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“To orient your life around Jesus and his teachings positions you to live with greater attentiveness to God’s care and love. What makes us secure is not our circumstances but God’s ever-faithful presence in our lives.” Rich Villodas When I was in High School, I took an Introduction to Art class. We dabbled a little in charcoal drawing, painting, and pottery. We also had an assignment to design a floor plan for a dream house. Thinking back, I wonder if any of our plans would h

To flow is to move - to glide. To flow is to go somewhere and come from somewhere. To flow is not to be stuck. You can flow or be in the flow. You may ebb and flow. You can be interruptible or uninterruptible. It’s often a balancing act. There are seasons of our lives with lots of interruptions. You know what yours are. And sometimes, there are unexpected interruptions—an illness, the weather, a sudden pressing need. Interruptions can make you frustrated, irritated, or stress

“The true goal is to be what we do.” Abraham Joshua Heschel "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Mt 6:33 We are moving through the Sermon on the Mount to learn how to live it out. As C.S. Lewis said of the Christian life, it is going to be easy and hard. There is an atmosphere in the kingdom of God - an environment that is life and leads to life. “The heart of God is the environment for the Christian. God meant that

The word notice is worth taking note of. It is gentle yet has the potential to change everything. My children sometimes tease me about my affinity for cozy mysteries. I do not like the fact that they often involve murder, but I do like that there is an element of problem-solving and the best detectives are good at noticing small things. Over time, mysteries may have helped me want to notice more in my own life. There are so many things to notice. It is common to hear the invi

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says: Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." What do we need to hear? What do we need to do? How do we live on the rock? "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Mt 6: 33 “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek - to be with the Lord all the days of my life.” Ps 27:

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says: Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." What do we need to hear? What do we need to do? How do we live on the rock? "Prayer is keeping company with God." Clement of Alexandria “Praying is talking to God about what we are doing together.” Dallas Willard "Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it

I like the word "arise." It reminds me of the dawn of a new day, Easter, and the promise of life. It also reminds me of the importance of...

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, Jesus' words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, "Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." What do we need to hear? What do we need to put into pracotce? How do we live on the rock? One day, I was walking on a beach in Florida and stopped to look out at the ocean. Little did I know that someone was also looking at me. After a seag

“Eternal life begins now and refers not only to length of life but also the quality of life in which we experience wholeness and union with God.” William Barclay (1) We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, Jesus’ words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, “ Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” What are the words we need to hear and put into practice? How can we become

To linger is to continue or stay longer. To linger is to lengthen your attention, focus, or experience. I love the word linger. Your...

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, we are leaning into Jesus’ words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, “ Therefore, anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” What are the words we need to hear? What do we need to put into practice? How can we become wise builders living on the rock? First, we need to know how to approach the Sermon on the Mount. One of my favorite teachers of

Delight is a joy you experience. It comes in a sunrise, a sunset, or innumerable moments between. Delight comes in things you can count...

Any good building contractor knows you need a solid plan before starting any building project. The plan needs to include a careful consideration of building and zoning codes. Before people can live in the house or use the building or space being built, it will have to pass inspection. There is no point in going through all the work of building a house that can never be lived in. The building codes are intended to help the building stand and work well. The inspection is requir

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart” Joel 2:12a Lent is a season of preparation that invites you to grow closer to God. Each season of your life invites you to change how you live. It can be moving from warm coats and boots to short sleeves and sandals. The change can also be more personal as you welcome a baby, send a child off to school, begin a new job, learn to live with a new diagnosis or without someone you love. It takes time to move throu

“It is time to wake up to reality. Every day brings God’s salvation nearer. The night is over, the day has almost dawned.” (Rom 13:11b,...