Category: First Steps

Our world is saturated with grace, and the lurking presence of God is revealed not only in spirit but in matter—a deer leaping across a meadow, in the flight of an eagle, in fire and water, in a rainbow after a summer storm, in a gentle doe streaking through a forest, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in a child licking a chocolate ice cream cone, in a woman with windblown hair. [I would add in the conversation, laughter, and joy shared across a table as friends and family share a meal] (The Ragamuffin Gospel, 91).   The key is to look for God’s grace everywhere.  It flows from heaven into the depths of creation.  I am convinced that the more I look for it, the more I see it.  What about you?  Can you stop today to notice, look, and search for God’s grace?  It is waiting for you to see all the beauty of God’s presence everywhere. This Week’s Readings: -Monday – James 4 -Tuesday – James 5 -Wednesday – 1 Peter 1 -Thursday – 1 Peter 2 -Friday – 1 Peter 3 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Our world is saturated with grace, and the lurking presence of God is revealed not only in spirit but in matter—a deer leaping across a meadow, in the flight of an eagle, in fire and water, in a rainbow after a summer storm, in a gentle doe streaking through a forest, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in a child licking a chocolate ice cream cone, in a woman with windblown hair. [I would add in the conversation, laughter, and joy shared across a table as friends and family share a meal] (The Ragamuffin Gospel, 91).   The key is to look for God’s grace everywhere.  It flows from heaven into the depths of creation.  I am convinced that the more I look for it, the more I see it.  What about you?  Can you stop today to notice, look, and search for God’s grace?  It is waiting for you to see all the beauty of God’s presence everywhere. This Week’s Readings: -Monday – James 4 -Tuesday – James 5 -Wednesday – 1 Peter 1 -Thursday – 1 Peter 2 -Friday – 1 Peter 3 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

The dictionary definition of “witness” includes these points: •    one who attests to an event. •    one who has a personal knowledge of something. •    something or someone who serves as evidence or proof. •    a public affirmation by word or example of religious faith or conviction. When I was a freshman in college, I was invited to go to Mexico on an evangelism/witness trip. There were about 12 of us who traveled to McAllen, Texas to meet members of a Christian church in Reynosa, Mexico. Our role was to assist the pastor of the church with street evangelism and house-to-house evangelism.  I can still remember the few days I spent in Reynosa, preaching on street corners, in the courtyard of a Mexican prison, and in the homes located close to the church.  For the longest time, I thought this was the definition of evangelism and witness, where one shares or preaches and then has an altar call for sinners. In some settings, this method still has some value; however, I’m not convinced this is the best way to witness today. Witness involves telling what you have seen and experienced. The telling sometimes happens with words, but more frequently it happens as we live our everyday lives where your life is the proof. People need to see over the long haul of time how faith in Christ transforms. Your life is the sermon that another hears.   Witness is the manner we embody Christ. We live in the world as the presence of Christ for those to see.  People join the ranks because they see the beauty of our lives—a Christ life.   This Week’s Readings: -Monday – Hebrews 12 -Tuesday – Hebrews 13 -Wednesday – James 1 -Thursday – James 2 -Friday – James 3 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

For weeks now I’ve been preoccupied with commitment, both in thought and in deed. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to serve. Although I understand the use of “command” (we are followers of God and not the other way around), I wish the concept of “command” was not used in scripture when discussing service.  When commanded to do something, we tend to see it as a “must do” instead of “want to.”  Service should be a “want to.”  This was Paul’s thought conveyed to the Philippians.    For Paul, Jesus’ entire ministry was seen as a journey of descent. God, in Jesus, came down to be human among us. Phil. 2:5-11, an ode to this descent, meant to remind the early Church that following Jesus was not a way to rise above troubles and life’s difficulties, but rather a way to enter into difficulties in a life-altering, healing, redeeming way.  It wasn’t something that must be done as much as wanted to be done.   Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.   5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:   6 Who, being in very nature God,     did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing     by taking the very nature of a servant,     being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,     he humbled himself     by becoming obedient to death—         even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place     and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,     in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,     to the glory of God the Father.   When we desire to serve and then accompany that longing with deed, God exalts.  This week, follow Jesus’ descent into service—not because you “have to” but because it is the path of God.   This Week’s Readings: -Monday – Hebrews 7 -Tuesday – Hebrews 8 -Wednesday – Hebrews 9 -Thursday – Hebrews 10 -Friday – Hebrews 11 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

I’m always amazed at how Jesus was fully present with his disciples.  Frankly, he was fully present with each person he encountered; not distracted, not looking for the next person down the road, but fully alive in each moment with each person.  So, what does “presence” mean?  A dictionary definition says presence is the fact or condition of being present.  It is showing up.  But presence is more than simply showing up.  To be present is to show up fully and to give your attention to something where you are as fully as possible.   I think everyone has been in settings when we were not fully present.  Our bodies may have been there, but our minds were somewhere else, our attention was on something else, and we were not focused or engaged.  Likewise, we have been with others in conversation or sharing a meal where we have been alone because another’s attention was wandering.  Perhaps, they were preoccupied with email, a game, or social media, and were listening with only “one ear.”  If lucky, they would ask for you to repeat what you just said.   Presence is showing up and attendance is a major part of being present, but also giving attention and being where you are as fully as possible.  When you commit to be present, you are saying that you will show up. But really, you are saying much more. You are committing to be engaged, to give the best of your attention, to participate, and to offer all of yourself body, mind, heart, strength, and soul.   What would being fully present look like in the different areas of life where you can apply this sense of showing up:                 to be present in a marriage                 to be present in a friendship                 to be present in your work                 to be present in your leisure                 to be present in a community of faith                 to be present in your relationship with God.   Commit to giving your full presence to your faith and to following God.  The more we are present with God, the more we will be present with others.    This Week’s Readings: -Monday – Hebrews 2 -Tuesday – Hebrews 3 -Wednesday – Hebrews 4 -Thursday – Hebrews 5 -Friday – Hebrews 6 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

I’m always amazed at how Jesus was fully present with his disciples.  Frankly, he was fully present with each person he encountered; not distracted, not looking for the next person down the road, but fully alive in each moment with each person.  So, what does “presence” mean?  A dictionary definition says presence is the fact or condition of being present.  It is showing up.  But presence is more than simply showing up.  To be present is to show up fully and to give your attention to something where you are as fully as possible.   I think everyone has been in settings when we were not fully present.  Our bodies may have been there, but our minds were somewhere else, our attention was on something else, and we were not focused or engaged.  Likewise, we have been with others in conversation or sharing a meal where we have been alone because another’s attention was wandering.  Perhaps, they were preoccupied with email, a game, or social media, and were listening with only “one ear.”  If lucky, they would ask for you to repeat what you just said.   Presence is showing up and attendance is a major part of being present, but also giving attention and being where you are as fully as possible.  When you commit to be present, you are saying that you will show up. But really, you are saying much more. You are committing to be engaged, to give the best of your attention, to participate, and to offer all of yourself body, mind, heart, strength, and soul.   What would being fully present look like in the different areas of life where you can apply this sense of showing up:                 to be present in a marriage                 to be present in a friendship                 to be present in your work                 to be present in your leisure                 to be present in a community of faith                 to be present in your relationship with God.   Commit to giving your full presence to your faith and to following God.  The more we are present with God, the more we will be present with others.    This Week’s Readings: -Monday – Titus 2 -Tuesday – Titus 3 -Wednesday – Jude 1-25 -Thursday – Philemon 1-25 -Friday – Hebrews 1-13 Things to Pray About: -The violence and finding peace in our city, state, country, and in the world. -Pray for guidance, healing, protection, strength, courage, and faith. -Our unwillingly absent members. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6