SIMPLY REJOICING 8: Seek and Reclaim Relationships

1- ASK FOR FORGIVENESS

"A request may bring healing and restoration." 

SATURDAY, June 28   
Colossians 3:13 MSG
Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. 

     As I wrote out this short quote, I read 'around it' and found it was part of the Colossians passage about clothing ourselves in Christ - in love, compassion, grace, and humility - as well as complete forgiveness for all.  
     How often are we quicker to forgive those we don't even know - acquaintances - rather than family members and loved ones.  Do we expect more from family?  Why is it so hard to relinquish hurt feelings and let grace abound?  Forgiveness is something we do for OUR benefit far more than for the receiver.  It puts US right regardless of the receiver's acceptance.  
     Is there someone I need to forgive?  A past occurrence that I need to release to God?  

2- OVERFLOW WITH GRACE

"A request may initiate renewed communication."

SUNDAY, June 29   JUDGE NOT!
Romans 12:18-19 MSG
 If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

     "I'll do the judging," says God.  And what words did I make from my beach letters yesterday?  Judge Not!  When we have the urge to retaliate, we must let God take care of the problem.  Our job is to live in love, demonstrate love, and practice forgiveness.  Is it always easy?  Never!  Are such actions worth it?  Always!  

    
I can tell I am getting ready to move on to another book.  While I read through each chapter of Simply Rejoicing, I am finding just one scripture or message I want to share.  That's ok!  I'll finish it!  

This post is based on the book, SIMPLY REJOICING, by Patsy Lewis, published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013. 

SIMPLY REJOICING 7: Trust and Await the Supernatural

1-PARTICIPATE IN WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE
"A redeemed soul will increase your faith." (PL, p. 141)

TUESDAY, June 24  Freed by Faith
Romans 8:2 MSG
"The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."

     I was just going to skip this 7th chapter Part 1 of Lewis' book as nothing really 'hit' me until I came to the challenge at the end: spend a month focusing prayer on one person who seems beyond hope.  (An unnamed person came to mind immediately.)  Envision them whole, redeemed, and filled with God's grace.  This is a time where bold, persistent prayers can make all the difference.  
     What a prayer challenge.  I may never know the outcome, but to keep praying for a lost soul may result in glory years, or days, from now.  God-time is in control.  But I can control my prayers.  I can continue to pray for those who struggle to find the freedom of faith.  

2-SHARE YOUR FAITH
"A transformed life will increase your faith." (PL, p. 149)

WEDNESDAY, June 25  Spiritual CPR
1 John 5:12  VOICE
"If you have the Son, you have eternal life.  If you do not have the Son of God, you are not acquainted with true life."
     If we encounter an emergency and must give CPR, we wouldn't hesitate.  Oh, the joy we would feel if the person responded and we 'saved their life'!  What about spiritual CPR?  Do we give it as freely or is there a hesitation to 'get involved'?  To share our faith, to share Jesus' saving power, with one who is dying (or dead!) spiritually can be an overwhelming experience and a real boost to our faith.  So, why do we hesitate?  We just might be an emergency responder and not even know it!  

THURSDAY, June 26  What's My Cover?
".....when asking a gentleman hunched over a mop, if his job ever got boring or monotonous after 35 years, .... 'my job isn't cleaning floors with this mop.  My job all my life has been sharing Jesus with lost folks....this mop and bucket', he said, 'that's just my cover!'  The janitor never got bored with his job because he knew God had placed him there for a purpose, and that gave him joy."  (p. 150, Simply Rejoicing)     What changes would such an attitude bring if we were to approach our 'jobs' in such a way?  Many jobs don't allow us to witness Christ verbally or overtly, but to seek the hurting and heal within our profession is worth far more than a paycheck.  
     How can we use our job as a cover?  Our hobbies?  Our recreation?  Our life?  'Undercover for Christ'!  I like it!  

FRIDAY, June 27  Roman Road Gospel 
     At the end of this chapter, Lewis talks about the Roman Road Gospel - a series of Bible passages from Romans that can be used to share the gospel.  I use the GoodNews translation here:
Romans 3:23     Everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence. 
Romans 6:23     For sin pays its wage - death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ. 
Romans 5:8     But God has shown us how much he loves us - it was while we were sinners that Christ died for us. 
Romans 10:9    If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe God raised him from death, you will be saved.  

     I really liked the following quote from Danny Velasco:  "Jesus saves us, cleans us up, turns our lives around, and he then adopts us into his family."  It made me think, do we do the same to others in His name?  

I found the letter J tonight just in time for today's 'text'! (Plus two more S's!)

This post is based on the book, SIMPLY REJOICING by Patsy Lewis, Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2013

SIMPLY REJOICING 6: Befriend and Extend His Love

Embrace the World
"Epiphany encounters may open doors to enlarge your borders." (PL)


MONDAY, June 23  Prayers
     Not getting my thoughts in line this morning very fast as we sit and visit (Rick, my brother Mac, Mom and I) so I will post the prayer drawing I finished up instead!   Big prayers of thanks for Luke's eventual arrival home from GA yesterday, and for two Baker City families who suffered losses over the weekend:  Bulthius family (Kathy's death) and Bloomers (wildfire destroyed part of the ranch).  

SUNDAY, June 22  God Texts
Romans 1:19-20 MSG
The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being.

In the format of the famous LOVE postage stamp!

     Lewis continues the epiphany encounters concept with the challenge to walk through the doors God opens, and embrace the world one person at a time.  Good thoughts which I planned to expand upon today, but.....my encounters called differently! And I read the end of the Romans 1 chapter and found the part about God speaking through creation!
     On my beach walks the past couple days I have been looking for messages from God in letters formed by the seaweed, rocks, feathers, sticks, etc.  I have deliberately not altered things to form letters, but rather searched for them as God has created.  I looked for some time yesterday for an H, convinced that God wanted me to see one.  It took awhile, but finally H's began to emerge.  Did God answer my desire or did my vision improve?  
      Anyway.....I title these   "God-Texts" -  God is sending messages to our world.  Do we take notice?  

A little 'Hello' from God. 

SATURDAY, June 21  On Assignment
Romans 1:1 (MSG)
I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God’s words and acts. 
     'On assignment'.  It sounds like Paul is a newscaster sent to deliver the message from a distant shore.  And in reality?  Paul was sent to deliver THE Message, not back to Jerusalem, but to the people ON that distant shore.  
     Do we look at our faith as an assignment?  Or do we consider it more something personal that helps us live OUR life?  Little responsibility to be an active apostle.  Yet, the very act of sharing is what makes our faith journey have significance.  It is an area I don't always seek.  But we are challenged today to look for those moments in which God is opening the door to witness, to proclaim our relationship with God.  Lewis calls them 'epiphany encounters'.  Sometimes they are so brief that we miss the opportunity.  So watch for divine encounters with the world around you.  Watch for those moments when God seeks to unite us with another who is searching.  They may happen more often than we realize.  

  
Walk with Enlightened Vision
"A prayer walk can change your heart and direction." (PL)

FRIDAY, June 20     Constant Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 GNT

Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people.

     Pray always.  Pray on every occasion.  The thought just occurred to me that perhaps we should approach life as moments lived within a constant stream of prayer, rather than prayer as scattered moments during life.  It is a Celtic spirituality practice of constant conversation with God.  People say I talk to myself all the time.  What if all those conversations were truly directed toward God during the day?  (No, I can’t say they are at this point!)  Then when people ask me who I am talking to, I could simply say, God!  I like this.  (And it reminds me a bit of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, one of my favorite musicals!)

THURSDAY, June 19    
Prayer Walk

Ephesians 1:18  MSG

"I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do...."

      Author Lewis hits a sympathetic chord today with her musings about those of us who flit from one job to another as our mind races along.  Start this task, leave it to do something else, then another, and finally you had 10 half finished tasks and more of a mess than you started with!  (This frequently can happen when attempting what is known as 'cleaning'!)  We do this in our prayers as well....a lack of focus!  

      But while Paul in seeking focus in the Ephesians, we are also reminded to never become SO focused on one thing, that we miss God's call along with it!  Lewis suggests daily prayer walks as one way to center our lives and our prayers.  Walks that can not only help us reflect inward, but also walks that ask us to really SEE what is happening in our community and world.  Pray for the neighbor who is struggling, pray for that lonely walker across the path, pray for those who live in less than ideal circumstances. 

      Perhaps in the next few weeks I will take some prayerful walks on the beach!  Its not exactly my ‘neighborhood’, but definitely God’s!  

SIMPLY REJOICING 5: Laugh and Prepare for the Adventure

RECONCILE with your REDEEMER
"A testimony can result in a life-transforming reconciliation." (PL)

It was supposed to be a Log Cabin Quilt design, but.....

 WEDNESDAY, June 18
     We are on our way to Bandon this morning with an early departure for the 10 hour drive.  So my entry will be short for the day and I will work on a prayer drawing later.  Yesterday as I was clearing off posts in my email, I found Max Lucado's weekly column.  As I read through it, one line at the bottom jumped out at me.  It is a good reminder in the power of prayer:

The power of prayer lies in the One who hears, rather than the one who says it.

     We can pray boldly, but the power is God's alone.  Nothing is impossible.  



TUESDAY, June 17 
2 Corinthians 5:20 VOICE
[God] charges us to proclaim the message that heals and restores our broken relationships with God and each other.
      We have been given a job to do.  Various translations say that we are ambassadors, representatives of Christ, 'speakers on behalf', or champions.  We are the hands and feet, the voice of Christ.  Our job is straight forward: love without judging and heal relationships, both with God and with each other.  No problem, right??  So let's get busy!  
      To be in relationship we have to know each other.  This morning I gather together my new fellowship committee for a time of bonding and dreaming.  What is our dream for building our church family?  What is God's dream?  May we listen to each other and God as we begin the journey!  

MONDAY, June 16 Reconciliation 
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (My paraphrasing)
Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start. The old life is gone and a new life has begun. All this is a gift from God, who restored our relationship to him, and now wants us to amend our relationships with each other through him.  
     This is one of my favorite verses - out with the old and in with the new! Somewhat like Back-to-School shopping for new clothes, it has a new start feel!  Yet, with the chapter titled "Reconcile" I had to ask myself if I could really DEFINE reconciliation. Time for Google!  

RECONCILE:  to restore friendly relations, to coexist in harmony, to be compatible or resolve differences.  RECONCILIATION: to cause two groups or individuals to be friendly again after disagreement; 

      Something tells me our world is desperately in need of some reconciliation   Yet, musn't it start with our relationship with God?  We have to be spiritually at one before we can begin to amend with each other.  God has taken care of this in Christ.  We just have to accept the 'terms of agreement' - unending grace and forgiveness.  
      I find it interesting that all the definitions use the word 'friendly'.  It seems so common and ordinary.  Reconciliation is a big word and should have some sort of fancy definition.  No....just be friends.  Maybe that is why the Good News Bible translates this passage, "Through Christ [God] changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also."


LIVE WITH EXPECTANCY
"A message can enliven and enrich your journey." (PL)

SUNDAY, June 15  Treasures in Troubles
Isaiah 45:3 GNT
I will give you treasures from dark, secret places;
    then you will know that I am the Lord
    and that the God of Israel has called you by name.

Hope.
It can be a driving force. 
The expectancy of something greater,
Something more. 
Something sacred.

But when trouble comes
And the days seem dark
Our hope is hidden
In a vast chaos of broken promises
Disappointment and doubt. 

But God is there. 
Like little treasures in the troubles,
God is present.
Rays of light breaking out of shadows. 
Moments of beauty as
A butterfly flutters across the yard,
A hummingbird darts past the window. 
A knock on the door - a package!
Or a welcomed, but unexpected visitor.
A sunrise of color, the midnight starry skies.
A gentle touch, a single hug, a warm embrace.
All treasures in troubles.
All reminders that
Hope is not hidden,
God is with us - always.   

SATURDAY, June 14   Save Your Fork
Thessalonians 3:12-13 MSG
May the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.
     Much of Thessalonians is Paul writing to a church living in love and promise in spite of persecution.  It is a church radiating joy and hope.  This kind of attitude is contagious and Paul recognizes this in his praise of the people.  They are living love in the expectancy of something more - Jesus' return. 
   

       Much of what Lewis writes in this 5th chapter of Simply Rejoicing reminds me of Roxanne's devotion toward the end of our Habitat build.  It was a story I had heard before, but always worth repeating.  SAVE YOUR FORK....a dying woman wanted to be buried with a fork in her left hand.  Her confused pastor says Why? and she replies, "I've always been told to save my fork because the best is yet to come!"  Dessert!  And dessert can't be any sweeter than eternal life in heaven.  So...save your fork!  
     Live celebrating the good meal of the here and now before us, but live also with the joyful expectancy that it does indeed 'get better than this' - Even when we are so filled with joy that any better doesn't seem imaginable.  
    Remember the fork when the meal isn't so good and trials seem to be insurmountable obstacles. Dessert is on the way!  Put the fork in your hand and look for God in the meal!  

SIMPLY REJOICING 4: Praise and Celebrate with Others

SING FOR JOY
"A song will extend hope and infuse courage." (PL)

FRIDAY, June 13  Impact

“Paul did not have the luxury of today’s technology – computers, Internet, e-mail, smartphones or overnight delivery – yet  even in prison he found a way to communicate grace, encouragement, and instruction to the churches he started on his missionary journeys.  I’m guessing that he had no idea how far-reaching his singing, prayers, and messages would go or how long his letters would be circulated.” (PL p. 95)

          And neither do we.  What we write, what we say, what we do impacts far more than we can ever imagine.  When we put something on the internet, it has the potential to reach millions (MILLIONS!  That’s probably more than even lived on the earth during Paul’s time!)  We will never know. 

          I have twice received a comment or request from someone on the other side of the country regarding one of my drawings or posts.  It comes out of the blue with surprise, yet it reinforces the idea that we don’t know what God will and can do with our efforts, however small they may seem to us. 

          So…keep singing songs of joy!  Keep writing prose of praise!  Keeping drawing scribbles of prayer or contemplation.  Keep sharing the gospel story in whatever way God calls and let God work the miracle from there. 



THURSDAY, June 12  Hogies
"Paul's model prayer for the Philippians includes thanks, requests made with joy, and confidence that God will continue his good work." (PL p. 94 and Philippians 1:6)

     Yesterday I began to envision a life lived devouring a Christian Hogie.  So....what does that looks like?  Well, I imagine the hogie bun (a good whole wheat bun with lots of multi-grain seeds sticking to it!) of morning and evening prayer.  A morning prayer of joyful praise for the new day, for intercession and trust that God will tend to our greatest desires. And then an evening prayer filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for all that God has done during the day.  What is the 'meat' of our hogie, the heart of it all?  Service - hands on work in God's name.   Slices of tomato forgiveness and grace scattered throughout.  Witness by taking advantage of opportunities to plant morsels of God-truth.  Perhaps a cheesy layer of trust and faith that God is ever present in whatever we are doing.  And finally?  Little pickle chips of arrow prayers sent constantly in response to immediate concerns and circumstances. 
       If we devour this kind of sandwich on a daily basis, we are going to be fully satisfied and never hunger.  If we eat this sandwich in community with others, we are building the church....besides it is never fun to eat alone!  

  WEDNESDAY, June 11
Psalm 146: 1-2 MSG
Hallelujah!
    O my soul, praise God!
All my life long I’ll praise God,
    singing songs to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 147:1-2 MSG
Hallelujah!
It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God;
    praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.
     How many of the Psalms begin with a verse of song and praise?  It's a good beginning, both to a prayer, a psalm, a day, or a life!  
"       How to learn the scriptures, to write them on our heart (memorize!)?  We put the verse to music because songs we will remember!  We taught the SS children the verses of the Old Testament with a song, it is the praise songs that use scripture for a text that I remember.  So many passages of scripture, when I read them, come to life in the words of music: arias of Handel's Messiah, Sandy Patti's music, contemporary Christian bands. 
     I am envisioning another sandwich illustration here - a day begun with praise and wrapped up with gratitude.  Come back tomorrow!!!  

TUESDAY, June 10

Philippians 4:4  NIV
Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!

This is one of the first Scribble I drew! 

     One of my favorite 'short' verses of the Bible!  So a good one to memorize and remember, especially when things aren't going well.  What to do!  Rejoice!  Or, as The Message  puts it, "Celebrate God all day, every day!"  It's an attitude thing.  If we can approach life with this kind of spirit, then the trials will not seem insurmountable.  
     Got a big job on the schedule?  Ask how God can be made known through the task?  Then pray and praise.  It can work miracles!  

OPEN YOUR HEART AND HOME!
"United prayer can change the world." (PL)

MONDAY, June 9
Philippians 4:6 GNT
Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.
     It's easy to pray and ask God for what we need.  We do it all the time.  We say, "God, this is what I want to happen.  Please do it."  We forget the part about "Your will be done."  We forget to pray for God to do what is best. 
     But we also forget to pray with a thankful heart.  So often our prayers begin with the petition, the 'I wants'.  We enter into prayerful conversation with God in a much better spirit when we begin with our praise and thanksgiving, when we remember to offer our gratitude for all the ways in which God has already been at work in our lives.  
     May I start every prayer with thanks.  I might be amazed at how my prayer changes me right from that point.  I might be amazed by how the whole conversation is altered.  

SUNDAY, June 8 
Acts 16:25-26 VOICE
Picture this: It’s midnight. In the darkness of their cell, Paul and Silas—after surviving the severe beating—aren’t moaning and groaning; they’re praying and singing hymns to God. The prisoners in adjoining cells are wide awake, listening to them pray and sing. 26 Suddenly the ground begins to shake, and the prison foundations begin to crack. You can hear the sound of jangling chains and the squeak of cell doors opening. Every prisoner realizes that his chains have come unfastened.
     Prayer alone with God can be a powerful experience.  But prayer as a community, united by a common concern, can move mountains!  (Or open prison chains!)  Groups are using social media as a source of united prayers....and reports frequently show God at work. (No, the prayers aren't always answered as we request, but God responds!)  
     How open am I to community prayer?  I enjoy drawing the prayer pictures.  Perhaps when I post them on social media they become a community prayer as others read through the names and offer them up to God.  We don't have to pray for a specific outcome, just for God's will and presence to be known!  

SIMPLY REJOICING 3: Rejoice and Proclaim His Good News

TELL YOUR STORY

“What you have seen and heard may touch another heart.” (PL)

SATURDAY, June 7

        Heading for home today so this will be brief.  In this “Tell Your Story” section, author Lewis writes of Jesus and children and being childlike in our faith.  I especially was moved to consider her last few lines:

          “Who are the children God is calling you to lead to Jesus and disciple?  Be on watch – the fields are ripe for harvest.  Does he have a Timothy for you to mentor?  Is there some young person who would benefit from hearing your story?  Keep alert!  Perhaps he has a lesson to teach you from a child who is excited about his or her faith and wants everyone to have the joy of knowing Jesus.  Those are thoughts IO’m pondering and questions I’m asking myself as I meditate on the teachings of Jesus regarding children and being childlike in faith.” (p. 79)

          The ‘fields are ripe for harvest’.  Hmmmm….those lines sound amazingly familiar to our missional team.  Open Door is one way our church has reached out to youth by meeting their needs for fellowship and food.  Where else is God calling us?  

FRIDAY, June 6  Like a Child

Luke 18:16-17 MSG

“Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

A Recycled Scribble today from Mark's similar passage

          Jesus loved children.  He relished being with them and playing with them.  But more importantly, Jesus saw the importance of children – to approach life with the simple openness and honesty of a child.

          How do we view children?  Are they a burden to be seen and not heard?  A nuisance that leave toys on the floor and make messes at inconvenient times?  Or do we look at a child and see the miracle of potential within?  Do we see God in their face in their blatant acceptance of everyone and unselfishness?  Do we see a harvest to be reaped in the very best way imaginable? 

          Our church values our youth, and that impact will reap rewards for the Kingdom of God that we can’t imagine.  The more we spend time with the youth and share our stories,  the more time we spend listening to their struggles and dreams, the time we mentor without knowing it, we make a difference.  Even more, the interaction usually is of benefit to BOTH sides.  You don’t have to be a designated youth leader – everyone can be a part of youth ministry.  God calls us in various fashions, but we are all a part.

          Make no mistakes in Jesus’ message: we must come to God with the same trust and simplicity of a child if we are to understand the Kingdom. 

WITNESS THE MIRACLE
"An amazing answer to prayer leads to the next bold request." (PL)

THURSDAY, June 5  Holes in the Wall

“The losses that puncture our world may become holes to see through to God….There’s a reason I’m not writing the story and God is.  He knows how it all works out, where it all leads, what it all means.” Ann Voskamp in One Thousand Gifts

        Praying hard also means continuing to pray even when the answer isn’t apparently what we want.  Praying hard when the answer seems to be exactly the opposite!  Praying hard when the answer hurts and is painful.  Because God has a much bigger plan than our little world and experience.  We are just a piece in the puzzle and only God knows how it fits together.

          Ann Voskamp’s words made me envision a wall between us and God.  When everything goes smoothly, we have no need of God, no need to trust and put our faith into action.  And hence, we really don’t know the vast capacity of God’s love.  But when we experience loss, when we experience forgiveness, holes are punched in that wall that allow us to see God more clearly. 

WEDNESDAY, June 4  Tell the Story

Galatians 1:15-16 VOICE

But God—who set me apart even before birth and called me by His grace—chose, to His great delight,  to reveal His Son in me so I could tell His story among the outsider nations.

          The apostle Paul, formerly persecutor Saul, knew what it meant to be ‘saved’.  His conversion is probably one of the most dramatic reversals in the Bible.  When I remember Paul, how can I ever doubt that God can work miracles of his chosing?  God-Holy Spirit is ready to work through me to proclaim the good news. 

          I think my problem is I equate proclamation with street corner preachers and that isn’t my modus operandi.   But perhaps God doesn’t use all of us in that way.  Perhaps I am currently writing or drawing my proclamation.  Perhaps I don’t even know who reads my morning ramblings, the reach of an internet blog to a world I don’t see. Who sees a Scribble and is renewed, a prayer drawing and is encouraged?  Perhaps I don’t know who is watching my actions and my witness.  Perhaps….No, FOR CERTAIN, God is at work without my knowledge.  My job is to remain open and willing, to trust God to work through me, and be ready to embark on new journeys. 

          This section of Lewis’ book ends with another thought by Mark Batterson in The Circle Maker, a thought that reminds us that the journey isn’t easy, but filled with unexpected and abundant rewards:

          “By definition, praying hard is praying when it is hard to pray. And it’s the hard times that teach us to pray hard. But if you keep praying through, the peace that transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your mind.”  

TUESDAY, June 3  Proclaim!

Acts 1:8 MSG

"... and when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

          Rejoice. Witness.  Proclaim.  I think I do ok with the rejoice part.  I’m working on recognizing God at work and celebrating God’s presence.  I try to live my life as a witness by who I am and how I act.  But proclaim?  Actively announce and share?  That’s a little more overt.  I do it if I sense a listening heart or a fellow believer.  But to proclaim to a hostile audience or to those who may rebuff me?  That’s much, much harder, and I’m afraid I have a long way to go in that mission. 

          So…my prayer today is to be a better proclaimer for Christ.  To be more vocal in what guides my life.  To risk the rebuff and allow my rejoicing to publicly call others to God.  A lofty goal?  Yes, and I can’t do it alone.   But….with the Holy Spirit, all things are possible!