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.”

Prayer, Contemplation, Wisdom Barnabas the Monastic Prayer, Contemplation, Wisdom Barnabas the Monastic

Coming to God Yourself

Several months ago, I was speaking at a retreat. During each session of a retreat, I usually like to reserve some space for a time of Q&A where people can ask any questions they have. I typically get questions asking me to speak into a particular situation in life. For example…

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Is your strength too small?

Life can be quite unpredictable. Who knows what challenges you might face in the future? Struggling finances. Conflict in relationships. Health challenges. Work issues. Will you have the strength to face the challenges that might come your way?

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Influences and Decisions

We’re making decisions every single day. Some decisions we make are inconsequential. For example, it usually doesn't matter whether I wear a red shirt or a blue shirt today. It's a decision that…

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Little by Little

I use a simple trick to help me get things done and make things more manageable for me to handle: I tend to do things little by little, especially when it comes to large, complex, or boring tasks. I personally have a hard time wrapping my head around large tasks that may take hours to complete or that suck the life out of me. I often get…

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What is the most faithful thing I can do right now?

I have a lot of things to do each day. In fact, at any given moment in time, I have plenty of options to choose from in terms of what I could possibly be doing right now. I could choose to go for a run or make breakfast or vacuum the living room floor or read a book or write this blog entry. Obviously, I'm choosing…

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Cultivating Relationships

Part of growing as a person is learning how to cultivate the relationships that you have with other people. Family. Friends. Acquaintances. Workmates. Strangers. Unless you've isolated yourself from the rest of the world, you're likely going to…

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Opportunities and Uncertainties

Life is full of both opportunities and uncertainties. Opportunities in life may include things like receiving a new job offer, getting into a relationship, entering into business, purchasing a home, and starting a family. Uncertainties may include…

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The Still and Small Voice of God

I've never heard the voice of God in a distinct audible way. I'd like to. Perhaps it will happen one day. Or perhaps it will only be something I will experience when I reach heaven and meet God there. But so far, it hasn't happened. I'm not bothered by this. Despite not…

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At the “Beach” Any Time

A couple of months ago, I was sitting on a beach taking in the view of the beautiful sand and water. It was a serene moment. Calm. Peaceful. For a few short hours, I didn't have to think about any worries or problems. I felt…

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In Our Control versus Out of Our Control

In life, there are things that are in our control and then there are things that are out of our control. For example, writing this blog post is within my control. I can choose to write or I can choose not to. I have control over what I want to write. I also have…

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