Faith on Fire

Friends of Faith:

I can’t say enough about the Alexander House retreat weekend. Being with Greg and Julie rekindled and energized us as well as fueled the flame we have for speaking the truth designed by God, lived by Jesus, and carried on by the Church and the Holy Spirit with conviction and courage.

Please check out this short clip on Facebook and share with your friends: https://www.facebook.com/gregnjuliealex/videos/10209954265082604/

The devil is still on this earth right where God sent Him (Rev 12:9). So, the evil of this world is nothing new. Nor are the effects of greed, the culture, political influences and the media that he influences and we are prone to listen to. The culture feeds us lies and half truths and quite honestly makes us feel as if it is a shame to mention Jesus at all.

And Jesus’ message hasn’t changed in over 2000 years. It is why we know that His message is God’s message and why we should speak the name of Jesus – louder, bolder and more courageously than ever.

Jesus said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here." Lk 11: 29-32

We are being lied to about what equality is, about what we “deserve,” about what we can choose, and about who we are meant to be. Sin is made easy because it is normalized and legalized (contraception, abortion, gay union, euthanasia, pornography, speech that is “free,” entitlements without work or responsibility, sports “gods” who have Sunday morning ball games or practice (preventing us from attending Mass/worship service), prizes so that everyone wins, acceptance of the “rights” of all, lack of moral judgment, and the list goes on and on).

God gave us a set of “rules” (commandments) to live by. He designed marriage between one man and one woman (Gen 1: 27-28 & Gen 2: 18-25); life is a precious gift from God—it is not for us to choose the timing of when it starts or ends; Our call to holiness is to serve others as Christ served us – by dying – to ourselves and our selfish desires (Eph 5: 21-32); and the path to eternal life is not easy, it does not accept sin without repentance or is given lightly (Mt 7: 13-14).

Who am I listening to? Do I go out of my way to seek the truth daily in Scripture and prayer? Or does social media, the division of politics and the noise of the culture drown out my inner spiritual being and the soft spoken whisper of God’s voice in my life? Am I ready, willing and able to speak Jesus’ name because I know and give thanks for His glory and His story?

And am I living my life with an assured hope that when He comes “today” I am ready to face HIS judgment with repentance and without shame because I have been blessed in the peace and comfort of the wisdom of knowing I have given it my all to live in the Spirit and stay within His design for my life?

Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and happy to be known as companions of your Son. We will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations. Amen

May your faith be on fire and ready to ignite the flame of anyone willing to listen.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Christ's Truth's, Societies Lies

Friends of Faith:

I had the opportunity yesterday to read and review some of my past reflections, including my first formal introduction done almost 7 years ago.

I say my “formal” introduction because these reflections were a growth of informal more targeted and shorter private messages which I wrote to encourage women who shared with me their personal struggles.

And as I wrote those private words of encouragement to them I realized that the struggles they shared with me, which included very personal conflicts within their marriages and families, while they seemed lonely and individual, were shared by us all AND that those struggles very much influenced and/or were being “fed” by societal lies.

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”  Lk 16: 13-15

So as I reread earlier reflections, I was again reminded that each of us share the same struggles because we are being influenced by the same worldly lies which are created by a devil who is cunning and sly, who sneaks in and who tempts, who conquers by dividing, and who constantly tries to get us to choose him instead of God.

Our choices ARE choices because God created us with free will: the only right “freedom of choice,” the first and only freedom to choose, the choice of choosing him over every other choice. Because without this freedom, God’s perfect creation of us in love would never have needed this world at all – we would simply have been created in heaven with him, we would have never gone beyond the paradise of Eden, there would only have been an Adam and an Eve without sin– because, as God proclaimed, “It was good.” (Genesis 1).

And just as I did when I wrote the first private words, I reflected yesterday on the purpose and need for sharing my writings, the need for my own personal change, and how I hope my writings continue to encourage and support others. 

My desire is that each message will continue to revolve around how powerfully Christ’s truthful message of love, joy, peace and hope remains forever a Lenten journey through the sufferings and the sacrifices caused by the influence of societal lies we hear almost everywhere we turn.

So even in those early short private writings I have tried not to share an answer designed with my own thoughts, but rather to be led by the Spirit and to be influenced by Christ’s truths.

And I thought again as I often do about how the devil lies to each of us. Things like: “it doesn’t make me happy;”  “it’s my body, so I should be able to choose,” “the kids will be okay,” and one I heard last night in a TV show: “you’re not Catholic, so you won’t go to hell if…..”

Believe it or not that’s really what the devil is so good at telling us and what the devil so wants us to believe. And believe it nor not much of the division in society is because we do react, act and live in the beliefs of these lies: the need to be happy 100% of the time; the lie that it’s my body, so if I want, I can kill any another body; the belief that what we do doesn’t influence our kids (and others); and even that, oddly enough, only Catholics can go to hell because they have a certain rule that says so about a certain practice. REALLY???

While much “advice” seems to be cliché, Christ’s message has an obvious nature and the truth of it is that Christ’s answer really has only one central message: Love—for all, not just Christians, Catholic Christians, Muslims, believers or non-believers, but for ALL. In this one regard we were all created equally, by God, with an equal (infinite) amount of God’s love. It is God’s eternal love for all for which every human is made, and for which eternal peace, joy and happiness is created.

Jesus chose God and he suffered for God. He accepted the sufferings, blaming no one else for what happened to him. He gave up everything of this world to achieve God’s world (purpose). And in the process He did not judge us, but rather He mercifully and compassionately guided us, forgiving us our shortcomings so that through our own choice to follow Him we too might have the hope of eternal life and find peace and joy in the process.

By my constant, daily choices to choose God I am saying yes to his influence, yes to his honor, yes to serving others, and yes to giving up my worldly desires. I am saying, “yes, I want to attain holiness, not only for myself but that I want to lead others to holiness so that we may all have eternal life and eternal happiness.”

Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast,
so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,  inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5: 6B-8

Heavenly Father: I choose you because you have chosen me. Help me to resist the lies of the devil and to realize that as imperfect as I am, I am not alone, but am created by you, for you, and to be with you forever. May my desire for you allow me to influence those I love in a positive way and may I always be ready and willing to show the same forgiveness, mercy, and compassion that your son, Jesus, showed to us when he died on the cross for my sins, so that together each of us may likewise rise with Christ Jesus on the last day. Amen.

Follow Him. Choose His Truth!

And may the Blessing of His dying and His Rising be with you always,

Charlotte

 

Evangelization

Friends of Faith:

Thankfully since last Monday night our phone has gotten much quieter and I can actually sit and eat, watch TV or take a 5 minute nap without being interrupted by a political phone call or message. One thing the political candidates know how to do very well is to try to convince us that they are the right person.

If we think about it, this same thing has been going on for hundreds of thousands of years. Someone is constantly trying to evangelize us and convince us that we should follow them because their point of view is right. Someone tried to convince someone else that they should cheer for or follow the Broncos or the Panthers, the Republicans or the Democrats, the Union or the Confederacy, the Christians or the Jews, Isaac or Ishmael, or God or the Devil.

Not only are we asked to choose a side, but we feel compelled to convince others that A choice, our choice, is the Right choice.

I think we can all agree that of these choices there is only one that has always been THE RIGHT choice – God. We will always be right if we honor God and follow His command. Yet how often do we evangelize for what He designed, for what God has proclaimed to be right?

God IS Love. God designed life to BE love. God designed marriage to continue to give life AND love. This was his first command to Adam and Eve – to be fruitful and to multiply; so that God’s love, life itself, would continue to BE shown to others through our own lives.

God sent us Jesus to teach and give us forgiveness: Jesus showed us mercy and love. God sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us: so that we would know how to serve each other in love. God appointed and made covenants with Abraham, Moses, David, Peter and His successor Bishops (the design of the Church) to lead His people. God promised them that He would give us our daily bread – that we would need nothing but Him.

“Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.” Lk 5:11

God gave us everything we have and everything we need. And then He asked us to become fishers of men, to speak up for Him, to be His voice to others – so that by our actions, in our prayer, in our deeds and in our words, every person would come to know Him. He directed the apostles, the first priestly followers of Christ (Christians), to leave everything else behind and to follow him.

We were not put here to choose between insignificant sports teams, to be divided into political parties, or to glorify and honor some voice, bachelor or Star Trek star. Our choice shouldn’t first be about the economy or the environment, about what food we eat or in what nation we sleep, but rather about how to protect, populate and promulgate life itself.

Our “job” is to love, to be givers of life and fishers of men; to protect the life we have been given and to spread God’s word so that more may be blessed with knowing His infinite love and living in his heavenly kingdom.

The devil has been working overtime to trick us into thinking that other choices are more important than the first choice: God’s gift of life. If we only look at the political forum, it is shouting volumes to confuse and spread messages contrary to, and seemingly more important, than God’s carefully planned design to continue His kingdom, here on earth and in heaven.

The devil has convinced some that a child may be an economic burden instead of God’s continued creation to spread and show us how to love. What if the life we choose to deny is God’s design to be His next Abraham or Peter?

The devil has convinced some that marriage isn’t about a unity to procreate God’s children, but rather a means to give human pleasure. Choosing to honor God by honoring His commandments may mean that we must take up His cross and deny ourselves.

The devil is convincing some that we shouldn’t open our doors to share our daily bread by serving to love those who are in need. What if we (not a government) have been put here to be God’s hands to give someone their daily bread?

Satan temps us to turn away from God and to “fish” for ourselves, our pleasures, our happiness, rather than to be “fishers” of men, to show others God’s love and call others to God’s kingdom. His mission is to divide us and separate us from God’s design.

Heavenly Father, You have given us the first and greatest gift, life itself, so that Your heavenly kingdom will be shared by all. Help me to spread Your message to others so that more may come to know you. Help me to be a more loving, more compassionate, more convicted fisher of men and women. Grant me mercy when I fall to the devil’s deception and serve myself. Help me to keep You first in my life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be one with you each week in the celebration of the Eucharist. Amen.

We are all searching. No human is perfect. But God has told us that the Holy Spirit will guide us; that the Church will lead us and that hope will energize us so that we can confidently spread His design to others.

If you are looking for a retreat, renewal and/or a time for evangelization with Jesus and other “fishers of men/women” please consider the women’s CEW next weekend, Feb 19-21 or the men’s CEW Feb 26-28. For more information or a brochure on CEW go to http://sthenrychurch.com/CEW.htm.

There has never been a better time to unite and to Go Forth to Spread His Good Word,

Blessings,
Charlotte

A Bigger Picture

Friends of Faith:

Many of you know that for the past 2 ½ years I have been attending Diaconate formation classes every other Saturday with Stan (part of a 4 ½ year formal discernment and formation process to be ordained as a Deacon in the Catholic Church). And you probably have suspected that some of my reflections come from this experience.

Much like my Sunday homily notes, my notes from these classes are starred and underlined with years of reflection material that this once a week writing will never thoroughly reflect upon.

My notes can never fully capture all the who, what, when, where, why’s or how’s of God, of Jesus, or of the Spirit of the Church. Because to capture approximately 4,000 years of history before God sent His son, or another 2,000 years of church history since Jesus arrived, is a much bigger picture than any of us individually have the time, energy or brain to absorb, or that any book (even the Bible) could contain.

Only God has the power to see the big picture. Only God is big enough to design and hold together that picture.

“And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,^* to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body’s growth and builds itself up in love.” Eph 4: 11-16

And what happens when we think we know the big picture?

Our instructor this Saturday said, “In terms of our witness to the world Christian division is scandalous.”

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Mk 3: 24-25

So with each passing day I search for the bigger picture to be revealed to me. I search not to be swayed by the devil’s work that tries to divide, scandalize and reform the Church beyond recognition. I seek discernment through prayer, through partaking of the Sacraments, and through continual learning of Church history—especially that of the very early Church. And I strive to avoid political rhetoric and social posturing which makes government (the people) believe they can become bigger than God, or a god by themselves.

Heavenly Father: Thank you for allowing me the time to spend in instruction and formation with those who have been equipped for ministry, and with those who are being trained for building up the body of Christ.  I yearn for total unity and true maturity of my own faith. And I hope that each of my Christian brothers and sisters will never stop seeking the bigger picture and will take full advantage of the tools (Sacraments) and the grace that your Son was sent to bring to us through the Church he left behind. Amen.

Pray constantly and seek to find unity through love.

It is the devil’s work to divide us. Jesus Christ left us His Church to unite us.
 God is the ultimate artist and He is wants each of us to unite to be a part of the big picture he designed.
Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving,
Charlotte

A Smile

Friends of Faith:

Smiling is a universal language. “Smile and the world smiles with you.” “A smile is the shortest distance between two people.” “Smiles multiply.” “You are someone’s reason to smile.” “A smile through tears is the most beautiful smile.” “A smile makes the world go round.” (I think this one should be, “a smile goes around the world.”) “Use your smile to change the world today but don’t let the world change your smile.” And, “Peace begins with a smile”—Mother Teresa.

 

As I was relating “fire stories” to one friend, she commented, “sounds like God has given you a few small miracles.” And I commented back—“yes, God has given us many BIG miracles.” Miracle after miracle, smile after smile—I wonder what God is thinking—not just about my own reactions, but about the reactions to the reactions of my actions, about how his miracles, his blessings are being carried forward. I hope each of my smiles is being carried on, multiplying as it travels, becoming love, peace and joy for someone who needs it more than this someone who is already so blessed.

 

"Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered,‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

“He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’” He spoke to them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” ….His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels….”” Mt 13:24-43

 

This weekend’s reading of the parable of sowing weeds amongst the good seed, and of the parable of the mustard seed, made me draw parallels between the sowing, growing, greatness and strength of the Christian community to the likeness of the spreading of a smile, just as God spreads the seed, and of the smallness of the mustard seed, to the seeming smallness of a smile which grows great and strong.

 

There is also the parallel of the devil that sows and promotes weeds to the everyday spreading of rumors and untruths, wherever possible, into every event of our lives, with the hope to cause us as Christians to believe the weeds are real, and to fail or make us forget to look around for real beauty, true blessings, growing around us.

And how God’s hand, his seed, is always the greater, better part of every circumstance: how his seed, like the mustard seed, like a glimmer of a smile, always grows stronger, taking over the entire field if we nurture and spread it—leaving the weeds behind, to be gathered at the end and burned, while the beauty of the flowers of the field are gathered by angels.

But what if what God plants, we as Christians sit back and ignore, become complacent and accepting of the weeds, allowing rumors and untruths to grow? Won’t this then mean the devil is being allowed a ground to play on, and the beauty of the flowers growing in the field could be overshadowed?

 

Heavenly Father, Your seed is strong, Your smile is powerful. I know I am as small as a mustard seed. Help me to become strong in faith so that my seeds, my smiles, will grow and spread. Thank you for your continued blessings of the smiles you send to give me peace and encourage me, the seeds of Christian friends, who support me when I am weak. Help us together to uphold the beauty of Your field, the Church, a community of love. Amen.

 

So as to kill some of those weeds, the rumors: we are doing fine; the shop, both sales and service, are up and running thanks to wonderful neighbors and friends; our insurance company is treating us well; I am thankful for my new offices downtown and enjoying having neighbors to smile at. And Stan’s phones are working J.

 

Please continue to pray for a resolution by the Fire Marshall as to the cause of the fire so we can begin demolition and rebuilding. As they are doing their job, God is developing our patience.

Although His miracles, like our smiles, might be small at first – His miracles, just like our smiles, are always big as they grow and spread into others’ worlds. When we are weak, he is strong.

 

If you are struggling to smile because you have no one physically smiling at you just try Googling: “smiles!!!” (And see the poem below)




The smile on my face doesn’t mean life is perfect; it means I appreciate what I have and what God has blessed me with.

Keep smiling, God loves you. Do me (or someone) a favor and smile, for you are someone else’s reason to smile,

Blessings,

Charlotte

PS: I couldn’t resist posting this poem – insert a smile at every dare…..
Dare to Be
When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can –
At all times, Dare to be!”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Spirit Led

Friends of Faith:

“My heart is restless until it rests in Thee.”St. Agustin

 

This may sound abstract, or like something that only happens when we die, but it came to make more sense for me this weekend when a deacon said: “The devil can imitate many of the things that God can do but the devil can’t give us peace.”

I thought of the inner conflict reflected in Lk 4: 1-13 when Jesus was tempted by the devil with his own words from Scripture. And how we often don't recognize Jesus just as the disciples didn't on the road to Emmaus Lk 24: 13-25. And I was comforted by the following Psalm.
 

My soul rests in God alone, from whom comes my salvation. God alone is my rock and salvation, my secure height; I shall never fall…Even from my place on high they plot to dislodge me. They delight in lies; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. My soul, be at rest in God alone, from whom comes my hope….Mortals are a mere breath, the powerful but an illusion…Do not trust in extortion; in plunder put no empty hope. Though wealth increase, do not set your heart upon it. …Power belongs to God…so too, Lord, does kindness, And you render to each of us according to our deeds Ps 62: 1-13

 

It made me think about many of the decisions I make each day, from the little ones, like what food I want to eat; to the big ones, like which thing on the list should be my priority; to the monetary ones like how to charge a client for the work I have done; and to the more moral ones, like how to react to someone who is angry with me.

 

In each case when my choice was healthy food; giving time to Stan or a family member or a friend in need; based on value not greed; or was a choice of patience and kindness instead of from a competitive—win it all for me nature, I realized that with each decision I had found a sense of peace instead of indecision or struggle. It made me realize why both St. Agustin’s famous quote and the deacon’s advice made my Godly decisions help me find peace, hope and ultimately joy—because I was resting in and choosing God’s will.

 

Lord Jesus, send us your Spirit so that we may be helped to make our decisions based on Your truth rather than the seeming power and the lies of the devil. Come Holy Spirit, Create in us a stillness so we can hear Your voice in creation and in Scripture, in events and in people, especially in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, may know the power of your resurrection and witness to others that you live now among us, the true source of fraternity, justice and peace. Even when the decision is difficult help us to find rest in You. This we ask you, Jesus, Son of Mary, you who revealed the Father to us and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

 

May you find peace and joy this week, by choosing God in every decision, big and small,

Blessings,

Charlotte

We Can Become

Friends of Faith:

“Lord, may your kingdom come.”

We can always become more. We can always become greater. We can always become more knowledgeable by having a deeper understanding and fulfillment thru the Spirit of Christ.

Stan and I have become even more aware as we have talked to others about the opportunity of the Alexander House marriage retreat this weekend that regardless of where we are at or what we are doing in our lives we need encouragement, enrichment and enlightenment –to stay focused, to know our purpose and to not become complacent or think that we have it all figured out.

(You can still take advantage of this awesome opportunity to build, grow, strengthen and enrich your marriage by joining other Christian couples this weekend, Saturday, Sept 14 at St. Henry’s in Marshalltown from 9-4:30. Please register asap by going to www.enjoyyourmarriage-iowa.eventbrite.com or by replying to this email so that we can plan for materials, food and setup (and especially, if needed, childcare).

We can always become more, greater, more knowledgeable – the excuse, in this instance, “that my marriage is doing okay” (replace that with any of your responsibilities and/or jobs in life) –only works today, because tomorrow will certainly change the “okay” to something different – for better or for worse, depending on the choices we make—the choice to be okay with okay, to fall down, or to continue the quest to become better, as God calls us to be.

“It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.

…That their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, to have all the richness of assured understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col 1: 28-2: 3

God’s work here on earth is to give us the grace so that we can be presented perfect in Christ. He promises us we can become more! And because it is hidden in the treasures of the knowledge of the mystery of Christ we are called to a continuous quest and search for his wisdom.

So are we “satisfied?” Do we really just want to be “okay”at marriage, our job, as a part of any team, or in life in general?

Matthew Kelly says: “We are made for greatness but the world calls us to be average.”

Wouldn’t it be more fun to say: “I am great!” “We are great!” “My marriage is great!” “My job is great.” And “I am fulfilled by knowing God in those around me.”

Becoming great is a constant journey. A journey where we can’t be complacent or “okay” because “okay” is never great, it is just okay.

Just as is God always present and available to us, so the devil also seeks to become a greater part of our lives. If we in anyway take God out of the equation (by a lack of forgiveness, by judging another person’s intentions, by self reliance or self indulgence, or by worshiping and trusting false gods (money, entertainment, or secular media) then the “okay” will become sorrowful and regretful because we have let down our guard and the devil has inserted first his toe and then his entire self into our slightly open door.

But when we invite God IN, when we open our heart and open His door by seeking His truth, His aid and His mercy and understanding, his grace blocks the devil out and with His help, the “okay” turns to “GREAT!”

Heavenly Father, it is in You we become great. Thank you for your constant reminders that you are in charge and without you I would be nothing. Help me to give you control over my life. Strengthen all those who struggle to give their heart to you, to forgive as you teach, and to remain in your truth. Amen.

God asks us to become GREAT, to be perfect in Christ, like Him –to continually seek His truth, and to seek education which teaches His plan for us (as in the marriage retreat). We can never be perfect – but we can keep trying, we can keep working, we can become….

Better, greater, richer in Him.

In Christ,

Charlotte

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