 Spiritual: April 18, 2007 Issue [#1656] |
  Spiritual
This week: Edited by: windac
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"A very big part of faith is believing you were heard, and living in the midst of reality with a calmness of soul that has no explanation apart from that belief. That's when you know you've got it. You know you've got faith when you've got something of substance that you can't see.
We so want the circumstances to change. I think God sometimes decides He can accomplish more by leaving the circumstances alone and changing us."
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Last month's issue focused on feeding the soul, and how nourishment is as vital to the spirit as food and water is to the body. Wanting to know how others went about the soul-feeding process in their day-to-day lives, readers were encouraged to write and then submit a short essay expounding on their own personal process. I find it sad that, out of thousands in this readership, only one writer took the time and effort to do so. Perhaps the request wasn't well presented, the subject itself wasn't compelling, or perhaps my curiosity should have taken the form of a separate and posted contest. Also noteworthy is the fact that, after many complaints about this particular newsletter being mostly of Christian persuasion, a request for an essay from any faith or belief system was met with mostly silence. Interesting.
At this time I'd like to thank johnmcc for his strength of faith, and willingness to put that faith out there for others to see. THANK YOU! His essay in its entirety along with the link follows. Please take the time to send feedback his way. By the way, for his effort, johnmcc received a well deserved Spiritual merit badge.
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This is written as an 'exercise' for a spiritual letter contest, and I found it an interesting subject. I had never tried to pinpoint ways in which I feed my soul beyond going to church, reading my Bible and tithing.
Those three are among the important things I do, but I believe I do much more. Every day, my wife, children and I spend time together and in communication with God. We have a long 'prayer list' and we talk about each person or group before we ask God to bless them. This feeds my soul in several ways -- spending time with God, thinking about someone other than myself, spending precious time with my wife and children, feeling that I am helping others. It is a time that we do not allow to be disturbed.
I study theology which is part of my being a minister but also because I enjoy it so, what is called 'apologetics,' standing up for the faith. It is not always easy to do, stand up, but it brings great rewards, and it makes me stronger. It feeds my soul and strengthens my faith and, I believe, increases my credentials or trustworthiness with others.
I sing and write gospel songs which is not only pleasant/fun but also touches my heart and keeps me 'soft' toward others and sensitive to the needs of others and, of course, it glorifies God. I read inspirational books, not necessarily preachy ones and not necessarily just by Christians.
I think, however, the greatest 'feeding' of my soul comes from my commitment as a husband and father. By taking care of my responsibilities to them, not just because I need to but because I want to and because it is God's will, I am constantly fed and constantly reminded of what my main purpose is, my reason for living for God. It is clear that God put great stock in the sanctity of marriage and the blessings of fatherhood. If I don't do that well, the rest is not worth much for He trusts us with larger things when we are obedient in the smaller ones. And the love my family gives me will keep me going when all else is lost, health, money, power. My wife's approval means more to me than all the gold in existence. Just the touch of her hand heals many wounds. My childrens' smiles are the same way. I guess one could say that I am a well-fed soul.
A soul that does not feed continually on the grace of God and all that He gives us is a soul that loses it usefulness and one that becomes sad. I never want to lose the 'joy of my salvation.' Feeding my soul on the good things in life will make it so.
Thanks again johnmcc, and well said!
Like just about everybody these days, my life is at times very hectic. Between a full time job that can be fun but is demanding, and a home life with teenagers and a step-son that has become the bane of my existence, my spirit craves a nurturing and soothing balm. This is where the internal mechanics of my own come into play.
Inspirational devotionals are a favorite nudge of mine. Luckily, I have internet access at work, so Monday through Friday there are three found in my in-box every morning. It's amazing how many times these seem to point a steady finger in my direction, and how often the words written have changed a less than God-pleasing attitude into one that is at least far better than when I sat at my desk for the first time that day. One such occasion happened just this past week.
Without going into all the sordid details, you must know that the relationship between me and my step-son is almost non-existent. Interaction between us is at the best of times strained. We get along fine... when he's not living in my house. But, we might as well install a revolving door with his name on it, he swings through so often. And for the sixth or seventh time in the last 5 years, yes he's back. This 'relationship' is one of the very few things that causes discord between me and my husband. Unfortunately, it is the only thing capable of driving us apart permanently. We all have our limits.
Anyway, this past week has been an emotional one for me at work and at home. Usually, during the times that step-son is with us, work is a welcome refuge. Not so much here lately. I've not been very pleased with either situation. It's pretty bad when you dread going to work, and then dread going home at the end of the day. Enter the daily devotional below, courtesy of PurposeDrivenLife.com.
April 4, 2007
Somewhere Else
By Jon Walker
“For I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11 NIV)
Community — Have you ever been somewhere you didn’t want to be? Maybe it was a job, a town, or a marriage. Maybe it was a stage in life, like singlehood, or a state in life, like a disability. It’s very possible that as you read this, you’re wishing you were somewhere else – anywhere else – living a different life, but you know it’s not likely that anything is going to change any time soon.
God has a word for you. It’s the same word he gave a group of people when they were stuck in another country, exiled from their homeland. They’d folded their arms and said, “We’re going to wait this thing out, and when we get home, we’ll start living our lives.”
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God told them, “You’re not going home any time soon, so start making your lives here. Plant gardens, buy homes, let your children get married, and pray for the peace and prosperity of the place where you’re currently living because, by doing that, you too will be blessed with peace and prosperity.”
To use a modern cliché, God was saying, “Bloom where you’re planted.” Don’t invest your energy in hopes of leaving; instead invest your energy in the people around you. The Christian martyr Jim Eliot expressed it this way: “Wherever you are, be all there.” Don’t be physically present but mentally somewhere else, thinking of the future or the past, thinking of someplace else. Our journey with Christ requires that we be fully present in the present.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it “this worldliness,” and said, “It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to live by faith.” This focus allows you to see that your life is centered in God and not the place you live or work, not the person you’re married to – or not married to – not how you feel or how you look.
Investing in the people around you is exactly how you find life. Jeremiah even told the exiles that God had arranged for them to be in exile. So it was God’s plan all along to push them to the edge of their existence, so they would end up centered solely on God.
You may feel like you’re in exile too, but God is still working in your life, and his message to you is: Dig in and fully embrace the life around you.
So What?
· Center your life in God, not in your circumstances. God is constant; your circumstances are temporary. Ask God, “What do you want me to learn or to do in these present circumstances?”
· Change me, God – Instead of asking God to change your circumstances, ask him to change you in the circumstances.
· Practice being in the present – Today, whenever you find your mind drifting to another place, bring it back to the present, and ask God to help you stay in the present.
· Determine to be a good steward of what you have, instead of focusing on what you don’t have. Make the most of what God has given you.
Nudges like this are what keep me sane, and although this devotional didn't completely change my life, it did help soften a bitter attitude. Trust me. Softer is a pretty good start!
For those of you interested, here are links to my favorites:
http://www.fischtank.com/ft/inthetank.cfm
http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/
http://joelosteen.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer?pagename=JOM_homepage
 Until next time, take care and God bless!
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Picks of the month:
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Excerpt: The human spirit longs for places of comfort, places of emotional safety, places of serenity. While these locations might contain structures, spiritual homes commonly have no buildings at all. They have much more.
Excerpt: Seeing our own fear clearly for what it is, a belief that we hold, an emotion that we can change, is made immensely more difficult by giving the ego a license to drive.
Excerpt: I have found while living a comparatively short life, that what I make of my life is due to the efforts of those around me. To say that anything I have accomplished is of my own doing is just false. I was brought up by those around me.
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Excerpt: In my imagination, I stopped long enough to scoop the little girl into my arms and carry her away. In my quick dream, I was rewarded with a beautiful smile. She was saved, perhaps from starvation, certainly from a life of poverty, and the inability to play and grow and learn … and laugh.
Both of the items below were submitted to the newsletter, and both of them are poems. I don't give an excerpt on poems only because it's much more difficult to do. But please, take the time to give them a read.
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Submitted By: SHEA 
Thank you Wind In My Wings!
You have my praise, for putting together the Newsletter, great job.
Thanks as well, for being so kind to post my poem, "Broken".
Your Newsletter is the one I have most of my interest in. (The Best!)
In Christ,
Shea
The might of the word, outweighs even the sword...Peace Pal!
You are quite welcome Shea, and thank you for taking the time to send feedback my way!
~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted By: TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3
Submitted Comment:
This newsletter ALWAYS arrives at the appropriate time for me. What a Blessing. You all are so anointed to deliver what we need to grapple with. Thanks for the Blood of the Lamb for your sacrifice to feed us spiritually.
Thank you for taking the time to send feedback as well! I know what you mean about things coming to your attention when you most need them. Happens to me all the time. |
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