Lent begins today, and as this Holy Season arrives, we ask two questions. “What will you fast from? and “What will you feast on?” After watching the video, we invite you to spend a moment considering a new way of fasting, and begin to imagine the many choices that lie ahead for you.
I have never understood the meaning of fasting. To me it was self serving.
Give up something like eating a special kind of food. Smoker giving up a cigarettes.
But now I learn that it can be spiritual act not a physical encounter.
Like Lauren said put our worries in God’s hands about anything that is causing us to be become anxious. Like the COVID vaccine.
Our time will come and we need to learn to be patient and trusting.
And as Jon said to not judge other’s .
My thought and prayers are with you.
fasting from being judgemental hit home with me💜
Thank you, Lisa for joining with us on this journey of fasting from what is harmful and then having the room to feast on what is lifegiving. Judgement is something many of us are finding we need to fast from these days! Look forward to hearing more from you.
Thank you, Josie. We are all learning new things this lent. Grateful you are joining us.
Thank you for this thoughtful video. I look forward to more. I’m being called to release/fast from a sense of hurt that I have clung to for far to long. Time to mend a relationship. God give me strength!
Thank you, Anne, for your message. We are with you on this journey, and pray for awareness that God is exquisitely present to each of us as we make our way along whatever path we are following.
I lived in a three generation home. I grew up with a very judgmental family.
It was a learning behavior because as a child I didn’t know better.
As I became a adult and went out in the world. I learn this was not the norm with others to be this way.
So I struggle not to automatically judge others. Times I fail and reverse in that path I once learned. But try harder to not judge. It has to be conscience decision. That
I will work on.
Till next week.
Take care and God Bless. Josie
Josie, Yes, we all learn unhealthy habits that we spend a life time working to transform to life enhancing habits. You are right it is a conscious and intentional decision to see the Christ in others, especially if we are experiencing negative behavior from them. And yet the more time we spend with them we may come to see the good, the Divine within them. And that is what is hard also to chose to spend the time, patience and presence with others to see the Divine. For me it is only with God’s help and in God’s time that I am able to do this. Blessings on your journey.
I knew that when I saw the subject this was going to be a tough pill to swallow.
My grandmother was a believer a Eye for a Eye. So I grow up as this way of life.
Angry, betrayal and hurt. She held this belief and expected the rest of us to follow her bitter thought process. Never to apologize because she was always right whoever she was mad at was wrong. Even if it was a family member
My youngest sister was just like her. Cause many hurtful actions and words before our Mom died in a nursing home.
This was extremely disappointing for me and I sure my Mom. So I felt betrayed and was bitter for a long time. I tried many times to not hold on to this issue.
Thou I have move from the hard bitter feeling, I still haven’t forgave her with all my heart. I am only human so time and again I try to forget and forgive her.
I include my sister in my prayers. It’s a year to year battle
Also I pray that God will help me to release this weight from heart.
That is my thoughts about Bitterness and Forgiveness.
Take care. Open for any suggestions to help me learn to truly forgive.
Josie, forgiving is an ongoing process. Each time we forgive it may seem like it is the same thing yet it is on a deeper level. Keeping your sister in prayer each day is a way of ongoing forgiving. Jesus reminded Peter that he needed to forgive 70 time 7 times instead of 7 times which Peter thought was more than enough! Just keep forgiving when old hurts arise. And one day you will realize you have forgiven all. God knows what is in your heart.
Fear and Trust
This week the information about fear and trust really hit home.
Because unfortunately (Tuesday) I had a very trauma type accident.
I went to get my Covid vaccine, I fell and hurt my wrist so for me it became an item of the fear of that I had done serious damage that I would need an operation and it is always gives me a great deal of fear of the unknown.
I hate to not be in control.
A friend has told me that I have to learn things happen. So I had to put my faith in God and all the people, doctors and the nurses, that they will know what to do to make me heal again .
So I must also just trust that God will be with me. And all the fear I have is not going to matter. Because Trust in God is the answer.
I just wish something like this didn’t have to happen to learn this very important lesson. I guess I am a slow learner.
Take care and God bless you all.
Compassion
I want to believe I am a compassionate person especially to people who I know but what about people that I don’t know. What would and can I do.
There are so many homeless people in our world sometimes you look at them and you wonder what their story. Why are they standing on the corner begging for help.
There was a time I keep seeing this one young man (that reminded me around the age of my grandsons). My heart broke for him.
So I decided to turn around and head to McDonalds and brought him a meal.
When I gave it to him, he look grateful for it and keep thanking me . After that I keep looking for him. But never again found him. I hope and pray he is safe and well.
And found a way out of this sad way of life. So so sad.
I guess this was a turning point for me also.
Not to judge why he or anyone was stand on that corner.
So maybe I can’t help everyone that way but I can pray their will find a way out this
horrible place in their life.
Hope and pray other see the same especially the leader of our country.