Saturday, March 20th, 2021

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🌼🌸🌻 Welcome Spring 2021 🌻🌸🌼

The Story of Nicodemus, Jesus & Fear

Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish sect of influential Pharisees and a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court. Nicodemus held the prominent position as ruler of the Pharisees, an enormously powerful position. He was a wealthy man of power and status. Nicodemus admired Jesus, but he was afraid. Afraid of losing the respect of his friends, family and colleagues, if he were to follow Jesus. Nicodemus even went to speak with Jesus under of cover of nightfall, so no one would see him.

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Have you every felt so draw to something but fear stopped you? I have been fearful of many things throughout my life and I have been able to tackle of few of them. Sometimes fear is a good intuitive sensation that keeps us safe. Fear can supply us with caution or keep us from our greatest achievements. As I have matured in my life I have concluded that some things are just not worthy of my mental acuity. As a practicing “over-achiever” I sometimes have to stop and ask myself “is this worthy of my time?” I try to keep myself grounded in simple pleasures of life, caring for my well-being, connecting with friends and family and growing my faith both internally and externally.

❓❓ How about you? ❓❓

✅ Feel like tackling a fear? ✅

Friends, — it is indeed a privilege to be able to share my thoughts with you on a daily basis as we journey through Lent.

“You must see what great love the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children — which is what we are!”

— 1 John 3:1 —

💞 Please know that you are loved! 💕

Jesus loves you ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Give Time – Day 28

Schedule time for serving others during Lent. It’s doesn’t matter whether the project is big or small, it matters more that you share your time.

🔸 Prayer 🔸

Dear Lord,

show me your kindness and your gentleness,

you who are meek and humble of heart.

So often I say to myself, “The Lord loves me.”

Yet time and again I have to confess

that I have not let your live descend fully

from my mind into my heart.

In the coming weeks, O Lord,

I will be able to see again

how much you indeed love me.

Let these weeks become an opportunity for me

to let go of all my resistances to your love

and an occasion for you to call me closer 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 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/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Friday, March 19th, 2021

Hello friends and family —

The words in Henri Nouwen’s devotional for today hit particularly close to home with me. His writings and most devotionals I read provide much needed gleaning for my soul and overall mental awareness. I have been struggling for sometime about “things” that are difficult for me to name. Most days I can shrug off the emotions as simply growing pains and points of clarity for myself. I absolutely love my devotional quiet time and find it both relaxing and exhilarating. When I’m reading God’s word or the works of other biblical scholars and people of faith, I am able to process the lessons and draw my own personal experiences into the stories. Today, the very first sentence grabbed my attention. “Fellowship with Jesus Christ is not a commitment to suffer as much as possible, but a commitment to LISTEN with him to God’s love without fear…”(1).

🔴 ➡️ “It’s God’s will.” ⬅️ 🔴

🔴 ➡️ “The Will of God.” ⬅️ 🔴

Have anyone ever said those words to you, or maybe you’ve said them to someone. Often, we are tempted to “explain” suffering in these terms. “Not only can this evoke anger and frustration, but also it is false. “God’s will” is not a label that can be put on unhappy situations. God wants to bring joy not pain, peace not war, healing not suffering. Therefore, instead of declaring anything and everything to be the will of God, we must be willing to ask ourselves where in the midst of our pains and suffering we can discern the living presence of God.”(2).

Commitment to listen, is to be obedient to listening. We must be willing to listen for God’s voice, and the Holy Spirit opening our hearts to receive God’s message for us. Our prayer lives are a healthy balance of lifting our petitions to God, (talking to God) and giving God the chance to speak to us as well. “…we discover that our obedient listening leads to our suffering neighbors, we can go to them in the joyful knowledge that love brings us there. We are poor listeners because we are afraid that there is something other than live in God. This is not so strange since we seldom, if ever, experience love without a taint of jealousy, resentment, revenge, or even hatred. Often we see love surrounded by limitations and conditions.”(3).

Artwork by: Me

I know at times, I have a tendency to be a bad/poor listener, not because I can’t hear what is being said, but too often my mouth engages with a response before my brain fully grasps the ramifications of doing so. I would describe myself as passionate, others might disagree and call it aggression. I share these things because they are real, I am real and deep down my intent is never to dismiss someone although it does happen. I’m working on a balance of passion, coupled with mutual respect. I want to be an obedient listener and an obedient child of God. Another example of “poor listening” comes from preemptively deciding the end of a conversation before actually hearing the whole story. Oh, I’m working on patience too. The love that God offers is perfect and pure, two things that are rarities here in this world. Nouwen was so right when he said that “we seldom experience love without it being tainted by jealousy, resentment, revenge and hatred.” I whole heartedly believe it’s possible to love without these negative connotation. I have had a few relationships in which some of these traits overshadowed their longevity, but after all, we are human. I think before tonight I might have described them not working out as, “God’s will,” but now I see them differently. Could it be we simply grew apart, we wanted different things out of life, or we just weren’t the people we thought we were? No blame or fault? It’s so much easier to point the finger at someone or cast blame on for this or that. I know I share some responsibility or in some cases most of the responsibilities in these relationships that ended. The single most important thing I would share with everyone about relationships would be…honestly. Fear kept me from my truth and telling the truth. I may have not always understood the how’s/why’s of life, but the after’s…the part where the lessons are learned, God was there. The truth is he had been by my side every single step, I just failed to notice. I am a better person by experiencing difficult roads, perhaps it’s in preparation for what’s to come.

“We tend to doubt what presents itself to us as love and are always on guard, prepared for disappointments…”(4).

Jesus wants us to be able to share in the same intimacy that he has with the Father, he wants us to share in divine obedience. “When obedience becomes our first and only concern, then we too can move into the world with compassion and feel the suffering of the world so deeply that through our compassion we give new life to others.”(5).

Thank you for stopping by my blog post today, may God reveal himself to you in a meaning way today. Listen for his voice in birds singing, in the trees swaying, in the bubbling streams, and in the smiles of a stranger. 😁 Our hope is in Jesus Christ!

🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢🔶🟢

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Traditional Fast – Day 27

Partake of only full meal today. Some food is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the evening – depending on when you choose to eat your full meal.

🔸 Prayer 🔸

Merciful God,

you know our weakness and distress.

Yet the weaker we are,

the stronger is your help.

Grant that we may accept with joy and gratitude

the gift of this time of grace,

and bear witness to your work in our lives.

— 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 95, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 95, paragraph 2.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 95, paragraph 3.

(4) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 95-96, paragraph 3, 1 respectively.

(5) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 96, paragraph 3.

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

Thursday, March 18th, 2021

🔘 praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent

🔘 worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving

🔘 something that secures praise or renown

🔘 a distinguished quality or asset

🔘 a state of great gratification or exaltation

🔘 a height of prosperity or achievement

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• God’s glory: the right glory that leads to life.

• Human glory: the vain glory that leads to death.

I got the idea of the stairs from reading the devotional today, Henri Nouwen shared his thoughts of upward and downward mobility regarding glory. Jesus lived his life as he would want us to live, by helping and serving the lost, the poor, the sick, and the outcasts. Jesus came to seek the lost and save the sinner.

Every time Jesus speaks about being glorified and giving glory, he always refers to his humiliation and death. It is through this way of the cross that Jesus gives glory to God, received glory from God, and makes God’s glory known to us. The glory of the resurrection can never be separated from the glory of the cross. The risen Lord always shows us his wounds.”(1).

“Thus the glory of God stands in contrast to the glory of people. People seek glory by moving upward. God reveals his glory by moving downward. If we truly want to see the glory of God, we must move downward with Jesus. This is the deepest reason for living in solidarity with poor, oppressed, and handicapped people. They are the ones through whom God’s glory can manifest itself to us. They show us the way to God, the way to salvation.”(2).

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” —Luke 19:10 NIV

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” —Luke 5:32 NIV

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Difficult Prayers – Day 26

In Matthew 5:43, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. A simple but transformative reminder for yourself is: God loves my enemies the same as God loves me.

Prayer

How often have I lived through these weeks

without paying much attention

to penance, fasting, and praying?

How often have I missed

the spiritual fruits of this season

without even being aware of it?

But how can I ever really celebrate Easter

without observing Lent?

How can I rejoice fully in your resurrection

when I have avoided participating in your death?

Yes, Lord, I have to die —

with you, through you, and in you —

and thus become ready to recognize you

when you appear to me in your resurrection.

There is so much in me that needs to die:

false attachments, greed and anger,

impatience and stinginess

O Lord, I am self-centered,

concerned about myself, my career, my future,

my name and future, my name and fame.

I see clearly now how little I have died with you,

Really gone your way and been faithful to it.

O Lord, make this Lenten season

different from the other ones.

Let me find you again.

~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 93, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 93, paragraph 2.

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

🍀 Wednesday, March 17th, 2021 ☘️

Dear friends and family — Happy St. Patrick’s Day and thank you for stopping by my blog today. I am later than usual in posting because I wanted to ponder the words that Henri Nouwen shared in the devotional book I’m reading. His words helped to paint a picture of what he calls, “All-Embracing Love.” It describes the relationship of God, the Father and Jesus, the Son of God embodied in an all-embracing love; a divine person, a coequal with the Father and the Son, and has a personal name. It is the Holy Spirit. “The Father loves the Son and pours himself out in the Son. The Son is loved by the Father and returns all he is to the Father. The Spirit is love itself, eternally embracing the Father and the Son.”(1). What a beautiful image! I found the following picture contained in an article about “God in Three Persons,” at https://www.christianity.com/god/trinity/god-in-three-persons-a-doctrine-we-barely-understand-11634405.html

Jesus came so we could be saved through his life, death and resurrection. He lived his life to be an example to each of us on how to live, live a spiritual life. We have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us on our journeys. We can never fully understand the meaning of the all-embracing love, the perfect love that between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit but that should not deter us from trying and pursuing it. I, myself feel overwhelmed when I think of an all-embracing love and extending it to the world. This sensation causes me to “miss the single significant tree because all I see is a forest!” I believe the individual calling for most of us is to take notice of the single, small and specific things in life (trees) (people) (causes), etc., I am a believer that small things lead to big things. Remember, it only takes a spark to get a fire going. Be the spark, trust in God for the rest.

“We will never understand the full meaning of Jesus’ richly varied ministry unless we see how the many things are rooted in the one thing: listening to the Father in the intimacy of perfect love. When we see this, we will also realize that the goal of Jesus’ ministry is nothing less than to bring us into the most intimate community.”(2)

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Memorize – Day 25

What scripture do you want to hold close to guide you today and in the future? Write it down and repeat it throughout the day. You can even set a timer on your phone as a reminder.

❇️ Prayer ❇️

~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 89-90, paragraph 2, 1 respectively.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 90, paragraph 2.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.christianity.com/god/trinity/god-in-three-persons-a-doctrine-we-barely-understand-11634405.html

https://www.the1thing.com/blog/family-health-happiness/st-patricks-one-thing/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

Tuesday, March 16th, 2021

— John 5:14 —

“Jesus met him in the Temple and said, ‘Now you are well again, do not sin any more.”

Hello friends—

Pray is communicating with God and when we offer every part of ourselves to God it keeps our hearts close to God. I know that when I try to “handle” things on my own, my heart gets very heavy, my spirit gets weighed down and my emotions often are erratic. I think sometimes we make prayer too complicated, and that is not (my opinion) what Jesus had in mind when he was teaching the disciples to prayer.

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8 (NRSVA)

When we seek God and tell him our cares, concerns, joys, fears, sins, even our questions and doubts; he welcomes them all. I have no doubts concerning the answers to prayers. I may not like or want the answer I get due to my our stubbornness but God knows best.

🔘 Have you ever been disappointed in a response you received from your prayers?

🔘 Have friends every disappointed you?

🔘 What was your response to these events?

What I have learned and continue to learn is people will disappoint. I know that I have disappointed friends, family and partners, not necessarily on purpose but things happened. Sometimes we have been able to talk and resolve the issue. There have also been times when, things just could not be worked out; during these times I felt like I was the biggest loser to every walk on the planet earth! An exaggeration, perhaps but that’s how I felt and it was real to me. I give too much power away instead of caring for myself from time to time. Sometimes, I think I’m irreplaceable only to find out … well yes I am! A lesson or two I’ve learned the hard way. Foolish pride rears it’s ugliness when left unattended. If I had spent more time in prayer, giving my cares over to God and keeping my heart open and close to God’s; I might have missed some of life’s hardest lessons.

Here’s a good example of my not so stellar humanness. When I was in high school, my best friend and I had a disagreement and we stopped talking to one another, we were outside playing softball and she was running the bases and I threw the ball and totally hit her squarely in the back of her head, this was purely by accident but I was crushed. I thought I had killed her or at least seriously hurt her. I cried and cried, I was inconsolable. I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself and thought this must be punishment for not treating my friend well. I made the whole situation about me! I had no place for God in this incident whatsoever. I was about 14 or 15 when this happened, everything is huge at that age! In hindsight I can see this for what it really was, an accident. But this event made a major impact on my life. God continue to show me grace and mercy, not because I deserve it but because he loves me.

I continue to make mistakes, i make them every day. I know I’m not perfect, though I do pursue it. I mess up every day, the excuse and truth of the matter is I am human and I am sinful. Also true is you and I are loved by God, our Creator! God knows us and loves us, he longs to hear from us every day, every hour of every day…always in connection with you and me. ✝️🙏🏻🛐 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NRSVA)

Nouwen says this about prayer; “Prayer heals. Not just the answer to prayer. When we give up our competition with God and offer God every part of our heart, holding back nothing at all, we come to know God’s love for us and discover how safe we are in his embrace.”(1)

“Now I know that it is not I who pray but the spirit of God who prays in me. Indeed, when Gods glory dwells in me, there is nothing too far away, nothing too painful, nothing too strange or too familiar that cannot contain and renew by its touch. Every time I recognize the glory of God in me and give it space to manifest itself to me, all that is human can be brought there and nothing will be the same again. Once in a while I just know it: Of course, God heard my prayers. He himself prays in me and touches the whole world with his love right here and now.”

— Henri J. M. Nouwen (2)

▶️ an address (such as a petition) to God in word or thought

▶️ a set order of words used in praying

▶️ an earnest request or wish

▶️ the act or practice of praying to God

▶️ one that prays

— Matthew 6:9-15 NRSVA —

Pray then in this way:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,

but rescue us from the evil one.

For if you forgive others their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

but if you do not forgive others,

neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪🔷🟪

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Say Thanks – Day 24

We receive help from others in big and small ways all the time. Who has helped you along the way? Write a letter of thanks to someone who has made a difference in your life.

🌟Prayer 🌟

O Lord Jesus Christ,

you who forgive the sins of the paralytic

before you let him walk again,

I pray that [this Lenten period] may make me more

aware of your forgiving presence in my life

and less concerned about performing well in the eyes of the world.

Let me recognize you

at the virginal point in the depth of my heart

where you dwell and heal me.

Let me experience you in that center of my being

from which you want to teach and guide me.

Let me know you as my loving brother

who holds nothing —

not even my worst sins —

against me,

but who wants to touch me in a gentle embrace.

Take away the many fears, suspicions, and doubts

by which I prevent you from being my Lord,

and give me the courage and freedom to appear naked and vulnerable

in the light of your presence,

confident in your in fathomable mercy.

I know how great my resistance is,

how quickly I choose the darkness instead of the light.

But I also know that you keep calling me into the light,

where I can see not only my sins

but your gracious face as well.

Be with me every hour of my days.

Praise and glory to you, now and forever.

~ 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 86, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 87, paragraph 2.

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

Dear friends and family—

I am overcome with gratitude for the love I’ve received since starting my blog. Today, I reached a milestone of 500 followers. God is good! Thank you all for your love and support!!

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

Sunday, March 14th, 2021

Welcome friends to the Fourth Sunday of Lent 2021! Today I will be sharing from Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton and some of my own thoughts about the heart of things. Please bear with me as I begin this post with some direct quotes from Henri Nouwen and a couple of word definitions.

💜 1 Samuel 16:7 💜

“God does not see as human beings see; they look at appearances but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

The secular or false self is the self which is fabricated, as Thomas Merton says, by social compulsions. “Compulsive” is indeed the best adjective for the false self. It points to the need for ongoing and increasing affirmation.(1)

COMPULSION: an irresistible persistent impulse to perform an act; the act itself

SOCIAL: of, relating to, or based on rank or status

🔷🟢🔷🟢🔷🟢🔷🟢🔷🟢🔷🟢🔷🟢

Who am I? I am the one who is liked, praised, admired, disliked, hated, or despised.(2)

The compulsion manifests itself in the lurking fear of failing and the steady urge to prevent this by gathering more of the same–more work, more money, more friends.(3)

These very compulsions are at the basis of the two main enemies of the spiritual life: anger and greed. They are the inner side of a secular life, the sour fruits of our worldly dependencies.(4)

Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self. (5)

Our heart is at the center of our being human. There our deepest thoughts, intuitions, emotions, and decisions find their source. But it’s also there that we are often most alienated from ourselves. We know little or nothing of our own heart. We keep our distance, as though we were afraid of it. What is most intimate is also what frightens us most. Where we are most ourselves, we are often strangers to ourselves. That is the painful part of our being human. We fail to know our hidden center; and so we live and die often without knowing who we really are. If we ask ourselves why we think, feel, and act in such and such a way, we often have no answer, thus proving to be strangers in our own house.(6)

🔶🟣🔶🟣🔶🟣🔶🟣🔶🟣🔶🟣🔶🟣

The heart is the very center of both our physical life and our spiritual life.

Our physical heart is at the center of our circulatory system, which is a network of blood vessels that delivers blood to every part of our bodies. Blood carries oxygen and other important nutrients that all our organs need to stay healthy and to work properly.

Our spiritual heart nourishes the soul and provides understanding and illumination to us in the form of intuition through which God interacts with us.

The greatest piece of advice I want to share with you is this…take the time to know yourself. It is so easy to fall prey to the false images of ourselves. I can tell you from experience that living a life that is someone else’s idea of who you are; is an empty and lonely existence. Do not pretend to be someone or something you are not. I have traveled through a season or two of my life seeking the approval of others, only to find it superficial and meaningless. I have tried being who I thought others wanted me to be and it felt just awful. It has taken some time, patience and self acceptance but if God created me with purpose and intention who am I to question him. I accept that not everyone will like me or see my worthiness and that’s ok, I know God loves me and has blessed me with some really incredible friends. Friends who love me for who I am, not for the car I drive, what school I graduated from, the clothes I wear, etc…

Just as our physical bodies need balanced nutrition, our spiritual lives, our souls needs proper nutrition too. We can feed our soul in so many wonderful ways, such as reading our Bibles, attending Bible studies, going to Church, sharing our faith with friends, family and even strangers. We can smile, open doors (literally/metaphorically), pray, take pictures, walk through a park observing God’s creation, etc… Don’t you see that God is ever present in all we do, we need only to open the eyes our hearts to see him.

You are relevant, spectacular and powerful; no matter what the world says because you are a child of God and he loves you with an everlasting love.

Do not be a stranger to yourself, seek to be your authentic self. Love and embrace your uniqueness. Invite Jesus into your heart and place your trust in him. Lord, open the eyes of our hearts so that we will see you. 💟

🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳🔲🔳

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Silence – Sunday 4

Find a quiet place, close your eyes and let your thoughts go. As that come to you, imagine that they are floating by you on a river. Let them go.

~ Prayer ~

Almighty God,

your eternal word is the true light

that enlightens every human being

Heal the blindness of our hearts,

that we may discern what is right

and love you sincerely.

— 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 81,paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 81, paragraph 1.

(3) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 81, paragraph 1.

(4) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 81, paragraph 2.

(5) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 81-82, paragraph 4 and 1 respectively.

(6) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 82, paragraph 2.

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/122887/the-way-of-the-heart-by-henri-jm-nouwen/9780345463357/excerpt

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

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(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation

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