What Is God Inviting Me to Notice?
During my training in spiritual direction, we practiced a lot of directing. Often it looked very simple: meeting in groups of two or three for as little as five minutes. One person would share, one would listen as the director, and sometimes a third would simply hold the space.
We were given a simple instruction each time: share something real, even if it’s small.
Over the course of the two-year program, I probably participated in an exercise like this twenty times or more. And every single time, God showed up.
Nothing flashy was happening. We were just practicing listening to one another and to God. But it was real. Consistently, unmistakably real.
That may be the biggest thing I took away from my training: with even a small amount of intentionality, we can meet with God. Not because we are especially skilled or holy, but because God is already there, waiting for us, pursuing us, and loving us.
This is why I talk so much about contemplative play.
When we make space for rest and play, and then take one small step further by bringing intention into it, we create room to hear from God. These practices don’t have to be heavy or complicated. They can be gentle, playful, and embodied. Sometimes they are easier with others, which is why I believe so deeply in spiritual direction and shared practices of noticing. But they can also be woven into ordinary moments of daily life.
This is also why I’ve shifted the way I do book reviews and now call them Sacred Story Time.
For years, I reviewed children’s books because I wanted to help adults and children learn to see Jesus in their everyday lives, in their work, their play, and their rest. Children’s books are a surprisingly accessible doorway into that kind of noticing, even when the books themselves aren’t explicitly Christian. Stories train our attention. They soften us. They help us practice seeing meaning, beauty, and presence everywhere.
Going forward, my book reviews will always include playful, contemplative prompts. I may even revisit some reviews from the past through this lens. But you don’t need a specific book, or even a book at all, to begin.
You can start right where you are. With the story you’re reading. The game you’re playing. The moment you’re living.
Simply ask:
What is God inviting me to notice here?
God is trustworthy. Attention does not change God; it changes us. As we practice noticing through story, play, and rest, we are formed to recognize the grace that was already there.