John 14:27 (worry and fear)

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

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "Worry and fear are a natural consequence of daily life. Jesus knows we have legitimate concerns about our families, our relationships, our jobs. We can call on Him during those times of stress and doubt. But I think what He is saying here goes deeper than everyday cares and woes. This is about our salvation. He tells us: Trust in me, believe in me. And if you do, you will not have a troubled heart; you will not be afraid." by Paul Pennick

Pat nuggets:

* Speaking of worry/fear, Fr. Jonathan and I ran the Pittsburgh marathon together (2 May). Fr. Jonathan shared: "Running this Marathon was like a retreat. At every mile, Pat and I would make the sign of the cross and say out loud whom that mile was being offered for (“Redemptive Running”). We also would spontaneously say a “Hail Mary” or “Our Father” from time to time begging for grace! Probably the most powerful part of the Marathon was around Mile 24…Pat simply said out loud, “We’ve offered our miles for many people along the way…this one is for Christ Himself…Imagine the suffering Christ felt as He carried the cross to Calvary…in a small way we can offer and unite our suffering to His.” As Pat spoke I understood these words in a new way because just continuing the race at that moment was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I felt joined so intimately to our Lord Jesus Christ as he carried the cross! In fact, since then as I’ve recounted this, I can’t help but get emotional…what a beautiful gift from the Lord. Pat and I finished the race hand in hand." See NEW link in the counter culture news section below.

* Stephanie Kemp shared: "Each one of us has hardwired into us, a natural desire to know God. We are created by Him, and for Him, and He never ceases to draw us closer to Himself. The Holy Spirit (meaning 'to breathe' in Latin) brings us close to Jesus and Jesus brings us to the Father. God breathed The Word and The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus became like us to show us the way back to the Father. He IS the Way to eternal life in the Perfect Love of the Trinity."

Faith Sharing: Let's generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding devotions or using the Facebook "invite people" link.

* NEW: What faith practices help prevent troubled hearts and fear? Please consider sharing faith comments (or "like" button) on the Facebook page, to encourage many...thank you!

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, Vatican, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Reality of abortion (images), #1 cause of death (23% of pregnancies). Expose this unjust peace, setting unborn/parents free.
* NEW: Nuns on run raise funds to help pay college debt. On 2 May, I met these wonderful Sisters before they ran the Pittsburgh Marathon...they have a real running "habit"! See today's picture with Sisters, Fr. Jonathan, Fr. Gregory.

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

Faith Quote: "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship." Psalm 19:1 (shared by Aaron Ferrie)

Running His Race,
Pat
Phil 4:13