Why Daily AWE
Daily AWE exists to assist people on their spiritual journey. We want to Inspire you and create a sense of AWE, which is an acronym for Aware, Wonder, Experience. We want to help you think and feel deeper; become more Aware, live with more Wonder, Engage life more fully and Enjoy the Experience!
Daily AWE is not designed to answer your questions or solve your problems. Rather we will bring you insightful quotes from contemporary and ancient thinkers and texts that have contemplated the complexities of life. Alongside these reflections, we present thought-provoking questions and actionable steps for you to consider. Through this enriching process, you may discover your answers or learn to live comfortably in the questions themselves.
Daily AWE is a year-long journey. It is arranged with seasonal themes, weekly topics and daily sub-topics. The seasonal themes are as follows
Winter:
Beginnings and Contemplation. We will be exploring the mystery and interconnectedness of God, creation and humanity and how we relate to it.
Spring:
Renewal and Growth. We will dive into purpose, struggle, redemption and hope.
Summer:
Abundance and Connection. We will be looking at community, freedom, joy and service
Fall:
Reflection and Letting go. We will be reflecting on loss, forgiveness, wisdom and gratefulness.
December:
Incarnation and Mystery. We will do a deep dive into the mystery of God with us.
Every week follows a specific format
Sunday will be a one-to-two-page reflection on the topic for the upcoming week.
Monday through Friday will be short meditations consisting of quotes from mystics, philosophers, poets, theologians, the Bible and other scriptures and ancient texts. Following the quotes will be a question to ponder or action to consider.
Saturday will be a brief summary consisting of a few of the key quotes for the week.
Every day will be brief and to the point, not requiring a lot of time. If you miss a few days, no big deal, just pick it back up.
Other than a question or action step, we will not be providing any commentary on the quotes. It is enough to let them speak for themselves. We will be drawing upon a wide range of texts and thinkers, representing a diverse set of beliefs, theologies and philosophies. This diversity will enrich your experience and understanding.
Engagement
We encourage you to keep a journal, reflecting upon each meditation. We encourage you to embark on this transformative journey with an open heart, ready to explore the wisdom of the ages. At the end of each meditation, you may also add your own thoughts and comments.
These meditations will be available here on the DailyAWE website. They will also be posted on Facebook or, you may elect to receive them via email.
My Story
Hi, my name is Wayne McDaniel. The idea of Daily AWE has been rattling around in my head for about ten years. But, due to a number of actors, including time, resources and a sense of inadequacy, I have been reluctant to start it. But I finally ready and am excited to share this journey with you. Indeed, I will be doing these same meditations with you.
I have had an interest in God for as long as I can remember. I attended a Presbyterian Church growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis. One key moment in my spiritual life happened at a church camp following sixth grade, when surrounding a campfire, I threw a stick in the fire, dedicating my life to following God.
A few years later, in High School, I met a Catholic on fire for God. At the time, I did not even know Catholics could be Christian! But Joe drew me in. I attended prayer meetings and was eventually “baptized in the Spirit” and felt an overwhelming sense of the love of God.
I went on to go to Oral Roberts University where I met Jude. We got married, moved to Lawrence Kansas, started a family and became involved in our church. After a while, my neat, tidy theology began to crack, which eventually led to an unraveling of everything and a “dark night of the soul.”
Yet, the deconstruction of my rigid beliefs, the breaking open of my religious shell, also allowed the Light to enter and opened my eyes to a more expansive view of the Divine, Creation and Humanity.
Before all this happened, I found a book which really began the process of opening me up. I had always thought of myself as a deep thinker. Yet, when I read the book, “The Roots of Christian Mysticism,” by Eastern Orthodox theologian Oliver Bennet, I realized that many people have thought very deeply for centuries-millennia-about spiritual matters. Bennet extensively quotes the wisdom of early church fathers and Christian mystics.
It is Bennet to whom I must credit for the inspiration to bring the pondering, the insight and the wisdom of both ancient and contemporary thinkers to my audience.