Recently someone said to me, “If you spoke to the person you love the most the way you speak to yourself, would you still be in a relationship with the person?”
The way we speak to ourselves can be damaging, hurtful, and self-loathing.
If you want to change yourself, you first need to change how you speak to yourself.
I believe the starting point is understanding God's love for us. God says, “I have loved you, with an everlasting love.” God loves us with a love that refuses to let us go.
When we live into the reality of God’s unfailing love for us, it frees us to truly live from a place grounded in the love of self and love for others.
If you feel lost, God will find you. If you are ashamed, God will cover you. If you have wandered off, God will bring you home.
God loves you with a love that won’t let you go.
A Table Where Forgiveness is Practiced
How do we begin to love one another back to the family table? It starts with forgiveness.
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” - Lewis Smede
Forgiveness means I refuse to let the hurt define me.
How do we practice forgiveness at the family table?
Realize that forgiveness requires action from us, but it is God’s grace that enables us to forgive.
Remind yourself why you want this person in your life.
Recognize that you are telling a story that can be changed.
Remind yourself that we all carry wounds from past hurts.
How do we teach forgiveness to our children?
Be authentic in your apology.
Be timely in your apology.
Be clear and concise in your apology.
Forgiveness is releasing the hurt before it turns into resentment.
Weekly Prayer
We come to you, Gracious God, as forgiven people who often refuse to live into the forgiveness we have been shown.
We have refused to be reconcilers. We have ignored the demands of forgiveness. Instead, we live in the brokenness of what could be mended simply because of selfish pride.
Forgive us for our unforgiveness.
O God, we ask for courage to admit our mistakes. Show us what we can do to right the wrongs we are responsible for, and forgive us for what cannot be changed.
Empower us to live lives worthy of the grace we have been given. Amen.
Meme of the Week
Dad Joke
What do you call someone who refuses to pass gas in public? A private tutor.
A cheetah and a lion are racing. The cheetah wins. The lion says, “Man you a cheetah!” The cheetah says, “Nah man you a lion!”
I have been thinking………..
Why do we say that an alarm clock goes ‘off’ when it actually tuns on?
We can’t heal from what we refuse to own.
Maybe instead of striving for the church to be a “safe” place, we need to work towards it being a “brave” place. Pray it becomes a place where truth is spoken and grace is expressed.
It seems an essential leadership trait in this season of uncertainty is the ability to manage chaos. Be flexible. Realize that your first response will probably not be your last response. Communicate clearly and often.
Photo of the Week (Photos taken by me)
A few years ago, we hiked to this location. You can read the story here: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/north-carolina/abandoned-plane-crash-site-hike-nc
Copy and paste link.
Opportunity to Make a Difference
United We Run 5k & Fun Run
Saturday, March 5, 2022
Question Reflection
If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?
Cats! Absolutely, cats! If you are a cat person, I apologize but just know you have the rudest animal as a pet.
Disagree? If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?
And oh yea………. Just FYI
I also am clueless about wordle… I mean I enjoy word games, but it seems so strange, that I haven’t even looked it up. I don’t think much brain has space for it now!