Revelation 2:2,4 ("burn brightly without burning out")

Welcome God every morning before your work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com). All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

I know your works, your labor, and your endurance...Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Revelation 2:2,4

Living Faith snippets: "We do the right thing, we work hard, we endure patiently, we reject evil. But sometimes, in our efforts to do, we forget the most important thing...that "first love" we had for God. Our love for God grows by spending time with [Him]...while driving, playing with the kids, cooking dinner and looking at the sunset. Lord, help me remember that every moment of my life gives me an opportunity to love you." by Susan K. Rowland

Pat nuggets:

* My friend Don Bird (Methodist Pastor) recently sent me his weekly devotion, which compliments today's verse/snippets...coincidence?, I think not! Here are a few snippets: "Richard Biggs said, "Burn brightly without burning out." How do we allow our love, our witness, our friendship, our passion to burn brightly without feeling worn down, tired, and exhausted after a while?" Some of us even use it as an excuse to keep not doing anything - I know I've used it in my life before. It says in Psalm 127:2, "It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night...for God gives rest to his loved ones." [To] "burn brightly without burning out"...we stay connected to God. We spend time with Him in prayer and in His Holy Word. But, we also spend time with each other. Other Christians who can encourage us and share in the ministry with us. Ephesians 4:16 says, "As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." We don't have to do everything on our own! My prayer for us is that each of us may be reminded again of our NEED for God and resting with Him and our need for each other. That is why worship, small groups, Bible studies, coffee breaks, phone calls, letters, are so vital and important. God created us to stay connected to Him and to one another."

* Today's image was taken at Mark Foster's First Communion Mass.

ProLife news: http://www.lifesitenews.com/

* Some snippets from "Bishops React to Priest who Told Obama-Supporting Catholics to Confess before Receiving Communion": "Following Obama's election, Fr. Jay Scott Newman wrote a letter to parishioners stating, "Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance." Fr. Newman will not refuse Communion to individual parishioners, as Church law would require in the case of a pro-abortion Catholic politician or other well-known public figure. “Personally, I think it is valuable to have this discussion in the secular media because, many times, many Catholics don’t go to Mass, and so they come at this issue from a secular viewpoint,” said diocesan spokesman Steve Gajdosik. “I think to Father Newman’s credit, he isn’t afraid to tackle tough issues.” Archbishop Burke (formerly archbishop of St. Louis), said in an interview just before election day that for a citizen to not "support and vote for the candidate who most supports the inalienable dignity of innocent and defenseless life" is "to participate, in some way, in the culture of death.” Bishop Emeritus Rene Henry Gracida of Corpus Christi, TX, [said regarding Fr. Newman], "admiration and awe. I find nothing in what he has written that is at variance with the Magisterium of the Church." [Fr. Newman said], "a vote for a pro-abortion candidate can be a mortal sin if the intent is to support abortion, that abortion is not merely one issue among other important issues, and that no Catholic should endorse a pro-abortion politician if a plausible pro-life alternative is available." Jim Sedlack, Vice President of the American Life League, "We pray more men like Fr. Newman will stand up and enforce Canon 915." Canon 915 deals with the subject of the distribution of Communion to those who are obstinately persisting in grave sin. Numerous U.S. bishops issued a sustained volley of statements throughout the months prior to the presidential election condemning Catholics who supported pro-abortion candidates. Prior to his election to the pontificate [Pope], Cardinal Ratzinger had written to U.S. bishops saying that voting for a pro-abortion candidate without proportionate reason incurred moral guilt that disqualified a Catholic from receiving communion." http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08111408.html

* Let's pray for courage to build relationships and talk about ProLife. Let's pray that We The People of America (beacon on the hill) will shine Christ's Light and build a culture of Life.

Our Prayers: Prayer to End Abortion, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, Joe Castle (medical concern), Joe Hourigan (special intention), Pam McGushin (family of six yr old William Hopkins), Mary Ellen Seibert (college daughter Paige has tough virus), Lynn Bishara (aunt Mary with ovarian cancer), Stephanie Spader (babies with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome)

* Pam McGushin: "This is my first experience with the loss of someone so young and it is devastating. However, I realize that the whole time we were praying for him to be saved (in a sense for him to be allowed to fulfill his life on earth), God's plan was indeed to save him and is life on earth WAS fulfilled. Our prayers WERE answered! He was "rescued" from his suffering and his life on earth was fulfilled by bringing joy and understanding of His mercy to all who knew him. I hope others gained from this little angel what I was blessed enough to learn! May he forever rest in peace in the comfort of Heaven."

Faith Quote: "Remember, you can't do it alone. Some folks try will all kinds of coping mechanisms. [You need to] learn to live loved. It's not an easy concept for humans. You have a hard time sharing anything. What [the Trinity] desires is that you re-turn to us, and then we come and make our home inside you, and then we share...the journey." Jesus in fictional book The Shack by William P. Young

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him.'

* Fasting: Let's fast from things that takes our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, judgment, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.

Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!