Order

Solitude.
Community.
Ministry.
Henri Nouwen, Paul, and Jesus all exemplified that to be spiritually disciplined these three things were needed, in this order.
I personally really struggle with solitude. I’m bad at it. And I have to get better at it. Because to be able to offer community and do ministry I first need to be filled by God alone and spend time in silence with Him.
We read (as a staff) Henri Nouwen's article "Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry" that discusses the importance of these three concepts and how they interplay into each other. The article refers to Luke 6:12-19 and how Jesus took time in solitude before gathering His disciples in community and then going out and beginning in His ministry. The very next week I was reading in Galations about how Paul took time to be alone before gathering Titus and Barnabas to continue on in ministry.
I have been challenged to spend time in solitude. And right now it's way hard! But I know it will be worth it and to create the spiritual discipline of waiting in solitude will eventually bring something.
I am blessed to have an awesome and trustworthy community here at CSM that have partnered with me this summer as well as helping me prepare for ministry beyond CSM this summer and next school year. I will miss them when I go home later this week. I will miss the constant knowing that our community was right there willing to challenge and help. I am blessed to have Jessica as a roommate this next year and the fact that she knows what's going on in my heart and saw all the same things I did just in NYC.
There is a lot going on my heart and mind right now as I transition out of CSM and back into school and whatever else God may have for me. I need to start with solitude. I have to learn to make time for it and see it as a vital part of my life and ministry.
-Jody Glazner, CSM Nashville Summer 2009 City Host