Acts 14:15 (creation's witness)

* 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 (livingfaith.com).

We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, "who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them." Acts 14:15

Living Faith snippets: "Today we see Paul's dramatic life: first he is almost stoned, then it is all he can do to prevent people from worshipping him as a god. Our lives have their own dramas, their own reversals and challenges that leave us grasping for the living God. I am helped by what Paul calls God's "witnesses" in this passage- heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them." by Patricia Livingston

Sr. Francelle snippets: "Dearest Ones, Most of us won't do spectacular things or get our names in the paper but that doesn't mean we're not important. God thinks you're important enough for Him to live right inside your soul. We need to remember God is not just someone in a picture, or a dead man on a cross - He's ALIVE!!" To see Sr. Francelle's inspiring devotion about Jesus' example of "washing feet" (serving the poor, humility, prayer, etc), go to sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com.

Chad snippets: "Franciscan Benediction: May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God's creations, so that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace." cougarsdaily.blogspot.com

Pat nuggets: Pope Benedict completed his mission trip to America. Here are a few snippets from Pope Benedict's message at a Mass in NYC on Saturday, a message of unity and ProLife!: "In this country, the Church's mission has always involved drawing people 'from every nation under heaven' into spiritual unity, and enriching the Body of Christ by the variety of their gifts. As we give thanks for past blessings, and look to the challenges of the future, let us implore from God the grace of a new Pentecost for the Church in America. The Church is called to proclaim the gift of life, to serve life, and to promote a culture of life. The proclamation of life, life in abundance, must be the heart of the new evangelization. For true life - our salvation - can only be found in the reconciliation, freedom and love which are God's gracious gift. This is the message of hope we are called to proclaim and embody in a world where self-centredness, greed, violence, and cynicism so often seem to choke the fragile growth of grace in people's hearts. In a society where the Church seems legalistic and 'institutional' to many people, our most urgent challenge is to communicate the joy born of faith and the experience of God's love."

* Pope Benedict's message mentioned a "new evangelization", which was ushered in by Pope John Paul II with the new millenium www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/Novo_millennio.htm. Pope Benedict (then Cardinal Ratzinger) hones in on it specifically (shorter read) in the following document: www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/Ratzinger.htm.

Saint Feast Day: St. Anselm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anselm_of_Canterbury).

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.

* Prayer: If you have a prayer request, simply send it to our distribution list at life-group-distro@googlegroups.com. Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others (so let's pray daily!). 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."

* Defend the unborn: ProLife websites at life-devotions.blogspot.com. '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. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.

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