Friday, March 29, 2013 - Passion

Seeking justification of an action or cause can elicite great passion within people. Differences in views or circumstances can drive loved ones apart. As soldiers of Christ, we must be conduits in fighting for His Kingdom, yet never abandon His mercy and compassion toward others. Christ fights all battles with love. When we open our spirit to His Grace, we are better prepared to reach out to others with this same hope.

But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 - ability

It is very hard to work without nourishment, at times impossible. Without food, drink, or rest, our body literally shuts down. We have no strength. Our thoughts become clouded. Decisions are hard and mistakes happen easily. Our physical bodies reflect our soul. Just as we require sustenance and rest to function properly physically, we must equally have these items for our spiritual needs. Fueling ourselves with the Word of God; finding Him in prayer, almsgiving, and service to others; and seeking rest in His peace gives us strength, wisdom and endurance to live and work in His Kingdom.

Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. Psalm 119:27

Monday, March 25, 2013 - Love

God has commissioned each of us with a purpose. Some are blessed to realize this purpose and are able to move forward with a clear and conscious vision. Others still seek, wondering and hoping to find their fit in life. Within everyone's journey lies the key to success. We hold the ability to claim our goal and to protect its purpose as sanctified by God.  This key does not hold a likely name. Fortitude, Tenacity, Strength, Perseverance; all of these are great virtues that lead us closer to our ends, but the true key to success is Love. In Pope Francis’ inaugural homily, he states “Let us protect with love all that God has given us! … To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope…” As we seek our niche in life, let us embrace our journey with an open heart, filled with good intentions and compassion for all. Let us Love.

 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:2

Thursday, March 21, 2013 - Life

I once coached a youth group through a program called "Odyssey of the Mind". We had team t-shirts that said, 'Eat, Sleep, Breath, OM'. The coaches' shirts had the word 'sleep' crossed out which gave every other team's coach a great giggle. They knew well the experience of cramming though the last hours before competition making certain all t's and i's are crossed and dotted. Every single point we could gather took us that much closer to winning and moving on to the next division. That was three decades ago. A lot has happened in my life since then. There are still those moments of cramming, still those lost hours of sleep, yet I would now like to change my t-shirt to say, 'Eat, Sleep, Breath, Pray'. For this is life. This is what it takes to bring us to victory. As I strive to keep Christ in my life in every aspect of every moment, the only real competition is between me and my choices. With Christ as my coach, I have already won. In order to shine, I have only to follow Him.

 

Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. - Psalm 130:7

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 - search

One of my mother's famous quotes was "the answer is as plain as the nose on your face." As a small child, this expression was always a puzzle to me because I could never see my nose. I would stare down my face cross-eyed trying to locate the tip and then run to the mirror to grab a better look. But as I have grown older, I realize the profound wisdom of that statement. In all searches for truth, we can never really find an answer until we take the time to examine our own self. When life is a challenge, look within and let His truth reveal your answer.


And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" Luke 2:49

Saturday, March 16, 2013 - Attitude

An attitude of grace and humility is a lot easier to choose if you accept the same from others.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Colossians 3:12

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - Impossible

Because of Christ, even the impossible can happen. In Isaiah, 49:8-15, God sings in triumph for His Son's passion. Because of Jesus, even people from the most unlikely walks of life will be saved. Our God, Himself, sings of Syene, the place in Egypt where God's fallen people sculpted false gods and goddesses from the syenite rocks to later become the site of the largest Christian church in Egypt. "People will come from near and far, east and west and even Syene." He rejoiced that those from a cursed and forgotten land would now be able to come back to Him. When life seems impossible, remember that our God still sings. Raise your voice to join Him and have faith that He will prevail.


Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. - Isaiah 49:15

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - Ask

Sometimes we are so busy trying to do the right thing, that we forget to stop and ask God just what it is He wants us to do.

So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’- John 5:10-11

Thursday, March 7, 2013 - Centered

Some days there are so many distractions in my day that it is hard to focus on the task at hand. It seems as if noise attracts noise, and soon all I hear is just the noise and not the purpose. This is the time I like to step back and evaluate myself. Am I reacting as Christ would? Is there something to learn from the interruption? How can I apply the interruption to my day? When I take the time to center myself with the Holy Spirit, I can more readily sort and prioritize my tasks. In keeping my focus on Christ, I will set myself up for success.

"But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.' – Jeremiah 7:23

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - Conflict

The question is not ARE there conflicts in life, of course there are. The question is how will you approach these conflicts? Centering ourselves with the mind and spirit of Jesus helps us to direct our passions accordingly. Learning to ask for His guidance before we step out into these challenges will help to make every situation more favorable and ultimately bring glory to our Lord.

Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance. The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. – Proverbs 20: 18, 27

Monday, March 4, 2013 - Connection

Today, as you sit by a friend or walk past a stranger, glance up, if only for a moment.  For this fleeting second look into the eyes of the other and offer a smile. You may learn more about this person and more about yourself in this small encounter than you could ever imagine.For you have just shared a little of your soul with another. This is priceless.This is life. – Becki

I have made you a light to the nations, so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts of the earth. – Acts 12:47b

Friday, March 1, 2013 - Understanding

Garlic is a wonderful seasoning. It adds flavor to breads, sauces, dips, casseroles. It works as an accent flavor to perk things up. Yet try to chew on a clove separate from the dish. The pungent, sharp odor and taste is not something to savor alone. There are many things in life we believe we might want. Given in small doses they are easy to manage. They may even spice up our life a bit and make other moments easier to accept. But no one can pour their focus into just one thing of life. We have to be able to move from family to friends to spouse to child to work to play. Within each group is a subdivision of many more groups. God has created us in His own image, that of versatility and responsiveness. We must seek understanding and discipline in managing the many resources of life God places before us or we will become overwhelmed and distracted from our true purpose: to love, serve and be happy with God. Place your trust in God, study His word, seek His will, and in this You will be graced with wisdom and discernment and the choices of each moment will be a source of joy.

Just as it is injurious to drink wine by itself, or again water alone, whereas wine mixed with water is pleasant and produces a delightful sense of well-being, so skill in presenting the incidents is what delights the understanding of those who read the book. - 2 Maccabees 15:39