As part of a course I'm taking at Asbury Seminary, I've been engaged in a personal journey through the ancient practice of Lectio Divina or Sacred Reading. Lectio Divina assumes that the scriptures want to speak to us personally, not just teach us, but through God's voice of compassion and conviction engage us and love us. It involves four separate stages: (1) Lectio -- reading to get focused. Slow reading. Several times with a stillness that allows the text to speak for itself. What part speaks to us? Where is the mind drawn during the reading? (2) Meditatio -- taking time to think, to savor it, to deeply consider it meaning. Look for words, phrases, and meanings that speak to you. Why do they haunt your thoughts? (3) Oratio -- a conversation with God that informs us and shapes us. Share with God your joy, pain, concerns, and fear as released in the passage. What does the passage bring to mind that God wants to talk about with you? (4) Contemplatio -- Resting in the Presence of God. Imagine a small child nessled in the arms of his Father's lap, saying nothing, but completely content in the closeness of the moment. Feel the warm of His body, the rhythm of his breathing, the tenderness of this moment of surrender. Give into the moment without fear of what lies ahead. Release the anxiety and embrace the Spirit of peace and love.   I have been growing so much through my experience with Lectio Divina that I invite you to join me on the adventure and sit a spell with the Father who is waiting for you to slow down long enough, to become so exhausted with running that your will be ready for the his lap.