In the conversation for Sunday, August 5, 2018, Kim Nowlin talks about the condition of our heart. She offers ways to recognize when we harden our heart and ways to soften our heart and become more open to God’s love and leading in our life.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

Sacred Reading 00:00-15:55, Conversation 15:55-01:02:30

Sacred Reading

A note about the recording of the Sacred Reading:
The reader will pause between each of the four readings. The pauses have been left in the recording so that the listener can experience the rhythm of the gathering and even participate in the reading. Below are the guidelines for each of the four readings of the practice.

Read: Read the passage and receive it as God’s message to you.
Reflect: Read the passage again and look for the word or phrase that the Holy Spirit highlights to your heart.
Respond: Take the highlighted words and make them a prayer.
Rest: Rest your heart on God’s promises.

Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:38-39, Song of Songs 2:4 (NIV)
The Lord says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
And now I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let the Lord lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.