The finished diamond is one of the most beautiful and desirable gems.  Yet, in the rough it appears like any other stone.  It requires the knowledge and skill of a master cutter and polisher to change the rough stone into a faceted gem.  We all begin our spiritual journey as a "diamond in the rough," unrecognizable as the spiritual gem God wants us to be. The process of  spiritual formation allows God, the master diamond cutter, to cut away the roughness to expose a beautiful gem.
 

Welcome to the Spiritual Life Network website. It is our hope that you will find here resources, recommendations, materials, and ideas that will aid in your personal life journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We are using Dr. Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image, as a template to illustrate various spiritual disciplines you can use for God to grow you spiritually. This website is neither comprehensive nor complete. And it is not a review or summary of Boa’s book. You are encouraged to read Conformed to His Image for more in depth study.

We have chosen to illustrate essential spiritual principles with thought provoking examples from the arts and popular culture for relevancy. We trust that your life will be enriched as you continue to discover how these eternal spiritual principles apply to all experiences.

Boa refers to spiritual growth as a "gem with many facets." These are summarized as follows:

    1. Relational Spirituality – learning to love God completely, ourselves correctly, and others compassionately
    2. Paradigm Spirituality – cultivating an eternal versus a temporal perspective
    3. Disciplined Spirituality – engaging in the historical disciplines
    4. Exchanged Life Spirituality – grasping our true identity in Christ
    5. Motivated Spirituality – a set of biblical incentives
    6. Devotional Spirituality – falling in love with God
    7. Holistic Spirituality – every component of life under the lordship of Christ
    8. Process Spirituality – process versus product; being versus doing
    9. Spirit-Filled Spirituality – walking in the power of the Spirit
    10. Warfare Spirituality – the world, the flesh, and the devil
    11. Nurturing Spirituality – a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship
    12. Corporate Spirituality – encouragement, accountability, and worship
As you explore this site you will find yourself using a number of these principles. None stands by itself as a person’s sole path to spiritual growth. These facets receive the light from different angles. Together they enhance spiritual growth like a multi-faceted diamond: strong, beautiful, and reflective of God’s character.

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson +

    Eugene Peterson’s book, Eat This Book gets its name from Revelation 10:9-10 when John asks for the scroll containing God’s Read More
  • Martin Luther’s Quiet Time, Walter Trobisch +

    Martin Luther had a barber named Peter Beskendorf who asked his world-famous customer and doctor of theology, "Dr. Luther, how Read More
  • Storytelling +

    Eugene Peterson discusses his influences as a writer, as well as how and why he created the Message translation. This Read More
  • Life as an Alien +

    Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, provides an inspiring portrayal of what the church is supposed Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Separated Unto the Holy Ghost (Andrew Murray) +

    Below is chapter 3 from the book, Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, a South African "Now there were in the Read More
  • The Human Body and Spiritual Growth: Dallas Willard +

    In Christian Educator's Handbook on Spiritual Formation, edited by James Wilhoit of Wheaton College. "Spiritual formation" is the process through Read More
  • January 28 Devotional: Oswald Chambers +

    Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14 Read More
  • Coupla Things by Julie Moore +

    It has occurred to me that maybe more people would read my blog if the posts were shorter. I'm not Read More
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