Commitments After Reading Nouwen's Reaching Out: The three movements of the spiritual life.

I am committed to two actions. The first has to do with the teacher-student relationship discussed in the book. My son Hayden has ADD and is rarely a favorite of teachers. His creative writing teacher this year, Mr. Matthews, is the exception. As I shared with Hayden what teachers were writing about him, that he was not paying attention and not turning in work, Hayden responded expectantly, “What does Mr. Matthews write about me?” Mr. Matthews has bolstered my son’s confidence and seen the treasure of Hayden’s brain and his work. I commit to sending Mr. Matthews a letter expressing my gratitude for the impact he is having on my son.
Secondly, I am committed to spending 15 minutes each morning in prayer. I have done this sporadically but am committed to making this a daily routine. I fully agree with Nouwen’s point about combining reading of the Word with silence. I will read from a psalm or re-read some of my highlighted passages and then spend the rest of the time in prayer. I will try meditation by saying a phrase such as the Jesus prayer over and over to center myself during this time. But mostly, I will listen for His voice.

Nouwen, H. J. M. (1975). Reaching out: The three movements of the spiritual life. New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Image Books.