James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Everything turns on the turn.” In this episode, James explains the meaning behind this thought from above, which he learned from Ann Voskamp. He talks about the three ways we turn when faced with difficult situations in life. Smith closes the episode with a spiritual practice that he encourages you to try. The practice is to work through these three statements:

  1. I will let go of ______ (You fill in the blank)
    1. What are you carrying? What is troubling you? What are you afraid of or anxious about?
  2. I am grateful for ______ (You fill in the blank)
    1. Name the blessings in your life (friends, family, job, health, etc…)
  3. I will focus on ______ (You fill in the blank)
    1. What is on your agenda today? How can you live fully into it? How can you bring Christ into what you are doing today? How can you live “cruciform” today?

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Related Episodes:
1. Greatest Treasure
2. Conversation with Ann Voskamp
3. The Emotional Life
4. The Good Life
5. Conversation with Ruth Haley Barton