Ancient Christian Wisdom
for Everyday Life
Wisdom for those with the wild ambition of getting as close to Jesus as they can on earth and living the kind of life that God desires every single day
Welcome to the Daily Monastic. I’m Barnabas the Monastic.
I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I attempt to do that by learning to become a modern monastic. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in my modern everyday life. I write about it here. Feel free to write to me about your own journey. I currently reside in the “Great White North.”
Questions for the Prayer of Examen
One of my favorite ways to end the day is by practicing what is often referred to as the prayer of examen. It's an old spiritual practice developed by Ignatius of Loyola, a Catholic priest and theologian. He practiced it himself and taught it to others. Basically, I take some time to…
Spiritual Activity while Commuting
Unless you're working from home, you're likely commuting to your workplace every day. You might drive your own vehicle or ride a bicycle. You might take public transportation like the bus or the subway. If you live close enough to…
Harder than Ever
I want to live well for Jesus. I want my life to be a reflection of the godly values associated with the Kingdom of God. I want to embody godly traits like love, humility, faith, sacrifice, etc. I want my living well for Christ to…
Even on the Busiest of Days
I had a really busy day yesterday. A medical appointment that took up most of the morning. An afternoon meeting that was quite lengthy. Visited and helped a neighbor in need. Picked up my…
Ideas to Beat Procrastination
In the previous blog post, I shared about procrastination and how starting something is usually the problem. I've noticed that if I can just start doing the thing I want to do, I will eventually see it to completion. As an example, it took me a while today to get around to just starting to write this blog post. Instead of…
Beating Procrastination
I don't know why, but I really enjoy procrastinating. I like doing anything and everything else except the very thing I'm supposed to be doing. This happens with writing. This happens with house chores. This happens with exercise. This happens with replying to emails. This happens with preparing for talks. This happens with spiritual disciplines. For some odd reason, it just…
The Prayer of Abraham’s Servant
The other day, I was reading the Bible story of Abraham sending his most trusted servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. It's an interesting story with plenty of insights and lessons. What caught my attention this time around was the prayerful posture of this unnamed servant who…
The Prayer of Examen
One of my favorite ways to wind down the day is by looking back on the past fourteen hours or so and reflecting on the different things that transpired. I do this to increase my gratitude to God for another day He has given and to discern ways to continually grow in following Christ. Some people refer to this…
Spiritual Exercises while Waiting
The other day, I was at the doctor's for an appointment. Nothing serious. Just a routine checkup for some new circumstances in life. Everyone who has ever stepped foot into a doctor's clinic knows that there's one thing that is sure to happen every single time: you are going to wait. I don't think I've ever…
Ora et Labora
People are usually a little astounded and their curiosity is piqued when I mention that I spend anywhere from 3-4 hours per day communing with the Lord in prayer. I know a lot of believers who also have this desire to spend ample and appropriate amounts of time with the Lord each and every day. I hear it from…