Living for God Blog
Passionately Pursuing Christ in Everyday Life
Calvin Wulf
Calvin Wulf is a published writer, spiritual director, and retreat leader. He co-founded Living for God with his wife Lisa in 1999. Calvin is ordained to the ministry of Jesus Christ and lives in Colorado.Find us on Facebook
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COMING BACK - by Calvin Wulf
Spiritual Journey~
Yes, I have neglected you for far too long, my dear friend. Buying a house, remodeling, moving, and selling a house has caused distraction from so many other priorities. My spirit faints. But missing you was the worst.
We've been through many seasons together, in consolation and in desolation. You alone are the place where my heart is never wounded. Here is where I speak my truth and let it be. I enlighten, I encourage, and I heal.
As Jesus lives in me, Jesus also lives in you, my dear friend. I love you and you love me back. It is a time overdue that I resume my discourse with you, my dear friend. I am the channel of a ready writer. You are the angel who carries my message.
I have completed the cause that carried me away. It is finished. Now, I return to my call in service to you, my dear friend. See you again soon. I'm coming back.
TAGS: Spiritual Journey, Spiritual Path, Spiritual Life
MY STUFF INCLUDED - by Calvin Wulf
Holy Poverty~
After living this vow of holy poverty under obedience to The Order of Julian of Norwich for about a year, I have gained many insights about wealth and poverty. One thing I realized is that a vow of poverty is an intentional lifestyle of surrendering any sense of entitlement to wealth, status, and possessions.
As I had lived in frugal simplicity for many years before taking this vow, that only reflected a personal inclination or value. Having an intentional vow as a conscience frame of reference for making daily choices has helped me become more aware and more grateful toward the means I have at my disposal.
Rather than practicing about mere frugality, I think in terms of blessing, gratitude, and wise stewardship. The vow has increased my compassion toward other people. I have become more grateful for what God has provided. My choices are made with the wisdom of holy discernment.
The earth is the Lord's and all that's in it, my stuff included!
TAGS: Holy Poverty, Spiritual Formation, Christian Living
DOWN THE LADDER - by Calvin Wulf
Holy Poverty~
A lifelong vow of holy poverty is just that, an emergent journey. Letting go of the social status and illusive emotional security of attaining the American dream can at times feel like an addict locked in detox, cold turkey.
I'm looking at downscaling my lifestyle yet another notch or two. You see, this is a season of transition into more simple housing with little or no land. Understand, I grew up surrounded by my father's vineyards and I later succeeded in owning a home where a visitor once remarked, "Your living room is as big as my whole house!"
I come from generations of farmers who owned land and grew crops. My farm used to be on the land of corporate success, with a house and property to prove it. Now I'm letting go of all that, once again, in exchange for housing that meets my needs in the next season of Christ at work in me. I feel enthusiastic and desolate all at once. Ah, the sorrows of detachment.
Check out the spiritual life study download titled, Simplicity - To Be Free, by Calvin Wulf.
TAGS: Holy Poverty, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Life
Chapter 3 - Awakening
Spiritual Journey ~
Wake up, O harp and lyre!
I will waken the dawn with my song.
Psalm 57:8 (NLT)
Few of us get up one morning and instantly become believers. Usually it takes years of searching, of trial and error, of launching little test balloons. Faith is a long walk in the same direction that begins with a first step, however halting it may be.
My Story
Even though I wasn’t brought up as a Christian, I had heard about Jesus. One day when I was about ten, I decided to do a “paint-by-number” picture of him. Then I challenged him to come down from heaven, pick it up, and take it back with him. Each morning when I woke up, it was still there. After a while, I gave up and put it away.
A few years later, I read the book, Little Women, and was fascinated by a character who created her own private devotional area in a closet. I was strangely attracted to a secret prayer room complete with a Bible and cross. Somehow, I never got around to setting one up for myself.
As a teenager, I saw a film that lingered in my thoughts for years. Becket was the story of a man murdered for his faith in the year 1170. It touched something deep in my soul. I begged to go back to the theater the next night, but Mother said no. I never forgot it. Years later, it was the first video I ever bought.
* * * * *
The Holy Spirit plants the seeds of faith in every soul. Sometimes there is just the right combination of water, soil, and light to encourage a tender young plant to grow in the life of a seeker. Then the seeds sprout right away.
Often the seeds lie dormant, waiting for an opportunity to germinate. Sometimes it takes years, maybe even decades. But God isn’t worried. He tenderly holds the unaware soul in his hands, waiting for a glimmer of understanding, a flicker of faith.
Your Story
Do you have a spiritual awakening story? What is it?
Do you remember a time before you believed? If so, how was God working in your life then?
How did God gently plant the first seeds of faith in your heart?
What was your response to God’s initial invitation to your soul?
Reflections
Nothing is wasted in God’s economy. He is present in every situation. Consider this passage as you reflect on the original call of Christ in your life:
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish …
So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish …
So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
How did God accomplish his purpose through your story?
What other thoughts do you have about awakening?
Give It to God
Thank you for gently holding me in your hand as you planted the first seeds of faith in my heart. May I be ever thankful for the tender love you have shown your child, even while I was still unaware of your presence. Keep my heart in joyful anticipation of your awakenings, which are new every morning.
Your Special Prayer
Take just a moment to express your thoughts and heart to God.
On a Quest for Christ is Available Now at Amazon!For more info on the book, click here!
Tags: Spiritual Journey, Spiritual Path, Spiritual Guidance
Chapter 2 - Ignoring
Spiritual Growth ~
Here's Chapter 2 of "On a Quest for Christ: Tracing the Footsteps of Your Spiritual Journey" by Lisa Are Wulf. Hope you like it!
Don’t be misled.
Remember that you can’t ignore God
and get away with it.
You will always reap what you sow!
Galatians 6:7 (NLT)
Remember that you can’t ignore God
and get away with it.
You will always reap what you sow!
Galatians 6:7 (NLT)
How far do we have to go to get away from God? Is it to the end of the block, across the state, or around the world? The snag is that no matter how far we travel, he’s always there. We just don’t see him. We’re much too busy going our own way and doing our own thing. Often our main agenda is total freedom.
How do we ignore a God who is everywhere? That’s easy. We convince ourselves that we’re rational beings and it’s better to decide on our own what’s right for us. That way, we’re free to make up our own God or worship none at all.
My Story
One day Mother announced, “We’re starting a church in our basement. It’s going to be a place where people can believe whatever they want.” My ten-year-old mind understood that God would be optional. I could take him or leave him. I decided to leave him.
Our little congregation grew and eventually bought a building. During Sunday school, we visited other churches and joked about them later. Why did the Catholic priest wear such odd clothes? And how come the Pillar of Fire Holy Roller Church was just a vacant lot? Maybe it burned down.
All that mattered at our do-it-yourself church was to be a good moral person. It felt like a discussion group with some interesting rituals. The most colorful was the Easter celebration when everyone, including the men, dressed up in women’s hats, gloves, and purses as they paraded around the pews. Communion was a basket of raisins. Someone wrote God out of the hymnal.
* * * * *
Let’s ask again. Can we ignore God? No, not really. We can run, and we can hide, but we can never escape his reality. So why even try? The farther we turn from him, the longer and more difficult is the road back home.
Just because we ignore him doesn’t mean God isn’t here with us. He has known about our doubts and wanderings from the beginning of time. God is patient. He will wait as long as it takes for us to turn and run back to his loving arms.
Your Story
When have you doubted God and walked a path away from him?
In what ways did you question the Christian faith?
Did you choose to believe something else instead? What was it?
How do you imagine God felt about the direction you chose?
Reflections
When we stray from God’s path and make up our own beliefs, it’s like building a house on sand that won’t stand up to the storms of life. Pray for a moment about this passage:
Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
so perishes the hope of the godless.
What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider’s web.
He leans on his web, but it gives way;
he clings to it, but it does not hold.
Job 8:13-15 (NIV)
so perishes the hope of the godless.
What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider’s web.
He leans on his web, but it gives way;
he clings to it, but it does not hold.
Job 8:13-15 (NIV)
How are you building a life that is stronger than a spider web?
What other thoughts do you have about ignoring God?
Give It to God
Come into my life today. Help me to see what a tangled web I weave when I walk away from my God. You are the everlasting reality, the beginning and the end. In the universe there is nothing more and nothing less than you. May I always walk with you, not trusting in myself, but solely in your love.
Your Special Prayer
Take just a moment to express your thoughts and heart to God.
On a Quest for Christ is Available Now at Amazon!For more info on the book, click here!
Tags: Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Struggles, Spiritual Journey
AN ORDINARY LIFE by Calvin Wulf
Spiritual Life~
I have taken a vow of holy poverty. No, I didn't sell everything I own. But I have simplified my lifestyle and I'm learning to be content with what I need to be who I am in Christ. The discipline of simplicity is the beginning of holy poverty.
Simplicity invites us to be focused on the present moment and to be satisfied with an ordinary life. We learn to live in the present, understanding that worries about the future are only vanity. Our attention is on the presence of Christ, people around us, and the work at hand.
Learning to be content with an ordinary life requires humility. We do what the Father has given and we use what the Father has provided. What we do and what we wear are guided by spiritual discernment rather than ego or status.
My vow of holy poverty reminds me of these things. It shapes who I am in Christ.
Check out this spiritual life study download titled, Simplicity - To Be Free, by Calvin Wulf.
TAGS: Spiritual Life, Spiritual Disciplines, Christian Spirituality
Chapter 1 - Birthing
Spiritual Journey ~
Here's the first chapter of "On a Quest for Christ" by Lisa Are Wulf. Hope you enjoy it!
The LORD called me before my birth;
from within the womb he called me by name.
Isaiah 49:1 (NLT)
from within the womb he called me by name.
Isaiah 49:1 (NLT)
“Hey—it’s freezing cold out here. And what’s with the bright lights and noise? Everything was nice and peaceful until a minute ago!”
No doubt about it, birth is a shock to our tiny bodies! We burst onto the scene, often to great fanfare and festivity. Soon the excitement is over, and our overwhelmed and bewildered parents find themselves alone with a little one to nurture and guide. It’s a daunting task for all!
The journey to Christ begins on the day of our birth. Some of us are born into warm, loving homes. Some are not. Some families are Christian. Some are not. They may be rich or poor, large or small, spiritually strong or emotionally damaged. In every situation, God tenderly holds each new life in his hand.
My Story
The stained glass window sparkled behind my long white baby dress. Back then, baptism seemed like the socially correct thing to do. So my parents arranged a ceremony at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., even though they weren’t particularly interested in Christianity.
Dad was drafted soon after I was born, and the Army assigned him to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. Later, after finishing his studies at the Mayo Clinic, he became a brain surgeon in Wyoming. But alcohol, drugs, violence, and mental illness ravaged our family and tarnished my young soul.
Ultimately, my parents divorced and our comfortable lifestyle vanished. Mother moved the four kids to Colorado and re-married. Life felt disconnected and relationships were strained. Necessities like toilet paper were sometimes hard to come by. Rats lived in the kitchen. Each day brought its own challenge.
* * * * *
From the moment of our birth, God has a faith journey in mind for each of us. Sometimes he gives us a head start by placing us in a Christian family. But even when we grow up clearly outside the realm of faith, he sets a path for us to make the journey back to him.
All of us begin our trek as a blank slate, waiting for the finger of God to write a beautiful story with our lives. He calls us by name from the beginning, no matter how far we must walk to meet him again. He honors the struggle of redemption in every single life.
Your Story
How would you describe the household where you grew up?
What were some good things about your childhood?
Describe the challenges you and your family faced.
Did you have any early childhood religious experience? What was it?
Reflections
We don’t randomly appear at our birth for no reason. God himself created us at this particular time to fulfill his unique purpose. Consider your life as you ponder this verse:
Long ago, even before he made the world,
God loved us and chose us in Christ
to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
God loved us and chose us in Christ
to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
How can you tell that you are chosen by God?
What other thoughts do you have about birthing?
Give It to God
Before I drew my first breath and opened my eyes to the light, you knew me by name. In the comfort of the womb, you created and formed me for your special purpose. Be with me as I explore my story and trace my spiritual journey. Help me follow the path marked out for me. As I face the challenges ahead, guide me with your loving hand.
Your Special Prayer
Take just a moment to express your thoughts and heart to God.
On a Quest for Christ is Available Now at Amazon!For more info on the book, click here!
Tags: Spiritual Journey, Spiritual Path, Christian Spirituality
CONTEMPLATION: MONASTIC THEOLOGY by Calvin Wulf
Spiritual Formation~
Contemplation is the fourth and highest rung on the ladder of monastic theology. And what better way to know God than to behold God without any distractions. Here, the disciple, or monk, becomes still in body and mind so that God can overwhelm the human person with the Divine presence.
It is the highest form of prayer. Contemplation supports a mystical bond with the Triune God and creator of all that is. Time is suspended while we experience the full presence of the one who is, and was, and is to come. The human soul is swept away into the eternity of God's presence.
Contemplation on God is the one needful thing that Jesus commended. In contemplation, philosophy, science, mathematics, politics, and so on, become meaningless. The mind is transcended by God's spirit. And what we gain is more capacity to love with God's love.
Monastic theology, after all, is about knowing God. What better way is there to know God than to be swept away in contemplation?
Looking for more encouragement? Read our sister blog - One Woman Sanctuary Blog.
TAGS: Spiritual Formation, Contemplative Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines
Opening Thoughts - "On a Quest for Christ"
Spiritual Journey ~
I'm
thrilled to announce the release of Lisa's book - "On a Quest for Christ," published
by Spiritual Formation House. Here's the intro chapter - hope you enjoy
it!
May all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”
Psalm 40:16 (NLT)
be filled with joy and gladness.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”
Psalm 40:16 (NLT)
Whether you know it or not, you’re on a quest. Perhaps you sense an emptiness, a vacuum, or a nagging hole inside. Filling it with excitement, money, or love just doesn’t do the trick. Maybe you feel contented with your life today, but suspect that something else, something deeper, awaits you. Either way, you’re on a quest—a quest for Christ.
What is a quest? It is simply a journey toward a worthy goal, the seeking of a noble end. There’s a catch, though. Something as significant as the search for God is bound to run into obstacles and challenges. I have faced them, and I’m sure you have too.
This devotional is for all who are on a spiritual journey with Christ. Through its pages, you will trace your steps from the first whispers of faith to resting in God’s arms. You may be miles along the road, or you may be just beginning. Regardless of where you are on the journey, your story is sacred—a saga that leads ultimately to the one true God.
During this process, I’ll invite you into my personal faith journey. Each chapter features snippets from my story. Because I’ve selected just a few snapshots from a lifetime of experience, many significant people, places, and events are not included. My hope is that the ones I have chosen will lead you to a deeper reflection on your own memories. I’ve also provided thought-provoking questions, scripture meditations, and special prayers to help you see ever more clearly the transforming grace of God in your life. At the end of each chapter, you’ll have a chance to write your own personal prayer.
As we explore this quest together, reflect on the stages you’ve passed through. They may not exactly parallel my own, but the similarities could be astonishing. You may have experienced some of the phases, but not all. Perhaps they occurred in a different order. Maybe some of your stages aren’t included in this book. Don’t worry; this devotional book is only a guide for your journey. As you work through it, you’ll see God’s hand in your life and the direction he is leading you.
Why would you want to chart your personal faith journey? Because your spiritual story is significant. Who you are makes a difference. God ordained this path for your life even before the dawn of creation. It matters to you. It matters to me. In fact, it matters to the whole community of faith, both now and forever. The impact of your life is incalculable.
As you begin to explore your personal quest for Christ, take a minute to reflect on this scripture passage. Listen for God’s message to you.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant
on the lookout for choice pearls.
When he discovered a pearl of great value,
he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Matthew 13:45-46 (NLT)
on the lookout for choice pearls.
When he discovered a pearl of great value,
he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Matthew 13:45-46 (NLT)
When we find the treasure we have been seeking for so long, it changes our lives. We hold it close, vowing never to let it go. As we begin to map our quest for the pearl of infinite value, let us join in prayer, asking for God’s guidance and steady hand on our journey.
Gracious God, you are the missing piece in our lives, the pearl we seek. For years, we have looked high and low for you. We’ve searched in every imaginable place. But you’ve been with us all along, urging us forward, shepherding us into your flock. Stay with us as we tell our stories and map our spiritual quests. Keep us safe as we continue to seek you on the journey of life, today and always. Amen.
I wish you a fruitful walk filled with joy and wonder, discovery and delight.
Lisa
Buy Now at Amazon!
For more info on the book, click here!
Tags: Spiritual Journey, Spiritual Path, Spiritual Growth
PRAYER: MONASTIC THEOLOGY by Calvin Wulf
Christian Prayer~
Once a monk has mastered reading scripture and meditation on scripture, their next position on the monastic ladder is prayer. Prayer is a relational experience with God. You can talk with God as you would talk with a friend, face-to-face.
Whether you live in a monastery or a Manhattan apartment, God is very near. The curtain was torn open from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross, making God accessible to all who believe. Now we can talk with God face-to-face, just as Moses did.
Go into a room, close the door, and open a conversation with God, just like that. Be humble, like a monk. Keep your prayers simple, like a child talking with her mother. The prayer that Jesus commended was unpretentiously, "God, forgive me, a sinner."
Here is a thought that will help you become humble in your prayer time, "You do not even know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for you." Let go of your pretenses and pray like a simple monk.
Looking for more encouragement? Read our sister blog - One Woman Sanctuary Blog.
TAGS: Christian Prayer, Daily Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines