Prayers as reformation

I prayed this the other week and as I was sitting here I remembered it. I remember praying this prayer, and looking back over the past week I see how it's come to pass and I thank God for that! Thank you Lord for answering my prayer, and I pray it once again. I pray this because of James 1:2,3 where it says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of you faith develops perseverance."

I never understood that verse until now. I never wanted that verse to be true until now that I feel the joy that comes with the routine trials that accompany faith. I've followed Christ for almost eleven years now and I've faced trials before, but never ones that I prayed for like this. I prayed for these trials and it's drawn me closer to Christ so I indeed may live deep within my heart. Because the our idea of blessing isn't always Gods idea, and while comfort and peace is good, we must face confusion and wrestle with life to understand Christ and His sacrifice and blessing fully. I pray I may accompany you in your troubles as you have accompanied me in mine and in doing so we will be the Church Christ designed us to be! God bless you this week my brothers and sisters in Christ!

A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless you with discomfort

At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships

So that you may live deep within your heart


May God bless you with anger

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,

So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.


May God bless you with tears

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and

To turn their pain into joy.


And may God bless you with enough foolishness

To believe that you can make a difference in the world,

So that you can do what others claim cannot be done

To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.



Amen

Been A Long Time

No matter what I do I can't escape the inevitabilities of life. We all have to face the rough stuff that life throws at us. Its just reality. The questions about what tomorrow brings and how to deal with the consequences of yesterday. In all honesty I'm sick and tired of questions. I've spent too much of my life living in questions. I'M DONE!

Seriously though, my thought life has been consumed with "what if's" and "what comes next?" and "why?" I know its human nature to visit these thoughts from time to time but I've decided I'm done with living in the past, in what could have happened, or what may happen. Good grief I'm tired of it. Frankly it sucks.

Christ didn't call me to live like this. He calls me to live a life a faith DAILY. I don't know what will happen but I'm reminding myself to put my life in his hands and let him deal with it. He offered to take it upon himself and I'm shooting myself in the foot by not letting him. It's funny how God gave me this verse today. I was telling my buddy about whats been on my mind and this verse popped up on his computer on a bible widget. So I'm gonna meditate on Lamentations 3:22-24 and I encourage you to as well. We don't know what tomorrow holds, but there is enough prayer and work in the Lord to be done today on the behalf of those we care about, those in need, those God lays uniquely on our hearts. So lets be proactive despite all that goes on and live!
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Turn of Events

While today happens so many times to so many people, how it happened made me stop and thank God for small mercies. I woke up today with an unknown sense of dread, fear and anxiety about the comming day. I had no tests, heavy assignments or long hours of studying in the works but I felt a fear that only Satan puts over a human soul in hopes to inhibit the joy of the Lord.
But those inhibitions weren't realized today. I distinctly remember stopping at Coffea Island for a latté and leaving, still with that unknown sense of dread. But suddenly as I stepped out of the coffee shop I felt a rush of peace and joy only known in Christ's Spirit. As I felt the wind against my person and the cool air announcing the comming of autumn, I felt a peace and joy in my soul that only God provides. It was as if God was nullifying my anxieties with His perfect peace and Love. What can man say to this other than "thanks." While I'm not usually the one to point out God in the rainbow or the beauty in the sunset, I felt that somehow God spoke to me through His Creation and His Spirit in a masterful yet simple way that only God can achieve. He truly is God and I am not.
And yet I'm fully aware of the rollercoaster of life; one day you're up and the next you're down. But I will thank God for this one day where nothing could stiffle this joy of the Lord, the joy of being alive and in community with others who love me as I love them. Indeed, these are the days to cherish, because they remind us in our worst times that God never leaves us or abandons us. Truly He is the Omniscient, All-Powerful God, Father, Lord and Closest Confidant. Glory to God for His Love that never fails, neither yesterday, today or tomorrow. Glory to God in the Highest, Amen.