So Much More: Scripture Meditation (Lectio Divina)

A Scripture Meditation on Psalm 27 using Lectio Divina. Do not be afraid. Easier said than done. Fear is a common emotion when we feel scared, concerned, or even ashamed. In this Psalm, David was being pursued by his very real enemies who wanted to do very real hard to him. In the face of this uncertainty, David chose courageous trust when he declared that God was greater than his enemies and ther...

This guided Scripture meditation is in Psalm 37 using Lectio Divina. Waiting on God is hard. This Psalm reminds us that God will act on our behalf – in his timing and in his ways. It also reminds us to not get caught up in comparison. It will only agitate us, and nothing good comes from this. So, take a deep breath and allow the Lord to guide you into this meditation in Psalm 37. I believe he has...

Enjoy this guided Scripture meditation in Isaiah 43 using the Lectio Divina meditation method. God is always doing something new. Yes, he remains the same – but we are always changing and therefore he is always up to something new in our lives. As you enter this new year – are you ready for the new work God wants to do in your life?   Listen in to this guided meditation and allow the Holy Spirit t...

What is Christian Meditation and how is it different from other kinds of meditation? In this podcast we will: Explore what Christian meditation is and isn’t. Discuss where we see meditation in Scripture. Explore the benefits of meditation for our mind and body. Discuss how meditating on God’s Word helps us hear from God. Unpack exactly what Lectio Divina is and how we use this mediation method on...

This guided Christmas meditation is perfect for you or the entire family. Take a few quiet moments to remember the story of Christmas and reflect through prayer and thanksgiving on what it means for you today. You can find our more about Jodie at: http://www.jodieniznik.com/ If you’re interested in Entering a New Season Guided Retreat, you can find more information here . Join my Monday email news...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation for the fourth week of Advent focused on Love.   Jesus is love – and through him, we can be more loving toward others.   This guided meditation may be particularly timely for you. I know it is for me. We always hear that this is the most wonderful time of the year and while that may be true, it’s also a time of added stress. And st...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation for the third week of Advent focused on joy.   Jesus is where we find true and lasting joy.   In this passage, Jesus ties our joy to something a bit surprising … obedience. At first glance, this doesn’t feel joyful, does it?   That’s because we have a skewed take on the word obedience. We believe obedience is being told to do somet...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation for the second week of Advent focused on the peace Jesus offers us.   In John 14, Jesus said he was leaving the disciples with his peace – not just fleeting tranquility for a moment but enduring peace for a lifetime.   And because of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence in our lives today, we also have access to this same peace of...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation for the first week of Advent focused on hope. Jesus is our true and lasting hope. Without hope, we become disillusioned – troubled with fear and anxiety about the future. Yet, Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” We find hope in trusting Jesus with our future. We find hope in believing that this life is not all the...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Self-Control. *** You can find out more about The Entering a New Season Guided Retrea t here   Christ’s death and resurrection give us freedom. Freedom from earning favor with God. Freedom from trying to earn our salvation.   Yet our freedom isn’t well used when choose sin instead of God’s better way....

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Gentleness.   Jesus was gentle.   Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)   This means that gentleness is a proper use...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Faithfulness.   What is faithfulness?   Faithfulness, at its core, is believing and acting like God is exactly who He says He is. Even when we face opposition, we can still choose to be faithful. Trusting that God is with us. And that there is a day coming when all that is wrong will be made right.   O...

This week’s podcast is a Guided Lectio Divina Scripture meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Goodness.   Are you feeling weary?   You aren’t alone. It’s easy to get discouraged when it feels like the good work we are doing isn’t getting the results we hoped for. Or the relationship isn’t getting better. Or it just feels like we keep hitting dead ends.   Take a moment to breathe, reflect on, an...

This week’s podcast is a Lectio Divina guided Christian meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Kindness.   Words have power. They can tear down or build up; heal or wound. We’ve all experienced destructive words and the deep wounds they leave behind. And hopefully, we can also recall words that have been spoken to us in kindness and love. Words that have encouraged us to be brave and take a leap...

This week’s podcast is a Lectio Divina guided Scripture Meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of forbearance. Forbearance means patient self-control, restraint, and tolerance. Does anyone else need more forbearance in their lives? I know I do! Thankfully, forbearance is a Fruit of the Spirit, which means God longs to help us. One way we can cultivate a heart bent toward forbearance is by meditatin...

Is it possible to have peace even when life feels chaotic? Jesus tells us we can have true peace – a peace that is outside of circumstances, a peace that surpasses understanding. Yes, please. Sign us up. We need more peace. How can we have more peace? This is the real question. Listen in to this guided scripture meditation and let the Holy Spirit guide you into his peaceful presence. He has someth...

As we continue in our Meditation series of the Fruit of the Spirit, today we’re focusing on the second aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit: JOY.  🎙️In today's meditation, we’ll look closely at joy and how Jesus says we can find true and complete joy in our lives. 🌺 As you engage with this guided Scripture meditation, allow the Spirit to lead you to what he has for you. 🍎 Here are 3 takeaways from...

One aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit is love. But what is love? Download your free Fruit of the Spirit Journal  here. In this new series, we’re focusing on the Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Each week, we'll settle into one specific aspect of the fruit. T...

Psalm 91 reminds us that God is our ultimate protector. No matter what challenges we face or circumstances we find ourselves in, we can rest assured that God is with us, guiding and leading us toward life. If you need a shot of hope for your day or week, listen in to this guided Lectio Divina meditation to be reminded that God is with you, and you can find refuge in him. 🎧 You can find Jodie at h...

In this episode, Jodie Niznik, host of So Much More, leads you in a guided meditation to help you find renewed strength and hope using Isaiah 40:28-31. The passage was originally meant to encourage God’s people who were weary and wayward, and it also offers timeless truths and promises for us today.   Here are 3 takeaways from this Meditation: Remember God's Everlasting Presence: Isaiah 40 reminds...

Can any catastrophe be good? Benjamin Windle thinks so. He stumbled upon the term "good catastrophe" in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien used this term to describe moments when all hope seemed lost, but then a sudden turn towards joy would occur. Windle was inspired by this redemptive message and borrowed Tolkien's words to express the truth that hope can help us discover good, even in cata...

Some days feel crushing – like everything is caving in at once.   Paul understood this when he said: We are hard-pressed, but not crushed. Perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not abandoned. Struck down, but not destroyed.   If you’re feeling hard-pressed, listen in for a fresh breath of hope.   Take a few quiet moments to listen to this Scripture from 2 Corinthians, reflect on its meani...

Do you ever wonder if God really loves you? Or if there is something you can do to make him love you less? And if he does love you, then why do hard things happen? The short answer is God does love you. Nothing can change that. Hard things happen because we live in a broken world with broken people (including ourselves). Listen in to this week’s meditation as we focus on the hope found in God’s un...

Even when you don’t know what to pray, God does. And even better – God is praying that perfect prayer on your behalf. Romans 8 tells us that the Holy Spirit and Jesus are interceding for us.   The Spirit longs to help us in our weakness. So, when you don’t know how to pray, try sitting with God and letting him pray for you. He interprets the groans and longings of our hearts. He takes our weakness...

In this episode, host Jodie Niznik interviews Dr. Michelle Bengtson, an esteemed clinical neuropsychologist, international speaker, and author of "The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms."  Here are 3 key takeaways from this inspiring conversation: 1️. Pain is a universal experience: Dr. Bengtson reminds us that pain is a great equalizer, and everyone will experience trial...