Just have Faith

 

Friends of Faith:

Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” Mk 5:21-43

Seems so simple, but do a faith check; and a fear check and a trust check….

How are you really doing?

No matter who we are, there is some area of our life where we “fear” and/or some part of our life where we try to control the situation (so lack faith or trust.)

I haven’t written for a while partly because I have “feared” judgment; that my message would be taken politically or in judgment of another’s fear. And partly because I didn’t want to sound like I was judging another’s faith or trust.

And because of my fear it’s possible that someone else hasn’t been supported or lifted up in their own faith. That’s what being a witness for Christ is all about. That’s what having faith is all about.

What a tangled web we weave – because of fear, because of a lack of trust – or even because we are trusting in something other than God himself.

The woman who was hemorrhaging had faith enough to simply reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak and she was healed. The family of the dying daughter had enough faith to ask for her healing and she was brought back to life – from death to life.

Yes, God has that much power – to bring us back to life. But will we even take the challenge to ask?

My biggest regret looking back at the last 20 or so months, hasn’t been that I feared sickness or death, but that I lacked faith – faith enough in your responses; faith enough in the Holy Spirit so that you would hear HIS message through me. Faith enough that the Holy Spirit would guide my message so that those reading would be converted, be comforted, strengthened and given the courage to trust in their own relationship with Christ Jesus, and in his healing power.

That is what I keep learning that the devil wants – to keep us in fear; to push down our faith; to take away courage inspired by the Holy Spirit and most importantly to keep us away from the Eucharist and our communion of faith – the Church community to which we belong; where we are given strength in numbers (where 2 or 3 are gathered….)

Go. Ask for God’s healing and conversion. Do not fear. Just have faith!!!!

Blessings,

Charlotte

Why do we, Catholics, do what we do?

Friends of Faith:

 I'd suggest the below YouTube video for all Catholic Christians who want the answers to questions they are asked and don't feel confident in answering about why we do what we do; and to all Protestant Christians who have questions about why we as Catholics do ....

The speaker is my nephew-in-law (Matt Stevenson) and he does an excellent job of speaking language we can understand, while giving us biblical sites for reference and further study. THANKS, MATT!!

https://youtu.be/dtDy5HjMCfo

And if you have questions after listening please feel free to reach back out to me. I'd love to be able to find and post answers to your questions.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Happy Father's Day - Repost Fr. Andy Upah Homily June 20, 2021

 Homily for Nativity for Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time 6/20/2021 Fathers Day - Fr. Andy

Happy Fathers Day to all fathers, grandfathers, godfathers and spiritual fathers. 

Since it is Father’s Day, and inspired by today’s Gospel, I feel compelled to talk a little bit about being on the boat with my father.  I have many memories in the boat with dad, mostly on the lake, which is really where the Gospel story today took place - the “Sea” of Galilee is actually a big lake which would only rate as the second biggest lake in the state if it were in Iowa.

But some of my earliest memories with my dad were on the river, no, not the Mississippi River but the Iowa River, which near my hometown is a fast flowing river that in no way would be crossable on foot.  We would take our 16 foot flat bottom boat out with a little 25 horsepower motor on it, armed with poles equipped with 20 lb test and a variety of baits, searching for huge, often elusive catfish.

From early on I remember my dad putting the fear of God into me about the river.  He told me there was to be absolutely no messing around, because if I were to go in, there was no way he was coming in after me.  He often joked about the way he swam, he would always say, “I sink to the bottom and run like heck to the shore!”

But it was a dangerous place, the river, that is, it seems from time to time we would hear of people drowning, and when you were on it, you could see the swirls and imagine the undertows that went along with them, that was where we’d always try to find the big cats at. 

I enjoyed being on the boat with my dad… I was always a little nervous though... I respected the power of the river, especially since my dad, who is still the strongest man I know, respected it and took it so seriously himself.  Not even he could control the river.

In many instances in the Bible, water, the sea symbolizes a place of evil forces that only God can control.  By Jesus showing he could control the sea, He showed Himself to have the power of God, and the disciples began to recognize this: “They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?””

The disciples are learning, through this experience and several more after it (such as driving out demons and raising a girl from the dead), that Jesus is God in their midst and they must trust in Him, that their faith in Him will conquer every fear.  This is a lesson that we must learn ourselves.

How many experiences of God’s presence does it take for us to trust Him fully?  Do we fear the evil in this world that we cannot control?  Do we think that Jesus is in our boat but He is asleep?

St. Augustine suggests that Christ is not asleep in our boat, but rather it is our faith that is asleep. Augustine says, “You are afraid because you are asleep; you are tossed about on the stormy desires raised by the breath of those who tempt you to do evil because your faith is asleep. ‘Your faith is asleep’ means you have forgotten your faith.  To wake Christ means to awaken your faith, to recall what you believe.  Remember your faith; wake Christ within you.  Your faith will immediately [calm] the frightening winds and waves of those who tempt you to do evil.”

St. Augustine is dead right, it is our faith, not Jesus, that goes to sleep.  We forget those times when Jesus was really present.  We let our beliefs go, and give in to temptations, we let our faith be lulled to sleep.  

We fear because we do not trust in God as we should.

An example that I see happen almost every year is when I help lead this Kairos retreat for high school juniors.  When they come into it, they are a little afraid.  Many haven’t been living their faith very well, most people lose their faith in middle school, age 13 in fact, according to national studies. 

They might not even realize they’re afraid, they might just think they’re too cool or that this isn’t a good use of their time, but I think more often than not, those feelings are actually rooted in fear.

So, as the retreat leaders, we have to encourage them from the start, Trust The Process. TTP (- it was written in chalk outside the front door of the Nativity for a couple of months after we hosted Kairos here.)  Don’t fear, don’t anticipate, don’t worry, just Trust.

And they do, and you know what happens?  They have amazing experiences of God’s love for them.

Oftentimes, either directly or indirectly, I am asking you to do something, outside of your comfort zone, whether it be to examine your own fears or hesitancies or to come to the church on a Wednesday night for a Holy Hour, or to attend one activity or another, I am encouraging you to do something, in order to move your faith.

I am trying to be like Jesus here in the sense that I’m trying to wake you up, if you are in fact asleep.  Only you know that, but you can tell by your response to my “asks,” to these opportunities and encouragements regarding your faith.

For many of us, our faith goes to sleep, we let fear take control when we should let God, and this goes for my “asks” as well.  Often, we also might not even realize that it’s fear controlling us. It can show up as different excuses. Everyone says they’re too busy to add anything to their calendar. 

I’d like to challenge that idea by suggesting that maybe we’re just afraid to let go of something that keeps us too busy to be with God. What if we offend someone by insisting we go to Mass on Sunday when we are visiting them out of town? What if we let our kids down by not letting them compete in every single sport and thus ruin their childhood? 

What if it’s hard to make the sacrifices that God is asking of me? Even like getting up earlier so that I can go to Mass before work? I believe that it’s actually fear behind these excuses. 

Whenever we are tempted to fear, especially things that are good and Holy, we need to recognize that lack of faith and turn to Jesus, turn to God who calms the storms of our hearts with His abiding love.

As we heard Paul say in our second reading, “The love of Christ impels us.”  His love for us, our love for Him, it impels us to move forward in faith, to keep our own faith awake while encouraging others in theirs.

Paul goes on to say, “[Jesus] indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

Jesus died to save us from our sins.  Saving His disciples on the boat from an evil they couldn’t control was just prefiguring saving them from a greater evil, our sins, which, without forgiveness, would lead us to eternal death.

And since we have been saved, “The love of Christ impels us” or should impel us, to want to bring that salvation to everyone that we know, to awaken their faith.

St. Josemaria Escriva said, “We are urged on by the charity of Christ to take upon our shoulders a part of this task of saving souls.  As a result, we will foster in ourselves a vehement desire to live as co-redeemers with Christ, to save all souls with him.”

Today, many, many people are asleep, simply because they think everyone will be saved.  For a follower of Jesus, this position does not make any sense.  We heard Jesus' question today, ““Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?””

Why is faith necessary if everyone goes to heaven?  What good is hope either?  But Jesus encourages these virtues.  

He says elsewhere, in Matthew chapter 7, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”

And later in Matthew 10:28 too He says, "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna."

Friends, many people have let their faith fall asleep, and this is what the evil one wants!  We need to help awaken it for them!  I cannot do this on my own, but together we can, that is why we work with Jesus to bring people the Good News of salvation through the forgiveness of our sins.

Just going to Mass when you are on vacation is a powerful witness to others.  Prioritizing Sunday Mass over everything else is a powerful witness to children. We witness the love of Jesus to others oftentimes without saying a thing.

This world is dangerous, like a boat caught in a storm on the sea or in a fast moving river, we cannot control everything, as hard as we try, we need the protection and salvation that comes from Jesus.  

Our responsibility is to first stay alert ourselves, and then to help awaken others to the evil that threatens their souls.  

May God bless and protect us all as we work for the glory of His Kingdom.

Repost National Catholic Register July 18 2020 Do Not Be Afraid

Friends of Faith:

I don't do a lot of reposting -- and this one is almost a year old, but in retrospect it is even more heartbreaking when we think about those who have been "feared" to death and some who are still "sheltering in place" even nearly 18 months later. And the division caused by the fear mongers is equally as stark in it's shouting of evil in our midst.

Please pray for faith and courage for all: for the faithful to speak the truth and for others to open their hearts to hear it. And especially for those who have given up on faith, God, and the promise made to us all -- that HE only will conquer.

I haven't changed anything except to take out pictures and page breaks. If you'd rather go to the original it is at https://www.ncregister.com/blog/coronavirus-stalks-in-the-darkness-but-do-not-be-afraid

In Constant Faith, Hope and Charity/Love,

Charlotte

July 18, 2020 - National Catholic Register - Msgr Charles Pope

Do Not Be Afraid

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91:5-6)

I write this from my perspective as a priest responsible for the care of souls; I do not claim to be a medical expert. My pastoral concern is that we as a nation and as a Church have succumbed to excessive fear, which bespeaks a spiritual problem. The medical concerns arising from the pandemic are not without merit, but they are not unprecedented. What is unique today is the collective paralysis brought on by this fear. I write to express my concern and to reiterate the constant biblical cry, “Do not be afraid!”

Some weeks ago, I wrote here at the Register about the crippling fear that seems to have seized the whole world, calling all to ponder that Jesus came to destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

I cannot avoid concluding that many people indeed are “in slavery through their fear of death.” There seems to be no end in sight for the fear they feel — no solution other than a cure for COVID-19. Watching the news only exacerbates the anxiety, as the media naturally focuses on the areas where things are not going well in our fight against the virus. It has now become politicized and commercialized, because fear is recognized as one of the best ways to control people, to attract viewers, and to sell products.

What will it take to help people get their courage back? What is the endgame that public officials have in mind? Will there ever be a day when we say, “Let’s all get back to normal?” Will we always have to wear masks? Will we ever be allowed to sing, shout or cheer in public again? Will crowds ever be allowed to gather in common areas and convention centers? Will those who go about living life normally always be shamed and called selfish and irresponsible?

Let’s get into our time machine and travel back just one year. Crowds gathered freely; airports were hives of activity; planes were packed with travelers and concert halls were packed with eager listeners. Restaurants were full of diners and churches with the faithful. People shook hands and hugged, their beautiful faces uncovered for all to see. People laughed out loud, choirs sang joyfully and stadiums erupted with cheers after a score.

That was a year ago. Now so many are cowering in fear. They view every human being they encounter as a potential source of grave illness or even death: “He looks healthy, but I’d better stay far away because he may be carrying COVID-19!” Never mind a calculation of relative risks; every human contact might pose an existential threat. As a priest, I cannot imagine anything more demonic than this sort of fear. Satan wants us to fear and even detest one another. Our communion with one another is devasted by this extreme wariness.

“But Father! This is a very different virus. It’s extremely potent. We have to do this!” Again, I am neither a doctor nor a scientist. But I am a priest, and as such I think we must count the other costs. There is more to life than just not getting sick and not dying. People have lost their jobs; food production has dropped, and famine is just around the corner in some parts of the world. Routine medical care has been largely suspended. Important human events like weddings, funerals, the sacraments and enriching cultural events have been curtailed if not prohibited. Schools have closed and few have been permitted or have had the courage to reopen. There is a cost to these losses as well.

We have been through tough flu seasons before without shutting down the country. I remember in 1968 — a terrible year for many reasons — the Hong Kong Flu was raging; 100,000 Americans died from the flu that year. My grandfather was a doctor and warned us about it, but neither the country nor the world shut down. The sick were isolated; the vulnerable were given heightened protection. I remember seeing “Quarantine” signs on the doors of some of the houses in my neighborhood. If someone had the flu, the entire household was ordered to stay inside for two weeks, and that very visible sign was placed on the front door. Meanwhile, the healthy went about their work, and life continued. Yes, the death toll was high, but everyone understood that life had to go on. Years ago, there were so many dangerous illnesses to be afraid of — cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio. It takes courage to live, and people of the time had that courage.

In the current pandemic, which is admittedly severe, we have quarantined the healthy along with the sick, the resilient along with the vulnerable. Crippling fear has seized so many people, and at some point, fear begins to feed on itself. We have shut down our economy, depriving many of their livelihoods and of the dignity that comes from working, from using their talents and from providing for their families.

In the Church, collectively speaking, we too have cowered and capitulated. We have not summoned people to trust and faith. We have hidden our teachings on the role of suffering in bringing forth holiness and future glory. We have not presented the theology of death and dying at a time when it is so needed.

We have limited and even denied the sacraments to the faithful, conveying the silent message that physical health is more important than spiritual health. In some dioceses, churches were locked, confessions forbidden, and Holy Communion inaccessible. Some priests who tried to supply Holy Communion to the faithful in a creative manner were criticized by liturgists and bishops. Some tried offering outdoor or “drive-in” Masses and were met with rebuke. In some cases, Mass was forbidden by local authorities, and many backed down in the face of this external pressure. While we could not recklessly disregard civil ordinances, too many of us were content to hunker down and forego public Mass. We would not utter the biblical cry, “Do not be afraid,” out of fear of being called insensitive or irresponsible.

This situation is unprecedented in our lifetime, so it is understandable that we struggled at first with what to do prudentially. But now we must reflect on all that has happened and resolve to never again allow a governor or mayor dictate whether, when or how we may give the sacraments. Even if government officials can forbid large gatherings, it does not follow that the sacraments cannot be provided at all, via other means. I never refused Holy Communion to anyone who asked me during this time; I merely gave them Holy Communion outside of public Mass. I also continued to hear confessions in the church throughout the period, grateful that my bishop never forbade it or demanded that I lock the church.

What then is to be our role as we go forward? Some universities and public schools have announced that will not reopen for normal, in-person instruction in the fall. Will we simply follow along and refuse to reopen our Catholic schools? Or will we say to our faithful that it is time to go forth into a world that has never been and will never be risk-free, balancing the needs of all against our fear of death? How long will we continue to offer public Masses in the current limited fashion? Masks hide the beauty of the human visage and the subtleties of our expressions; will we return to seeing one another smile, frown, laugh, and cry? Will we go back to shaking hands, hugging, and touching one another? Will I be able to offer Mass without retreating immediately back into the sacristy? Will parishioners be able to mingle and chat after Mass rather than running straight to their cars?

What is our end game? Prudence has its place, but my concern as a pastor and physician of souls is that we are allowing unrelenting fear to drive our response. Until we as the Church confronting the situation and “man up” as Christians should, fear will masquerade as prudence, and folks like me who question whether we’ve gone too far will be called irresponsible and even reprehensible.

For the time being, follow the recommended precautions, but ask yourself, “When will this end, and who will get to decide that?” The Church, and each one of us, has a role to play in ending the fear that this pandemic has set loose. COVID-19 can undoubtedly be a serious illness, but contracting it is far from an automatic death sentence. However, getting sick and even eventually dying is a part of living in this world. Some will call me insensitive for even mentioning this truth, but our parents, grandparents, and more distant ancestors went forth daily into a world that was far more dangerous than anything we have experienced. They lived life, accepting both its blows and its blessings. What about us today? Is God no longer with us? Are sickness and death the worst fate or is crippling fear a far more painful and dehumanizing sentence? Isn’t there more to living than just not dying or not getting sick? Will we as a Church be part of this conversation or will we remain fearfully silent? Will we simply reflect the beliefs and opinions of the current culture, or will we influence it with a theology that insists that suffering and death have meaning and an important role in our lives?

No doubt some readers will think me imprudent, irresponsible, and insensitive. I accept that. But my take is that fear is a far more serious ailment than COVID-19. Life is risky, but there is greater ruin for us if we do not accept it and live anyway. At some point we have to break out of the huddle and run the play. God will be with us.

Msgr. Charles Pope Msgr. Charles Pope is currently a dean and pastor in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, where he has served on the Priest Council, the College of Consultors, and the Priest Personnel Board. Along with publishing a daily blog at the Archdiocese of Washington website, he has written in pastoral journals, conducted numerous retreats for priests and lay faithful, and has also conducted weekly Bible studies in the U.S. Congress and the White House. He was named a Monsignor in 2005.

Repost: Mission Statement: Unashamed by Patrick Madrid

 Worth the repost. Blessings, Charlotte

MISSION STATEMENT: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED

I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.

My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid

The Lent we choose, the Lent God gives us

 

Faithful Friends:

I don’t often borrow a reflection, but this one struck me as particularly challenging. The gospel is Jn 2:13-25.

Borrowed with permission from Mike Day, President NACFLM (National Association of Catholic Family Ministers)

“I’ve often quipped that there’s two Lents: there’s the Lent we choose and the Lent God gives us. There have been many years I’ve charged into the season with grand ideas for penances only to find the most difficult were the sufferings I did not anticipate life throwing my way.

“For the 3^rd Sunday in Lent, the Gospel tells of Christ purging the temple of moneychangers. By pointing out that He did so with a whip made of cords clarifies that this was not some reactionary moment of human weakness. He had time to discern and spent that time in preparation for a response. Christ was consumed by a “zeal for his house” and the sign given for doing this was the temple of His own body which would be destroyed but raised again.

“Through reception of the Eucharist, the “house” in which Christ resides is our very selves. St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit and, like the literal temple, Christ is consumed by zeal for us. For however well-intentioned and insightful our Lenten penances may be, God knows us more intimately than we know ourselves and He desires to drive out from us all that diminishes our worth, dignity and beauty. It is not always a peaceful process and can, like this moment with the moneychangers, be unsettling, tense, and frustrating.

“This is not only true within ourselves but relationships as well. Whether with our spouse, children, extended families or even co-workers, there may be conflicts that threaten to drive us apart. But the virtue of patience can afford us the space and time needed to see the work of purification Christ is doing within us.

“As we cross the halfway point of our Lenten journey, with all the blessings and challenges that have come our way, let us take heart and behold, for Christ makes all things new."

Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Mike Day, President NACFLM"

Blessings on your Lenten Journey, Charlotte

Faith and Culture vs Religion and Politics

 

Friends of Faith,

The Spirit continues to prompt me to write and what I realized this morning is that some of the reason I haven’t is that I didn’t want this blog (my thoughts) to become just another political point of view on our culture.

And yet, I also realize/d that my faith both challenges and forms my political view and is forming each of many very divided cultural and political views, both in this nation and worldwide.  

Recently I read an article entitled: “Why Catholics ‘should’ talk about Religion and Politics.” And I realized before I began, that unfortunately, and sadly, a Christian denomination doesn’t necessarily bring unity to our political viewpoints or necessarily even reflect what we claim as our faith, or our faith’s values and/or beliefs.

And while the culture of society has always been influenced by varying beliefs and “religions”, God’s intention has always been that HE would form, convert and transform our beliefs into what is known as the “common good” and unification -- peace and holiness, ONE HOLY BODY of all.

Instead, the devil (and sin) have been allowed a cultural influence in thousands of Christian denominations and religions (instead of one) and viewpoints so grievously wrong but far spread that they are attempting to overtake God’s very plan for life and holiness. The devil is attempting (and I believe in many ways succeeding) to divide our culture into a war; maybe not the typical war, but a war spiritual in nature. This is not a recent thing as St Paul warned us of it in Eph 6:12: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.”

Let me get back to the beginning.

When Jesus came into this world 2020 years ago, he came to fulfill God’s promise and covenant with Abraham. Genesis 15: 1-6, 21:1-3

God had one purpose in mind for giving us His son, Jesus: to undo the original sin of Adam and Eve. (Jesus paid a debt HE didn’t owe because WE owed a debt WE couldn’t pay.) God was keeping a promise he had made centuries before to His chosen people – to save us – to allow us to be able to choose heaven, to become holy; something that Adam and Eve’s original sin had put into jeopardy.

God’s goal for us was for us to become holy: to join Him in heaven! Nothing more, nothing less – not wealth, power, material possessions or even time for ourselves – “just” holiness – to avoid the sin that separates us from him, shown by our love for Him and love for each other.

And God knew that only by the incarnation (“He Became man” Jn 1:1-5, 9-14) would that promise be fulfilled. He joined us in our humanity so that we might join him in his divinity. His son, Jesus, would (and was) needed to lead us on the path to holiness.

But Jesus’ nature is opposite of what our culture today thinks of as both leader and King. He was not handsome, or wealthy, or powerful as we know it today. And His message, the respect He and His followers were given, and even His death on the cross (as a common thief) was not what would be expected of someone who was sent here to save us.

Likewise, much of our culture today shows no respect for faith, or for a belief in God and Jesus. In fact, our faith is challenged by our culture and belief in Jesus is still quite often mocked, usually when we least expect it; by those we sometimes think or thought we should respect; many times by those within our own churches and families; and especially by those who “claim” or profess to be in charge.

The division that is apparent in our culture is a call to Spiritual Warfare. And the cause of division is the same today as it was in all of the yesterday’s past – the devil, SIN.

When we allow culture to justify sin (ie: that we can choose life, our sex, power and feeling good) over God’s intentions for holiness and the very nature by which He formed us, then we have allowed the devil and SIN to transform us instead of Jesus to convert us. And faith, culture, religion, and politics have converged to where my conversation began – awareness of a deep divide that we are failing to talk about for fear of offending each other.

And yet the “person” we are most offending is God himself.

Think about this in the next conversation you partake in. Are your words kind? Do they speak the truth – God’s truth with honesty, or do they circle around the truth so that they don’t offend? Are we speaking to manipulate or justify our actions or inaction? Or are we speaking to bring awareness and understanding that will lead not only ourselves but others to holiness? Maybe we need to bring that cliché WWJD (what would Jesus Do) more into our daily actions, prayer and decision making.

And politics and religion: If the truth of our faith doesn’t influence our culture – then remember the opposite is true: Our culture AND politics will influence and lead us astray in our faith. And if the Christian faith and truth proclaimed by Jesus doesn’t influence our decisions, who or what is?

WHO are we listening to? And WWJD?

May our conversations be blessed by our faith and God’s truth, rather than avoiding His presence. And may you be blessed by God’s influence in your life, a search for His truth, and His desire for your holiness.

Blessings,

Charlotte