Learn To Live Fearlessly
The prophets exhorted the Israelites to “fear not” repeatedly in the Old Testament. Jesus said “do not worry about your life.” Yet still we worry. Still fear drives our decisions. As a result, we become frustrated and angry. The Bible is clear that fear and worry not only separate us from God’s grace and love but also make us miserable. Sadly, however, the how-to-instructions for avoiding worry provided in the Bible are not detailed enough for most of us.
The good news is we can learn to live more fearlessly. We can train our minds to change the channel from worry to living in the mind of Christ. That’s not to say worry thoughts won’t come. Rather, we can develop the habits to let go before our worries multiply and grow.
That’s where Christians Meditate is different. We teach and practice the practical tools needed to manage worry and fear that separate us from the Spirit within us — and we practice contemplative prayer to strengthen trust in God’s love and grace. It’s a powerful combination!
What We Hear From Participants
One participant reports, I didn’t know I had a choice to worry or not. Already I am worrying less. I don’t feel so restless when I sit down to pray. Another participant explains, My mind always wandered when I tried to sit silently with God so I stopped trying. Now I realize that’s what minds do. It’s all about bringing my attention back to God’s love not clearing my mind.
Another says, For part of my home practice, I decided to walk from the car to the house after work each night in silent prayer. Boy was it hard the first two nights. My mind was everywhere but on God. But it got easier each day. After a week, I started to look forward to those 20 feet and that brief moment in solitude with God.
A participant reports, I feel change happening inside me. I worry less and am content more often. I feel God’s presence in my everyday life. I’ve never felt like this before. It’s what I’ve always wanted. Another participant says, I’ve always known there was something more. Now I feel like I’m on a path that will lead to greater fulfillment.
Participants have a lot more to say about the classes and the impact on their lives. Read more of what they have to say.
Classes & Retreats
Christians Meditate offers four courses. Each course combines daily practice of contemplative prayer with tools of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In combination, contemplative prayer and CBT teach skills to develop healthy habits of thinking that alleviate worry and fear, creating space for God in our everyday lives.
All classes are experiential. You will practice contemplative prayer, discuss your experiences, journal and do hands-on exercises that bring clarity about your own patterns of thinking, emoting and relating to the Divine. There are no canned PowerPoints or memorized lectures.
All classes are led by Sandra Miller, MSW, LCSW, a fully licensed clinical therapist based in St Louis, a follower of Jesus whose practice of contemplative prayer and meditation started in 1981. Read about Sandra’s spiritual journey.
Cultivating Joy in the Midst of Suffering. In this no cost 10 week live online class, participants meditate, learn and experience the nature of joy, obstacles to joy and and the eight pillars of joy, which are qualities of the mind and heart. The class is based on The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. The class is made available through MeditationChapel.org – a collaboration between Online Meditation Chapel, Contemplative Outreach and World Council of Christian Meditation (WCCM).
Removing The Barriers – Awakening To Thoughts & Emotions. This class is for participants with an existing centering prayer, Christian meditation, lectio divina or other contemplative practice. In the class, participants will identify thoughts and emotions that separate us from God’s loving presence and learn and apply skills to cope with negative thoughts and difficult emotions. This free 10 week live online class and half day retreat is offered four or more times a year. The class is made available through MeditationChapel.org – a collaboration between Online Meditation Chapel, Contemplative Outreach and World Council of Christian Meditation (WCCM).
Living Mindfully in Christ. This class strengthens participants’ faith by developing a contemplative prayer practice, identifying thoughts and emotions that separate us from God’s loving presence and learning and applying skills to cope with negative thoughts and difficult emotions. This 8-week cl/ass plus a full day retreat is offered to St Louis area churches onsite. The course costs $99 per participant with a minimum of eight participants.
Mindful Way. This evidence-based 10-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) clinical course is for adults in the St Louis area with depression and anxiety looking for a Christian-perspective. The course includes 10 two-hour weekly sessions, a full day Saturday retreat and an individual consultation. The course is offered through St Louis DBT, a mental health practice in Richmond Heights. Documentation is provided so participants can submit requests for out-of-network reimbursement from their health insurance provider.
Living Mindfully in Christ Retreats. The Living Mindfully approach can be tailored to groups of teens, adults, seniors or couples in a retreat center or a large classroom. Retreats are available in three lengths: Saturday full day (8 hours), Friday evening-Saturday (11 hours) and Friday evening to Sunday afternoon (16 hours). Inquire about pricing.