2020 Vision (in the Mirror)

December 29, 2020
Reflective Pool, Cannon Beach, Oregon. Photo by Thomas Robinson. See https://www.zoomdak.com/Beach/Cannon-Beach-Images/i-J9zCHgz/A

I offer here in the last week of 2020 a retrospective, as though looking in the rear view mirror, at the year behind, with a 2020 vision, reviewing the blogs I’ve posted on this site this past year. In a year filled with turmoil and disruption, pain and loss, distress and uncertainty, I’ve focused my writing upon personal ways to draw nearer to God.

I’ve offered 14 Contemplative Spiritual Disciplines, lived by the greatest saints and heroes of scripture and church history.

I’ve presented 14 Ways to Grow in Christ, patterns for spiritual growth in our Lord presented by the Covenant Church, the international denominational body with which I am affiliated.

I’ve also presented 14 Hidden Treasures, word studies in the New Testament, unearthing wonders or treasures from the Greek New Testament.

I hope these have been of encouragement to you. You are welcome to forward any or all of these to friends and family members. And may your life continue to draw near to God as we enter by faith, hope and love into 2021.

14 CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

  1. Enjoy a monastic retreat.
  2. Care of the sick.
  3. Pray the Psalms.
  4.  Lectio Divina: meditate on Scripture
  5. Pray the Jesus Prayer
  6. Silence
  7. Practice the presence of God
  8. Solitude
  9. Spiritual Direction
  10. Writing a Rule of Life
  11. Fasting
  12. Slowing Down
  13. Listening to God through Creation
  14. Practicing Sabbath Delight

14 WAYS TO GROW DEEPER IN CHRIST

  1. Reading the Bible
  2. Praying the Scripture
  3. Telling Your Story
  4. Praying Your Community
  5. Reviewing Your Day
  6. Walking With God
  7. Making Commitments
  8. Keeping a Spiritual Journal
  9. Becoming Spiritual Companions
  10. Mentoring Children
  11. Developing Racial Righteousness
  12. Choosing to Give
  13. Worshipping with Children
  14. Using a Rule of Life

14 HIDDEN TREASURES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

Word/Phrase in English          Word in Greek                     New Testament

  1. Treasure                            thesaurus                                 Matthew 13
  2. Make disciples                  matheteusate                        Matthew 28
  3. Abide                                meinate                                   John 15
  4. Wonders                            terata                                       Acts 2
  5. Made right                        dikiaoo                                    Romans 1
  6. Comfort                            paraklesis                                2 Corinthians 1
  7. Fruit                                  karpos                                     Galatians 5
  8. One another                      allelous                                   Ephesians 4
  9. All things                          panta                                       Colossians 1
  10. Fan into flames                 anazopyrein                            2 Timothy 1
  11. Greater than (HE>I)         kreitton                                    Hebrews 1
  12. By faith                             pistis                                        Hebrews 11
  13. In his steps                        ichnesin                                   1 Peter 2
  14. Revelation                         apokalypsis                             Revelation 1