Displacement begins with the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and it is that movement that we must be sensitive to if we are going to identify and join in the calling of God on our lives.

We’ve been going through Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life for the last couple of weeks.  If you’re feeling moved by Henri Nouwen’s message of choosing voluntary displacement but are unsure how to start listening to the divine voice of love, I encourage you to check out Tim Hoekstra’s wonderful devotional Miles to Run Before We Sleep.  All proceeds from book sales are donated to World Vision‘s clean water project in Africa, so you can’t go wrong.

As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, my husband and I know Tim (he married us in April 2011), and he is an unbelievably gentle and driven man of God with a passion for both running and racial reconciliation in the Church.  His devotional provides readers the opportunity to think, pray, move, and discover the unique calling on each of our lives toward what Nouwen calls voluntary displacement. 

Both of us are reading through the book ourselves and have already had some very unexpected insights.  I may share some of my meditations here in the future, but for now, I highly recommend Tim’s book to anyone looking for guidance in recognizing the displacement in our lives.

If a devotional isn’t your thing, you may also find one of these books helpful in learning to listen to the loving voice of God:

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen

Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer

Sacred Compass by Brent Bill

Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer by Richard Rohr

If you need more suggestions, drop me a line! I’d love to chat more with each of you.