Jonah 1:3 (Ticket to Tarshish)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.

"But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the Lord. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord." ~ Jonah 1:3 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: In today's reading, God gave Jonah a mission to travel to Nineveh and preach to the people to repent of their wickedness. However, Jonah was reluctant to do what the Lord had asked of him, because he hated the Ninevites, who were oppressive enemies of the Jews. Therefore, Jonah took a ticket to Tarshish, and ran away from God's command. Isn't this typical of many of us today? God calls us to follow Him, and we decide to evade His calling. Like foolish Jonah, we take a ticket to Tarshish. Whenever we put anything before our duty to God, we are following in the steps of Jonah. The ticket to Tarshish is the easy way; it is the convenient way; it is man's way. Don't run away from the Lord; don't try to avoid the Truth for God may have to make a storm in your life to save you. Lord, the waters of my life are peaceful when I follow You. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Are your own desires getting in the way of following God's commands? Cancel your ticket to Tarshish and follow God's calling.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day: Saint Adalgott

Faith Quote: "Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is." ~ unknown author

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.

* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Luke 8:18 (Hearing Aids)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.

"Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away." ~ Luke 8:18 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: Yesterday, you most likely heard the Word of God at church. Did you prepare yourself to receive God's Word? Today's Gospel says, "take care, then, how you hear." As Christians, we have the responsibility to prepare ourselves to hear the Word of God so that we may internalize it and become a light to others. Here are ten tips on how to prepare ourselves to listen to the Word of God. 1) Pray to God before church that He will grant you a receptive heart. 2) Meditate on the readings the night before church. 3) Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment. 4) Trust in the truth that you already have. 5) Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning. 6) Make peace with those around you and forgive them. 7) Be meek and teachable when you come to church. 8) Be still as you enter church and focus your mind's attention and heart's affection on God. 9) Think earnestly about what is sung, prayed, and preached. 10) Desire the Truth of God's Word more than you desire riches or food. Lord, prepare my heart to hear Your Word so that I may be a light to others. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Prepare yourself to hear God's Word for every Sabbath Day.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life,Vatican, Project Rachel

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day: Saint Januarius.

Faith Quote: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" ~ Mark 4:9

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.

* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Daniel 9:4 (The Spiritual Hearing Aid)

Welcome God today with this LIFE Group Devotion (website, Facebook).

"I prayed to the Lord, my God, and confessed." Daniel 9:4 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: Our ears can become plugged with our sins, making us hard of hearing with the Word of God. However, God can clean out our ears with prayer, fasting, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). The Sacraments are Biblically based gifts from God for staying close to Him. During the Sacrament of Baptism (John 3:5), all of our sins are removed, including Original Sin (Adam and Eve); however, we will again need reconciliation with God when we fall short (sin). The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a spiritual hearing aid that is sometimes avoided because a person does not want to confess their sins out of fear, embarrassment, or pride. Also, some believe that this Sacrament is not necessary because they can receive forgiveness with God on their own, which is certainly possible. However, Scripture encourages us to confess our sins to another (James 5:16), to facilitate contrition and for supportive counsel. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, ordained priests give supportive counsel and have the authority to assure us that our sins are forgiven (John 20:21-23)...and most importantly we receive God's Sacramental grace to help us heal and not repeat our sins. Pope John Paul II apparently used the Sacrament of Reconciliation daily, primarily to receive the gift of God's grace. Even after a dramatic conversion (metanoia) that marks full reconciliation and the beginning of a new life in grace, we will still need the Sacrament of Reconciliation to remove future sin. We must continually seek and accept God's forgiveness, which empowers us to forgive ourselves and others. Lord, open my ears through the powerful healing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). Amen.

Faith Challenge: During these 40 days of Lent, let God clean out your ears with the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that you may more clearly hear Him calling you.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life, Live Action

* “The worst attack…ever.”: "That’s what Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards recently called the all-out effort to defund the abortion giant. And it’s true. Never in its 95-year history has Planned Parenthood been this vulnerable."

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption, Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Faith Quote: "We sin not because we want what is evil, but because we want what isn't good enough." ~ Scott Hahn (Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession)

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!

* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (23% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa

* Evangelize:Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Comments? To subscribe/unsubscribe to the emails, go to LIFE Group Devotions or LIFE Runners Updates.

John 8:37 (Being Mindful of God)

Let's welcome God today with this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (archive, Facebook), based on Living Faith. Prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers. James 1:22

... my word has no room among you. John 8:37 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "We wonder how we can make space for the wise and compassionate voice of Christ in the midst of so much noise pollution. The truth is we have to cooperate with the little opportunities we are given each day to slow down, become quiet and notice how the Holy One is speaking to us." by Terri Mifek

Rich's comments: One way that we can be mindful of God's presence in our lives is to prayerfully review our day's activities before going to bed. Saint Ignatius of Loyola developed a simple method called Daily Examen that can be used to review each day in a way that will help us grow closer to God in our thoughts and deeds. The Daily Examen has 5 steps: Stillness (recalling God's presence), Gratitude (expressing thankfulness), Reflection (looking back on our day), Sorrow (asking for forgiveness), and Hopefulness (resolving to grow). By reflecting on our day, we can become more aware of God's presence in our lives. This will help us to be more in tune to God's call, so that we may respond with love.

Faith Challenges: Let's generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding devotions or using the Facebook "invite people" link.
* NEW: What do you do to be mindful of God's presence in your day? Please consider sharing your devotion thoughts on the Facebook page, to be appreciated by many.

Counter-Culture News: 40 Days for Life, 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 expose abortion's unjust peace, rebuilding a Culture of Life for setting the unborn (and parents) free!
* NEW: Vietnamese Abortion Rates Skyrocket; Doctors Anguished by the Killing

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together, and close to God (footnotes). Peters family (JP). Prayer to end abortion. Stephanie Kemp (special intention), Pat Castle (Uncle Jim Castle with blood clots).

Faith Quote: “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you and I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road although I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” - Thomas Merton

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* 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).

Matthew 20:17 (Teach Me Your Ways)

Let's welcome God today with this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (archive, Facebook), based on Living Faith. Prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers. James 1:22

He took the twelve [disciples] aside by themselves... Matthew 20:17 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "In the same way that Jesus took his disciples away from the crowds to teach them, so we are to spend time with him during Lent. There we will learn to live his beliefs and values. Lent is the perfect time to choose a portion of one of the four Gospels to read and pray each day. If we do so, we will be much like the disciples, intently listening to the life and message of Christ. Beloved Teacher, draw me aside with you. Teach me your ways. Help me to follow you." by Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.

Rich's comments: You might find at your church that the pastor's time is highly coveted. Every Sunday after church, I always witness a large gathering around our pastor. It is not so much that he is extremely friendly (even though he is); but I think that his popularity can be attributed to parishioners' desires to become holy and closer to God. They feel blessed when they can have a few moments alone with the pastor to discuss their faith, and possibly learn something that will bring them closer to Christ. We are all blessed that we have the opportunity to be alone with Christ. We have the Gospels that we can prayerfully read and imagine ourselves right there with the chosen twelve listening intently to the life and message of Christ. Lord Jesus, I covet Your time. Teach me Your ways. Amen.

Faith Challenges: Let's generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding a devotion or using the Facebook "invite people to join" link.
* NEW: What are your favorite lessons from the Gospels? Consider commenting on the Facebook page.

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: For pro-life advocates, the healthy birth of ‘Baby Claire’ puts a fitting close to Las Vegas’ most dramatic pro-life rescue, and gives further proof that a late-term abortion can successfully be reversed in some cases. Dramatic Vegas Abortion-Reversal Results in Healthy Birth

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together, and close to God (footnotes). Peters family (JP). Prayer to end abortion.
* NEW: Vicki Kerkvliet (her Mom is having heart problems)

Feast Day: St. Katharine Drexel. "In 1894, Mother Drexel took part in opening the first mission school for Indians, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1915 she also founded Xavier University in New Orleans. Because of her lifelong dedication to her faith and her selfless service to the oppressed, Pope John Paul II canonized her on October 1, 2000 to become only the second recognized American-born saint."

Faith Quote: "Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths." Psalm 25:4

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* 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).

1 Kings 8:12 (don't be afraid of the dark)

Let's welcome God today by reflecting on this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (website, 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

Then Solomon said, "The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud." 1 Kings 8:12 (full readings)

Living Faith Snippets: "Living faith in the light is lovely. We join hands and marvel at the miracles and joy found in community ministries and in public celebrations of baptism, marriage and the Eucharist. But God also is there in the dark cloud, as Solomon noted when the ark of the covenant was brought to the new temple. Living faith in the darkness of crisis and struggle and uncertainty can be profound, for what we learn there moves us closer to the light." by Melanie Rigney

Pat's Nuggets: May the Peace of Christ be with the LIFE Group today and always!

* Today's snippets about darkness reminded me of the song "Here I Am" by Tom Booth (listen/lyrics): "I am here in the midst of every trial. I am here in the face of despair. I am here when pardoning your brother. Here I am, I am here."

* Pam Hourigan shared on our Facebook Group: "I have always taught my kids (including those in my girl scout troops, RE classes, etc) to keep your eyes open everywhere they go for those that look like they need to see the face of Christ...and then give them what they need, even if it is only a small way. Small ways add up, and you might just get an incredible friend in return...Some of the most interesting people I have met in my life were those I just took the time to listen to!"

* Thanks for sharing our LIFE Group with others...new members include Darin Berndt, Joe Hayes, Brian Christiansen, Catherine Jurgensen...welcome!

Faith Challenges:

* Let's generously invite others to join the LIFE Group by forwarding a devotion or using our Facebook Group "invite people to join" link.

* NEW: To encourage others to reflect on the devotions, consider "liking"/commenting or sharing a "God-sighting" on our Facebook Group.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, 40 Days for Life, Vatican, American Family, 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: "Planned Parenthood's counter commercial to the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad is glaringly missing mention of one crucial person. The unborn child does not exist for "pro-choicers", nor do the large numbers of women hurt from making this often coerced and seriously uninformed and deadly "choice"." Steve Jalsevac (article with PP counter ad)

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together...and closer to God. See prayer/fasting footnotes.
* Prayer to end abortion, Peters family (JP), Haitian earthquake victims

* NEW: Impacting some of the poorest counties in the US, the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation (SD) had an ice storm/blizzard that toppled thousands of power lines and caused water pipes to freeze/burst, article.

* NEW: "That by means of sincere search for the truth scholars and intellectuals may arrive at an understanding of the one true God. That the Church, aware of her own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples." Pope Benedict

Feast Day (St. Jerome Emiliani): Patron saint of abandoned children and orphans.

Faith Quotes:

* "You will get to know God truly and personally only through prayer. What is needed is that you talk to God, and listen to God." John Paul II

* "Let your heart be glad, always glad in the Lord, so to shine like stars in the darkness of the night." Only This I Want by Dan Schutte

In God We Trust,
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).

Luke 11:40 (inside vs. outside)

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? Luke 11:40 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "We are like the Pharisees when we become overly concerned with outside, that is, with appearance, apparel, titles and places of honor. But surely the part of us that is called to be holy, that is made in the image and likeness of God, is that internal dimension." by Heather Wilson

Rich's comments: Why are some people ashamed to pray in public before a meal, but they would be embarrassed if they were caught eating with dirty hands. It seems that most people are concerned about their outward appearance for fear of being judged. Man looks to appearances, but the Lord sees the heart. It seems like we spend a lot of our time, money, and energy trying to fit into the World. Shouldn't we prepare ourselves to allow God to fit into us?

Faith Challenges:
Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>240 of God's children).
* NEW: We often have to choose between what society wants us to do and what we know in our hearts that God wants us to do. Choose wisely, but pray before you choose.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Stephanie Spader (for pregnancy), Joyce Trunk (friend w/brain cancer), Kathy Castle (Vicki Miller in hospice).

Faith Quotes: "When we serve the poor and the sick, we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them, we serve Jesus." - St. Rose of Lima

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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).

Luke 10:38 (Martha vs. Mary)

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

[Jesus] entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. Luke 10:38 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "So often we hear about Martha's counterpart in this gospel, Mary, who chose the better part. Mary remained at the Lord's feet where she listened to him speak. Martha, on the other hand, was consumed with distractions and anxiety. But let's also remember what Martha did right: "Martha welcomed him."" by Fr. Paul J. Fasano

Rich's comments: I was pleased to hear from this morning's devotion that Martha actually did something right, because can I really relate with her. I often find myself defining people behaviorally as either a Martha (A-type person; prepared, planner, focused, independent) or a Mary (B-type person; easy-going, spontaneous, carefree, dependent). I believe that both personalities possess positive characteristics. I believe that we need to be prepared to welcome Jesus into our life (Martha), but that we also need to let go of our anxieties (Mary) so that we can place our focus on Him.

Faith Challenges: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>240 of God's children).

* NEW: Be prepared to welcome Jesus into your hearts today (like Martha) and prayerfully listen to Him without distractions (like Mary).

Pro-Life News: The LIFE Runners (Dave, Jason, Doug, Rich, John, Jim, Steve, Pat, Tammy, Brenda/Aaron/Trevor) ran the Twin-Cities Marathon (26.2 miles) on Respect Life Sunday (October 4th). So far our team has raised over $2,100 towards the purchase of an ultrasound machine for A Woman's Answer Medical Center in Gainesville, FL. Although the marathon is done, the fight to defend life is not. Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause. Please make checks payable to "Knights of Columbus" and mail them to PO Box 14044, Gainesville, FL 32604.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Stephanie Spader (for pregnancy).

Feast Day: St. Bruno and Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher

Faith Quote: "Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible." - St. Augustine

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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).

Luke 10:2 (call to service)

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Luke 10:2 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "By identifying with all the consequences of our sins and taking the suffering of the whole humanity into himself, Christ descended into that state of consciousness that corresponds to hell... To participate in that kind of absence or alienation from God is the most powerful and mature identity with Jesus that one can come to in the Christian life." by Fr. Thomas Keating

Rich's comments: When I taught chemistry at the Air Force Academy, I would often find cadets going to class ill-prepared for the day's lesson expecting to be entertained by the instructor. What the cadets didn't realize was that they were responsible for their own learning. They were called to be laborers of their own education. Similarly, you can often find Christians attending church expecting the pastor to entertain them and provide for their needs. We need to realize though, that every baptized Christian has been called by Christ to work the harvest (to shepherd His people), and not just the pastors. There are many in our society dying of hunger for the Lord without anyone to feed them. Every Christian has a responsibility to bring Jesus Christ to these people.

Faith Challenges: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>235 ProLife Christians).

* NEW: Don't be greedy with Christ, share Him with others.

Pro-Life News: The LIFE Runners (Dave, Jason, Doug, Rich, John, Jim, Steve, Pat, Tammy, Brenda/Aaron/Trevor) will be running the Twin-Cities Marathon (26.2 miles) on Respect Life Sunday (October 4th) to raise money for an ultrasound for A Woman's Answer Medical Center in Gainesville, FL. Please consider sponsoring our team by donating $/mile. Please make checks payable to "Knights of Columbus" and mail them to PO Box 14044, Gainesville, FL 32604.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Pat Castle (for cousin Michael), Stephanie Spader (for peace/healthy pregnancy), Kay Castle (Nancy Wheeler, Sheri Daniels, Sr. Joan Luke), Maureen Rogers (her pain).

Feast Day: St. Therese of Lisieux

Faith Quote: "Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person." by St. Therese of Lisieux

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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).

Colossians 3:2 (Lift Up Your Hearts)

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

"Think of what is above, not of what is on earth." Colossians 3:2 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "At every mass the priest speaks, "Lift up your hearts." The congregation replies, "We lift them up to the Lord." The real struggle in the Christian life is to continue lifting our thoughts and desires to the Lord. A hidden force, similar to gravity, keeps pulling our thoughts down to the mundane. When we mentally let loose of them, they fall. Prayer, spiritual reading and meditation are like helium-filled balloons to help us lift our hearts to the Lord...We obviously have many earthly concerns to which we must give our attention, but with uplifted hearts we can better distinquish between the essential and the trivial." by Fr. James McKarns

Faith Challenge: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>220 ProLife Christians).

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Stephanie Spader (healthy pregnancy)

Feast Day: St. Peter Claver (1654)

Faith Quote: "Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible."

In Christ,
Steve
Romans 12:2

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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).

Psalm 106:20 (free will...free hugs...)

Let's welcome God every morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock. Psalm 106:20 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "I was speaking recently with an old friend who has left behind his faith and life within the Church. His words echoed these from the psalmist...he had left God for the "image" of a better life without the rules and obligations of religion. God gives us the marvelous gift of free will. We are free to choose to listen to the loud shouts and noise of the world and all its glitter. Or we can sit by the fire or kneel in a pew and hear the soft and gentle voice of our loving God calling us home. That's a choice between life and death, and I choose life." by Steve Givens

Pat nugget: I recently saw someone wearing a t-shirt offering "Free Hugs." When I smiled and put my arms out for a hug, the person acted surprised and shook their head no. If we label ourselves "Christians"...are we prepared for someone to take us up on it?

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.

* NEW: Our newest member is Carol Nesbitt's sister, Jeanne Kangley...welcome! Let's joyfully invite others to join us (Mark 16:15)...Rich or Pat will gladly add others to the distribution list (202 email addresses from around the world).

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

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions

* NEW: For our 10 LIFE Runners who are training to defend the unborn at the Twin Cities Marathon on Respect Life Sunday (4 Oct).

Faith Quote: "Every day we are called to small things with great love." Blessed Mother Teresa

Through Christ our Lord,

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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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.

Matthew 11:29 (listening...)

Let's welcome God every morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is 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

I am meek and humble of heart. Matthew 11:29 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "Jesus asks that we learn from Him, that we be meek and humble of heart. We first learn by listening. In prayer, as we listen to the loved stillness of our lives, the peace that kind of prayer brings becomes a part of us. We should rest a bit every day and take that time to hear what is good and gentle around us. The more we listen, the more humble we become...and the more we become like what we are longing to hear." by Fr. James Stephen Behrens

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.

* NEW: Let's strive to really listen to God (prayer) and those around us (attention)...and prepare to be blessed!

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Stephanie Spader (for a family with unexpected pregnancy), Carla Neal (Mandy & Craig have a family emergency), Rob Rysavy (for a coworker's wife who is battling an illness), Iran airliner crash

Feast Day: Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Faith Quote: "With Mary you will be given the seed of Christ, the center and goal of every life, that you may plant it in the heart of every person you meet." John Paul II

Through Christ our Lord,

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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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 invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!

Acts 5:29 (eyes on Jesus)

Let's welcome God every morning before 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. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29

Living Faith snippets: "Our conflicts will most likely occur in the quiet of a troubled heart, trying to sort out God's voice from the heavy static that surrounds us. It is never easy to do this. There are so many opportunities to become diverted." by Paul Pennick

Rich's comments: How do we sort out the things in our lives that obey God from those that contradict Him? I believe that we need to strive to live an authentic Christian life (follow Christ). By doing so, we will be more receptive to God's voice in our hearts speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. Our actions naturally follow our thoughts. If we are always thinking about Christ, we will follow Christ. Every successful athlete knows that you need to stay focused on the goal. "Keep your eyes on the prize" as the saying goes. To be authentic Christians, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.

* NEW: Let's strive to live an authentic Christian life by focusing our attention on Christ.

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

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Mike Castle (Nelda Alford cancer treatment), Bobby Aborn (wife Christi with medical issues), Sue Peters (friend getting CT scan, Godchild Sarah Fideler expecting a precious baby on Thanksgiving day)

Faith Quote: "Clearly it is much better to obey God than man. If we disobey man, we may
suffer briefly, be imprisoned, or be killed. If we disobey God, a prison can be put in us; we may be damned and suffer eternally. The Holy Spirit will show us where in our society man's law contradicts God's. The Spirit will show us how to oppose that most heinous law, the law legalizing abortion. The Spirit will teach us how to disobey man's laws that contradict God's." - One Bread, One Body

Feast Day: St. George and St. Adalbert

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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 invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!

Matthew 1:20 (listening to God's whispers)

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. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Matthew 1:20

Living Faith snippets: "At one point, in calling the young people to involve God in their life choices, [Pope Benedict] simply asked, "What is God whispering to you?" What an appropriate place to plant such a seed--a place named after St. Joseph who overcame fear and confusion because he responded in faith to the whisperings of God through a dream." by Amy Welborn

Rich's comments: Joseph and Mary are a model for those who find themselves overcome with fear and confusion over a so-called "unplanned pregnancy." They both listened to God whispering to them and trusted God that although the pregnancy was not in their plans, it was always a part of God's plan. Mary and Joseph were very prayerful, God-fearing people, who were in touch with God, and could recognize when God was speaking to them. Today, women involved in a crisis pregnancy hear many voices; some of evil and some from God. Lord, give us the courage to amplify Your voice so that others may hear you too. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News. Suggestions?

* NEW: Research the Pro-Life cause in your state legislature. Find out what bills need your support and let your politicians hear your voice.

Stations of the Cross (#10): Jesus clothes are taken away.

Culture War/ProLife News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's share ProLife Truth (John 14:6)...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16)!

* NOW (25 Feb-5 Apr): Support the 40 Days for Life campaign by praying by an abortion mill for one hour (Matt 26:40)...let's defend the voiceless unborn!

Pro-Life Conference tidbits: Florida State Representative Charles Van Zant spoke at the Florida Students for Life Conference. He shared an amazing story about how he came into office. He worked as an architect for a Florida company responsible for projects such as Disney World's underground tunnels and the Tampa International Airport. Rep. Van Zant retired shortly after listening to God whisper to him that he had needs for him. Rep. Van Zant then became involved in missionary work in which he utilized his architect skills to construct schools and hospitals in third world countries. His call to run for Florida State Representative in the 2008 elections was also a result of him listening to God's voice. God told him that he needed him to fight abortion in the political arena. Rep. Van Zant is a supporter of the Ultrasound Bill which would require pregnant women to have an ultrasound. It would also require doctors to allow the woman to view the live ultrasound images unless she's a victim of rape, incest or human trafficking. Under the bill, a woman could decline seeing the ultrasound image by signing a form. If this bill passes, it would provide women with the visual truth that there is a human life within her whose voice wants to be heard.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, jobs, Paul Cote (sister Christine with cancer), John Lown (Allan Hillberg in ICU), Carla Neal (Elena, Ghirmay, Sylk, Gianna, Becky, John , Emily & Jean), Kathy Castle (for repose of the soul of Marv Christiansen), Steve Castle (pregnant wife Tina very sick)

* NEW: Sharmane Calvin (Dr. Earl's family; Dr. Earl passed away Tuesday night)

Feast Day (St. Joseph): Read about the foster father of Jesus here, an obedient man of faith, who listened to God's whispers.

Faith Quote: "Saint Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten familes." - Pope John Paul II

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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 invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!