Today's reading in One Month to Live suggests that some kinds of conflict are good because of how our character is shaped for the better because of them!

We can sometimes look back at people and situations that have been rough on us and see benefits that have resulted. Can we look ahead and do the same thing? As we start to really get depressed or angry or frustrated with someone or something, how might we look for the lesson to be learned? How might we see the eternal benefit that is present in the current situation?

Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1380 – 25 July 1471) was a late Medieval Catholic monk and probable author of The Imitation of Christ, one of the best known Christian books on devotion. Much of this famous book is all about how to have exactly that right frame of mind that sees what should be seen rather than from just a human point of view. "The life of a good religious person should shine in all virtue and be inwardly as it appears outwardly. And it should be the much more inward, for Almighty God beholds the heart and we should always honor and reverence him as if we were always in his bodily presence, and appear before him as angels, clean and pure, shining with all virtue.
We ought every day to renew our purpose in God, and to stir our hearts to fervor and devotion, as though it were the first day of our conversion. And we ought daily to pray and say: help me, my Lord Jesus, that I may persevere in good purpose and in your holy service unto my death, and that I may now today perfectly begin, for I have done nothing in time past."

See you on Sunday!

How satisfied are you with the state of your most important relationships right now? In One Month to Live we are encouraged to really evaluate our relationships so as to better concentrate on making them the best they can be.

"Our Father, we take our loved ones and all those who need us deeply into our hearts and there we give them completely to thee. May thy peace, the peace which passeth all understanding, rest with them, bringing thy perfect fulfillment to all their needs. Amen. - From I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes by Glenn Clark

Grace and Peace,

When have you been disappointed by God? How did He not come through for you the way you wanted Him to?

We have been prayerfully considering how to best live our lives as though each day really was of utmost importance. Obviously, an important part of that journey involves how we can best relate to our Creator as we seek His will.

The tricky part of this needed trust revolves around an idea in a devotion I read years ago. Above an old stone door of a church in New England are carved the words, "Remember, No is an answer."

God answers prayers. God wants us to prioritize our lives meaningfully.

God doesn't always answer prayers in an expected fashion.

So...... Continue seeking His guidance and leadership, but be ready for anything!

Have a great weekend!

Grace and Peace,

In today's daily reading of One Month to Live, we are invited to rate ourselves on a scale from 1-10 in four categories. How would you rate yourself Spiritually? Physically? Emotionally? or even Relationally?

And ifthere is a recognizable need in one or more of these areas, how can we go about strengthening ourselves? Obviously prayer, but this is where a small group becomes invaluable. Simply ask others for help in becoming better. Nobody does it alone.

I'm off to lunch with Kiwanis. Let's connect again tomorrow!

Grace and Peace,

The premise of our church study series for the new Fall involves thinking about how you would answer the question, "If you had only thirty days to live, how would you live your life?"

Today's reading looks at how to actually make some of those life changes.

"People who know their lives will soon be over tend to feel a desperate urge to change. But a desperation to change is not enough. In order to sustain the changes, we have to be connected to a power source beyond ourselves." - From One Month to Live by Kerry and Chris Shook

What kind of changes do you need to make? Do you trust God to help you?

"One thing we owe to Our Lord is never to be afraid. To be afraid is doubly an injury to him. Firstly, it means that we forget him; we forget he is with us and is all powerful; secondly, it means that we are not conformed to his will; for since all that happens is willed or permitted by him, we ought to rejoice in all that happens to us and feel neither anxiety nor fear. Let us then have the faith that banishes fear. Our Lord is at our side, with us, upholding us." - From Meditations of a Hermit by Charles de Foucauld

Our pastor begins a study of One Month to Live tonight at the church at 6:00. Come join him and explore this fascinating book.

Grace and Peace,

Today we are invited to look at each day and really evaluate how we spend each moment. Where did you find your most meaningful moment? What was the biggest time waster you did today?

I have learned that to really take dieting seriously, you have to pay attention to the calories of each foodyou might be eating. Eat foods with lower calorie counts and it becomes easier to lose weight! In a similar fashion, this month's study encourages us to pay attention to the spiritual content of each moment and then use one's time accordingly.

And how does one best use the time given them?

"The hour in our life in which we are best employed is the hour in which we best love Jesus." - From Meditations of a Hermit by Charles de Foucauld

"Put yourself completely under the influence of Jesus, so that he may think his thoughts in your mind, do his work through your hands, for you will be all-powerful with him to strengthen you." - From A Gift for God by Mother Teresa

Grace and Peace,

Your time on earth is limited. Those are the words that kick off our new church study. The clarifying question of the series is, "What would I do if I knew I had one month to live?"

Last night we gained a partial answer when we read Isaiah 5:1-7 in our Sunday evening chapel service. We learned that although one possible answer is to simply give up and draw away from humanity while waiting for an end, God says that we are eternal and therefore called to respond eternally to God's call.

Day Two begins with the question, "If you were certain your life as you know it would end in a few weeks, what would be your biggest regret?" We are encouraged to not be afraid to live life fully and do some things we might otherwise put off. The second daily reading closes with, "Make a decision today never again to use the phrase 'someday, when things settle down.' Realize that today is your someday!"

Grace and Peace,

In tonight's Judaism study we explore the idea of a special relationship with God. On the one hand, Jews were constantly told to refrain from marrying outsiders and were told to have nothing to do with foreign ways and idols. On the other hand, they were also told that they were chosen to be a light to the world. So..... don't have anything to do with anyone else...AND lead them all to God....

Isaiah 5:1-7
Having a special relationship brings with it some obligations!

Grace and Peace,

Whew! I hadn't realized how long it had been since I last posted. My apologies to those who are still reading.

Busy transition time as we prepare for a new Fall, a new pastor, and a new menu for Wednesday night supper!

I will be posting a bit more regularly after we start a new church wide series based on the book by Kerry & Chris Shook, One Month to Live. That will begin next Monday, August 16.

Tonight, however, our Disciple group will be discussing the plight of the Israelites as they struggled for survival in the desert after fleeing from Egypt. What does it mean to really trust God for daily sustenance? When we say that God provides, do we mean it?

Creaturely comforts enslave us and demand our immediate attention. More important things like education, sound relationships, deep faith, require time and considerable discipline. Why must we learn the hard way? Why can't we have freedom and spiritual maturity quickly and easily?

Grace and Peace,