Word Made Flesh is a contemplative community. One of the ways that we contemplate what God is doing in the world and in our lives is through the reflection articles that we write. We invite you to read, learn, and celebrate with us.
The Cry for Submission: Letter from the Editor by Emily Fales
Jan. '12 Thada Prayer Letter
Dear Friends and Family, The concept of God’s will has always been difficult for me (Becky). I’m sure it always will be – it’s just one of those things that once I think I understand, it eludes me again. I remember doing a study when I was about 14 called, “Experiencing God.” If I remember…
Did You Know?, Advent Day 28
I knew it would be a difficult year. Not difficult in any apocalyptic sense, though at times I did feel the end might be near. But from the end of last Advent until now, I have looked past the warning of the older generations of wisdom that surround me and have deliberately wished my time…
A constant State of Longing, Advent Day 27
I often feel that I spend my life in a perpetual season of waiting, a constant state of longing. I long for a renewed sense of purpose, I long for healing in broken areas of my life, I long to meet and love the man that God is preparing for me, and I long to…
The Christmas Spirit, Advent Day 26
“Are you getting in to the Christmas spirit?” asks the merchant at the supermarket, trying to strike up polite holiday conversation as I wait in line. I smile and nod. Over the loudspeaker, I can hear the refrain, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” and behind me in line are men and women…
Embodying Advent, Advent Day 25
I recently returned from 16 days of intense yoga training. It was an extraordinary experience. Even though I travel the world and find home in some of the roughest and most heart-breaking places on the planet, somehow going to this unfamiliar yoga institute nestled in an isolated beach front in Baja, Mexico, threatened nearly every…
December 2011 Prayer letter
Merry Christmas Everyone! As I prepare for my first snow-filled Christmas in Omaha I am missing your friendships and support more with each passing day. Some of you blessed my life on a daily basis and some I saw far too rarely over the years but I find myself reflecting on all these precious relationships,…
Contemplative Activism: A Transformative Way
Click to access the PDF of this article . . Used with permission from catalyst groupzine. To purchase go here
Follow Me By Jonathan Merritt
Click to access the PDF of this article This is an excerpt from Jonathan Merritt’s new book. Order the complete book here: A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars . . This excerpt was used with permission from catalyst groupzine. To purchase the excerpt go here
Turning Again, Advent Day 24
The weather has turned cold in Walltown, and with it you can feel an expectancy in the air. This is Advent. We wait for Christ to come even as we remember how he came the first time, when there was no room in the inn. And we cannot forget our homeless friends who feel the…
The shepherds’ song. Advent Day 23
*Originally posted December 10, 2011* As I live in historically agrarian Eastern Europe, I notice that shepherds are usually either children or older folks. Stronger members of the family are responsible for more strenuous tasks. Flocks of sheep and goats are never fluffy and white, but spotted with mud and manure, emitting a repugnant odor. …