Living Simply

The definition of simple living:  "Living holistically with your life's purpose".  What is your life's purpose?

Uprooted and Transplanted

LEAVING
As you leave, please know that I will pray for you...
That God's love would be made real and Christ's perserverance true
As you leave, please know that I will hope for you...
That daily you will rise to mercies that are new
As I stay, I choose to remember you...
And the way my life was blessed when you came walking through.  (tracy klehn--growing friendships)

Lord, I know that you always have our best interests at heart, but we confess that right now we feel sad and our hearts are breaking because we don't want to lose these friendships through relocation.  We surrender these relationships to you, Lord knowing that you are the One who brought us together in the first place.  We entrust our friends into your care and we ask you to help us in the days and weeks ahead to walk in your ways.  Help us to love our friends with our words and actions, help us to be honest and ask for what we need, and most of all help us keep our hearts and minds open to what the future holds.  "For I know that your plans are to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future".  Jeremiah 29:11  I am grateful to know God can handle everything we need and we can just love each other, pray for each other, and trust His goodness toward us.  In Jesus name...Amen

The manger

The manger--the feeding trough-- was a sign of what Jesus came to do.  This powerful image of Jesus' first bed being the place where God's creatures come to eat.  "I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never be hungry."  (John 6:35)  Jesus taking bread at the Last Supper said, "This in my body, which is given for you." (Luke 22:19)  And Luke 4:4 quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 saying "One does not live by bread alone, but by the very word of God." He came to offer himself as bread for our souls. He came to satisfy a hunger that could not be satisfied any other way.  Our hearts hunger to know that we are loved; that our lives have meaning and purpose; that we can be forgiven and find grace; that we are not alone; that there is always hope. We hunger to know that even death will not be the end of us; and we hunger for joy, and peace, goodness and grace.

In this life, we wrestle with the temptation to believe that if we just had enough bread we would be happy.  The manger is reminding us that Jesus is the only one who can truly satisfy the hunger of our hearts.

Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.  Help me to trust in your love and to live in your grace.  Help me to be a part of your purpose.  Fill me with your Spirit, and guide me by your live.  Amen.

Adam Hamilton's The Journey