Take ~5 minutes to read this 'COUGARS Daily' which contains snippets from A Slice of Infinity. Invite your family and friends to participate in reading with you daily. Then, consider sharing your comments or faith questions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
-Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)
By and large, the cultural trend marks a growing distrust and rejection of story and meaning and a general embrace of cynicism. And yet, in recent market research, executives found that audiences of all ages reacted badly to advertising that too sharply dismissed or disrespected the notion or story of Christmas. There is quite measurably a greater desire for storylines with hopeful implications in December. Apparently, we want to claim life is meaningless, but only 11 months out of the year. The typical cynicism governing the production and marketing of motion pictures is entirely toned down at Christmastime. It seems we want to argue the cake doesn't exist and eat it too.
I have always appreciated the brave confession of C.S. Lewis that he was once living in a whirl of contradictions. This is a difficult thing even to notice of one's life, let alone admit it aloud. Self-deception is always one of the more powerful forces of interpretation; the general human ability to see the lives of others far more critically than our own is another. Yet Lewis observed of himself, "I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world." Our own contradictions often exist glaringly amongst our thoughts, even as they go unnoticed.
Chad's Comments:
Dear Friends, I have so much to report on this great Monday. I will attempt to keep it short as I know how Monday's can be. I love each of you.
Regarding the healing Prayer session for Zak held at my home on Saturday evening: Thank you for those who were praying for him and for me. The spirit of God was truly with us. Even in my skepticism, it was almost impossible to doubt that God was working. There were many visible and audible evidences of the spirit in our midst. However, we did not 'see' Zak's spine "straighten before our eyes" as we were all hoping.
Zak is a teenager, yet, due to some brain functions, he does not communicate in the way that many 'expect'. It was difficult to gage how Zak was feeling in the situation. But, when the people were gone, and they were alone, Zak opened up and told his dad that Jesus said that he did not have to go to the hospital!
WOW! Jesus spoke healing into Zak! Yeah! Praise God.
It is my firm belief that God began a great healing in Zak's body on Saturday evening. I am looking forward to the next doctor's report.
Secondly, and I will go fast here as I hope to explore this further with you over the next several weeks; God is moving in Kara and I's life in great and unexpected ways. We are feeling a call toward community like never before. We are feeling love for each other and for our friends and neighbors with a 'direction'. My fear in all of this' newness' was that I was somehow 'watering down' the gospel message, or loosing touch with what is 'right'. However, what I am finding is a call to return to a more foundational, possibly even 'traditional', Christ centered life.
As we look toward a coming weekend - I'm thinking about a month from now, think of ways you can help a neighbor. Do you have a neighbor that needs something you can give them? Perhaps it is pulling their weeds, or mowing their lawn, or helping with their car, or helping with their homework. Dare I say, don't worry so much that YOU have to evangelical-ize them. Simply see if there is something that you can do to help them (love them).
However, be genuine and don't prostitute friendship. For example, at family gatherings, when I see a particular cousin of Kara's who is a practicing homosexual, I go out of my way to talk to him. My justification for doing this is that I wanted him to see that I did not 'hate' him. However, if I make him feel like he is a project, how have I really loved him. If I spend a bunch of time 'prospecting' him and neglect attempting to connect with other cousins at family events, how is my friendship genuine?
As a group, I will be challenging you to reach out to a neighbor. To invite someone over to your home whom you have had little to no contact with. This is not an effort to 'evangelize' them on the spot, but simply an effort to begin REAL relationship with them. Be in prayer about whom God would have you invite. More to come.
* Make Space for unbelievers in your life.
* Post your stories of God's intervention on the blog.
* Look for ways to share Awe and Wonder with children - leave suggestions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
* Consider joining Life-Devotions (a group of about 100 catholics and protestants sharing their faith through daily devotions and discussion - strong pro Life content)
* The Street Church
* Voice of the Martyrs
-Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)
By and large, the cultural trend marks a growing distrust and rejection of story and meaning and a general embrace of cynicism. And yet, in recent market research, executives found that audiences of all ages reacted badly to advertising that too sharply dismissed or disrespected the notion or story of Christmas. There is quite measurably a greater desire for storylines with hopeful implications in December. Apparently, we want to claim life is meaningless, but only 11 months out of the year. The typical cynicism governing the production and marketing of motion pictures is entirely toned down at Christmastime. It seems we want to argue the cake doesn't exist and eat it too.
I have always appreciated the brave confession of C.S. Lewis that he was once living in a whirl of contradictions. This is a difficult thing even to notice of one's life, let alone admit it aloud. Self-deception is always one of the more powerful forces of interpretation; the general human ability to see the lives of others far more critically than our own is another. Yet Lewis observed of himself, "I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world." Our own contradictions often exist glaringly amongst our thoughts, even as they go unnoticed.
Chad's Comments:
Dear Friends, I have so much to report on this great Monday. I will attempt to keep it short as I know how Monday's can be. I love each of you.
Regarding the healing Prayer session for Zak held at my home on Saturday evening: Thank you for those who were praying for him and for me. The spirit of God was truly with us. Even in my skepticism, it was almost impossible to doubt that God was working. There were many visible and audible evidences of the spirit in our midst. However, we did not 'see' Zak's spine "straighten before our eyes" as we were all hoping.
Zak is a teenager, yet, due to some brain functions, he does not communicate in the way that many 'expect'. It was difficult to gage how Zak was feeling in the situation. But, when the people were gone, and they were alone, Zak opened up and told his dad that Jesus said that he did not have to go to the hospital!
WOW! Jesus spoke healing into Zak! Yeah! Praise God.
It is my firm belief that God began a great healing in Zak's body on Saturday evening. I am looking forward to the next doctor's report.
Secondly, and I will go fast here as I hope to explore this further with you over the next several weeks; God is moving in Kara and I's life in great and unexpected ways. We are feeling a call toward community like never before. We are feeling love for each other and for our friends and neighbors with a 'direction'. My fear in all of this' newness' was that I was somehow 'watering down' the gospel message, or loosing touch with what is 'right'. However, what I am finding is a call to return to a more foundational, possibly even 'traditional', Christ centered life.
Upcoming Cougars' "Neighbor-Day" weekend:
As we look toward a coming weekend - I'm thinking about a month from now, think of ways you can help a neighbor. Do you have a neighbor that needs something you can give them? Perhaps it is pulling their weeds, or mowing their lawn, or helping with their car, or helping with their homework. Dare I say, don't worry so much that YOU have to evangelical-ize them. Simply see if there is something that you can do to help them (love them).
However, be genuine and don't prostitute friendship. For example, at family gatherings, when I see a particular cousin of Kara's who is a practicing homosexual, I go out of my way to talk to him. My justification for doing this is that I wanted him to see that I did not 'hate' him. However, if I make him feel like he is a project, how have I really loved him. If I spend a bunch of time 'prospecting' him and neglect attempting to connect with other cousins at family events, how is my friendship genuine?
As a group, I will be challenging you to reach out to a neighbor. To invite someone over to your home whom you have had little to no contact with. This is not an effort to 'evangelize' them on the spot, but simply an effort to begin REAL relationship with them. Be in prayer about whom God would have you invite. More to come.
* Make Space for unbelievers in your life.
* Post your stories of God's intervention on the blog.
* Look for ways to share Awe and Wonder with children - leave suggestions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
* Consider joining Life-Devotions (a group of about 100 catholics and protestants sharing their faith through daily devotions and discussion - strong pro Life content)
* The Street Church
* Voice of the Martyrs
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