Let not your HEARTS be TROUBLED

John 14 is a chapter of PEACE - resilient peace in the chaos of the world.  Peace is not absence from chaos- the world is tarnished and broken, peace from CHRIST is HIS presence to stand with us, guide us, fortify us and lead us to sow peace in anger, love in despair, hope in barren deserts, water out of drought, light in deep darkness.  Only God can heal the world - we must allow The Holy Spirit to ABIDE in us and guide us in the direction of Christ so we can transform the world through the spirit of grace, love and good works.  While we are never able to heal all wounds and divisions on this earthly realm - we must do what we can in love.

In John 14 - Jesus gives a guidepost for how to invite him into our lives and how to actively LIVE by HIS WORD.

The crux of our faith and our work through The Spirit must be built on a foundation of casting all fears on the shoulders of Christ for HE cares for us.  We cannot be double minded when we do this - we have to fully submit our worries to God - God is willing to completely cleanse all of our worry and heal us.

I am the first one to doubt - how can Christ heal my worry when I have REAL WORLD troubles - debt, persecution, disease, hunger...the problems of the world are long - the desperation of lack is a worldwide problem of grief and suffering.

It is important to recognize the difference between worry and concern.  A concern is a valid recognition of a harsh and difficult circumstance...worry stems from fear and anxiety.  Fear paralyzes us - concerns make us empathetic and call us to action and prayer - worry leaves us in a state of confusion and hopelessness.

In the finite temporal world we get lost in details and we let problems control us - I do this all the time.  We all do - and worry circles around over and over with no solutions - like treading tumultuous waters - we barely stay afloat - not able to swim ashore.

Let not your hearts be troubled - in relinquishing worry to Christ we open our minds up to solutions and to an eternal perspective.  We open our hearts to healing instead of allowing worry to stab us with bitterness - we allow Christ to shed HIS precious blood and tears of love to heal us - instead of locking away our injured hearts - we give our troubles - our DIS-EASE to God - the divine physician.

Trouble is always pounding at our door.  The devil wants us to focus on trouble - to drag us into sinking sand - pulling us in the undertow so we suffocate in fear and worry - God calls us to find peace and resiliency in storms. In Christ's PEACE we discover joy and hope even in the aphotic darkness - God's LIGHT shines through and the Holy Spirit is an anchor of the soul in choppy waters.

In our worldly view we equate trouble with lack and suffering - and this is a part of trouble, but a Christian's paramount focus is the trouble of the soul - if you have peace in your soul through CHRIST you can weather all storms.

I am going to spend the next few posts focusing on John 14.

Goals for your SOUL:
~Ask Jesus and the Holy Trinity to make a home with you - to be your sure foundation and your life boat in all the storms of life.
~ Repent of your sins - worry though not a direct sin - can lead to the sin of bitterness and anger - because worry focuses on worldly lack instead of an abundant life in Christ's love and the SPIRIT of TRUTH (Holy Spirit)
~ Meditate on what binds you in worry - what negative thought patterns you have and look inward (even if it cuts you with temporal pain - as you navigate the emotional baggage of past loss and betrayal) analyze the root causes of some of your worry - pray to God to help you on this journey, pray for healing and cleansing of all negative emotions
~FORGIVE your enemies.  This took me a long time to learn.  Forgiving doesn't mean sweeping it under the rug and still silently and secretly clutching the bitterness - forgiveness means to completely turn over the anger to God.  This is not easy and we need God's help in forgiving - it helped when I came to the recognition that forgiveness does not excuse the sin - but rather relinquishes the burden of the pain to God - so we are not infected with the anger and betrayal of the person(s) who sought us harm.  I find this might take years to work through - so continually go to God and allow HIM to guide your forgiveness and to heal you.

Remember Christ is constant, an anchor for all times and we worship a God of faithful character - LOVE, Compassion and HOPE - he does not forsake those who ask for HIS help - in asking for God's help we cannot lose faith when we are waiting for results - we must also be open to God's doors - if one door opens and you feel the peace of the SPIRIT to walk through that door - even if it is scary you must walk in faith.  That does not mean you should go into a situation blindly, but pray for discernment and realize our plans might be best for our soul.

The Holy Trinity's primary focus is our soul and our salvation and the salvation of others - God wants to help us in worldly affairs and enjoys seeing us happy - I know God blessed me when I met Dean Smith and Tyler Hansborough in 2005 and 2009 respectively because I am a huge b-ball fan - God wants to hear about all of the desires of our heart, but he will never grant us what is not good for our soul.

I often have argued with God - I want action - I want change - I want help right this second - how could my father not provide for 'a, b and c' - and while what we may request might seem harmless - God knows what we need and will provide it - even in adversity and persecution - he never fails in protecting our soul - that is why it is so vital to NOT LET OUR HEARTS be TROUBLED because when we focus on worry instead of concern, fear instead of hope, we lose active empathy and we lose our sure foundation of faith - we turn our hearts from God and allow bitterness to cement our hearts in the stone of anger.  In anger there is no life.  In bitterness there is no light.

So do not allow bitterness to take root, even in trial, rather be strengthened by the eternal LOVE and merits of Christ's blood on the cross, for on the cross he took on our burdens and in HIS death came life everlasting and a Living HOPE that cannot - PEACE is with YOU in CHRIST and the SPIRIT of Truth.  Do not be troubled, be joyful in Christ's sacred heart of LOVE

Prayer:
Jesus,  I shout praises, raising the roof of worry to sing holy is your NAME.  Your word is a sacred bond and I know when trouble comes you are with us in the Spirit of Peace - we must willingly submit our worries to you, instead accepting the grace of peace eternal to fill our hearts with joy instead of doubt. Built our hearts in a sure foundation of love in YOUR SPIRIT, let us find peace in chaos and sow love in heartache - when we cast our worries onto you we are filled with the persevering strength of YOUR LOVE and an active empathy to plant seeds of faith, hope, charity and grace in this temporal world.  Relieve our anxieties, cleanse our hearts - with every heartbeat may the light of your peace be renewed in our souls and troubled lifted as far as the east is from the west - your Saving Grace can heal all the nations...Your sacred heart can purify the most wayward sinners and the blood of your sacrifice is a reminder in your death you suffered in the world - the world is temporary - the light of GOD reigns eternal and in HIS Glory we are renewed in a spirit of eternal peace.

God is our HOME

 


Deep in prayer, I turned the weight of my anxious heart over to the Holy Spirit.  Lost and broken in spirit, I searched God’s wisdom for guidance about my life and repairing the splinters inside my soul.  As I cast over worry into the Spirit of Truth, peace rained down on me and in that moment of complete fullness and hope my intuition instructed me to read the verse: 'John 14:23'
I often turn to God’s Word in despair and it never fails to comfort me – but this verse spoke directly to the heart of my problem.  


^{John 23} Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

As I opened my Bible to John 14:23, my eyes scanning the verse, my soul felt the Spirit of God at work - I knew I was guided to this verse as both a promise and renewal of hope.
I have read the Gospel of John on many occasions and am familiar with the story arcs and spiritual themes in the Gospel.  However at the time of this prayer I was unfamiliar with this exact verse.  I know it was a message from The Holy Spirit.

My family is broken - I have suffered abuse from the flesh and blood I thought I could trust.  I won't go into the depths of the family trauma - to suffice it to say my relatives forsook me and my mother.   The weight of that sort of pain and loss of your family unit weighs heavy on the psychology and emotional defense of a person.  When we are emotionally wounded by anothers anger through trauma and abuse, psychologically while we can buffer our defenses, we are vulnerable – we try to cope instead of healing – burying emotions so deep we only are left with our shell of hope – our souls ruled by a toxic anxiety and fear.  In this state you may trust God’s love, but oftentimes victims feel unworthy to accept it – or they accept the gift but don’t open the box. 

When I was young, around six – I realized my father was mentally ill – I recognized even though my father loved me in the depths of his heart – he was too fractured and too erratic to act in the role of father – I had a cognizance at that time of peace, through the Holy Spirit (I did not understand that at the time) of peace in the issue and forgiveness.  I turned to God and ask God to be my father – to serve as the FATHER I needed on earth because my dad was so ruled by anger and chaos (mental illness from medicine he took for Crohn’s Disease) – my dad had a dis-ease – and I knew I needed a father to lean on.  While in my youth I clung onto God as my FATHER – in the past five years I struggled with the shards of pain and doubt of conflict and lost dreams – I gave up on myself- I allowed bitterness to enter my heart – I decided to be so overcome with grief about the abuse of being disinherited my human father that I turned away from God – MY FATHER.

God created us out of LOVE and Our Father wants to make HIS home with us, but we need to clean our hearts and release our anxiety and fear and let him in fully.  God, through Christ’s blood and the peace of revelation in the Holy Spirit is willing to work to counsel us – to help heal us – but we have to be willing to let HIM in and accept the gifts of hope, love, grace, healing and forgiveness that the HOLY TRINITY has to offer.  The Holy Spirit is a counselor – who is ready to guide us, Christ is our redeemer – and God acts a perfect Father who will never forsake you.  When you let God move into your life – He will never leave you thirsty – but you must drink of the cup of HIS Living Waters.
John 14:23 is a reminder to me that no matter was dis-ease there is in the world – it is a temporary obstacle.  God may call us on crooked paths, but he will never lead us astray – rather he will use the twists and turns to teach us to be strong in character and fortitude.  God knows the desires of our heart – like a true father he works to teach us and discipline us in LOVE, he wants us to find success and to find joy – but our first priority is loving HIM because God is our family – He is OUR FATHER.  

If we continue to look to Spirit of Truth, seeking counsel in the Word of Scripture and in prayer God will enter our lives.  The Holy Spirit lives within us – what better grace can we find – When we suffer – God feels our pain – he knows it – remember we are not alone.

My Prayer
Lord, I invite you into my life.  I need your unfailing compass to guide my heart and my steps closer to your will for my life.  Teach me, refine me, prepare me and I will follow your way.  Holy Spirit clear all negative thoughts that block me from receiving your wisdom and peace – the world is dark and lonely, but your SPIRIT’s core is a ceaseless flame of glory that can ignite our souls to love and serve.  Teach us to trust you and to turn over our egos which are weak and caustic, rather in relinquishing fear bind us in the confidence of your truth and light – love and salvation – a cross roads is just a reminder of resurrection and living hope you kindle – a flame that stays lit in wind, rain and darkness of night. 

The road may twist and turn, confusing your paths but if you stay set on God's light - the light of Christ will lead you - sometimes God's paths seem confused because HE is not of the world, we have  a limited scope and perspective - we need to be willing to trust God our FATHER to be our GPS

 

The Holy Spirit - A Bridge over Troubled Waters

 The Holy Spirit is a BRIDGE over Troubled Water

Matthew 8: Jesus Calms the Storm

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

 

Anxiety is a storm that thrashes like a hurricane with gale force winds, angry and self-loathing, cutting your core like a twister.  Anxiety, worry and trouble are ignited by fear, doubt and a sense of hopelessness.  I am a compulsive worrier - out of the ashes of abuse it was my coping mechanism. I am naturally a detailed oriented person who likes to get things done - so when things fall apart I assume the center cannot hold.  I panic and try to pick up the pieces of the storm reassembling the woe and fear and building up a fortress of solitude defended by fear instead of courage and hope.
 
 The Second Coming by Yeats
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
    The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity. Yeats


It seems paradoxical that in spite of this anxiety and fear I have always been gifted by a strong love of the Holy Spirit and at a young age I called on God to be my Father - I asked HIM to be the father I did not have in the flesh - because I needed a FATHER I could count on - I wanted salvation and still do - but my love of God is about a relationship.  He is my FATHER and my friend, my guardian, my guide.  I credit God for my resiliency out of trial.  I thank GOD for giving me a strong and loving mother whose love could calm a sea.  

For many years I trusted my faith, I have overcome adversity from abuse to a car accident, depression and yet God was my center.  Unfortunately in the last several years I have gripped the shards of betrayal and heartache - the wounds of the flesh and spirit so tightly it caused me to bleed out.  You cannot heal if you keep cutting yourself on old wounds, mistakes and sins.  It is fine to analyze and to put into active practice lessons for moving forward, but until you let go of the victim mentality you cannot rise above the injustice and accept the grace and sure foundation of God. 

Yesterday I found myself in crisis.  I have a few personal obstacles related to finances and while not earth shattering I let my fear and anxiety drive me into turmoil.  I prayed to the Holy Spirit for peace and guidance and I thought of two things: Simon and Garfunkel and Stephen King.

Let it be known I am a HUGE Simon and Garfunkel fan - Paul Simon has inspired my own songwriting and creative pursuits and Art Garfunkel's voice is the voice of an angel.  The music speaks to me on a spiritual level.  The Holy Spirit often comes to us in the language we know but speaks through us with a divine message - not one that is clouded in the ego, but anchored in peace.

The peace: 'I am your bridge over troubled water - do you want to struggle, drowning, gasping for air crossing the chaotic rapids in a monsoon storm, or do you want to cross the troubled waters on a strong bridge.'  I meditated on this and found such insight and peace. 

I let worry be my guidepost - instead of looking to remain calm in adversity - I hide behind a strong front of 'I can take on the world ALONE' while secretly feeling overwhelmed and riddled with fear and anxiety.  I get desperate and allow desperation to plunge into depression and in depression you see no way out and without HOPE life is nothing - it has lost its spark.  Hope denies the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Meditating on the concept of the Holy Spirit as our BRIDGE to GOD over adversity and pain - I imagined a raging storm - the sort they have in the Grand Canyon on a hot July night or one of the brimstone hail storms in Montana or a lightning storm with tornadoes in the Southeast - often times storms come out of the blue - you expect them, but when they come they are more violent and chaotic than you'd ever imagine. 

The worst storms are the ones at the end of a drought because the ground is so dry it cannot hold the water...I say 'drought' because storms can help us to persevere in patience as a cleansing tool.  I use the concept of drought because many times troubles feel like you are in a desert - in a drought - where you lack and there is no hope.  When we have no hope we fail to put things into perspective - we lash out and become bitter, we feel forsaken.

When God gives us the SPIRIT to cross troubled waters, it does not mean we avoid the storm - some storms and tests are unavoidable - suffering is a part of the human condition - but suffering should not define the human condition - joy, faith, hope and love are the bridge and sure foundation to weather storms...no when God leads us over troubled waters - he is a bridge of hope and allows us to have the strength of spirit not to give up and to be able to withstand the storm.  If we hold onto this peace and calm and macro-mindset - eternity - then we can look to the future and endure the present. 

This is a hard lesson to learn and one the disciples and early church founders and martyrs struggled with.  Peter, Paul, James, Thomas...are a few who at times let doubt and fear and the world attack with its storms.  I think about Good Friday - Jesus lay dead and bloody in a tomb - his body pierced and lifeless - the disciples who followed Jesus were flummoxed and disheartened - driven by fear - fear of why the man they believed to be the Son of God had died and not risen up to fight, fear of being crucified as well, fear of public disdain...the list is endless of fears - only John was at the cross when Jesus was crucified.

What if the disciples had gone home, given up on Friday or even Saturday night - I cannot a bleaker situation than seeing your friend die - especially in such a painful and terrorizing way - what did HIS miracles and words mean if he was dead?  These are questions we would like to hide behind as Christians saying 'I would never have left Christ alone at the cross,' but we like Peter, the strength of the church, and Thomas who went to India in faith - we have our fears and let doubt and anxiety shake our foundation - it is in the fear of the flesh the center cannot hold.  It is in the anxious waters we fall prey.


It is the darkest before the dawn and God often waits until our lowest crippling blow in a crisis to lift us up - not out of lack of consideration - for Christ's sacrifice alone attests to HIS LOVE is everything and his desire for us is pure and right.  God is a psychiatrist in many ways and knows how to heal us but we need to allow him to be our bridge through the spirit so we can cross oceans of grief into a promised land of new life on this earth and the world to come.

This is where Stephen King comes in - Stephen King is one of the great writers of literature - he understands human psychology from the anxious spirit of fear and often uses moral lessons in his stories driven by fear to expound truths.  There is a movie called The Mist, based on a book by the same name.  It is an apocalyptic Sci-Fi thriller about a government experiment gone bad.  The small Maine town fights for its life yet death consumes everything like a beast devouring the land, a storm - a mist of horrible vengeful and unbridled pain - yet there is a deeper dimension even to that aspect a psychology of cause and effect - who is the victim?  When do you give up fighting and is fighting giving up?  There are a lot of hard questions in this story - but the shocking ending where a man kills his son and neighbors because he they have given up hope and are so afraid of dying by The Mist - death by their own hand is preferable.  The father does not have enough bullets to kill himself.  Immediately after he kills his son, search and rescue come and The Mist is defeated...people hated the ending at the theater.  I was sickened - but it made a lasting point I never will forget...the end is often a new beginning veiled in the mist of despair - NEVER GIVE UP HOPE.

In times of drought, war, famine, pestilence - it takes ordinary - weak hearts to be strong enough to say 'This is hard, but we're going to fight through, counting blessings along the way and fighting for truth and goodness.'

We cannot do it alone - we need help.  God expects us to walk, but he provides the bridge.  We we try to conquer trouble alone we are overwhelmed our center cannot hold.  God's center is a sure foundation - his bridge will not give way.   We need to accept our faults and turn them to God for healing - we need to forgive and replace bitterness with joy - we must remember the rainbow after ever storm - we cannot doubt God's love in temporary trial - this is easier said than done - but if you trust that God will lead you by the HOLY SPIRIT as a bridge navigating you from drowning in the flood of uncertainty you will in time find shelter in the storm.
 

Pray for Nepal

The world is a volatile place the earth's plates wrestle and hillsides topple and floods drown out valleys and drought burns desolation from once fertile lands.  Natural disasters are part of the human sojourn -many of the most beautiful places on God's earth were formed in the chaos of natural disasters - from Yellowstone to the Appalachians and Great Plains - natural disasters will continue to ravage the earth - quaking us with an urgency and fear - a reminder of the finite window of life on this earth.

The tragedy in Nepal is overwhelming - the loss of human life and community is devastating.  Still in times of natural disaster we cannot give up - rather in times of chaos as elements of the earth are unleashed in a frenetic fury we must come together in LOVE and the LIGHT of mercy.  Mercy is the flicker of light that becomes a unifying flame in the wake of disaster so horrific you cannot fathom the purpose.  I often question God for the reason of natural disasters and the catastrophe of the human and animal life stolen in the wreckage.

I find myself reminded in the natural splendor of Yellowstone National Park - one of God's most beautiful spots on earth - that Yellowstone is a super-volcano - its resplendent natural wonder formed out of seeming chaos of the natural order - death is a part of Yellowstone's history, as is life - life rallies from the ashes and life fights to survive. 

I look at the tragedy in Nepal and my heart is weighed down by the pain and suffering of those trapped in the rumble - those who have lost everything, the victims and their families...how can one find hope in such destruction - Out of the rumble - a perseverance and will to live powers through and an empathy of neighbor and foe, enemy and friend emerges with the common focus on saving lives out of the rubble and rebuilding the community - even if it is brick by brick. 

No life is taken in vain - God mourns for every soul lost in disaster, but TRUST that GOD heals the brokenhearted.  It is hard to fathom how death can have any peace - but I do believe that God is active in healing communities in disaster.  It is important to distinguish God's will and the fury of nature - because God is always at our work for Good, even in the worst of tragedies.  You can see God's LIGHT in the relief workers, those who feed the displaced and give comfort to the lost, YOU SEE the LIGHT of HUMANITY in a united effort to do GOOD even in the midst of tragedy.  The pain is real, still it is a pain where love can gather the afflicted and spark a fire of hope - through the LIGHT of LOVE and ACTIVE WORK in the wake of disaster.

We must remember the dead, the suffering and work to uplift all who are victims of such tragedy - we are all brothers and sisters - humanity - cannot stand divided in the schisms of the earth we must unite in love, service and allow our tears of grief to heal sorrow and build up those harmed by disaster.

There is a worldwide call to action in the wake of earthquakes and other disasters - we need to work together to heed the warnings science has given us and respect the power of nature.  Nepal has long been a known epicenter for a potential earthquake and many in power neglected to invest in infrastructure and awareness of the potential threats of a seismic event.

"Political gridlock and substandard infrastructure left the country particularly vulnerable to devastation." - The Atlantic
 If we don't learn these lessons from Haiti, Japan and Nepal many will needlessly lose their lives.  Natural disasters cannot be prevented and we are sorely reminded of our humble finite stance in the wake of disaster,  but we can stop greed and selfishness to help prevent a loss of life where warnings are known and can be mitigated. I make this point not has a condemnation - NO ONE deserves to have such power of a mighty earthquake destroy their life - NO ONE and that is why I think we need to use events like this as alarms to help us be better prepared next time.  Nature's beauty and wrath is sharp as a double edge sword - it is quick in disaster - THANK GOD we have scientific tools to at least understand seismic phenomenon and other natural disasters.  That is why humanity needs to rise up in EMPATHY in times of crisis and also have accountability so even if we cannot smote the wrath of nature we have some shelter in storms.  This is easier said than done - especially when poverty, greed and corruption run rampant in the world - we must come together as advocates for the least and our voices will be greater than the shrill silence of turning a blind eye to suffering.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the people of Nepal and all who suffering from calamity, natural disaster, war and famine.  People say where is God is disaster - but the Holy Spirit is within us and we must do GOOD and walk in active love - to help heal the brokenness of the world.  Earthquakes rise up like a frenzy of chaos, but love - agape - selfless love and justice of spirit is constant and we must use it to help support all who suffer.

It is natural to be paralyzed by fear in the wake of tragedy - yet often times it is in the midst of the deepest pain we must march on and work to serve those in need.  War, famine, flood and disaster can only find healing through a coming together in love.  Natural disasters are a part of life, but if we come together in love and a fierce spirit of service in courage to help others then the trauma though immense will not define humanity - it is a harsh balance and one at this point where words fall short.  All I can do is pray with a sincere heart and GIVE what I can and mourn for those who are suffering.  

Prayer is a powerful tool - both the Buddhist and Christian populations in Nepal rely on prayer and peace and a focus on selfless community and love - an individual path of doing good for the sake of doing good - salvation is a reward - but only as a consequence of first desiring the will to do good through selflessness.  Desiring less of the world and more of desiring service and compassion.

So I invite you to  pray for the people of Nepal - I pray for the departed, the sick and injured - to lose everything in just one single cataclysmic event - is enough to remove faith, hope and love from anyone - yet out of the furnace of disaster there is an unbridled spirit of hope and a desperate desire to remember those that died, uplift their spirits and work to come together as a community. 

Another important CALL TO ACTION is to contribute in anyway we can to aid relief.  It is important that when you donate to aid relief it is with a recognized and legitimate relief agency.  (Sadly many fall prey to those deceitful people who cowardly act use a tragedy for their own benefit.)

CNN Impact and ABC both have lists of vetted sites where you can donate to Nepal (the tragedy also affected India and Tibet). 

I recommend giving to
UNICEF
The Red Cross
Catholic Charities
Episopal Relief and Development

A Prayer of Relief
Loving and gracious God,
All love and mercy compels us to the side of our global brothers and sisters.
In our charity, and in our compassion, help us stand with them.
In our solidarity and in our sharing, help us stand with them.
In our advocacy, and in our prayer, help us stand with them.
And as we turn to them in their peril, we ask your grace go with us:
To feed the hungry:
     -give us your grace.
To give drink to the thirsty:
     -give us your grace.
To clothe the naked:
     -give us your grace.
To shelter the homeless:
     -give us your grace.
To care for the sick:
     -give us your grace.
To reach the trapped and the stranded:
     -give us your grace.
To mourn the dead:
     -give us your grace.
And in reaching out, may we find you in them.
And may they find you in us, Amen.
- Adopted from a prayer of Catholic Relief Services

My Prayer: 
Most Gracious Father
May the Holy Spirit work through humanity to uplift those in trial in the midst of devastation
Actively call us to break bread with those who hunger, rescue those who are in peril and grieve the loss of those you have called into your kingdom.  Let our tears of grief heal the pain and any divisions crumble to dust.  Out of the ashes bring a renewed hope to rebuild communities in grace and hope through resiliency and persevering hearts - RISE UP SPIRIT of LOVE and LIGHT so we may not grow weary of doing good in tragedy or lose sight of the joy even in disaster - heal the injured, bless aid workers, restore lost foundations of this temporal realm with an assurance of the eternal foundation of YOUR LIFE.  

May we all serve to help our human family - for we are all one even across the thousands of miles, spans of continent we all share in a frail flesh and strong spirit - may humanity join together to help heal the brokenness, rebuild and sow hope.  

Celebrate Earth Day EVERYDAY

Isaiah 42:5-6

Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations...

 

God is present in the world - though we often see HIS Spirit at work in creation because we get so caught up in ignoring the glorious beauty and symphonies that resound as a heavenly choir in what we deem ordinary spaces of daily life.

Driving through Kansas I found many comment on how boring that leg of the drive west to Colorado and beyond is because it is so flat - 'all you see are wide open spaces and rows of corn and wheat.'  I am a strange travel who has always latched onto the beauty in even one small patch of grass in the middle of a dilapidated city park - beauty is often extraordinary in the light of its essential yet ordinary work in the world.

Where would we be in creation without the flat open spaces of the world's farmlands, or the rice steppes and swamps that yield so much grain - seeds that transform hunger into hope.  There is a reason the Midwest is called the 'Heartland' - it is the heartland because as flat and open as the vast sea of prairie seas to be - lost and lonely - we need such seemingly 'plain' and 'ordinary' spaces - the land is perfect for farming - the land is a gift of hope and constant renewal as year after year in the midst of drought and pest - food comes from this heartland.

In my home state of NC it saddens me that our state is not investing in our agriculture and is working to turn many of our open spaces into never ending traffic suburban territories - much of the land - so fertile and gracious - ideal for farming and feeding America and the Old North State with a beauty and unassuming charm has been gobbled up by seedy development and unsustainable growth - built on a quick dollar reward versus the long term abundance for the land and its people. 

My hometown of Raleigh used to be a beacon for city parks - our Greenway one of the best in the region, but my local city park has been left overgrown with no funds and neighborhood support to clean up the park and maintain the playground and in THE CITY OF OAKS trees are being cut down left and right and sprawl and traffic has left the city lost in traffic.

It is easy to forget the blessings of the seemingly ordinary - the natural spaces, the trees, creeks and wild wide land, the grass and flowers.  We take them for granted because they are such a part of our lives...our environment is being threatened and this not only hurts quality of life it is a sin (in the Anglican and Catholic Churches) against God our Creator who wanted humanity to delight in HIS creation and protect it - being stewards of its resources - not parasites sucking the land dry.  This is a harsh thing to deal with, but something in our me-me-me materialistic society we must come to grips with.

Earth Day is remembering God's Creation and how it reflects the bounty and love HE gives us every day.  If we neglect the earth we not only neglect our own survival - but we neglect God's loving spirit and the LIFE through Christ. 

Respecting the earth doesn't necessarily mean you give us all the modern conveniences of life, but rather you make responsible choices for the environment in honor of our CREATOR-GOD.

This can be as simple as:

1) Water conservation - limit showers to five minutes every other day, use appliances with energy efficient ratings, be conscious of when you water your lawn (did it rain recently - are you in a drought - ask a local gardening expert about the best methods of water use for your lawn); Get a water filter and use tap - I say this with some hesitation because I'm allergic to fluoride - but I still prefer tap water - Nestle and other big brands are misusing the water supply from numerous reserves for bottling of water - there is a place for bottled water - but turn on your tap when you are thirsty instead of using a Nestle water bottle and you'll help keep the world hydrated
2) Waste: It drives me crazy that we throw out so many plastic bags and Styrofoam cups - when there are better alternatives.  When you shop use a recyclable bag (a eco-bag is available for purchase at most stores); bring a re-usable cup to your favorite restaurant or coffee spot - so if they use styrofoam you can use your cup instead. 
3) Recycle - you can recycle a lot of items in your city recycling bin (look for numbers - the PET number system shows how readily your plastic can be recycled - PET 1-3 are easy to recycle...for harder to recycle 
4) Use energy efficient bulbs
5) Unplug appliances such as your TV and computer when not in use - to save on electricity and help the environment.
6) Walk or take the bus, Carpool;  When I lived in Montana I did not have a car for four years - I walked to the grocery store, church, the gym and took the bus for other errands and you know what I LOVED IT - saved money and got exercise.  In Raleigh I have to own a car for work but I still walk to the pharmacy and restaurants in my neighborhood and limit my in town driving - it saves me $$$ and also helps the environment.
7) Volunteer to clean up a community park: Plant a tree, clean up a trail, go on a community hike, host a GREEN picnic - this builds community and helps keep city parks clean and improves the air and quality of life in a city/town
8) Start a bee and/or rain garden.  I do not have a green thumb - but many of these projects are easier than you think to ignite - and many communities just need volunteers to help plan gardens - a rain garden is ideal for urban settings.
9) Be conscious of what you BUY - BUY ORGANIC - while pesticides and fertilizers have their place, many harm the environment and our foods - it is so important to research the products you buy to ensure they are produced in a sustainable way - luckily most grocery stores have Organic options including Kroger, Harris Teeter and Safeway.  The prices are not expensive for many items and the price increase is worth your health and the health of the environment.  I learned during my sojourn in Montana from area ranchers the real life issues with running and ranch and why grass fed is better for your health and the environment.



These are just a few tips - but you'll find when you live GREEN - YOU are POSITIVE and able to have simple and everlasting JOY with Christ - it puts things into perspective and you see beauty and have empathy for all life.  It is a wonderful gift and every day on earth is a GIFT.

Prayer:
God, we praise your for the glory of your Creation - in every leaf and every raindrop hitting the sun on a rainbow's edge we remember your marvelous works.  In the order of day and night, storms and radiant heat - winter's life giving waters and the reaping harvest of spring, summer and fall we remember life and restoration and the balance of giving and receiving.  Strengthen us to be stewards of your creation - empowered by the care of Abel who tilled the land and gave you the first fruits.  May we think of others not our selfish needs and the greed of consumption but giving food of the earth to those in need and not wasting away the precious resources you gave us.  Help guide us and help heal the earth.  Where there is famine bring your tears of joy to sustain the land, where the floods overwhelm remember your promise to Noah, where pestilence and fire devour - strike a resiliency in the land and awareness of storing up as Joseph did in your instruction for the famines of life.  Help us and sustain all of your creation, through your power and glory, the resurrection and truth and light of all creation - may we remember your glory.  In the simple blade of grass to the towering Rockies may we be humbled by your love and work in the world with peace and stewardship of your land.

Earth Day: Praise God's Creation by Conservation

The colors of the canyons light a flame of hope
The deserts are stark
The cacti is a sword of death until it blooms with radiant color
The waters of the virgin dew and ancient windows into the deep
As the shadows of sunrise beckon the call, 'Arise' 'Arise'
LIGHT of CREATION
How great is our CREATOR for his divine palette has formed the entire earth
in light of love.  It took trials and tests to build HIS mountains, still he persevered to make each particle of the earth full of beauty
Even in the desert there is wonder
Even in the prairies life abounds
Even in the bogs of the swamps life is found
God is GREAT in HIS Creation, PRAISE the EARTH for it is God's loving reflection
We have erred in our treatment of the land, selfishly forsaking its bounty through greed
We purge the holy light of creation with toxic waste
ARISE LORD please have mercy on our soils and help us to feed the hungry with your creation
For the earth is your gift and when we honor the earth we honor your HOLY LOVING NAME and POWER as master builder, master architect, master of light and truth, color and wonder
PRAISE be to GOD of the heavens, CHRIST our KING and the HOLY SPIRIT who speaks to us in every whisper of the wind.  Praise BE

Numbers 35:33-34

You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”

I wrote this 'psalm' as a prayer to glorify God's creation.  April 22 is EARTH DAY - so many Christians have turned their back on God's glorious creation and our role as stewards of the earth.  We mistake the command of stewardship as a free pass to be master's of the earth - God expects us to respect his creation and use it to benefit humanity and all of life on the planet - for the sake of goodness for humanity (food and clothing), animals and also for GOD's glory for IT IS GOD who created and formed the earth.  I heard a Catholic priest say that the earth is the domain of Satan - while evil is rampant in our world - we must NEVER FORGET that GOD is in CHARGE of CREATION and the earth is from God - it is a GIFT from GOD and a grace that reveals HIS character and love.

I love nature it is what connects me to my spirit and helps me find peace in a broken world - in nature I see both order and at times chaos - but most importantly I see God's loving hand in all of creation - it also reminds me of God's nature.  God provides, but his timing is different than ours and in nature we can see the manifest plans of his plans from a macro picture.

When you look at all the cataclysmic events that formed Yellowstone National Park - volcanoes, earthquakes, ice ages and more - you realize that sometimes it takes growing pains and difficulty to create a way forward - sometimes the greatest beauty comes from the ashes.

I think of Zion Canyon and the Grand Canyon - the patience and diligence of creation as erosion and uplift created some of the most stunning 'architecture' on earth.  I find in natural sciences - proof for God because the earth is too orderly to be spontaneous and too colorful to be without a divine architect.

It is our duty to honor God's creation - I will post another blog on ways to help stay eco-friendly - as Christians you don't have to enter the political infighting to want to protect God's glorious creation - instead it is your duty as a follower of Christ to help protect the Father's creation - when our land is nurtured we reap crops that can feed the world - we experience great wonder in the beauty of nature and the resilience of life.

This Earth Day pray to God for peace on the earth and that the earth is healed, droughts are fed with the perfect amount of water and floods are lifted - while it is our duty as stewards of the earth to fix these pollution issues - greed and politics get in the way - we must work to heal the issue in our own lives through recycling and conservation - but we also NEED GOD to help heal the earth - we need to work with God and humanity heal our planet. If God can carve out of HIMSELF all of creation don't we owe it to God to actively work to preserve our land and care about all of HIS creation?

Think of the ark and how God saved every living animal - God cares for ALL of CREATION and we are called to protect it and use it for GOOD (NOT greed) in HIS loving care.

Genesis 1:1-31 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ..