Perpetual Creativity | The Mirror Image

Like so many other biblical ideas, too often "made in the Image of God” stops at just being conceptual. God created us in his image - yes, we uh... LOOK like him, I guess. But what does that really mean?

In my earlier Christian experience, being saved was mostly just fire insurance, as the joke goes. Beyond that, there was scriptural knowledge to be had - a rider on the original policy, just in case. Oh my God, we better get everything figured out, or else!

And even more, biblical knowledge could come in handy for “pointed discussions” with the unsaved, because winning and being right is important, right? I’m obviously taking this down a path of unreasonable absurdity, but how much do we honestly catch ourselves thinking this way?

I bring this up because I’ve learned it’s so essential that we move beyond “Biblical Concepts for 100, Alex” to really getting to know God our Father deeper. We've heard He is Love. We know He is Love. But have we really embraced relating with him moment by moment?

To me, being created in his image can’t just be an aesthetic ideal on his part (as his “trophy children?”), but an actual birthing -- his offspring complete with shared spiritual DNA, fully intact (but of course a bit flawed). All relationships are a two-way street. Yes we’re made in his image, but I’d suggest God also reflects us in some ways.

God demonstrates this amazing relational bond best in his humble, dust-between-the-toes humanity. Jesus wasn’t only martyred on the cross in a heavenly symbolic gesture, he also assimilated into our earthly system for 33 years, through human infancy, childhood, his teenage years and young adulthood. His actual ministry covered only 9% of his time on earth. Why was the other 91% necessary? GREAT food for thought!

Jesus wasn’t just an idea, an ideal, or a role model. He was a child, teenager, son and brother, a young adult, a carpenter, and a Jewish spiritual apprentice - all before his ministry began. Because of this, we can be sure he cares so very much about the specifics of our lives - our parent/child relationships, our family issues, our personal success and failures, our jobs and careers, and our emotional and spiritual health. He really knows us, and he literally walked miles and miles and miles in our shoes.

Consider this: God CHOSE to first enter the human womb, then he spent 33 years LEARNING, or at least experiencing, everything in our earthly life. Besides the joys, he likely tasted boredom, impatience, worry and anger, and certainly loneliness, temptation, rejection, betrayal, pain and of course the horror and humiliation of torture and death.

He didn’t just, in a symbolic gesture, swoop in like a superhero to conquer the enemy, then make a grand exit so we would be amazed and believe. He mirrored our everyday mundane and painful lives because he and we are connected by royal bloodlines! He’s not a concept, he’s the personal and relational embodiment of true empathy, and a soulmate friend to get to know.

And for my money, God’s long-lived 33 year human life WITH us (Emanuel!) is so much more relatable, believable, and comforting than simply grandiose doctrine.

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Adventuring with God | Adventuring with God is Surrendering to God

In my third year of college, I began to get anxious. I couldn’t envision what my time at University was preparing me for and even though I was 100% confident in my choice of major, I had no idea what my future would look like nor did I have much guidance or goals. I knew I wanted to travel and as my grades started to dip, I decided to take a break from school and “get out.” I started by going to live with my sister and we ended up with a plan; we would fly to Costa Rica and travel around, with our only goal being to find a deserted beach and camp there. It was going to be an adventure:

1. an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks

2. an exciting or remarkable experience

Well, it was an exciting and remarkable experience. Our deserted beach campout never happened, but God had so much more in store for us. While we were there trying to make choices on where to go and what to do, I wrote a lot in my journal and felt an overwhelming feeling of “readiness”. I had no idea what for, but I was okay with that now. I was experiencing the “real world” and discovering that not knowing was okay. Then God showed up in the most amazing ways.

Thank you God that you are in control.

In my last post, I challenged myself to push my limits of gratitude.

Quoting myself from the last post, “I am so grateful for the journey itself and that it is an adventure.”

Adventure brings us opportunities to choose, the choice to choose Him.

My husband and I recently celebrated our 13 year wedding anniversary. It was only about 6 years in when we thought that God had given us such an adventure that we could write a book. I now realize we all have great stories, but I did go as far as to map out the timeline of our adventure and it clearly falls into “chapters”.

Each chapter marks a phase of our lives where things happened around us and impacted where we lived, who became our community and the experience our kids have had growing up. When I step back and look at it, what really stands out to me is how we surrendered the outcome to God and followed our hearts.

2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

It has been 14 years of trusting God and following His light as best we can (while sometimes failing) at every intersection we come across, and I now understand that “adventuring with God” really means “surrendering to God”.

I continue to be grateful and always aware that I am in charge of my faith and my perspective, but not my life.

Whether it’s troubled times or joyful times, thank you God that you are in control.

Josh Garrels Train Song:
Shame on you, shame on me
Lord he took all our shame and pain, and set men free
And I've got that fire on the mountain
Fire in my soul
It's been a long time coming, long time
And ready to go
I'm stepping out the door
Doing what feels right
Following my Lord, through the darkest night
And when the path gets narrow
I'll follow him
And when the world comes down, around
I'll follow him
He said, sing it on the mountain
Or in the valley low
He’s my God, and he never lets me go
He said, sing it on the mountain
Or fight in valley low
Every mans going to see, and everyone will know
That peace runs deep in him
I said peace runs deep in him
Peace runs deep in him.

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About the Author

Leona is a wife, mother and traveler who is intrigued by how different people live. Her latest project is exploring ways that different walks of life can simplify, in order to live a fulfilling journey.

Beauty From Suffering | Suffering - a Gift?

I do not like to suffer. I also do not like you to suffer! I would really like to skip suffering all together.

Suffering. I looked up the definition. To experience or be subject to something bad or unpleasant. To be forced to endure. Yuck! Honestly, that sounds no fun. Suffering is not a subject I like to dwell on. I am not a fan.  I’d rather not. And I would rather you didn’t have to either.

But the truth is, we can’t avoid suffering. Sometimes life is hard. It just is.  When someone who we love does something that hurts our feelings. When someone outright betrays our trust. When we feel left out. When we feel alone. When we are misunderstood, or not heard. When hard things happen to us or to people we care about. When we are not well. When we’re in physical pain. When someone dies. The list goes on. And I guess there is no denying it… sometimes life is hard. Sometimes there is suffering.

It’s coming up on Easter. And suffering is a part of Easter. Honestly, I used to wish it wasn’t. I would rather skip to the resurrection. Come on! New life, death defeated, Heaven coming to earth, victory! Aren’t we glad this is our reality? YES!!!!

But before the celebration, Jesus asks us to come with Him to the cross. He invites us to walk with Him through His last days, His last moments, and right up to the end. Why?

Does He want to teach us the significance? Does He want to model some things? Does He want us to see how much He loves us? Yes! But He is also offering us a gift. The gift of being with Him in His suffering.

In Luke 23:49, after Jesus took His last breath on the cross and the crowds watching had gone away, the Bible says: “But standing off at a distance were some who truly knew Jesus.” Selah. Who was with Jesus at this end?  Who walked with Him all the way? Through the betrayals, through the crowds’ hate, through the pain and the beating, through the brutal rawness, through the ultimate suffering? Who was still there? It was those who truly knew Jesus.  

Wow. That made me think of my life, my suffering. Who are those I want by my side at my worst moment? And who will stay until the end? Who do I invite into my suffering, and who’s suffering am I willing to endure? The answer - those who truly know me.  

Once wonderful friends of mine called to tell me the terrible news that their daughter had unexpectedly passed away. I was heartbroken for them. I was heartbroken for me too, because I loved their daughter. I got off the phone and was in shock. I didn’t know what to do. I called them right back and asked if I could come be with them. They said yes, and I dropped everything and went. It wasn’t even a question. I wanted to be with them and they wanted me there, and there was nothing else I could do but go. I didn’t have any way to make it better, I couldn’t change what had happened, I didn’t have any plan that could take away their suffering… but I could be there.  Looking back, that to me was a sacred moment. They were inviting me into their suffering. What an honor that was to be there. And really all I could do was to be there, to be present, to witness and love in that moment. I will never forget it.

Sharing suffering is a gift. It’s generous. In a way that is deeper than a thought process, or something you can do, or a solution. Both offering the gift of inviting someone into your suffering and the gift of accepting the invitation. There is a cost to both. Sharing suffering is painful and helpless and vulnerable. But the reward is great.  

I thought about that evening with my friends, sitting with them as the reality of their suffering was settling. I thought about others, who have been with me in my suffering. What are the results? What impact do these shared moments have? It changes you. The words don’t do it justice, but in an attempt to describe what happens in these moments between people, I would try words like trust, intimacy, friendship, security, honor, reliance... These words become real. They become a shared experience, a reality that you’ve had together, a deepening. Shared suffering is an experience that you both move on from changed.

And that is what Jesus invites us into. As we watch as He sweats blood in the garden, and we know He just wants us to be near. As He is wrongly accused, as He is stripped and mocked and beaten, but He knows someone who loves Him is close. As we hurry to find places to follow along the way, as we watch Him fall, and see Him catch our eye. As we stay as He struggles for breath on the cross, as we witness Him exchange a few last words and care for His mother. As the sky goes dark and the ground rumbles, and He takes His last breath. As He dies, we are there. Sharing that sacred moment. Truly knowing Him and offering our gift of presence. And we walk away changed.

Jesus, thank You for inviting us into experiencing this with You.  Thank You that You will also be with us - in our worst, witnessing our ends, and present for our suffering. Thank You that our relationship with You includes intimacy, trust, security, friendship, honor, reliance, and real connection and relationship. That You endured the cross for the joy set before You, and that joy includes You thinking of each of us. Thank You for suffering, and for the gift of inviting us into it with You. Amen

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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About the Author

Pam is a fun and encouraging team-builder that brings the best to those around her. She loves people and is committed to serving and mentoring kids, women and families with opportunities to grow closer to God and each other.

Pam is currently serving as Children and Family Pastor at Valley Christian Center in Albany. Pam and her husband, Jared, have been married since 2005 and have three boys. Their family will always be a much loved part of our CitySalt family.

Beauty From Suffering | A Dry and Weary Land

Please note that this post is longer than what’s typical, but well worth the read. Join Sarah as she delves into a unique and meaningful perspective on suffering, and invite the Spirit to speak to your heart in his way of grace-filled conviction.

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In the last week, I’ve been overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the impossibility of my job, impotence in the face of health struggles of my friends and family, horrific flooding in Nebraska and Mozambique, a mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand, and worry that climate change will mean that my child will one day experience food insecurity. In response, I’ve doubled down on strategies to be more effective during my work day, brainstormed ways for my friends to get relief, checked in on Nebraska colleagues, attended a vigil in solidarity with the local Islamic center, and wondered if my family could learn to grow all our own food. In other words, in the face of incredible suffering past, present, and promised, I’ve tried to play God as best as I can.

Ask me how that’s working out for me.

Honestly, this week wasn’t really much worse or more intense than others. And my reaction wasn’t much different, either. I’m not particularly proud of it, but this has been the response I’ve developed living in a world that it sometimes feels like God forgot.

At a conference recently, with a gathering of theology and religion teachers who are committed to creation care, a Jewish Rabbi relayed part of the following Midrash. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but as injustices and sorrows have piled on in the weeks following, it has woven its way deeper and deeper into resonance with my dry and weary soul:

The Midrash describes the birth of Judaism with the following cryptic parable:

“And G‑d said to Abraham: ‘Go from your land, your birthplace, and your father's house…’” (Genesis12:2) — To what may this be compared? To a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a palace in flames. He wondered: ‘Is it possible that the palace has no owner?’ The owner of the palace looked out and said, ‘I am the owner of the palace.’ So Abraham our father said, ‘Is it possible that the world lacks a ruler?’ G‑d looked out and said to him, ‘I am the ruler, the Sovereign of the universe.’

Abraham's bewilderment is clear. This sensitive human being gazes at a brilliantly structured universe, a splendid piece of art. He is overwhelmed by the grandeur of a sunset and by the miracle of childbirth; he marvels at the roaring ocean waves and at the silent, steady beat of the human heart. The world is indeed a palace.

But the palace is in flames. The world is full of bloodshed, injustice and strife. Thugs, abusers, rapists, kidnappers and killers are continuously demolishing the palace, turning our world into an ugly tragic battlefield of untold pain and horror.

What happened to the owner of the palace? Abraham cries. Why does G‑d allow man to destroy His world? Why does He permit such a beautiful palace to go up in flames? Could G‑d have made a world only to abandon it? Would anyone build a palace and then desert it?

The Midrash records G‑d's reply: ‘The owner of the palace looked out and said: “I am the owner of the palace.” G‑d looked out and said to Abraham: “I am the ruler, the Sovereign of the universe.‘”

What is the meaning of G‑d's response?

Note that the owner of the palace does not make an attempt to get out of the burning building or to extinguish the flames. He is merely stating that He is the owner of the palace that is going up in smoke. It is as if, instead of racing out, the owner were calling for help. G‑d made the palace, man set it on fire, and only man can put out the flames. Abraham asks G‑d, ‘Where are you?’ G‑d replies, ‘I am here, where are you?’ Man asks G‑d, ‘Why did You abandon the world?’ G‑d asks man, ‘Why did you abandon Me?’

Thus began the revolution of Judaism --- humanity's courageous venture to extinguish the flames of immorality and bloodshed and restore the world to the harmonious and sacred palace it was intended to be. Abraham's encounter with G‑d in the presence of a burning palace gave birth to the mission statement of Judaism - to be obsessed with good and horrified by evil. (Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 39:1; as interpreted by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in Radical Then, Radical Now, Harper Collins, 2000).

Perhaps Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel also felt the palace burning when he wrote the story in Night of three people hung on gallows in a Nazi concentration camp. One of the victims, a young boy, suffered a prolonged death, so small was his neck. “For God’s sake, where is God?” asks one of the men forced to watch the execution. “And from within me,” says the protagonist, “I heard a voice answer: ‘Where is He? This is where—hanging here from this gallows…’”

Is God dead? I don’t think so. I think God is there, being hung on the gallows. There, watching in horror with the other captives. Even there, knocking at the hearts of the soldiers who did unspeakable things in Nazi death camps, and the citizens who allowed the atrocities to take place. In the spiritual drought of frustration, of anger, of helplessness, of overwhelm...perhaps in that weary land of unjustified suffering, perhaps when there is no actual water, God is still with us.

It was really difficult for me to think about this season’s blog topic, “Beauty from Suffering.” I don’t think suffering is beautiful. I don’t think human suffering is particularly redemptive, or good. As a person who has walked through the world with many privileges (my nonprofit wages put me in the top .3% of the world’s earners; I’ve never feared my child would be taken from me at a border crossing; and I’m white, educated, physically able, etc.), I feel really uncomfortable lifting up the benefits of suffering. Suffering isn’t the way things are supposed to be. Suffering isn’t really supposed to be at all, we’ve simply inherited it as a reality thanks to sin, and, as Christians, we believe we’re living with it while God moves to reconcile the whole of Creation back to the Creator.

Yet it exists. Suffering exists. We must all deal with suffering in some way. Suffering changes us all in some way. We all react to suffering in some way.

The first time I ever tried to talk to fellow Christians about industrialized animal farming was at a Christian music festival at a Baptist church in central Washington. It was blistering hot, and my friend Jason and I were standing under a thin tent in the parking lot, listening to a 13-minute loop of undercover investigation footage play on a portable DVD player while we fielded questions from festival-goers. I don’t remember most of the people I talked to that day. But I’ll never forget the face of one man in particular, or his words.

He asked why we were there at the festival. I described some of the legal cruelties that animals endure on intensive farms, which supply about 78% (cows used for beef) 99.9% (chickens) of all meat, dairy, and eggs in our country. I said, “Twenty seven billion land animals are raised and killed for food each year, and that’s in the U.S. alone.” And he said, “And thank God for that.”

Thank God for that. Fifteen years later, the words still ring in my ears. Thank God for that.

Thank God for that?

It seems astonishingly callous, given the misery endured by those billions (plus trillions of fish); the environmental damage caused by the system; the inhumane conditions industrial farms and slaughterhouses create for the people with few other options but to work there; and the ways industrial animal agriculture contributes to global food and water insecurity.

I felt angry then. And the suffering that I advocated against then still exists now, in spades (read the link at the article, we’ll come back to it later). Today, I just feel resigned. This is my life, having this conversation, again and again and again.

As a follower of Jesus, I read the Midrash with a different ending. I believe something changes when Jesus dies on the cross, a dark day of Lent that we remember together on Good Friday. I believe Jesus’ death and resurrection, his triumph over the grave, and the Holy Spirit left to us for the “already, but not yet” time...I know that should be enough to slake my thirst for justice, righteousness, beauty, and hope. But I confess, it isn’t always. There are times when I know what I believe, but I believe I have very little faith.

The night he was betrayed, John’s gospel tells us that Jesus prayed fervently for his disciples, pleading with God to care for them in his coming absence. But Jesus doesn’t pray for the disciples to not experience the woes of the world, or to be removed from society, to wall themselves off:

John 17:13-26, NRSV
“But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves...I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one...As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world...The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world...I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

As Christians, we know that Jesus has done the work of redemption, that the work of putting out the palace flames isn’t entirely in human hands, but as Jesus-followers, we also know that we are called to take action daily to pick up that cross and follow him. I’m not very good at countering suffering with love. But that’s what Jesus did, that’s what God does, whether or not we can feel it through the layers of sick through which we sometimes encounter the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of the world.

Last month, I got the opportunity to spend two days with the veterinarian who blew the whistle on the horrors he witnessed in Nebraska. That New York Times article means he can’t find a job in his field, his marriage ended, his life now is not what he imagined it would be. But he’s finding meaning in new projects with surprising new partners. He’s curious and his sense of humor is still intact. And he’s doing life-saving work. A friend of mine was able to use his financial resources to help a Guatemalan refugee family travel to their sponsors in Colorado. And I don’t often feel like I have much love to give, but we adopted a dog this week who’s been bounced around to too many homes in her short life. She’s a perfect hot mess, just like this life.

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About the Author

Sarah is the author of Vegangelical: How Caring for Animals Can Shape Your Faith (Zondervan, 2016) and Animals Are Not Ours (No, Really, They’re Not): An Evangelical Animal Liberation Theology (Cascade Books, 2016). She spends her days working for CreatureKind, helping Christians put their faith into action. She lives in Eugene with her husband, son, and animal companions and enjoys action movies, black coffee, the daily crossword, and dreaming of her next international journey.

Beauty From Suffering | You are Here: Use the Force for Good

Yesterday was the first day of spring break. When the weather forecast changed at the last minute to mostly sunny in Florence, my family and I made a semi-spontaneous decision to go to the beach. I thought we should try a new beach, and I remembered a hike my parents and I had often done when I was a child. I looked up Tahkenitch Creek on my phone, and it showed a kid-friendly 1.4-mile loop. Sounded like a scenic and easy way to get to the beach by hiking through some dunes!

After paying our $5 at the parking lot, we grabbed some snacks, towels and beach toys and set off on our walk. We brought one small water bottle, figuring we could drink more water when we got back to the car. The hike wound through dunes and coastal forest, and after awhile we came to a sign with a cryptic trail map. “You are here,” it said, with a red dot showing us on a looping trail that did not appear to lead to the beach. The sign also showed a picture of another, larger loop, which also did not appear to lead to the beach. Then there was another, much longer trail that looked like it might lead to the beach.

The map didn’t show distances. I tried to scan my childhood memory. I knew we had hiked to the beach on this trail many times. But how long was it? And hadn’t my mom recently recommended I try this hike with my 6 and 3-year-old children?

It couldn’t be that long.

We decided to keep hiking in the direction that we guessed led to the ocean. Eventually we did come to a sign that said “Beach” and had an arrow. Someone had scratched “1.7 miles” into the sign. Did that mean the beach was 1.7 miles from the sign? Or that it would be 1.7 miles round trip to the beach and back from the sign?

We had already been hiking for awhile. But the beach had been promised. We reasoned we might as well keep going, although our small water supply was dwindling.

James 1:2-4 (NIV)
“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Persevering, eventually we did reach the sea. We made it! Our kids had walked the whole way with only mild complaining (and a few tears). We enjoyed resting in the sun on the beach and playing in the sand. Spencer and Marie walked off to explore. Paul, our 3-year-old, started following them and I stayed near him to make sure he was safe. Suddenly Spencer called to me and pointed behind me. A freak sneaker wave had come up to where we’d been sitting, soaking all of our stuff and pulling some of it back towards the waves. We ran back and grabbed everything. Nothing was lost or ruined, but I now had to carry a bag of heavy, soaking wet towels 3 miles back to our car.

So we decided it was time to head back. By now I had a raging headache, and the straps from the canvas grocery bag I had turned into a makeshift backpack were digging into my shoulders. Still we kept going, with Paul being carried much of the way. Now that we had figured out the trail, we went a slightly different route home. Part of it was through hills of sand dunes, and we pretended we were hiking through the Sahara Desert. It helped that I was very thirsty. The tension from my headache was now radiating through my whole body and my back was burning with pain. But, walking through the dunes, Paul and I decided we were Star Wars jedis and that we had light sabers out to protect us. Then Marie created her own story about being a mermaid. Eventually, our rag-tag Jedi/mermaid team made it back to our car where we had more snacks and water waiting for us. It had been a 6-mile hike, yet my kids had barely complained.

I was suffering in pain for a lot of that hike. I have a high pain threshold — I have experienced natural childbirth twice — but the headache and back pain I was feeling during this hike was still pretty awful. I could have complained a lot. Or just gotten really cranky. That would be a legitimate reaction to pain. Instead, I did what I often do in challenging situations, which is to try to make things easier for those around me. I entertained the kids by telling them fairy tales. I made sand castles on the beach. I made jokes about how silly and typical it was that my mom would recommend such a long hike for our wee children. I became a Jedi knight, wielding a light saber and using The Force for good. My husband also was a good sport, not blaming me for the misadventure and carrying our little one for miles on his shoulders.

As a result, I don’t think this day will be recorded in our minds as a bad memory. It will be remembered as an adventure, one of those “remember that time when?” stories that will bond us together.

Last week, I spent an entire day in a training about trauma in early childhood. The presenter talked about how we may not experience difficult events as traumatic if we have adequate support during those events. The way that the people around us support us – or don’t – during challenging events, affects the way that our memories are encoded. Not that hiking equates to a trauma, but it still could have easily ended up a bad memory.

Suffering can be beautiful in that it gives us the best opportunity to develop perseverance and character. It gives us an opportunity to choose to turn towards God when things are hard. It can also bond us together, giving us the chance to give and accept help as needed. Remember, the greatest Jedi warriors have turned their suffering into strength.

May the Force be with you.

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About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon. Ursula is also CitySalt’s Children’s Ministry Director. 

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Community Prayer Guide | April 2019

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer April 2019

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15:3-4

Church
Pray for all local people to be drawn to Jesus & Easter Gospel presentations. Pray they connect with churches.
Pray for the Lord’s anointing upon all the pre-Easter and post-Easter efforts to reach new people.
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out on every Gospel proclamation in our community.
Pray for churches to be equipped to function as healing communities for those struggling with mental illness.

Education
Pray for schools to wisely allocate funds to alleviate teacher burnout from large classes & lack of supports.
Pray for administrators & church partners to support teachers & boost their morale with tangible actions.
Pray for Christian students, teachers, and staff to live their faith fully at school, not compartmentalized
between sacred and secular. Pray they wisely walk in the Spirit, making the most of every opportunity.
Pray for our college campuses to increasingly support Christianity as one of many faiths to be explored.
Pray the truth would shine with clarity and appeal to reason.

Family
Pray that our identity in Christ will be the foundation of our lives and in all of our family relationships.
Pray for the cycle of divorce to end:
Pray for couples to choose to fight for their marriages and their children's stability and security.
Pray for God to heal and restore broken relationships.
Pray for children affected by divorce to be healed and have healthy relationships.
Pray for fathers to take their critical, God-given servant leadership role at home and in the Church.
Pray for foster families to be supported and thrive: for community to come around them and for organizations who serve vulnerable families to be strengthened.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s shalom in our community narrative and public discourse.
Pray for community harmony, support and funding for the new county courthouse development.
Pray for God’s wisdom, love and direction to be upon all of our government leaders and their families.
Pray for synergy among non-profits, government & the Church to keep youth housed, in school and thriving.
Pray for the implementation of the TAC Report (Technical Assistance Collaborative) - a comprehensive
city/county strategic plan to house the unhoused:
Pray for clear understanding, community support & provision.

Business
Thank the Lord for continued low unemployment, economic development, and prosperity in our community.
Pray for healthy & prosperous wealth development that advances the Lord’s purposes in our community.
Pray for positive, encouraging & supportive relationships among our business, government & faith sectors.
Pray for government and business leaders to have God’s wisdom to create plans that encourage new
businesses/jobs to be developed and established in our community.

Arts
Pray for the director, producers and actors of Radio Redux: health, salvation & direction for the next season.
Pray for God to empower Jesus-following local artists as they create three large public murals.
Pray for Christian writers to be inspired, follow through & create clear positive messages that are published.
Pray for provision for the Arts in our local schools: interest, inspiration, personnel and finances.
Pray for God to guide the leadership of the Cuthbert Amphitheater as they select artists to perform.

Health Care
Pray for Emergency Room personnel to have strength, perseverance & resources for critical care.
Pray for health care leaders to have wisdom to oversee effective treatments for addictions.
Pray for those treating addictions to be empowered and refreshed from “compassion fatigue.”
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to lead those who are addicted to follow Jesus.
Pray God uses health workers, teachers, parents & friends to bring hope, healing & rescue to those dealing
with suicidal thoughts.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the creation of a multi-agency effort to stop narcotic distribution in our community:
Pray for funding, people, and for God to expose everywhere illegal distribution is happening.
Pray for “dispatch coordination” between agencies to operate with greater wisdom & collaboration.
Pray for a Mental Health Crisis Center to be established (a necessity according to first responders & civic leaders).
Pray for our local police, sheriff and fire departments to be fully staffed by men & women of noble character.

Media
Pray for God’s hand to guide all the employees of the Register Guard.
Pray for local TV news teams to report relevant and value-infused stories for community strengthening.
Pray for local media leaders to have God’s vision and wisdom to lead our local media organizations.
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.

Sports
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing to be on all of Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s efforts in local schools.
Pray for God’s guidance in all local preparations for the 2021 World Track and Field Championships.
Pray for better training for youth coaches, and for more quality coaches to serve long-term.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Beauty From Suffering | Rise and Live to Smile Again

Beauty from suffering? Are you crazy?! I’ve had that very thought in the past, but now have a slightly different perspective.

I refer to the beauty that can come from suffering when molded in God’s hands. I’m focused on the supernatural beauty of spirit that He exchanges for the ashes of our dark times spent in hopelessness and pain. I’ve experienced this dynamic in my life, and I recognize this kind of beauty immediately when I see it in other people. Those that made a choice to continue trusting God and to live with abiding joy in the face of crippling emotional and physical circumstances. Whether it’s something urgently needed, person that never came, or a physical, emotional, or mental injury that has not healed.

The believer who carries their sorrows, yet continues to move forward in following Jesus, this person has the victory! They can have a visible anointing on them which has caused me to think to myself “I want to know more about this person! What choices have they made to produce such a clear display of God’s presence in their life?” This believer may feel their life is broken or incomplete, but yet they choose to trust what Jesus has told them in scripture. God’s beauty of spirit radiating from them is ample proof that He is still at work in their life.

The key, I’m learning from my experiences, is to stop running away from the suffering I see ahead of me, such as decades of a life alone, not entirely by choice, and with no resolution in sight. An emotional ache like the slow bleed of a long-term, small injury that zaps my strength and sometimes makes me want to stop in my tracks. I acknowledge that this part of the process never seems to get easier, but I steel myself despite my seemingly unmet needs, and choose to enter the crucible with God’s guidance. The times in which I have made this choice, in which I have silently carried my burning question of “Why Lord?,” and focused my attention on what he was assigning me now - these are my times of true victory. The life ahead of me, with new challenges and Holy Spirit assignments, is something I initially undertake for God’s sake and the benefit of others, but I later discover this persistence is also for my benefit.

My trusting obedience to move forward without answers has been when God has healed and transformed me to the next stage, the next level of knowing him. With the searing heat of the spiritual crucible still vivid in my mind and emotions, I faced my ashes, handed them over to God, and asked Him to redeem them somehow. He then lovingly touched my death-like experiences with His healing spirit, and transformed them into the redemptive lesson He designed them to be all along. I no longer needed my life circumstances to meet my expectations. When I allowed God’s presence in my life to expand and fill the deep internal void I felt daily, I found that His grace was sufficient even for me. His joy filled me to bursting and I had to share it with others, often without words. In this way, Christ resurrects me continually with His love, and I rise and live to smile again.

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About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Beauty From Suffering | The Dark Night of the Soul

Just before Christmas break, I was talking to one of my closest friends about reading material. I was feeling a bit spiritually dry, and hoping for something to read that would refresh me and help me engage with God more deeply. Then I noticed on my bookshelf a book I’d bought but hadn’t read yet, I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta--A Secret Revealed by Paul Murray.

I’ve always looked up to the woman we call Mother Teresa. Of course, so does the rest of the world. But I like her especially because she is such an amazing example of loving people unconditionally and loving God deeply. She must have been especially close to God, right?

This book, written by a priest who knew her well, shows a side of her that we don’t usually hear about. She wrestled for long periods of time where she didn’t feel God’s presence or hear Him speaking to her in any way, despite drawing others closer to Him. Her faith sustained her, knowing in her heart that Jesus loved her intimately. But she couldn’t feel it and often wondered if she was even doing what God wanted her to be doing. The author notes that she experienced what is sometimes called “The Dark Night of the Soul” based on the writings of Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross. I’m still seeking to understand this concept, but from what I can tell, the “dark night” is a period of suffering that isn’t related to any particular event or circumstances, but is a spiritual crisis in someone’s journey of faith.

I’ll let you read the book to find out how Mother Teresa’s “dark night” experience unfolds, but I will say that reading it was both challenging and encouraging. Challenging because in the theology I am used to, God is always speaking to us and affirming us. But that doesn’t seem to always be true, even in the lives of people so deeply in love with him. So it is scary to think that even Mother Teresa could experience this struggle. But it’s also encouraging. As it says in Romans 5:3, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” And we get to know Jesus better-- Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ-- yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings.” As Mother Teresa persevered in faith even in periods of not feeling His presence, she continued to bless others and bring them closer to Him. She continued to pray, trusting that He was near. That she went through this is also encouraging to me, because it makes her more human. More real. More like you and me. She wasn’t just the “super-saint” that we make her out to be. And if she can wrestle with this darkness and prevail by the power of her faith in God, so can we.

Sue Monk Kidd, the author of The Secret Life of Bees, writes about a similar personal journey in her book When the Heart Waits. My counselor made me read it several years ago. Reflecting on this topic, I picked it up today, and opened to a section about darkness. She has this to say about the darkness that is difficult to bear but is a positive part of our spiritual journey:

“In the Bible darkness is often used as a metaphor for sin or a lack of God’s presence. There are, however, references to darkness as a place where God dwells. ‘The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness’ (1 Kings 8:12). ‘He made darkness his covering around him’ (Ps. 18:11)

God is in the dark. Traditionally this imagery suggests the ultimate unknowability of God. But when I read it from within the dark layers of my cocoon, I perceived a meaning quite different. The verses filled me with an affirmation that God enters the thick darkness of every creature. A voice said to me, “God suffers with you. God weeps with you. God lives your darkness. This is the recognition that turns our darkness into a shining thing.”

Father Murray acknowledges that most people don’t undergo this kind of suffering as intensely as Mother Teresa did. I don’t know why she had to bear it. But I do believe that everyone experiences suffering at some time in their lives, if they live very long at all. It can take many different forms and come from different origins. Sometimes it’s of our own making, the consequences of our choices. Other times it is at the hands of other people, or disease, accidents, or the breaking of relationship with someone. It can take the form of grief, depression, confusion, fear, or other difficult experiences. No matter the origin or form, it is painful. Sometimes crushingly so. But I believe it can also draw us closer to God, if we face it instead of running from it.

This is baffling to the world, but beautiful to those of us who have experienced His love in the midst of our suffering. Don’t fear the darkness. He is there in it , with you.

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About the Author

Jessie is an educator, currently in the role of academic advisor at a charter school after teaching there and overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to join the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Beauty from Suffering | The Value in Suffering

Suffering. It's an ageless and perplexing subject because it’s personally so difficult to endure and also so hard when someone close to us is laboring under its heavy weight. We can (and should) empathize with our sufferers even as we feel helpless. We can’t fix it for them, but that’s not really our job.

Suffering is pain stretched out over time - “long-suffering” is a common biblical theme. No one wants to suffer, and few of us would want it for anyone else, even perhaps someone who's wronged us horrifically. Beyond suggesting a Suffering Survival Guide here, the question should be posed - is there any real value in suffering? I think there is.

All of this takes on larger meaning when we remember that Jesus paved the way in our suffering, both as an example of how to respond the right way (acknowledging the Father), but also as emotional support from someone who's been there. His suffering linked heaven to our humanity and if we really think about it, he had the most to lose. His earthly life, yes, but certainly his heavenly dignity. God-becomes-man-becomes-tortured - what a massive fall.

So there's value in Christ's example. But what about the more practical? One of the most common human traits of an immature soul is pride and shallowness of character. We think things are going well. We attribute it to our smarts, our hard work, or any other number of things tied to our great efforts. Then the wheels fall off. We experience pain and loss. Our brokenness crashes down with our poor choices, the words and actions of others around us, or perhaps we don't really know why.

When we respond correctly, suffering “keeps us honest”, as they say. It adds depth of character to our shallow soul. And an added bonus - it fosters true compassion for others. More depth of character as we remember to gaze outwards, even as it hurts so much. Because others are hurting too.

As I write this, I am in some personal turmoil. It’s common life-stuff but as suffering typically goes, it feels worse than it probably is. So this blog post is fresh and sincere. Here is what I am learning in real time (ME, are you listening?):

1. Don’t suffer alone, and on the other side, don’t ignore the sufferer! Yes, we all live “out west” but we’re not cowboys on some far lonely outpost. We NEED each other. We really do, as both a giver and receiver of compassion. Isolation is one of the enemy’s harshest and most powerful tools. It leads to wrong assumptions and beliefs, and wild exaggerations. And it’s horribly lonely. We need to reach out, and that includes professional or pastoral care.

2. Pain focuses us, and locks us in. Sometimes I feel God uses it to get our attention, and keep it for awhile while he speaks and we learn.

3. We can ask God why, but we shouldn't get stuck on the why. He wants to interact with us, and answers will be revealed as we walk with him, and keep walking. Don't stop and get stuck. If we fall, get back up.

4. Gain perspective and identify the gains. Perspective is one of suffering's great rewards.

5. We need to give the sufferer space but be sensitive and “nearby”, observing, praying, and ready to connect. Don’t worry about not having words. Smiles and hugs are essential too.

Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

The “Aha” Moment! | Making Room for “Ah-ha” Moments with Jesus

“Ah-ha” moments with Jesus…. even typing that makes me smile. I don’t know that there’s anything better than an ah-ha moment with Jesus! Really, I don’t think there’s anything better. But even as I type that, I have to ask myself: “If I love ah-ha moments with Jesus more than anything, what gets in the way of having them?”

From experience, I know whenever I intentionally hang out with Jesus, I always have an ah-ha moment. And they come in different forms.

Often it’s a “DUH” ah-ha moment. Do you know what I mean? These are the times He says what might be the simplest thing, something that everyone already knows, but at that very time I need to hear it and it rocks my world!

Or when I am worried and as I just sit with Him and I get filled with peace, he reminds me that He is the Prince of Peace and that peace is always available. Ah-ha!

Or when I am reading through a story in the Gospels and He makes something become real. When I’m listening to a friend talk, or a sermon, or praying with someone and Jesus comes through and says something that opens us up to an entirely new way of looking at the situation. Ah-ha! So, if ah-ha moments with Jesus are the best, why don’t I experience more of them? I realize it’s not Him, it’s me! Every time I make time to hang with Him, I have an ah-ha moment. That is the key: making time!

Pondering this led me to think of one of the places I do consistently make room for meeting Jesus: when meeting with my Triad. Talk about a place where those ah-ha moments have happened. During Triad, I can honestly bank on having at least one, if not many, every time. (I am not exaggerating.)

If you are currently in a Triad, I’d guess you are nodding along with me, quite possibly with a big smile on your face, as you think of yours. Or, if you haven’t heard of this thing called “Triad”, you are wondering what in the world I am talking about? A “Triad” is a structured group of 3 people who meet up on a regular basis and practice listening prayer together. A specific time where we purposely practice both being heard and hearing others, while listening for ourselves and each other to what Jesus is saying.

And every single time, without exception, He has ah-ha things to say! He is so good that way. Let me tell you my Triad history: I have been in a Triad for several years. And as you can tell, I am a huge fan! At the beginning, though, I almost missed the boat. When I was asked to join one, I almost said no. I really didn’t think I had time for “yet another meeting” on my calendar. And even though the commitment was only once a month for 2 hours, I just didn’t know if I wanted to fit it in. Thankfully, though, wisdom kicked in and I decided to pray about it. I decided to commit and give it a try. And let me tell you: best decision ever!

And as I flip through my journal from the notes I’ve taken during our Triad sessions, the “ah-ha” moments fill the pages! There is a God, He loves us, He cares, and He talks to us! Having this scheduled time once a month to intentionally make room to listen to Him together, to practice hearing those ah-ha things He has to say, has been so life-giving and faith building.

Are Triads a magical format? Does He only show up when you Triad? Is Triad even a verb? Of course not. But I think the “magic” happens whenever we purposefully put time aside to actively listen. Jesus says “My sheep hear My voice” but for some reason this can be a struggle for many of us to believe. Or if you are like me, you may totally believe it but realize time flies by when you get busy and you just haven’t had time to listen. A Triad sets up a time and space for you and 2 friends to practice hearing Him and to see that He means it – we can hear His voice and He does have ah-ha things for us!

For me, joining a Triad has designated a time, once a month, in my schedule where I know I will have the time to talk to and listen to Jesus. It has become an easy rhythm to carve out this space. And it has become so precious to me. Also, the added beauty is I get to do this with my friends as well as with Jesus, thus having Him deposit “ah-ha” moments not only into my own life but into their lives too. Ain’t nothing better than watching my friend get encouraged, built up, receive breakthrough, and hear exactly what she needs to hear from Jesus. So good! And the relationship between my friends and I has become so deep in the process. When we get to hear Jesus’ thoughts about someone, when we get to feel His heart for someone, we just fall more in love with each other!

So is this an ad for Triads? Maybe! When you find a good thing you want to share it! But more importantly, I want to encourage us all to make room for those “ah-ha” moments with Jesus. However that looks in our lives today. He is a Person, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He wants to talk with us!

So let’s pray, “Thank You Jesus, that You love us so much and want to fill our lives with more ah-ha moments! Thank You that Your Word says we can hear Your voice, that You want to be our friend, and that nothing can stand between us and You. We say ‘YES’ right now to more ah-ha moments. We say ‘YES’ to making time to be known and to get to know You. We say ‘YES’ to asking for You to help us to create habits and rhythms in our schedules that make room for the ah-ha moments with You, Jesus!”

P.S. If you are interested in Triads and want more details: http://www.citysalt.org/triads

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About the Author

Pam is a fun and encouraging team-builder that brings the best to those around her. She loves people and is committed to serving and mentoring kids, women and families with opportunities to grow closer to God and each other.

Pam is currently serving as Children and Family Pastor at Valley Christian Center in Albany. Pam and her husband, Jared, have been married since 2005 and have three boys. Their family will always be a much loved part of our CitySalt family.

Community Prayer Guide | March 2019

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer March 2019

“’Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’, says the Lord Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6b

Church
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out on every church/ministry for life transformation.
Pray for the Lord to provide new wisdom and strategies for Christ-centered collaboration.
Pray for God’s hand to be upon all of the early preparations for Easter celebrations.
Pray for local churches and Jesus-followers to demonstrate the love and wisdom of God in public life.
Pray for healthy, good and strong relationships between all pastors & ministry leaders in our community.

Education
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Springfield School Superintendent.
Pray for Christian students, teachers, and staff to live their faith fully at school, not compartmentalized
between sacred and secular. Pray they wisely walk in the Spirit, making the most of every opportunity.
Pray for our college campuses to increasingly support Christianity as one of many faiths to be explored.
Pray the truth would shine with clarity and appeal to reason.
Pray for every school district's suicide prevention program to effectively intervene in students’ lives.

Family
Pray for God to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and for the hearts of children to be turned towards
their fathers. Pray for fathers to take their servant leadership role at home and in the Church.
Pray for struggling adults, teens and children to have hope, be loved and rescued from suicide.
Pray for men to understand their critical God-given roles & have the courage to step into them.
Pray for God to strengthen and empower marriages in our community: to love and care for each other, to be healthy models of love for children, and to add to the strength and security of our community.
Pray for our identity in Christ to be the foundation of our lives and in all of our family relationships.

Government
Pray for the implementation of the TAC Report (Technical Assistance Collaborative - a comprehensive
city/county strategic plan to house the unhoused):
Pray for clear understanding, community support & provision.
Pray for community harmony, support and funding for the new county courthouse development.
Pray for God’s wisdom, love and direction to be upon all of our government leaders and their families.
Pray for synergy among non-profits, government & the Church to keep youth housed, in school and thriving.
Pray for peace and safety within and around the newly-moved homeless camp on Highway 99.
Pray for the Lord’s shalom in our community narrative and public discourse.

Business
Pray for healthy & prosperous wealth development that advances the Lord’s purposes in our community.
Pray for government and business leaders to have God’s wisdom to create plans that encourage new
businesses/jobs to be developed and established in our community.
Pray for positive, encouraging & supportive relationships among our business, government & faith sectors. Pray for businesses and business leaders to be a vital part of increasing affordable housing.
Thank the Lord for continued low unemployment, economic development, and prosperity in our community.

Arts
Pray for the National Spring Art show “jury process” to highlight God-honoring creativity.
Pray for God to empower Jesus-following local artists as they create three large public murals.
Pray for musicians in the local music scene to be loved by Jesus-people and led into a relationship with Christ.
Pray for Christian writers to be inspired, follow through & create clear positive messages that are published.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to be on the Actors Cabaret leadership to know Him & choose virtuous plays.

Health Care
Pray for everyone who is struggling with addiction to have hope, perseverance and support:
Pray for the Church to take an active role in prevention and healing of addictions.
Pray for health care leaders to have wisdom to oversee effective treatments for addictions.
Pray for those treating addictions to be empowered and refreshed from “compassion fatigue.”
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to lead those who are addicted to follow Jesus.
Pray God uses health workers, teachers, parents & friends to bring hope, healing & rescue to those dealing
with suicidal thoughts.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for our local police, sheriff and fire departments to be fully staffed by men & women of noble character.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to prevent all “false alarm” 911 calls in our community.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the creation of a multi-agency effort to stop narcotic distribution in our community: funding & people.
Pray for “dispatch coordination” between agencies to operate with greater wisdom & collaboration.
Pray for a Mental Health Crisis Center to be established (a necessity according to first responders & civic leaders).

Media
Pray for positive and uplifting stories to be highlighted.
Pray for local TV, Radio and Print Media employees to be guided by God’s hand.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision and wisdom to effectively lead our local media organizations.
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s blessing to be on LCC Athletics: the students, staff and coaches.
Pray for God’s guidance in all local preparations for the 2021 World Track and Field Championships.
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for God’s blessing, wisdom and protection to be on all Christ-following coaches at every level.
Pray for better training for youth coaches, and for more quality coaches to serve long-term.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

The “Aha” Moment! | What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

A few weeks ago I was faced with a dilemma. My 6-year-old daughter was finishing up the month-long introductory piano class I had given her for Christmas. I needed to decide if we should continue with piano lessons or not. The problem was, Marie had also recently started a dance class, and it seemed prohibitively expensive to continue both. I’d assumed she would naturally gravitate to one or the other and it’d be easy to choose, but it wasn’t. She loves music and her best friend had joined piano. On the other hand, she also loves dance and the hip-hop class was well-suited to her (very) high energy level and enthusiasm.

This may seem like it should be an easy, low-stakes decision, but I always overthink and analyze the angles when it comes to decision-making. Piano seems like a better long-term investment. I always wished for piano lessons as a kid and never had the opportunity. On the other hand, Marie had been asking for a dance class for months and months.

I prayed about it and Marie and I came to the consensus to keep on with dance and drop piano for now. There was no big ah-ha moment and I don’t know whether or not it was the best decision for her. In ten years will she still be dancing, playing an instrument, both, or neither? Time will tell. But for now this is the best decision for me. The dance class is an after-school program at her school. That means I don’t have to make extra trips in the car, coercing my 3-year-old son to get buckled in his car seat, and finding ways to keep him quietly entertained during a 45-minute piano lesson.

I’m always hoping for truth to be revealed to me in a big epiphanous moment. I wish that God would clearly tell me which choices to make when it comes to things like long-term career goals, friendships to pursue, and which extracurriculars to invest in for our kids. Even an ah-ha moment about where to find my son’s missing mitten would be appreciated. If I’m really honest, I may especially hope for epiphanies to come to politicians I disagree with or people I perceive to have wronged me in some way.

Still, I’ve found that it’s rare for us to learn much in isolated moments. Most of the time, growth happens slowly and gradually. We become the product of the small choices we have made day after day over the years.

A few years ago I went on an overnight silent retreat at the Benedectine Abbey in Mt. Angel. I thought that surely this would be the place that God would speak to me and reveal vital information about Big Life Choices. In the end, I felt that it was a worthwhile time of rest and reflection, and that God was with me in the silence. But I did not get any answers or detailed revelations.

Except, well maybe. I felt that God did have a message for me that weekend. And it was this: Be Present. I had been hoping that God would give me ideas for new life assignments to take on, and all I got was — Be Present.

That strikes me still today as the big reveal for me and perhaps all of us in the distracted and distracting world where we live, especially if we are parenting little ones. Put down your smartphone. Turn off Netflix. Be here, in this moment, where God has placed you.

I’ll leave you with some lines by Mary Oliver, my favorite contemporary poet, who passed away in January at age 83.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
— excerpted from The Summer Day, by Mary Oliver

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About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon. Ursula is also CitySalt’s Children’s Ministry Director. 

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

The “Aha” Moment! | Unexpected Blessing

Silent night, holy night. Christmas night alone. As a single person with no immediate family I reconciled myself to spending this past Christmas night at home, cozy and warm, ready to enjoy a good movie. But the sudden and loud ringing of my phone startled me to attention. It was my dear friend Merilee, from church. “What are you doing?”, she asked and then continued, “Do you want to come over for dinner…tonight?”

I paused and quickly thought to myself, ‘Oh how nice of her, but I shouldn’t impose on such a personal time!’ My unspoken thoughts were interrupted by a “loud” internal thought that said, ‘You say yes right now!’ I realized that Merilee’s kind invitation was also God’s gift to me, to experience something He knew I would especially enjoy: fellowship, community, and conversation over a shared meal. I swiftly replied “Yes thank you! I would love to, and I’ll be right over!”

When I arrived, her dining room table was beautifully set for four people. I introduced myself to her father and brother and realized we had all attended the same church thirty years ago and still had some friends in common! We shared a delicious dinner with vibrant and important conversation. We caught up on past events regarding friends living and those passed on. We shared our faith and talked about what God was teaching us now. I shared some of the lessons I had recently learned. Merilee’s Dad gave me scripture that supported these lessons. The metaphor of physical and spiritual food was strongly demonstrated to me around that table.

When dinner was over and the dishes were cleared, Merilee’s father asked for her Bible. He then handed it to me and asked me to read Matthew 6 aloud to them! I blinked in response and looked at their three faces, smiling with encouragement and anticipation. I swallowed and started in. The Bible was ‘The Message’ version and the words and their meanings jumped off the page to me, more vividly than I usually experience by myself. I thought of Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

We paused and discussed passages. I was reminded that God’s word is alive! The experience made me realize that my true priority is embracing the privilege of hearing God’s Voice in scripture. And to recognize the importance of how we actively help each other hear God’s word, yes by the words we speak to each other, but also by the actions of our lives lived in community.

I remembered an analogy I heard during a sermon years ago. Our pastor encouraged us to focus on hearing God’s voice with the attentiveness of a waiter watching for and anticipating the needs of the diners in his or her care.

I was energized by the immediacy of The Message’s version of the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6: “Our Father in Heaven, reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best – as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.”

Gathering together and sharing scripture that night strengthened my ability to experience and enjoy His presence that day and onward. Thank you Lord for one of the best Christmas gifts I have ever received!

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About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Community Prayer Guide | February 2019

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer February 2019

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matt.7:7-8

Church
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon every church/ministry for life transformation.
Pray for God to give clear vision and plans to every church and ministry leadership team.
Pray for local churches and Jesus-followers to demonstrate the love and wisdom of God in public life.
Pray for healthy, good and strong relationships between all pastors & ministry leaders in our community.

Education
Pray for the Bethel School District's new suicide prevention program to be effective and intervene in the lives
of vulnerable students.
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Springfield School Superintendent.
Pray for God to provide a centrally-located facility for ECCO, 4J’s alternative high school, so they can best
serve students.
Pray that Christian educators would be discerning, and effectively rise above spiritual battles in classrooms,
on campuses, and in student lives.
Pray for effective strategies, needed resources and volunteers to increase the number of third graders reading at grade level.

Government
Pray for the implementation of the TAC Report (Technical Assistance Collaborative): A comprehensive city/county strategic plan to house the unhoused.
Pray for clear understanding, community support, and for provision.
Pray for community harmony, support and funding for the new county courthouse development.
Pray for God’s wisdom, love and direction to be upon all of our government leaders and their families.
Pray for synergy among non-profits, government & the Church to keep youth housed, in school and thriving.
Pray for peace and safety within and around the newly-moved homeless camp on Highway 99.
Pray for the Lord’s shalom in our community narrative and public discourse.

Business
Pray for healthy & prosperous wealth development that advances the Lord’s purposes in our community.
Pray for government and business leaders to have God’s wisdom to create plans that encourage new businesses/jobs to be developed and established in our community.
Pray for positive, encouraging & supportive relationships among our business, government & faith sectors. Pray for businesses and business leaders to be a vital part of increasing affordable housing.

Family
Pray for God to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and for the hearts of children to be turned towards their fathers. Pray for fathers to take their servant leadership role at home and in church.
Pray for struggling adults, teens and children to have hope, be loved and rescued from suicide.
Pray for struggling families to have barriers removed and have access to affordable homes.
Pray for God to strengthen and empower marriages in our community: to love and care for each other,
to be healthy models of love for children, and to add to the strength and security of our community.
Pray for God to empower the “TIPS” class that equips foster parents to raise children impacted by trauma.

Arts
Pray for art instructors to be drawn to know their Wonderful Creator.
Pray for musicians in the local music scene to be loved by Jesus-people and led into a relationship with Christ.
Pray for God to empower local artists to illustrate His love, creativity and truth.
Pray for the Lord to guide the Hult Center towards family-friendly artistic acts for the next season.
Pray for the EUG404 art group to experience the Lord’s love and truth.

Health Care
Pray for those struggling with mental illness and physical disabilities to experience the love of Christ.
Pray for local health care providers to honor the beginning and ending of life.
Pray for health care providers to speak truth and bring healing to those struggling with gender dysphoria.
Pray for God to use health care workers, teachers, parents and friends to be empowered to bring hope, healing and rescue to those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for our local police, sheriff and fire departments to be fully staffed by men & women of noble character.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to prevent all “false alarm” 911 calls in our community.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for effective collaboration in the multi-agency effort to stop narcotic distribution in our community.
Pray for “dispatch coordination” between agencies to operate with greater wisdom & collaboration.
Pray for first responders to have favor and positive interactions with the public, judges, lawyers & the media.

Media
Pray for local TV, Radio and Print Media employees to be guided by God’s hand.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision and wisdom to effectively lead our local media organizations.
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.
Pray for positive and uplifting stories to be highlighted.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s blessing to be on LCC Athletics: the students, staff and coaches.
Pray for God’s guidance in all local preparations for the 2021 World Track and Field Championships.
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for God’s blessing, wisdom and protection on all Christ-following coaches at every level.
Pray for better training for youth coaches, and for more quality coaches to serve long-term.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

The “Aha” Moment! | Revelation

Revelation. That’s one of those scary words that I usually leave to the theologians and my friends that went to seminary. What would I know about revelation? But as I reflected on it in recent weeks, many thoughts came to me. And I realized that revelation comes in many different ways, usually when we’re not expecting it. And sometimes we don’t even recognize it for what it is. When we do, we experience a blessing that can’t be explained.

Sometimes that “Aha!” moment will come to me through other people. Someone will interpret a truth of God in a fresh way that I’d never thought of before, in a lecture, book, song, sermon, or even a Facebook post. I’ll hear it and think, “Hey, that makes sense to me now!” or “I’d never thought of it that way before!” and I’m grateful for the fresh or deeper understanding of something I’d wrestled with or only scratched the surface of.

Usually for me, it comes from reading something again, but understanding it a new way due to my own more recent experiences. This has happened for me a lot when reading my Bible. Depending on what I had recently gone through or am experiencing at the time, a certain verse or passage will just mean so much more to me than it ever had before. The Psalms have had this effect on me many times. Once in our twenties, my stepsister and I had gotten sucked into a class action suit and were being countersued by a bank we had both previously worked for. We would call each other and cry on the phone because we were so scared. But then I would read the Psalms, where David wrestles with many different kinds of giants in his life, and remembers that God is on his side. These verses meant so much more to me because of what I was experiencing.

Occasionally, the “Aha” moment will just be remembering something simple but profound that I’d buried in my mind and not taken to heart for a while. I recently had this experience. Work itself had been fine that day, but the workplace environment had been discouraging. When I finally realized consciously that I was discouraged, suddenly I remembered that God exists. That was it. God exists. Immediately my heart lifted. I was surprised at the instant effect. I’ve always believed that God existed, so why did it strike me in such a way just then? Instant revelation from His heart to mine. He didn’t shame me for forgetting Him, but reminded me that since He exists, it also means He’s good, He’s in control, and everything else that I believe is true about Him. All of that came to me in an instant, and flooded me with relief.

Matthew 16:17
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in Heaven.”

Sometimes it feels like He’s silent. But I believe (based on my experiences) that if we are waiting patiently to hear from Him, spending time with Him in whatever way we know how to, then when our hearts are ready, we’ll hear what we need to know. We’ll understand truth in a fresh way. And we will be blessed by that moment, however dramatic or simple it is.

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About the Author

Jessie is an educator, currently in the role of academic advisor at a charter school after teaching there and overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to join the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

The “Aha” Moment! | Come Be a Fool as Well

1 Corinthians 1:25, 27-31
“For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength...God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”

When I was sixteen, I had a mad crush on a college boy, who I met through a local summer camp. He was very invested in following Jesus, and I was very invested in following him. We started a postal correspondence, because even though Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email in 1976, I am not an early adopter of technology and didn’t get my first account until I was out of high school (and that was to correspond with an entirely different boy, because I didn’t make very forward-thinking choices between the ages of sixteen and twenty two).

Anyway, in one of those letters sent through the U.S. postal service, my camp friend included a piece of paper with the following song lyrics typed on them:

Seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind

For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong

And so we follow God's own fool
For only the foolish can tell-
Believe the unbelievable
And come be a fool as well

So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you'll have the faith His first followers had
And you'll feel the weight of the beam

So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say I believe
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see

So we follow God's own Fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable,
And come be a fool as well

Here it is performed live:

Following Jesus doesn’t make sense, and I’m not sure it’s supposed to. It doesn’t make any more sense to break from our surrounding culture’s status quo now than it did for Jesus to go up against the occupying powers of Rome, or the religious elite of Israel. It doesn’t make sense to give everything we have to the poor, to turn the other cheek when we’re harmed, to pursue peace at the risk of our own lives. It doesn’t make sense to eat, spend, and live in ways that put ourselves last and others first. In a world of swords and guns and drones, it’s foolish to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors...downright dangerous, even.

And yet.

Come be a fool, as well.

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About the Author

Sarah is the author of Vegangelical: How Caring for Animals Can Shape Your Faith (Zondervan, 2016) and Animals Are Not Ours (No, Really, They’re Not): An Evangelical Animal Liberation Theology (Cascade Books, 2016). She spends her days working for CreatureKind, helping Christians put their faith into action. She lives in Eugene with her husband, son, and animal companions and enjoys action movies, black coffee, the daily crossword, and dreaming of her next international journey.

The “Aha” Moment!

We’ve all had one. That moment when we finally “get it.” When something you’ve been stewing on, a wall you’ve been up against, or a solution or insight you’ve desperately sought finally breaks. A pastor of mine years ago called it by its biblical name: revelation - “quickened by the Holy Spirit”. In modern parlance, the delightfully descriptive “Aha”.

I’ve always been intrigued and delighted, while equally frustrated by the creative process. It's a mystery. How are things unseen revealed? The human brain is a deep reservoir of life experience, an organic and life-giving engine of constant change, a perplexing soup of fresh learning and old memories responding to present situations.

And frequently, our brain runs on autopilot. In crisis, we get left behind and “stuck”, unable to understand what’s happening, or even why. I think it has less to do with smarts, and more with the emotional shrapnel of the battlefield - negativity flooding our senses and the smokescreen lies of our self-talk.

Be it simple, everyday, creative endeavors or answers to life’s situational and big picture questions, we yearn for a new discovery, something to match this fresh pain. Life is adventure, right?

Sometimes I picture our God as the Jedi Master, sans the Yoda ears, always teaching and training. He understands us and our situation intimately, but we don’t. With his divine and far-reaching perspective, he operates his expertly crafted lesson plan, while continually modifying it to adapt to our responses (and new mistakes). We gave him permission, after all.

And confounding us, he withholds bits and pieces of information, probably so we don’t get too discouraged and quit...until the time is just right, and when we’re content in our learned humility. Our heart is soft with trust. Our eyes are looking up, not down. He moves some final pieces on his chessboard and we start to sense a change coming. A change is coming. It’s time.

It hits us in a flash flood of understanding, relief, joy and gratitude. Ah-HA! The Big Reveal - Revelation!

Is all this just adventurous creativity on God’s part? From our end, it may just seem like garden-variety pain and frustration. But for our mysterious Creator, the same one whose galaxies are continuing to expand even after his epic initial burst, why not? Always creating. Always redeeming. He's always changing us with a great plan.

I wonder if we could adopt this fantastic creative insight from our Creator, direct it inside, then apply it toward others around us who are in process too (Aha - aren’t we all the same)? If perhaps not ever knowing the satisfaction of universal understanding, could we still know him, I mean REALLY know his character, and his ways? And could we always be generous with our hope, that he would indeed perfect us, and others, in his time? Seems like a great position to be in.

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Community Prayer Guide | January 2019

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer January 2019

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Church
Pray for God to give clear vision and plans to every church and ministry leadership team.
Pray that God provides a new warehouse for Love INC, a local ministry that mobilizes churches to serve others.
Pray for local churches & Jesus- followers to demonstrate the love and wisdom of God in public life.
Pray for healthy, good and strong relationships among all pastors and ministry leaders in our community.
Pray for God to refresh, strengthen, and unify local pastors & leaders at the Prayer Summit at Cannon Beach.

Education
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Springfield School Superintendent.
Pray for educators to be refreshed & empowered in order to start 2019 with fresh eyes, empathy, and effectiveness.
Pray that Christian educators would be discerning, and effectively rise above spiritual battles in classrooms, on campuses, and in student lives.
Pray for Christian students and student groups to be more connected and visible at LCC.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen, refresh and provide for single moms and dads.
Pray for God to empower the “TIPS” class that equips foster parents to raise children impacted by trauma.
Pray for struggling adults, teens and children to have hope, be loved and rescued from suicide.
Pray for struggling families to have barriers removed and have access to affordable homes.
Pray for God to strengthen and empower marriages in our community: to love and care for each other, to be healthy models of love for children, and to add to the strength and security of our community.

Government
Pray for peace and safety within and around the new homeless camp on Highway 99.
Pray for the Lord’s shalom in our community narrative and public discourse.
Pray for God’s wisdom, love and direction to be upon all of our government leaders and their families.
Pray for local government housing plans to implement the best solutions for people to be safely housed.
Pray for synergy among non-profits, government & the Church to keep children housed, in school and thriving.

Business
Pray for government and business leaders to have God’s wisdom and guidance in plans for new property development that encourages new businesses/jobs to be established in our community.
Pray for positive, encouraging & supportive relationships among our business, government & faith sectors. Pray for businesses and business leaders to be a vital part of increasing affordable housing.
Pray for national, state and local governments to create policies that strengthen small businesses.
Pray for God’s hand and direction to be on the local tech community’s “Silicon Shire Initiative” (an effort to increase collaboration and supportive infrastructure for our growing tech sector).

Arts
Pray for God’s hand to be on the UO dance & music departments; pray for believers to be “salt & light” there. Pray for the Emerald Art Center: for the Lord to guide the selection of new leadership & direction.
Pray for God to guide, bless and provide for the Eugene Opera.
Pray for the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon the Gospel Concert in honor of MLK at the UO.
Pray it would have wide impact and draw many from the community and university.

Health Care
Pray for barriers to be removed and for more resources in ER departments to treat addiction.
Pray for “Stop & Think,” a value-based sexual abstinence program, to be in every middle and high school.
Pray for health care providers to speak truth and bring healing to those struggling with gender dysphoria.
Pray for God to use health care workers, teachers, parents and friends to be empowered to bring hope, healing, and rescue to those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the Lord’s hand to prevent all “false alarm” 911 calls in our community.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for financial provision for all law enforcement budgets: Eugene, Springfield, Junction City & Lane County. Pray for effective collaboration in the multi-agency effort to stop narcotic distribution in our community.
Pray for “dispatch coordination” between agencies to operate with greater wisdom & collaboration.

Media
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.
Pray for positive and uplifting stories to be highlighted.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision and wisdom to effectively lead our local media organizations. Pray for local TV, Radio and Print Media employees to be guided by God’s hand.

Sports
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing to be on KidSports Athletics: the kids, staff, coaches and referees.
Pray for God’s blessing, wisdom and protection on all Christ following coaches at every level.
Pray for better training for youth coaches, and for more quality coaches to serve long-term.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Reflection on Sunday’s Sermon | The Who

Despite the title, this is not a story about that band from the 60’s and 70’s. Instead it’s a look inside what has developed in my understanding since Randi preached at church last Sunday on the New Testament letter to Titus, presumed by some to have been written by Paul.

Randi not only described the details of this short epistle, but “zoomed out” to highlight a principle that is exceedingly important for all of us. The principle is that we are not just to look at the “what” we are encouraged to do. We would do well to look beyond the “what” to the “why”. Why are we doing something or encouraged to do something? This brings much more depth and meaning to the situation. If we understand the “why” of our actions, the “whats” are almost incidental. Not that the “whats” are unimportant, but they are not the chief point; they are secondary.

But that’s not all. Randi then pointed out that beyond the “why” is an even greater reality. It is the “who”. In Titus, as truly everywhere in the Bible, the “who” beyond the “what” and “why” is God, the One who loves us, empowers us and trains us up in the way we should go.

For a few minutes of reflection on this during the service, Randi encouraged us to try and discern where we might be looking at the “whats” in our lives without seeing the “whys” or the “who”.

As I was contemplating this, I became aware that oftentimes I did see a “who”… but it wasn’t God. It was me. Good ol’ me, myself and I. In a moment of sweet conviction, I realized how self-referential I am. I became aware suddenly of how much I want to take control, or stay in control, of things in my life. Do I really look to God to follow Him and be transformed by Him or do I most often just want Him to bless me…….just as I am.

All of this has made me more aware of how I approach God and how I approach the reading of Scripture. Do I come to Him (or it) full of self-importance and an ego at the center of its own universe or do I come to Him humbly, with an open mind and heart, ready to receive what He, the “Greater Who”, the “Greatest Who”, would want to give me or teach me or encourage me to do?

I look forward to the day when I more automatically see God in, behind, beneath, above or around all things, including the Scriptures. I am beginning to see that God’s admonition to “die to the self” means more than just stopping or starting certain behaviors (the what), and even more than knowing the reason why it would be good to stop or start those behaviors. I believe Jesus wants us to see Him, first and foremost, in everything, as the giver of living water, the healer, the lover of our souls, the Creator of new creations, the One in whom we live and breathe and have our being.

Acts 17:28
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

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About the Author

John has been an essential component to the life and development of CitySalt since 2004 and, presently, serves as an associate pastor with a focus on prayer, discipleship and spiritual direction in addition to being a regular part of the teaching team. He enjoys the outdoors, water sports, music, reading and especially spending time with his wonderful family and chocolate lab, Gunnar.

4th Sunday of Advent | Love: Mini Advents: Spreading LOVE & Making Space for God

1 John 4:7-8 NIV
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

• Because God is love.

• For love comes from God.

• Dear friends, let us love one another.

I was not raised by religious parents. Celebrating traditions in Christianity were not part of my childhood. Yet I am so incredibly grateful – every, single, day, - for the life that the Lord has given me; hardships included.

As I search for guidance on what to write for the fourth advent week, I can’t help but pause at the pattern of the four weeks. It is a familiar pattern that I believe is meant to be a model for our lives.

This pattern begins by wishing, wanting, hoping for something. Still, we don’t get overwhelmed in our desire, rather we find peace in our faith that our hope will one day be realized. This knowing brings joy to our hearts and as joy helps to open our hearts, Love can flow freely from above, to around us, and back up in gratitude.

I am humbled by our lack of understanding when faced with God’s greatness. I cannot pretend to comprehend His great design, but God must have not designed this process lightly. There must have been much care and attention put on this process; both in the worldly structure (hope for provisions, success, relationships) and within us as His creations (hope for His guidance, His gift of eternal life). Regardless of what we are hoping for, with peace and joy, Love can spread and grow within us.

Are we constantly living mini advents year-round? Do you hope for things? Believe in them and live in faith for those things? Does this bring you joy? Do you spread Love when you are experiencing joy?

“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God”

Could this be a recipe for making space for God in our lives? For God’s pattern was this - Jesus came, gave us hope in salvation and left us with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Max Lucado seems to have said something similar. In the article, “Max Lucado Launches John 3:16 Movement” his take on John 3:16 is discussed:

Max Lucado, author of 3:16: The Numbers of Hope, calls the well-known verse “a 26-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same.”

“John 3:16 has always been that one verse that I thought summarizes, encapsulates, [and] carries the heart of the Gospel like no other verse,” Lucado said Monday on Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16 states. (Christianpost.com)

For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Because God loved the world, He sent us hope, the Prince of Peace, that whoever believes and holds this hope, will have eternal life.

The last key step in bringing God and love to our lives, to this world; we must now choose to make space in our lives for the Holy Spirit to thrive and spread Love.

For no cake was ever baked without the action of making it. While God is all powerful, He wants our participation in the kitchen.

This month (and beyond) I will look for His presence and make space for it in my life by having hope and living in the peace and joy of that hope.

This way I can both honor God’s gift of Jesus and prepare for His return, by living in Love, by living with God here and now.

Peter 1:22-23
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

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About the Author

Leona is a wife, mother and traveler who is intrigued by how different people live. Her latest project is exploring ways that different walks of life can simplify, in order to live a fulfilling journey.