Monday, March 15th, 2021

— John 4:46-50 —

“He went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum; hearing that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judaea, he went and asked him to come and cure his son, as he was at the point of death. Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and portents you will not believe!’ ‘Sir,’ answered the official, ‘come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go home,’ said Jesus, ‘your son will live.’ The man believed what Jesus had said and went on his way home.”

Painting: Healing the royal official’s son by Joseph-Marie Vien, 1752.

Current location: Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille; Marseille, France

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Hello and welcome—

In his book, Henri Nouwen talks about, “the descending way of Jesus” and “the descending love of God.” I have spent time visualizing these two phrases and want to share my thoughts about them from my limited perspective.

The Descending Way of Jesus

Jesus, being fully divine became fully human. He was born to a virgin and was raised by his parents, Mary & Joseph. Jesus experience life just as natural as you and I. Jesus knew the highs and lows of pain and joy. He loved us so much, he became human, to be present with humanity and to give us eternal life.

The Descending Love of God

God loved his creation so much he gave his one and only son for the redemption of all humanity. God gave us Jesus so we can learn from him because Jesus lived and died a human, experiencing all the emotions that it entails, Jesus being fully human and fully divine defeated death. God is our God, the God of the living.(1).

➡️ firm belief in something for which there is no proof

➡️ complete trust

➡️ without question

➡️ belief and trust in and loyalty to God

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Our anchor verse today we read about faith, the faith of a father for the healing of his son. Faith is not just something to simple shrug off as, “I don’t understand this” so I’ll believe it for now. To me, that sounds more like making a “wish” and crossing your fingers in hopes it is true. Or possibly waging a bet in hopes things work out in my favor. Faith can include, “I don’t understand” but in my humble opinion it’s so much more. Nouwen explains faith this way, “when Jesus talks about faith, he means first of all to trust unreservedly that we are loved, so that we can abandon every false way of obtaining love.”(2). The Bible tells us very clearly that God loved us first in, 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.” (NRSVA). The Bible goes on to tell us that we cannot save ourselves; “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” -Ephesians 2:8-9 (NRSVA). As I shared a few days ago, my moment of conversion was an action of faith, I did not fully understand ever aspect of what it meant to be a Christian; but I did see the positivity in the lives of my friends and their families. I wanted what they had! Accepting Jesus as your Savior is not about a life of ease, without pain or hardship but it is filled with peace, love and understanding deep within your soul. I would not lie to you, life has struggles some are of our own making, others are learning curves. God never wants us to suffer, he feels our pains and will be with us every step of our journeys. It’s never easy to admit when we make mistakes or to ask for forgiveness, but it is good for the soul. I have been doing my share of asking for forgiveness this week, and I’ve learned you’re never too old to learn new ways of seeing the world. Some days I’m a half full glass kind of girl and others, half empty. And some days, I can’t even find the glass! It’s about perspective to include which side of the street you’re standing. I am a firm believer in learning and growing and I have to say, I might be having a growth spurt. I am reminded that I have been forgiven by God for a multitude of offenses and I too must forgive others as well as myself and to preserve. Ephesians 4:32, “Be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.”

In the divine womb of God, life is always born again. . . . The truly good news is that God is not a distant God, a God to be feared and avoided, a God of revenge, but a God who is moved by our pains and participates in the fullness of the human struggle.(3).

“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.”
— Robert Muller

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Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Speak Kindness – Day 23

Refrain from gossip and other unkind words. Only speak what is positive today. Bonus: add a quarter to a giving jar if you say something negative.

✝️ Prayer ✝️

INTEGRITY and generosity are marks of Yahweh

for he brings sinners back to the path.

JUDICIOUSLY he guides the humble,

instructing the poor in his way.

ADORATION I offer, Yahweh,

to you, my God.

— Amen

— Psalm 25:8, 9, 10

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 84, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 84, paragraph 1.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 84-85, paragraph 2, 1 respectively.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Saturday, March 13th, 2021

— Hosea 6:1-2 —

“Come, let us return to Yahweh. He has rent us and he will heal us; he has struck us and he will bind up our wounds;”

Hello friends and family —

“Living a spiritual life requires a change of heart, a conversion.”(1). After reading these words from Henri Nouwen in the devotional for today, I was reminded of my own conversion. I had a longing to have the “peace” that I saw in my best friend and the love she shared with her family. I was 15 years old, when I ask to speak with a pastor about making my personal decision to follow Jesus, ask him to save me. Conversions are sometimes clear and sudden, I’ve seen individuals moved by the Spirit during Sunday services and Revival meeting. I have also witnessed and in my case experienced the longer, quiet transformation in accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. As far back as I can remember I have attended Sunday school, church, youth groups and VBS, it was a natural progression when I verbalized my desire to formally ask Jesus to save me.

Living a spiritual life means your life is forever changed. This change is seen and lived out in different ways, the roads we travel and our journeys may vary greatly from one another but the destination for all is to be with the Father in heaven for all eternity. Salvation is not a promised life of no trials, temptations, or struggles. There will be joy; Joy that can only be seen through the eyes of the redeemed. God’s word tells us that life will not always be easy, and it will be worth it. I can say with complete honesty that sometimes learning the hard lessons in life are necessary for our own understand. It is through difficult times, we gain the wisdom necessary to share the love of God with others. It is our steadfastness during difficult times, that allows us to experience such depths of God’s love for us and all his children.

I loved the last paragraph by Henri Nouwen, “Poverty, pain, struggle anguish, agony, and even inner darkness may continue to be a part of our experience. They may even be God’s way of purifying us. But life is no longer boring, resentful, depressing, or lonely because we have come to know that everything that happens is part of our way to the house of the Father. (2).

Updated:

After posting my blog, God spoke to me through an email I received and I just felt the need to include it for each of you.

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Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Color – Day 22

We can connect with God when we’re doing something that doesn’t use our full concentration like coloring. Color a mandala or search out other meaningful coloring pages.

~ Prayer ~

O Lord, this holy season of Lent is passing quickly.

I entered into it with fear,

but also with great expectations.

I hoped for a great breakthrough,

a powerful conversion, a real change of heart;

I wanted Easter to be a day so full of light

that not even a trace of darkness

would be left in my soul.

But I know that you do not come to your people

with thunder and lightning.

Even St. Paul and St. Francis

journeyed through much darkness

before they could see your light.

Let me be thankful for your gentle way.

I know you are at work.

I know you will not leave me alone.

I know you are quickening me for Easter—

but in a way fitting to my own history

and my own temperament.

I pray that these last three weeks,

in which you invite me to enter more fully

into the mystery of your passion,

will bring me a greater desire to follow you

on the way that you create for me

and to accept the cross that you give to me.

Let me die to the desire

to choose my own way and select my own cross.

You do not want to make me a hero

but a servant who loves you.

Be with me tomorrow and in the days to come,

and let me experience your gentle presence.

— Amen

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 78, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 78-79, paragraph 2, 1 respectively.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Mandalas for Beginners: An Easy and Simple Mandala Coloring Book for Beginners, for fun, relaxation or Meditation https://www.amazon.com/dp/1093735694/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NTNA1V52TRM29T4MF26F

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Friday, March 12th, 2021

Greetings and Happy Friday! 🌻☀️

— Mark 12:30 —

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”

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Henri Nouwen says, “ To live spiritual life is to live in the presence of God.”

Mr. Nouwen references a book called, “The Practice of the Presence of God,” by Brother Lawrence, a French Carmelite brother who lived in the seventeenth century.(1). I felt a sense of familiarity after reading some of his quotes found here: https://www.goodreads.com/

The words of Brother Lawrence are straightforward, simple and yet filled with profound depth. Love is essential for our spiritual lives, it is central for being within “The Presence of God.” Love means embracing God, opening and emptying our hearts, so that God can fill our hearts. I did some research on my own regarding our verse for today, which says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength,” and I found 11 other verses similar to it, I think that is very relevant to living with “The Presence of God.”

Deuteronomy 6:5, “You must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God ask of you? Only this: to fear Yahweh your God, to follow all his ways, to love him, to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and all your soul.”

Deuteronomy 11:13, “Depend on it: if you faithfully obey the commandments I enjoin on you today, loving Yahweh your God and serving him with all your heart and all your soul.”

Deuteronomy 13:4, “…you must not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer’s dreams. Yahweh your God is testing you to know if you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and all your soul.”

Deuteronomy 30:6, “Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love Yahweh your God with all your heart and soul, and so will live.”

Joshua 22:5, “But take great care to practise the commandments and the Law which Moses, servant of Yahweh, has given you: to love Yahweh your God, always to follow his paths, to keep his commandments, to be loyal to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

1 Samuel 7:3, “Samuel then spoke as follows to the whole House of Israel, ‘If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, banish the foreign gods and Astartes which you now have, and set your heart on Yahweh and serve him alone; and he will deliver you from the power of the Philistines.”

Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said to him, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Mark 12:30, “…and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Mark 12:33, “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.”

Luke 10:27, “He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.”

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It is not necessary for being with GOD to be always at church; we may make an oratory of our heart, wherein to retire from time to time, to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. Every one is capable of such familiar conversation with GOD, some more, some less: He knows what we can do.

— Brother Lawrence

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That all things are possible to him who believes, that they are less difficult to him who hopes, they are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.

— Brother Lawrence

“To live in the presence of God, however, is to live with purity of heart, with simple mindedness, and with total acceptance of his will. That, indeed, demands a CHOICE, a DECISION, and great COURAGE. It is a sign of true holiness.” — Henri J. M. Houwen

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Sustain – Day 21

Write a note of thanks to those who work to keep us healthy (doctors, nurses, etc.). Your words of thanks and appreciation will sustain them through difficult times.

🙏🏻 Prayer 🙏🏻

Dear Lord, you once said,

“The will of the him who sent me

is that I should lose nothing

of all that he has given to me.”

These words are a source of consolation this day.

They show that you are doing all that can be done

to keep me in your love.

They demonstrate that indeed

you entered this world to save me,

to free me from the bonds of evil and sin,

and to lead me to your Father’s house.

They reveal that you are willing

to struggle against the strong powers

which pull me away from you.

Lord, you want to keep me, hold onto me,

fight for me, protect me, help me, support me,

comfort me, and present me to your Father.

It indeed is your divine task not to lose me!

And yet I am free.

I can separate myself from you,

and you will never take this freedom away from me.

Oh, what a wonder of love,

what a mystery of divine grace!

Please, Lord, let me freely choose for your love

so that I will not be lost to you.

— Amen

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 76paragraph 1.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

Brother Lawrence: The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life, Being …

https://www.learnreligions.com/biography-of-brother-lawrence-5070341

https://www.goodreads.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Thursday, March 11th, 2021

Luke 11:23

“Anyone who is not with me is against me; and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.”

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Greeting everyone, thank you for visiting today. The topic of today’s devotional is “spiritual life.” Spiritual life is a gift from the Holy Spirit, our guide to the Kingdom of God and God’s love. (1). In Colossians 3:1-2, Paul the Apostle wrote these words, “Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth.”

“We must look for the things above,” now that sounds a lot like setting a goal and an objective to reach for. Following Jesus takes discipline, a spiritual life without discipline is impossible. Discipline is the other side of discipleship. (2).

Just about anything worthwhile takes discipline and hard work. Just the every day things one does requires some planning and practice. I set an alarm every night to wake me for my job, I plan my meals ahead of time which requires making a grocery list. Even to drive my car to work every day takes discipline to follow the laws mandated; speed, seatbelt, lane association with traffic. Just as important as all those things are, being disciplined in my spiritual life is even more vital. When I feel distanced from God, I feel uneasy. But staying in sync with God is sometimes hard, I fall away, not intentionally but nonetheless I falter. One day without praying or reading my Bible quickly becomes two, three and do on. Our humanness tries to convince us that God left us, must the Israelites did when the were wondering in the desert for so many years. No! God never leaves us, it is totally us, who stumble and fall. I don’t share this to make you feel negatively about yourself or even myself, it is simply the truth. Truth often hurts because deep down we know it to be true but we still avoid it like a plague or pandemic. The Good News of Jesus is we are always welcomed back home, clean slate, mistakes and sins forgiven. And the road to reconciliation with our God is listening for God’s voice. Praying is not a one way only communication, absolutely God is interested in hearing from us but equally, God wants to give us everything we need to live a life pleasing to him. We need only to listen. Without noticing, our ears and heart are cluttered with the chaotic noises of this world and we no longer recognize God’s voice. Finding time and space where we can shut out the noise of the world around us will provide fertile ground for the Holy Spirit to teach us and God can speak to us.

A spiritual discipline sets us free to pray or, to say it better, allows the Spirit of God to pray in us.(3). ~Peace to you my friends.

• Absurd

Both surd and its more common cousin absurd come from the Latin word surdus,meaning “unhearing, deaf, muffled, or dull.”

• Obedient

The word listen in Latin is audire. If we listen with full attention in which we are totally geared to listen, it’s called ob-audire, and that’s where the word obedience comes from. Jesus is the obedient one. That means he is total ear, totally open to the love of God. And if we are closed, and to the degree that we are closed, we are surdus. That is the Latin word for deaf. The more “deaf” we get, the more absurdus

Henri J. M. Nouwen, A Spirituality of Living: The Henri Nouwen Spirituality Series

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Buy Less – Day 20

When we can buy with a click of a button, it’s easy not to pause and think. Take a day to refrain from purchasing anything unless it’s truly needed.

Pray

Almight God,

grant that we may heed the call of your grace

and ready ourselves all the more fervently

to celebrate the mysteries of Easter,

as the feast of our redemption comes closer and closer.

— Amen

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 73, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 73, paragraph 1.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 74, paragraph 2.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3353011-the-word-listen-in-latin-is-audire-if-we-listen

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Wednesday, March 10th, 2021

Hello friends, welcome and thanks for stopping by my blog. Today my devotional will include words like; memory, spirit and saintliness.

❇️ Deuteronomy 4:9 ❇️

“But take care, as you value your lives! Do not forget the things which you yourselves have seen, or let them slip from your heart as long as you live; teach them, rather, to your children and to your children’s children.”

▪️ Saintliness is a quality of being so virtuous that you’re almost too good to be true. In a literal sense, saintliness describes the quality of a saint, someone considered to be holy by a particular religion. This word is also apt for anyone who is extremely good and kind.

▪️ Memory is the power to retain and recall information and past experiences. Your brain’s memory helps you recall lots of memories — like multiplication tables and bad dates. The word memory applies to both the individual facts and experiences you remember as well as the brain’s ability to contain it all.

▪️ Spirit comes from the Latin word for “breath,” and like breath, spirit is considered a fundamental part of being alive. Some people think of the spirit as a presence that’s separate from the body, which is why spirit is another word for ghost. We also use spirit to mean “the general mood or intent. The spirit is also in reference to the Holy Spirit of God.

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John 16:7,13 (NIV)

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Henri Nouwen writes this about memory, “Jesus reveals (in the verse from above) to his closest friends that only in memory will real intimacy with him be possible, that only in memory will they experience the full meaning of what they have witnessed. (1). Jesus’ friends/disciples listened to his words when he spoke of his death and resurrection, but their ears and eyes remained closed and did not understand. (2)[paraphrased]. It was only after Jesus had gone, ascended to heaven did his true spirit reveal itself to them. The divine revelation is that God entered into intimacy with us not only by Jesus’ coming, but also by his leaving. It is in the absence that our intimacy, our connection to God is so profound. We can now understand as Jesus’ friends and disciples understood and can say that his Spirit dwells in us, with us and all around us. Indeed, he is food and drink for the soul. (3)[paraphrased].

After, reading the entirety of Nouwen’s devotional for today, memories of my mom flooded my mind. My mom passed away nearly eight years ago and I am still learning lessons from her today. Many lessons could only be realized in her absence. I leaned upon my mom for advice and although we were always close as mother/daughter, we were also in the midst of a true adult friendship and I miss her so much. She never failed to love and support me in all my endeavors. She was always my biggest fan. I loved her deeply and after she passed, I realized just how profoundly I loved her. It’s true, you what they say about missing someone…

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”—Theodor Seuss Geisel

By no means am I comparing Jesus and my mom, but I can say with certainty I understand the intimacy part more fully now. Sadly, I admit I did not always listen well when my mom was here with me, and I have wished for her presence on many occasions. I miss her and I am thankful for everything she taught me. I am very blessed. God is good, God is always good.

“Her absence from is like the sky, spread over everything.” ~C.S. Lewis

The redemptive events of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is life giving memories, they sustain and nurture us and gives us the firm faith foundation we need as we traverse through this earthly life, it’s daily events and the many crises of our lives. (4).

Jesus is the Truth, the Way and the Life!

— John 14:6 —

Saintliness is living without division between word and action. In Jesus no division existed between his words and his actions, between what he said and what he did. His words were his actions, his words were events. He not only spoke about changes, cures, and new life but actually created them. Jesus is the Word made flesh; in that Word all was created and by that Word all is recreated. (5). John 1:1-4, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Prayerful Encounters – Day 19

Pray for others you encounter in your day – whether you know them or not. Did you pray for someone unexpected?

▫️ Prayer ▫️

We give thanks to you, God,

we give thanks to you,

as we call upon your name,

as we recount your wonders.

But I shall speak out for ever,

shall make music for the God of Jacob.

— Psalm 75:1, 9

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 70, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 70, paragraph 2.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 71, paragraph 1.

(4) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 71, paragraph 2.

(5) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 71, paragraph 3, 4 respectively.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.vocabulary.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Tuesday, March 9th, 2021

🔹 Matthew 18:32-35 🔹

“Then the master sent for the man and said to him, “You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you? And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.”

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C•O•M•P•A•S•S•I•O•N

⏺ sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Compassion is something we can all relate to, we hear about it in news stories, we see commercials promoting it, we see it throughout the world and in many cultures. Compassion is visible, it’s real. God’s compassion is concrete and specific, it is through Jesus, we are able to see the fullness of this compassion. He emptied himself and became human and lived a human existence. Jesus knows the feelings experienced by humans; “I am with you.” Jesus can truly say those words because he chose to be human, and because Jesus, who is God-with-us came to us in freedom of love, not needing to experience our human condition. (1)

Jesus is the obedient son, he came to us, to live among us so we could fully know how to live a compassionate life. Jesus set the standard for compassion so we could also live a life pleasing to God. The significance of knowing and displaying compassion is for us to live a full life sharing the love of God will those around us.

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

I need/want to pause and share a personal note of authenticity, I absolutely support compassion and have great intentions of expressing it but even on my best days I fail. I am thankful for friends and family that not only show me compassion but much grace and great mercy. Yesterday was a tough day for me, I was more irritable than usual and every little thing caused me to be distressed. I tend to be fairly passionate about many things and can get caught up or spun up over the tiniest of details. Unfortunately, what I see as a priority may not be to someone else, I loose site of big picture from time to time. Recognizing my area of concern vs. my area of control. What I have learned to do more often and more easily is to stop myself and apologize as soon as I’ve said more than I should have, interjecting myself into the drivers seat when I am a passenger in the back seat. I am trying. BDC & RLR thank you for your grace, mercy and compassion. (I know I’m forgetting many but those were the two most recent).

The Bible gives us a clue about compassion, one I had never really considered until I read my devotional for today by Henri J. M. Nouwen, “Show Me The Way,” page 67-68. He says that “As long as we live on this earth, our lives as Christians must be marked by compassion. But we must [realize] that the compassionate life is not our final goal. In fact, we can only live the compassionate life to the fullest when we know that it points beyond itself.” (2)

This beyond point is told to us by Jesus in John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house there are many places to live in; otherwise I would have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you to myself, so that you may be with me where I am.”

The place Jesus is telling us about is the new heaven and the new earth, places were suffering will be overcome and compassion no longer necessary. (3)

✴️ Revelation 21:1-4 ✴️

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, ‘Look, here God lives among human beings. He will make his home among them; they will be his people, and he will be their God, God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain. The world of the past has gone.”

The words/vision from John in Revelation 21, provides us with a guide to the new, the beyond compassion. Until then, we must remain vigilant in being the hands and feet of Jesus by welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoners, and helping to overcome oppression. It is by these grateful actions the first glimpses of the new heaven and new earth can be seen. (4).

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Saintly Friend – Day 18

Read about one of the saints. We have many mothers and fathers who have come before us with inspiring stories.

✝️ Prayer ✝️

Dear Lord, help me keep my eyes on you.

You are the incarnation of Divine Love,

you are the expression of God’s infinite compassion,

you are the visible manifestation of the Father’s holiness.

You are beauty, goodness, gentleness,

forgiveness, and mercy.

To you I want to give all that I am.

Let me generous, not stingy or hesitant.

— Amen

Friends— thank you for your continued support, blessings to you today! 🙏🏻✝️🤍

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 67, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 67-68, paragraph 3 and 1, respectively.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 68, paragraph 1.

(4) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 69, paragraph 1.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Monday, March 8th, 2021

🔸 Luke 4:24, 28-30 🔸

“In truth I tell you, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.” …

“When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him off the cliff, but he passed straight through the crowd and walked away.”

Hi friends —-

In today’s culture many believe that the more people know and talk about something, the more important it must be. (1). The world is increasingly becoming a “numbers” game: # of followers on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, SnapChat (and those are just the ones I’m aware of); then there’s the top draft picks in every sport imaginable with salaries beyond comprehension. It seems like one’s popularity for whatever reason, must also live life LARGE, a big house, multiple homes, boats, cars, planes, a personal trainer, personal shopper, a chef, a nannie…the list is never-ending. It’s an “IN YOUR FACE” existence that seems to be trending. Friends, I do not believe this type of living is what God desires. It definitely is not the the life or lifestyle that Jesus lived and modeled for Christians.

As a believer here in 2021, I see Jesus with different eyes than the disciples did or even the people did during the life and times of Jesus. Henri Nouwen says this about Jesus: “There was nothing spectacular about Jesus’ life. Far from it! Even when we look at Jesus’ miracles, you find that he did not heal or revive people in order to get publicity. He frequently forbade them from even to talk about it. His resurrection too was a hidden event. Only his disciples and a few of the men and women who had known him intimately before his death saw him as the rise Lord.” (2).

▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

Matthew 8:4

And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Mark 5:43

“And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.”

Luke 8:56

“Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.”

▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

With the popularity of Christianity in our world today it’s hard to fathom that Jesus revealed God in hiddenness. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were not intended to astound us with the great power of God; God became a lowly, hidden, almost invisible God… (3). It is through Jesus’ life and how he lived that we see the great power of God. In the world today we often hear people asking God to prove himself and say things like, if God really exists why doesn’t he show himself and help us. We are all called to a purpose and to be the literal hands and feet of Jesus to the world, to where the Spirit leads us. When we are able to cut through some of the bitterness and sarcasm that has scarred so many, then we can begin to help them heal and perhaps open a pathway that leads to God. God is not about “fanfare” God is all about FAITH.

“The crowd loves fanfare and full bellies. They want the bread that Jesus provides, but not Jesus as the bread of life.” Quote by PAUL LOUIS METZGER https://www.patheos.com/blogs/uncommongodcommongood/2020/01/an-epiphany-jesus-signs-aim-at-faith-not-fanfare/

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ A New Gift – Day 17

Find a new charity or organization to support that energizes you. Share their mission with friends and family.

🔹 Prayer 🔹

Lord, I pray for all who witness for you in this world:

ministers, priests, and bishops,

men and women who have dedicated their lives to you,

and all those who try to bring the light of the Gospel

into the darkness of this age.

Give them courage, strength, perseverance, and hope;

fill their hearts and minds

with the knowledge of your presence,

and let them experience your name

as their refuge from all dangers.

Most of all, give them the joy of your Spirit,

so that wherever they go and whoever they meet

they will remove the veil

of depression, fatalism, and defeatism

and will bring new life to the many

who live in constant fear of death.

Lord, be with all who bring the Good News.

— Amen

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 64, paragraph 4.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 64, paragraph 2.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 64, paragraph 3.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Christ-Concealing-Things

An Epiphany: Jesus’ Signs Aim at Faith, Not Fanfare

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

https://hymnary.org/text/god_bless_the_poets_heart_and_hand

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Doodle Art by: Me

Wishing everyone a beautiful spring! Spread your wings 🕊🐝🦋

~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

Sunday, March 7th, 2021

Greetings friends and family —-

Today marks the third Sunday of Lent and with it we can see many changes happening around us. The days are getting longer, trees and flowers are budding, and the sun is providing warmer temperatures. The stores are stocking up on Easter candy, baskets and spring clothing. One of the things I miss most about Sunday is sharing in communion with my church family. I know it should be the same doing it alone at home but it is not. I miss sharing in community communion along with my church family, soon hopefully soon. 🙏🏻🤍

Whoever drinks this water

will be thirsty again;

but no one who drink the water that I shall give him

will ever be thirsty again:

the water that I shall give him

will become in him a spring of water, welling up for

eternal life.

— John 4:13b-14

The Eucharist, as communion is commonly referred to in many churches and by Henri J. M. Nouwen, author of “Show Me The Way,” the companion book I’m reading as I blog each day. The Eucharist is the most concrete and visual thing, we have as believers in God’s love. It is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that we see him fully divine, fully human and he became the bread and wine. It is through the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine that’s God’s love can become our own. Jesus is not an abstract idea made up, or a theory being tested, no Jesus makes it very clear in his own words in John 6:55-57

Each and every time we receive the bread and wine, Jesus’ love is give to as, the same love he showed on the cross. God’s love/Jesus’ love is for everyone; through all places and times, all religions and creeds, all races and classes, all tribes and nations, all sinners and saints. (1)

Jesus praying for those killing him is the enemy-loving love of God; that is the love offered to us in the Eucharist. Jesus’ love has no boundaries, all are welcomed to his table, at the Eucharist. “That is a divine gift. That’s why it’s so important to make the Eucharist the heart and center of our lives. It is there that we receive the love which empowers us to take the way that Jesus has taken before us: a narrow way, a painful, but the way that gives us true joy and peace and enables us to make the non-violent love of God visible in this world.” (2)

Jesus shows us how far God’s love goes when he prayed for those executing him. “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” — Luke 23:34.

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Be Inconvenienced – Sunday 3

Cut out a modern convenience that you use regularly (digital devices, microwave, coffee maker, etc.) for a day. How does this change your daily activities?

🙏🏻 Prayer 🙏🏻

As the deer yearns 🦌

for running streams, 🏞

so I yearn 🤍

for you, my God. ✝️

In you is the source of life, 🌎🌏🌍

by your light we see the light. 🔆

— Psalm 42:1; 36:9

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 62, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 62, paragraph 2 (some paraphrasing).

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Saturday, March 6th, 2021

“I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men. So he left the place and went back to his father.

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him.”

— Luke 15:18-20

Hi friends— The devotional for today is about “returning.” The beautiful painting above, a “Rembrandt” painted in the 1660’s and Henri J. M. Nouwen says this about it, He (the father) seems to think only one thing: “He’s is back home, and I am so glad to have him with me again.”(1)

An interesting tidbit, I had picked the Rembrandt photo to use even before I read today’s devotional; I had only read the Bible verse. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways and works all things for good. *God Moves in a Mysterious Way” is a Christian hymn, written in 1773 by William Cowper from England. *See reference below

The message of the prodigal son is a message for all of us. The prodigal son’s return was out of fear that he would die of hunger, he knew his father’s servants had more to eat than he did. The son returned so that he would live and not die. But the father was elated in his son’s return. The father did not ask for an explanation or provide a lecture for the son’s behavior. No! The father greeted the son, kissed him and welcomed him home with total unconditional love.

Does this story resonate with you?

This is how God is with each of us. He welcomes us home again and again, no questions, no lectures, not anything…he’s thankful for our return with unconditional love. Whatever it is that draws us away from God, He will always welcome us home again. Some leave to follow their own desires, chase a dream only to find nothing but disappointments, others may chase fame or fortune only to end up broke and alone…not even these things can separate us from God’s love. There’s no excuse to make or price to pay when we run away from God, simply return to his love. “God is glad to see us home and wants to give us all we desire, just for being home.” (2)

Listen for the voice of Jesus, “I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. I love you with a love that has no limits, because I love you as I am loved. Do not run away from me. Come back to me — not once, not twice, but always again. You are my child. How can you ever doubt that I will embrace you again, hold you against my breast, kiss you and let my hands run through your hair? I am your God— the God of mercy and compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care. Please do not say that I have given up on you, that I cannot stand you anymore, that there is no way back. It is not true. I so much want you to be with me. I so much want you close to me.” (3)

Jeremiah 31:3, “Yahweh has appeared to me from afar; I have loved you with an everlasting love and so I still maintain my faithful love for you.” (NJB)

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ On The Move – Day 16

Be intentional about silencing your phone and radio when in the car alone. Instead, use that quiet time to talk to God.

~~~ Prayer ~~~

O Lord, my Lord,

help me to listen to your voice

and to decide for your mercy.

~~~ Amen ~~~

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 59, paragraph 2.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 59, paragraph 1.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 59-60, paragraph 5, 1 respectively.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Cowper

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation