Often in my talks about volunteering, I mention "The value of your life story". I put a lot of emphasis on reminding the world that just as your story has been, with the good, the beautiful and also the dark and stormy parts of it, it can be a GREAT GIFT for others. I mean that just the way your story has been, by having the courage to look at it and heal it, you can be truly empathetic and genuine when serving and accompanying others.
Today, after receiving a letter from one of my children, I realized why I have unconsciously chosen that message so often and so strongly because It has absolutely everything to do with me! I firmly cling to the idea of building my future, not "despite my history, despite who I have been or ignoring who I have been" but with the broken pieces of who I am, the fragments of my life! I choose to believe that I can build something beautiful by looking forward to the broken pieces of my story. The concept of Kintsugi, ("kin" = golden "tsugi" = assembled. "Join with gold") in Japanese philosophy, speaks of a tradition that consists of repairing broken ceramic vessels. It teaches about the value of conserving the fragments of our vessel, and not to discard the vessel because it is broken, on the contrary, carefully, conscientiously and with great respect, unite and mend those fragments by filling their cracks with gold dust, without any intention of hiding or disguising the damage. The point is to highlight the lines as beautiful and strong. The golden "veins" are there to emphasize that the "breaks", those cracks have great merit, rich in themselves... Love and care for the broken pieces encourage us to care for and respect the vessel that has been damaged, broken and vulnerable. So today I chose to make a beautiful vessel out of my life... It will certainly be covered by many golden lines, it will certainly be richer. For me, it is related to the value of forgiveness, the reconciliation between failures, mistakes and "falls" that caused the damage. The importance for me, is putting the pieces together with love. My life today is very rich... because I have broken it into a thousand pieces. With God all things are possible. -- Alex Garcia
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During the night, while I was praying, the following reflection came to me. It edified me so much that I thought it would be good to share it with my brothers and sisters, knowing that the Word of God is our food, and it gives us strength in our walk with Him.
Philippians 4:7 tells us that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” When this thought came to my mind, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me in depth about peace. In this world we will not find perfect peace. God’s peace is a perfect peace. Why is it so? Because it is a peace that surpasses all understanding. In this world there is no peace that surpasses man’s intelligence, because the peace of the world depends on the way man interprets what happens, and this interpretation is linked to our intelligence. But the peace of God does not depend on how man interprets an event. That is why God is the One who gives us peace even in the midst of difficulty, even in the midst of trials. That’s why we can have peace, if we look to Christ, because His peace is not like the peace of the world. His peace is above our way of interpreting things. His peace is above our intelligence; that’s why it is a perfect peace and we need it. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give unto you” (John 14:27 NKJV). When the Lord says that He does not give as the world gives, it means that His peace is different from the peace of the world; it is a perfect peace, it’s beyond our understanding. When that thought came to my mind, I found rest. I also found joy, because the peace of God is available to all who trust in Him, who look to Jesus. We can say to ourselves: “Yes, I am a child of God. I am a believer. I know the Bible. I pray every day.” But when we do not constantly look to the Lord, and we look instead at events with our own understanding, we interpret things with our own calculation. This can never bring us peace, because true peace comes from God. The peace of God is above our human standards and way of interpreting things. His is a perfect peace that keeps us even in wars, in problems, in the face of disease. If we have this peace, we will be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Despite the fire, they were at peace. Why? Because the fourth Person was there.—The Son of God! It is the Son of God who gives us peace. It is Yeshua who gives us peace. It is Jesus Christ who gives us peace. And it is His peace that surpasses our understanding. That is why a child of God who trusts in the Lord, even in the face of difficult situations that the world finds troublesome, will have peace. This is the message that I felt led to share with you. Because we are human, we sometimes go through difficult times, not only in relation to matters of money, but we sometimes find ourselves in complicated, difficult situations, which cause us sadness. But the Word of God tells us not to worry, but instead to make our needs known to God, and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and our thoughts in Jesus Christ. The peace of God is available to us today. A new day is ahead of us, and if we want to experience peace, let’s look to Jesus, through prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. He is the guarantor of our souls. He takes care of us. He is the one who gives us peace, the peace that man and the world will never be able to give us. This peace will come only from Him as we look to Him. May the Lord bless us, and may this day be a day of peace in the Lord. God bless you! -- By Cédric Kalala, D.R. Congo My three-year-old son was playing an educational game on the computer when his six-year-old sister demanded that he let her have a turn. His response was typical. “I was here first!”
I don’t know where my son picked that up, but it got me thinking. It’s a generally accepted principle of human society that those who “get there first” have more rights than those who get there after them. The first one to set foot on virgin land is entitled to take possession of it. The first one to find a pearl in the sea, or strike gold or oil may claim it as his own. The first one to make a scientific discovery or invention may patent his find and claim any profits that may result. The first one to settle in on a particular spot on the beach becomes the owner of that spot for the day. In my children’s case, if one of them has been playing for half an hour at the computer, I tell him or her that it’s time to let the other one have a turn. Most other parents probably do something similar. But if we applied that principle to every aspect of society, there would be absolute chaos. Can you imagine a landowner saying, “I’ve had this plot of land for quite a while, so it’s time to let someone else enjoy it”? Or can you imagine a man who has a good job giving it to someone else who is out of work and short of money? Those examples are rather extreme, but what about little acts of selflessness? How often do you see people who have a seat on the bus or subway offering it to someone who has just boarded, simply because they look like they’d appreciate a chance to rest their weary feet? Are little sacrifices like that too much to expect?—Or do we fail to make them simply because we don’t see anyone else making them and no one really expects us to do so either? It’s a matter of selfishness, when you get right down to it, and selfishness is part of sinful human nature. But the love of Jesus can help us break out of that mold. “Give, and it will be given to you,” He taught, “for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”1 Those are certainly extraordinary concepts in this day and age. How we cling to our rights! But this giving, selfless kind of love is actually what God wanted for us all from the beginning—and His love can help us achieve it. If we would practice this kind of love, the world would be a different place. by Jorge Solá I vividly remember the day in my early twenties when I was sitting in the comfortable living room of my upper-middle class home and felt a void and restlessness within me that none of the plush surroundings or gadgets around me could assuage. In that fleeting moment, I sensed the powerful truth that material things cannot fully satisfy or give us happiness. I realized that our spirits will never be satisfied until they are in union with the great and loving Spirit who created them. As Augustine said to God in his autobiography Confessions, “You have made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you.”
We’re constantly bombarded with advertisements telling us to buy newer and better things. It doesn’t matter if we’re content with what we have, or already have more things than we need, or simply can’t afford more. We’re told that better things will make our lives better! But in addition to making our lives more stressful, consumerism also puts enormous stress on our planet.
I too have found that having too many goods keeps me from enjoying what I have to the fullest, and that the simplest pleasures of life, which don’t cost much, provide us with the greatest happiness. In the book of Isaiah, God says, “Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:1–2 ESV) We were created as eternal creatures; that’s why the temporality of materialism leaves us with an empty feeling. The greatest and most precious possession we can ever have is eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35 ESV) Only God can satisfy the thirst and hunger of our spirits, because He created us with a space in our hearts that only He can fill. We enjoy that satisfaction in our inner being as we deepen our relationship with Him. -- Uday Paul Most people try not to think about it more than they have to, but there’s no denying it: There’s a lot of suffering in the world. Innocents are killed, maimed, and made homeless in cruel and unjust wars. More suffer the same in natural or manmade disasters. Cancer, AIDS, and other diseases claim millions of lives each year, often after months or years of pain. There’s no end to it. Why does life have to be this way? It’s the age-old question: Why does God allow suffering?
There is no simple, universal answer to that. God does allow suffering, but His reasons and purposes are nearly as numerous and varied as the sufferers themselves. One thing is certain, however: How people come through suffering or react to the suffering of others depends largely on their faith. Those who have implicit faith in a just and loving God call out to Him in their time of need, tap into His infinite resources, and find the grace and strength to rise above their pain and loss. Little is known about the personal suffering of Frank E. Graeff (1860–1919), but he must have been writing from experience when he penned his now famous hymn, “Does Jesus Care?”1 The pain he expresses is too real to have been mere fabrication, and only one who has been there could express the truth and hope found so victoriously in the chorus. “Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief. … I know my Savior cares!” Suffering is part of life, but that wonderful faith and assurance of God’s care and presence in the midst of our suffering can be yours too. He looked out of place. Wrapped in a Ukrainian flag, he wore a T-shirt with the number of a charity registered with the government, probably to show that he was legal. “Help for Ukraine, sir?” he croaked with an unsure voice, holding a transparent donation box in front of him.
“On my way out,” I replied, sounding less enthusiastic than I would like. This wasn’t my day either. A teenager from Ukraine. I told myself the obvious. Too young to join the army and too old to hang out with his single mother and siblings. They are everywhere. A few times every day I pass by them. I hear them speaking Ukrainian, Russian, or broken Polish. Over 4 million registered Ukrainian refugees crossed the Polish border to escape the war with Russia. An estimated 2.5 million stayed in Poland, while the rest dispersed all around Europe. An overwhelming majority were mothers and children. I entered the shop. Seeing the full shelves changed my thoughts to the task at hand. Shopping. It went smoothly. I paid my bill and I was ready to go home. Ah, the awkward teenager. I promised him I would stop. Besides my promise, I felt a certain affinity with the young refugee. I had a sense of sympathy for him probably because I, too, felt like a “spiritual refugee” at times. “This world is not my home, I’m only passing through...” is a reality in my life. I’m a Polish national, but I often don’t feel at home here. Sometimes the problems and attitudes of my fellow countrymen and women seem alien to me. I don’t understand what they are about and why such high animosity surrounds certain issues. My wife and I had planned to stay in Africa for the rest of our lives, but the Lord chose a different path for us to follow. I had to come back to Poland and found the generation changed. Young people had other priorities now. I understood African life better. The song “Wayfaring Stranger” had a big influence on me. I was surprised at how well it expresses my feelings of being homesick for heaven. I, too, feel like I’m residing in a foreign land. But I’m a wayfaring stranger, and that’s different from a refugee. A refugee is someone who was forced out of his abode, while a wayfaring traveler is on his way home. Russians would say, “Home is where they are expecting you.” I gazed toward the young refugee from Ukraine. He was still standing in front of the shop, clumsily greeting people and asking for donations. It was evident that he was learning on the spot how to do that. I moved closer to him and then I looked inside his donation box. A few pitiful coins were all he had in there. No wonder he struggled. Things weren’t going his way. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that he would rather be playing football than standing in front of this shop, trying to be brave. But I also presumed the choice wasn’t his. My banknote was the first non-coin donation, making the content of his box look slightly better. “Bardzo panu dziękuję” (“Thank you very much, sir”), the awkward teenager shouted, surprising me with his loud voice and a sincere smile. Suddenly he became animated. I started on my way home. Will they use the money well? Why do we have to give to people we don’t know anything about? were the questions I was asking myself. “In thankfulness,” was the answer I got. Thankfulness? For what? I pondered with suspicion. “That it is not you who are a refugee,” was the simple answer. I couldn’t help but smile. This is the truth. I have so much to be thankful for. Sadly, I often take all that I have for granted. This simple phrase changed my day instantly by putting my perspective on the right track. “Thank You, Lord, that I’m not the refugee,” I repeated many times on my way back from shopping. “I’m simply on my way home.” It reminded me of what the Bible commentator Matthew Henry said when someone stole his wallet. “Let me be thankful, first, because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” -- Tommy Paluchowski “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
I read a quote once that has stuck with me. A famous musician said, “I sought fame and fortune, but when I reached it and opened the door, I found it was an empty room.”—A thought echoed in the tragic deaths of many famous celebrities—Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Judy Garland, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Williams, just to mention a few. But most of us probably realize that fame and fortune are an illusion of smoke and mirrors.
The autumn of our lives is nonetheless a time of reflection on our own successes and failures. Looking back, I can see the times I hit the bull’s-eye and other times I missed the target altogether, but there have been many times when the Lord came through for me and made something beautiful despite my mistakes. Still, some of us who have labored long and hard in various capacities might wonder if we have made much of an impact. We might compare ourselves with others who seem more successful, and be a bit envious or think that if we had just caught some golden boat of opportunity in the past we would now be seeing more results of our labors. We might feel a bit like the illustration of the hand being pulled out of the water and the water quickly filling the void that was left, or like the famous Japanese haiku: an old lily pond a young green frog jumps in. Splash! still, silence again. My interpretation being: You are the frog, your immediate world that you live in is your pond, the splash you make is the influence you have on your world, and the silence again is the return to the status quo after you are gone. Even in English we have the expression “making a splash” to illustrate our influence. I was pondering a bit about my own legacy and on my previous life choices when I saw an award-winning documentary about a singer that gave me some insight into how we may be surprised one day to discover how much we have affected others. The Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” tells the amazing story of a Mexican-American songwriter whose two early albums bombed in America in the ’70s, but who wound up finding a huge audience in apartheid-era South Africa. Sixto Rodriguez had no idea he was a legend there until a group of fans found him on the internet and brought him to the country for a series of triumphant concerts. After his early “failures” and thinking he was a flop, Sixto got a construction job, unaware that at the same time he had become a big hit in South Africa and had helped fuel the anti-apartheid movement. He sold half a million albums there, but he never saw the money. Though banned by the apartheid government at the time, he was more popular in South Africa than Elvis. Thanks to the documentary, Rodriguez was eventually discovered again. Needless to say, he has given up his construction job and is now performing at sold-out performances and working on his third album. So how does this apply to us who are not musically talented? We may never be discovered in this world, like Emily Dickinson, who is now considered one of the greatest American poets, but in her own lifetime had only seven of her nearly 2,000 poems published. It’s important to remember that God doesn’t forget and that we will one day “reap what we have sown.” That phrase is usually used in a negative context—of crime not paying—but the same principle applies when we sow and show love to help those in need. We may not fully realize the impact we have had on others in this life, but we will in the next. We can find many verses in the Bible of how God rewards and shows His appreciation to those who gave to others in need. Some of us might have to wait till we meet the Lord and the Book of Remembrance is opened, or the Marriage Feast of the Lamb and we meet those whom we have influenced, to fully appreciate our lives. In any case, there are sure to be some wonderful surprises awaiting us there. In the meantime, let’s keep showing God’s love and letting our light shine! “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”—Isaiah 55:12–13 “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”—Matthew 25:21 -- Curtis Peter van Gorder It’s human nature to form quick opinions based on the things we see and hear, without taking the time
to dig deeper. “Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?” the apostle Paul cautioned the Christians in Corinth 2,000 years ago. Jesus also had advice on the topic: “Stop judging by mere appearances,” He pleaded. But if we’re honest, most of us would probably admit to doing just that, at least some of the time. Here’s a passage that got me thinking about how I see others: “It takes love, hope, faith, and understanding to nourish the possibilities in another and to believe that there is more to a person than meets the eye. You may think you know a person well enough to know that he is beyond changing, but what if the tables were turned? Would you consider how people view and treat you to be a fair representation of who you really are and how you would want to be treated?” We all thrive on hearing appreciation from those around us. We gain confidence when we know that someone values our thoughts. We could all do more to help those around us flourish. It doesn’t cost much to show confidence in people. We may be pleasantly surprised what happens to someone when they’re at the receiving end of a little faith. If we want to see the world and those around us change, let’s start by believing that others are more than they appear to be. Let’s try to draw out the good in those around us, appreciate individuals for who they are, and acknowledge their gifts and talents. When we highlight the good in them, that good can flourish even more. After all, that’s what God does with us: “God our Father … will encourage you and help you always.” -- By Samuel Keating Decision-making can be a paralyzing experience.
Say, for example, that you have been offered a new job in a different state. Should you take it? Well, it depends. What are the schools like in the area? What is the traffic like? Are there any nuclear power plants nearby? Is the increased salary worth the emotional cost of moving your family? All these different factors can make it difficult to decide. Now, throw the whole issue of God’s will into the mix? Is it really God’s will for you to move? It seems like it’s God’s will, but maybe it’s not. What if you make a terrible mistake and somehow miss the will of God? Are you going to end up in some purgatorial situation because you accidentally missed God’s will? The fear of missing God’s will is enough to paralyze any Christian. But here’s the question: Can a Christian miss the will of God for their life? Could you somehow go your entire life being outside of God’s good plan for you? The way to miss God’s will is really simple: ignore the Bible. In the Bible God has told us exactly what we should do when it comes to making decisions. First, we should determine if our decision goes against anything clearly spelled out in the Bible. Second, we should ask God to give us wisdom. James 1:5–6 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.” Getting wisdom from God isn’t a mystical, super-spiritual experience. It means asking God to help us think clearly and biblically about the decision in front of us. When we ask for wisdom, we should believe God is going to give it to us. God isn’t trying to hide his good will from us. He wants to help us understand the right way to walk. If we heed the counsel of Scripture, we won’t miss God’s will. God isn’t hiding his will, or trying to trick us into making a bad decision. If we evaluate our decision by Scripture, ask for wisdom, and then ask the opinion of others, we are doing what God requires of us. He promises to guide us through that process. The Bible doesn’t tell us what we’re supposed to feel about our decisions. Instead, it tells us how to make biblical, God-honoring decisions. So, if you have a big decision to make … go to the Word, ask for wisdom, and get others involved. — Stephen Altrogge |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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