I loved reading chapter 1 of The Emmanuel Promise for you. You can watch me read it to you over at YouTube HERE. PRE-ORDER The Emmanuel Promise: Discover the Security of a Life Held by God wherever you find your books. $11.39 and free shipping at Baker Publishing's own site HERE. At this price, you can be generous with your whole book group. Pre-Or…

This episode is DAY 1 of a private 7-Day podcast devotional called “Welcome Home,” a gift for anyone who pre-orders The Emmanuel Promise. Pre-order from Baker Publishing for $11.39 and free shipping here! Pre-order from Amazon here After pre-ordering, get your gifts and join the launch team here. The Emmanuel Promise is an invitation to set down sh…

The neural pathways for relationship are developed in the first three years of a person's life. This affects even our relationship with God and is at the heart of attachment theory. Therapist Maggie Rhine, the head of the Healing Care Center, tells the story of her struggle to gain a secure attachment after having multiple surgeries as an infant. "…

Attachment theory and the many obstacles to a life immersed in the Trinity's Love Honest conversation about detaching to attach in our marriages Understanding our attachment story and style in order to heal and live out of knowing you are God's beloved. The simple, but profound spiritual practices which have been a gift for Terry Experience Terry W…

The insecure anxious attached hope to get an "A" in Lent to try to be more worthy for God. They're afraid they have to clean themselves up before God wants to be in their presence. The insecure avoidant attached like to keep things more intellectual, reading about someone else's Lent. If they have sin in their lives, they think they have to go at i…

Preorder THE EMMANUEL PROMISE: Discover the Security of a Life Held by God Neuroscience. Attachment theory. The stories that shape our image of God AND the spiritual practices that invite us to experience His tender love to build attachment. Just $11.39. Arrives April 30th Writer Summer Gross @revsummerjoy on Instagram The Presence Project on Patre…

Show Notes for Episode 66 with Alan Fadling: Pre-order The Emmanuel Promise by Summer Gross for $11.39!!! HERE Find A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotions for Unhurried Living by Alan Fadling HERE Pre-order Alan Fadling's newest book, A Non Anxious Life: Experiencing the Peace of God's Presence which releases February 6th. Pre-Order here. Buy Stev…

Show Notes for Episode 66 with Alan Fadling: Pre-order The Emmanuel Promise by Summer Gross for $11.39!!! HERE Find A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotions for Unhurried Living by Alan Fadling HERE Pre-order Alan Fadling's newest book, A Non Anxious Life: Experiencing the Peace of God's Presence which releases February 6th. Pre-Order here. Buy Stev…

What if we were invited to savor the holidays, the moments of delight we initiated as well as the unforeseen joys, all as gifts from our Emmanuel? For many, the holidays are full of reminders of pain and we either overschedule ourselves or numb, hoping not to pop up until after January 1st when all the painful nostalgia is over. Barb McMaster, a me…

How burning out from performance Christianity could actually save your life. AJ Sherrill teaches us how after burning out as a young church planter, he found a new rule of life based in contemplative prayer and discovered a depth to the Christian life he didn't know was available. And it all started with learning to slow down, and create rhythms of…

In episode 63, I invite you fireside for a lectio divina 101 chat and together we answer Jesus' invitation in John 21:9-13 to "Come, have breakfast." Show Notes: *Have Summer come lead at your gathering: presenceproject.ea@gmail.com *Want to find out more about All Soul's Atlanta? Click here. *Philip Yancey's article, The Death of Reading is Threat…

This statement by my spiritual direction professor, Robert Woodcock, peaked my curiosity: “We sometimes forget that there are two people in this relationship, us and God. We forget that we are in a relationship with a Person with feelings and hopes and dreams for our life together. Sometimes we are brave enough to ask God what He thinks but rarely …

We've become such a fast culture. Becoming good soil for the word takes an intentional step. Otherwise, our time in scripture feels more like coming up to the drive thru window for fast food. When I hear people say they can't "do" contemplative exercises, I wonder if they're giving their body time to ground first. Show notes: Want to sign up for th…

1. Join the Presence Project newsletter list and receive a free mini-retreat on the weekends here. 2. Find the Renovare episode with Richard Foster I quoted from here. 3. Go from emotional overwhelm to building resiliency with this free 21 pg workbook curated by Summer. 4. Pre-order Summer's upcoming spring 2023 book with Baker Publishing, The Emma…

Let's make getting away with God on retreat Monday-morning-practical. How do you plan? What do you put in your suitcase? At its most basic, planning a retreat is creating time for unscheduled abiding with God. Let's start small. Lane Arnold, spiritual director and writing coach, has created resources for your retreat here.…

Receive weekly mini-retreat newsletter by clicking here. Free 9 page examen workbook with classic and creative practices for reflection God's invitation scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-3, Song of Songs 2:13-15, Proverbs 9:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message, Mark 1:17, Mark 6:31-32 Untamed Christian; Unleased Church by Terry Wardle Join Table of the Belov…

Episode 57, show notes: 1. Download worksheet for creating your own tray here. 2. Sign up for a weekly mini-retreat slipped into your inbox by clicking here. 3. Huberman lab podcast episode: Click here for The Science of Making and Breaking Habits: (Start at minute 24) 4. Presence Project Podcast: A Beginner’s Guide to the Examen, click here. 5. Ni…

I've been noticing that what I need through transition has a pattern. Tired? Feeling overwhelmed? Disoriented? I wonder if these stages will resonate with you. Please subscribe and leave a review. This helps other people find this free resource. If you'd like to have a full retreat based on this podcast episode, join Table of the Beloved at patreon…

If we take the time to Stand, Look, and Ask as God invites in Jeremiah 6:16, transition can be a place of powerful growth. There is often a great shifting in liminal spaces. As Madeleine L'Engle said, "It’s a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet and what is san…

Advent gives us time to remember that THIS is not the end of the story. This is not the end of your story or your child’s story, your marriage’s story, the church’s story, or our country’s story. Christ, our Beloved and our Victor, WILL return. Truthfully, it’s my favorite time of the church year. After all the hard news and the heaviness of the br…

Bette Dickinson tells the story of how saying "yes" to enfleshing God's message of the Magnificat became one painting, then twenty-five, and then an entire Advent devotional. She also gives us an inside view on how her inner achiever was set free from striving so the Spirit could truly flow through her. Follow @bette_dickinson on instagram This is …

We have a complicated relationship with desire and longing. Yes, our every cry is welcomed, but do we even want it to come up for daylight? Sometimes desire can feel vulnerable. Other times sharing can be a delight. What happens when we begin to recognize God has a new calling for us? In this episode I invited Beth Booram to teach us to listen to t…

You've heard the phrase, "name it to tame it?" When we name our emotions, the heaviness around our feelings suddenly lifts. In this episode, Alison L. Bradley and I talk through page 5 of the workbook I created for you outlining a four-step process to emotional resiliency. In it I give multiple tools to name, ground, metabolize and then come to a p…

Some of these thoughts on resilience from Melody Ries have been breakthroughs for me. Here you can learn from my mom's spiritual director and her profound story. Neuroscience and Redemption. This conversation is full of gold.By Summer Joy Gross

God never tells someone they are too needy. He never rebukes or shushes them. God moves towards us in our need. You can do this SIMPLE prayer practice as often as desired.By Summer Joy Gross

What if you knew that every cry was welcomed? What if you knew you didn't have to weigh your need or manage expectations, just come? This is the focus of today's Presence Project Podcast episode. Want to dive deeper with us? bio.site/summerjoygross

In this podcast episode, Summer invites us to think about our inner critic in another way. Maybe our inner critic is a part of us who needs the love and compassion of God. Also included is a prayer exercise to invite our inner critic out of the darkness of shame and into the Light of God's healing.By Summer Joy Gross

How do we become aware and discerning with the toxic thoughts which have become the fbackground noise of our life? They are stealing our joy. They are robbing us of courageous creativity. They are demanding perfection. It's time to take back stolen ground by befriending our inner critic. Surprised by this invitation? Listen in. bio.site/summerjoygr…

Sarah Herring, Spiritual director, therapist and former Dean of Students at Simpson, teaches us a beautiful, grace-filled way to reflect on your day and pray the Examen. This is so rich, friends. Find a beautiful video by Sarah and free 9 pg Examen workbook for a gentle reflection on your day on bio.site/summerjoygross.…

We reflect to gather the manna from the day. We reflect to abide with our Abba, the Gardener. Want to know more? Listen to A Beginner's Guide to the Examen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-beginners-guide-to-the-examen/id1462343703?i=1000578677170By Summer Joy Gross

St. Ignatius invited his followers to reflect over their day and ask God where He was at work. A beginner's guide as well as an examen recording so you can just "push play" and I'll lead you through. Interested in learning more about the Presence Project? Start here: https://bio.site/summerjoygrossBy Summer Joy Gross

We want to blame, shame, control, or escape the hard, but maybe if we linger and get curious, it can be the gateway to transformation. In this episode, a surprising twist on the flowing River of Life from one of our members became the invitation we needed to be compassionate with slow growth. **Want more joy in your life? We're learning to deepen o…

Part 2 in a conversation with Nicole Zasowski, author of What if it's Wonderful? She shares her story of infertility and then we talk about how we can experience joy when there's an underlying story of suffering. She teaches us how the simple genius practice of savoring can rewire our brain. Then, finally, she leads us in a practice where we ask th…

Why is staying joy-full so dang hard? The answer WILL surprise you and of course, it's revealed in brain science. This is the first of two podcast episodes with Nicole Zasowski, author of What if It's Wonderful?: Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, & Find the Courage to Celebrate.By Summer Joy Gross

August’s theme over here on The Presence Project is Joy and Resilience. Why is it that we so easily forget the tables God has set in the wilderness? Instead of staying in a place of celebration after the abundance of connection or the kindness of answered prayer, we shift right back into lack. Our brains slide to scarcity like a car out of alignmen…

How do we live the unforced rhythms of grace? We say "yes" to the spaciousness of God's good limits and "no" to a life of hustle and hurry. Don't miss this conversation with Ashley Hales or an invitation to walk through Lent with her: Walking at a Human Pace. aahales.com/shop/walkingBy Summer Joy Gross

Encounter the Good Shepherd with this Ignatian Contemplation. Are you wanting more? Join the Presence Project and get a mini-retreat based on contemplative spiritual practices here: https://mailchi.mp/athirstforgod.com/mini-retreatBy Summer Joy Gross

Before we burst into this new year armed with color-coded goal charts and shouldering the weight of a personal-reno project, let’s be gentle with ourselves. Let’s sit down on the seam of the year and remember who and Whose we are. Want to read along? Find the transcript at SummerJoyGross.comBy Summer Joy Gross

The way a shepherd tends the bummer lambs who have been abandoned by their mothers deepen our view of our Shepherd. This is your invitation In the Presence Project, we're focusing on the character of God through the scriptures and music of Handel's Messiah this Advent. In the end of a hard year, I'm regaining my equilibrium through worship. Join me…

Join the 16 day Advent Journey here. Maybe you're like me and you feel the darkness pressing in this year. This Advent I want to spend all of my time gazing on the light of Christ. Captivated. Worshipping. Together, let's become captivated by our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Handel's Messiah along with these…

And here’s my embarrassing truth: Gratitude has always felt a little like a box to check off, more duty than delight. For years, I’ve checked off the box faithfully knowing it was vital for mental, spiritual, and emotional health, but honestly, it felt a bit like taking vitamins. But interactive gratitude, the first stage in Immanuel Journaling, ha…

Through the structure of Immanuel Journaling, God metabolized emotion with us so it didn’t have time to metastasize into trauma.By Rev. Summer Joy Gross

Our emotions are just messengers that there’s something underneath that’s trying to get our attention. They are an invitation to listen to the tender places of our heart. And God loves listening with us. Summerjoygross.com patreon.com/thepresenceprojectBy Rev. Summer Joy Gross

A Pentecost gift for you. See how your fear shifts when Jesus walks through your closed doors.By Rev. Summer Joy Gross

K. J. Ramsey and Summer Gross talk life with COVID19, grief, and the brain science of anxiety, giving practical tips for our journey back to awareness of our Prince of Peace. Finally, Summer leads us through an Ignatian style scripture practice where we can walk into the gospel story of Jesus blessing the children.…

Truth is, sometimes connecting with God in the middle of chaos and anxiety can be near impossible. Anxiety disconnects our prefrontal cortex, making it difficult for us to be rational and relational. During times like this, the world feels off-kilter. We feel off-kilter. Today I’m going to walk us through an Ignatian scripture exercise of Mark 4:35…

By Rev. Summer Joy Gross

By Rev Summer Joy Gross

By Rev. Summer Gross

We’re headed into the holiday season, a season of feasts but also of family stress. We’re all aware that joy rarely stands alone. We can be all over the emotional map even on Christmas morning. The older I get, the more I realize we are complex, a daily mixture of pain and joy. The question is, can we invite Jesus to walk with us in our complexitie…