Status Updates From Emmanuel Promise: Discoveri...

All the things in this world are gifts from God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily. Our only desire in our own choice should be this: I want and I choose what better leads to the deepening of God‘s life in me. -St. Ignatius

In order to build new neuropathways, we have to stay in the reality of this sensory-packed encounter (memories or images of God with us) with our Emmanuel for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Our nervous system has to be convinced that there is another story that is more true.

When children awake from nightmares, their nervous system has to be convinced that there is another story that is more true. … how much of our lives are spent stuck in the waking nightmare of a lie

Faith rises not because we’ve conjured a feeling of it, but because we are determined to stay present. “You are here,” we star. “You have what I need.”

Sometimes as I wait for an answer from God, I don’t hear anything. I don’t force connection through words. I expórtenle the silence as an invitation to companionship.

The truth of God’s omnipresence means Ge never has to choose one child over another … He’s present with each of His creations equally.

You have the full attention of the God of the universe.

Imperfect human love has marred our brain’s ability to receive love. We can’t imagine a God who pursues us with unwavering desire.

Trust is built one marked experience of care after another.

By using a constant reminder of God’s presence (ex presence candle) in a common space, we lay the groundwork for spiritual object constancy - the concept of believing that an object still has reality even when it’s out of sigh

The invitation to wrestle (with doubts, emotions, disappointments) is actually an invitation to intimacy.

Sometimes life demands every ounce of attention we have, and we don’t recognize the attentiveness of God until we look back and see His faithfulness dotted through the chapters of our autobiography.

If fear is introduced before trust is built you will always have your guard up.

If you are insecure, avoidant attached, maybe you had a moment when you decided to show your brave little heart and the need you carried, but at that moment, it was clear your need was treated as a problem to be solved, not an invitation to connection…= “my full self is not desired. I have to tone it down. I can only show what’s acceptable.”

Your need is just the right environment for attachment. You are invited to cry out and watch Him respond.

Your responsibility was never to weigh the level of your need and decide if it was worthy of care. Your responsibility was only to cry out.

Without a cry, there can be no response.

Our attachment becomes more secure in community where our vulnerability is honored and our stories are safe.