Luke 6:38 ("The Precious Present"!)

Let's welcome God today with this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (archive, Facebook), based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Give and gifts will be given to you...shaken down, and overflowing... Luke 6:38 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "It's an odd thing in our culture that the most generous among us are so often those with the least. Maybe they already know that what they have is a gift. They know they're not entitled to it, so they are willing to share with those around them. Affluence seems to cloud this knowledge: The more we have, the more we seem to have a sense of entitlement. "I've worked hard to get where I am" is a sentiment affluent tend to have, as though working hard were enough. But [those] who "made it" had some break, some opportunity that others didn't have or couldn't take advantage of for reasons beyond themselves. No one is truly self-made. Indeed, we have been showered with gifts "shaken down, and overflowing." I pray that all of us can see that everything we have is a gift and give to others [time, talent, treasure]." Aileen O'Donoghue

Pat's nuggets:

* Today's snippets reminded me of the insightful short story "The Precious Present" (God's gift of life...right now).

* Last Sunday, Father Chris drove over from Alton (IL) for dinner and blessed our home...every room (30 sec video)! A blessing sets something aside for God's glory. Fr Chris used holy water that Grace got last year...holy water apparently has an eternity expiration date. If you haven't had your home blessed, consider doing this before Easter.

* A friend recently asked, "why does faith always grow best in the valleys?" My response, "In reading about the Saints, they would actually thank God for their valleys (hardships)...because this is when they turned to God the most and were in turn closest to God. If someone has a weak faith life, they may instead question/curse God in the valleys. The song "Praise You In This Storm" is about trusting God...even in the valleys [John 16:33]."

Faith Challenges: Let's generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding a devotion or using the Facebook "invite people to join" link.

* NEW: Big high five to Christy Hubka for leading 8 friends to the LIFE Group last week, simply by using the "invite people to join" link on Facebook..."Faithbook"!

* NEW: During our Lenten journey, how can we share "the precious present" with others? Facebook comments are welcome...

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, Vatican, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images), #1 cause of death in America (23% of pregnancies). Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace, rebuilding a Culture of Life for setting the unborn (and parents) free!

* NEW: 40 Days for Life (until 28 March), 105 babies saved so far

* NEW: The following news story is horrifying, Uganda parents murdering their born children to increase their standard of living. Abortion is as horrifying...the murdered children are just younger. Witch-doctors reveal extent of child sacrifice in Uganda.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together, and close to God (footnotes). Peters family (JP). Prayer to end abortion.

* NEW: Pam McGushin (for Lisa Lackey's father, cancer tests), Carol Nesbitt (mother-in-law Jean had a serious stroke), Pat/Angi Castle (for new God-daughter, Delaney Hansens)

Faith Quotes:

* Carolyn McKissack shared: "Remember...just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. Every saint has a past...every sinner has a future!" by G.K. Chesterton

* "Activists on life and family are the cultural Marines of our age. Keep up the good fight and remain Semper Fidelis." by John-Henry Westen (Editor-in-Chief LifeSiteNews)

* "I want my life to honor you, Jesus, by loving how You loved and living how You lived." by Pastor Don Bird

Courage for our Lenten journey,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn't, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.

* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, pornography, bitterness, criticalness, impatience, 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 live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).

* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a 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 (Matt 28:19).