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Mindfulness Playlist

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Youth Resources

Stuff for your spiritual backpack

Back to Youth Page

How to Bible

It’s the defining document of our faith, but can be seriously confusing and even contradictory. In order to understand the Bible, we’ve got to be reading it. These resources take the Bible day-by-day, in digestible, theologically-sound chunks.

Daily Devos

Devotions from the pastors of Myers Park Pres. Sign up to have them emailed to you every weekday morning at 7 a.m.

Sign Up

Morning Prayer

Join members of MPPC for 15 minutes of scripture and prayer. 8 a.m. every weekday during COVID.

Join via Zoom

D365

Devotions from the pastors of Myers Park Pres. Sign up to have them emailed to you every weekday morning at 7 a.m.

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Devos by Bob Goff

A year’s worth of inspiring, unexpected, humble teaching on grace and love that will prepare you for the day ahead.
Buy It

Listening to Your Life

Fresh, clear, energetic daily meditations from the works of Frederick Buechner.
Buy It

Celtic Treasure

Seven weeks of of daily scriptures and prayer from John Philip Newell.
Buy It

Prayers

A conversation with God. Sure, it may feel one-sided, but when we’re still and in the presence of God, we can have deeply meaningful moments. Here are some places to start.

Help me be present

Holy God, you know I want to be present, To be where my feet are planted.

Give me a deep breath of peace. Push aside the thoughts, worries, plans, and ideas that swirl around in my head.

Open my eyes to one thing right in front of me, something holy yet ordinary.

Help me claim the joy, the life, and the love all around me instead of just living in the future possibility of what might be.

Amen.

In Difficult Days

There is a good possibility, God, that today someone is going to make me tired. Misunderstand an ordinary comment. Push my buttons. Judge me unfairly. Refuse my kindness, and maybe a whole lot more… Give me some grace in those moments to see the other as you see them, to listen without judgment, to understand this is one moment in their longer day To respond with loving kindness and be loving in all of my interactions. God, I need you as I seek to love my neighbor and myself. Amen

In Gratitude, Release

In gratitude, for this moment, for this breath, I come to you.

God, empty me of petty criticisms. Breathe into me acceptance and compassion for my neighbor.

Take away the need to compete, to be perfect, or do everything by myself.

Breathe into me your love.

Breathe into me something of a quietness. Remind me of your presence, always with me. Surprise me with joy throughout this day.

And one last request, God, For those that are just as lost and broken as I am. Neighbors, friends, family, and those that drive me crazy.

A deep breath of peace.

Amen.

When I Feel All Alone

O God,

I feel alone. There doesn’t seem to be an end of it, no bottom to this sense that there’s no one else who sees me. Or understands me. Or has to bear this burden. I am all alone. And it feels ugly. Like I deserve it or something. But God, that can’t be right.

Come to my awareness. Take hold of me, for I am sinking. I call out to you in my need. For you, O Lord, are good and full of mercy. I remember, you have been there in the bleakest of times before. And you are here now. Awaken me to the truth that I was never actually alone and am not alone now. Never. For You are God with us, the Immanuel. You are singing my soul awake. O God I than You and praise You and say “be near me Lord Jesus, I ask You to stay close by me forever and love me I pray,”

In your holy name,

Amen.

By Kate Bowler

When I Can't Sleep

Dear God, 

I am restless. And I mean that. I am craving rest, but my heart keeps churning and tossing up problems for my mind to solve, but they are too much for me. I keep coming to the end of the thought chain of each problem, and finding myself just tired, but with nothing solved, nothing accomplished, and much time lost.

God, could you give me some pure rest, just rest, with no strings attached? Give me grace to put a blanket over my head and shut out all the detail, all the possible rabbit-trails of possibility. Give me grace to hand over my heavy heart, weighed down with all that I can’t handle myself. And settle me into the peace that goes beyond all I can imagine, think, or ask, the peace that you give that is true rest. Pure and simple.

God, keep me here, shielded by your love, until I am ready to see what you want me to see. Feel what You want me to feel. And do what you want me to do.

Amen.

By Kate Bowler

Prayer Rooms

Welcome to our virtual prayer rooms! Have a seat and take the devotion book off the shelf to read a scripture or a devotion. Each room will be updated on a regular basis, so you definitely want to come back.

Youth Group Prayer Room

Curated By: Rev. Michelle Thomas-Bush

Let's Go

Sabbath Sitting Room

Curated By: Chris Morgan

Let's Go

Social Justice & Peacemaking Prayer Room

Curated By: Liz Corsig

Let's Go

Grab a Habit

Read through these simple ideas and see what resonates with you. Consider incorporating it into your daily flow so that no matter what else is going on, your day includes something good.

Identify 3-5 core commitments:

Honest. Hard-Working. Family-Centered. Empathetic. Environmental Justice. Social Justice. Responsibility. Mindfulness. Generosity. Service/Outreach. Contentment. Joy. Patience. Loyalty.

Keep your Core Commitments and revisit them daily.

Who gets most of your time? Where does your time go? What needs to change if anything?

Write a letter every month to someone from your family, your friends and those that are important to you. Begin to identify members of your faith family.  Connect with them through a card, letter, or send a picture of the two of you. Thank them for the gift they are in your life. Be specific. 

Quality Time: Every week, find 15 minutes to give to someone in your family or a good friend and spend time with them. Invite them to be the center of attention. Listen. Buy their favorite coffee or drink and just be present. Stretch goal: Invite someone new to meet for coffee, ice cream or to go for a walk.  Text them to ask but call to confirm details.

Reflection Time: Who is on your Board of Directors for your Life? Who gives you guidance, support, or mentors you? Can you identify 5 adults that serve this role for you of different ages? Do they know they play this role? Let them know!

Identify the 5 most important people in your life. This may be different than your board of directors.

It’s widely believed that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. Who are the 5 people you spend the most time with?

Who gets most of your time? Where does your time go? What needs to change if anything?

Gratitude is the acknowledgment that each moment of life is enough. We have enough and what we experience is enough. I invite you to stop for a minute today and just take notice of all that God has given you. It is enough.

Reflect daily on three things for which you are grateful. Train your mind to look for things that for which you are grateful. Find small holy moments in the ordinary things of life. 

Want to dive deeper? Great. Let’s go.

Gratitude is a natural response to life but it does take practice and intentionality. When we practice gratitude, we cultivate the ability to see wonder, awe, and possibility in each moment of our lives. You will be surprised what begins to happen. Time opens up and rushing around becomes less of a pattern. Bitterness is replaced with contentment. Daily routines become defining moments. The ordinary becomes holy.

Gratitude researchers have also seen changes in brain development when gratitude is practiced consistently. It increases resilience, reduces stress and depression. The research shows that those practicing gratitude have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and sleep better. They are more alert and more generous, compassionate, and happier. Grateful people also have a greater capacity for joy and positive emotions.

So how do we enter into the faith practice of gratitude? Reflect on 3-5 things for which you are grateful for daily. Do this for a month.

  • Keep track in a journal with your family at dinner.
  • Use the App: 5 Minutes of Gratitude
  • Use the gratitude calendar. Do it during your last school break.
  • Pass a notebook around your family and everyone write in it your list of 5 things you are grateful for every day. Put on a table by a chair everyone sits in daily. Share at dinner daily.
  • Post a photo every day on social media of something for which you are grateful. Something simple.

Meditation doesn’t have to be hard. Start with practicing deep, intentional breathing daily. Try to spend 5-10 minutes in silence.  Pray daily through meditation apps or breathing practices.

Apps: Insight timer, Head Space, Calm

Books

Settle in with stories and spiritual memoirs from interesting people.

Pastrix

Nadia Bolz-Weber

As a recovered alcoholic and heavily tattooed with the story of her own foibles and faith, Bolz-Weber is clear-eyed about the personal travails faced by the marginalized and those without faith.

Buy

Outside the Lines

Amy Hatvany

A gripping novel about a woman who sets out to find the father who left her years ago, and ends up discovering herself.

Buy

Searching for Sunday

Rachel Held Evans

A gripping novel about a woman who sets out to find the father who left her years ago, and ends up discovering herself.

Buy

Out of Sorts

Sarah Bessey

From the popular blogger and provocative author of Jesus Feminist comes a riveting new study of Christianity that helps you wrestle with—and sort out—your faith.

Buy

Stitches

Anne Lamott

This slim, readable volume book a lens on life, widening and narrowing, encouraging each reader to reflect on what it is, after all, that really matters.

Buy

Help, Thanks, Wow

Anne Lamott

The three simple prayers essential to coming through tough times, difficult days, and the hardships of daily life.

Buy

Traveling Mercies

Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: “Help me, help me, help me” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She has a friend whose morning prayer each day is “Whatever,” and whose evening prayer is “Oh, well.”

Buy

Mindfulness

Playlist

Mindfulness is a powerful way to handle stress and live life more fully. Mindfulness is all about living fully in the present moment, without judgment, and with an attitude of kindness and curiosity towards oneself and others. It’s about breathing, noticing what’s happening right here and now.

Even in the midst of a crazy year, difficult times, and uncertainty, it helps us be present.

Being present takes some practice.

Even breathing takes practice. I know we do it every day but breathing is the first step to praying. As a person of faith, I find that with each breath, I am breathing in the breath of God. Life abundant. It is a space to listen to God. So let’s start here:

Remember your Baptism: Wash your hands and remember your baptism. As water washes over your hands remember the story of Jesus being baptized by his cousin John in the Jordan River. Remember the words God spoke at Jesus baptism, saying “You are my child.” Continue washing your hands and remember that baptism is the symbol that you are loved by God. Imagine your faith family that surrounded you at your baptism and feel that love that continues to surround you.

Every time you wash your hands, feel that love surrounding you as you remember your baptism.

Mindful practice:

Meditation of Loving-Kindness:

Find a comfortable place. One of the aims of this meditation is to feel good, so make your posture relaxed and comfortable. Begin to focus on your heart. Breathe in and out deeply. Breathe 3 deep breaths. As you breathe, begin by generating this kind of feeling toward yourself. Feel any areas of numbness or self-judgment. Then drop beneath that to the place where we care for ourselves, where we want more.

Continuing to breathe in and out, acknowledging that God gives you each breath. Say or think these phrases several times.

May I be safe
May I know peace
May I be
May I have the greatest happiness
May I know peace

Next, move to a person who most invites the feeling of pure unconditional loving kindness, the love that does not depend on getting anything back. There is no right or wrong person. Consider the faces and names that enter your mind. Consider the person toward whom it takes no effort to feel respect and reverence, someone who immediately brings the feeling of care. Repeat the phrases for this person: “May they be safe…”

After feeling strong unconditional love for a person close to you, move to a person you know to be a friend. Settle on just one person and offer the prayer above for your friend. May they be safe, May they know peace….

Continue with the prayer but breathe deeper. Now move to a neutral person, someone for whom you have just met this week, someone you see often in your group but do not have strong feelings about. You feel neither strong like nor dislike. As you repeat the prayer meditation, allow yourself to feel compassion and loving care for their day ahead.

Now move to someone you have difficulty with – someone who is hard to be with or you have past resentments. Repeat the phrases for this person. If you have difficulty doing this, you can say before the phrases, “To the best of my ability I wish that you be….”

If you begin to feel anger or resentment building inside, return to your first-person and let the loving kindness arise again before return to pray for the harder person in your life. We have the ability to love because we experience love.

Let the phrases spread through your whole body, mind, and heart.

After the difficult person, radiate love and kindness out to all beings. Stay in touch with the love at the center of your being, and begin to know love for all people. The traditional phrases are these:

May all people be safe, happy, healthy, live joyously…
May all living beings be safe, happy, healthy, live joyously…
May all individuals be safe, happy, healthy, live joyously…

Allow the phrases to be simply a way for you to know love and offer love. Empower your imagination through the phrases to touch the hearts of all forms of life. Breathe deep and thank God for the gift of love that allows you to love. Breathe deeply 3 times before ending your time of meditation and prayer.

Mindfulness is not essentially prayer, but it helps us to present in this world so that I can be more aware of God’s presence in my life.

Contact Youth Ministry

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