Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is an award winning professor of biblical studies and a transformational coach for pastors and spiritually-minded professionals. His personal mission is to seek out, study, and embody the deepest truths about God so that he can share them compellingly, lovingly, and transformationally with others. In this episode, Dr. Brain Russell (Author, Professor of Biblical Studies, Spiritual Growth Coach) and I discuss some of the amazing insights and teachings from his upcoming book, Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly In God’s Presence Can Change Your Life (available Sept. 2021).

The heart of The Centering Prayer is to sit quietly, focus attention on a particular word, and ultimately connect with life/reality beyond thought. Through a meditation practice, one is able to connect deeply with God – the transcendent source and essence of life itself. To sit in God’s presence is to sit in connection with Being – to experience the majesty of the present moment. All too often we get lost in our thoughts and judgements about ourselves, other people, and the world around us. However, thought is not the be-all and end-all of life – far from it, in fact. Everyone can learn to disidentify their thoughts from their true self and, in doing so, discover the true meaning of Love and God. Although this process of discovery can be challenging and uncomfortable at times, if you embrace it and practice it regularly, you will find that all areas of your life will transform and become empowered. 

Dr Brian Russell

Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is an award winning professor of biblical studies and a transformational coach for pastors and spiritually-minded professionals. His personal mission is to seek out, study, and embody the deepest truths about God so that he can share them compellingly, lovingly, and transformationally with others. He is the author of Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed 2014), (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade 2015); and the forthcoming Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life. He is also host of the Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast.

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Pre-order Brian’s book, Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly In God’s Presence Can Change Your Life (available Sept. 2021)

“A new, but ancient, way to pray can turn your life around. Discover how to experience God’s love at your core, freeing you to love others, and even yourself. 

When biblical scholar and coach Brian Russell discovered centering prayer at a difficult crossroad in his life, he had no idea how his life would change. “Sensing God’s love for me has been so transformational that it almost feels as though I’ve experienced conversion all over again,” he writes. He became calmer, less anxious, less reactive, freed of past wounds, and a better listener in the presence of others. 

Centering prayer, also known as the prayer of silence, helps you quiet your mind from the constant thoughts and impulses, and frees your true self to experience more of God’s love in the very core of your being.  

This inviting guide gives you practical tools to make centering prayer a consistent habit in your life, gives the history and theological foundation for the practice, and helps identify and overcome common obstacles. Beginners, as well as seasoned practitioners, will gain inspiration, rich insight, and practical knowledge of a contemplative prayer practice that can open you up to deep experiences of inner peace.” – Amazon

Dr Brian’s Podcast: The Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations Podcast

Episode 100 Dr. Brian Russell on Confronting and Overcoming the Unholy Trinity of Fear, Guilt, and Shame – The Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations Podcast

In this week’s episode, I coach on how to confront and overcome the Unholy Trinity of Fear, Guilt, and Shame. I define the Unholy Trinity and then tactics that I've found helpful personally as well as the very tools that I use to help others. If you'd like a copy of the tool, email me: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com I mention this book in the episode: Healthy Me, Healthy Us by Les and Leslie Parrot https://amzn.to/3wowb2G Connecting with Brian: Website: http://www.brianrussellphd.com Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Deep Dive Spirituality Coaching for Pastors: http://www.deepdivespirituality.com Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com Brian’s Books Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life https://amzn.to/2S0AcIZ or sign up for information: http://www.centeringprayerbook.com (Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support. 

1. Episode 100 Dr. Brian Russell on Confronting and Overcoming the Unholy Trinity of Fear, Guilt, and Shame 36:58
2. Episode 99 Brian Russell on How to Thrive and Flourish After A Painful Experience 40:04
3. Episode 98 Sean Palmer on Enneagram Wisdom for Teachers, Pastors and Communicators 48:03
4. Episode 97 J.W. Bertolotti on The Search for Wisdom for Leadership and Life 43:36
5. Episode 96 Dr. Mike Voigts: The Four Degrees of Prayer–From Loving God to Life in God 30:11