying out a downloadable retreat would be really interesting, and there is even a retreat center/youth camp in town that lets pastors stay overnight for free. If you want guinea pigs, I’ll be one! — Marie
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Hi Marie! How fun to hear. Keep your eyes and ears open here on my podcast about the up-coming downloadable retreat experiment. I’m thrilled about your willingness. Deepest Peace, Todd
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Todd, Thank you for this wonderful time of being brought into the presence of our Lord. I am, on the whole, always so preoccupied with ‘other things’ and find it hard to settle down for Lectio. I love to listen to the Scripture and to be led through the process. It helps me to focus on the Word and to pray, not just to concentrate on exegesis and how I’m going to preach.
I will pray that you continue to listen in your discernment process.
Peace and Blessings
Pam
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Hi Pam!
Wonderful to get your note. Doing the podcast is so much more satisfying when there is some communication coming from the other end of the line. It brings my heart deeper into the work. It seems a big part of my following are ministry folks like yourself, which is quite gratifying. As I have shared with others here,the discerning I’m doing about my online ministry is more about how I can deepen and widen it. It’s one of the most thrilling parts of my work so I really like experimenting with practicing practices online. I’m about to experiment with offering downloadable spiritual retreats you can take with you to the retreat center of choice. Let me know if you would like to be a part of a pilot offering of that. If not, that’s okay too. Again, thank you so much for your comments! Be well.
Deepest Peace,
Todd
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I also regularly use this as part of my sermon preparation, and like one of your previous respondents, came to it via textweek.com.
Reading your responses, i would be interested in seeing material that could be used for parish quiet days on here. I am a Church of England Vicar working in the Diocese of Liverpool. I introduce parishioners to the practice of Lectio Divina as part of our preparation for Confirmation, often the most powerful part of that preparation.
I look forward to continuing to use the site for sermon preparation, and to how you develop it in future.
Yours in faith and gratitude,
Alastair
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Greetings, Alastair!
Wonderful to get your note from across the pond. I am thrilled with the thought of my work being helpful for your preaching preparation. Textweek has been such a great part of my podcast getting in front of those serving in ministry. Do you have any suggestions on where I might post a link to my podcast that would be seen by folks beyond the ministry setting? Let me know. May your week be rich with joy, Alastair!
Deep Peace
Todd
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Hi Todd, I too just found you on textweek.com and really treasure your ministry of Lectio Divina. This adds a lot to my sermon prep because listening I hear more than just reading the Word. I pray for you discernment on your ministry, and hope our Lord will continue to use you to reach all who listen each week and are fed and helped.
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Good evening, Kathy! Thank you so much for your kindness and encouragement today. My heart really appreciates it. Keep those prayers coming, please. Deep peace, Todd
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Todd,
Thank you so much for your pod casts! I am an RCIA facilitator and I am always looking for different ways to approach scripture. I have yet to use your podcast in one of my presentations, but I am waiting for the right opportunity because I love to expose the group to as many types of prayer that I can. Because our class meets on Wednesday and we discuss the upcoming readings, sometimes your podcast is too late to include. I still love to listen to them, and they bring me closer to God each time I do!
Thank you again,
Joan
San Dimas, CA
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Hi Joan!
So nice to read your note. Thank you for taking the time. Yeah, my goal each week is to try to produce and post my podcast on Monday or Tuesday morning because I know that there are so many of you around the world who might like/need it earlier in the week. Life just gets very full many weeks with my ministry, family and work on my DMin. I’m glad you reminded me though! Keep up with the good work of weaving the inner and outer journey of the wtih-God life into your leading, Joan! That is of such importance for our day. Let me know if you have suggestions or requests. Have a great day.
Deepest Peace
Todd
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Hi Todd
I just found your site via The Text This Week. What a blessing! My name is Ken and I live near Manchester, UK, and while I’ve had one foot planted in evangelical churches for much of my adult life, in recent years my primary nourishment has been through contemplative approaches.
I work for the YMCA across England, being responsible for promoting and encouraging the YMCA’s Christian heart (not always easy!). I am often seeking out resources that I can recommend to colleagues to nurture their spirituality amidst full-on, challenging professional lives, and I will be flagging up your site, as well as drawing on it for myself.
Just recently I have started out on an MA in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College, England, and am currently immersed in an assignment on Benedictine spirituality – loving it!
Be blessed as you follow the Lord’s leading.
Ken
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Hello Ken!
What a joy to get your note. Thank you for taking the time to write. I am encouraged by your words. Your MA program sounds rich. I frequent the Benet Hill Monastery, a Benedictine monastery, just up the road from me in Black Forest for solitude. Especially am thankful for their wonderful outdoor labyrinth in the midst of the pines. Also, many of my spiritual teachers over the years have Benedictine roots, including my spiritual director.
On another note, what football team (British) do you cheer for?
Deepest Peace,
Todd
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Ah, the subject of REAL religion!
My homeland is in the North East of England. This means I am a Geordie (don’t ask me why) and I support Newcastle United.
Ken
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Hello Ken!
Been reading back through comments on my Lectio site and I don’t see where I returned a thank you for yours! I know, kinda late. Anyway, thank you. Sorry for almost a year wait. Your comment helps me realize the ripples my ministry might be creating with the Spirit’s help. I’m really honored and humbled by this. How is it going in the YMCA over there in England? How’s life on the trail with Christ? Thanks again for being a part of Lectio with me.
Deepest Peace,
Todd
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Hi, I am Linda from Michigan. I found your podcast by searching to find one on Lectio. Finding yours was such a surprised blessing. I began using it at the last thing each night of the week that I could . Having scriptures read to me, as I close my eyes and open to the Spirit, means you have become a part of a new practice. I have trained , and not completed Spiritual Formation, and have had a Director for over 5 years. Seems that those I connect with on,ine are my community for these practices. My prayer would be to find a few nearby, until then, this is a God sent gift. I took it over to a friend too introduce her to Lectio, and we were both able to experience it together. And, just like that you are on a break doing mission work, sure will be great when you return.
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Hi there, Linda from Michigan! Thrilled to hear from you and about how the podcast is being experienced on your end. I should be posting my next podcast this week. I’ve missed being away myself. Did you find that there are over 100 past editions on my website? Lots of folks enjoy digging back into those archives when I take a break.
Tell me more about your Spiritual Formation studies. Where are you doing that? What has been fruitful?
Thank you for your encouraging words, Linda! I look forward to connecting more down the line.
Deepest Peace in Christ,
Todd
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