# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sound Mind: Christian Mental Health Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Access Christian mental health resources to find hope and healing. Explore books, counseling, and online tools to support emotional and spiritual well-being.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best of Christian Lofi 🙏🏽 [chill instrumental worship] 🙏🏻

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
SOAKING IN HIS PRESENCE Instrumental Worship

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 HOURS // INSTRUMENTAL SOAKING WORSHIP // BETHEL MUSIC HARMONY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guided Christian Meditation: Prayers & Promises from Psalms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Everyone needs some time to unplug. Prayer and meditation is a great way to do that. You'll find a variety of guided Christian meditations here today to make it easier for Christians to unplug and connect with God.

While meditation doesn't need to have anything to do with religion, these meditations are specifically designed as guided Christian meditations. (Note: If your pre-teen prefers these guided meditations over the guided meditations designed for kids, that's fine. The "Cleanse Your Mind" meditation would be best for teens and adults, though.)

I've often embedded a number of guided meditations narrated by one site in case you especially like the meditations from a particular person or group.

Free Guided Christian Meditations for Teens and Adults - YouTube Videos

Guided Christian Meditation for Sleep & Insomnia (18 min) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation: Reducing Anxiety (8 minutes) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation: Dealing with Fear & Worry & Overcoming Both - Abide - Christian Meditation

Christian Meditation: Humble Yourself & Cast Your Cares on the Lord - Abide - Christian Meditation

Psalm 119 114 - Guided Meditation & Prayer for Encouragement & Protection (16 min) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation For Anxiety: Find Peace In Hard Times (15 Minute Meditation) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation: Wait for the Lord (15 min) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation: Making Wise Decisions (15 minutes) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Meditation on Ephesians 5: 3-4 - Greed & Sexual Immorality (15 minutes) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Daily Guided Christian Meditation: Unknown Diagnosis - Abide - Christian Meditation

Guided Christian Meditation: Release Healing (3 minutes) - Abide - Christian Meditation

Daily Guided Christian Meditation: Being Tired - Abide - Christian Meditation

Blissful Bedtime Sleep Meditation: Beside Still Water - Abide - Christian Meditation

You'll find many more free guided meditations from Abide on YouTube.

Starting the day in God's presence: Guided mindfulness meditation (10 mins) - The Mindful Christian

Stilling the mind: Freedom from worry (7 minute meditation) - The Mindful Christian

Dealing with Anxiety (7 minute mindfulness meditation) - The Mindful Christian

Mindfulness Meditation: Experiencing joy (7 minutes) - The Mindful Christian

Mindfulness meditation: Being still in the presence of God (7 minutes) - The Mindful Christian

You can find longer versions of the free meditations by The Mindful Christian on YouTube.

Be at Peace: Feeling God's Presence through Guided Christian Meditation and Prayer m4v - Beatrix von Watzdorf

Feel God's Love - Guided Christian Meditation - Beatrix von Watzdorf

You'll find more free Christian meditations by Beatrix von Watzdorf on YouTube.

Letting Go of Anxiety and Fear - Christian Meditation - Meditations on the Mount

The Lord is My Shepherd - Christian Meditation - Meditations on the Mount

The Lord's Prayer - Christian Meditation - Meditations on the Mount

You'll find more free guided Christian meditations from Meditations on the Mount on YouTube.

When I Open My Eyes- A Christian Meditation Morning Prayer - The Christian Meditator

When I Close My Eyes- A Christian Meditation Bedtime Prayer - The Christian Meditator

Thank You Lord- Christian Meditation, Prayer, and Affirmations - The Christian Meditator

You'll find a free playlist of guided Christian meditations by The Christian Meditator on YouTube.

Guided Christian Meditation and Prayer for Joy - Heart Flow Healing

Guided Christian Meditation: Receiving God's unconditional LOVE & HEALING - Heart Flow Healing

You'll find a free playlist of guided Christian meditations by Heart Flow Healing on YouTube.
Christian Meditation - Biblical Affirmations for Women w/ Anna Szabo

Free Christian Prayer and Meditation Music

Alone With HIM - 3 Hour Peaceful Music | Relaxation Music | Meditation Music | Prayer Music - DappyTKeys Piano Worship

You'll find many other free Christian prayer and meditation pieces along with a free playlist of prayer and meditation music by DappyTKeys Piano Worship on YouTube.

Christian Meditation Music - Serene Mountain Meditation (With Birds And Stream) - Christ Audio

You'll find free Christian meditation playlists from Christ Audio on YouTube.

You'll find a 2 hr., 40 min. compilation of soothing, inspiring Christian instrumental tracks from Instill: Mind, Body and Soul on YouTube

The Christian Meditation Room

I really like the format at The Christian Meditation Room for 5-minute meditations. You can find a variety of 5-minute meditations (community meditations) created by followers of the site. They vary in quality, but some of them are especially good. There's also a meditation creator tool for you to create your own 5-minute meditation.

More Guided Meditation and Song Videos for Comfort, Relaxation, and Concentration
Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep and Relaxation {Mindfulness Resources for Teens and Adults} Free Guided Christian Meditations for Kids Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep for Kids {Mindfulness Resources} Free Reassuring and Comforting Songs to Help Ease Kids' Anxiety Free Relaxing Music for Studying and Concentration for Kids
ALL THE POSTS IN THE FREE CHARACTER EDUCATION VIDEOS SERIES HERE AT MY BITS OF POSITIVITY BLOG

ALL THE POSTS IN THE FREE SONGS FOR CIRCLE TIME SERIES AT MY LIVING MONTESSORI NOW BLOG
Free Songs about Skills and Concepts Free Unit Study Songs Free Seasonal and Holiday Songs Free Video Resources Posts
I hope you find these helpful!

Wondering where it's best to follow me?

If you're interested in kid-related content, sign up for the Living Montessori Now newsletter. I share my Bits of Positivity parenting and character-education posts in the weekly Living Montessori Now newsletter along with lots of great kids' activities and Montessori ideas from my Living Montessori Now blog. You'll get a monthly freebie (and previous monthly freebies) with link and password if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!

If you're interested in inspiration and motivation, the best place for you will probably be the Bits of Positivity Facebook page. You'll find lots of inspiration there from the Bits of Positivity blog and from around the Internet. For word art inspiration, be sure to follow me at the Bits of Positivity Facebook page and on Pinterest! And for all my posts in a reader, check out Bloglovin '! Thanks so much!

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy! I'm also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play - 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Guided Christian Meditations for Teens and Adults - Bits of Positivity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Everyone needs some time to unplug. Prayer and meditation is a great way to do that. You'll find a variety of guided Christian meditations here today to make it easier for Christians to unplug and connect with God. While meditation doesn't need to have anything to do with religion, these meditations are specifically designed as guided Christian meditations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The world is a much scarier place now than it was when I was a child. Children often need extra help today to relax, concentrate, and find comfort. A wonderful way to get that extra help is through prayer and meditation. While meditation doesn't need to have anything to do with religion, these free meditations are specifically designed as guided Christian meditations for kids.

Just choose the meditation that would be most helpful for your unique child.

Free Guided Christian Meditations for Kids - YouTube Videos

God loves you so much - A guided Christian meditation for children - Beatrix von Watzdorf

When I Close My Eyes- A Christian Meditation Bedtime Prayer - The Christian Meditator

Christian Meditation: Jesus is my Peace - The Christian Meditator

Back to School Meditation - Guided Christian Meditation - Love Light Faith

Meditation Scriptures for Children - Bible verses for kids- Bible promises spoken

Free Christian Prayer and Meditation Music for Kids

Peace of God Children's Melodies: Piano Music, Meditation Music, Worship Music, Prayer Music - Marcus Stanley

Free Christian Music with Bible Verses for Children to Watch and Read

Christian affirmations and meditations for your children

Relaxation Meditation - Peaceful Meditation - Christian Meditation for Children + Adults

Christian Meditation Ideas for Kids - Resources for Parents and Other Adults Who Care for Children - YouTube Instructional Videos

The Christian Meditation Room

I really like the format at The Christian Meditation Room for 5-minute meditations. You could adapt this for kids as well.

More Guided Meditation and Song Videos for Comfort, Relaxation, and Concentration for a Variety of Ages

Free Guided Christian Meditations for Teens and Adults

Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep and Relaxation {Mindfulness Resources for Teens and Adults} Free Guided Meditations for Deep Sleep for Kids {Mindfulness Resources} Free Reassuring and Comforting Songs to Help Ease Kids' Anxiety Free Relaxing Music for Studying and Concentration for Kids Free Relaxing Ocean Images, Sounds, and Music for Kids and Adults {Mindfulness Resources} Free Guided Ocean Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources} Free Guided Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources} Free Guided Gratitude Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources} Free Guided Gratitude Meditations {Mindfulness Resources for Teens and Adults}
ALL THE POSTS IN THE FREE CHARACTER EDUCATION VIDEOS SERIES HERE AT MY BITS OF POSITIVITY BLOG

ALL THE POSTS IN THE FREE SONGS FOR CIRCLE TIME SERIES AT MY LIVING MONTESSORI NOW BLOG
Free Songs about Skills and Concepts Free Unit Study Songs and Educational Videos Free Seasonal and Holiday Songs Free Video Resources Posts
I hope you find these helpful!

Wondering where it's best to follow me?

If you're interested in kid-related content, sign up for the Living Montessori Now newsletter. I share my Bits of Positivity parenting and character-education posts in the weekly Living Montessori Now newsletter along with lots of great kids' activities and Montessori ideas from my Living Montessori Now blog. You'll get a monthly freebie (and previous monthly freebies) with link and password if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!

If you're interested in inspiration and motivation, the best place for you will probably be the Bits of Positivity Facebook page. You'll find lots of inspiration there from the Bits of Positivity blog and from around the Internet. For word art inspiration, be sure to follow me at the Bits of Positivity Facebook page and on Pinterest! And for all my posts in a reader, check out Bloglovin '! Thanks so much!

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Guided Christian Meditations for Kids - Bits of Positivity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The world is a much scarier place now than it was when I was a child. Children often need extra help today to relax, concentrate, and find comfort. A wonderful way to get that extra help is through prayer and meditation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Some days are just great.

Things go as planned or even better and you bounce from meetings to tasks to your private life and you feel wonderful on the inside.

Then there are other days.

Days when you do not feel much motivated at all.

When your best laid plans go out the window before the day has barely begun.

When something important unexpectedly goes wrong and you get that sinking feeling in your stomach.

Or when you feel sorry for yourself and honestly just want to go back to bed and to sleep again.

Maybe the simplest and certainly one of the most effective ways to turn such a day, week or month around into something more positive and better is in my experience to turn your focus to gratitude.

Because even if things look tough today or for the next 3 or 6 months I can always find something or several things to feel very grateful for about my life.

So I'd like to share a small list of 10 simple, fundamental things that I feel grateful for.

I usually only reflect on one or a few of these things when I need to but I thought a list like this one could be helpful both for you and for me.
1. A roof over my head and a warm home.
Maybe not every item on this list works in your life, then take what works from here and create and add to put together your own list.

I live in Sweden, a country where the winters are cold and snowy and the fall and often spring can be quite rainy.

So I often return to this one.
2. Plenty of drinkable water.
Few things feel better than to reflect upon having warm home and a roof over my head when it is cold and windy outside and I can hear the rain beating hard on my window.

I love water and drink plenty of it every day. It is certainly something I take for granted from time to time. But it is not a given.
3. I don't have to go hungry.
780 million people lack access to safe drinking water according to water.org.

Plus, most of things I cook and/or eat are quite tasty and healthy. And sometimes they are simply wonderful.
4. I can enjoy the small and free pleasures of life.
So I have much to be grateful for when it comes to food.

A sunrise.

A relaxing walk in the woods.

A cool swim in the ocean.

A crisp Autumn day when the trees are filled with leaves of vibrant and spectacular colors.
5. Access to the internet.
The sun warming my face after many days of the sky being filled with dreary, gray clouds.

When I was really young back in the 80's and 90's and you wanted to learn about something then you had to ask someone who may have had spotty knowledge.

Or you had to visit the local library and maybe there was a book or magazine about it.

Things are so different now and even though it is just a part of everyday life it still amazing.

I can learn about pretty much anything online. I can add new skills and habits to make my life happier and more awesome with the help of what other people share online.

And I can share what I've learned via this blog I once started on whim many years ago.
6. My friends and family.
Plus, there is the opportunity to connect with and get to know people from all around the world.
7. My health.
For the love, support, kindness and all the fun that they offer and I get to offer them.

I do not have the indestructible body of Superman. But if I treat it well and get plenty of sleep, work out and eat healthy then it works really wonderfully well almost all the time.

Sure, I get sick sometimes.
8. The kindness of people I have never met before.
But overall I have very, very much to be thankful for that I often take for granted about my body and how it helps me to do everything - see, listen, walk, write, hug, kiss, think and experience my world - every day.

Every day I get kind and supportive emails and messages from people all around the world that I have never met but who reads my blog or newsletters.

Their expressions of gratitude make my life happier and help me to keep moving forward when things feel tough.

And I truly appreciate the simple kindness in the rest of my daily life too when people let me skip ahead of them in the checkout line in the store when I only have a few items.
9. The setbacks that have formed me and made me stronger.
When they stay for a few seconds and hold up the door for me too. Or let me into their lane when I drive.

I have been really ill a few times in my life and these experiences has made me stronger mentally and given me the gift of being very appreciative of modern medicine and of my own body and taking good care of it.

Last year was in a way the toughest one yet for my business as the number of visitors to my website via Google went down in big, big leaps month after month.

That has changed in a very positive way over these last few months but 2013 really helped me to work harder and smarter than ever.
10. I am alive.
And it has made me more appreciative than ever of the opportunity I have with what I do here.

I have like everyone else been in situations where an accident and being in the wrong place for just a few seconds could have meant I would not have been here anymore.

If I had been born in another time or in another place then there is a big chance that I would not have been here to experience my 33:rd birthday.

But I am here now. I have this moment and day and hopefully many days still to experience and live my life.
What do you feel grateful for even when you might be going through a tough day or time?
It is an amazing thing.

Image at the start of the post by Ben Smith ( license).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Simple Things You Can Be Grateful for Even When Times are Tough

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude." Ralph Waldo Emerson Some days are just great. Things go as planned or even better and you bounce from [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Bubble Blower!
Click on the screen to

start.

Button instructions:

B - Click screen to blow a

bubble. Hold mouse

button down for larger

bubbles. Don't make them

too large, or they'll pop!

C - Click bubble to give it

a random color.

F - Click bubble to freeze

or unfreeze it.

P - Click bubble to pop it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bubble Blower! Click on the screen to start. Button instructions: B - Click screen to blow a bubble. Hold mouse button down for larger bubbles. Don't make them too large, or they'll pop! C - Click bubble to give it a random color. F - Click bubble to freeze or unfreeze it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With the rise of managed health care, which emphasizes cost-efficiency and brevity, mental health professionals have had to confront this burning question: How can they help clients derive the greatest possible benefit from treatment in the shortest amount of time?

Recent evidence suggests that a promising approach is to complement psychological counseling with additional activities that are not too taxing for clients but yield high results. In our own research, we have zeroed in on one such activity: the practice of gratitude. Indeed, many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed.

The problem is that most research studies on gratitude have been conducted with well-functioning people. Is gratitude beneficial for people who struggle with mental health concerns? And, if so, how?

We set out to address these questions in a recent research study involving nearly 300 adults, mostly college students who were seeking mental health counseling at a university. We recruited these participants just before they began their first session of counseling, and, on average, they reported clinically low levels of mental health at the time. The majority of people seeking counseling services at this university in general struggled with issues related to depression and anxiety.

We randomly assigned our study participants into three groups. Although all three groups received counseling services, the first group was also instructed to write one letter of gratitude to another person each week for three weeks, whereas the second group was asked to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about negative experiences. The third group did not do any writing activity.

What did we find? Compared with the participants who wrote about negative experiences or only received counseling, those who wrote gratitude letters reported significantly better mental health four weeks and 12 weeks after their writing exercise ended. This suggests that gratitude writing can be beneficial not just for healthy, well-adjusted individuals, but also for those who struggle with mental health concerns. In fact, it seems, practicing gratitude on top of receiving psychological counseling carries greater benefits than counseling alone, even when that gratitude practice is brief.

And that's not all. When we dug deeper into our results, we found indications of how gratitude might actually work on our minds and bodies. While not definitive, here are four insights from our research suggesting what might be behind gratitude's psychological benefits.

1. Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions

First, by analyzing the words used by participants in each of the two writing groups, we were able to understand the mechanisms behind the mental health benefits of gratitude letter writing. We compared the percentage of positive emotion words, negative emotion words, and "we" words (first-person plural words) that participants used in their writing. Not surprisingly, those in the gratitude writing group used a higher percentage of positive emotion words and "we" words, and a lower proportion of negative emotion words, than those in the other writing group.

However, people who used more positive emotion words and more "we" words in their gratitude letters didn't necessarily have better mental health later. It was only when people used fewer negative emotion words in their letters that they were significantly more likely to report better mental health. In fact, it was the lack of negative emotion words-not the abundance of positive words-that explained the mental health gap between the gratitude writing group and the other writing group.

Perhaps this suggests that gratitude letter writing produces better mental health by shifting one's attention away from toxic emotions, such as resentment and envy. When you write about how grateful you are to others and how much other people have blessed your life, it might become considerably harder for you to ruminate on your negative experiences.

2. Gratitude helps even if you don't share it

We told participants who were assigned to write gratitude letters that they weren't required to send their letters to their intended recipient. In fact, only 23 percent of participants who wrote gratitude letters sent them. But those who didn't send their letters enjoyed the benefits of experiencing gratitude nonetheless. (Because the number of people who sent their letters was so small, it was hard for us to determine whether this group's mental health was better than those who didn't send their letter.)

This suggests that the mental health benefits of writing gratitude letters are not entirely dependent on actually communicating that gratitude to another person.

So if you're thinking of writing a letter of gratitude to someone, but you're unsure whether you want that person to read the letter, we encourage you to write it anyway. You can decide later whether to send it (and we think it's often a good idea to do so). But the mere act of writing the letter can help you appreciate the people in your life and shift your focus away from negative feelings and thoughts.

3. Gratitude's benefits take time

It's important to note that the mental health benefits of gratitude writing in our study did not emerge immediately, but gradually accrued over time. Although the different groups in our study did not differ in mental health levels one week after the end of the writing activities, individuals in the gratitude group reported better mental health than the others four weeks after the writing activities, and this difference in mental health became even larger 12 weeks after the writing activities.

These results are encouraging because many other studies suggest that the mental health benefits of positive activities often decrease rather than increase over time afterward. We don't really know why this positive snowball effect occurred in our study. Perhaps the gratitude letter writers discussed what they wrote in their letters with their counselors or with others. These conversations may have reinforced the psychological benefits derived from the gratitude writing itself.

For now, the bottom line is this: If you participate in a gratitude writing activity, don't be too surprised if you don't feel dramatically better immediately after the writing. Be patient and remember that the benefits of gratitude might take time to kick in.

4. Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain

About three months after the psychotherapy sessions began, we took some of the people who wrote gratitude letters and compared them with those who didn't do any writing. We wanted to know if their brains were processing information differently.

We used an fMRI scanner to measure brain activity while people from each group did a "pay it forward" task. In that task, the individuals were regularly given a small amount of money by a nice person, called the "benefactor." This benefactor only asked that they pass the money on to someone if they felt grateful. Our participants then decided how much of the money, if any, to pass on to a worthy cause (and we did in fact donate that money to a local charity).

We wanted to distinguish donations motivated by gratitude from donations driven by other motivations, like feelings of guilt or obligation. So we asked the participants to rate how grateful they felt toward the benefactor, and how much they wanted to help each charitable cause, as well as how guilty they would feel if they didn't help. We also gave them questionnaires to measure how grateful they are in their lives in general.

We found that across the participants, when people felt more grateful, their brain activity was distinct from brain activity related to guilt and the desire to help a cause. More specifically, we found that when people who are generally more grateful gave more money to a cause, they showed greater neural sensitivity in the medial prefrontal cortex, a brain area associated with learning and decision making. This suggests that people who are more grateful are also more attentive to how they express gratitude.

Most interestingly, when we compared those who wrote the gratitude letters with those who didn't, the gratitude letter writers showed greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex when they experienced gratitude in the fMRI scanner. This is striking as this effect was found three months after the letter writing began. This indicates that simply expressing gratitude may have lasting effects on the brain. While not conclusive, this finding suggests that practicing gratitude may help train the brain to be more sensitive to the experience of gratitude down the line, and this could contribute to improved mental health over time.

Though these are just the first steps in what should be a longer research journey, our research so far not only suggests that writing gratitude letters may be helpful for people seeking counseling services but also explains what's behind gratitude's psychological benefits. At a time when many mental health professionals are feeling crunched, we hope that this research can point them-and their clients-toward an effective and beneficial tool.

Regardless of whether you're facing serious psychological challenges, if you have never written a gratitude letter before, we encourage you to try it. Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don't have. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New research is starting to explore how gratitude works to improve our mental health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Send Feedback

To save, right click the thumbnail and choose Save Image As....

Drag colors to blend.

Press Space to start anew.

Press Z to undo.

Try different colors and symmetries.

Sally forth, you weaver of wonder, sower of silken waves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Send Feedback To save, right click the thumbnail and choose Save Image As.... Drag colors to blend. Press Space to start anew. Press Z to undo. Try different colors and symmetries. Sally forth, you weaver of wonder, sower of silken waves.

# data[].attributes.body
A grateful heart is a happy heart.

Remind yourself of some of the beautiful moments in life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You can celebrate and be grateful for everyday things and the little things that make you happy. Write down 3 things each day that you are grateful for on the mini postcards I prepared for you. You can print the cards, write on them and put them into a jar or hang the cards as decorative arts on your wall so you can see them often. Pull out a card whenever you need to be reminded of some of the beautiful moments in life that you are grateful for.

Do another soul - searching exercise on Time Management. Know Where and What You Spend Your Time On.

What was the first thing you are thankful for on your first day? Be sure to share your tips for staying on track with us on with the hashtag

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Practice Your Way to A Grateful Heart. Gratitude Can Be Learned

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A grateful heart is a happy heart. You can celebrate and be grateful for everyday things and the little things that make you happy. Write down 3 things each day that you are grateful for on the mini postcards I prepared for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online 3D Rubik's Cube simulator application in your web browser without downloading and installing any program.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
v 2.0.6

Use this breathing app to help with your yoga or meditation exercises. If you are suffering from anxiety or panic attacks, please visit the ADAA for more help and tips.

Hello random facebook page. If anyone wants to tweet me a clue where the traffic is coming from, I'd be grateful.

Theme

Share

Join us on Facebook to discuss more breathing patterns.

Want to embed the eXHALeR app into your website? Use this embed code and share it with your users.

Created by Hamilton Cline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The eXHALeR web app is meant to help with your breathing exercises, and has been said to reduce stress and anxiety, by promoting slow and even breathing patterns.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Play the best free Puzzle Games online with Jigsaw Puzzles, Management games, Physics Puzzles, Logic Puzzles, Maze Games, Slide Puzzles and Classic Puzzles.

# data[].attributes.body
Pinterest board from Mrs. M, MS Counsellor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find peace with Abide Listen to biblical meditations. Sleep better and stress less with Christ. START TODAY WHAT PEOPLE ARE ... Home Read Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Quick and Easy Stretches To Do While Sitting at Your Desk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Large selection of premium online jigsaw puzzles. Use multiplayer mode to play with family and friends. Create and share puzzles using your own photos.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Slow, calm, deep breathing can help us relax, manage stress, relieve anxiety and depression, and get a good night's sleep, among many other things. Breathing also helps quiet the mind in preparation for meditation.

So how do you use breathing as a way to unwind and relax? Let our recordings guide you and help you get started.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Slow, calm, deep breathing can help us relax, manage stress, relieve anxiety and depression, and get a good night's sleep, among many other things. Breathing also helps quiet the mind in preparation for meditation. So how do you use breathing as a way to unwind and relax?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pray: The World's #1 App for Daily Prayer and Biblical Audio Content

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pray.com is the #1 app in the world for daily prayer and Biblical audio content. Share inspiration, sleep better and be inspired. Make prayer a priority with Pray.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relaxing Stretching Workout for Stiff Muscles & Stress Relief - Easy Stretches to Do at Work

# data[].attributes.body
Fantastic resources library of Bible study materials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome!

You are just a few clicks away from gaining access to a huge library of discipleship content for pastors, leaders, small groups, adults, students and kids. To serve you with content that meets your needs in the best possible way, please complete your profile below. This information will not be displayed publicly.

- International Christian School

Great news!

It seems that you already have an account.

You may have created an account through RightNowMedia.org or BluefishTV.com for a video download or a conference ticket.
Please update your information in order to accept this invitation.

- International Christian School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome! You are just a few clicks away from gaining access to a huge library of discipleship content for pastors, leaders, small groups, adults, students and kids. To serve you with content that meets your needs in the best possible way, please complete your profile below. This information will not be displayed publicly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A simple way to connect with God in the middle of your busy day.

From John Eldredge, the New York Times Best Selling Author of Wild at Heart and Captivating.

Based on the One Minute Pause chapter of his new books " Get Your Life Back" and " Resilient ", this app invites you into the simple practice of releasing everything to God, restoring your union with God and inviting him to fill you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Take a pause. A simple way to connect with God in the middle of your busy day. From John Eldredge, the New York Times Best Selling Author of Wild at Heart and Captivating.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
In His Presence - 3 Hour Peaceful Music | Prayer Music | Spontaneous Worship Music | Alone With God

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Perfect Morning Stretches to Increase Energy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thousands ready to play online
We have the best collection of word search puzzles online, with new ones being added regularly.
They are fun to play, but also educational, in fact, many teachers make use of them.

Puzzles are 100% free to play and work on desktop pc, mac, mobile and tablet. Or you can go old school and print them to enjoy offline later.

Plus, if you're feeling a little more adventurous, why not create your very own with our simple to use Word Search Maker, and then share them with your friends.

To get started playing, just select a game from below. Best of luck.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thousands of word search puzzles and games to play online or print out, covering a mix of both fun and educational topics. You can even create your very own game in just a few simple steps.

# data[].attributes.headline
COVID-19 resources for parents and students

# data[].attributes.subject
COVID-19 resources for parents and students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copy of COVID Student and Parent Resources During Covid

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4 hours of rain and thunder, real storm sound for good sleep |Thunderstorm #1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1 Hour Oddly Satisfying Slime ASMR No Music Videos - Relaxing Slime 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Big Life Journal: Growth Mindset for Kids & Teens

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We create effective tools and resources to help kids and teens develop a growth mindset so they can face life's challenges with confidence and have every opportunity in life. Our products are based on the latest research, and that's what makes them so unique and effective.

# data[].attributes.body
A new perspective for Christian apps - article from Christianity Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Rachael Reynolds is a busy wife and mom of three who, like many parents, suddenly has been tasked with home-schooling her children and managing the anxiety of a pandemic.

Reynolds, 34, also is a registered nurse and works three or four night shifts a week in the labor and delivery department at a Texas hospital. That adds the stress of keeping her patients and herself safe from the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In those times when she has a few moments to herself while her kids are napping, or when she's trying to drift off to sleep as everyone else is beginning a new day, Reynolds finds herself tapping on one of the meditation apps on her phone-like Abide, which calls itself the No. 1 Christian meditation app to "stress less and sleep better."

"Grounding myself with the Word of God, and the truth and the promises he offers me there, I find to be much more effective for grounding myself mentally and spiritually," she said.

Meditation and mindfulness apps have boomed in the last decade, part of the trend of the year that Apple's App Store noted in 2018: self-care apps, particularly those focused on mental health.

The App Store deemed Calm, which describes itself as the No. 1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, its 2017 app of the year.

Christian meditation apps-with names like Abide, Pray, One Minute Pause, Soultime, Soulspace, and, for Catholics, Hallow -have entered the scene more recently, adding prayer and Scripture to the digital landscape of soft voices and nature sounds.

Several of those Christian apps have reported spikes in searches for meditations on topics like anxiety since the pandemic started.

"It's sort of really exploding right now," said Bobby Gruenewald, pastor and innovation leader at Life.Church, one of the largest megachurches in the country.

"We definitely know that people turn to Scripture when they're in different times of need. ... I think they see the Bible as a point of stability, truth, and substance that helps them kind of center."

Life.Church's YouVersion Bible app added a YouVersion Rest skill for smart speakers on its Bible app last month, after noticing users were listening to Scripture late at night, Gruenewald said. The skill recites comforting passages from the Psalms in male or female voices over sounds like waves and raindrops.

Author and therapist John Eldredge launched a meditation and mindfulness app, One Minute Pause, late last year to accompany his latest book, Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad.

As a therapist, Eldredge said, he was troubled by the rise in anxiety and depression he saw even before the pandemic struck.

People were on "empathy overload" amid news of disasters around the world. Christians-including Eldredge himself-weren't having the experience of deep rootedness expressed in the Psalms, he said.

"I got caught up in it-just the pace of life, the insanity of the hour, too much media, too much technology, too much plugged in-and I'd come home in the evenings and just find myself completely fried," he said. "And I am a fairly monastic person, actually."

Eldredge said he began practicing a one-minute pause in his car at the end of each workday, taking a moment to calm down, center himself and release everything he was feeling to God.

He started looking into building a meditation and mindfulness app years ago, he said. Secular apps like Calm were anything but, with too many options when, he said, "what people need is a very simply grounding experience in Christ" like he had in his car.

One Minute Pause offers a single, one-minute meditation, or "pause," twice a day read by Eldredge over a photo of nature and soothing music. After completing a number of short pauses, users can move on to longer three-, five- or 10-minute options.

Eldredge doesn't like the word "mindfulness," he said.

He prefers to talk about giving one's attention to God-something he said contemplative Christians like the ancient desert fathers or Julian of Norwich (she of the popular mantra, "All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well") have practiced for centuries.

"It's an ancient Christian practice, but we need help back to it because our attention has been shattered," he said.

Abide has been around about five years, since two former Google employees who were Christians decided to leave the tech giant and use their skills instead "for the kingdom," according to Russ Jones, its executive producer of content.

The app started out more like Instagram, Jones said, inviting users to create and share their own prayers. But it really took off once it started providing those prayers. Now, an average 100,000 people download Abide for the first time each month from Apple and Android stores, he said.

Abide offers users a daily meditation and a library of prayers on different topics-most popularly, worry and anxiety. Users can choose the length of each meditation and the images and sounds that accompany it.

In recent weeks, the app has added a number of healing prayers, too, including a 12-minute coronavirus healing prayer asking God "that those who have the virus will be healed and that its spread would slow and that it would soon be eradicated."

But an app is no replacement for a church, Jones said.

"People need to be in a local body," even if that's meeting from a safe distance through the current pandemic, he said.

"We are that place that people can go in the dark night of the soul at 2 o'clock in the morning when the pastor is not available in churches, open. We're that place where people can go on the run in their busy lives and still be in Scripture."

Another app, Pray, launched in 2017 with a vision to become "the digital destination for faith," according to creator Steve Gatena.

Since adding subscription content to the app last year-like bedtime stories scripted from Scripture and biblical meditations-it's become the fastest growing religious subscription service in the world, he said.

Amid the pandemic, Pray is offering those meditations for free, as well as content for kids who now are home from school and other services for churches that suddenly find themselves meeting online. And it's seeing a rise in the minutes users spend listening to the app and in new subscribers, according to Gatena.

"With stress levels climbing by the day, we believe everyone deserves access to programs that help reduce anxiety levels," he said.

That's one of the benefits of meditation, he said. It can help users think more clearly, better handle stressful situations and-in the case of Christian meditation-reflect on the word of God.

Pray's meditations always start with Scripture, Gatena said. Then they move through the popular framework for prayer that follows the acrostic "ACTS": Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

But, he said, he knows the word "meditation" can raise eyebrows for Christians.

Some evangelical Christians have fretted that practices like meditation and mindfulness aren't Christian, but rather New Age or Buddhist.

Some Buddhists have been critical of the app craze, too, noted Sarah Shaw, an Oxford lecturer and expert on Buddhist history who traces the history of mindfulness in her upcoming book Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means.

The "new wave" of mindfulness and meditation does come from Buddhism, according to Shaw.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, who introduced the idea of mindfulness as therapy, had prior experience with Buddhism, she said. And Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of Headspace and an ordained Buddhist monk, launched the app on a mission to bring the training he'd received to the masses.

But, she said of mindfulness, "I don't think anybody owns this word."

Many religions have different aspects of meditation and mindfulness-even if it doesn't look the same across traditions or if they don't use the same words for it, according to Shaw.

In Christianity, she said, St. Augustine wrote about "recollection in everyday life and being aware of God in every moment." And there's biblical precedent, too: The scholar pointed to Psalm 8:4, which asks, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"

In fact, the term "mindfulness" was first introduced to the English language in the 14th century Wycliffe Bible, she said.

It's something Shaw believes can deepen the practice of anyone's religion.

"If you're mindful of your body and breath, you can't be worried at the same time. ... You become more alert to yourself, and you will then inevitably become more mindful and aware of other people, and, of course, we're all having to be mindful of everybody at the moment," she said.

"I think it's going to be interesting that people will learn how to find peace and happiness in their own company. And I hope it might actually bring about a spiritual revival."

Reynolds, the nurse, has heard the arguments from other evangelical Christians that meditation is too secular or taken from Eastern religions-certainly not something a "Bible-believing Christian" should do.

"I think it's interesting that there's still pushback from people who know Scripture because you see it all throughout the Psalms. David talks about, 'I meditate on your word day and night,'" she said.

Compared to previous generations, millennials like herself seem "more open and willing to see how mental health and emotional health really ties into us as beings holistically," she said.

"I really love that people are now learning that the God who created us physically also created the spiritual and emotional and mental sides of us, and those deserve to be fed and treated well, just like we would with eating right and exercising our physical bodies."

Reynolds downloaded the Abide app about a year ago after she experienced meditation and guided Scripture readings at a retreat she attended with her husband. She has used it several times a week-even more since the coronavirus began its march across the US.

She especially likes the meditations on the app that are pulled from Scripture, she said.

To her, they bring together physical, mental, and spiritual health. Like other meditation apps, she said, they decrease the stress she feels, slow her thoughts and help her sleep better. They also keep her centered and grounded in Scripture and in what she believes to be true about God.

"For me, it was something that was important to keep myself grounded in the truth of God's word and an easy way to do that. And I have found it to be really, really beneficial."

Subscribe to CT and get one year free

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Christian Apps Are Moving from 'Pray More' to 'Calm Down'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rachael Reynolds is a busy wife and mom of three who, like many parents, suddenly has been tasked with home-schooling her children and managing the anxiety of a pandemic. Reynolds, 34, also is a registered nurse and works three or four night shifts a week in the labor and delivery department at a Texas hospital.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relaxing Piano Music, Sleep Music, Beautiful Piano Music, Meditation, Sleep, Study, Relax, ☯2343

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
30-Minute HIIT Cardio Workout with Warm Up - No Equipment at Home | SELF

# data[].attributes.body
Pinterest board from Mrs. M, MS Counsellor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1 Hour Oddly Satisfying videos with calm and relaxing music to help sleep

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common Sense Events | Common Sense Media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.

# data[].attributes.body
Pinterest board from Mrs. M, MS Counsellor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
An Inconvenience or an Opportunity? 麻煩定契機？

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Back-to-School Care Package - Big Life Journal.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copy of COVID Student and Parent Resources During Covid

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Last Updated: August 13, 2020

Are you interested in learning how to meditate? You've probably heard about the benefits of mindfulness. But with hundreds of meditation apps available, where do you start? What are the best apps to help Christians practice meditation? Read on for my reviews of the top 5 completely free apps for Christian mindfulness meditation, starting with a discussion of mindfulness from a Christian perspective.

Contents

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to buy something using the links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What is Christian Meditation?

There is a long history of meditation in the Christian faith. In the Bible, there are numerous verses about meditating on God's words and His works, even in the very first verse of the Psalms:

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. ~ Psalm 1:1-2 NIV

The two Hebrew words translated as "meditate" in the Old Testament mean to sigh or murmur, and to muse on or rehearse in one's mind, and the Latin word for "meditate" means to reflect on, study, and practice ( Source).

Christian meditation is the process of reflecting on God's Word and allowing it to change our actions. We start by breathing in and out God's Word, and repeating it in our minds; then reflecting on it in our hearts, which leads to practicing and acting upon it in our lives. In the history of Christianity since New Testament times, biblical meditation has been used to draw believers closer to God and help us live more like Christ.

Christian meditation is based on reflecting on God's Word.

Today, technology gives us instant access to countless resources that can help guide us in our practice of meditation. But modern society tends to emphasize meditation practices that come from either a secular or a Buddhist point of view. As Christians, we should use discernment in our choice of the practices we use.

Benefits and Concerns of Mindfulness for Christians

"Mindfulness" is becoming a trend everywhere we look. Companies encourage their employees to practice it, and even teachers use it in their classrooms. There are extensive studies on the benefits of mindfulness, such as reducing stress, decreasing anxiety, and improving overall well-being.

The most basic types of mindfulness meditation involve noticing your breath, becoming aware of how your body feels, and paying attention to your experience in the present moment.

Mindfulness trains us to appreciate our present experiences.

These basic meditations are beneficial because they train you to go through your day-to-day life with awareness and appreciation of your present experience, rather than just going through the motions and reacting to things on autopilot. It teaches you, instead of doing things mind lessly, to be mind ful about your life.
Read More: What Is Mindfulness? It's Simply Paying Attention
However, without a biblical and Christ-centered approach to meditation, mindfulness resources and apps go in one of two directions. One: they are either completely secular and scientific, based on evidence from psychological research, or two: they draw from Buddhist meditation practices.

Secular Mindfulness

First of all, most people agree that the scientific studies on mindfulness are valid. But the concern about secular mindfulness is that it makes us concentrate on ourselves. It leads us to put too much emphasis on our own, personal experiences. But as Christians we should be directing our attention and our love towards God Himself:

I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. ~ Psalm 63:6 NLT

Buddhist Mindfulness

Secondly, the issue with Buddhist mindfulness is the danger of mixing in Buddhist ideas such as karma and emptying the self. This is a bit more of a concern for many Christians.

Some of the most popular mindfulness meditation apps (e.g., Calm, Insight Timer) encourage practices such as: not clinging to anything, believing that nothing is permanent, and emptying your mind. These principles emanate from Buddhism and Eastern spirituality ( Source).

It's not hard to see why these Buddhist ideas are contrary to Christianity. Christians believe in grace, not karma (see Ephesians 2:8-9); God's love for and the value of each person, not self-emptying (see Psalm 139:13-16); and the goodness of desiring and clinging to God:

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. ... 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. ~ Psalm 63:1, 8 ESV

Read More: 60 Bible Verses That Show Mindfulness Was God's Idea

Finding a Clear-Minded and Discerning Approach to Mindfulness

With those two extremes being present in the majority of mindfulness meditation apps, it's important to find a Christian approach. Biblical meditation helps us turn our hearts and minds towards God, and to reflect and act on His Word. Wherever we see mindfulness meditation leading us in a different direction, we should use caution and discernment.
Read More:

Give Yourself Grace: What The Bible Says About Being Kind To Yourself
To summarize, it's absolutely beneficial to use meditation practices that help us to relax, reduce stress, and live in the present. But we should always make sure our thoughts are drawn towards God, and His love and goodness towards us - His calming grace.

I appreciate how the creator of the "Reflect - Christian Mindfulness" App (#1 on my list) puts it in his introduction to the app:

"Right now mindfulness is something of a hot topic. There are many benefits to practicing mindfulness. It helps us to relax, to de-stress, and to become aware of our own thoughts. However, many of the resources available are based on secular principles, and these could encourage us to focus on ourselves, to look internally, and it could draw us away from God. There is a long tradition of contemplative prayer and biblical meditation in Christianity. Such exercises calm us down, help us to relax, but also draw our gaze towards God."

~ Neil in the Introduction to the "Reflect - Christian Mindfulness" App

Without any further delay, let's look at the 5 best free apps for Christian meditation.

The 5 Best Free Apps for Christian Mindfulness Meditation

Here is a table outlining the 5 apps I'll review:

1. Reflect - Christian Mindfulness
A variety of Bible-based guided meditations: Bible Reflections, Imaginative Contemplation, Quiet Prayer, etc., plus Mindfulness Basics

British English; optional background music

2. Recenter with Christ - Christian Meditation
Collection of 200+ Bible-based meditations with both free-form and guided formats, with relaxing background sounds

American English; piano; ocean waves; trickling stream

3. Centering Prayer
Unguided, silent meditation/prayer timer with calming sounds and Bible verses to start and finish the time

Relaxing & musical sounds; silence

4. Smiling Mind
Huge collection of guided mindfulness meditations, educational videos, and mindfulness activities, organized into programs for different needs

Australian English; optional background music

5. Mindfulness Coach
Ability to set goals and track your progress; Library of educational articles; Several guided meditations; Unguided meditation timer

American English

My Methodology in Choosing These Apps

3 of these 5 apps (Reflect, Centering Prayer, and Smiling Mind) I have been using in my personal meditation practice for about two years. I scoured the App Store and the Google Play Store and tested dozens of apps before I found 2 more that I am happy both to recommend and to start including in my own practice.

In choosing these 5 apps, I followed these criteria:

1. Is the app completely, 100% FREE? Why: I know I'm not the only one who dislikes it when I find an app I love, only to find that I have to pay a subscription to unlock the premium features. None of that here! All 5 of these apps are free with no in-app purchases, and they're totally ad-free.

2. Will the app be helpful to Christians in their practice of meditation? Why: Due to criteria #1, I eliminated several apps with the "Christian" label because they were subscription-based. That left me with only 3 explicitly "Christian" but still completely free apps. So, I am also recommending 2 free "secular" mindfulness apps that will still be beneficial to Christians (Smiling Mind and Mindfulness Coach).

3. Is the app free of Buddhist influences? Why: As I discussed above, Buddhist beliefs are promoted in several mindfulness meditation apps. Because I am recommending 2 secular apps, I was careful to select apps with meditations that simply encourage mindful awareness without any Buddhist overtones.

Let's discuss each app in depth.

1. Reflect - Christian Mindfulness

Download Reflect: Android

This wonderful app has 6 sections of meditations to choose from: Bible Reflections, Imaginative Contemplation, Christmas Reflections, Lectio Divina, Quiet Prayer, and Meditation Basics. All of these are guided audio meditations.

Each meditation focuses on a different passage of the Bible or topic for prayer. The meditations are well-structured because they provide time to reflect on different parts of the Scripture. The speaker brings your attention to different words and phrases and invites you to let God speak to you through them. In the Lectio Divina section of the app, you can even customize the length of silence between the reading of the verses.

The meditations in Reflect start with some time of relaxation and deep breathing in preparation for reflection on the Bible. Also, the Meditation Basics are helpful for anyone just starting out with mindfulness. They teach basic techniques such as breathing, listening, and scanning the body.

Reflect is a great resource with a variety of different types of Christian meditations, which is why I'm recommending it as the #1 free app. Unfortunately only the Android version is available, but it seems like the creators of the app would appreciate help developing an iOS version, as seen in comments on the app reviews in the Google Play Store. They also mentioned needing technical help with editing audio. If you are someone who could help with either of those things, I'm sure the app developers would love to hear from you. Here is their email: christian.mindful@outlook.com.

2. Recenter with Christ - Christian Meditation

Download Recenter with Christ: Android - iOS

Recenter with Christ is actually built from a podcast, the Christian Meditation Podcast, created by a hospice and ICU chaplain named Jared. The app makes it easy to play the podcast episodes, save your favorites, and download episodes to listen to later.

The meditations come in two forms: guided and free-form, with one of each kind for each Bible passage. Chaplain Jared releases a new meditation every Sunday and Wednesday, and at this time there are over 200 meditations.

The guided meditations generally start with a time of relaxation that involves breathing, softening tension in the body, and minimizing distractions in order to be able to better focus on God's Word. Then, the Scripture is read repeatedly in a "Lectio Divina" style: paying close attention to the words to hear what God is highlighting to you in that moment. Then, some teachings and applications are drawn from the passage. Listeners are invited to reflect, pray, and rest in God's presence.

The unguided, free-form meditations have more time of silence. They begin with a brief relaxation, and then the Bible verses are read. Listeners are then encouraged to ponder, reflect, and pray in silent meditation for 10 minutes. Without a bit of basic mindfulness training, it might be difficult to keep your mind focused on God's Word for that amount of time. The other apps listed below can help you learn how to avoid getting carried away by thoughts or worries, and to stay present as you meditate.

3. Centering Prayer

Download Centering Prayer: Android - iOS

Centering Prayer is a simple, silent prayer timer. Inside the app, there are links and resources to learn more about the historical tradition of contemplative prayer and its more modern derivative, centering prayer. Going into more depth on that topic is beyond the scope of this article, in which I am more focused on the practical uses of the app itself.

In the Centering Prayer app, you can set how long you'd like to pray or meditate silently (anywhere from 1 to 99 minutes!). Then, you can choose a Bible verse or prayer to open and close the time. Most of the verses available come from the Psalms and the New Testament. You can also select a calming sound to begin and end the time, for example, chimes, piano, or even Gregorian chants.

In the app you are encouraged to choose one "sacred word" that you focus on and repeat during the time. For example, I might choose the word "peace," repeat the word as I meditate, and simply rest in the peace that Jesus gives me (John 14:27).

Although those are the instructions given in the app, personally I'm more inclined to use the silent time for other things too, like resting in God's presence, praying, or contemplating Scripture. I see the app more as a useful tool. It provided a structure to practice being still and focusing on God for a set amount of time.

4. Smiling Mind

Download Smiling Mind: Android - iOS

Smiling Mind is an app developed by an Australian nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide tools that support mental health. Whenever I talk to people about mindfulness, Smiling Mind is the first app I recommend. This app has meditations and resources for those just starting out as well as for the more experienced.

The meditations are organized into programs, and there is a wide variety of programs for different needs: for adults, youth, and families; in the classroom; or in the workplace. A few of the programs within those groups are: Mindfulness Foundations, Stress Management, Digital Detox, Relationships, and Sleep. The programs also contain short explanatory videos and activities to help you be mindful in your daily life.

The guided meditations usually start with instructions to sit quietly and close your eyes. They continue with different mindfulness techniques such as breathing, scanning the body, noticing thoughts and feelings, and releasing tension. Also, usually at the beginning of the meditation, the speaker takes a minute or two to explain the reasons why we are doing these things.

While Smiling Mind is a secular app, there's nothing I find objectionable about it as a Christian. The research-based meditations teach us to be present in, curious about, and grateful for our day-to-day experiences. I wholeheartedly recommend this app as a mental health tool to use in addition to prayer and Bible-based meditation.

5. Mindfulness Coach

Download Mindfulness Coach: Android - iOS

Mindfulness Coach is an app developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, originally designed to help veterans and service members cope with symptoms of PTSD by practicing mindfulness. However, the app is useful for everyone with its gradual, step-by-step coaching method.

The home screen of the app shows you a tree sapling beginning to grow. As you complete the short training levels, the tree grows and flourishes, and you are rewarded the badge of "Mindfulness Master." Each level consists of a few informational articles to read, and some guided and unguided meditation practice. So, the training plan really acts as a "coach" and is useful if you're starting from zero and want to learn how to practice mindfulness step-by-step.

If you choose not to follow the training plan, you can immediately access the extensive library of articles to learn about mindfulness. You can also practice with several guided meditations on basic mindfulness techniques, as well as an unguided meditation timer.

Another thing that's helpful about Mindfulness Coach is the ability to visually keep track of your progress. You can keep a practice log, set your own goals, and track your success every day. The app also encourages you to periodically take a self-assessment that measures your progress in being observant, acting with awareness, not judging yourself, and not overreacting.

Calm Your Mind with Christian Mindfulness Meditation

To sum up, these are the 5 best free apps for Christian mindfulness meditation. Why not give all of them a try? Then, pick two or three favorites that you'd like to use in your personal meditation time.

For example, maybe you could choose one of the Bible-based apps and one of the research-based mindfulness apps. Use them in combination to help you reflect on God's Word and appreciate the present moment. Let God's presence calm your mind and heart, while you learn to relax tension, reduce stress, and live mindfully.

Read More: 60 Bible Verses That Show Mindfulness Was God's Idea

I hope this article has provided you with helpful resources, and that, as you practice Christian meditation, your heart reflects this prayer:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. ~ Psalm 19:14 NLT

Calmly,

Sarah Grace

P.S. Do you want to learn more about calming your mind using techniques like Christian mindfulness? In my weekly newsletter, I share biblical encouragement and practical tools to help you live with calm. Subscribe and download these Bible verse phone wallpapers as a reminder to be mindfully aware of God's presence throughout the day:

Was this post helpful to you? Why not save it on Pinterest for future reference:

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to buy something using the links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Top 5 Free Apps for Christian Mindfulness Meditation | Calming Grace

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Last Updated: August 13, 2020 Are you interested in learning how to meditate? You've probably heard about the benefits of mindfulness. But with hundreds of meditation apps available, where do you start? What are the best apps to help Christians practice meditation?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EPIC COVER | Three Little Birds (Bob Marley Cover) by BRANCHES

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Take The PLANK CHALLENGE// 8 Plank variations

# data[].attributes.body
Fantastic resources library of Bible study materials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome!

You are just a few clicks away from gaining access to a huge library of discipleship content for pastors, leaders, small groups, adults, students and kids. To serve you with content that meets your needs in the best possible way, please complete your profile below. This information will not be displayed publicly.

- International Christian School

Great news!

It seems that you already have an account.

You may have created an account through RightNowMedia.org or BluefishTV.com for a video download or a conference ticket.
Please update your information in order to accept this invitation.

- International Christian School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome! You are just a few clicks away from gaining access to a huge library of discipleship content for pastors, leaders, small groups, adults, students and kids. To serve you with content that meets your needs in the best possible way, please complete your profile below. This information will not be displayed publicly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
11 HOURS Stunning 4K Underwater footage + Music | Nature Relaxation™ Rare & Colorful Sea Life Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you enjoy reading devotions and studying the Bible? Is it something you do every day, or just every so often depending on the devotional and topic? On our editorial team, we love sharing what Bible and devotional apps we're using. One reason we enjoy them so much is that they provide resources that make studying the Bible and reading devotions easier; not only do they provide resources but they are available at the click of a button making it easy to take a few minutes or a longer study session whenever you have time in your day.

If you've never used a devotional or Bible app before, or just never discovered one you enjoy, we've got a great list of Christian Bible and devotional apps for you to check out. Here are Crosswalk's top 10 favorite Christian devotional apps we think everyone should check out!

Photo credit for main image: ©GettyImages/Deagreez

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Crosswalk's Top 11 Devotional Apps Everyone Should Know About

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you enjoy reading devotions and studying the Bible? Is it something you do every day, or just every so often depending on the devotional and topic? On our editorial team, we love sharing what Bible and devotional apps we're using. One reason we...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Live Peaceful & Relaxing Piano Music for Prayer, Meditation & Relaxation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Play tons of games and quizzes at Washington Post. New games are added all the time!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
5 Days

Tuning into God is a muscle you need to flex to get stronger. This plan presents four practices you can use to turn down the volume on the voices that surround you and turn up the volume on God.

Publisher

Image by BrAt82 / Shutterstock.com. We would like to thank Theology of Work Project for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.theologyofwork.org​​​​​​​
About The Publisher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
5 Days Tuning into God is a muscle you need to flex to get stronger. This plan presents four practices you can use to turn down the volume on the voices that surround you and turn up the volume on God. Image by BrAt82 / Shutterstock.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Credibility

User Experience

3.53 / 5.00

Transparency

Questionable

Expand Details

BoosterBuddy is an app that aims to support teens and young adults improve their mental health. Upon opening the app, a selection of animated buddies appear for users to choose from. Once chosen, the buddy will guide users through preliminary questions about symptoms and introduce users to the app. Each day users are to complete "quests" to be able to interact with their buddy. Quests include mood check-ins, crisis planning, writing coping statements, and more. Once quests are complete, the buddy provides inspirational quotes and dresses up in hats. The app provides a library of coping mechanisms organized into different categories. Some categories are depression, lack of sleep, anxiety, delusions, etc.. Users can favorite the coping mechanisms as they see fit. Additional features of the app include assistance in tracking appointments and medication, self-care routines for specific symptoms (anxiety, depression, high mood, lack of motivation, etc), and a record of users' previous mood entries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Credibility User Experience 3.53 / 5.00 Transparency Questionable Expand Details BoosterBuddy is an app that aims to support teens and young adults improve their mental health. Upon opening the app, a selection of animated buddies appear for users to choose from. Once chosen, the buddy will guide users through preliminary questions about symptoms and introduce users to the app.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relaxing Guitar Music, Calm Music, Relaxation Music, Guitar Music, Sleep, Meditation, Study, ☯2695

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Renovaré: Christian Spiritual Formation Resources, Retreats and Education - Renovare

Get Weekly Soul-Nourishment + A Spiritual Formation Primer

-a free 60-page eBook introducing Christian spiritual formation

Heart-renewal doesn't happen alone.

Renovaré offers ways to journey online and in-person with other Christians hungry for a deeper life with God.

The two-year Renovaré Institute is our immersion program into life in the Kingdom of God.

Learn more

Renovaré was founded by Celebration of Discipline author Richard Foster to help people pursue renewal in Christ through relationships, retreats, and print and online resources. Learn more >

"Fun ahead saith the Lord."
Members of the Renovaré board and ministry team retreating together in Colorado.

Renovaré is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. EIN: 48-1062723
Privacy Policy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Renovaré: Christian Spiritual Formation Resources, Retreats and Education - Renovare Get Week­ly Soul-Nour­ish­ment + A Spir­i­tu­al For­ma­tion Primer -a free 60-page eBook intro­duc­ing Chris­t­ian spir­i­tu­al formation Learn more Renovaré was founded by Celebration of Discipline author Richard Foster to help people pursue renewal in Christ through relationships, retreats, and print and online resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Take 5 Breathing: A Breathing Exercise for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ASMR HONEYCOMB (Extremely STICKY Satisfying EATING SOUNDS) NO TALKING | SAS-ASMR *PART 2*

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Q: Can I use Pigment to colorize black and white photos?
A: With Pigment's grayscale coloring mode, you can import black and white pictures and add color to them using Pigment's robust coloring tools.
Q: What are some of the benefits of coloring?
A: People have found coloring to be an effective way to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. We've also seen that people that take time to color on a regular basis have increased creativity. And at it's simplest, coloring is just a fun way to pass the time!
Q: What are the advantages to using a coloring app instead of a traditional coloring book?
A: With Pigment, you can color any time you'd like, as long as you have your mobile device handy. There are no pencils or crayons to carry around, you don't need a desk, and you can simply "undo" something if you're not happy with the result. Also, with a subscription, you gain access to even more creative brushes and fills! All this without having to carry a backpack full of painting and art supplies.
Q: I'm interested in improving my coloring. Can you help?
A: We have an amazing library of tutorials and process videos on our YouTube channel, and we're always adding more. You can also find inspiration and community in the Pigment Gallery, where fellow colorists share tips, tricks, and friendly advice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use realistic and creative brushes and fills to unlock your creativity! Try the Watercolor, Oil, or Pastel brushes for realistic results. Or use the Plasma and Glitter brushes to create fantastic and fun effects! And with Pigment's tap-to-fill mode, you can color and relax with the best coloring app

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you enjoy reading devotions and studying the Bible? Is it something you do every day, or just every so often depending on the devotional and topic? On our editorial team, we love sharing what Bible and devotional apps we're using. One reason we enjoy them so much is that they provide resources that make studying the Bible and reading devotions easier; not only do they provide resources but they are available at the click of a button making it easy to take a few minutes or a longer study session whenever you have time in your day.

If you've never used a devotional or Bible app before, or just never discovered one you enjoy, we've got a great list of Christian Bible and devotional apps for you to check out. Here are Crosswalk's top 10 favorite Christian devotional apps we think everyone should check out!

Photo credit for main image: ©GettyImages/Deagreez

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Crosswalk's Top 11 Devotional Apps Everyone Should Know About

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you enjoy reading devotions and studying the Bible? Is it something you do every day, or just every so often depending on the devotional and topic? On our editorial team, we love sharing what Bible and devotional apps we're using. One reason we...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best of Fainting Goats | EpicVirals | [HD]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
According to statistics, more than 150 million people remain faithful to religion not just in words, but in deeds - they read, listen and remember the scriptures at any time of the day on paper and on virtual media. And with the mobile application, reading the Bible and daily devotionals will become easier!

You may also like: 22 Quote Apps for Android & iOS

d365 Daily Devotionals

d365 Daily Devotionals is available for both Android and iPhone user. It is well-thought and designed. Thousands of religious people use it every day for daily devotionals. So, we give this app 5 stars and recommend you try it.

d365 Daily Devotionals offers some useful features for the users. It allows you to read daily devotionals. After downloading this free application, you'll get access to original d365 music. The interface is convenient and simple.

You can go to Settings and set a reminder to be notified each day of your daily devotional. There is an archive section, where you can read past devotionals. There are excellent writing and format. A good way to start the day centered!

You can also check: 11 Best prayer apps for Android & iOS

back to menu ↑

Click To Pray

In January 2019, Pope Francis announced a new application Click to Pray. This app is available for both Android and iOS platforms.

There are several sections: " Pray with the Pope", " Prayer of the Day" and " Pray on the Web ". The last one is the place where registered users can publish their prayers. There is a prayer wall, where everyone can write their own intentions so that others can take prayer with him in fulfillment of desires.

The interface of the service is extremely comfortable and clear. Here, you can set the time for morning, evening, and night prayers. Set reminders and you will never forget to pray again!

Young people seem to be interested in the new service. For today, Click to Pray has more than 750,000 praying (registered) users. Click to Pray is available in six languages: English, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.

The Click to Pray platform is another way to attract young believers to the Roman Church. The Holy Father stated that the Internet and social media space is a modern resource that allows you to communicate with others and share values and ideas.

The new network is designed to help pray together anytime, anywhere. Pope Francis called for the use of a Click to Pray application to pray with it for well-being and peace.

back to menu ↑

Daily Bible Inspirations

This app was downloaded thousands of times and it's not by chance. Daily Bible Inspirations is an amazing application that helps to remain close to God with the verse from the Bible every day.

It's free and functional. Here are simple devotionals for each verse with beautiful pictures. You can keep a spiritual journal where you will write down your prayers and reflections. You can also save liked devotions and verses.

Spread the Word to your friends and family members sharing it from inside the app. Set daily reminders in order not to forget to talk to God every day.

Everyone from young to old will appreciate the app. Whether you are a businessman or a housewife, a student or a grandparent... if you want to reconnect the God every day but haven't enough time, download Daily Bible Inspirations.

Pastor Ken personally curates all verses and devotions. It is available in English, though there are translations in Spanish, Korean and Chinese. To use the application, you needn't be connected to the Internet.

back to menu ↑

YouVersion Bible App + Audio, Everyday Verse

YouVersion Bible App + Audio, Everyday Verse - more than 250 million users have already downloaded the application. They read, watch, listen, and share interesting moments. Now it's possible to listen to the Bible in your own language. There are over 40 languages.

Highlight important lines for you in color, make bookmarks or notes, get access to all online translations for use in offline mode. Read, study, and share with friends. Have private conversations about faith in reliable communities.

The program supports more than 1000 languages and the most popular versions of the Bible. You can listen to audio recordings and the verse of the day. Stay in touch with friends, study Bible verses, share smart thoughts, watch clips, watch videos from movies, and ask questions.

However, the process of studying is especially important, and therefore it is worth downloading YouVersion Bible App + Audio, Everyday Verse. This is timely access to Golden Verses, plans, and significant parts of the Bible, various translations, and a search by keywords.

In a matter of minutes, you can find a long time favorite part or verse! Join a religious community or stay alone with the Bible, share emotions, or keep a secret with the best virtual version of the holy book!

back to menu ↑

iDisciple

iDisciple is the app that is a little bit different from all the apps on this list. The main difference is that includes much more information and functions, than just simple daily devotionals. Of course, you can find the latter in here as well, but you can also dedicate your time to explore everything that iDisciple has to offer.

There are tons of Christian contents from such authors as Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Lysa TerKeurst, Joyce Meyer, Ravi Zacharias, John C. Maxwell, and many more. You will definitely find something inspirational for each day. On the daily basis, you will be getting around 35 devotionals every day.

Apart from that, here you will find inspirational Christian quotes. Watch and listen to your favorite pastors and speakers, or discover new voices. Prepackaged plans of top-rated content designed to help you on a growth journey around a variety of topics.

You may also like: 33 Best Health Apps for Android & iOS

back to menu ↑

This is quite an interesting app - this is a Bible app, but not just for reading. Here you can study the bible, there are all the tools in the app for that, for example, a tool for making highlights, notes, and commentaries. Save your favorite study layouts so you can return to them later with a few taps.

Another curious feature of this app is that after downloading this app you get access to more than 95 online sources for better studying. You will also find here daily devotionals, that you can just read or study as well. Logos is a popular app on Google Play and App Store.

back to menu ↑

Daily Devotional Bible - Morning & Evening

Daily Devotional Bible - Morning & Evening is another convenient application for daily devotionals. It has a beautiful and thoughtful interface.

Daily Devotional Bible - Morning & Evening includes devotionals for morning and evening for every day throughout the year. despite the fact that they are short, devotions are full of spiritual goodness.

The distinguishing feature of this application is the availability of statistics. You can view your personal statistics, overall reading progress, old testament, new testament. You can also customize your Reading Plan, add devotionals to Favorites, switch between day and night modes for comfortable reading, and much more.

back to menu ↑

Daily Devotion

Daily Devotion is a great app for daily devotionals. It doesn't have a particularly beautiful or sophisticated interface, but it offers everything you need for a comfortable Bible reading in your Android.

After downloading this app, you'll get access to fresh devotionals. They are easy to read (in a couple of minutes). In addition, you can create your favorite list, listen to podcasts, sort devotionals by category or by date. There is also a function of sharing the devotionals with others by Facebook, email, or SMS.

back to menu ↑

Daily Bible for Women & Devotion

Daily Bible for Women & Devotion is a unique application as it was created especially for girls. The bright and joyful design is combined with lots of useful features.

You'll get access to a classic collection of daily devotionals and verses. The search is simple and fast. You can search by keyword or exact phrase. You can set reminders and share Bible verses with friends and family.

Day/Night modes, reading plans, bookmarks, notes, convenient settings - all these features make Daily Bible for Women & Devotion an indispensable assistant.

The app works in offline mode.

back to menu ↑

Daily Bible Devotion

Daily Bible Devotion - with this app you will start and end each day with daily inspirational devotions. Also, you can easily share them with others. It's free for Android users.

After you downloaded the app, you get a new devotional twice a day. They are all short and inspiring. You can save the liked devotionals to read them later again.

The application has its own unique and entertaining features. There is a section with Bible humor to bring a little laughter to your life. Today's trivia section - to test your Bible knowledge.

The app is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese. If you are a believer, but at the same time modern, you can download this application right now on your smartphone.

You can also check: 15 Best Bible apps for Android & iOS

back to menu ↑

christianaudio

One of the most popular Christian apps on the App Store which is recommended by many religious communities and media. In this app, you will find the full Bible in the Audio format and you can listen to it at any time convenient for you.

There are various Christina audiobooks, not just the Bible. The library is constantly updated. The interface here is easy in usage and highly customizable, for example, you can choose various colors for the background when you read.

This app allows not only to read the Bible but also it has daily inspirational quotes daily devotions. Once downloaded, no internet connection is needed and you can enjoy your audiobooks anywhere you go.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
11 Free apps to daily devotionals (Android & iOS)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to statistics, more than 150 million people remain faithful to religion not just in words, but in deeds - they read, listen and remember the scriptures at any time of the day on paper and on virtual media. And with the mobile application, reading the Bible and daily devotionals will become easier!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
🔥 Campfire on the Beach with the Sound of Relaxing Ocean Waves and Crackling Burning Firewood

# data[].attributes.body
In this course Dr. Leslie Korn guides you through 10+ keys to prevention and to enhancing the capacity of the body and mind to respond effectively to stress and virus’.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Leslie Korn Institute for Integrative Medicine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Currently we are facing the new coronavirus (COVID-19), a pandemic of great magnitude. Nutritional and Integrative approaches help us to care for ourselves and others; reduce stress and trauma, enhance the immune system and aid sleep.

In this course Dr. Leslie Korn guides you through 10+ keys to prevention and to enhancing the capacity of the body and mind to respond effectively to stress and virus'.

These practical methods incorporate the use of herbs, dietary and nutritional supplementation, along with specific bodywork methods to enhance sleep.

In this course you will learn

Dr. Leslie Korn is a renowned expert in Natural and Integrative Medicine specializing in the treatment of trauma, chronic illness and optimal wellness. She has provided over 65,000 hours of clinical care integrating in nutrition, herbal medicine, bodywork, yoga and psychotherapy.

She has directed the Center for Traditional Medicine, a public health natural medicine center, working in rural and urban communities in the USA and Mexico. Her experiences working in a remote, indigenous jungle community for 25 years where there was no physician, as well as for many years in the "urban jungle," of Boston enabled her to test all of these methods on herself and her patients from diverse communities and adapt these principles to diverse environments.

Module 2: Antioxidants

Blue / Purple Foods (1:33)

Jamaica (2:06)

Frequently Asked Questions

We use our own and third party cookies to analyze your activity on this website, improve the service offered and show you advertising related to your preferences. If you continue browsing, we consider that you accept its use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Integrative Medicine for coronavirus COVID-19 | Leslie Korn Institute for Integrative Medicine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Currently we are facing the new coronavirus (COVID-19), a pandemic of great magnitude. Nutritional and Integrative approaches help us to care for ourselves and others; reduce stress and trauma, enhance the immune system and aid sleep.