The Longest Day of the Year

We have finally passed the milestone- that day each year marked as the shortest daylight day.  Each year, I find this an interesting phenomena.  Most go about the day without noticing it or even realizing that the following day a few more minutes of daylight was added.  It is not a stark change but rather a slow, gradual change.  Sure, 3 months from now the difference will be clear, but not so today.

Perhaps that is why we place the birth of Jesus right at this same time of the year.  Perhaps the birth of Jesus is this reminder that light is shining now more than ever before.  In the darkest of nights, in the longest of days, that is exactly where God shows up. 

And isn't it the way of God to gradually, but incrementally, change our world?  Surely God could have taken some other approach to show our world the depth of his love for all, but instead it was a slow and steady spreading.  It is much like yeast, a common element in baking that Jesus uses in one of his parables.  In Matthew 13:33 Jesus compares God's kingdom to yeast... "He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.”

Just as each day adds a few minutes, each century has seen Christianity spread- the yeast of the Good News working.  The yeast doesn't happen instantly but works its way through the dough.  Perhaps this longest day of the year is also a great reminder that when night seems to be engulfing the light, God shows up and shines brighter. Yes, God isn't quite finished; instead, God is still working in this world until all have heard the most amazing news- "You are inherently loved by God and are lovable!  Go, and love others in the same way!"

May we celebrate the coming of Emmanuel, God with us, in this season of Christmas!

In the Shadows

I often wonder the details that are left out of the Christmas story.  Certainly we have the basics and see it in every pageant- things like angels, Mary, Joseph, a manger, a baby, Magi, and shepherds.  Yet over the years, I have become a bit curious about that which isn't mentioned.

Let me explain...


We have heard the Christmas tale as something that all happens in a night.  Yet if we read the only two Gospels with Jesus' birth story, we find that they tell two different narratives.  In one, Joseph's experience in Matthew is marked by his wrestling with what to do and an angelic intervention that culminates with the simple 25th verse- "He had no union with her until she gave birth to a son.  And he gave him the name Jesus."  Between that verse and 2:11, it appears that some time has passed- most believe two years (2:16).  What happened between Jesus' birth and the visit of the Magi?

Or if you prefer the Lukan text, we have Mary as the primary person in which the angel Gabriel appears to her and by the end, she is at peace with being pregnant. While 'with child,' she visits a relative who is also pregnant with a child (John the Baptist) who leaps in her womb and Elizabeth declares how blessed Mary is.  Upon this interchange, the beautiful words of Mary are followed.  Soon after Jesus' birth is shared in Luke 2, angels and shepherds have an interaction and they head to see this child.  Upon their return, they can’t help but worship! 

When the narratives are combined, they make for a majestic story!  Angels appearing to both Mary and Joseph, to Zechariah and to shepherds as well! Another child leaping in a womb!  Two songs of praise by Mary and Zechariah! A birth in a barn!  Magi following a star, interceding on Jesus’ behalf.  It is a lot to take in!

Yet, in the shadows, are untold stories.  In the shadows are the details of the parents delight over a son.  In the shadows are the first coo’s, the first flip by the baby, the first crawling around the house, the first word spoken by Jesus.  In the shadows are Mary and Joseph’s response to Magi appearing at their home.

In the shadows remain the fullness of the mystery of our Christmas story.  And I suppose that is what  has always been, and will be, for us- the great mystery!  The shadowy details invite us to dig deeper, to imagine, to paint pictures in our mind and on canvas, of what it must have been like. 
 
Or perhaps it is as simple as pondering such a phrase from the mouth of an angel… “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28)  Yes, Emmanuel- God with us…He is really with us and that is just what we need to hear once again this Christmas.

 

 

 

A World of Slogans

We live in world marked by its desire to market catchy, memorable slogans.  Certainly some will stand the test of time like Nike's "Just Do It" or the Marine's "The Few, The Proud, The Marines."  When one asks you to name these marketing schemes, it isn't often that you meet someone that doesn't know them.

This idea of marketability has transcended into much of our lives- 'If it isn't memorable then it is forgettable' I was once told.  We see it in acronyms like KISS (Keep it simple stupid), in prayers (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference), and in quotable statements like "A child will be born to us..."

In this season of Advent, we are invited to pause, to wait, to ponder the interaction of God and humanity.  We are invited to the ancient testimony of the simplicity of the story of a young family's journey and birth of their firstborn.  We are invited to enter the peace of a silent night as the Incarnate One lays in the manger, fast asleep.

And we don't just observe, we receive an invitation...invited to be a part of the story, to be intimately involved in the story!  This baby isn't just a joy to his parents, but to the entire cosmos! And much later, this child tells a parable about a Great Banquet in which all are invited and there is enough for each one!  "For God's ways are not our ways" Isaiah reminds us.

This season, we are invited to feast at this banquet once more.  Yet a part of the story that we may miss is that it isn't just our banquet, it is the banquet of all.  Are you making space for the 'others' at the table?  Are you passing the goodness of this table to those on your right and on your left? 

Are you willing to spend less this year on gifts and decorations and all that stuff that is marketed to us deemed the 'important' part of the season and instead give what you didn't spend away?  Are you willing to help provide the most basic thing- water- to another that they may have life? 

Perhaps the marketing slogan we need to have echoing in our minds this season is this-
        "Less is More!"

For certainly this is the very essence of our Christmas story, isn't it?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!! 

Sounds a bit odd, doesn't it?  Yesterday was only December 1st!  Yet in the Christian Tradition, the first Sunday of Advent marks the start of a new year.  It is a time where we start from the beginning and retell the story of our ancestors waiting for the coming of the Messiah, longing for deliverance, hoping that they would be set free.

For 4 weeks, we gather to wait, to prepare and to anticipate the coming of the Christ-child.  We gather weekly to be reminded that in the midst of our isolation, in the overwhelming reality of daily life marked by a soul-crying prayer, "God, where are you?", we remember that God is not far off but is actively at work.

Yesterday, we explored Psalm 66.  Known for its beauty, it calls the whole earth to worship, the people of God to worship and the individual to worship.  In essence, it is a Psalm that leads us to worship fully! 

As the Christian New Year kicks off, perhaps this season is one that could marked by our decisions:
What if this year we decided to worship fully through Advent and rejoice on Christmas? 
What if this year we decided to make a priority the inner spiritual life? 
What if this year we believed that we are stronger when we are working together?
What if this year, we looked at our resources and asked through prayer and meditation, "How may I use these to bless others?" 

My hope for the New Year are a people that continue to awaken to the presence of God in our lives.  I hope that we become a people marked by a joy that is unwavering, a hope that unfailing, a love that is contagious and lives which are marked by the touch of the Spirit.  May this New Year be the best one yet!

Thankfulness

"It is finally here!"

I heard someone say this just a few days ago.  I was certain that what was here was this amazing day that we set aside the normalcy of our daily lives in order to gather with family and friends to give thanks to God and celebrate life together.  I was certain they were talking about the day that we spend hours in the kitchen and extended time at the table talking, laughing and relaxing. 

And then the surprising words came out...
   "Black Friday shopping!  I've waited all year!!"

In a world bombarded with commercials about the deals of Black Friday and the necessity to go out on Thursday to get those deals, I felt saddened. Saddened that we have lost the ability to be present with our families, to stop the grind of consumerism for one day, to pause and acknowledge all that we have to be thankful for, especially God.

And then it hit me...
I'm saddened about Thanksgiving's loss of importance, but disturbed by our neglect of grasping the following season of Advent which culminates on Christmas.  We spend hours and hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars buying stuff but such little time waiting, preparing, longing, expecting, and crying as ancient Israel did- "How long, O Lord?" 

Instead, we've traded the richness of Christmas for a lesser vision of buying and gifting things, stuff, trinkets to others. As we slide out of Thanksgiving, perhaps the appropriate response for Advent is that same spirit...a spirit of Thanks!  Thanks to the God who hears our cry in the wilderness of life and runs to save us.  Thanks to the God who puts flesh on so we can finally grasp the depth of God's character and love.  Thanks that Christmas isn't about stuff but is about us- relationships between God and humanity AND humanity with humanity.

Perhaps this year, we turn Christmas upside down.  Perhaps we pause for a moment to ask the deeper questions of life like:  Why do I celebrate Christmas?  What is the appropriate response to God's gift in Jesus Christ?  How do I participate in the Great Story of God's salvation by helping to be an agent of change in the lives of others?

Yet first, perhaps we need to pause and say "Thank You" to God, to our family, and to our friends.  Let's be a people of Thankfulness first and foremost!

What is your ladder?

Much of our lives are spent outside of our homes.  We awaken to head to school for a time; or head to work; get involved in our communities; have families (which leads to a LOT of activities); get into a social gatherings; etc.  These are great things!  In fact, this is a part of the reason that any community is so vibrant and wonderful!  When people engage in their community, beautiful experiences abound and the impact we make is long lasting.

Yet there are times where our core focus gets a bit blurred.  We spend so much energy 'doing' that we forget to 'be.'  We forget to 'be' with God and allow God to 'be' with us.  We spend countless hours searching for importance in all the wrong places while neglecting our opportunity to rest in the reality that God is working at all times, including the times we relax, pause, rest and enjoy that very moment.

Instead, many have adopted the mindset of a sprinter.  We think we have to get it all done now and more is better. Yet Paul reminds us that life is more of a marathon than a sprint.  Sure, we can run as fast as we possibly can but we gas out far faster than when we pace our lives.  Instead, we keep striving for God and the things of God while keeping a pace that is manageable, one that is sane! 

I shared this great quote from Father Thomas Merton yesterday...

“People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.”

As you continue on with life this week, perhaps today is a great day to pause and ask some important questions...
    - What ladder am I climbing?
    - Is my life in rhythm with God or out of rhythm?
    - Am I looking at life like Paul- a marathon where we are reaching toward God?
    - Am I willing to abandon the ladder of achievement, pride, power, etc for the ladder of being 'In Christ'? 

May God be with you as you think through your journey of life and faith and may your ladder always lead you to a closer relationship to God!

 

Is Unity Possible?

I have often wondered: "How long was the church of the first century gathering in the spirit of unity before divisiveness entered the scene?"  For certainly our ancestry of faith has found the idea of unity something to reach for yet falls short in attainment.  For example, Acts 2 paints the picture that there was something amazingly unique about these early followers.  It states that "all the believers were united and shared everything (2:45)." There was a tangible unity there, something that marked them as different, or maybe unique.  Yet something changed...for it isn't long before we see issues arising. And in many ways, we have been chasing this elusive image ever since.

It reminds me of our beginning narrative...a Garden marked by beauty and freedom where God wandered through and conversed with Adam and Eve.  In this place was all they knew and needed yet there was just that one thing that they couldn't have...
             Power. 
The power to know...and when they chose to grasp for that power, the Garden becomes closed to them.  Ever since, we have been desiring that initial freedom and connection with God.

Now fast-forward to the Pentecost moment- the Spirit of God descending on each person and the beauty of this God-moment is marked by the unity among them.  The typical struggles of flesh seem to dissipate for a time...no more struggle over power but instead a mutual care to the point that not one needed anything!  They found a unity around the story of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit.  There it was- for a moment, each person unique yet unified.

Yet something happened.  Just as the dismissal from the Garden, these early followers began dealing with the realness of a people that may have alternative motives, selfish ambitions, or a taste for power (see Acts 5!).  And with that taste, we have watched close to 2,000 years of divisions, arguments, and debates but certainly not unity. 

Is unity even possible?  With well over 10,000 denominations, with our long held traditions and new innovations, with our own desire to be right, to be better than others, can we find a place around the table where our ways can yield to the way of Jesus?  Paul is pushing this in his letter to the Philippians- quit chasing after what you want!  Quit looking out for just what you get!  Quit fighting and take on that same character as the one whose name we bear...

        Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
         But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings.        
         When he found himself in the form of a human, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to  the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8)

Are we willing to live like that?  If we seek to find unity in this body of Christ, we must take on the humble nature of a God-man who gives up all power in order to help us find release from our taste for power. I think unity is possible...only when we stop the power struggles- having to be right, or better, or the deciding factor of 'truth'.  Instead, let's begin reflecting the heart and soul of the one named Jesus who chooses humility as the way to life and unity!

Endings that Create Beginnings

Life is a series of endings that always mark new beginnings. 

Truth be told, we don't always like endings!  Perhaps we think of vacation and the ensuing reality of having to head home; maybe the reality that someone we love is living in their final days; perhaps that the beauty of fall is quickly dissipating to the northern winds of winter. 

For many, endings are a time of mourning, of grief, of change.  It is hard to get ready for something new when we aren't ready for the old to end. Yet not all endings are sad, nor mournful.  Some endings are welcomed!  An end to a job that one has dreaded; an end to a growing season of life.   In the interchange of endings and beginnings is often the place where God works wonders.  Yes, at times we must mourn the ending, celebrate what was, and swallow the hard reality of a chapter closing. But we must never stay there!

I would imagine that the days after Jesus' death, they were facing the struggle of an ending that they did not want nor expect.  I can hear them gathering around a table and asking deep questions like: "What do we do now that Jesus is dead?  Where do I go after I just walked away from our families fishing business?  Will dad welcome us home?  What happened to Jesus- was he not who he thought he was?"

Yet in the hope of resurrection, we have a new beginning.  The reality of a new era, or a new experience of life, erupts on the scene.  Resurrected living is like that...God takes endings and creates new beginnings.  They may not all turn out as we expect, or even desire, but the newness of these beginnings are founded upon hope- hope of what can be, of what God will do, of a new journey that lies ahead.

The 4 Gospels all have endings that are really new beginnings.  In each, there is a transference of leadership.  There is a call, an invitation, an imperative command to Go and witness, Go and make disciples, Go and make known all that Jesus has done.  Our new beginning is found in our partnership with God!  We are ambassadors, as Paul says.  We are the very ones that God has equipped and called to share his Good News with all people.

And so, in the endings of your life, where is God's resurrection power starting new beginnings?  In those moments of despair, worry, or mournfulness, where is God opening the way to something fresh and new?

Step 10

"Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it."

 
Step 10 ushers us into a new mode of recovery...maintaining, nurturing and sharing.  Step 10 functions as a daily reminder that we are a work in progress, not a perfected work.  In this step, we see the combination of steps 4 through 9 put into our daily practice of living in wholeness.

 
The word in our Christian vernacular that describes Step 10 is 'holiness.'  I often hear this word holiness and wonder what people think of this term.  Is it that they are from the Holiness tradition, or perhaps a Pietistic faith tradition?  Do they have in mind perfection in which we never sin again?  Do they line up more with the way of the Pharisees with their Laws which one can keep without ever really changing the insides of who they are?  Or do they follow Jesus' example in which he breaks the purity, or holiness, laws of his day by working on Sabbath, touching lepers, eating with 'sinners' including prostitutes, thieves, a betrayer, among others?

If Jesus is our chief example of holiness, then what does his life via the Gospels teach us?  Jesus most often fights for those who have been excluded from, rather than welcomed into, the groups that seemingly have it all together.  Jesus dwells with both those striving to please God in his tradition as well as those considered outside the covenant tradition.  He tells parables, teaches and lives in such a way that leaves us with a clearer picture of holiness.

Holiness is bringing wholeness into our broken world.  It is a choice to not use that which has divided humanity in the past- things like ethnicity, socio-economic classes, religious persuasions and gender.  Instead, holiness is the invitation to bring the wholeness of God into each area that we tread.  Whether that is at a church, in school, at work, shopping, drinking a beer with a friend, hanging in the yard with a neighbor, sitting around the table with family, we are invited to choose to live a life marked by wholeness, by holiness.

Therefore, do we live into this way of Jesus, his way of holiness?  Mark Galli once wrote that "The difference between Jesus' holiness ethic and that of the Pharisees is this:
        The Pharisees refuse to touch any unclean thing.
        Jesus aims to make the unclean holy."

Are you living as Jesus would live?  Are you aiming to make that which is unclean holy?  Or, in light of this sermon series, are you willing to bring wholeness to our world?

 

Step 9

"Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."

Forgiveness is a powerful tool in the spiritual life.  I shared with the congregation that...
             If there is a hinge on the gate to the second half of life (the place of depth of soul and peace), that hinge would be forgiveness.

This word, forgiveness, is directly tied to the word "amend" in this Ninth Step.  To amend means to change.  To amend a relationship is the possibility of bringing wholeness to that which is broken.  In order to do that, we must change.

What do you think one must change? 
       Is it that we must change our right to be right? 
      Or our perception of what has been? 
      Or own the ways in which we have hurt another? 

This step invites us to delve into restorative justice which has the primary goal of bringing wholeness out of brokenness.  It is our invitation to stand before God, before ourselves, and others and say "I'm sorry, please forgive me."

If our faith is built upon this goal of living whole lives, why do you think forgiveness  is so important?
Secondly, why is it that so many struggle to forgive others? 

What are your thoughts?

Step 8

"Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all."

Who have we harmed in our lives?  Where should I look to create such a list?  How do I know if I really harmed others?

These, among many other questions, begin to form within our minds as we take a look at this step.  The invitation of Step 8 is to acknowledge not just to God, to myself and to another the exact nature of our wrongs, Step 8 now invites us to begin the necessary journey toward wholeness.  In order to find wholeness, one must first go looking into the closets of our past and reconciling (making right) those things that are wrong, the moments that we harmed others, and free the skeletons that still appear to you- often at weird times!

And so we go about making a list.  Our list is really an extension of the list that began in Step 4.  Yet now we have grown past justifying our behavior and what others have done to us and we are ready for God's Spirit to do the deep working of changing us. 

Grab a pen and some paper...
      In the next 10 minutes, write down every personal relationship you have; i.e.- mother, father, wife, husband, child(ren), friends from high school, etc.

After each name, try to think through your relationship and ask yourself- "What part have I played in any of the problems with this person?"  Write your thoughts down next to their name.

Then, when the list is compiled, begin to pray for willingness to go to that person to apologize and ask for forgiveness.  There may be one or two people who you have a strong resistance against and you are thinking- "No Way!" Pray...pray today and all the days ahead.  God will give a willing spirit.

Remember this quote yesterday-
"God will show you the best way, the best place, the best time and the best words.  Wait and pray for them all." Breathing Under Water  

And to drum up a bit of conversation...why is it hard to acknowledge our mistakes, hurts, disappointments that we cause in relationships?  In essence, why is it hard to ask for forgiveness from another for your actions?

 

Step 7

"Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

"Lord, have mercy on me" is a cry throughout our scriptures.  It is a humble cry of our realization of our finiteness as we gaze upon God's infiniteness.  Our humble cry is taking what we are, that which we have done- our good moments of life as well as those moments we regret- and lay them to the side and simple say...
                            Lord, have mercy.

I have seen too many people use this phrase as a whip to beat themselves up.  Through their remorse or sense of guilt, they believe they are unworthy.  Yet, in light of our scriptures, this phrase drips with the humility that reminds us that we exist in the midst of One who is merciful, who abounds with grace because His very nature is Love! This prayer is one of acknowledgement that we exist solely by God's mercy.

As we rest in the realization that you and I cannot coerce or manipulate God to answer prayers or be what we want God to be for us, we turn to a new freedom of saying "Lord, have mercy on me."  This humble prayer is one that has writing in the parentheses
                          (I'm willing to become what You would have me be). 

What would happen if we lived in an economy of grace in which our humble prayer is to allow God to do in us what we have yet been able to do- to provide peace, joy and freedom?  If we lived as God has called us to be, would we find that we are more grace-filled? More guided by trust and hope rather than fear?  Willing to see that serving others is our high calling rather than serving ourselves?

During the services, we anointed people with oil in the ancient tradition of consecrating (setting apart) a people to God.  We said "You have been set apart by God and for God!  In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."  Now that we accept this as our call, how do we live into the new life that Jesus promised us? How does it impact you as a person that God has set you apart for His larger purpose?

Perhaps this week, our time spent with God should be focused on the prayer- Lord, have mercy.  Allow it to simmer...allow the Spirit to guide...allow yourself to let go of your life and find true life!

Step 6

"Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."

This week is a week in which we pause...

We pause to ask ourselves the tough questions of:
    ~Am I ready to give up my coping mechanisms of the past?
    ~Am I ready to live into a new future with new ways of living?
    ~Am I willing to let God do what I have not been able to?

And so we pause, we ponder and we prepare. 

This step is a reminder to me...giving up, or having God remove these defects of character, is incredibly freeing and scary at the same moment.  It is freeing for I am for the first time ready to stop the pain, the hurt, the cycles of my life that don't bring life.  I am ready for God to do His great work in me rather than me trying to do a great work.  It is freeing to not be in control!

Yet it is scary for many of the same reasons.  I am not in control!  I am not able to fix me.  I am aware of my shortfalls and the problems they have created in me and around me.  And so I am ready, but not ready. 

Perhaps you are at that same place...I'm ready but I'm not.  I'm ready until life happens and then I want more control of it.  Today, our pausing is powerful for in pausing we ponder.  In pondering, the Spirit works within us cutting the cords to the junk of our lives so God can remove them.  And we prepare for the steps, and new life, that lie ahead. 

What does it mean for you to pause, ponder and prepare?

Step 5

“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

In our sermon yesterday, we dove into the concept of admitting our wrongs...or in the Christian tradition- confession.  Confession has been a vital component of growing closer to God and others for as we confess, we release the toxins of our soul and open ourselves to healing. 

Healing is multifaceted...healing has to do with restoration.  The goal of healing is to bring restoration to our lives and relationships.  Too often, it seems that many miss this and build walls towards others rather than bridges.

Yet in this step we are encouraged and charged with releasing those parts of us that we may have hidden for years or have thought we could hide for ever. We are invited to bring to light that which has been done in the dark. 

And the best news is that we are enabled to do this because of God within us.  We contemplated on this quote yesterday...
          "God does not love us if we change, God loves us so that we can change." Richard Rohr

How does the above quote help your perception of God?

Secondly, why do we try to avoid confession?  If you have practiced this act of the soul, what was your experience?

Step 4

"Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves"

In the sermon, I talked about the reality that our lives are much like an iceberg.  We spend most of our time working on the part that is seen while neglecting the deeper parts that drive us as people, shape our reality of the world, and holds the deep rooted hurts and scars of our past.  Here is the image I shared below:

So here is a question for your pondering:

              Why do you think most people spend most of their energy focused on issues rather than on the deeper things? 

 

If we take this step seriously, we will begin to uncover some hurt, some regrets, some unknown things about who we are...our real self.  Yet until we uncover and prepare to remove these 'defects of character,' as AA calls them (we say 'sin'), our true self that God has created us to be can never be fully unmasked and invited into the Light of God's Presence.

 

If you are wanting to start this inventory, here is a copy of a great tool:

By Fr Bill W.

In 1934, when Bill Wilson joined the Oxford Group and found his sobriety, there were no 4th Step guides until 1938 there were no 12 Steps! What did exist was “a word of mouth program” based largely on the Four Absolutes or the Four Moral Standards the Oxford Group had adopted. These Standards were: Honesty, Unselfishness, Purity, and Love. Group members measured their thoughts, lives and actions against these four moral standards and from these and from other related Group practices emerged the 12 Steps.

HONESTY:

(Is it true or is it false?)

§  How have I been dishonest with others and with myself?

§  Have I lied, manipulated, cheated and stolen from others? List the big ones.

§  Who was hurt by my dishonesty?

§  How did this hurt my relationship with God, remembering that God is Truth?

UNSELFISHNESS:

(How will it affect others?)

§  How has self-centeredness shown itself in my life and who has been hurt by it?

§  Are there people, institutions or principles that still anger me? If so, is there a role I played – either bringing it about or holding on to my resentment?

§  How have I put my own self-interest ahead of God’s plan for me to be of service to others?

PURITY:

(Is it right or is it wrong?)

§  What past or present behaviors, thoughts or feelings make me feel guilty, isolated, or ashamed?

§  What are the areas of my life that I don’t want others to see?

§  Remembering that my sex powers are God given and good, where has my sex life strayed from what I believe God’s will is for me?

LOVE:

(Is it ugly or is it beautiful?)

§  How has fear dominated my life?

§  Has my life been isolated – a lonely life of “taking” rather than “giving”?

Now, with God’s help, am I ready make “love and service” my code?

Soul Detox Overview

 

Over the course of life, toxins creep into our soul.  They rest there influencing our choices and behaviors.  We don’t always know they exist until a stress reveals them.  For 12 weeks, come and learn how to detox your soul to allow God’s healing hand rest upon you and use you to heal others.

August 18- Powerless Power “We admitted we were powerless over ________- that our lives had become unmanageable.”

August 25- Attentive to Someone Greater “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

September 1- Rescued “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

September 8- Soul Searching “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

September 15- Releasing our Past, Part 1 “Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

September 22- Releasing our Past, Part 2 “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”

September 29- A Prayerful Change “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”

October 6- Reconciling our Past “Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.”

October 13- The Power of Forgiveness “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” October 20- Keeping the Street Clean “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.”

October 27- A New Source of Power “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

November 3- Embodying the Message “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”