Mon, 10 Mar (John 8:7)

* Welcome God every morning by taking ~ 5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion, which has snippets from the Living Faith devotional (http://www.livingfaith.com/). Please consider sharing your gift of faith by adding a comment at life-devotions.blogspot.com.

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7

Living Faith snippets: "The summer I was assigned as chaplain to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center...I soon discovered that many of the clients weren't all that different from me. With great remorse, they described how they had stolen from and hurt their families in order to satisfy their uncontrollable cravings. It forced me to reflect on how I had hurt people I loved, not because I was controlled by a disease, but merely in pursuit of selfish desires for pleasure or success. Awareness of my own sin underlined my need to meet them not with judgement, but compassion. Only then could I help them--and myself--toward the goal of "using" no more." by Mark Mossa

Pat's nuggets: On Friday night, a group of us attended the "Stations of the Cross" which took us on a spiritual journey through 14 stations of the Passion of Christ (the 15th station is the Resurrection, not celebrated until Easter). To help us prepare for Easter, I will share snippets from these stations in the devotions leading up to Easter (from the "Behold! The Way of the Cross" booklet).

* FIRST STATION (Jesus is condemned to death.): "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. Try to imagine Jesus has already suffered prior to coming before Pilate. He was betrayed by a friend, arrested and taken into custody, even though he was innocent and committed no crime. He was mocked, scourged and spat upon and even crowned with a wreath of thorns that pressed into his head, causing great pain and loss of blood. Now, he receives an unjust sentence of death from Pontius Pilate, who knows that Jesus is an innocent man and does not deserve to die. In perfect obedience to his Father [and unconditional love for us], Jesus accepts the death sentence, is seized by the soldiers, and led out to begin the agonizing journey to Calvary. Stir my heart, Lord, that I might not give in to fear. Strengthen me to turn wrong into right, bad into good and conflict to resolution. Fill me with your grace and protect me as I do your will to bring justice to all people." Amen.

Through Christ for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* 40 Days for Life campaign (ends 16 Mar) at http://www.40daysforlife.com/.
* Daily Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
* LIFE Prayers at life-prayers.blogspot.com. Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others (so let's pray daily!). Click for Prayer to End Abortion.
* Sr. Francelle Devotions at sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com.
* Defend the unborn: Pro-Life websites are listed on the blog. "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" (Jer 1:5). "You knit me together in my mother's womb" (Ps 139:13). "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die" (Prov 24:11). "It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish" Blessed Mother Teresa.
* Share the Good News: Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!