Finding Joy

 Finally, after a year’s delay, the Olympians are competing in Tokyo. The athletes’ excitement is palpable! Fans aren’t allowed in the stands, so their friends and families are hosting watch parties, shouting and cheering as if they were right there in Japan. (Do your mood a huge favor and google ‘watch party in Alaska.’)  Competitors are embracing each other. Both veteran and first-time Olympians are happily celebrating their teammates’ successes. While some commentators seem to be dwelling on the negative, the athletes are savoring this experience. There’s a lesson here for the rest of us.

“…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” --Nehemiah 8:10

God created us to be joyful people, even during a pandemic! We want to celebrate special occasions and victories with each other. We feel connected when we laugh together or work toward a common goal. We get an emotional boost when we lift up the spirits of others. The Bible is full of references to joy, song, praise, happiness, peace, mercy, love, kindness, etc. God wants us to experience all of it; He wired us to want joy and goodness in our lives.

A joyful spirit is not a Pollyanna attitude that ignores the sufferings of others, including clinical depression or other mental illness. Having a joyful spirit doesn’t mean we never feel sad, lonely, or disappointed. Feeling the full spectrum of emotions is part of our human existence; we’re even called to bear one another’s burdens. The joy I’m talking about comes from a deep-down assurance that God loves us, is with us, and will give us what we need in all circumstances if we but ask Him to. It resists giving in to despair and the evil spirits that want to drag us down. It fights against getting stuck in the habit of complaining, pointing out others’ weaknesses, and stewing over our difficulties.  A joyful spirit focuses on God’s loving-kindness for us, which strengthens our resolve to stay close to Him and let Him fill us with His grace. It gives us the desire and courage to look for the gifts of each day and in each other. And so, like the Olympians who are relishing this chance of a lifetime, with joy let’s look for and savor God’s blessings, every day.

Do I take a moment each morning to think about something I can look forward to? Do I allow myself to express joy, and encourage others to do the same?

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”--1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 “Lord, may my day today be a joyful gift back to You.”

To receive notifications of future posts, please "follow" my blog. To do this, click on the following link

 -> https://www.blogger.com/manage-blogs-following.g

Click "Add" and type in my blog URL: intoflame.blogspot.com

Select your preference and click "follow."

Jesus Feeds the Multitude and Us

 

John 6:1-15

There are several stories in the Bible of Jesus preaching to large crowds. Imagine thousands of people walking and following Him wherever He went, hanging onto His every word. Jesus must have possessed a cheerful and magnetic personality for so many people to want to be close to Him.  Maybe they were drawn to His kindness as He cured the sick and healed the crippled. Maybe they felt uplifted as He spoke of the Father’s immense love for each of them. Maybe He gave them hope when He forgave their sins.

The story of Jesus feeding 5,000, also called “the miracle of five loaves and two fish,” is the only miracle found in all four Gospels. As He taught that day, Jesus knew the people were getting hungry. He was aware of their needs, and He wanted to take care of them. His disciples saw no way to feed the crowd, but Jesus did. Not only did He feed them, He gave them more than they needed!

God knows what we need, too. He wants to give us what we need, and more besides -- not necessarily what we want, but certainly what we need. Do we ask for what we need, or for what we think we want? Do we open our minds to what God may give us in His wisdom? Do we pray “Thy will be done” with sincerity? If you’re at a crossroads or are facing a particularly difficult challenge, take time to sit quietly. Ask God to show you the first step toward a solution, and then the next step after that. He knows what you need even before you do, and He wants to feed you with His love, wisdom, and guidance. When you think about how to resolve your dilemma, which options bring you peace, and which ones bring angst? If our actions bring us peace, that’s a good indication that’s the better choice.

Letting God lead us and feed us is, ultimately, what will bring us happiness, holiness, and peace.

^“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” --Philippians 4:6-7

“Lord, feed me with Your love, guidance, and grace.”

To receive notifications of future posts, please "follow" my blog. To do this, click on the following link 

-> https://www.blogger.com/manage-blogs-following.g
Click "Add" and type in my blog URL: intoflame.blogspot.com
Select your preference and click "follow."

Change, Learn, and Grow

 

(June 9, 2021) They say that change is constant. 2020 had more than its fair share of changes, and now we’re  changing back to a way of life that looks a little more like what we used to call normal.  

“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” 

John Henry Newman 

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing  that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even  pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” 

--Matt 5:46-48 

I read somewhere that the Greek word that’s translated to our English word ‘perfect’ refers to something you grow into; it’s a process of becoming whole. That means Jesus isn’t expecting us  to be flawless; instead, He’s giving us lessons on how to grow into our God-given potential. 

What have we learned from living through a pandemic that’s in line with Jesus’ lessons? How  may the challenges of the past 15 months inspire us to change how we spend our time, energy,  and resources to become ‘perfect’ – to move toward becoming the people God created each of us to be? Maybe our time of social isolation helped us appreciate the people who are important  to us, and so now we’re determined to make more time for them. Maybe we’ve become more  aware of the needs of our community, and that insight challenges us to get involved in a service  project. Maybe we’ve even learned how our health and hygiene affect the people around us,  and so now we’re mindfully practicing healthy habits out of respect for others. 

I hope that some of the past year’s changes turned out to be blessings. I hope you learned – I  hope we all learned – not to take anyone or anything for granted. I hope through the toughest  times you learned you have more strength, and more people pulling for you, than you ever  realized. I hope in the days and years ahead you continue to find opportunities to adapt, learn, and grow into the wonderful YOU God created. 

“Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart.” --Psalm 90:12 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Planting Seeds

 

(June 2, 2021) You gardeners are optimistic, industrious people! Day after day, even before you see plants  poking through the soil, you water and weed and water and weed, and then you wait with  patient, expectant hope for the plants to grow and mature so you can, finally, harvest what you  have sown. I have great appreciation for the work involved! Imagine someone unfamiliar with  the basics of crops and planting; it would appear strange to them to see you burying seeds. But  you know about the unseen potential of the seeds and how they interact with the soil, water, and sunshine to create plants that will grow and become food. 

“The One Who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed  and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 

--2 Corinthians: 9-10 

This verse assures us that God, who created all things and makes all things grow, gives us the inspiration and ability to do good works and then adds His power to our deeds to make them more fruitful. Every kind act we do has potential beyond what we see; God’s love and power  multiplies each mundane, everyday task we do when we do it with love. We most likely will never know how God uses and transforms these deeds; yet we trust that He does. That’s why,  as Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “We should do small acts with great love.” 

Don’t dismiss the seemingly insignificant good deeds you do for someone else and the kind  words you offer to others. Just as the gardener knows that his or her tasks are part of a greater  process that will result in a harvest, let’s remember that our efforts to do good and loving  things for others will be magnified by God. Let’s look for ways to love others and let His power bring about even more good from them. 

“Lord, open my eyes to what I can do for others. Let me take every opportunity, both big and  small, to contribute to Your harvest of love.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Offer It Up

 

(May 26, 2021) This time of year – and even more so this year – there’s a feeling in the air of excitement and  hope for a better tomorrow. Graduates look ahead to bright futures and independence; vacations and visits with family and friends refresh our spirits and strengthen our bonds of love;  young couples commit to each other in marriage and begin a new stage in their life together; and, as I write this, the number of COVID cases is down in our country and we can be optimistic  about the future. These are all causes for celebration. 

God designed our lives to be filled with opportunities for growth and change. When life is going  well, our sense of hope and optimism, and the love of the people who support us, propel us to  do good things in our work, our families, and our communities. 

We know that not all growth and change are easy, so how do we handle it when we encounter  difficulties? A few of us were discussing the power of ‘offering it up’ and one friend asked what  that meant. We explained that it means giving a difficult task or situation to God and asking  Him to use it, somehow, for something good. As an example, I described a situation that had  happened to my husband and me a couple years ago: 

Ted and I were waiting in the airport on a Sunday evening after visiting our daughter and son-in law in Florida. The flight was scheduled to leave at 8:45 p.m. and we were due in at CAK at  11:00 p.m. We figured we’d get home around 11:30. It was past 8:30 and we still hadn’t  boarded when an announcement came on that the flight was delayed. No explanation was  given. Of course, people grumbled. Then, over the next few hours, the flight was delayed again,  and again, and again, and pretty soon people were yelling at the airline staff. It was past 10:00  when an announcement came on that the flight was canceled. The place erupted with shouting  and cursing. Then, somehow, the flight was un-canceled and, after waiting still longer, we were  finally allowed to board. As the plane lifted off the ground, I looked at my watch; it was 11:30  p.m., the time we thought we’d be getting home. The flight itself was uneventful; we landed  safely, drove home, walked into our house at 2:00 a.m., and thanked God we were home. 

I told my friend that, through all of this, I felt a knot trying to form in my stomach. At the same  time, I knew I had to stay calm to help not only my own peace of mind but also to help Ted stay  calm so that we didn’t add to the mayhem. As we stood around waiting, I remembered a young man who was battling cancer whose family had asked for our prayers. I’ll call him Tyler. So, I did  the only thing I could think of to do: I moved a few yards away from the crowd and the chaos  and silently told God I was giving Him the situation. I pictured everyone’s stress, frustration,  aggravation, and anger. In my mind’s eye it looked like black clouds, or like a huge swarm of bugs, hovering all around and above us. I offered it up to God: I asked Him to take it all. I pictured Him gathering up this black mess and taking it to Himself, where He could then transform all that negative energy into GOOD energy – something helpful for Tyler. This  imagery lessened in me the stress and weight of the situation. That doesn’t mean I was happy or unaware; it meant I could stay calm and wait without sighing, pacing, complaining, and  whining. It allowed me to separate the facts of the situation from the emotions surrounding it. 

It was also empowering. It was like the bad wasn’t so bad after all, because I could trust that it  was actually beneficial to someone else. I knew I probably would never see the good that came from this, and that didn’t matter; I trusted that God would use all of it for good, at some time  and in some way. (It occurred to me that if I asked God to send even more stress, then Tyler  might benefit even more, but I had to admit I wasn’t strong enough to ask for that.). 

This is what we mean by ‘offer it up.’ The beauty of it is that we can do it any time, in big doses  or small, and the act of doing so can be quite liberating. Sometimes it’s as simple as recognizing  our pain in a difficult situation and asking God to take that pain and turn it into something  good. Instead of just stewing about something, we can ask God to take our frustration and  worry and use that energy for something beneficial for someone, somewhere. It’s important to  note that giving a problem to God doesn’t mean the problem will immediately disappear,  though it could if God wills it. It means that, just like what happened in the airport, the act of  offering it to God frees us from the stress and weight of it and gives us hope that it will serve  some purpose. 

“And we know that in all things God works together with those who love Him to bring about  what is good.” --Romans 8:28 

“Lord, thank You for giving us a way to ease our burdens and use them to help each other.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her  invite the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer,  additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the  reader to a deeper faith and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Power of the Spirit

 

(May 19, 2021) This Sunday, Christians will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, the outpouring of  the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ followers for the first time (see Acts 2). The Spirit was so  powerful that the disciples went from living in hiding, out of fear of what would  happen to them, to going out and spreading the news about the risen Christ and  performing miracles in His name. “Everyone was filled with awe at the many  wonders and signs performed by the apostles” (Acts 2:43). 

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude,  knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. All Christians received these gifts at their  baptism. He continues to give them to us if we ask Him to in order to continue the  work Jesus started.  

What do these gifts look like? Let’s say a teen asks you for advice; you ask God for  guidance in what to say, and effective words ‘pop into your head,’ that’s counsel. When a scripture verse you’ve heard many times before suddenly has greater  meaning for you, that’s the gift of understanding. Maybe you’re tempted to say  something rude; you ask God to help you bite your tongue, and you’re able to  keep quiet, that’s fortitude. 

Imagine being given a new wardrobe and letting it sit in the closet, or receiving a  gift package of gourmet food and admiring the box instead of making delicious  meals with it. That wouldn’t happen! In the same way, God wants us to ask Him  for His gifts so that we can use HIS power in the moment. These gifts empower us  to be more than just ‘nice people’! So, let’s ask God to open our hearts and let  Him pour His gifts onto us. 

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,  

which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, 

but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”  

2 Timothy 1:6-7

“Lord, pour Your Spirit upon us once again. Guide us, and give us the power to  do Your work.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Sing a New Song

 

(May 12, 2021) Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl said, “Between stimulus and  response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In  our response lie our growth and our freedom.”  

During the pandemic, we’ve been challenged by unimaginable circumstances. In  that space Frankl speaks of between stimulus and response – in this case,  between the onset of COVID and our response to it -- many of us have found  strength, creativity, and resilience that had been inconceivable before. 

“Sing to the Lord a new song” 

Psalm 96:1 

When I read this verse the other day, it came to me as a reminder of the optimism  we had before the pandemic hit. It was almost as if I was hearing the words for  the first time. “Oh, yeah… I remember… I can sing. There is much to sing about,  much to celebrate, if I choose to see it. I can choose my attitude.” It was as if God  was saying to me, “You done slumping?” 

Whether we interpret it literally or figuratively, “Sing to the Lord a new song” urges us to take action. It inspires us to make a decision; to turn to the Lord and ask Him to give us the wisdom and power to choose attitudes and actions that are more loving, forgiving, patient, and joyful. It inspires us to thank God for all the  goodness around us.  

“Sing to the Lord a new song” inspires us to get out of the rut and sing a NEW  song. This might be finding new and creative ways to do our work. It might be adding an extra spark of joy to the time we spend with family, friends, and  coworkers. Maybe it’s mindfully looking someone in the eye and really listening to  an answer when we ask how they’re doing. Maybe getting out of the rut could be  trying something new like saying a prayer of thanks while we sit at a red light. Maybe it’s giving even more time or financial support to a cause. Maybe it’s humming while we drive to work to help us remember God’s goodness, which will have a positive effect on how we deal with others. 

Viktor Frankl also said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are  challenged to change ourselves.” 

So, pandemic or not, let’s sing to the Lord a new song. Let’s look with fresh eyes at the many ways God has blessed us, and thank Him for them. Let’s encourage each other to laugh, sing, play, and celebrate the life and love we have to share.  

“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” 

Psalm 33:3 

“Lord, give me a heart that appreciates the blessings You give us.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Childlike Wonder and Trust

 

(April 28, 2021) “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop  playing.” –George Bernard Shaw 

Our kids and grandkids were in town for the past week or so. Imagine the  excitement in our house with three children ages two and under! What happy  days we had! The ‘little people’ noticed all kinds of miracles -- things that we take  for granted because we don’t see them as miracles anymore. And so this week,  I’m going to invite and encourage all of us to take a lesson from these little ones:  Let’s find the miracles all around us by approaching each day with the eyes of  WONDER. Let’s find JOY in what we tend to call ordinary! 

Go for a stroll and look as if you’re seeing everything for the first time. Find joy in  smelling the lilacs. Watch the cardinals ‘dance’ as they flit among the tree  branches. Find a pond and watch the ducks paddling around. Laugh when they  duck their heads under water for food! Toss a stick into a stream or river and  notice how fast it flows. Sometimes the ducks go with the flow – THAT looks  funny! Turn off the voices in your head and really listen to the sounds around you.  Notice the variety of bird calls. If you’re lucky enough to hear a woodpecker, smile at the image of it banging its head against a tree to get its food. (Woodpeckers  are one of my favorites; I think they prove that God has a sense of humor.) God  created all of this for us to enjoy! 

Also, children are trusting beings. When they’re hungry, they ask us for food.  When they’re outside, we keep them away from traffic. When they’re afraid, they  hold onto us tightly, knowing we’ll keep them safe.  

Let’s approach God in the same way. Let’s look around with awe at His miracles of  creation – including the miracle of us! Let’s remind ourselves that we are God’s children; He loves us more than we love our own kids and grandkids, as difficult as  that is for us to comprehend. Let’s ask Him to provide for us, guide us, and  protect us. Let’s trust Him to stay by our side every day, in all circumstances – all  we have to do is ask. This might sound simplistic, and yet I believe it’s at least part  of the message of Matthew 18:2-3: “He called a little child to him, and placed the 

child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become  like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

“Lord, open my eyes to the wonders all around me. Let me find joy in all of Your  creation. Help me to trust You with childlike trust.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Treasures

(May 5, 2021) Picture yourself standing in your garage. It’s as clean and organized as a garage can be. It has room for your car and your bike, the lawnmower, gardening supplies, workbench and tools, and maybe even a couple lawn games or kids’ toys. It’s a good garage, and yet it’s not your home.

Above the garage there’s an attic. Imagine that it’s immaculately clean; all kinds of treasures are carefully stored up there. Picture the attic full of shining gems that are not diamonds but, miraculously, countless intangibles like love, joy, patience, insight, happiness, guidance, fulfillment, perseverance, peace, discipline, generosity, kindness, and wisdom.  

Now, imagine you’re working in the garage and you start feeling like something is missing. You’re not sure what, exactly. So you stop what you’re doing and try to figure out what’s causing your unrest. Before long you realize that what’s missing is something that’s in the attic. You look up at the ceiling and notice a door with a chain hanging from it. You pull the chain and, as the door swings down, you see stairs attached to it. You reach up and pull them down; a full staircase unfolds and reaches the floor. The staircase is sturdy and you trust it to hold your weight. You climb up the stairs to get to the treasures in the attic; you won’t rest until you’ve found what you need. 

I like to use the attic as an analogy for heaven and also for how we can experience heaven on earth. The main part of the garage is like our life on earth: it’s a little messy. The garage is not our permanent home and so we oftentimes feel unfulfilled. The attic, on the other hand, is heaven and eternal life. It’s where our true home is, and what we were created for. It’s where perfect love, peace, and all the other treasures are found. We need the attic door, as we need Jesus, to help us reach the treasures of heaven. The staircase attached to the door is our faith. The staircase is everything God gives us to show us His love and help us share it with the people around us: the Scriptures, our prayer time, the sacraments, our friends and family, our church community, and even the miracles of nature. The staircase is given to guide us, support us, and lead us to our destination. The stairs are available to us; it’s our choice to use them and learn from them.

Now, here’s the best news: These treasures are inside our hearts, also! God created us in His image. We don’t have to go far to find Him; He’s ever-present, ready and waiting to show us His love, His peace, and His way to heaven. At our baptism, we received His grace and His Spirit to live in us and do the works He did as the man named Jesus. God simply asks that we make the effort, to stop what we’re doing for a few moments each day and seek out His treasures. 

When we pray, we open our minds and hearts to see what God has in store for us in that moment. When we pray, we open the door to His treasures.

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” 

John 14:13-14

“Lord, thank You for loving me! Help me remember to open the door to all the treasures You offer me each day.”

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Mother Teresa's 'Anyway' Poem

 (April 21, 2021)   Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem  

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and sincere, people may cheat you; 

Be honest and sincere anyway. 

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; 

Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. 

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. 

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; 

It was never between you and them anyway.

The Joy of Freedom

(April 14, 2021) Christians believe that, through Christ’s death and resurrection, God has set us free from death and the power of evil. What does this mean?

It means that Jesus didn’t offer Himself to be crucified so that we could be nice people. Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead so we could have everlasting life!

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”  --Romans 8:11

Jesus gave His Spirit to His followers (see John 20:21-22 and Acts 2:1-4, 14-18). He gave His Spirit to us, too, when we were baptized. 

That means we have God’s power in us. This power works in many ways and may depend on how open we are to accepting it. During Lent, maybe we were determined to give up something that had become an unhealthy habit; today, we might notice it doesn’t have such a strong pull on us anymore. Maybe there was a relationship that needed healing and so we had the humility and courage to take steps to nurture it. Today we might notice that the relationship has improved, in part because our attitude has softened toward that person. Or maybe we spent more time in prayer, and let God show us examples of His love for us. We might notice that we feel a bit more peaceful now.

Whether or not we’ve noticed a change, we can be confident that God has blessed our efforts. As long as we let Him, He will continue to free our hearts to make us more loving: more patient, kind, humble, hopeful, and peaceful (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Are we going to maintain this spiritual growth? It depends on how much we trust Him and His power. He has unlocked the handcuffs of our sinful ways; it’s up to us to toss them aside.

We’ll be free if we let His Spirit work in us. His Spirit frees us from the shackles of unhealthy, harmful, and sinful habits. It frees our hearts from bitterness and replaces it with joy and humility so we can pray for the people we find difficult, love them, and treat them with more kindness; it can do the same for others when they find us difficult. With His Spirit, we’re free to ask Him for guidance, and then trust He’ll give us a sense of peace when we’ve chosen what’s best. His Spirit frees us to let go of resentments, and gives us peace, so that old wounds in relationships can heal. His Spirit gives us courage to seek professional help with especially difficult relationships and painful life challenges. Also, He gives some individuals the gift of healing: even today, God heals people physically, emotionally, and spiritually through those individuals (to learn more about one such group, go to https://www.petersshadow.org/praise-reports/testimonials).

We’re free to live each day with joyful hope, confident in His love and divine providence. We can let the Spirit guide us to imitate Christ and become more like Him. We can be optimistic as we look for opportunities to spread His love and His peace. We can be free from guilt because we know He forgives us and strengthens us against the powers of evil. We can be joyful because we are promised eternal life! 

There is joy in freedom!

“Lord, set me free.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Hallelujah!

 

(April 7, 2021) Happy Easter! Easter is not just a day, and not just a season in church, but always.  We can celebrate Easter every day because – Hallelujah! – Jesus is still alive! 

He’s alive! Do we ‘get’ it? Can we even grasp that concept? We can try. We can  invite that reality to sink into our heads and hearts and let it affect our attitudes  and the choices we make. We can look for Christ’s presence and power in our  lives; the more we look for Him, the more we’ll see Him. 

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” --Jeremiah 29:13 

He’s alive! We can look for Him in the miraculous rebirth of springtime. We can  see Him in the helplessness of a newborn baby and the innocence of a child. We  can see Him in the steadfast love of an elderly couple who has weathered the  storms of life together. We can see Him in the humility of a panhandler, and let  Him use us to answer the beggar’s prayer for help. We can feel His love in the love  we have for our children and grandchildren. We can share His joy through  laughter with a friend. We can offer His compassion when we try to lighten  another’s burden. 

He’s alive! We can sit in quiet and picture Him smiling at us. He knows we’re  trying our best, and forgives us when we fall short. He forgives us even before we  ask Him to, and He lovingly waits for us to ask Him. He hears our prayers, our cries  of frustration, our joyful thanks, our fears for the future, and our pleas for our  loved ones. He nudges us to reach out to others in ways we would never have  thought of on our own. He hears us when we ask Him for guidance. If we listen,  we can notice the ‘gut feelings’ He gives us that prompt us to choose the path  that will lead us to Him and His peace: HIS peace, which is beyond all  understanding (see Philippians 4:7 and John 14:27).  

Here’s a small example of divine inspiration at work: On Easter Sunday, in the  afternoon, we were hiking a gorgeous trail along with many other people. At one 

point I said to my husband, “Today is EASTER! We don’t ‘get’ it, do we? If we did,  we’d be celebrating!” I thought of reaching out to the others on the trail, but then hesitated and let self-doubt get in the way. A moment later, though, I decided I  couldn’t let the opportunity pass by. So, to one young family I said, “Happy Easter,  if you celebrate Easter!” They looked up with appreciative smiles and said,  “Happy Easter! Yes! Absolutely!” After that I greeted pretty much everyone we  passed on the trail with a smile and “Happy Easter!” Without fail, everyone  returned the cheerful greeting. The experience felt incredibly freeing to me and  actually made my heart feel lighter, because God gave me the courage to get out  of myself in a very small way. 

Jesus is alive! He’s with us. He loves us. He wants us to look for Him and trust  Him. He wants us to experience His peace. 

Hallelujah! 

Also, the first Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. Faustina Kowalska  (1905-1938) wrote of apparitions of Jesus, Who declared that “every soul  believing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it” (St. Faustina’s diary, 420). (To  learn more, go to thedivinemercy.org.) 

“Lord, open my heart to receive Your love, forgiveness, and mercy so that I may  offer them to others.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual  reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith  and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. 

Turn Toward Peace

(March 24, 2021) I took this photo while hiking a nearby trail. Notice the lowest branches on either side of the trunk. They both started growing straight out from the trunk and then dramatically changed course twice to access the most direct sunlight. You’ve probably seen similar patterns of tree branches reaching for the greatest sunshine. 

This tree can be a simple symbol of our spiritual journeys. Whether we’re aware of it or not, throughout our lives we are being drawn to God by God, just as the tree is drawn to the sun. We grow and make life choices that shape us. Our days may be rewarding in many ways. And then, at different times and for various reasons, we may feel restless. We want to do something a little more meaningful; we want to give a little more. We want to make a difference – or make a bigger difference than we already do. 

Sometimes this restless feeling is God calling us to set our sights higher. He created us, He loves us, and He will draw us closer to Himself if we let Him. Augustine of Hippo said, “Our heart is restless until it rests in You.” This restlessness prompts us to examine what we think, say, and do. We may see a need to make big or small changes to our attitudes, habits, relationships, or how we spend our time and resources. 

“When you turn back to Him with all your heart,

To do what is right before Him,

Then He will turn back to you,

And no longer hide His face from you.”

Tobit 13:6

God wants us to reach out to Him. He knows we’ll be full of the joy and peace we’re craving – HIS joy and peace -- if we abandon our sinful way of doing things and open our minds and hearts to His loving way. We have today! Let’s make the most of this last part of Lent; let’s ask Him to show us what we need to turn to -- or turn away from -- to keep growing in faith toward His peace. “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

“Lord, give me again the joy of Your help; with a spirit of fervor sustain me.”

-- Psalm 51:12

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite the reader to ponder a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide the reader to a deeper faith and understanding of God’s love and will for their life.