Common Ground | The Unifying Influence of Jesus

Sara Gore May 29, 2020

One of my dearest friends and I strongly disagree in our political views. I’ve long thought that one of the key reasons Allison and I have stayed friends for so long, is that we’ve agreed to not discuss it much. But, in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to avoid the topic. Allison explained that her sister shares the same views that I have, and she wanted to better understand her sister’s point of view. And so, with a fair amount of nervous trepidation, I began to share my opinions in response to her questions.

During one heated discussion, we both paused, trying to avoid a descent into acrimony. We both wanted to protect our friendship. I said, “We might not agree on many things, but we do agree on the most important thing, our common faith in Christ!” Allison wholeheartedly agreed, and our conversation took an immediate positive turn. We discussed the things we were grateful for in each other and ended our conversation with prayer.

Later on, as I reviewed the conversation in my mind, I was struck by the unifying influence of Christ. And I realized that if the Lord was not present, as the connecting bridge in our friendship, we might not be friends at all. As in any friendship, our differences in temperament and beliefs are often too large and too numerous for simple human will to overcome. Our agreement in prayer and our choice to receive God’s grace and forgiveness from each other is what serves as the glue that keeps us together as friends.

Ephesians 4:2-3 TPT
“With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience. Be faithful to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit among you in the bonds of peace, being one body and one spirit, as you were all called into the same glorious hope of divine destiny.”

Also, I am continually surprised by the progressive nature of God’s presence in my life. As long as I look to and listen to Him, He blesses me, by improving me. Another friend, Bonnie, and I have gradually progressed from being acquaintances to being friends, over the course of three decades. In the early days, my perception was that our temperaments clashed. Her introverted need for solitude was a challenging mix with my extroverted need to think out loud about a variety of topics. I felt embarrassed and thought I was responsible for the exasperation I thought I read from her body language.

Over the years my friendship with Bonnie has held a mirror to my progress in Christ. I now see that I am not the only factor responsible for any person’s mood or emotions. There are many other factors involved. We are both under construction in God’s remodeling process of our lives. I believe He used us both, to sand off sharp edges and shape each other for a season of time. I find that I am now able to enjoy periods of quiet in her company, and I enjoy hearing her perspective in the brief conversations we now have. I am thankful for this learning experience. And, I am so thankful that we all have Jesus, the unifying, redeeming savior, as our common ground.

John 17:9, & 20-23 Living Bible
(Jesus’ prayer to the Father, for his disciples and future believers.)
“My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father... I have given them the glory you gave me – the glorious unity of being one, as we are…so that the world…will understand that you love them as much as you love me.”

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.”

Common Ground | Identity

Leona Abrahao May 22, 2020

My 5 year old has recently discovered The Lion King and it’s his new favorite movie--to the point where he wants to watch it multiple times a day. He jumps forward and back to his favorite scenes. This morning we sat and watched some of it together and I was surprised when he shared a favorite scene with me: It was the part when the baboon leads Simba through the dark forest and pushes him to think about who he really is.

I’ve been thinking about this too. As the years go by, I find I sometimes question my life choices, basing the value I put on myself and the life I’ve lived so far on a worldly, cultural idea of worth. As I look closer at where I’m putting my energy, my worldly goals and why I pursue them, I find that the foundation is based on a mis-guided definition of success and acceptance.

Interestingly, if you asked me directly what I value most, money, power and acceptance would not be on the list. If you sat with me and reminisced on the past 15 years (even the whole 37 that has been my life so far), I would be full of stories of wonderful times, amazing blessings and struggles full of growth and God’s work. Still, I live this parallel life in my mind: full of hope and dreams and goals, like I haven’t “arrived” or “achieved” yet. These ideals are not aligned with my true values, rather they are designed by what I subconsciously think is expected of me from other people. My success (or lack of success) is based on other people’s acceptance and in the back of my mind, they will only accept me if I live up to the standard set in our culture of a fancy career that pays well and all the material possessions to show for it.

Despite falling into the patterns of this world and reaching for such “goals” at times, I know these things do not define me and I must really ask myself what is important in determining where I put my energy. More importantly, I must remind myself what is important in determining who I am. When I pray and study the bible, all signs point to my value as a daughter of God, and a believer in Christ. When I focus on God, I am fully in the moment with no story of my past choices or family history hindering my complete confidence and joy of who I am, where I have been and what may come next. I see beautiful moments of struggle, triumph and hope filled with God’s amazing work and I feel so much Love flowing through me.

Unfortunately we tend to define WHO we are, by the journey we have been on. The truth though, is that we are sons and daughters of the most amazing Creator. Our journeys, although they influence us, do not define us. Rather we are to live in faith and define our identity not in worldly measures, but in the Lord;

Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer 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.”

Likewise, we must remember that this truth applies to everyone around us as well. We all have our own experiences and journeys through this world, beautiful threads woven in and out of triumph and struggle, passing by, through and around each other, but always accountable to God’s judgement alone and always with His love and grace awaiting us.

Romans 14: 3-4
“The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand”

If we use a person’s journey to judge who he/she is, we are missing out on the beauty that is in all of us as creations of our Lord. Our ambition to “succeed” keeps us focused on becoming someone we think we should be, and taints our view of those around us, often separating us, rather than uniting us in God’s love. Judgement after all is the work of the Lord, not of man, and does no good when brought between us.

Romans 14: 13
“Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way”

When what we have (or don’t have) is set aside, we can then see each other in a new light and see ourselves for the beautiful creations of our God, of whom we were meant to represent.

I invite you all to join me this week in seeing others through God’s eyes. Set down the experiences, “successes” and struggles that are scattered throughout the journey of a friend, a coworker or a family member and instead see the core of the human that was carefully and perfectly designed by our creator.

In Romans, Paul gives quite a lengthy and very clear instruction on how to view, treat and live among one another, despite any differences, even those regarding our beliefs, our faith and how we choose to live.

Romans 13: 9-10
“The commandments, “Do not commit adultery”, “Do not murder”, “Do not steal”, “Do no covet”, and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law”

Romans 14: 19-23
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

Romans 15: 1-2
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

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.

Common Ground – Practicing P.L.A.C.E.

John Rice May 15, 2020

One of the first things I learned as a child was to make distinctions: a boy is not a girl, white is not black, ugly is not beautiful, healthy is not sick, fat is not thin, Christian is not Jewish or Muslim, American is not Russian or Japanese….and, of course… Texas is not like anywhere else!

To be sure, it’s a pretty common thing to learn about something by learning about its opposite, or if not opposite, at least something different. We like to contrast things. It helps bring things into clarity.

As I got older, though, I realized that these dualistic contrasts were not always helpful and could be sometimes downright harmful. And why is that? Well, I think it is because it’s all too simple, and to keep it simple and easy to understand, you have to do a lot of generalizing and stereotyping to make things (and people) fit into little boxes with clear rigid sides. This way we have a sense of some kind of tidy control over our categories. We can file them away in alphabetical order on the shelves in our mental library. We can even do this with God, or at least our ideas about God.

The problem, as I see it now in my life, is that life isn’t so tidy, predictable, able to be categorized. And when we only think dualistically, we tend to judge “the other” as something not as good as the thing we are, or the thing we understand best. I guess that’s a piece of human nature. We tend to judge and fear things that are unfamiliar to us.

This is not very helpful when we want to live out Jesus’ mandate to love God and to love other people as we love ourselves…. even our enemies! How do we do that well, if we are suspicious and fearful of people even a little different from ourselves?

It might help us if we did some “exchanging”. We could practice P.L.A.C.E. (patience, listening, awareness, curiosity, empathy).

Maybe we could exchange our impatience for patience. Maybe we could quit talking so much about ourselves and our opinions and do a lot more listening and asking questions. Maybe we could exchange our judgement for curiosity about “the other”. Maybe we could look for ways to be empathetic rather than critical. Maybe we could exchange our fear for a new kind of courage that allows us to stay put in unfamiliar or uncomfortable circles.

I read in the teachings of a very wise man that it usually takes either great love or great suffering for our little neat boxes to be expanded, to be transformed. When we experience deep, healthy love (human or godly) or we experience great pain and suffering, our horizons open up in a way they couldn’t otherwise. Isn’t this a mystery? Maybe this is what Jesus was getting at when he said, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Suffering is bound to happen to us if we are human. It is common to the human condition in this imperfect world, so no one escapes it. But it seems to me that living a life of love might be more of a choice. We get to choose whether to love God or love other people. We can choose to just live a life “looking out for #1”. Some people are energized by anger and power over others. But at what cost? As Jesus put it, they would gain the whole world but lose their souls.

There are actions that bring life and there are actions that bring death. It seems to me that being more open, accepting, including, helping, loving… and just plain walking alongside people of any persuasion (whether racial, social, economic, sexual, religious, national, etc.) is life-giving to us and to them. The contrary to this brings a kind of death energy. And I have a strong feeling that walking alongside “the other” will expose more commonalities than differences among us. We are, after all, nothing more or less than ….human …created in the image of a most loving God.

Matthew 22:37-40
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Matthew 5:3-4
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 16:26
What good will it be for a man is he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

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.

Common Ground | Common Ground Breeds Compassion

Jessie Carter May 8, 2020

John 4:19-24 NIV
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Wow, I had no idea how timely this topic would be when we planned it! Common ground has always been an important theme in life to me. It allows empathy and compassion and Godly love to happen, brings people together to achieve the best outcome for everyone, and allows for fellowship. As I write this, the world is struggling with the effects of Covid-19. There are some strong differences of opinion in how our city/county/state/country/world should be handling it right now, sometimes for good reasons. But we need common ground in order to remember what we're fighting for in the first place, so we can work together to lessen the consequences of the pandemic.

The other day, a friend I'd worked with in a conflict zone overseas posted about the similarities between living in that country and the situation we're all in now. A friend of hers (presumably here in the USA) made the comment “But this sort of thing shouldn't be happening here.” I quickly replied that no place in the world deserves what we’re going through. We’re all in it together. No country or people group is immune to disaster, or is more important than any other place. God makes it pretty clear in the Bible that He loves the entire world. That means we all have something in common. We’re all humans, created by God, loved by God, and God desires us all to come to Him.

In the book of John chapter 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman. The Samaritans had common ancestry with the Jews, the ethnic group Jesus belonged to, but they had split over the years and had different customs and religious practices. The divide was so wide that Jews and Samaritans wouldn’t even talk to each other if they could help it (hence the impact of the story of “The Good Samaritan”). But instead of engaging in the argument that she posed about where people should worship God, Jesus found common ground with her. One day, true believers would worship in the Spirit and in truth, instead of the places where each of their respective ethnic groups gathered to worship. She couldn’t argue with that one, but winning a potential argument wasn’t even the point. Jesus provided a way for Jews and Samaritans to come together, and more personally, for this woman to have fellowship with Him.

What could happen if we focused on what we have in common with other people groups instead of our differences? I will let your imagination run wild with the possibilities of that. But I believe a lot of good would come of it. I’ve seen it happen in this country and in others. Finding common ground doesn’t mean not acknowledging our differences. Differences often exist for valid reasons. What it does mean is having compassion and empathy for each other, while acknowledging that our commonalities bring us together. At the very base level, we are all humans and as such, deserve respect.

Now there is a danger in focusing too much on common ground. I see the potential for us to feel that since we all have things in common, our experiences, and the differences they make in our lives don’t matter. But this is far from the truth. It would be damaging to think that just because we’re all equal in value and we all have things in common, that we all have equal needs. Unfortunately, people who have been oppressed in their current lives or histories, or live in poverty or war, often have more needs or have unequal access to fulfilling them. Not acknowledging that and just living with rose-colored glasses is denial, and doesn’t seem like acting in love to me. For me right now, this means being grateful for the prosperity that I live in (yes, I’m stuck in isolation, but I have a cozy little apartment to be stuck in and a cat to keep me company), and praying for (and even maybe donating to) people groups who will face Covid-19 with much greater need, such as people in poverty here or in other countries, refugees, and others.

But the remedy for this is the same as the goal for finding common ground: love, compassion, empathy, and working together. If we keep those things in focus, we can do much good in drawing people together and even drawing them closer to God.

I want to leave you with something a little different and a little fun, as a way of demonstrating our current basis for common ground, and bringing us together with laughter. My fellow nerds will already know that the Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine is not a sympathetic character. Yet this cute little video helps us understand what we’re going through a bit. We can empathize with him and with the rest of the humans on this planet because we’re all in this together, and we can beat this pandemic by working together (separately as much as possible, of course!). I realize that by the time you read this, the social isolation may be over, but I think it’s still relevant to my theme. You’ll understand the inside jokes a lot more of course if you’ve seen other HISHE/How It Should Have Ended videos, especially the other Villain Pub ones, but you’ve probably seen at least a few of the movies referenced in it so I think you’ll still get it. Enjoy!

About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught 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 be a part of 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.

Community Prayer Guide | May 2020

Darla Beardsley May 1, 2020

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.

Community Prayer Guide May 2020

Pray and proclaim God’s word as you pray for our community:

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive,
and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
Jeremiah 29:7

Pray the requests and Scriptures in each of the sectors below.

Church
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
Pray for pastors, ministry leaders and their leadership teams to have God’s wisdom and direction to lead.
Pray for God’s love to empower His people to live like Christ in this season of challenges and share His love.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured-out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.

Education
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Pray for grace, wisdom, healthy self-care, as educators adjust to providing distance learning from their homes.
Pray for all barriers to be removed that isolate vulnerable students and families.
Pray for great synergy and effectiveness as groups and churches provide support to educators in this season, that new partnerships develop and remain in place after this time.

Government
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
Pray for the financial stability and wise stewardship over local governments to govern diligently.
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for God to guide local elections in May that include county commissioners, city counselors & sheriff.

Business
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, patience and hope for a rebuilding season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.
Pray for business leaders to have fresh vision and creative innovation to chart a new course forward.

Arts
They made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Exodus 36:35
Pray for all artists to search for and find eternal life in Jesus.
Pray for Jesus-following artists to have strength and joy to bring encouragement to our community.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to be upon all forms of local art to extend Jesus’ love & impact people for the gospel.

Family
Husbands love your wives, just like Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
Pray for peace over every home that balances work, school and family all together.
Pray for families to engage in new healthy activities and relationships that strengthen families.
Pray for families to be surrounded with peace, wisdom, and support systems.

Health Care
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Luke 5:17
Pray for peace, protection and God’s blessing on all local health care workers and their families.
Pray for God to heal people who become sick with any illness or disease.
Pray for health care providers to have God’s wisdom, strength and health as they care for people.

Police and Fire Departments
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. Romans 13:4
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the wholistic health of our First Responders & families including their spiritual emotional protection.

Media
And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4:37
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcast and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
Pray for the Lord’s creative strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for the healthy re-engaging of youth sports activities after this season passes.
Pray for all local athletes to see Jesus and their lives in light of eternity through this, and every season.

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

Common Ground | Right or Relationship?

Terry Sheldon May 1, 2020

Several years ago I was struggling in my marriage. You know, the typical getting to know each other kind of stuff, when a relationship goes from romantic to real. We weren't seeing eye to eye, rather we were going nose to nose. I don't remember now what the hot topic was, but I certainly remember what a great friend of mine said to me later as I told him about the conflict. He said I had two choices in any argument. I could be "right,” or I could have relationship. Which one, he had the guts to ask, was more important to me?

I instantly knew he was right. And wise. But, I silently reasoned, couldn't I have both? Well ideally yes, but in this case, no, as my ego was bigger than my logic. Struggles between people are typically chalked up to "lack of communication,” and yes, that's mostly true. But good intention can so easily be drowned in the words, due to the lack of strong relationship in the first place. Or it can be absent altogether, buried under our baseless assumptions. One of my favorite quotes is: “A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” (And in my case, reiterating them).

We are taught from an early age that right is, well, RIGHT. Math either computes exactly or it's wrong and rendered useless. The scientific method requires earnest study, then an educated theory, then experiments to prove it wrong or right. In our biblical heritage, there is extremely high value, even if not always verbalized, in having right doctrine. We speak of being “right with God” with frightening consequences for the alternative.

In our current world, realizing a sense of common ground sometimes seems like a quaint notion reserved for pacifists, or a weak option if we feel like being nice to people. In reality, I would submit that it’s absolutely essential for any of us to not only get along, but to excel as individuals and as human team members.

Why? Because we ARE all relational. We were created that way. Every last one of us. And every good work in every facet of our human experience is in some way affected by, involves, or benefits others.

So should we devalue or even toss out our strong and long-held convictions, for the sake of agreement? Should we avoid honest conversations at all costs? Absolutely not. But here are a few things that help me navigate the thorny patch of words and people:

I should always be seeking a more “perfect truth”. I see through the glass dimly, and I always want to see more clearly. It’s okay to not have all the answers yet, and my view is typically tainted by incomplete information (emotional assumptions).
People, even those I disagree with, are way more important than my arguments. I will never influence anyone in a positive way, without already having a relationship with them. That comes first. Mutual respect comes next.
I have way more in common with others than I have differences, and we are frequently desiring the same good outcomes. “Us vs. Them” tribalism has to go. Can I work with others for a common good even while disagreeing with them?

I realize that I act, by nature, like a myopic mule with blinders on. But I desperately need others’ perspectives, fueled by their personal stories to complete my big picture. And empathy - borrowing others’ glasses to peer into their world - is a powerful key that unlocks it all.

It’s a win/win - righteous relationship!

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.

Love Purified | God’s Healing Love

Sara Gore April 17, 2020

I’ve never served time in jail. But I have spent too much time, off and on, in an internal prison of self-condemnation after personal failures. Since childhood, a pattern of condemnation assaulted my mind with lies. These lies were aimed at convicting me of being too flawed to have any hope of self-improvement.

But God broke through and told me that my paralyzing inner prison was not the end of my story. Christ offers me redemption by teaching me new life skills through the learning of life lessons. Jesus met me at my most painful times of paralyzing condemnation, and set me free with His healing love.

God’s healing love is often found in people who have gone through the healing process themselves. This love gives me the room to fail and then turn to God on my own, for resolution. People who are conduits of God’s healing love are those who have let go of their opportunity to judge me at my point of failure, have chosen to forgive, and leave me in God’s care.

I have experienced God’s healing love with friends who believe in the best possible future for me. They have caught a vision of me as my best self and they trust God to bring it to pass in my life.

This healing love has freed me to pursue my learning experience with God, to learn more of the lesson He is actively teaching me. God’s healing love, combined with my friend’s forgiveness and acceptance in brotherly love, has helped me rise again from the figurative death of my failures, to live again in God’s redemptive love.

In a recent time of solitude, I heard God communicate I had starved myself of His Love. I had neglected to receive the life-sustaining nourishment of His love. This opened a galaxy of thought in my mind. How could this be? But it was true. My early life experience taught me love was something I had to earn, and it was issued sparingly. The concept of being given unconditional love is not something I can comprehend. And I’m aware I live with this contradiction - I can gladly give my deeply-felt love to others, but receiving it still shocks me. It comes from wrong information I learned from my youth--lies that would tell me I was defective and not qualified for continued acceptance and inclusion in the lives of people, even those I considered friends.

Throughout my adult life, I lived with a rigid pattern of self-condemnation and deprivation of self-love. Subconsciously, I put myself in a kind of adult time-out because I had failed. And I didn’t allow myself to move on and try again, but instead, I stayed stuck. I finally recognized the self-condemnation, which I hated, but thought I deserved. Forgiveness from others and myself, breaks this pattern. I have lived outside of my self-imposed prison long enough, so that the freedom of self-forgiveness is my new normal. I recently noticed significant evidence of God’s healing love in my life.

My neighbor Cathy recently bought a dog which surprised many of us in our condo complex. Such a big commitment of time, effort, and money for a single person who works full-time. But we all cooed and smiled when she brought her beautiful Labrador Retriever puppy home and took him for walks.

One day she walked up to me in the parking lot and started to tell me about the hardships of her puppy chewing her shoes and urinating on the carpet. I was late for an appointment and didn’t have time to talk. I should have told her this kindly and gently, but instead I exercised what I thought was merciful self-restraint. I stopped myself from bluntly telling her she should not complain about her choice, and limited myself to one sentence, saying “Well, that’s what puppies do.”

Unfortunately, Cathy did not catch my hint that I was not able to talk with her then, and she continued her complaints. I awkwardly repeated my response, “That’s what puppies do.” Then I saw the hurt in her eyes. This caused me pain also when I realized she received my comment as rejection, and I know that feeling too well. I tried to apologize and asked if we could talk later, but she quickly turned away and walked across the parking lot to her condo.

A few days later, I saw her in the parking lot, and called out to her. No response. I called her name again, still no response. I walked up to her and by now her back was turned to me. So, I tried to walk around to face her and started to apologize, when she quickly spun to face me fully, and shouted, “No! You do not get to talk to me now, maybe later.” And I replied, “But I want to apologize!” “She repeated, “Not now!”

Thankfully, I’ve learned to get past my own hurt feelings and walk away from another people’s sudden loss of temper. I walked home and sat on my couch with the very familiar tear-filled eyes and tight stomach that I experienced after receiving a burst of rage during childhood. But this time I didn’t second guess my choice of action. My apology was the right thing to do. And I let go of needing her to forgive me instantly. I repented to God and received His forgiveness and peace.

A couple of weeks later I saw Cathy on the sidewalk in our complex, walking her dog. I was driving home and was in the driveway almost at my home, when a holy spirit idea dropped into my mind. I responded by pulling my car over to face her, rolled down my window and said “Hi, when you feel ready, let’s talk through what happened.” But I didn’t get a chance to continue. Cathy said “No, I want to apologize to you! She explained “I received feedback from several other people telling me I was not prepared to raise a puppy by myself. Your comment put me over the edge and I lost my temper. Will you forgive me?

I stood there with a slightly dropped jaw and then quickly recomposed myself, and uttered a brief “Oh, okay! Yes I do! And I ask you to forgive me!” She did, and then we then talked it out, while her 6-month-old puppy chewed on his leash.

What a sense of relief I felt at that moment, which I didn’t get to experience much in my past. But those stifled experiences from childhood have value, in that they serve to motivate me to not let the sun go down on my anger. Now that I have tasted freedom from wrath, I am no longer willing to spend time in someone’s anger jail.

God’s healing love gives me a greater sense of personal freedom, step by step. In addition to taking time in my day to quiet my mind and enter into God’s presence, I also set aside time to ask God for His wonderful, healing love which changes me from glory to glory. And I am so very thankful for my friends and prayer partners who share God’s love with me through forgiveness and acceptance.

My current, self-written, motto for this spiritual season in my life is “Take time to Nourish yourself with love, mercy, and peace from Christ. You are deeply loved by Jesus, our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. And everything is going to work out in your life, according to God’s loving plan. It is well with my soul.”

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 MSG
“Love never gives up,...Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”

About the Author

Love Purified | Believing in His Promises

Mark Beardsley April 10, 2020

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before we knew how widespread it might become, my mom, who lives in Albuquerque, fell and broke her hip bone. I was worried about her as she is the "prime doer" in my family and this would definitely slow her down, if not stop her in her tracks (or traction) for a little while.

I held off on going immediately, because my brother lives within driving distance from my parents and we were starting to hear news of the virus coming to our country from overseas. Mom was out of surgery and seemingly doing okay, but I could tell she was not happy to be laid up in a rehab center.

She finally got home and had everything pretty well organized, while my brother continued helping out. News about the virus was getting more frantic and so I still held off going. Was I really needed?

Then the call came. Or rather, the message (mom and I chat on Facebook Messenger). She would really like me to come down. So I prayed on it and prayed with my wife. Darla and I felt that I really needed to go down, in spite of all the fear--fear of the virus, of the financial cost of going and of the travel itself (planes both thrill and terrify me)!

I gave it all to God and He made it happen. My aunt and uncle helped with the travel expenses, I flew all the way there and had my first Uber experiences (both quite pleasant, actually).

Mom just wanted some extra care and love via a visit from her youngest son, whom she was unable to travel and see this year. I helped them out around the house and met their new doggie (a very friendly doggie indeed). I also got to see my brother and his partner. It was a good visit and a good thing to do.

During my visit, fear of ‘The Virus’ grew around the world, with nightly news reports on how it was spreading. It was pretty scary and I wondered if I would be allowed to get home, much less, not get infected.

But I left that all to God as I didn't have any choice in the matter now. When it was time to go home, I got another Uber to the airport and flew through LAX and SEATAC to arrive home. And, four weeks later, I am healthy, with no symptoms.

All this took place before we understood the full extent of the pandemic and social distancing became a way of living. I believe it is wise to follow the guidelines set out by our state. However this experience taught me something about giving my fears to God and following what I felt I heard from Him in my heart, even if the world and my own inner voices were telling me to do something else. My wife once told me that she took a risk because God told her that even if that risk didn't work out how she was hoping, that He would still be there to catch her. And He was. And still is. And always will be.

Psalm 3:5-6
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”

About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Love Purified | We Have the Power

Darla Beardsley April 3, 2020

I have been thinking about gifts lately. Not the kind you get for birthdays or holidays, but the kind given to us by our Father who loves us. I believe that the Father gives us gifts that are just for us, just to bless us when we need lifting up. Gifts that we get to enjoy that bring us pleasure, maybe a talent for something we love to do, maybe a person who makes our life a better place. There are also many gifts intended to be given away. Think of the gifts of the Spirit…

Galatians 5: 22-23 (NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…

The world is full of builders, craftspersons, writers, mathematicians, artists and problem solvers of all kinds. The list goes on.

The Father has also given us a gift, that the Bible calls very powerful. Our tongue. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” With it we have great power. The power to praise God. The power to demolish strongholds. The power to tear ourselves or another down. And the power to build up and strengthen, validate and encourage one another. The power to let someone know that they are valuable to you; that your life is better for them being in it; that you appreciate something about them. This power can be directed toward a neighbor, a friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse, a child, someone who lives in your house or around the world. This is an awesome power, let's not waste it!

In this season we have been made all too aware of the unexpectedness of life. Let’s seize the moment to use our tongues as a gift. Choose someone you like, someone you love, someone you appreciate and tell them so today! Tell them why. Encourage someone who is facing a challenge. Be there for someone who needs a friendly ear. Sometimes the power is in what we don’t say. Make someone’s world better today, this week, this month. Be creative. You have the power!

Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV)
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV)
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

About the Author

Darla loves God and is the Media Communication Coordinator for CitySalt Church. She is a graphic designer and an entrepreneur. Always learning. Eternally grateful for her wonderful and supporting husband Mark and faithful friends who are are pillars of encouragement in all her endeavors.

Mark and Darla have no children but have the privilege of loving a gaggle of ever expanding nieces and nephews.

Community Prayer Guide | April 2020

Darla Beardsley April 1, 2020

Community Prayer Guide April 2020

Pray and proclaim the Lord’s blessing over our entire community:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Pray the requests and Scriptures in each of the sectors below.

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

Pray for God’s wisdom and love to empower His people to live like Christ in this season of challenges.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured-out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.

Education
And he (Jesus) took the children in his arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:16

Pray for superintendents, teachers and staff to provide care for students in this unique season.
Pray for all students to be protected and have access to food and services.

Government
I urge then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for God to guide local elections in May that include county commissioners, city counselors & sheriff.

Business
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. Proverbs 31:16-18

Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.
Pray for business leaders to have renewed vision, strength and wisdom to chart a new course forward.

Arts
They made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Exodus 36:35

Pray for all artists to search for and find eternal life in Jesus.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to be upon all forms of local art to extend Jesus’ love & impact people for the gospel.

Family
Husbands love your wives, just like Christ love the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents. Malachi 4:6

Pray for families to engage in new healthy activities and relationships that strengthen families.
Pray for families to be surrounded with peace, wisdom, and support systems.

Health Care
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 10:1

Pray for God to heal people who become sick with any illness or disease.
Pray for health care providers to have God’s wisdom, strength and health as they care for people.

Police and Fire Departments
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. Romans 13:4

Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the wholistic health of our First Responders including their spiritual and emotional protection.

Media
And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4:37

Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcast and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Pray for the healthy re-engaging of youth sports activities after this season passes.
Pray for all local athletes to see Jesus and their lives in light of eternity through this, and every season.

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

Staying Connected with CitySalt

Dusty Johnson March 27, 2020

While honoring the stay-at-home recommendations, we are continuing efforts to explore online resources to avoid social isolation and connect regularly throughout this unique season. Each Sunday we have two ways for us to gather and participate: A Pre-Service Zoom Fellowship, and our CitySalt Live stream Service.

Pre-Service Zoom Fellowship @ 4:30pm

Join us each Sunday before our live stream service for an all church Zoom Fellowship. This is a pre-service video conference for households to connect and interact online.

To participate you will need to download and set up the Zoom App. on a phone, tablet or laptop that has a camera and has a strong internet connection. Once you are set up, you can join the group video session, by simply clicking on the button below at 4:30pm on Sunday.

Here are the details:

Choose Your Device: You can use a computer, phone or tablet and a good internet connection, download the Zoom app (see instructions). Be sure your battery is charged. You may want to practice setting up your camera with a view you prefer to share from your location. Feel free to be creative.
Consider Lighting and Sound: Choose a well lit area with little or no background noise.
Click on The Zoom Link: When you are ready, click the provided web link (see options for access below) to join the group video conference. To see a small picture of all participating households select “Gallery View”.

Live Stream Service @ 5:30pm

Following a short break, we will broadcast our CitySalt Live Stream service at 5:30pm for a 45-60 minute time of connection and encouragement with pastors, leaders, friends and guests.

Access our live broadcast in the following ways:

CitySalt Home Page:
Here you will find a direct connection to our CitySalt Live Stream that will also be simultaneously broadcast to Facebook Live and YouTube Live. This is also where you will find available recordings of past Live Stream services.

CitySalt Facebook Page:
If you have a Facebook account, you can “like” or “follow” CitySalt and have access to the Live Broadcast. You can then watch, share, create watch parties with your friends and give you the ability to interact with us and others on Facebook during the broadcast.

CitySalt YouTube Channel:
You can also find us on our YouTube Live Channel. Once you find our channel if you have a YouTube account you will be able to “subscribe” which will let us know you are there and gives you the ability to interact with us and others with chat during the broadcast.

Prayer, Giving and Connections…

We all may experience waves of emotion as we grieve the loss of what we knew as normal and constantly adjust to uncertainty regarding the health and economic impact of this pandemic. This will likely test our resilience and trust in God’s provision, protection and ever-present care through this season. I encourage you to prioritize your awareness and practical efforts to maintain spiritual, emotional and physical health while you do your best to care for loved ones, neighbors and co-workers through this unprecedented season.

CitySalt will continue to use our website, Facebook page, YouTube and group emails to provide you with updates as more information is available regarding events, creative connections, or practical ways to serve those in need.

Here are some other links that you may find helpful:

Prayer Requests - As needs arise, you are welcome to share prayer requests that can be forwarded to our intercessory prayer team. You may send requests to Pastor John Rice by completing the CitySalt Online Pray Request Google form.

Phone Tree Check-Ins - As a proactive expression of care, we are in the process of mobilizing a team of people who will be calling and texting those in our church directory to stay connected and informed as to each other's needs. Be expecting a call in the days ahead. If you don’t hear from us, there is a chance that we don’t have your information. To be sure, you can complete the CitySalt Connection Card via Google forms to share your information with us.

YouTube Live Video Stream - This resource allows users to stream live video through YouTube and will be new territory for us. We will be exploring this tool and hopefully using it to keep you connected and encouraged in creative ways. No YouTube account is required. Here is the link to connect.

Social Media Support - Our leaders will continue to explore and implement social media tools that enable us to connect online for Triads, Bible Studies and other group meetings. If you need assistance with setting up and using your smartphone, tablet or computer to connect through one of these apps, feel free to call our church line at (541) 632-4182 or email at info@citysalt.org.

Online Giving (Tithes, offerings and Benevolence Fund): - There will likely be financial needs that will arise for individuals and families as this health crisis impacts our economy. In addition to your regular giving to support CitySalt, you can make a tax-deductible contribution specifically to the Benevolence Fund, that is dedicated to providing assistance to those with practical needs. To make an online contribution, you can visit CitySalt Give. Or, if you prefer to write a check it can be mailed to CitySalt Church PO Box 5830 Eugene, OR 97405.

What is Zoom?

Zoom is an online platform for both video and audio conferencing. It is the tool we have chosen to help our CitySalt family stay connected because we'll be able to see each other's faces!

What is required to join a Zoom meeting?

Any computer, tablet or smartphone with a good internet connection. You will want to use whichever device is newest and you can download the Zoom app (for free) by clicking on the links below for mobile devices. If you're joining via computer, just click the invitation to the event link provided and say YES to everything. It will download a program to your computer that will then connect you to the meeting in progress.

Love Purified | And What Remains?

Leona Abrahao March 27, 2020

During these unique circumstances, this image of what we’ve coined “the rat race” being pulled to a halt keeps running through my mind. It actually feels refreshing, although it’s hard to say it’s good when so many people have lost their jobs, their means to eat and cloth and keep a roof over their family's head. But if we can’t control the things that happen to us, we can control our reaction and our perspective.

The unknown? Starting over? Struggle? Change? Through the journey my husband and I have been on, I feel like we have been training for this since the day we met. We’ve learned to flip the perspective - what's new? What's possible? What's good? What remains?

While some of us pause, we can use this time to take inventory of the things that fill our lives. Notice them, then set them down. When we let go of things like worry, frustration, habits, distractions and “stuff”. What remains? God, prayer, love.

Romans 12:2
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

There is opportunity in this change.

There is hope in this shift.

Flowers will bloom from this darkness.

The opportunity is to go deeper with our connection to our God. Be still. Listen more. Observe the world around you and appreciate God’s creation. Take time each day to breathe and let go of fear and the attempt to control. Release the things of this world and “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.

As our family moves around often, physical stuff passes through our lives in a more fluid way than it would if we had a stationary home. As I get more experienced in releasing physical things, I’ve also exercised my ability to set down the emotional things and the habitual things that tie us down and keep us fixated on this world, with our priorities off balance. Just as the physical act of exercising the core of your body is important to the whole of your body, the act of surrendering the things of this world, to make space and time to strengthen your spiritual core is important too, and so good.

And just as the act of releasing physical things is a cycle(take in, let go, buy something else, pass it on to someone else), so is the process of “renewing our minds”. We take in so much throughout the days and weeks and need to complete the cycle of recognizing it and setting it down, making room for God to do His work in us and through us, time for prayer to strengthen our spiritual core.

Then ponder a flipped perspective, with a strengthened core, “so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

What’s new in your life?

What’s possible? (anything really)

What’s good?

What remains?

Below are song lyrics to the Rivers & Robots song, Shepherd of My Soul. They are a beautiful prayer and worship in a time of uncertainty, changing the perspective into a time of renewal, hope and transformation.

May you see the blessings arising from the struggle.

Shepherd of My Soul
Rivers & Robots

Lord of the mountains and sea
You are treading a path set for me
God of the seasons and sky
You have always been holding my life

And Lord, You are the shepherd of my soul
So I lay down my plans, I give up my rights
And let You take control of this surrendered life

So I put my trust in the one
Who created the stars and the sun
You are eternally kind
Always faithful and endlessly wise

You comfort, You sustain
In shaking You remain
Unmoved and unafraid
Forever and always
You lead me by still waters
Lead me through the valleys
Lead me in Your wisdom
Shepherd of my soul

Through valleys of shadow and death I am not afraid
By my Father's breath every star in the sky was made
And who can I fear when You're standing right here by my side?
Always leading, protecting and guarding my left and my right
Father You make all things new
Great God of creation
Father You will always be my rock and salvation

About the Author

Tonight - YouTube Live | Coronavirus COVID-19 Update #3 | March 22nd

Dusty Johnson March 22, 2020

March 22, 2020Greetings Church,

I trust this message finds you making the best of the coronavirus disruptions. Though we may be apart physically during this season, I am grateful and encouraged by the way our CitySalt community has been finding creative ways to connect with one another.

I want to personally invite you to join us TONIGHT @ 5:30pm for our CitySalt Church live stream on YouTube for a 30-45 minute “service” aiming to connect and encourage us throughout the current Coronavius disruption.

You can tune-in with us online each Sunday at 5:30pm in the following ways:

A direct connection to our CitySalt Live Stream on YouTube
Connect through a link on our Facebook Page
Find the YouTube stream on our CitySalt Home Page

You may notice we are going in a slightly different direction. We will continue to explore a variety of tools and ideas for this time in the weeks ahead but have decided to use YouTube instead of Facebook since there is no account required to access the content making it more accessible for the greatest number of people.

In the days ahead, I understand that we will be dealing with a constant state of uncertainty regarding the health and economic impact of this pandemic. This will likely test our resilience and trust in God’s provision, protection and ever-present care through this season. I encourage you to keep prioritizing efforts to maintain your own spiritual, emotional and physical health as you provide necessary care for loved ones, neighbors and co-workers.

If you have any questions, ideas, solutions or would like to request a meeting with a pastor, please feel free to contact Mike D’Eliso at (541) 632-4182 or mike@citysalt.org.

I look forward to gathering with you online this evening. Join us!

Looking Up,

Pastor Dusty
(on behalf of our Church Council and Leadership Team)

I’ve kept my feet on the ground,
I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in its mother’s arms,
my soul is a baby content.
Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope.
Hope now; hope always!
~Psalm 131:2-3 The Message

A few reminders:

Benevolence Fund - There will likely be financial needs that will arise for individuals and families as this health crisis impacts our economy. In addition to your regular giving to support CitySalt, you can make a tax-deductible contribution specifically to the Benevolence Fund, that is dedicated to providing assistance to those with practical needs. To make an online contribution, you can visit CitySalt Give. Or, if you prefer to write a check it can be mailed to CitySalt Church PO Box 5830 Eugene, OR 97405.

The Discipline of Stillness | The Practice of Letting God be God

Dusty Johnson March 20, 2020

As our nation adjusts to the reality of the COVID19 pandemic, many of us may be grappling with the fact that our world has changed. Regardless of how extensive this pandemic ends up impacting our personal and collective health, it is likely we will be grieving the loss of regular rhythms and practices as we make peace with this new normal.

As I pray for discernment and wisdom for the day to day decisions head, I can feel the emotional toll on my soul as facts, fears and endless social commentary present a constant call to action. Alternatively, I have been challenged and comforted by Psalm 46, but specifically a short command-like phrase that essentially calls me to in-action. Verse 10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Upon further reflection, I can’t help but wrestle with how unproductive this feels. In a culture that celebrates “doing” and my own temperament that prefers action, it seems almost counter-culture and counterintuitive to simply be still.

As I let this phrase blow like a warm breeze through the corridors of my soul, it has a beckoning effect on my restless scheming, dreaming and striving. It seems to invite me to join God in the peaceful pasture of His presence similar to David in Psalm 23 and the comforting fact that He is present and engaged in my circumstances; nothing is too big or complicated for Him.

Psalm 23:1-3 NIV
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.

This invitation to stillness, instead of restlessness has become a spiritual discipline for me. It is a way of practicing the art of releasing my grip of perceived control, while floating on the phenomenon of His buoyant and abiding presence even in the midst of threat or chaos.

Years ago I learned that the popular hymn, “It Is Well (with my soul)” was written by a Chicago lawyer named Horatio G. Spafford. Rather than being a song cleverly written in a studio of a famed artist, the words were written during a time when Spafford had suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy. I feel it addresses this idea of stillness of soul and resolute trust in God even when circumstances are outside of our control.

The story goes like this...

Horatio and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because of Horatio's legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords' only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, every one of Horatio’s real estate investments were wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.

Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help.

And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch a French steamer to cross the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone."

On November 2nd 1873, their boat had collided with another vessel and it sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters.

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and I believe we are now passing the place of the ship wreck.” Horatio then returned to his cabin and penned the following lyrics of his great hymn:

It Is Well With My Soul
“When sorrows like sea billows roll...
It is well, it is well, with my soul”

As you grieve and adjust to all the real and potential changes, threats, crisis and tragedy in the days ahead, I invite you to join me in cultivating a discipline of stillness that lets God be God by giving Him permission to rule over the concerns of our hearts and minds. This will not be easy, nor happen without our taking specific steps. Similar to the necessary discipline and skills of high-performance activities, it will take intentional effort and ongoing practice to get comfortable with stillness.

Of course this will not be the only spiritual discipline you will need to practice, but one of many similar to clubs in a golfer’s bag, utensils in the kitchen of a cook or the tools in the belt of a tradesman. Depending on the circumstances, you will need to be practiced and discerning about what tool is the right one for the given situation or season.

Stillness is just one of many spiritual disciplines that God has given us to sooth our soul, anchor our thoughts in truth and apply appropriate action to the reality we are living in the moment. So, in the days ahead I challenge you to mute the phone, power off the news, quiet your heart and set the timer for a five minute date with The Good Shepherd.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dusty

Ideas for Practicing Stillness:

Silence your phone
Turn off the TV
Dedicated time
Dedicated space
Comfortable posture
Warm Beverage
Light a Candle
Put in Headphones
Acceptance of discomfort or initial restlessness
Set a timer (start with a minute and see if you can work up to 5 mins)

Relevant Song/Video Links:

It Is Well With My Soul - Vinyard Version (TRT 2:46)
Just Be by Kim Walker Smith Live version (TRT 8:43)
It Is Well sung by Kristene DiMarco (TRT 7:22)

“When the hour is dark, when the situation is desperate, when we are humbled and brought very low, we finally begin looking and longing for God’s peace”
– Kay Arthur

Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

1 Peter 5:6 NLT
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Psalm 131:1-2 The Message
A Pilgrim Song
God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.

I’ve kept my feet on the ground,
I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in its mother’s arms,
my soul is a baby content.

About the Author

Dusty is lead pastor of CitySalt Church. He enjoys recognizing and releasing emerging leaders and seeing people grow and mature in their awareness of God, self and others.

All Church Coronavirus COVID-19 Update | March 14th

Darla Beardsley March 14, 2020

Dear Church:

After a meeting today with CitySalt leaders and considering the latest developments surrounding the Coronavirus, we have decided to proceed with canceling all public gatherings and events including our Sunday evening services for the next four weeks. We believe this step will align us with public health recommendations and supports a larger collective effort to minimize the potential spread and protect our most vulnerable citizens.

I understand that many of us are grieving the loss of many normal routines, yet the human spirit is creative and resilient. Also, God is still at work among all the disruptions and distress. This national emergency affords us a unique opportunity to reconsider priorities and a new chance to practice spiritual disciplines and traditions like Sabbath-keeping, stillness, solitude, silence, rest, devotional reading, and prayer while providing loving care for loved ones, neighbors and co-workers.

At this point, our goal is to keep our normal 5:30pm Sunday time slot as a dedicated time for gathering online through a live video stream via our Facebook page. This is a relatively new idea for CitySalt, but we are excited to explore this and other tools that can help us stay connected and support each other through this season.

In the meantime, we will be working to implement the following:

Prayer Requests - As needs arise, you are welcome to share prayer requests that can be forwarded to our intercessory prayer team. You may send requests to Pastor John Rice by completing the Google Form at https://forms.gle/cTJqH6gGZaKVEvdC8.
Phone Tree Check-Ins - As a proactive expression of care, we are in the process of mobilizing a team of people who will be calling and texting those in our church directory to stay connected and informed as to each other's needs. Be expecting a call in the days ahead. If you don’t hear from us, there is a chance that we don’t have your information. To be sure, you can complete the following Google Form to share your information with us. https://forms.gle/RMusWjtuhK3AqW8WA.
Facebook Live Video Stream - This resource allows users to stream live video through Facebook and will be new territory for us. We will be exploring this tool and hopefully using it to keep you connected and encouraged in creative ways. If you don’t have a Facebook account, consider signing up or we will look for alternative ways for people to connect through an internet connection. Link: https://www.facebook.com/citysalt/
Social Media Support - Our leaders will continue to explore and implement social media tools that enable us to connect online for Triads, Bible Studies and other group meetings. If you need assistance with setting up and using your smartphone, tablet or computer to connect through one of these apps, feel free to call our church line at (541) 632-4182 or email at info@citysalt.org.
Benevolence Fund - There will likely be financial needs that will arise for individuals and families as this health crisis impacts our economy. In addition to your regular giving to support CitySalt, you can make a tax-deductible contribution specifically to the Benevolence Fund, that is dedicated to providing assistance to those with practical needs. To make an online contribution, you can visit https://www.citysalt.org/give. Or, if you prefer to write a check it can be mailed to CitySalt Church PO Box 5830 Eugene, OR 97405.

We will continue to use our website (www.citysalt.org), Facebook page and group emails to provide you with updates as more information is available regarding events, creative connections, or practical ways to serve those in need.

If you have any questions or would like to request a meeting with a pastor, please feel free to contact Mike D’Eliso at (541) 632-4182 or mike@citysalt.org.

Together in His Grip,

Pastor Dusty
(on behalf of our Church Council and Leadership Team)

Love Purified | Love Casts Out Fear

Ursula Crawford March 13, 2020

I’ve never been able to have conversations over my daughter’s head, the way you usually can with small children. A precocious extrovert now nearing 8-years-old, Marie always wants to be part of any conversation going on around her, regardless of topic. She even has watched several Democratic debates in their entirety, with great enthusiasm. And so, it was not too surprising when she told me recently that she’s scared about the coronavirus and has been for the past month.

I prayed with her that day, laying claim to God’s promise that perfect love casts out fear. I would like to extend that prayer to all of you reading this - I pray that God’s perfect love would cast out fear and provide you with peace.

This is not to say that COVID-19 is not a serious threat to us here. We should be aware and not complacent. Now, while we are still in the early stages of this outbreak locally, we have the opportunity to save lives by being proactive about hand washing, social distancing, and absolutely staying home when sick. It is essential to take these steps in order to avoid overwhelming our health care system’s capacity.

Now is the time for action, not denial of an unpleasant truth. Even if you’re not worried for your own health — take these precautions as an act of love for those around you.

At the same time, we need not be consumed by fear. God is with us in this challenging time. He loves us and will see us through this to the other side. God is love and we carry that love with us wherever we go.

1 John 4:18 (NIV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.

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.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Community Prayer Guide | March 2020

Darla Beardsley March 6, 2020

Community Prayer Guide March 2020

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’”
Matthew 10:7

Church
Pray for Jesus’ love and truth to be lived-out and communicated through His people.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured-out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.
Pray for young leaders to be raised-up in churches and harmoniously integrated into leadership teams.
Pray for God given power and strategies to communicate the gospel together.

Education
Pray for Jesus-followers to engage in loving faith conversations on every school campus.
Praise the Lord for an increase of mentors engaging schools and ask Him to send more as the need is great.
Elementary schools are in testing season: pray for students and teachers to have abundant peace.
Pray for God’s peace for elementary & middle school students as they prepare to transition into new schools.

Government
Pray for God to guide the process and selection of the new city managers of Eugene and Springfield.
Pray for God to guide local elections in May that include county commissioners, city counselors & sheriff.
Pray for the Oregon State Legislature: God’s wisdom, new people working in collaborative relationships.

Business
Pray for business leaders to come to know and follow Jesus.
Pray for the leadership of local Chambers of Commerce to be catalysts who have wisdom & clear vision.
Pray for ethical & flourishing wealth development that provides for God’s purposes in our community.
Pray for God’s wisdom and direction in the rezoning of business properties on north highway 99.

Arts
Pray for God’s Spirit to bring wisdom, truth and light to the Hult Center: staff, artists, and audiences.
Pray for all types of artists to come to know and follow Jesus. Pray for love & boldness to share the gospel.
Pray for the overall health of artists: musicians, visual, writers and instructors.
Pray for under-served populations to have access to the arts.

Family
Pray for God’s Spirit to lead fathers to turn their hearts to their children and that the children turn their hearts to their fathers.
Pray for parents to listen well to their children.
Pray for those struggling with drug addiction: for God to intervene, that they would be delivered of their dependency and find peace in Jesus, and have stability in jobs and housing.
Pray for those in isolation to engage in friendships and reconnect with family.

Health Care
Pray for vulnerable populations to receive health care in the midst of health insurance transitions.
Pray for health care providers to be empowered, strengthened and healthy as they serve so many people.
Pray for God’s hand in the treatment of mental illness: pray for resources, collaboration and compassionate hearts to treat those who are suffering.
Pray for unity among local health care providers: encouragement with each other & greater collaboration.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the wholistic well-being of our First Responders including their spiritual and emotional protection.
Pray for the families of our First Responders: healthy marriages, peace, & joyful times together.
Pray for our local police, sheriff and fire departments to be fully staffed by men & women of noble character.

Media
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision, blessing and protection & report all sides of the stories.
Pray that God will use all local media to bring hope and direction to those struggling with depression & suicide.
Pray for community-building and Jesus-glorifying stories to be reported through local media.

Sports
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for God to bless and guide the YMCA leadership teams as they serve kids and families.
Pray for the Eugene Civic Alliance to receive all of the funding for the new Civic Park sports complex.
Pray for God to raise up strong, Christ-following athletes as role models and ambassadors.

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

Love Purified | His Love Beckons Me

Jessie Carter March 6, 2020

Luke 5: 8-11 (NIV)
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed Him.

There are a million reasons why I am a follower of Jesus. But if I could sum them up into one, it would be His beautiful, unbelievable, infinite, unconditional, and precious love. When I read the passage about Jesus calling Simon (Peter) to be His disciple (Luke 5:1-11), I think of my own story.

It starts when I was young, just having finished eighth grade in 1991. I had known God and Jesus in my childhood before then, thanks to my parents and Sunday School. I knew He was good, and that He loved me, and that I liked Him a lot. But that summer, I went with my high school youth group to our version of summer camp, which meant staying in cabins at a Bible school on a small island in British Columbia. Our speaker for the week was one of the teachers at the school. As he spoke one evening, I finally understood what it meant that we humans, in our brokenness and sin, needed the forgiveness of Jesus to be restored in relationship to God. How could He (God and Jesus, because they are One; see our last blog series) forgive us? Because of His amazing love.

I knew that there was something special, even kind of magical, about this love. It could reach my hard heart, which even at that young age had hurt others. In fact, the things I most regret doing in my life had been done by then. His grace was the only thing that could take away my shame. I knew I didn’t deserve it… I didn’t deserve to be in His presence at all. I could have said “Get away from me, Lord! I am a sinful girl!” after recognizing His great love and power, like Peter did after seeing the miracle of a gazillion fish in his nets. I cried buckets for the wrong I’d done and the deep divide it caused between me and this loving God.

But because He loves us (and likes us!) so much, He wants to be with us. Like He did for Peter, Jesus calls us to follow Him. Not at a distance. With Him. With nothing to fear. That night in Canada, I responded by dedicating my life to God. I was baptized in the freezing cold ocean water the next night and was grateful for His grace. But my story didn’t stop there.

Even if we are “saved” as soon as we let Him forgive us and begin to follow Him, the Bible says we are to “work out our salvation.” For me, this meant a multi-year long journey of working out this forgiveness. There were stages to this: obviously accepting His forgiveness, seeking to make amends to people I’ve hurt, and even forgiving myself (with His help). I’m still on this journey, because it’s an ongoing thing. But it has slowly matured me and deepened my love relationship with God. I know I have a long way to go, but I am grateful for His work in me!

The result of forgiveness is being able to accept and embrace His love and desire for a relationship with us. He has pursued me even though I don’t deserve it, just like Peter felt. And like with Peter, He reminds me to not be afraid, because He has purpose for me.

God has used many people in my life to teach me this. Of course this includes faithful friends and family who have shown me steadfast love and grace, despite my weaknesses and shortcomings. My closest girlfriends, counselors, and mentors I’ve had over the course of my life are great examples. But strangers and new friends have also taught me much about God’s love. Ten years ago, I was in the midst of separation with my husband. I started going to a new church, and due to budget cuts in my district, began working at a new school. All I could do at church was cry during worship. Each week, the pastor’s wife came beside me and prayed over me. She didn’t know me from Adam. But she accepted me anyway and loved on me. My new boss, the principal at my new school, also showed me this immediate compassion, and let me cry in her office when I needed to. Both of these women showed me what it meant to love people in the midst of their need, even if we don’t know them.

A few years ago, I went with my old writing group friends from Salem to a faith-based fantasy and sci-fi writers conference in Reno. The keynote speaker was author Ted Dekker. I’d read a couple of his books, but he wasn’t my favorite writer or anything. His messages, however, pierced my heart. Everything he said pointed back to God’s love. For everyone. Every single person. So. Much. Love. And how our lives have meaning and purpose and we’re all worth it. We’re worth everything that Jesus went through. Even though the conference room was filled with people, I think every one of us felt like Jesus had sent little messages of love to each one of us through Ted. Every night I cried. I’ve only met a few people so full of Jesus, and yet he was still himself, the unique person God made him to be.

On the last night of the conference, he was doing book signings. I waited in line with my friend Diana, but didn’t currently own any of his books to have him sign. Instead, when I got to him, all I could do was thank him for his messages and blubber about how much they meant. He asked if he could hug me, and I nodded yes. This is not normal for me. I am not a touchy-feely person. Especially with a man I’ve never personally met. But somehow, God healed something in me through Ted. I don’t even know exactly what it was. But it filled me with an assurance of who and Whose I am, a deeper ability to love others, and the courage to do the creative work He has for me. Because nothing motivates quite like love.

Like Peter, I want to be with the One who loves me for me. Not because of what I’ve done or what I could do. But because of who He is. And He is love (1 John 4:16).

Recommended Reading:
If you want to know more about having a deep, healthy relationship with God, I highly recommend the book With: Reimagining the Way We Relate to God by Skye Jethani. My counselor Evan had me read it several years ago, and it changed how I see God and my relationship with Him, and brought me much closer to Him than I’d ever been.

About the Author

Love Purified | Love is a Choice

Mike D'Eliso February 28, 2020

Driving down River Road today toward the downtown area, I passed a familiar fence. Perhaps those who live in the area know the one I’m talking about. The rainbow one. It’s full of bright pastel-colored fence posts set back just a bit behind the row of those classic northwest Douglas Firs.

If you’re now picturing the fence I’m talking about, then you likely know what is written on it. In huge 5 ft, stylistic letters, the fence reads “Love is a Choice.”

I’ve always appreciated that sentiment. Love is a Choice.

When it comes to romantic love, the idea of “Falling in Love” seems like a dangerous Hollywood exploitation of love. Surely, if I could fall into love then I could fall out of love. And what does that say about love? That this beautiful, yet elusive cosmic force is something that I just have to hope and wait for? And that if it does come, I’d be helpless in avoiding its power to suck me in as I “fall” into it?

What about God’s love? Does God “fall in love” with me?

I don’t know about you, but that seems contradictory to the scripture’s description of God’s love and doesn’t really line up with my experience of God’s love either. But, love as a Choice? Now that’s a different story. When I was far from God, God saw me and decided to love me. Decided to pursue me. Even when I first embraced God and then later turned my back on Him, God still chose to love me.

You tell me. Does this sound like a choice?

1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.

1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God.

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

As God models this love, a love that He created and gifted us with, and then shows us that the better way is to choose love, then let us choose to love one another.

About the Author

Mike has been serving as an Assistant Pastor at CitySalt Church for the last three years, while working as a part time stay-at-home dad to his two awesome children. He loves connecting with people over coffee to hear their story and helping people discover the fullness that God has for them through His Scriptures and His Spirit.

Oneness | He is Within Us All

Mark Beardsley February 21, 2020

In pondering oneness, I considered many things. I thought of myself, alone at home with a good book, music or a movie and reveling in my alone time, seeking oneness with myself. As an introvert, I need these times to recharge, especially considering I have a customer service job dealing with the public.

I also remembered times that I have been camping with friends and sitting around the campfire with the stars out, when a silence falls in the darkness. Not an awkward silence, but one filled with contentment and the joy of a time of relaxation with good friends doing something we all enjoy.

I thought of times with my wife when we are relaxing together, praying together or driving together. Basically times of contentment when we are aligned with each other and hopefully with God and His purposes together.

But one time in particular reminded me of the Oneness we are invited to with God.

We were over at Pastor John's house where he was presenting a Seder —another time of oneness where Jewish families gather to celebrate Passover. John and Laura were dressed as Opa and Oma, our Jewish grandparents. John went through each step of the Seder, teaching us about this Jewish tradition as a part of our Christian heritage. John had reached the step where we open the front door as an invitation to Elijah to join us for the Seder. John opened the door, and, instead of an empty doorway, as is what normally occurs during the Seder, our friend, Cam, stood in the doorway and waved and came in. We all laughed and continued the Seder.

In Jewish tradition, Elijah heralds the coming of the Messiah. This got me thinking. If Elijah arrives to join the Seder, does that herald the coming of the Messiah? And, if that is the case, what if Cam, in the role of Elijah, did, indeed, herald the Messiah's coming?

And I realized, that we are not waiting for the Messiah. He is already here with us! We live in His presence with His Holy Spirit in our hearts. We can feel Oneness with Him and with others throughout our daily lives. In community and in solitude.

The Last Supper was also a Passover Seder that allowed Jesus to celebrate Oneness with His apostles one last time before his suffering and ascension into Heaven.

Luke 22:14-16
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

May we consider the oneness with Jesus that is available to us today, as we reflect on his moments of extending oneness throughout history.

About the Author

Community Prayer Guide May 2020

Pray and proclaim God’s word as you pray for our community:

Community Prayer Guide April 2020

Pray and proclaim the Lord’s blessing over our entire community:

Pre-Service Zoom Fellowship @ 4:30pm

Live Stream Service @ 5:30pm

Prayer, Giving and Connections…

What is Zoom?

What is required to join a Zoom meeting?

“When the hour is dark, when the situation is desperate, when we are humbled and brought very low, we finally begin looking and longing for God’s peace” – Kay Arthur

Community Prayer Guide March 2020

CitySalt Church

Celebrate Goodness

“When the hour is dark, when the situation is desperate, when we are humbled and brought very low, we finally begin looking and longing for God’s peace”
– Kay Arthur