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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Tap Into Power

(March 17, 2021) Imagine two men walking into a dark room. One stares at the light switch and  says, “Everyone talks about how powerful electricity is, but I won’t use it. I’ve read about it, and it just doesn’t make any sense to me. How can I trust  something I don’t understand?” The other guy flips on the light, turns on the  computer, pours himself a cup of hot coffee, picks a favorite song from his playlist  and starts humming along to the music. 

Sometimes we can be like the first guy when it comes to our faith. We may be slow to trust God. We want to understand Him on an intellectual level before  we’re willing to trust Him on a spiritual level. We’ve read about Him and we know about Him, and yet we haven’t let Him into our hearts or into our daily lives.  We think, “If only I could let myself believe the promises of Christ…” Sometimes  we just need to ask ourselves, “What do those promises look like?” 

Here’s a scripture passage that came up recently:  

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in  himself. And he gave him power to judge because he is the Son of Man.” (John 5:26-27) 

What does the power of Christ look like? Here’s one intellectual explanation: 

Jesus has paid the price for our sins. He took upon Himself all our guilt – past,  present, and future, because God is not bound by time or space – and nailed it all  to the cross. He promises us that He will forgive us time and time again, and so  we can let go of our guilt and move forward. This is the purpose of His coming to  earth: that we might believe in Him so that we can ‘tap into’ His power to love,  forgive, serve, heal, and do things as great as He did and even greater (see John  3:16 and John 14:11-13). 

Now, let’s let the above words sink from our head into our soul. Let’s let them  sink so deeply that they inspire us to desire Christ’s power and put it into action. 

Let’s ask Him to soften our hearts and show us how He wants to use us to share  His love in the world, with His power. Here are just a few of the countless ways  the power of Christ may move us: 

The power of Christ moves us to serve the needy; strengthens us to speak kindly  in times of stress; prompts us to call a friend we haven’t heard from in a while; nudges us to pray for our adversaries; humbles us to offer or ask forgiveness; and  gives us courage in times of trouble. The ideas and gut feelings we get that  prompt us to do an act of kindness, to speak or bite our tongue, to pray, work, relax, serve and be served – all of these and more come from God through Jesus  when we let down our defenses and listen for His direction (see John 14:25-27). 

Let’s not keep our faith an intellectual exercise. Let’s let God soften our hearts.  Let’s let Him empower us to do His work; what that looks like will be different  from person to person. Let’s trust Him and all His promises. 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 

“Lord, empower me to love as You love.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite  the reader to reflect on 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. 

Ordinary and Holy

(March 3, 2021) Recently, we watched the movie ‘The Letters’ about the life of Mother Teresa of  Calcutta. (It’s available to rent through Amazon.) Mother Teresa was one of the  most spiritually influential people of our generation. She won the Nobel Peace  Prize in 1979 and was canonized in 2016.  

Mother Teresa has been a source of inspiration for me for as far back as I can  remember. Watching the movie prompted me to do something a little differently for this reflection. This week, I’m letting her do the talking; I’m sharing with you  some of her spiritual wisdom. Her quotes below assure us that, among other  things, giving doesn’t have to be complicated, and that even our ordinary and  everyday work can become holy if it’s blanketed in love.  

I invite you to let her words sink into your mind and heart. Notice what grabs your  attention and maybe moves you to act. May her words and example inspire all of  us to find our way closer to God and each other through our prayers, love, and  service. 

“Sanctity is not a luxury for the few. It is a simple duty for you and me. I have to  be a saint in my way and you in yours. Thoughtfulness is the beginning of great  sanctity. If you learn this art of being thoughtful you will become more and more  like Christ, for His heart was meek and He always thought of others.” 

“Start by making your own home a place where peace, happiness, and love  abound, through your love for each member of your family and for your  neighbor.” 

“Even if we do a small thing for somebody, God, being almighty, sees everything  as great. Even if you write a letter for a blind man, or you just sit and listen to  someone, or you take the mail for him, or you visit somebody or bring a flower to  somebody, or wash clothes for somebody or clean the house… small things, but  God sees everything as great. There are many people who can do big things. But  there are very few people who will do the small things.”

“Pray at home for only five minutes. Prayer is simply talking to God. He speaks to  us, we listen. We speak to Him, He listens. A two-way process: speaking and  listening.” 

“You can pray while you work. Work doesn’t stop prayer and prayer doesn’t stop  work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to Him: ‘I love you, God. I  trust you. I believe in you. I need you now.’ Small things like that. They are  wonderful prayers.” 

“It is so beautiful that we complete each other! What we are doing in the slums,  maybe you cannot do. What you are doing at the level where you are called – in  your family life, in your college life, in your work – we cannot do. But together you  and we are doing something beautiful for God.” 

“To the cast of a musical performance in Calcutta I said, ‘Your work and our work  complete each other. What we are doing is needed in the world as never before.  You are giving them joy by your action and we are doing the same by service. And  it is the same action whether you are singing and dancing and we are rubbing and  scrubbing. You are filling the world with the love God has given you.’”  

“What made me start my work, what inspired me and kept me going during so  many years? Jesus. We do it for Jesus. I take Jesus at His word and He never lets  me down. He said, ‘Ask and you will receive.’ So I ask. If it is for His glory He will  grant it; if not, let us forget about it. God knows what is good for us.” 

“I do not think I have any special qualities. I don’t claim anything for the work. It is  His work. I am like a little pencil in God's hand; that is all. He does the thinking. He  does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be  allowed to be used.” 

“A rich man came to me and said he wanted to give up something in his life – his  house, his car. I suggested, ‘When you go to the store to buy a new suit or some  clothes, instead of buying the best, buy one that is a little less expensive and use  that extra money to buy something for someone else, or better still for the poor.’ 

When I finished saying this he looked really amazed and exclaimed, ‘Oh! Is that  the way, Mother? I never thought of it.’ When he left, he looked so happy and full  of joy at the thought of helping others.”

And, finally: “We can never know how much good a simple smile can do.” 

I found nothing mentioned about it, but I suspect Mother Teresa loved this happy  and hopeful verse: 

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken  down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which  you measure will in return be measured out to you." -- Luke 6:38 

PRAYER: “Lord, may everything I say and do be for You, with You, and because  of You.” 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her  invite the reader to reflect on 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. 

Listen for the Lord

(February 24, 2021) “Thus says the Lord: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and  do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful,  giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word  

be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my  will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” 

(Isaiah 55:10-11) 

We don’t think of rain and snow returning to the heavens. Yet that’s what they  do: they water the soil to make plants grow to give food to the earth and its  people, and then, through evaporation, they return to God.  

In a similar way, God gives us His words in scripture to fill us, nourish us, and  sustain us. When we allow His words – His words of love, peace, forgiveness,  mercy, and joy – to permeate our very being, these virtues affect us and they influence how we live. They spill out of us in our words and actions, which spread His love and peace to the people around us (see Galatians 5:22-23). We are then  moved to thank God for His words and His gifts. That is how His words of love and  peace return to Him: they return to Him through our attitudes, words, and actions  toward each other, and in our thanks and praise to Him. 

God created us; He loves us. He speaks to us through His words. What He says to  you may be different from what He says to someone else. How do we hear Him?  One way is for us to read short passages of scripture using a simple practice called  lectio divina. This method allows us to focus on just a few words to see what God  wants to say to us through them: 

Read. Pick a short passage and read it slowly and thoughtfully. (Some people like  to start with a few verses from the Psalms.) What word or phrase captures your  attention?  

Reflect. Dwell on that word or phrase for a little while. What thoughts come to  mind?

Respond. Respond to God from your heart. Speak to God of your feelings and  insights about this word or phrase. Ask Him any questions that come to mind. Rest. Sit quietly in God’s presence, and listen. You may not ‘feel’ anything  happening. Just savor the quiet time. When you feel the time is right, end the  session with a simple “thank You” to God. 

Instead of merely reading a lot of words, following this practice slows us down and opens our hearts to what God may be trying to tell us. Allowing His words to  ‘soak into us’ inspires us to live with deeper love. 

We came from Him.  

He wants to speak to us.  

Listen to Him and His words: “I love you more than you can know” (see Ephesians  3:16-19). 

“Now return to the Lord your God, 

For He is gracious and compassionate, 

Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness 

And relenting of evil.” 

(Joel 2:13) 

PRAYER: “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening” (see 1 Samuel 3:10). 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her  invite the reader to reflect on 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. 

The Purpose of Lent

(February 17, 2021) “Teach us to discipline our wills and follow, Lord, Your way.”

From the hymn, “These Forty Days of Lent”

Lent is a time Christians set aside to prepare for the joyous celebration of Easter. Much like the discipline a student, athlete, or musician puts himself or herself through to achieve a desired goal, the discipline of Lent strengthens us spiritually. For 40 days, Christians are called to pray, fast, and give alms in order to experience God’s immense love more profoundly and then share that love with others. My dear late mother-in-law used to say, “I love Lent. It makes us stronger.”  

When we were kids, the standard question was, “What are you giving up for Lent?” Yet the goal of Lent is not to see if we can make it all the way to Easter without eating chocolate or watching TV; its purpose is not to give us Friday fish fries. Giving up something good won’t make us better people, but it might make us stronger. For example, if we want to eat a burger on a Friday and then we stop and think, “Oh, wait. It’s Lent,” that’s a reminder to us that we’re trying to grow spiritually. This reminder might later help us to, say, bite our tongue instead of curse at a driver who cuts us off. 

Still, Lent is less about what we do and more about what we allow God to do in us. Our praying, fasting, and almsgiving during these 40 days help us move thoughts of God and His love for us from the back of our mind to the front. It’s about being more mindful about how we spend our time and use our God-given talents. It’s about doing without and remembering that many people go without every day – and then allowing God to give us the strength to share more of what we have with those in need. It’s about letting God move us out of our slothful routines and our old unloving ways of doing things

Think about the attention we give to our highway driving when we’re traveling to a new destination versus when we’re going for a routine drive.  When we’re traveling to somewhere new, we don’t just get in the car and go; we take time to prepare.  We use a maps app to find the best route to take. We set the GPS and keep our eyes alert for signs, telling us when it’s time to exit or make a turn. Our attention is sharp and we’re focused on the journey.  On the other hand, when we’re driving somewhere that we’ve been to many times before, we’re more nonchalant. We don’t prepare as much and we don’t use the GPS. We settle into our seat, set the cruise control, and casually follow the cars in front of us. We pay attention to traffic but don’t have to watch for signs too closely. Sometimes we don’t even think about where we’re going and might lose track of where we are between signs. 

In a similar way, maybe spiritually we’ve been coasting along for some time. We’ve been operating on cruise control, set in a routine, trying to be good people and live good lives. We haven’t done anything terribly awful to anyone – and we haven’t done anything exceptionally great for anyone, either. Maybe we’ve stopped thinking about God’s immense love for us. Maybe we’ve become lukewarm and lethargic in how we treat the people around us. Maybe we’ve forgotten about giving to those in need. 

Lent is a time for us to drive, spiritually, more deliberately. It’s a chance for God to show us signs we hadn’t seen before. Here are just a few examples; we all have our own ideas we can add to this list:

If we take a few moments in the morning to thank God for another day and ask Him to be with us, we may notice blessings in our day that have always been there but we never paid attention to.  

If we take a moment in the evening to write down what was good about our day, we may notice more things to be grateful for.

If we choose to give up griping, we may find it takes just a little effort – not heroic effort -- to be patient with our spouse or a coworker.

If we decide to look for opportunities to compliment someone each day, we’ll find something worth complimenting.

If we set aside time each day to read a page from a devotional, we may become more aware of God’s presence and power in our life. Here are two of the many devotionals available online: https://www.morningoffering.com/

https://www.guideposts.org/faith-and-prayer/daily-devotions

In her reflection titled, ’Give Lent a Chance to Change Your Life Forever,’ Regina Brett makes some beautiful statements about Lent:

“Lent doesn’t have to be a 40-day guilt trip or an endurance test. We could make it a 40-day gratitude journey and spend 40 days practicing that greatest commandment of all: Love… Make it something with meaning that will make your life or someone else's better.”

I encourage all of us to read her inspiring piece, in which she gives many practical suggestions on making Lent more meaningful:

https://www.reginabrett.com/blog/40-days-to-give-lent-a-chance-to-change-your-life-forever?fbclid=IwAR0tDOnJyxqsokvIEb21FH-VS0isfClyw1Dck4J-hybX4W02FLdWxo1R-AY

Regina Brett is one of my favorite authors and is from our area. I highly recommend her books, including Be the Miracle and God Never Blinks.

God loves us so much that He wants to spend eternity with us (see John 3:16). He sends us His Spirit to guide us and bring us closer to Him (see John 14:15-21).  So let’s turn off the cruise control of our lives and, instead, take advantage of the 40 days of Lent to receive God’s love, strength, and power that He wants so much to give us.  

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

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

2 Timothy 1:7

PRAYER:

“Lord, thank You for these 40 days to draw closer to You and each other. We ask You to accompany us on our journey through Lent so that, strengthened by its discipline, we may celebrate Your resurrection triumphantly on Easter morning.”

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell © 2021. It and other reflections written by her invite the reader to reflect on 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.