garden

Share Goodness

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Whenever you can, share the goodness of life.  Make eye contact and smile at other people, hold a door open, help someone carry things, be patient with others, listen instead of talking and support those in need without expectation of something in return.  When we choose to live in community with one another we can see the goodness of the Lord in life.  It is striving to get back to the basics of interacting with each other in a simple and kind manner.  It is a choice, we are not victims of our environment or our surroundings unless we choose to be.  If you don’t know how or where to start, I would recommend getting out into nature and be present in God’s creation.  Nothing soothes my soul better than being outdoors in the amazing world God created.  May God’s peace and the wonder of creation be with you.

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in northern Colorado)

Rest With God

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We all get tired, fatigued and exhausted.  We were not made to go so fast all the time, as a dear friend of mine would say “Mach II with our hair on fire” all the time day and night, day after day after day.  We will break down, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Even when God created the world it is written that on the seventh day he rested…

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Genesis 2:2-3

The pace of life can easily spin out of control if we let it.  We must be more self-aware of our limits and be Ok with saying no to an invitation that may just be an event or time that will not work for us.  Take time to be with God in your life and learn ways to balance the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of your routine to present the best version of you.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

The Path To Peace

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The first steps to finding some peace for me have come from learning about faith and learning about Jesus.  Through weekly worship, daily devotions, listening to christian music and serving to help others in need.  The next steps to lasting peace are actually getting to know Jesus in personal relationship, through prayer and listening, taking time to sit outdoors in nature in the quiet and to be at peace.  The farther down the path you go the harder it can be at times because of the world we live in…that is when it helps the most to remember that Christ is with me, even if I don’t sense His presence.  Trust in God, trust also in Jesus as He is The Way to peace.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Renew

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I am working on trying to be better about not making snap judgments and flippant comments regarding situations when I know very few details.  We don’t take time to learn the details of a situation and try to understand before we start down the path of judgment and criticism.  Social media, of course, it right there to encourage the wrong behavior.  If we strive to learn more before we speak out, society as a whole would be much better off.  I am able to renew my mind and my behavior when I spend time reading the Word of God.  I want to stop jumping in to be the critic and the doubter so quickly and remember that we all were created by God and that each and every person is fighting a battle.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

A Walk With God

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How can we feed our faith?  Why does it feel like faith is separate from the rest of life?  Where can I see God at work in my life?  All these questions and many more can be answered…by doing one thing in our life.  Take a daily walk with God.  Choose a time and a place, make it a top priority…other things will come up against it but don’t give up.  It takes a willingness to commit and you can pray for the strength to stick to it.  There is nothing more valuable to me and my faith journey then my time with God each morning.  There isn’t only one way or one time to do this, just be sure to have a version of the Bible that is right for you.  God knows you, He knows about your life, He knows about your joy and He knows about your sorrow…He even knows the things that very few people on earth know about you.  Take time to be with Him because He loves you like nobody else can.  Spend some time and take a walk with God every day.  May God’s peace and love be with you.

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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

True Peace

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There is only one way to find real peace while living on earth.  There is only one who is our Savior, who gave himself up for us so that we may have life.  There was no bargaining…He didn’t say I will do this for you if…He did it because He loves us unconditionally.  In all the world and in all of human history you can only find true peace in Christ Jesus.

Several years ago I was a chaperon for a lock-in with the youth at the church…we were playing a game through out the church, I forget the name, but if your got caught during the game you had to go to prison.  While in prison you would compete against others in bible trivia…if you answered correctly you were free to leave.  One young lady decided early on no matter what the question, she had one answer…Jesus.  She would say it quickly and excitedly even before I could finish reading the question…I would read ‘What was the name, Jesus! she would say…it seems she had figured out faith more quickly than most of us.  No matter what questions or situations you are facing in your life the only answer is…Jesus!

May God’s peace be with you.

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“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Living Faith

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What does it mean to live out our faith?  What does it look like?  Questions like these make me and others stumble often…as if there is one way and only one way to be a person of faith and if we could just figure that out…man things would always be great and easy…uh no.  The life of faith is not presented as easy in the bible and I am pretty sure Jesus never said, come follow me and everything will be easy and you will always be happy.  Faith is a journey.  It is communicating with God, showing the fruits of the spirit in your daily walk, being thankful and having gratitude, being patient and trusting in God’s plan even when we don’t see it from His perspective.  It’s hard and Jesus knows this first hand, He was here, He lived it, temptations and all…He suffered too.  Then the next question becomes…Why? and at the core of faith is the one important thing that can answer the question of why…Love.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

 

Servant Leadership

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I have been doing some reflection on this phrase and what it is all about.  In my faith journey I have learned that Jesus while on earth was a servant leader.  He set the example for others, he was willing to humbly do and be what was needed to spread His message of love and service to grow the spiritual life of the apostles first and then to spread the Word to the far reaches of the world through them.  To be a servant leader is to be a listener, to have awareness of the needs of others, to have empathy, to build community and to enrich the lives of others so that they can achieve their best.  It is not about the individual as a leader in power over others…rather it is about serving others as the leader to help everyone achieve good things as a community.  The best way to learn about this is to study the best example we have…Jesus.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

John 13:15

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Persistence

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In a world that focuses on self-serving convenience, fast, time-saving rushing around and immediate gratification it takes persistence and patience to stay on your faith journey and to grow your spirit.  You have to be willing to be different from the crowd at times and have the courage and confidence that God is with you always.  We will all make mistakes and wonder off, I certainly have, and God is always able to guide me back when I take the time to be with Him.  You won’t have all the answers and may not know all the reasons why…it won’t be easy, however, in the end when our time on earth is up it will all be worth it.  If you don’t believe it…just ask God.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:8-10

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 near Salem, North Dakota)

Living For God – A Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi

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Make me a channel of Your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring Your love,
Where there is injury Your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in You.

Make me a channel of Your peace.
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled, as to console.
To be understood, as to understand,
To be loved, as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of Your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all men that we receive,
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

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“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen.”

1 Peter 4:10-11

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 on a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)