Coronavirus

Finding Peace: Christian Mindfulness and the Holy Spirit (Steve Gilbert – 3/3/23 – NCS New Canaan)

March 8, 2023 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

Steve Gilbert vulnerably shares, from his own experiences as a therapist and a man, about the power of “Christian mindfulness” to help us find peace through an understanding of God’s constant presence through the Holy Spirit.

Gilbert explains that the last three years have been a struggle in his role as a therapist. His struggle has come from watching an increasing number of other people struggle with addiction, depression and relational issues as a result of the pandemic. Steve talks about how this struggle has challenged his faith.

Steve describes the important difference between practicing “mindfulness” and “Christian mindfulness” as a path to lessening anxiety and finding peace. He explains that the practice of “mindfulness” is “just about you” being in the moment, while “Christian mindfulness” includes Jesus and the recognition that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and is with us, always, in the moment.

Gilbert reveals how our prayers are so often misguided in failing to recognize God’s presence with us and in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and he offers how prayers change when we recognize that reality.

Steve describes the difference between “shame” and “guilt” and the power of “shame” to block our ability to be mindful of Christ’s presence, and he goes on to explain how we can break that blockage.

Steve also reveals and explains the frequent lie of “religion” that we can manufacture personal holiness and overcome the temptations of sin through spiritual “self-help” disciplines, which too often create pharisees and legalism.

Gilbert shares how we can overcome the temptations of sin, be transformed “from inside out”, and find peace through “Christian mindfulness”–understanding that God dwells within us always through the Holy Spirit.

Miracles of Men in Relationship (David Grizzle – 9/9/22 – NCS New Canaan)

September 9, 2022 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

With tremendous NCS transparency, David Grizzle shares how he has experienced and witnessed the miracles that can happen when men are in deep, grace-filled and accountable relationships with each other.

On the eve of the Memorial Service for NCS brudder BJ Weber, Grizzle explains the very special relationship he had with BJ, going back to the first day BJ arrived in New York City. David talks about how, with BJ’s help, he learned compassion through “borrowed suffering”.

David vulnerably describes the irrational anxiety and panic attacks he felt and suffered during the COVID pandemic, not because of the pandemic but because of the devastating impact it had on markets, financial portfolios and businesses he was overseeing as a Board member. He shares how he began to recognize the power of idols in his life, and how he was able to find peace by finally forgiving himself.

Finally, David explains why he believes that men need other men–not only to help pull each other out of the “holes” we dig ourselves into but also to help each other reach all that God intends for us.

“Dad” Cares (Even in a Pandemic) (Rev. Richard Berry – 5/29/20 – NCS New Canaan)

May 29, 2020 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

Rev. Richard Berry may call himself “just a dumb hick from Skowhegan, Maine”, but he is a country pastor filled with much wisdom, a huge heart for humanity, enormous (yet simple) faith and an endless supply of stories about how “Dad” (what Richard calls God) has shown up in a homeless shelter in central Maine.

We first heard from Richard in 2016 before his first book was released. Since then, he has published three and a fourth is on the way. He comes back to share more stories of hope, human dignity, miracles, joy and self-reflection from the Covid pandemic. Why should you listen? For the same reasons you might want to read his books: If you want to smile, if you need to laugh, if you are willing to cry, if you are lacking hope, if joy seems to be hiding, or especially if you are questioning your belief in God, Jesus or the role of his Church in our world today.

Those interested in learning more (or helping) about Richard’s homeless shelter can visit https://sheltersbyjesus.com or read Richard’s first book “Sheltered by Jesus”, available at this link https://amzn.to/3cdYIL4

The Problem of Pleasure (Ravi Zacharias – 10/8/10 – NCS New Canaan)

May 19, 2020 by NCS New Canaan Leave a Comment

The world-renowned evangelist and apologist Ravi Zacharias went home to be with Jesus at the age of 74 after a battle with cancer.

DO YOU REMEMBER?

It was 2010 and we received an e-mail from an NCS brudder asking if we would be interested in having Ravi Zacharias speak to our Chapter. Ravi was going to be in the area, had heard about NCS and was willing to speak to us. Why is that amazing? At that time, Zacharias spoke 300+ days/year and still turned down 99% of the speaking requests he received. He was used to speaking to thousands/tens of thousands/hundreds of thousands. We didn’t ask, but he offered to come to our little restaurant in Darien. It was one of the two largest crowds we ever packed into Ten Twenty Post Restaurant over 11 years (the other was Paul Young shortly after The Shack became a best-seller).

What do we take from this story? Our loving Father wanted us to hear Ravi’s message in 2010. We think He may want us to hear it again. Ravi talked about “displaced priorities”–he shared vulnerably about his own regrets–what he missed as a Dad from a life on the road. The Covid Crisis has been a reset for many–some families eating dinner together for the first time in years. Old priorities have been disrupted and re-ordered. When things “re-open”, we will have a choice–rush back to “displaced priorities” that feel familiar (that is where the world will draw us) or pause to consider “re-ordered” priorities.

So here it is again–to honor the life of a man who gave to others and who incredibly offered to give very tangibly to our little community almost 10 years ago.

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