| About 18 months ago, a friend of mine shared these statements with me: I can’t_____but I can… We don’t have____but we do have… My people won’t_____but I can lead them to… This won’t work______but what would work is… People won’t like it if_____but God will love it if… 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 didn’t plan on a rut. It just happened, little by little. Words like “I can’t” or “it won’t” or “I don’t” frame a person’s 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 “I can’t”, “it won’t”, and “I don’t.” Then substitute with “I can…,” “this will…,” or “I will…,” 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. |
| “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 |