faith – Spiritual Response

Lent – Day 22

Mid-week in our first week of taking action, where we’re taking it slowly, sometimes still observing our old behavior while we evaluate what we should be doing instead; and sometimes taking action. It’s funny how when you think about it you can easily choose the right response, but when the heart becomes engaged, another part of you takes over. Don’t fret. It takes longer for the heart to follow and get with the program.

I had a dream last night, and in it an old friend was asking about whether a task could be automated, and said they understood if I wouldn’t or couldn’t do it, since I didn’t attend their church anymore. I said I could do it–it had nothing to do with attending their church; and I mentioned that the church was like any other club, it had monthly dues, too. She said, ‘Yeah, but these dues are much higher!’

I think however you express your faith, that is up to you, and as you move this Lent toward a new behavior, you’ll see others respond to you differently. I hope each day is a new day for you, full of promise and fulfillment.

Lent – Day 11

Another Saturday, and now we are just about ready to close out a week of Awareness. It’s easy to make a change during this week, but without a plan of action, I think it would only be temporary. So I want to leave the Discovery phase for next week. Why? We still have today and tomorrow, and if you work the typical five weekdays, then the opportunities that arise on the weekend may be different. The situations will be different. We’ll take stock tomorrow of all the opportunities experienced this past week, filing them into different folders of situations and triggers, before we work on discovering our alternative action/response.

I don’t know why Christians or other religious have a problem with atheism. Other than never seeing any contributions from them, what’s the threat? And when you think about it, in the end we’ll all know who was right. And if they were, well, they won’t be able to tell you, “I told you so.”

And this Lenten reflections book is usable by anyone, believer or not? If you don’t believe, just skip the Scripture reading.

Again a thank you!

Once again I have to say thanks! The response to the 2 free download days was great, and I hope that those who can now read the ebook find it helpful in their quest for a deeper faith, a deeper understanding of what they believe in and why.

I think it’s scary to face something held dear and question its validity. It’s not easy. It can shake the very foundations of one’s world view. So I understand when someone gets vociferous in defense of what they believe. I think after so many years of listening to others and discussing with them – notice how these discussions are covert attempts to convince the other that what you believe is right? – I decided I no longer needed to defend my position, nor attack theirs.

We’re each on a journey through this life, and our paths may cross multiple times, or merge for short or long distances. There are multiple ways to reach the destination, but I believe we will all reach it. What guides you on your path may not guide me, though above our separate descriptions of what guides us one master, in my view.

May your journey be more fruitful and fulfilling in this year.

A New Year Beckons

We’re on the cusp of the new year, and as I listen to people’s resolutions and consider my own, I also think that these are things that should be part of our daily life, not something we attempt only at the beginning of a new year. However, knowing my own failings, it’s a good point in time to renew our resolve, to reconsider what we are doing, what we are living for, and give thanks for each moment in our lives – even the difficult ones.

Thank you to those who have downloaded my new ebook, I Believe. I hope it guides you to deepen your own faith, to consider what you believe in, and come closer to God. Our journeys can cover many miles, or we can choose to rest in a comfortable place, never reaching out to see what may await us. I prefer to continue walking, not knowing exactly where I’m going, but cherishing each step as it brings me to a new understanding of humanity and faith.

Search out one new source of inspiration this year. It might surprise you what you learn!

John

Lent – Saturday of the first week

The weekend. A time when our routines change from a work away from home schedule to a work at home schedule for many. Working different muscles, different ways. Lent is like that in our spiritual life – a time of focusing differently than the rest of the year. Re-evaluating our faith in an effort to deepen it. Many avenues exist to help us in this matter, but be careful.

When someone says you should believe this or that, rather than opening you up to possibilities without pressure, I’d say it’s time to run. When someone says you should do this or that, and they are the ones that benefit from your actions, I’d say it’s time to walk away. For too much of our lives we have people telling us what to do, what to believe.

Your beliefs are your own. Your beliefs are forged from your environment as seen through the prism of your soul’s lens. Each person is unique, to an extent, in that way – in how they view the world and the events around them. Two people can witness the same thing and describe it differently, see different things hidden within. For someone to tell you what to believe, they are only telling you what they believe.

This Lent, consider what you believe. How does your experience of God lead you? What have you learned this past year that has changed or strengthened your beliefs?

Rest in God is.