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
Then [Pilate] handed Him over to them to be crucified. John 19:16
Living Faith snippets: "We must look at the incredible and mysterious event of the death of God and realize that it happened for us that we might live forever. We are forgiven...we need only accept and acknowledge the forgiveness and the need to repent. We also must forgive, and we must love and help others in return for what God has done for us." by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel (author of The King, Crucified and Risen)
Pat nuggets:
* After dinner last night, Angi and me told our daughters Paige (8) and Grace (5) about the love of Holy Thurs (Last Supper, washing feet), the sorrow of Good Friday (the Passion of Christ) and the joy of Easter morning (empty tomb). My daughters knew the story...but hearing the entire story from their parents was apparently different...because by the end they were both in tears. We told them that we too have cried when contemplating God's greatest love for us on the cross. We assured them that Christ had risen and was now with us always. About an hour later, I discovered a note that Grace left on the kitchen counter..."I would die for you God." I then found her gathering up two piles in her room...one pile of her "God things" (prayer plaque, stuffed bear with a cross, etc) and another pile of things "for the poor children" (a book, chapstick, a toy, etc). Like Grace, may God's love for us on the cross (Father sacrificing His only Son and Son accepting his cup)...inspire us to love and serve God and neighbor.
* After dinner last night, Angi and me told our daughters Paige (8) and Grace (5) about the love of Holy Thurs (Last Supper, washing feet), the sorrow of Good Friday (the Passion of Christ) and the joy of Easter morning (empty tomb). My daughters knew the story...but hearing the entire story from their parents was apparently different...because by the end they were both in tears. We told them that we too have cried when contemplating God's greatest love for us on the cross. We assured them that Christ had risen and was now with us always. About an hour later, I discovered a note that Grace left on the kitchen counter..."I would die for you God." I then found her gathering up two piles in her room...one pile of her "God things" (prayer plaque, stuffed bear with a cross, etc) and another pile of things "for the poor children" (a book, chapstick, a toy, etc). Like Grace, may God's love for us on the cross (Father sacrificing His only Son and Son accepting his cup)...inspire us to love and serve God and neighbor.
* I found myself singing these songs this morning. 1. Song of the Body of Christ: "We come to share our story. We come to break the bread. We come to know our rising from the dead." 2. Were You There?: "Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?...oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble..."
* May you and yours have a very happy and holy Easter weekend!
Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News. Suggestions?
* NEW: Traditionally, 3 PM is the time that Christ died...where ever we are at that time, let's bow our heads and thank God. May our actions inspire others to ask...may we have the courage to tell our own stories (testimonies) about the love of our Savior Christ Jesus. This weekend, consider watching a Holy Week movie, like the The Passion of the Christ, to help truly realize God's eternal life-giving love for us...Amen!
Sr Francelle devotion: The Empty Tomb.
* 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, Maureen Rogers (pain), natural disasters
ProLife Station #14 (Jesus is Laid in the Tomb): "A tomb is a memorial. It helps us remember the one who can no longer speak. May we and our society remember the babies who cannot speak. May we also remember Our Lord's Resurrection, and His promise of eternal life. He has conquered abortion because He has conquered death. May we bring His victory to every part of our world!" by Fr. Frank Pavone (Priests for Life)
Through Christ our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13
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)!
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