| About 18 months ago, a friend of mine shared these statements with me: I canāt_____but I canā¦ We donāt have____but we do haveā¦ My people wonāt_____but I can lead them toā¦ This wonāt work______but what would work isā¦ People wonāt like it if_____but God will love it ifā¦ She was facilitating a conversation around leadership with a group of pastors. Lately, I wondered if these same statements could apply to relationships. Many times, relationships fall into ruts. The parties involved didnāt plan on a rut. It just happened, little by little. Words like āI canātā or āit wonātā or āI donātā frame a personās outlook and can negatively influence the future of relationships. Sometimes, a change in vocabulary can lead to a change in outlook which starts a new pattern. Try it and see. First, notice the āI canātā, āit wonātā, and āI donāt.ā Then substitute with āI canā¦,ā āthis willā¦,ā or āI willā¦,ā and see what happens. When relationships are detailed in ruts, someone must be the more mature one to begin a new pattern. Often, a new pattern can begin with a new word.  This Week’s Readings: *Monday – 2 Corinthians 11 *Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 12 *Wednesday- 2 Corinthians 13 *Thursday – Matthew 1 *Friday- Matthew 2 Prayer Requests: *Our Confirmands and High School Graduates as they transition. *An immediate end to the crisis in Ukraine. *Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. *Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. *Give our leaders extra wisdom as they navigate this pandemic and economic uncertainty. *Help for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC. |
| āDonāt worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.ā – Philippians 4:6 |