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First Steps – July 24, 2023

Over the last few months, I have been praying this prayer: Lord, Grant me a clear mind, a calm heart, a resolved heart, and a graceful eye. 

Over this past week, I’ve added another aspect:  A Kind Tongue. 
 
Now, about 10 to 20 times a day, I will pray this prayer:
Lord, Grant me a clear mind, a calm heart, a resolved heart, a graceful eye, and a kind tongue. 
 
John Wesley was aware of the power of the tongue.  He said (as it relates to the power of the tongue), “It is good to renew ourselves from time to time by closely examining the state of our souls, as if we had never done it before. For nothing tends more to the full assurance of faith than to keep ourselves by this means in humility and the exercise of all good works.”
 
To examine your soul is to reflect upon:
How do you speak?
What actions/words need to change? 
What are the intentions behind your words and your actions?
 
In the end, the hope is that all three answers are infused and bathed in Christ.  If for some reason we have a little bit more to do, invite the Holy Spirit to change your heart so that all things belong to him.


 
 
This Week’s Readings:
*Monday – Acts 27
*Tuesday – Acts 28
*Wednesday – Mark 1
*Thursday – Mark 2
*Friday – Mark 3


Prayer Requests:
-Children, Leaders, and Counselors at Camp.
-Families traveling throughout the summer.
-Our unwillingly absent members.
-Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not.
-Comfort those who are grieving and in distress.
-Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. 
-Guidance for those seeking to find their way.
-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


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First Steps – July 17, 2023

Over the July 4th weekend, I was introduced to the concept of “Faith Block.” The author of the blog post described his struggle with writer’s block. Part of his profession is the creation of content and he admitted there were times when it is a struggle to create or generate new content especially when he must do it all the time. As I read his blog, I had great empathy for him because many preachers suffer from the same struggle. In jest, I will often joke that when one lives 2000 years after Jesus, where there have been millions of sermons already preached, coming up with new ways to convey the gospel can be a bit of a task.  

But he asked a question:  Do we suffer from Faith Block?  He didn’t answer the question, for he left it for his readers to answer. I think that is a great question! Faith is designed to be active, fluid, and lived out. It is not designed to be something we think, as if to say, “I believe in God” with no corresponding action(s). Faith is a verb—to have action. It is a way of life where one follows Jesus. Sure, someone will have faith (believe) in Jesus, but that belief must be lived out.

So, I ask you the same question today:  Do you have Faith Block?



 

 
This Week’s Readings:
*Monday – Acts 22
*Tuesday – Acts 23
*Wednesday – Acts 24
*Thursday – Acts 25
*Friday – Acts 26


Prayer Requests:
– Children, Leaders, and Counselors at Summer Camp.
-Families traveling throughout the summer.
_Our unwillingly absent members.
-Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not.
-Comfort those who are grieving and in distress.
-Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. 
-Guidance for those seeking to find their way.
-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


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First Steps – July 10, 2023

Last week, I shared part of my experience at a B.R.I.D.G.E. Graduation Ceremony.  BRIDGE is an acronym for a non-profit organization in Columbus, Georgia (Building Responsible Individuals through Discipline, Guidance, and Education).  One of the speakers shared his experience of graduating with his GED thanks to BRIDGE in 2021.  He shared that until he was introduced to BRIDGE, the last class he attended was in 5th Grade.  Frankly, he had given up on his life.  Thankfully, he entered their GED program and graduated.  As the 2021 BRIDGE’S outstanding student, he was awarded a small scholarship for college, and with the help of an educational counselor, he decided to take the next step to enter a local junior college with his awarded scholarship and Georgia’s HOPE scholarship. 
 
Fast forward to the recent 2023 BRIDGE Graduation Ceremony where he was asked to speak, and he was introduced as the 2021 Outstanding Student.  When he got to the podium, he told the audience, “My introduction needs to be updated for I’m not just an outstanding student, I’m a college graduate.”  As he shared his story, he reminded everyone there to take the next step. He is now taking the next step to enter Columbus State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
 
As he shared his story, I fixated on the phrase just take the next step.  Living a life of faith is simply taking the next step.  As we take one step, another step appears, and then we take that step, and so on.  Anxiety is born out of worry and control of tomorrow.  Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). 
 
Therefore, take the next step. Take it to be more of a disciple.  Take it to begin a better prayer life.  Take it to be more faithful in worship.  There will always be the “what ifs” of tomorrow.  Don’t bring them forward, allow them to stay in tomorrow—focus on what is before you now.  Focus on today and take the next step. 


 

 
This Week’s Readings:
*Monday – Acts 17
*Tuesday – Acts 18
*Wednesday – Acts 19
*Thursday – Acts 20
*Friday – Acts 21


Prayer Requests:
– Children, Leaders, and Counselors at Summer Camp.
-Families traveling throughout the summer.
_Our unwillingly absent members.
-Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not.
-Comfort those who are grieving and in distress.
-Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. 
-Guidance for those seeking to find their way.
-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


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First Steps – July 2, 2023

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a B.R.I.D.G.E. Graduation.  BRIDGE is an acronym (Building Responsible Individuals through Discipline, Guidance, and Education).  This non-profit organization helps individuals obtain their GED so that their graduates can better their future (lives) through education and employment.  At the graduation service, I watched 10 individuals receive their GED.  I was honored to be there to witness their accomplishment.  Some were asked to share their stories consisting of one obstacle after another.  At different points in their lives, each graduate thought a brighter future was impossible and beyond their grasp.
 
I wonder how many people don’t think tomorrow will be better.  For some, it might be a marriage that tetters on the brink for so long, it becomes very difficult to think things can be different.  For another, one bad decision led to another bad decision until finally, one looks in the mirror only to realize he or she has drifted so far with no hope of recovery.  Still for another, there is the constant emotional or physical berating to the point one can’t fathom anything different.  I’m sure there are multiple reasons for every obstacle.
 
One graduate told her story of the importance of faith in God and how knowing God was for her helped her believe she could be something different.  She said, “If God believed in me and cares about my future, then surely I could believe in my future as well.”  My grandmother, who was a great saint of the church, told me often, “Shane, sometimes you don’t realize Jesus is all you need until you realize Jesus is all you got.”  Perhaps this graduate knew my grandmother—I don’t think so, but maybe she had a grandmother who taught her the same lesson. 
 
Here is my point and I borrow the words of that BRIDGE graduate – if God believes in you and cares for your future, then surely you can believe in your future as well.  The story of your life is not complete.  Obstacles can be overcome.  Paul reminded the Romans of this when he said there is nothing that can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8).  I love that chapter because we are quick to see and list the obstacles of how things won’t work; yet, God has a better future, trust in him.


 

 
This Week’s Readings:
*Monday – Acts 12
*Tuesday – Acts 13
*Wednesday – Acts 14
*Thursday – Acts 15
*Friday – Acts 16


Prayer Requests:
– Families traveling throughout the summer.
_Our unwillingly absent members.
-Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not.
-Comfort those who are grieving and in distress.
-Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. 
-Guidance for those seeking to find their way.
-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


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First Steps – June 26, 2023

I’ve always been one that likes explanations.  I want to know how things work and are accomplished.  I think that is why I didn’t come to faith easily.  Early in my life, accepting things I can’t explain was difficult.  I use “was” because I’ve become more comfortable with mystery throughout the years.  As I’ve gotten older, and more mature, I attribute the growth to faith.
 
For instance, Jesus’ death was a real death, a historical fact.  It has been well documented.  Death and burial.  His heart stopped.  His brain activity stopped.  He was dead.  The grand mystery is that he became alive again.  Unfathomable to behold especially since I wasn’t in the tomb watching him come back to life.  However, there is enough evidence for one living 2000 years after the fact to believe his resurrection was a real event.  Frankly, the leaders of the day only had to produce his dead body which would have ended any debate.  At the same time, the disciples sealed their testimonies with martyrdom.  They went from “running for the door” when Jesus died to ardent believers after the resurrection.  They received no financial gain for being a follower of Christ.  Something happened that produced a change.  Well, it stands to reason with a high degree of probability that Jesus was resurrected.  What a mystery.
 
As mysterious as it is and as unexplainable as it is, it shapes my life.  Not just my life, but billions of lives before me.  Paul in 1 Corinthians said it this way, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…for the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”


 

 
This Week’s Readings:
*Monday – Acts 7
*Tuesday – Acts 8
*Wednesday – Acts 9
*Thursday – Acts 10
*Friday – Acts 11


Prayer Requests:
– Families traveling throughout the summer.
_Our unwillingly absent members.
-Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not.
-Comfort those who are grieving and in distress.
-Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. 
-Guidance for those seeking to find their way.
-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


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