Temptation, Shame, Community

Because of a course we're taking together, our conversation revolved around shame. She said, it's so hard to dig out. And when my shame is so obvious to me, it is so hard to connect to the grace of God.

I agree. 

Later, praying over our interaction, God brought Paul's words nestled in I Corinthians to mind, the way of escape.

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.

 God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability,

 but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape,

 that you may be able to endure it."

I Corinthians 10:13

I noted:

     * Temptation is a common issue.

     * God has a fence around temptation.

     * God provides a way of escape.

     * It won't overpower me.

A friend once commented that holiness is living with nothing hidden. Holiness is living in the light. I'm thinking that is the message of I John 1:5-10.

Then my thoughts circled back to Paul and his testimony in Philippians 1. In verses 19 and 20, he declares, 

"through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

 this will turn out for my deliverance,

 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed ..." 

Paul was living in the light with his Philippian community. He was asking for their prayers. And his hope was, he would not be ashamed. 

Community was one key to him not being ashamed. Living in community involves humility.

Questions began to swirl ...

What is more important to me my reputation (or what I think it is) or living in the light?

What is more important, victory from the sin that is causing the shame, or living with it?

Who is my community?

Will I trust them with me, with my humanity, with my shame?

Do I believe there is a way of escape?

What questions do these scriptures bring to your mind?

What is the shame you are in the midst of? 

Will you believe your community can help?

Will you risk living in the light?

If you would like, I'm glad to be a trusted community for you.

Next week my friend David shares his story in a powerful 5 minute video. You won't want to miss hearing this.

 

In the Cover of Your Presence

David was in a precarious place. 

David heard that the Philistines were in the city of Keilah and were robbing the threshing floor. Feeling responsibility, he inquired of the Lord as to whether he should attack the Philistines. He heard a yes.

The problem was however that his men were afraid of the Philistines and didn’t like this plan. David, listening to his men, again inquired of the Lord and heard the same response. And so they went down to Keilah and experienced a great victory.

But the story continues. Enter Saul.

Saul heard that David had come to Keilah and Saul was ready for war. The victory is fading in the fear of what's next. 

Once again, David prays. God’s answers led to great shame. Saul was coming after him and his army and the people of Keilah—those he had just protected—were planning to hand David and all his men over to Saul.

So David came up with an escape plan. They left Keilah and went wherever they could go hiding in the wilderness.

In those few verses there is victory and there is shame which led to hiding. And there is God whose character is on display and whose purposes are carried out through David.

This incident recorded in I Samuel 23:1-14 may well be what was in David’s mind as he penned the words of Psalm 31.

The shame sprinkled throughout Psalm 31--

               Because of my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, v.11

               O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; v.17

 is offset by the abundant protection of God. The words refuge, rescue, redeemed, delivered, trust, steadfast love also appear multiple times.

Although difficult to see, in the above picture, half-way up or half-way down this cliff is an Eagle's nest, big enough to fill the back of a pick-up truck. In The Message translation, Psalm 31:2 reads, "Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie (nest) a place of safety."

As I look up at that nest, safety is not the first word that comes to mind. It seems downright scary to me. Then I remember my husband's wisdom, safety is not the absence of danger, but the presence of the Lord.

But I especially find encouragement in verse 20, “In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men;”

David found safety in the cover of His presence. Can you fill in the blanks with a piece of your story? When did you experience the cover of His presence?

Next Thursday, I’m sharing a piece of my story. A modern day story that could end in shame except that God is a redeeming, loving, rescuing God who … if I will trust … will show His love even in these places in the cover of His presence.

So, come back next Thursday for the rest of the story—or at least an illustration of how I have experienced the reality of Psalm 31. 

                      "Blessed GOD! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened."                     Psalm 31:21 and 22, The Message                                                                                                                                    

Calling for Courage

A few years ago some of our friends invited Bill and I to take horseback riding lessons with them. Yikes, horses are BIG! But the desire to share the experience with Bill and our good friends caused me to stir up the courage and say yes.

Courage has called out to me in harder places too, in those places where I’ve needed courage to face my shame… that which I felt was wrong about me, my person.

A descriptor for Adam and Eve before sin entered the world was, “they were naked and not ashamed”. I desire to have the courage for those words to describe me too.

The gospels record a story of a woman with a flow of blood that had lasted 12 years. She had gone to many doctors and had not found relief. She was desperate. Her desperation gave her the courage to face her shame, come to Jesus and just touch the hem of his garment. She didn’t quite have the courage to speak to him. But her courage was sufficient. The result was Jesus reached out to her, healed her, and blessed her with peace and freedom from her suffering. (Mark 5:25-34)

As I thought about that story, I wondered to myself,
What is the shame I feel that I need sufficient courage to act on?
It takes courage for me to even ask that question.
Do I really want to know the answer?
Do I really want to act on what I find out?
Do I really want to grow in godliness? That’s the rub.

Philippians 1:20 – “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body …”

“Courage is being scared to death, but getting in the saddle anyway.” John Wayne

Affirmation

Affirmation is about who a person is.

Compliments are about what a person does.

Recently I attended a two-day conference where we were asked to do an affirmation exercise.  We were divided into groups of two and given of list of over 150 affirming words.  We were asked to circle all the words that would affirm our partner and then choose five to verbally share with stories to back up our choices.

I experienced three big lessons about affirmation that day.

Jay* was my partner.  Jay and I have a fairly new friendship.  We met only three months ago.  There are many of those new friendship details that I don’t know about her.  But, I found it easy to affirm her.  What a delight.  First affirmation lesson, I don’t need to know a person well to affirm them. 

Later in the day on one of our breaks I was visiting with a young wife.  Her words were, “my husband is not good at affirming me”.  I felt sad that that was her experience.  And I also wondered if she was missing some of her husband’s affirming ways.

I have experienced words of affirmation voiced by my husband Bill at times.  But more often I experience his written words of affirmation.  I love the cards he chooses for me and writes on.  My birthday card from five months ago is still standing on my dresser.  I wish I had saved those early letters he wrote when we were just beginning to know each other.  I need to be more of a romantic!

Second affirmation lesson, affirmation takes many different forms.

A third lesson on affirmation is a hard one.  It also displayed itself during the weekend.  Another friend was sharing about her experience with the affirmation exercise over a meal.  The affirming words had ignited her shame.  She shared when her friend affirmed her artistic bent, she heard that as “I’m not organized”.  Every word used to affirm her, she had a “not” for. 

I do that too sometimes.  Many times others have recognized my strength in hospitality.  Often I have put that down with this sentence, “No big deal, that’s easy for me”.  How dishonoring to God who created me hospitable and who is delighted when I use my home to minister to others.  Third affirmation lesson, even a positive thing like affirmation can ignite shame and feelings of unworthiness.

I enjoy affirmation.  I need affirmation to help me live out who God created me to be.  God is the ultimate affirmer.  Because I desire to grow in godliness, I need to grow in affirming the good things I see in others. 

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well”.  Psalm 139:14

That *#*#%** Airport

Now I laugh. It wasn't funny then.

I was more than frustrated that early morning in Florida, I.was.angry! And those gate agents ... who also worked the counter knew it. As did anyone else who was there and awake that dawn.

The business trip morphing into a ministry trip (or a ministry trip partially disguised as business) started well enough. Connections happened, revenue was generated, partnerships deepened. Now I was off to a collegiate ministry conference.

Then the hinge.

My friend drove me to the small airport that morning. The line was short--no surprise there. Luggage checked, boarding pass in hand, we (this was before 911) headed for the fake-leather upholstered seats in the waiting area.We continued to talk business while we waited ... and waited.

I glanced at my watch, surely anytime now they will announce my flight.

Nothing. Silence except for the man snoring a few seats down.

Again I check my watch and this time looked out to the tarmac. A small plane, my small plane, was pulling away from the gate!

Okay, it wasn't quite as small as this Cessna. My husband Bill is on the left.

I rush to the gate agent. Sorry, too late. "I never heard the boarding announcement", my irritation obvious. "No, you wouldn't have. Our PA system is broken."

*#*#%**. My frustration (really not that mild) exploded. I.was.mad!

As I look back on that incident, I have new understandings. Missing the plane wasn't my biggest issue.

Missing the plane was the trigger that ignited my shame; ignited that old lie I had come to believe about myself, I'm not good enough.

GRAND, Judah doing a pre-check before going up with Papa.

At that ministry conference I had one responsibility, greeting. That was my role, the hat I was to wear that weekend. Missing the original flight stripped me of what made me look like a somebody.

It was unconscious, but the ember of that lie were close enough to the surface to catch oxygen and burst into flames of anger.

That was the real issue.

Oh, I covered it up well enough (or at least I think I did). I smiled. I told my story in a calm voice. But inside the fire of shame was hot.

This incident also highlighted a second truth about me and I was totally missing the bright, flashing yellow light.

"We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives." 

II Corinthians 4:7, MSG

My belief system told me that because I didn't have a job to do providing a hat to wear (like greeter), I was value-less. I was not good enough.

"It is clear to us friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. ... Your lives (not your role) are echoing the Master's Word."

I Thessalonians 1, MSG, underlines and parentheses mine.

Sue, it's your life, who you are, Jesus in you who loves and ministers through you. Not what you do or what hat you wear.

I was not trusting truth. OUCH!

I felt I needed to create a persona, rather than be who God created me to be.

I was not trusting the truth, because my circumstances were shouting so loudly, truth totally eluded me. OUCH! OUCH!

I'm learning to listen. What might these emotions, these re-actions, these flashing yellows be trying to communicate? 

My unresolved sin of believing that lie caused me to focus on another (the gate agent) and their issue of the broken PA system and try to hide what was true about me (I was living out of a faulty belief system).

Now it's so clear. Now I can laugh ... until next time anyway. 

What are the lies that lead you into emotions and re-actions that are big yellows for you? What helps you re-claim truth? Do you see the pattern?

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Matthew 17:5

Forgiveness and the Child of God

(The sentence I cannot agree with in the above quote is "the forgiving free spirit of children is our true nature." If it said that forgiveness is part of our nature as children of God then I would agree.)

It happened in the '80s. I remember the feelings it conjured up as if it were yesterday. We carpooled together, my friend and I, their two daughters, our two sons. Most of the time without incident.

But then there was this one day, and one disagreement leaving two estranged friends. Oh, it takes so little.

I laid on my bed and sobbed. She was a good friend; friendship is important to me. But I couldn't get past the hurt. Left up to myself, the pit was too deep.

Thankfully, God did not leave me up to myself. He brought another along side; another who was un-involved; another who loved enough to get involved and lead me to truth. This time it was my husband.

Sue, is this hard worth losing your friend over? His simple nine word question was the beginning of the turn.

Finally, repentance came, forgiveness happened, and a friendship was restored.

Why is it so hard to repent and forgive?

My identity is at stake. Is this how a child of God behaves? My behavior and my incorrect theology are in conflict. As a beloved child of God, I still sin.

Pride. Repentance calls for me to agree with God for my piece of this mess. Asking forgiveness puts me at the mercy of the other. I forfeit control to God and my friend - that calls for humility.

Fear. that my asking for forgiveness will not cure the issue. What if this wrong is held over my head? Will this incident always defines our friendship?

Shame. Admitting my wrong means to admit something is wrong in my thinking or in my perspective. Is our friendship worth being the wrong one?

Stubbornness. Faulty thinking gets faultier and faultier the more I try to make it look different.

Trust. In my pride, my fears, my shame, and my stubbornness the common thread is I am not trusting God!
 
    And the question became, how can I invite God in and trust him with this mess?

"O God, you know my folly;

the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you."

Psalm 69:8

Author and blogger, Ed Cyzewski writes, 

"Perhaps this Psalm comes as bad news to some. Some may read this as a kind of “surveillance God” peering into our lives, seeking any kind fault or reason for judgment or exclusion.

However, what if God’s awareness of our hidden faults is the best kind of good news, the good news we all need. Jesus spoke of himself as a doctor who has come to heal, and the prophets are filled with accounts of God mourning that Israel will not turn back to him.

What if God is a lover who sees our foolishness and faults and still remains enamored with us? God sees our secret sins and wants nothing more than our healing and redemption.

There is grace and mercy for us before we even acknowledge our failings. In many ways, confession is more for us than it is for God. Confession convinces us that God has known who and what we are all along and still wants to call us his beloved."

Me and my good friend Barb, April 2016.

"Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

James 5:16

The Angel's Message for Mary

(If you haven't read the Echoes December 2 post, please scroll down and read it first.)

Thank you, Marcia Carole for your lovely rendering of this event.

Identity Leading to Courage

Luke 1:26-38, The Message Translation

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:

     Good morning!

     You're beautiful with God's beauty,

     Beautiful inside and out!

     God be with you.

She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

     He will be great,

          be called 'Son of the Highest."

     The Lord will give him 

          the throne of his father David;

     He will rule Jacob''s house forever -

          no end, ever, to his kingdom."

Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man."

The angel answered,

     The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

          the power of the Highest hover over you;

     Therefore, the child you bring to birth

          will be called Holy, Son of God.

"And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."

And Mary said,

     Yes, I see it all now:

          I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.

     Let it be with me

           just as you say.

Then the angel left her.

With your translation of choice open to this passage, allow these questions to set a tone for your Advent. We'd love to hear what you are hearing in these timeless words.

What surprises you about this passage?

If this is all you know about Mary, how would you describe her?

     How do you see her humanity?

     What do you appreciate about her character? Why?

"O favored one, the Lord is with you!" (v.28) What a wonderful affirmation.

     What kinds of things may have been swirling in Mary's head hearing these words?

          If you heard these words, what might you be thinking?         

     What security does this affirmation offer? 

     The Lord is with us today as well. If I trust this, how would it change

          how I view my circumstances?

What surprises have you received from" God?

     How have you responded when the surprises have the potential of shame?

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." (v. 30)

     "Favor" is sometimes translated "grace". Having just celebrated Thanksgiving and now looking

     toward Christmas, list some ways you have found favor with God, and thank Him for each

     one. 

Think about "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (v. 34) 

     Do you sense God nudging you to believe something "new" or "big"?

     Might your response be, "How will this be, since ____________?"

"Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;" (v. 38) 

     Mary allowed her identity to provide her with courage to respond, 

          "Let it be to me ..."

     What words do you use to describe your identity as a believer?

          How will your identity provide you with courage in this next week?

You might want to write out a conversation with God over what you are hearing from Him.

And if you're willing to share, we'll all be blessed. And we'd be honored to pray for you.

Next Thursday, Matthew 1:18-25.

  

Neediness ... Weakness?

Have you seen this crazy movie? (You just learned my opinion.) Bob, Bill Murray, is pictured above with his therapist, played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob is neurotic, phobic, obsessive-compulsive, and much more - majorly needy!  Not literally, but inside crying for attention.

Do you ever have Bob-moments? 
What is the path they lead you down?

D-
    O-
        W-
            N - an accurate word picture.

Bob experiences attention deficit that he tries to fill with the wisdom of a professional; neediness exudes. Some see, and Bob feels, weakness.

Our needs are NOT weaknesses.

"It is the nature of the soul to need." Soul Keeping, p.81. 

God created us with needs so He can be our provider, so He can meet those needs. My friend, Bill Thrall says it this way, "Love is the process of meeting needs." 

Needs invite us to experience God more deeply.

Needs are not weaknesses; they are opportunities to receive and experience love, the love of God and the love of others.

We all came into this world with a Bob complex, with the need for attention ... among other needs. When I admit it, I have the opportunity to deepen relationships. Needing attention is not a weakness.

As a young wife and full-time missionary, I didn't get this. Yes, I knew I wanted attention, but if I had been brave enough to voice that, I would have learned I was seeking the attention in all the wrong ways. I thought wanting attention showed neediness, weakness, and I sure didn't want to own those descriptors. My self-esteem suffered, I began to believe lies like I'm not good enough. SHAME! It never, NEVER occurred to me to take my neediness, my desire for attention to God. 

I'm discovering that my attention needs are met in relationship, relationship with God and relationship with others.

God created me; he knows me and the needs he put in me to draw me to him. When I pay attention and listen to the words he whispers to me, I experience his attention; his love. 

I was sitting on a sofa in front of the quiet fire reading one of Brennan Manning's books early one spring day. As I turned to the new chapter, Brennan opened with Song of Solomon 7:10, "I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me." In those few words God's love exploded in my heart; I experienced his attention! I knew he called me beloved, but the thought that he had desires for me, WOW, that was overwhelming. And if God is for me, who can be against me? God gives attention by paying attention to the details, the desires of my life. In receiving his attention, I receive his love.

Often God meets the needs I have for attention through others, like my husband. Unlike God, he is not all-knowing. Sometimes I initiate and share my attention needs with him. In doing that I give him permission to meet those needs. And I experience his love.Sometimes I don't and the downward path begins. I experienced God meeting that need through Bill earlier this month when he publicly shared how I met one of his needs. It was humbling and affirming; God met that need through Bill.

 On Sunday mornings, our pastor often brings our time of worship to a close with the familiar words from Numbers 6:24-26, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

As I look down the pew, many are standing with hands uplifted. We want to receive this blessing.

The pronouns in this scripture are all personal. This is a blessing for us individually. And an accurate picture of this verse is of God stopping in front of you, focusing his eyes on yours, giving you his full, undivided attention, and offering his peace. Shalom, the most positive words he can offer for our well-being.

My need for attention is not weakness; it is an opportunity to experience the love of God.

How about you ... are you allowing God to meet your needs? To show you his personal love?

My REAL Name

Recently a friend sent me a copy of Hannah Hurnard’s classic work, Hinds’ Feet on High Places.  It is an allegory chronicling the spiritual journey of a young girl whose name we know as Much-Afraid.  Even though Much-Afraid was engaged in the service of the Chief Shepherd and greatly desires to please Him, she is hindered by her shame and her extended family who despised the Chief Shepherd.  The term “much afraid” accurately captures the fear-filled life Much-Afraid is living. 

But the desire of her heart – to go to the High Places – becomes known to the Chief Shepherd who immediately offers to take her there.  The journey is long and arduous fraught with many opportunities for Much-Afraid to live up to her name.  However with the help of her ever-present companions and the promises of the Chief Shepherd, Much-Afraid finally arrives at the High Places where she is transformed and given a new name by the Chief Shepherd ~ Grace and Glory.

I love that we get to listen in to Grace and Glory’s conversation with the Chief Shepherd as she shares with Him some of her greatest lessons of the journey.  Her third lesson made my heart leap with desire:  “… you, my Lord, never regarded me as I actually was, lame and weak and crooked and cowardly.  You saw me as I would be (italics mine) … You always treated me with the same love and graciousness as though I were a queen already…”*

I’ve known for a long time what my name was, Not-Good-Enough. However, like Much-Afraid, God is transforming me.  Hurnard’s allegory has me pondering what God’s name is for me.  It is a good pondering.  I have an idea. 

But what excites me the most is God has always known me by my real name, His name for me.  His name inspires hope and joy and is an invitation to mature into His choice of name for me. 

The Apostle Paul has a lot of names for himself, like the Least-of-Apostles.  Or as Saul, he was Jesus-Persecutor.  But God named him, Chosen Instrument (Acts 9:15).  And Paul matured into the name God gave him. 

Back to Grace and Glory, I am challenged by her heart, “My Lord, I cannot tell you how greatly I want to regard others in the same way.”*   Father, please help me to see others as You see them.  Amen.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, …”

Jeremiah 1:5

*Hurnard, Hannah, Hinds’ Feet on High Places; American edition 1975 by Tyndale House Publishing, page 230.

Curve Balls

“Have you ever heard of anything so bizarre?” 

Sadly, yes. 

Her question pleaded for understanding in the midst of the bride-napping of their daughter—their daughter invited to dinner by the boy’s parents and never returned.

Although I never heard of that particular curve ball, I cease to be amazed by Satan’s creativity; he has the curve ball mastered.

Last night, Yu Darvish's eephus pitch - a curve ball - in the All-Star game made national news. Most of the curve balls sent our way don't make national news, but they confuse and lead astray like last nights pitch.

Early last month, my cousin penned these words …

“About a year ago I dodged this bullet. But another shot has been fired and I'm not fast enough to duck this time. The infection in my right foot has progressed to the point where the IV antibiotics are no longer affective and the infection could threaten my life. So Monday morning, June 9th, I am going to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center to have my right lower leg amputated at about mid shin ... I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a bit of an emotional train wreck about the whole thing. I've seen it coming but you really just can't prepare yourself for something like this. Sometimes life throws you nasty curve balls. I'll just have to adjust my swing.”

He is in the midst of adjusting his swing.

I’ve mentioned my friend Kara previously. Her mommy days were seriously interrupted two years ago with the diagnosis of breast cancer. Her battle continues. Kara knows hard and knows grace; she shares her story at www.mundanefaithfulness.com giving the gift of life to thousands while treading the valley of death.

Other good friends continue swinging at curve balls pitched to them. One longs to see their adult prodigal walk up their driveway; another’s daughter experienced a stroke 3 years ago and recently marital struggles have escalated. (You heard of these friends before. I know they appreciate prayers.)

The curve balls keep coming.

Space stops me from sharing Caleb's story, Nate's story, Katie's story, Faith's story, and, and, and ...

  

This morning as I walked with Lexie, our Golden Retriever, in the forest behind our home, I was awed by the delicate, beautiful Columbine, amidst the tall grasses framed by the charred trees. The aroma of fire from over a year ago still stronger than the sweet smell of the flowers. 

Through this crazy, wild, lovely picture, God reminded, it takes a very dark canvas to showcase beauty.

Paul did not deny his hard when he wrote from prison, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body.” Philippians 1:20

My friends don’t live in shame. They desire Christ to be exalted in their circumstances. In many ways, he already is. I am honored to walk with these people.

They are plugging their heads into sockets of scripture, like the Philippians verse above or Isaiah 61 and letting truth flow.

"To care is to be present to those who suffer, and to stay present, even when nothing can be done to change their situation." Henri Nouwen, A Spirituality of Caregiving. I hear my responsibility in these words and I am challenged. I want to stay present with my friends. I want to trust God with them.

My friend Sally Breedlove***, author of Choosing Rest shared a prayer of one of her friends, “Lord, let my life be a platform where the beauty of Jesus is revealed.” Sally testifies, she wanted God’s presence more than she wanted her problems fixed. (Chapter 4) Those could also be the words of my friends.

Curve balls resemble ashes.

They do not surprise God. He uses them as a platform to fashion beauty. 

I want to see beauty now. I tire of ashes. 

Each of these stories challenge my desires, my thoughts of right, my hopes, my faith. Hard threatens to consume. BIG threats but not big enough to consume. God is bigger!

What are the scriptures that give life as you experience curve balls? Let’s encourage each other.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”                                                         Romans 12:12

*** Sally Breedlove is coming to Colorado Springs to speak at a Sabbath-Living Retreat this spring. Stay tuned for more details!