The Presence Project Podcast

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.

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.

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/summerjoygross

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/summerjoygross

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=1000578677170

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/summerjoygross  

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 our joy with these three practices from the free Jo...

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 the question, "Where is God in the midst of our sor...

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.

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 alignment. Deepen your understanding of your brain's capac...

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/walking

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-retreat

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.com

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? https://mailchi.mp/athirstforgod.com/messiahadve...

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 quiet devotionals are just what we need after 2...

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, has surprised me with its power. It's been like disc...

Through the structure of Immanuel Journaling, God metabolized emotion with us so it didn't have time to metastasize into trauma. 

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/thepresenceproject    

A Pentecost gift for you. See how your fear shifts when Jesus walks through your closed doors.

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 4:35-40 using holy imagination and the senses. Why? T...

How the story of the transfiguration of Jesus is the key to our transformation. There are two invitations when we're walking through pain: to lament + to Worship. To pour out our lament with an empathetic listener and also to lift our eyes to the throne, fix our eyes on Jesus, and find our story within his larger story.

But in spiritual matchmaking there's a different law at play, we cannot conjure up desire in our own strength. It also says that we can't formula our way to relationship. We can't perform our way to wonder and mystery. And that wisdom is not a currency to count before fellow church members nor is information the path to a deep rooted love. It can be a part of the path, learning the topography, lea...