Luke 17:6 (seeds of faith, spiritual wounds)

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

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed... Luke 17:6

Living Faith snippets: "This exchange between Christ and the apostles resonates like a parent's response to the demands of a willful child. The child pleads, "Give me more," but the patient parent gently counters, "Use what little you already have." Trust coupled with faith encourages our good actions and acknowledges that God retains control of every situation, no matter how overwhelming. Faith is life-giving. The more we rely on it, the more resilient we become. As we grow, we see our own seed, and seek to share the faith with others [healing spiritual wounds]. Merciful and mighty Savior, strengthen my faith." by Phillis Harris-Brooks

Pat nuggets:

* In the Chemists For Christ Bible study last week, we discussed how people often leave Church because they realize that it is filled with sinners. This would be like leaving a hospital because it is filled with sick people. God cleans his fish after he catches them! The Church/hospital comparison is further supported by the medical red cross symbol. With evangelization, we do spiritual buddy care in the field (pray with someone on the spot), help with spiritual surgery (faith community), and sometimes call a spiritual ambulance (pastor, etc)...as we work to heal our own and others sin wounds (self inflicted and by others).

* Stores already have "Holiday" decorations up...which motivated me to put the "Keep Christ in Christmas" magnets back on our cars. As we plan how we will spend money at Christmas, let's remember that St. Nicholas (the real Santa) gave to children and the needy. Just a couple years ago my extended family (parents, 3 brothers, sister in law) decided to only buy Christmas presents for the children in our family. The money we would spend on Christmas presents for each other was combined and given to those in need: troubled teens home (2006), homeless shelter (2007). Although we don't receive as many material Christmas presents, we receive more spiritual Christmas presents!

ProLife news: http://www.lifesitenews.com/

* In response to ProLife setbacks from the election, Joel Cain posed this question, "will we now pray more or less?" The Saints realized that tough times were a blessing because they prayed more and were therefore closer to God.

* According to a recent article, http://www.newsweek.com/id/167211: "While just more than 50 percent of Americans call themselves pro-choice, according to recent polls, just over 40 percent call themselves "pro life"—numbers that have not changed much in a decade. Among the very religious, though, opposition to abortion remains as strong as ever. Seventy percent of evangelicals who go to church weekly or more oppose legalized abortion. For Roman Catholics, the number is 60 percent." Chad Livingston mentioned in his C-O-U-G-A-R-S Daily devotion that "true Christians are in the minority." Are true Christians a subset of the 40% of American that calls themselves ProLife? Christ said the road will be narrow...

Our Prayers: Prayer to End Abortion, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, for President-elect Obama.

* Let's pray that We The People of America (the beacon on the hill) will shine Christ's Light and build a culture of Life. Let's pray for courage to build relationships and talk about ProLife.

* NEW: My brother Joe Castle (medical concern)

Feast Day (St. Leo the Great): http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=299

Faith Quote: "As you grow in relationship with me, what you do will simply reflect who you really are." God speaking in fictional book The Shack by William P. Young

Through Christ for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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.'
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that takes our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, judgment, 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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Ephesians 6:10 (persistent growth)

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

Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10

Living Faith snippets: "We need the daily power of prayer to grow in and toward the light that is God. Prayer is not a power to remove obstacles to growth; prayer is a reliance on God that he will raise us to grow through obstacles." by Fr. James Stephen Behrens, O.C.S.O.

Rich's comments: A personal philosophy of mine has always been to move out of my comfort zone, because this is where I will grow the most and not become stagnant. This is how the military develops their officers, moving them every 3-4 years; just enough time to learn their job and have an impact before they are transplanted to a new and more challenging environment. I see our life as disciples of Christ in much the same way. God has placed us here to grow spiritually and to learn to love as He loves. God may not be responsible for the obstacles in our life, but they do have purpose in our spiritual growth as they remind us that we need our Father in Heaven. Lord, help me to be content in my discomforts, knowing that they help me to grow closer to you. Amen.

40 Days for Life campaign (24 Sep to 2 Nov): Campaigns in 179 cities in 47 states (24/7 for 40 days). Please sign up to pray an hour in front your local abortion mill.

* Updates from the national director, David Bereit, at http://www.40daysforlife.com/.

* ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/

* Each day until the election let's say this novena prayer together: www.priestsforlife.org/novenas/election-day-novena.aspx.

Our Prayers: Abortion's end, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer cure, prisoners, leaders integrity, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, Rob (St. Patrick's parish prayer list), Tina Castle (Jason Peter's son)

* Wed night is pray with your family night...the family that prays together, stays together!

Faith Quote: "As humans, we move naturally in the direction of our own comfort.
As [Disciples of Christ], we learn to move through pain toward areas of discomfort. Which, is often where God grows us." by Chad Livingston, founder and author of COUGARS Daily.

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: '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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Ephesians 4:32 (be kind)

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

Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Ephesians 4:32

Living Faith snippets: "Years of training, thousands of hours with hundreds of people, taught him one simple, basic truth about successful human relationships: "First of all," he said, "you need to be kind to one another." He was amazed at how often this tiny bit of advice turned a troubled marriage into a happy partnership. Every act of kindness is a nugget of God's grace. Lord Jesus, help me to be kind, compassionate and forgiving." by Paul Pennick

Pat nuggets:

* In today's reading, God calls us to be forgiving. In the fictional book "The Shack", God says, "Forgiveness is about letting go of another person's throat. Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver, to release you from something that will eat you alive; that will destroy your joy and your ability to love fully and openly."

* After viewing the abortion video in Friday's devotion (http://www.obamamustsee.com/), Chad Livingston turned his compassion for the unborn into action (defense) by sending his family and friends an email with the video. A few snippets from his letter: "My prayer and heartbeat is that we in America will stand up and focus on what is eternal and begin to love people in such a way that the next time a girl gets pregnant, before she goes to the abortion clinic, she will first think to go to a Christian family [for love and support]. Our next president will have an opportunity to change things for the better or for the worse [Supreme Court justices]. If we repeal all laws regarding abortion and things become very dark, perhaps then our light will shine brighter as we truly endeavor to change this country by loving our neighbor as our self. There are reasons why I would vote for Barack Obama. However, with this issue being what it is, he will have to change his position on abortion to gain my vote."

* Each day from now until election day (nine days), let's all say an election novena prayer together: www.priestsforlife.org/novenas/election-day-novena.aspx. Also, as part of our election prayer each day, let's fast from something that is taking our focus off of Jesus (selfishness, judgment, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and/or take on something (selflessness, forgiveness, caring, helping, listening) that causes us to watch The Lamb (also The Lion, Aslan).

40 Days for Life campaign (24 Sep to 2 Nov): Campaigns in 179 cities in 47 states (24/7 for 40 days). Please sign up to pray an hour in front your local abortion mill.
* Updates from the national director, David Bereit, at http://www.40daysforlife.com/.
* ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/

Our Prayers: Abortion's end, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer cure, prisoners, leaders integrity, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, Rob (St. Patrick's parish prayer list), Tina Castle (Jason Peter's son)
* Lets pray for a change of heart for all Pro-Death candidates. Let's also pray for courage to let Christ lead our vote...and to publicly talk up and clap for ProLife.

Faith Quote: "What would I be like if I did not have the Bible as a guide? It would be like driving a car without a steering wheel.To be ignorant of the Bible is to be ignorant of Jesus Christ." by Sister Francelle

Through Christ for ProLife,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: '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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Psalm 24:3 (ascend the mountain!)

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

Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? Psalm 24:3

Living Faith snippets: "You will not climb a mountain for which you are not passionately prepared. The ones who seek God's face may go up the mountain. Sometimes it seems as if we're only wandering randomly through life, not sure where we're going. Often, we encounter a vague feeling of restlessness, yearning or emptiness, only to ignore it or quickly fill it up, rather than pausing to listen and perhaps be guided by it. The search for the face of God animates us all. Listening to the inner restlessness can change everything. Will we accept that quest [for ProLife] and allow ourselves to be passionately prepared to climb the mountain of the Lord? Lord God, I long to see your face. Help me to accept the ways you prepare me." by Mary Marrocco

Pat nuggets:
* The msnbc article that I mentioned on Wed only included Catholic Christian poll #'s, even though ProLife is a responsibility of all Christians. Of the ~150 LIFE Devotions Group members, we have over 30 non-Catholic Christians who have also passionately prepared to ascend the mountain for ProLife. Let's happily seek God's face and ascend the mountain together as we work to bring all Christian denominations into a culture of life! The election polls on Wed showed America evenly divided on the Presidential candidates. Ultimately, the voter turnout will make the difference. May God give us the courage to inspire and challenge those around us to make sacrifices to ascend the mountain with us...and vote for ProLife...the most holy and fundamental of voting issues. Let us be steadfast in fasting and prayer leading up to the election. On Monday, I plan to include an election novena to bind us together in prayer for the nine days before the election.

* Stephanie Kemp shared: "[We] need occasional reminders of why we fight [to defend the unborn]. The video [http://www.obamamustsee.com/] is produced by the star of the wonderful movie, Bella. It contains very graphic abortion pictures [at any time you can advance the video to the great final message]. It is impossible to show how barbaric abortion really is without showing the hard truth of what happens to the innocent victims. You may want to pray while you view it. If you have family or friends that will vote for the Party of Abortion in America in the upcoming election, please forward this to them. Forward it in love. Words alone will never change a person when they are in denial over what is happening day in and day out across our land. God Bless You All for Standing Up for Life." [ProLife interview with Bella star, www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102204.html.]

* Maureen Morgan shared the following link for the Dr. Dobson interview with Gov Sarah Palin: http://www.citizenlink.org/clspecialalert/A000008476.cfm. The discussion highlighted Gov Palin's genuine, bold, refreshing faith in Jesus Christ...as her "foundation."

40 Days for Life campaign (24 Sep to 2 Nov): Campaigns in 179 cities in 47 states (24/7 for 40 days). Please sign up to pray an hour in front your local abortion mill.

* Updates from the national director, David Bereit, at http://www.40daysforlife.com/.

* ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/

Sr. Francelle devotion: Read her devotion titled "The Bible" at http://sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com/. From the intro: "Recently, Hollywood movies have made fun of Sacred Scripture by portraying the Bible as nonsense, like a fairy tale. In order to counteract this Godless trend, Pope Benedict has called a special meeting of all the bishops in the world during the month of October. The meeting is called "The Word of God" Synod (synod means meeting). To begin the meeting, the Bible was read from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation - non-stop, right straight through, night and day. People of all faiths, religious, lay people from all walks of life, each took a turn reading a chapter from the Bible in the Basilica of the Holy Cross. I like to choose a Scripture passage each morning and then use it throughout the day to give me courage and strength."

Our Prayers: Abortion's end, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer cure, prisoners, leaders integrity, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, Rob (St. Patrick's parish prayer list), Tina Castle (Jason Peter's son)

* NEW: Stephanie Spader (for Glen Gauer and his wife as they pray for a miracle for their unborn child, Glen is currently a FOCUS missionary at the SDSU campus)

* Lets pray for a change of heart for all Pro-Death candidates. Let's also pray for courage to let Christ lead our vote...and to publicly talk up and clap for ProLife.

Feast Day (St. Anthony Mary Claret): http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1452

Faith Quote: "However often God must win, it is our most difficult but most triumphant loss." by Margaret Manning‏

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: '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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (God's time)

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

There is an appointed time for everything... Ecclesiastes 3:1

Living Faith snippets: "God makes promises and leads His chosen people on winding, inscrutable paths. Faith in God's promises-and in the God who promises- makes the difference between seeing the situations of our life as random, hostile events or the mysterious expression of divine providence." by Sr. Kathryn James Hermes (author of Making Peace with Yourself)

Pat nuggets:
* In the Chemists for Christ Bible study (every Thurs morning before work), Joel Cain is leading a study on Ecclesiastes for a group that includes LIFE Devotions Group members Liz Curry, Rick Deans, Mark Engesser, and myself. Ecclesiastes is a quick read and really drives home the fact that most of the things we worry about really don't matter much on the eternal scale...

* Dani Reed, a past special education coworker with Angi, is raising money to adopt 6 year old J.T., who is deaf and has been taught no communication at all. J.T. lives in an orphanage in Zhengzhou, China. Dani writes, "J.T. is unable to report any mistreatment. He can't tell someone if he feels ill. Because he cannot communicate, he is truly alone." Dani will introduce J.T. to the Body of Christ...he is not alone. Adoption is expensive...thanks for considering. Make checks to J.T.'s Adoption Fund and mail to J.T.'s Adoption, P.O. Box 62782, Colorado Springs, CO 80962.

Sr. Francelle devotion: Read her devotion titled "Where two or three are gathered together in my name...." at http://sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com/. Here is a snippet: "When families pray together before meals, they invite Jesus to be in their conversation and in their loving response to each other. How beautiful to invite Jesus, the unseen guest, to be a part of the family."

40 Days for Life campaign (24 Sep to 2 Nov): http://www.40daysforlife.com/
* Campaigns in 179 cities in 47 states (24/7 for 40 days).

* Please consider signing up to pray an hour in front your local abortion mill.
* ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/.

Our Prayers: Abortion's end, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer cure, prisoners, leaders integrity, loss of loved ones, lack of faith.

Feast Day (Sts Cosmas and Damian): "They are patron saints of pharmacists." http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=471

Faith Quote: Chad Livingston wrote, "If we can hear God speak to us, and if we love and trust His decisions, how could we fear? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Sounds like Chad has read Ecclesiastes!

Through Christ Our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: '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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

1 Cor 13:11 (putting aside childish things)

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

When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 1 Cor 13:11

Living Faith snippets: "...but ultimately adulthood lies in grasping the fact that love and service is at the heart of being the person God created you to be." by Kevin Perrotta

Pat nuggets:
* A car ran a red light yesterday (~50 mph) and smashed into the front driver's side of Angi's car (with Paige and Grace)...no serious injuries in either car. At the moment of impact, Angi thought it was the end of her earthly life...and begged God that Paige and Grace would not see her a mess. A witness told me that it was a "horrific collision" and nonverbally implied that I was lucky to have my family intact. I thank God for my family being ok, for the gift of faith, for the Holy Spirit (our helper), and you (the Body of Christ)! The Body of Christ loved us up with emails, phone calls, hugs, tears, and faith perspective...Todd Williamson sent me a story yesterday that reminded me to pray for the man who ran the red light...my brother Joe reminded me that people lose family members everyday in car accidents. Without faith, I don't know how those people could manage. Let us pray for those who suffer from loss of loved ones...and for those who suffer from a lack of faith...

* Deacon Bob Waller and Bill Hourigan shared this important 3 min video on the key Christian issues of the Presidential election: http://www.catholicvote.com/.

* Chad Livingston shared the following in his morning devotion at C-O-U-G-A-R-S Daily: "Is there some way that you can give unexpected and undeserved grace today? Perhaps something that takes someone off guard because it is so freely given? Seek out this way. For it is the way of Jesus."

ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/.
* 40 Days for Life campaign (24 Sep to 2 Nov): http://www.40daysforlife.com/. Please consider signing up to pray an hour in front your local abortion mill.

* LIFE Runners (LIFER's): A group of 13 LIFE Devotions Group members are going to race the Chicago Marathon on 12 Oct, and we are dedicating our race to ProLife awareness. For those who already sponsored a LIFER for their ProLife charity, thank you for helping us cultivate a culture of life! Addition to ProLife charity list: Tracy Clinton (Elizabeth New Life Center in Dayton, OH: www.elizabethnewlife.org/). So far, 14 LIFE Devotions Group members have contributed a total of $856...Amen!

Our Prayers: Abortion, chastity, our enemies/our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer, prisoners, integrity of our leaders, Mike Castle (for grandson Isaac and his caregivers), strength to live the virtue of chastity, hurricane recovery, Kay Castle (for Nancy Wheeler recovering from chemotherapy)

* New: for those who suffer from loss of loved ones...and for those who suffer from a lack of faith.

Saint Feast Day (St. Robert Bellarmine): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bellarmine.

Faith Quote: Steve Castle shared: "God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." - C.S. Lewis

Through Christ Our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: '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 lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion. Ask Blessed Margaret of Castello for her prayers to end abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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 live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Mark 10:35 (missing the point, capital punishment)

* 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).

Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. Mark 10:35

Living Faith snippets: "The apostles seem to miss the point. Rather than seeing the big picture of Jesus' mission, they begin to ask for worldly, human things. The Lord doesn't admonish them for this, but simply asks, "What do you wish me to do for you?" I forget how much Jesus has already done for me. I bombard Him with my worldly requests. In His mercy, He addresses all of them." by Carol Ann Soisson

Pat nuggets:

* Capital punishment: Over the weekend, I caught an NPR segment on "At the Death House Door" (http://www.ifc.com/atthedeathhousedoor), which airs 9 PM EST, Thurs, 29 May, IFC channel. This documentary is "through the eyes of Pastor Carroll Pickett, who served 15 years as the death house chaplain" in Huntsville, TX. The film focuses on the execution of Carlos De Luna (1989), who was proven innocent in 2005 by Chicago Tribune reporters that discovered new evidence. Capital punishment is clearly supported in the Old Testament (even for cursing parents, violating Sabbath, witchcraft, adultery, homosexuality, and premarital sex)...and apparently supported in the New Testament (Rom 13:1-4), likely because government was not able to control super criminals. Is capital punishment necessary today with our super prisons? Regarding consequences to the criminal (justice), do you think it is easier to die by lethal injection (supposedly painless) or be in prison for life (freedom minimized)? Regarding consequences to society, it is less expensive for a criminal to spend life in prison than to go through the appeals process for capital punishment. Some say that certain criminals "deserve" to die. Spiritually speaking, we all deserve to die...but are saved by accepting the gift of Christ's cross. Can you imagine being the innocent man who endured trial, appeals and execution? (This is what Christ went through for us.) This horrible image caused me to tear up in sadness while listening to the NPR segment. To prevent even one innocent person from enduring capital punishment may be enough to end it? This reminded me of Genesis 18:23-32 where God says he will spare the city of Sodom if there were even just a few righteous people among the wicked. Regardless of our views on capital punishment, we are called by Christ to love and forgive even the worst criminals (love our enemies, serve the least). We can love them by at least praying for their metanoia (change of heart) and reconciliation with God, neighbor, and self. Does anyone have prison ministry experiences to share?

ProLife news: lifesitenews.com
* "The stronger our faith in God the more willing we are to defend human life and its God-given dignity." by Bishop William E. Lori

Our Prayers: Abortion, our enemies, our troops, China earthquake, Myanmar cyclone, depression/despair, prisoners (metanoia), Vicki Miller (her cancer treatment), Pam McGushin (Cindy's cancer treatment), Tom Tenpenny (sister in law Anna's cancer treatment), Jenny Senour (ProLife job interview), Pat Castle (niece Shantelle's misdirection), Kelly Benson (son Emeric premature birth), Kathy-jo Peterson (aunt Peggy's brain cancer), Kay Castle (friend Betty's back pain), Joe Hourigan (friend's son, Peter, with Downs Syndrome), Tracy Humphreys (Windsor, CO tornado recovery)

Faith quote: Chad Livingston shared this G.K. Chesterton quote on his devotions blog (CougarsDaily.blogspot.com). “Every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is actually looking for God.”

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Outreach: Let's invite those near us to join our LIFE Devotions group, providing routine spiritual connection and strength. You could simply forward a devotion to them with an invitation. Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

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

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. 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: 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.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (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...

John 16:12 (re-evangelization)

* 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).

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. John 16:12

Living Faith snippets: "Jesus indicates there is much the disciples still need to hear and understand, but they are not ready for it. Jesus then assures them that when the Spirit comes, they will be able to receive the Truth needed to change their lives. This Truth comes after the disciples enter into the suffering and death of Jesus. We yearn to know the mysteries of God and our personal journeys, but the deep meaning of our life experience is often revealed only after we have suffered through the tough times [realizing our total dependency on God]. Spirit of God, help me to open to your Truth and to be patient while my heart is readied to receive it." by Sr. Joyce Rupp

Pat nuggets:
* Distro: Replies to this and future devotion emails will now only go to the sender of the message. If you want to send the message to everyone, you have to copy/paste the distribution list email in the "to" box.

* Sr. Francelle: She is out of the hospital and back online! May God bless us with many more years connected with His wonderful gift of Sr. Francelle :).

* Mark and Chad snippets: At cougarsdaily.blogspot.com, Chad Livingston shared, "May we take joy in knowing our redeemer lives. “For I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25).” Last night, Mark Foster presented the Nicene Creed and shared this verse: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Rom 1:20). These verses reminded me of the song "Redeemer" by Nicole Mullins. Here are a few snippets: "Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning? And who told the ocean you can only come this far? And who showed the moon where to hide till evening? Well I know my Redeemer lives. All of creation testifies. This life within me cries. I know my Redeemer lives. The very same God that spins things in orbit. Runs to the weary, the worn and the weak. And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken. They conquered death to bring me victory. Now I know, my Redeemer lives...He lives to take away my shame. And He lives forever I'll proclaim that the payment for my sins was the precious life He gave. And now He's alive and there's an empty grave! And I know my Redeemer lives. Because He lives I can face tomorrow. He lives...I spoke with Him this morning! He Lives! I'm going to tell everybody!"

* Re-evangelization: The last couple weeks we have shared about how Secularization and Science are purging God from the vocabulary of Western culture. God is with our every breath and every step regardless if we choose to acknowledge Him (footprints in the sand). Secularization and Science are embraced like religions by some...treating them like golden calves that come before God (First Commandment). The founding fathers of American did not intend to separate faith from culture and government (happening with Secularization)...but prevent a government run church, like Church of England. We are called by Christ to be 'aliens' in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Are we? Like the disciples in the Bible, do we have a real relationship with Christ? Sometimes I use the word "disciple" instead of Christian to differentiate from social Christians (participating for entertainment not for Christ)...like James using "faith" (believing in Christ) and "saving faith" (believing and following Christ). We need to commit to a re-evangelization of ourselves and our Western culture to uncover God in the areas where Secularization and Science have covered Him...making "straight the way for the Lord" (John 1:23). I have plenty of room for re-evangelizing myself (growing closer to Christ)...if Christ was a mirror, the closer I get to the mirror, the more I realize my imperfections (sin). Let's start this re-evangelization by challenging ourselves (love, service, prayer, etc)...and by inviting friends, family, and co-workers to join the LIFE Devotions group (if they agree, I will gladly add their email to the distribution list). Let's pray for the courage to do this...to open ourselves to God's gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthens us for making faith-based decisions (humility, love, obedience) that will cause (in us, our loved ones, and our enemies) a greater conversion (metanoia) to the will of God the Father (Truth) through Christ the Son (Phil 4:13)...Amen!

* National ProLife Prayer (7 AM MST, Sat, 3 May): "A Million Rosaries" is a project uniting Christians across the country in prayer for an end to abortion...please tell others. In Colorado Springs, the Rosary at Planned Parenthood this Saturday will begin at 7 AM instead of 8:15. For more info: saintmichaelthearchangelorganization.org.

Feast Day: St. Pius V http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_V.

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)! Let's make time to share with unbelievers...and to re-evangelize ourselves and our Western culture.

Acts 15:3 (western culture re-evangelization)

* 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).

They were sent on their journey by the church...and brought great joy to all the brothers. Acts 15:3

Living Faith snippets: "[Saint] feast days serve as joyful reminders that [we] are each called to be a saint and that the Church stands ready to help." by Rebecca Sande

Pat nuggets:

* Chad snippets: "Franciscan Benediction: May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy." cougarsdaily.blogspot.com

* Our Western culture, in general, is in need of re-evangelization. The church in Europe is seriously declining. In America, from 1978 to 2005, the # of seminarians dropped from 9,021 to 4,603, while during that same period the # of major seminarians throughout the world increased from 63,882 to 114,439 (from Karl Keating). To give insight into this decline of faith in the western culture, here are snippets from an article by Hilary White (LifeSiteNews.com, 11 Mar)..."Hedonistic Secularist Mentality Pervades the Church [which] Leads to "spiritual atrophy" and "emptiness of heart": The secularization that so characterizes many western societies has also found its way into the Church, Pope Benedict has warned. The pope said that "the lofty values of existence" must be reintroduced to contemporary cultures. The media has spread a "hedonistic" and consumerist mentality that promotes the idea that "there is no longer any need for God, to think of Him or to return to Him."The dangers of this way of living, he said, are "the risk of falling into spiritual atrophy and emptiness of heart". Without God at the centre, human life and intellectual endeavour "gives way to a sterile worship of the individual". "In this cultural context, there is the risk of falling into spiritual atrophy and into an emptiness of heart, sometimes characterised by surrogate forms of religious membership and vague spiritualism." Secularization, he said, "invades all aspects of daily life and causes the development of a mentality in which God is effectively absent, entirely or in part, from human life and conscience". Benedict warned that this culture promotes, in both laity and clergy, "a drift towards superficiality and selfishness which damages ecclesial life". The pope called on the faithful to fight these trends by re-introducing "the exalted values of existence which give meaning to life and can satisfy the disquiet of the human heart in its search for happiness." These include "the dignity and freedom of the person, the equality of all mankind, and the sense of life and death and of what awaits us at the end of earthly existence"."The phrase 'etsi Deus non daretur' [as if there were no God] is becoming a way of life which has its roots in a kind of 'arrogance' of reason."The pope warned that the exaltation of reason above God, a characteristic of the 18th century's "Enlightenment" philosophies, is now pervasive in society. But, he said, the Enlightenment inverted the real order. Reason he said, "was actually created and loved by God."Now, however, it is "held to be sufficient unto itself and closes itself off from contemplating and seeking a Truth that lies beyond it".Pope Benedict concluded, "Above all, I exhort pastors of the flock of God to a tireless and generous mission to counteract - in the field of dialogue and meeting between cultures, of announcement and testimony of the Gospel - the worrying phenomenon of secularization which weakens man and hinders his innate longing for the entire Truth"."

* Voting: Stephanie Kemp shared the following link about Barack Obama's shocking background (13 minutes), www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036.

* Juno movie: Although a bit quirky, it had a refreshing overriding ProLife message (unusual for Hollywood).

* Prayer: Please pray for the expansion of peace and freedom in the world...that our enemies have a change of heart and for the protection of our troops, including our fellow LIFE devotions group member Grant Croft who is serving in Iraq. Grant shared the following, "The [LIFE Devotions] blog has been insightful and encouraging to read as well as the prayer requests. A rocket landed about 100 yds away from my trailer this morning while I was in bed." Thanks to Grant and all who serve to protect our freedom, especially the freedom to worship our Creator!

Saints Feast Day: St. George http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_George and St. Adalbert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalbert_of_Prague.

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)!

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)!

John 14:2 (many dwelling places)

* 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).

In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. John 14:2

Living Faith snippets: "This statement has always given me comfort because it makes me believe that there is no single way to be a follower of Jesus. There's room for us who come at things from an unconventional, perhaps nontraditional worldview. It's important to remember this, particularly when Christians bemoan every disagreement as a failure of "unity." For some, it's not unity, but uniformity, that is the ideal: we should all believe and behave in exactly the same way. But no two humans have exactly the same perception or experience of God. Though we agree on essentials, our beliefs are not exactly the same due to the differences in our experiences and our deep preferences. Keeping in mind that there "are many dwelling places" can perhaps reduce the anxiety and discord over these differences and allow us to appreciate our diversity as human beings." by Aileen O'Donoghue

Pat nuggets:
* Aaron Ferrie shared the following which was sent to him from a friend whose daughter only lived to be three weeks old: "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."
* Ross Paulick shared this article about Congress removing ProLife language from the resolution for welcoming Pope Benedict XVI: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351613,00.html.
* Chad Livingston shared this: "Franciscan Benediction - May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live from deep within our hearts." cougarsdaily.blogspot.com
* A few lines from the Telecast song titled The Beauty of Simplicity: "It's the beauty of simplicity that brings me down to my knees. I'll praise You for eternity. And lord I love You because You, You first loved me." Reminds me again of Kristi's signature block verse, "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

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: Pro-Life 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.
* Other devotions: Sr. Francelle (sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com) and COUGARS daily (cougarsdaily.blogspot.com). Would you like to be added?
* Share the Good News: Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Wed, 12 Mar (Daniel 3:15)

* 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 (www.livingfaith.com). Please consider sharing a comment at life-devotions.blogspot.com.

You shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace. Daniel 3:15

Living Faith snippets: "While I try to discern what God is calling me, personally, to do with this, I am encouraged by another image: a fourth figure "like a son of God" who walks with the three in the midst of the white-hot flames. None of us are in this alone." by Anne Bingham

Pat's Nuggets:
* COUGARS daily: Chad Livingston said, "Hey friends, If you happen to check out our side blog, you'll notice that the format is very much the same. I was encouraged by Pat and Rich's distro [LIFE Group] and thus started COUGARS daily (cougarsdaily.blogspot.com)." Chad's devotion is based on the "A Slice of Infinity" devotion at www.rzim.org/slice/slicetran.php?sliceid=1633. Here are a few snippets from yesterday's "A Slice of Infinity" that tie in nicely with the "Living Faith" snippet today that "none of us are in this alone": "For some reason, we think that because Jesus is in the boat with us, suffering will not come our way. But suffering does come, and the wind roars around us and the sky turns black. Jesus, don’t you care that we are perishing becomes an incredulous statement because we think as Christians we are somehow immune from the troubles of life. But Jesus’s answer reminds us that faith does not insulate us from life’s storms [“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”]. Indeed, as Craig Barnes has written “Faith has everything to do with seeing that we have the Savior on board.""

* Prayer: Joel Cain shared this quote: "“Prayer at its holiest moment is the entering into God to a place of such blessed union as makes miracles seem tame and remarkable answers to prayer appear something very far short of wonderful by comparison.” – A. W. Tozer

Third Station (Jesus Falls the First Time): "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. Jesus falls under the awful weight of the cross. He has just begun the journey, and Golgotha is still so far away. He is weak from the blows He has received, and the soldiers continue to strike Him and insult Him. They force Him up quickly so that He will not experience any relief or any opportunity to lie in the dirt to rest for a moment. The crowd insults Him and enjoys the spectacle unfolding before them. Finally, Jesus gets up and continues on His way, because His work is not yet finished. Forgive me, Lord, I beg you! Restore me with your holy and purifying grace. Help me to be more like you, so that I, too, may rise up and continue on my way. [Amen]" from "Behold! The Way of the Cross" by Thomas Gouin

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.
* COUGARS devotions at cougarsdaily.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)!

Tues, 11 Mar (Psalm 102:19)

* 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 devotion (http://www.livingfaith.com/). Please consider sharing your gift of faith by adding a comment at life-devotions.blogspot.com.

Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the Lord. Psalm 102:19

Living Faith snippets: "The great advantage of a biblical text is that it endures across the generations, but every age still has to make sense of it for themselves. That is just another way of saying that every age has to encounter the person of Jesus; the mere fact that some people once believed in Him will not be enough." by Mark Neilsen

Pat's Nuggets: Chad Livingston recently started a morning devotion called COUGARS for "Christ Our lord Using us, Guiding us, Armoring us and Encouraging us as we develop REAL relationships – Saints!" (http://gougars.blogspot.com/). Richard Livingston (Chad's Dad) commented to Chad's post yesterday with a quote that relates to today's Living Faith snippets: "If you are not hearing from God, you are not spending enough time in the scriptures."

Stations of the Cross: from "Behold! The Way of the Cross" by Thomas Gouin
* Second Station (Jesus Accepts His Cross.): "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. The cross is a large and heavy one, not simply because of its physical composition, but because all of our sins are attached to it. Every heartache and pain, every injustice and illness, every oppression and poverty, every human misery is attached to this cross. When He is nailed to the wood of the cross that will be transformed into the tree of life for all who believe, the Lord will destroy the lasting effects of sin and death. My Lord, help me to repent from my sinful ways, and to accept your forgiveness, for no sin is too great for your loving mercy. Help me to show similar courage in accepting my own crosses so that through my hardships, I may experience your saving power and divine assistance." Amen.

Sr. Francelle devotion snippets: "Dearest Ones, during Lent, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary have special meaning for me. Just as I ask family and friends to pray for me, through the rosary I ask Mary, the angels, saints and souls in Purgatory to pray the rosary with me. To better understand what Jesus is going through, I picture myself near Him during His sorrow, which often brings tears to my eyes. If you are suffering at this minute, please ask Jesus for strength just for today. No matter how bad things look or how devastated you may feel, you are not alone. God is with you, even if you're not aware of his presence. Brighten someone's day! Give yourself away! I Love you, Sister Francelle"
* Go to sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com to read Sr. Francelle's reflection on each of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Agony in the Garden, The Scourging, Crowning of Thorns, Carrying of the Cross, and The Crucifixion.

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.
* COUGARS devotions at gougars.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)!