As a pastor juggling crushing schedules and overflowing inboxes, carving out time and space for
spiritual nourishment can feel burdensome. Thankfully, we can look to church history for resources to refresh the soul. Throughout the centuries, Christians have woven intricate tapestries of renewal, each thread a path designed to draw God’s people closer to him and to each other.

In the pages that follow, we examine a few of these tapestries, illuminating strands that have dimmed with age or lack of use. In doing so, we find permission stitched into every image—permission to consider these practices, to honor our own longing for sustenance, and to find, or even create, the quiet moments where our souls can drink from the well of God’s goodness.

1. Solitude

After [Jesus] had dismissed [the crowds], he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone. Matthew 14:2-3

In solitude the useless trivialities of life begin to drop away. We are set free ...