Community Prayer Guide | December 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.

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Community Prayer Guide December 2020

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel
– which means, ‘God with us.’”
Matthew 1:23

Church
Pray for God’s people to have overflowing hope and vision for the future.
Pray for local Jesus-followers to be salt, light and ambassadors of peace.
Pray for God’s power to provide wisdom and direction for pastors and ministry leaders.

Education
Students: that they would have hope, focus and the ability to learn at home.
Families: for grace and understanding as they interact together and with their schools.
Teachers: for peace and grace to balance their workload, student needs and their home life.
Connections: for vulnerable students (who have yet to connect with their school) to connect with schools, caring adults, and the resources they need.

Government
Pray for God to give wisdom to the county’s Equity & Access Advisory Board.
Pray for county, city, business and non-profit leaders to work collaboratively for greater fruitfulness.
Pray for the fruitful implementation of the “homeless systems transformation,” and for wisdom to guide the community’s efforts for youth emergency housing.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have a healthy work/life balance: personal health, family relationships, etc.
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees, and become profitable again.
Pray for the local “workplace:” encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.”
1 Thessalonians 1:2

“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.”
Psalm 99:1

Arts
Pray for Jesus-following artists to connect with other artists and remain encouraged and creative.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety when venues reopen.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing and the Holy Spirit to minister through every artistic Christmas expression.

Family
Pray for the holiday season in families: reconciliation, good conversations, and God’s peace.
Pray for families as they engage a unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for protection and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to be advocates and provide access to health care for vulnerable populations.
Pray for HCPs to be empowered to care for those struggling with mental illness and suicide.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities).
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for more first responders to be hired and for those hired to be of noble character.

Media
Pray for hope-filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for our local news outlets to have clear vision to bring accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for the Lord’s presence to be upon all of UO athletics, revealing the eternal hope we have in Jesus.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
1 John 3:16

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

Advent: He is Our Hope | Big Hope

We all want hope. Lots of it. By nature, it seems to come in very small ways, in between the layered pains of life - a “glimmer of hope.” Hope is truly essential to our mental health. It brightens our moments and mood, and it gives us something to look forward to. Hope is a small word, but with huge implications.

In its noun form, it appears to just be an emotion: "The feeling that what is wanted can be had, or that events will turn out for the best". And as a verb it seems more active, but still, is based on our attitude: "To look forward to, with desire and reasonable confidence".

Our bible treats hope with more weight because of what is hoped for. Rather than just that our earthly concerns will turn out well for us, biblical hope takes on an eternal dimension. In Hebrews (6:19) our inspired, heavenly hope is a point of strength: "This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls". Okay, now we're getting somewhere.

I love the way the bible describes the perfect trifecta of faith, hope and love. Hope by itself seems a bit “lonely” and perhaps can be too self-centered? To me that's significant because our lives were not intended to be only about just one of these. They all work together for us in beautiful concert.

As dynamic elements of our personal story, consider this:

Faith is action. A request to step out of the boat into the violent waves. It's all in!

Hope is about our attitude, how we view our current lessons of the soul. Good hope sustains this process for the long haul. And it gives us a future.

Love is always the goal -- the real reason for what we go through in life. We are to be fully invested in God's purifying of our love; with ourselves, towards the people in our lives, and back to Father God.

Corinthians 13:12-13
"Now we see a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love."

Yes, love is the endgame. But what about hope? To me, it's the dim reflection - the glimmer. It's also our promise, a down payment for our later reward. And it's a choice - our daily (or more) choice.

Our hearts are home to hope, and we are to invite it in. In this day of rampant cynicism amidst high expectations, our constant challenge is to hit refresh, purify our hearts, and return to our blessed hope.

Proverbs 4:23
"Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life".

In this season of advent, we all need hope. Even BIG hope!

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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.

Gratitude | Searching for Gratitude in Dark Times

This has been a dark year, and with the recent switch to daylight savings time, we now find ourselves rapidly losing daylight. So our physical environment now matches the psychological and spiritual darkness we've been experiencing these many months since the pandemic began. Now is the time to increase my Vitamin D intake, and find the happy light I purchased on Amazon last winter. The lack of light can have a big impact on mood, and this year it's already hard enough to have a positive outlook.

I think it's important to be able to name the things we've lost and grieve them. My children have lost 5 months of in-person school and counting. This includes my son's last year with his preschool friends, and the beginning of kindergarten. We've lost birthday parties, playdates, sports, visits with relatives. My favorite special occasion restaurant in Eugene went out of business. I've had to take two months of leave from my job to help manage things at home.

But — I'm continuing to feel cautiously optimistic about the future. For all that's been lost during this pandemic, it's given me an opportunity to focus on the things I still have. Much has been lost, but perhaps some things have also been gained.

John 1:5
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

I've managed to fill almost an entire journal with gratitude lists since March, in an attempt to stay focused on the positive.

In July, my family and I took a weekend trip to Central Oregon to stay at a lakeside cabin. We'd been there a few years before, and had fun, but this time I was struck by just how beautiful the surroundings were. I hadn't realized how beautiful it was the first time I'd visited — but after months of quarantine, it seemed spectacular.

As I write this, my daughter is doing online school at the kitchen table, and I'm thankful for how far we've come. My daughter and I both hated the online school experience in the spring — it was just a horrible experience for our family. Now I'm just filled with gratitude that it's actually working for us on so many levels. I have the ability to be at home with her to help support and supervise. The district provided her with an iPad to do her work on so she has her own device. She's actually learning and has in fact made fantastic progress in her reading since schools closed in March, and seems to be above grade level in math. Online school is even fulfilling some of her social needs, as they're providing lots of quick opportunities for chatting.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I have right now to take leave from my job. I'd been trying to just keep going and try to make things work, and suddenly a few weeks ago I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I was getting chronic headaches, the kids were watching way too much TV, Paul was sneaking sweets everytime I turned my back, and my house looked like a disaster zone. So I made a plan with my work to take November and December off (with partial pay). On my first official day off, I spent most of the day doing chores. I tackled the bathroom over the weekend, and am now working on a deep clean of the kids’ bedrooms (not a project for the faint of heart). I could devote the bulk of my time off to housework, but I'm hoping to be mindful of also taking time for myself for things I enjoy like exercise and writing.

As for my candy-sneaking son, he's been spending a lot of time with Grandma, which is another thing I'm thankful for. I'm also thankful that he is enrolled in a low-tech, play-based kindergarten program. He only has three 15-minute Zoom meetings per week, compared to my 3rd grader, who spends about 5 hours per day completing schoolwork on her iPad. I think he's a bit bored and understimulated, but I'm trying to make up for that in other ways. The kids are taking a PE class two afternoons a week this month, so hopefully that will be a positive experience for both of them. I've also discovered that Paul loves crafts! Part of his kindergarten curriculum involves a weekly sewing craft, and it is his favorite part of kindergarten. This month I also purchased a package of 16 craft projects for the month from our local children's museum, and each of my kids will get to do eight of them. Paul and I had fun making a toy watch for daylight savings time and various other crafts over the past two weeks.

I celebrated a birthday recently, and to kick off the day Spencer made me a special breakfast — cornmeal biscuits with shiitake mushroom gravy, topped with fried eggs. This was in remembrance of my favorite breakfast place in Portland, where we lived during our twenties. I had a sweet day with my family, and challenged myself to a long (for me) run of 3.5 miles. I also got some new books that I'm super excited to dig into. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion (the end of a hilarious trilogy), The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow (loved her last book), and Freckled: A Memoir of Growing Up Wild in Hawaii by TW Neal. Dark and stormy days ahead means the perfect time for curling up with some good books.

Are you able to find gratitude in these dark times?

“People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself, and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness.” — Henri Nouwen

Bringing light to the darkness on a lantern walk in November. Lantern walks are part of the traditional celebration of the Christian feast of St. Martin (Martinmas), and a precursor to modern-day jack-o-lanterns.

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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.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Gratitude | Wearing Gratitude as Armor

Important Note: I will not be discussing my, nor anyone else’s political views in this blog post.

On election day, I planned to start my day as usual, at my desk reviewing my list of priority tasks to accomplish. But I couldn’t get myself to look at my calendar app. I was distracted, restless, and unsettled. The only things I could manage to do were to read the latest election commentary, listen to live interviews, and watch the projected vote counts. Later that night I made phone calls to friends and I discovered we all felt the same thing that day: strong subconscious anxiety. This was a familiar feeling I have fought too often about a variety of topics.

I remembered times in my life in which painful situations that I couldn’t change left me feeling stuck. I remembered the intense frustration of not knowing which corrective actions to take for the sake of my emotional, spiritual, and physical health. I kept thinking about what I needed to do and how I felt virtually handcuffed, which intensified my anxiety.

It’s interesting how anxieties and fears can so easily attach themselves to us. Lies that jump on our backs, and once there, become increasingly heavy, weighing us down with an ungodly burden. Lies that want to limit what we can do and who we can be. Why would anyone believe a lie that would hurt them and rob them of God’s richest blessings? It’s an insidious process. These lies bombard us in such high quantities that it can be very hard to fight them off. And they try very hard to convince us that they do not exist. They work hard at becoming invisible to us. What we cannot detect, we cannot fight.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
“But the lord is faithful; He will strengthen you, and guard you from the evil one.”

We can trust our Heavenly Father to faithfully protect and provide for us. He is the creator of all good things. His truth enables us to see how things really are. No shadows, nothing is hidden. Our God is the author of truth who gifts us with many things.

I remembered a sermon from years ago which described one of the most powerful pieces of our spiritual armor: thankfulness for God’s love and faithfulness. I made a mental list of the things I am thankful for. It quickly became a longer list than I first expected.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I have adopted this strategy: When I feel bombarded with a heavy burden of lies, I list the many, many occasions and ways God has blessed me! As I do this, I am filled with relief and gratitude. And as I thank God for His many gifts and freedoms, I have felt the shouting lies fade into peaceful quiet. Gratitude protects us from spiritual and emotional illness, and frees us to continue our pursuit of becoming the person that God created us to be. Christ is patiently helping me grow into a more spiritually mature version of myself.

Philippians 4:8 NLT
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

An ongoing practice of gratitude is the precious antidote to the poisonous lies that assault us all day long. And as you keep living in thankfulness, you get better at focusing on what is true by remembering all that God has already done for you. You realize how rich you really are. You have all that you could ever need in Christ.

James 1:17 NLT
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

What life experiences are on your thankfulness list? This new habit is changing my life. I encourage you to create your personal gratitude armor today!

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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.”

Special Letter from Pastor Dusty | November 12, 2020

Dear Friends of CitySalt:

After months of many social adjustments and “new normals” brought on by this pandemic, I wanted to reach out with an update on church related matters. Please know that I am grateful for your understanding as our church continues to support collective efforts to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, protect our vulnerable citizens, and follow the recommendations of Lane County Public Health and state officials.

With coronavirus cases and concerns on the rise, and expected to continue through the Fall/Winter season, I feel it is important to communicate our position as it relates to any kind of indoor worship gathering at this time. I have continued to meet and discuss our present situation with our church council and ministry leaders and we feel it does not seem appropriate for our church to be hosting public indoor worship services until further notice and likely through the winter season.

In the meantime I understand the fatigue brought on by the restrictions and the overwhelming desire to get many aspects of our lives back to normal. As we all patiently work with the present limitations, CitySalt will continue to make available a number of ways for us to stay connected. I realized this does not address many of the vital connections we enjoy when meeting together physically, but feel it is in the best interest of our entire community that we not create unnecessary health risks for people during this pandemic.

Moving forward, I encourage you to be creative and proactive with finding ways to connect with friends and family as you mitigate the risk within your social circles. Below you will find a number of ways I encourage you to fellowship and worship with us as we press through this awkward season together.

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Sunday Evening Live Stream Service*

We continue to provide a live Sunday evening service each week at 5:30pm. This includes sharing, music, prayer, a message and ministry time that we trust will be timely and encouraging. You can participate personally, or as a family or small group. This service can be viewed or listened to in real time in one of the following ways:

• CitySalt Homepage

• CitySalt Facebook page

• YouTube Channel

*If you miss a live broadcast and would like to catch it later, you can find an archive of video recordings from previous services available on our YouTube channel or our Sunday Live Stream Archive.

Big Table Sunday/Communion

The last Sunday of each month includes sharing in the Lord’s Table and taking communion together and in solidarity with The Body of Christ around the world. This will be facilitated by our pastors as part of our Sunday live broadcast and you simply prepare and participate along with the group from wherever you view the broadcast.

Kid’s Meet Ups

Once a month families are invited to meet up with other parents and kids to do something physical and active. These plans are made with physical distancing measures in place to keep everyone safe, yet allow for getting out and doing something together. For more information on how to participate, contact Abby Wilday at abby@citysalt.org.

Sunshine Parades - (NEW)

Stay tuned for more information as we invite you to help us spread a little love throughout our CitySalt family during this pandemic. On Sunday’s each week from 1:00-2:30pm we plan to highlight a number of homes to visit and organize a follow-the-leader style parade of cars to circle the block and share a little light and joy throughout this holiday season. For more information, contact Julia Johnson at julia@citysalt.org.

Kids Zoom Fellowship

Kids and families are invited to connect on Zoom at 4:00-4:30pm on the last Sunday of each month (Big Table Sunday). This takes place right before our live broadcast of our Sunday Evening Service. For more information on how to participate, contact Abby Wilday at abby@citysalt.org.

All-Church Zoom Fellowships

Stay tuned for future Zoom fellowships (video conference tool) where we gather together to fellowship, see and hear from each other.

Weekly Email Newsletter

Tune in each week as the newsletter comes out Friday morning. You will find church updates, devotional thoughts and other details regarding outreach and events. If you are not on our email list, feel free to subscribe on our Homepage.

Salt Blog

Devotional writings each week as a source of inspiration, encouragement and reflection from various writers sharing from their lives and experiences. You can find an ongoing list of submissions on our Salt Blog

CitySalt Facebook Page

Another way to stay updated as to what’s happening at https://www.facebook.com/citysalt/

Prayer Team

Should a need arise and you would like to request prayer, you may fill out a prayer request by clicking HERE or sending an email request to Pastor John at john@citysalt.org.

Pastoral Contact

If you would like to request contact by our pastoral staff, you may do so by sending a request to info@citysalt.org or by calling (541) 632-4182.

Kindness Fund

This fund is intended to be a resource bank and network to help folks who are connected with CitySalt Church who find themselves in a unique time of need. Contributions can be made to this fund and are intended to meet immediate short term needs. If you need help or would like to submit a situation to be considered, you may access more information on our Kindness Fund page.

Online Tithes and Offerings

As part of our individual stewardship and commitment to each other we encourage you to practice this form of worship and trust in God. We appreciate the generosity of our members and contributors who support the mission, ministry and practical needs of CitySalt. As a charter member of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, we are a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit, which means your donations are tax deductible. For more information on ways to contribute, you may access our giving page on our Give page.

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In addition to these, we will likely have online gatherings, small groups and classes that you can learn about on our website, Facebook page or in our Newsletter. Some may require pre-registration and are conducted via Zoom.

No doubt we are walking through complex and heightened social challenges that add a level of stress that we all swim in daily. I encourage you to press in and continue to practice the disciplines that keep your mind, body, soul and spirit alive and refreshed. This may be more important now than ever. Even though our normal rhythms, preferences and options may be limited, it does not mean we can’t be creative with how we live, love, serve and engage with life and those around us.

Julia and I love you and remain grateful for you.

We value the love and trust you have extended to us as we walk through this difficult season and we look to God for perspective and strength. May the love, grace, hope, inclusion and mindfulness we find in Christ Jesus, be our light and salvation for all, even in a global pandemic.

Praying and contending for you!

Pastor Dusty

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14 NLT

Community Prayer Guide | November 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.

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Community Prayer Guide November 2020

“Through the Spirit of holiness (He) was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 1:4

Church
Pray for God’s power and refreshing to be upon pastors, ministry leaders and those they serve.
Pray for pastors, leaders and their families to be strengthened by God’s love and peace.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for Jesus-followers to bring an increased sense of peace wherever they live, work, learn & recreate.

Education
Pray for educators to have sustainable, realistic goals, and wisdom to focus on essential learning priorities.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for connections to happen for students/families who have yet to connect with their school this year.
Pray for churches to see and engage the new supportive role they have with schools and families this year.

Government
Pray for God to give grace and wisdom to the new interim Springfield mayor.
Pray for God’s peace and peacemaking-wisdom to be upon all national government leaders.
Pray that local government, business and non-profit leaders cultivate healthy & trusting relationships.z
Pray for the leadership & fruitful implementation of the “TAC Report, a homeless systems transformation.”

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have a healthy work/life balance: personal health, family relationships, etc.
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees, and become profitable again.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Psalm 136:1

“And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”
Isaiah 9:6b-7a

Arts
Pray for Jesus-following artists to go where God sends them to express their artistic gifts.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety as venues reopen.
Pray for Christ-honoring artists to be inspired to create art that brings hope & encouragement.
Pray for God’s presence to increase among the artists involved in “Art City,” a local artisans group.

Family
Pray for families as they engage a unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for God’s power and peace to be upon families facing mental health challenges.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for peace and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and respects life (the elderly and unborn).
Pray for HCPs to be empowered to care for and bring healing hope to those struggling with suicide.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for more first responders to be hired and for those hired to be of noble character.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities).
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.

Media
Pray for hope-filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for our local news outlets to have clear vision to bring accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s presence to be upon all of UO athletics to reveal the eternal hope we have in Jesus.
Pray for coaches to have strength and wisdom to lead teams while sports seasons are modified.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3:22

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

Gratitude | Thankful for God Himself

1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.

There are so many Bible verses about gratitude/thankfulness, in both the Old and New Testaments. In fact, many of them are almost exactly the same! 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 118:1, and probably many others, all say to give thanks to the Lord because He is good and because His love endures forever. Amen!

The concerns of our hearts, whether personal, political, or anything else, can be overwhelming and weigh us down. They have for me lately, at least! I think that’s why God calls us to declare our gratitude, so we can refocus our attention on Him. Of course, I don’t think that we should ignore our concerns or the stress that they cause us. We can take these to Him, but with a heart willing to thank Him despite these burdens, and for any silver linings that they come with.

I love how these verses focus us on being thankful for Him specifically, for who He is and how great His love is. We can be thankful for the things in our lives, good news or hope that we see in the world, and many other things. But sometimes we can’t see these, or they just seem too small compared to our concerns, or we get focused on them instead of Him. I think that’s why it’s so important to be thankful for Him, as a foundation of our gratitude.

This morning, I was listening to this song from Everybody Duck in my car. I think it captures the gratefulness for God’s love that the Scriptures above declare. If you get a chance to listen to it, I hope it helps you as it did me to thank Him for who He is.

Lyrics: Great Affection by Everybody Duck

God of my awakening, I thank You for this day
And master of my breath, I thank You for the life to pray
Oh Jesus light behind my eyes, to you this praise I bring
And keeper of my heartbeat, to you rhythm now I sing

Cause I've been seized by the power of Your great affection
Taken captive by the size and scope of Your amazing love
I'm so incapacitated that You'd send it my direction
You fill me up with Your huge love like a hand inside a glove

Architect of joy, all happiness comes from Your hand
Shepherd of my mind, you take the time to help me understand
O Jesus, light behind my eyes, it was for this I was made
Great composer on my heartstrings, now Your masterpiece is played

Father thank you doesn't seem enough for sending Jesus
And Jesus, no word can suffice to thank You that you died
I praise You, Holy Spirit, for it's Your embrace that frees us
One yet three Your love for me the hope I hold inside, inside

I've been seized by the power of Your great affection
Overwhelmed and overcome by all the love You have to give
Saviour, Your bright shining love light warms my soul with it's reflection
You fill me up with Your huge love giving me the strength to live

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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.

Miracles Welcome | Miracles Give Me Hope

I find MIRACLES to be a daunting topic to write about. Not sure what images come to your mind, but I see Jesus calming the storm after being asleep on the boat, dividing a little boy’s lunch into enough to feed thousands of people, or comforting a grieving mother and raising her child from the dead. I think of the disciples spilling into the streets after experiencing the Holy Spirit or Paul reviving the guy who fell out of the window when he was preaching. I think of today watching video testimonies of men and women with restored sight or marginalized people reaching success despite overwhelming odds and hardships.

I’m not sure that every follower of Jesus sees one of those “biggie” miracles in their lifetime. Not that they aren’t happening today and not that I don’t ask for them. I would just propose that there may be something the Lord teaches in the example of those who came before us. When the Hebrew people were freed from slavery in Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, the Lord taught them to annually remember and celebrate the Passover. When they crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, they were instructed to collect 12 large stones from the river bed to construct an altar on the other side as a remembrance. Jesus did the same thing at the last supper. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Those big moments were important and powerful for those who witnessed them as miraculous, and the stories have since been passed down from generation to generation. When people found themselves in the middle of a hardship, they were comforted with the reminders of hope that God did it before and could do it again. You see, Miracles Give Us Hope! This hope for the things unseen.

I often challenge myself to read a Psalm a day. The psalms are full of these “hope in the hardship” remembrance reflections. Psalm 77 struck me recently with this. It starts low:

1 I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

And then in the second half the author begins to reflect on God’s previous miracles and feels the hope begin to well up:

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that I didn’t think most Jesus followers necessarily experience the “biggie” miracles. And though that may be true, I do get to reflect back on my own simple, beautiful life. The valleys that God walked through with me remind me of my Healer, the recognition of my failures reminds me of my Savior, and the order in which these events were strung together points me to my Creator.

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About the Author

Mike has been serving as an Assistant Pastor at CitySalt Church for over 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.

Miracles Welcome | Miracles in the Movies

When I think about miracles, I find it hard to see them in my life. Miracles in the Bible always seemed momentous: mountains moving, seas opening to allow people to safely pass while drowning their enemies when they try to pursue. Or even smaller miracles of healing and changing water to wine. So when someone references a miracle, I wonder, how many lives were saved? When I lost my job and God granted me a new job when we had just purchased a new home, was it miraculous? Perhaps.

In this context, I thought about what was going on in my life lately, and something came to mind.

In the last year, I have participated in two book studies where we talked about race. These books and discussions put race in the forefront of my mind and this view of the black experience caused me to reflect on the movie The Black Panther and I thought, what a great time for it to come out!

I have been a comic book fan from way back. I have always enjoyed them--the stories of Superman and Spiderman, Peter Parker and Clark Kent. But these heroes were white. I could easily relate to them and their experience. When The Black Panther came out, depicting black culture, the experience of a black hero and an almost all black cast, I was very excited.

Was it a miracle?

Well, no, not really. It was God’s children using their God-given gifts of intelligence and creativity to make something fun and spectacular. I took my nephew to the movie and we both were blown away. Characters ranging from moral to not-so-moral, revealed in fully fleshed-out three-dimensional stories. Led by the performance of a dashing, handsome, humble, and truly amazing actor, Chadwick Boseman.

Was this a miracle?

Not necessarily, although, in one interview Chadwick states that he had been praying for this part since he heard that the movie was happening. Was it a gift from God? Chadwick was quoted as saying, “When God has something for you, it doesn’t matter who stands against it.”

And then, earlier this year, I heard about Chadwick Boseman passing away. He was just 43 years old and died from cancer that had been discovered in 2016. He had filmed four movies playing an action superhero while fighting cancer. I can’t imagine how much pain and struggle he endured while working so hard on these films, and fighting stage III cancer. And he remained positive, humble, and inspiring – a reflection of the character he portrayed. Humble. Inspiring. Inclusive. Loving.

Was this a miracle?

For him to play such an inspiring part in such an inspiring movie at a time when we need heroes, even fictional ones, to look up to—and both the Black Panther and Chadwick Boseman are heroes--I would say that this was miraculous. Not the seas parting for Moses perhaps, but somewhat of a pillar of fire for people to follow. Not manna from Heaven, but something to feed us spiritually.

Art can be fun and entertaining and moving, but some artistic expressions come together to inspire something greater. I believe The Black Panther is such a film. That Chadwick Boseman was able to complete the filming of these movies and see the inspiration they have been for people across the world was awesome.

His passing is a tragedy in this year of tragedies. That he was able to give us his performance as the Black Panther and King T’Challa before he left us, was miraculous.

Rest In Power, Chadwick Boseman

Wakanda Forever

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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.

Community Prayer Guide | October 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.

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Community Prayer Guide October 2020

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion…”
Philippians 2:1

Church
Pray for Jesus-followers to contribute relevant resources, healing and hope to those impacted by the fire.
Pray for pastors, leaders and their families to be strengthened by God’s love, power and peace.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for reconciliation, love and strong friendships to grow among pastors and people of all ethnicities.

Education
Pray for wisdom, peace and joy to strengthen school leaders and families, as they do school differently.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for students with learning disabilities and/or unstable homes, to be seen & empowered to learn.
Pray for churches to see and engage the new supportive role they have with schools and families this year.

Government
Pray for effective collaboration of government, non-profits and individuals in local fire relief.
Pray for God to intervene in the process and selection of leaders in all local and national elections.
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for leaders to have empathy and understanding to recognize injustice and then to bring solutions.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have a healthy work/life balance: personal health, family relationships, etc.
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees, and become profitable again.

“…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
Philippians 2:2

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians. 4:2-3

Arts
Pray Jesus-following artists to go where God sends them to express their artistic gifts.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety as venues reopen.
Pray for the Christ-honoring artists to be inspired to create art that brings hope & encouragement.
Pray for God to encourage music/art students and teachers as they teach and learn in this unique time.

Family
Pray for families as they engage a unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for God’s power and peace to be upon families facing mental health challenges.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for peace and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and respects life (elderly and unborn).

Police and Fire Departments
Thank the Lord for protecting our police and fire personnel during the recent fires.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities.)
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.

Media
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for our local news outlets to have clear vision to bring accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for coaches to have strength and wisdom to lead teams while sports seasons are modified.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.

“I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.”
Psalm 118:21

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

Guarding Your Soul

Introduction:

This blog post was originally posted in the summer of 2016.

This morning I woke up so thankful for the rain. I did a search on our CitySalt website for ‘thanksgiving’ and ran across this 2016 post. It is so relevant for today, I am reposting it.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Enjoy! ~Darla Beardsley

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John’s post…

From time to time over the course of the last 15 years I’ve dealt with low back issues. When I’ve done too much of the wrong thing my back will “go out”. To me that means I’ll feel spasms like electric shocks whenever I move just slightly the wrong way. It means I can’t stay in one position for very long, I can’t do my normal work routine, I can barely get in and out of a car, I have to be very careful when sitting down, laying down or getting up from either of those positions. I can’t go out and play. I get grumpy and self-focused and depressed. I absolutely hate it. In so many ways and for so many reasons, I hate it. Did I say “I hate it”? Well, I really do hate it. 

I have learned over the years that with the help of good chiropractors, physical therapists and exercise trainers, there are a number of things I can do to help myself out of this bad place. I can ice, I can stretch, I can do certain exercises, I can get laser treatments, I can walk and walk and walk. I can learn to guard my low back by better engaging my transverse abdominals (muscles that wrap around your body below the navel which act like a belt supporting your back). I can also protect my back by keeping good posture, holding my head in line with my back, and using my glutes instead of my low back muscles for stability. I have to be very aware of how I’m moving, but if I’m careful, I can still function fairly well until my back muscles finally relax and get back to normal. I am so thankful for what I’ve learned over the years and especially for the knowledgable people who have helped me so much. 

So I was reading in Philippians this morning and I was reminded of how God, as a good and perfect Father (and as The Great Physician, as well) gives us such wonderful instruction and advice for living well. In Philippians He tells us not how we can guard our backs, but how we can guard our souls:

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Wow! He tells us that His peace is what guards our hearts and minds, our souls, and He even tells us what part we have to play in getting that peace. He gives us strategies for guarding and protecting our souls. I love that! There is something we can do. We need to realize first and foremost that He is near us. He has promised never to leave us. Then, rather than worrying and being anxious about things, which we are all inclined to do, He tells us to talk to Him instead.

Bring to Him our concerns and troubles, pray about them, ask Him for what we need and above all, bathe all of these prayers and requests in a pool of gratitude. To me it’s interesting and significant that the little phrase “with thanksgiving” sits right in the middle of this whole section, set off by commas, as if to say this is the key. The key to peace and the key to being free from anxiety.

I read this quote somewhere once which is inspired by Matthew 11:28-30:

 Rest is not the absence of labor, hardship or suffering...
 It is the absence of guilt, worry, anxiety and lack of meaning.

 Fortunately we are not just victims of our mental, physical and emotional states, being passively carried down a stream in which we don’t want to float. God dignifies us with an invitation to participate with Him in such way that we can, at least in some ways, influence the course and outcome of our journey.

Living in a world where there are so many things to worry and be anxious about, it is reassuring that God knows our human tendencies and rather than judge us for our ignorance, foolishness or sin, invites us to let Him take the heavy load and gives us in its place a light load, easy to carry, full of gratitude, peace and grace. 

Philippians 4:6-7
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Joshua 1:5
I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Miracles Welcome | Thin Places: Seeking God while Parenting in a Global Pandemic

This summer, the constant background noise of my mind has been the semi-panicked thought loop of: “The schools have to reopen this fall. I cannot have a repeat of the spring.”

Unfortunately for me, this past week our school district made the announcement that fall will be entirely online. I am in a sad/mad/fearful/confused state about this decision. I am angry at the challenges this poses to my family as well as the wide-reaching inequities this exposes — families that can pay for childcare or private tutors will do so. Other families will be left scrambling and be forced to leave kids mostly unsupervised. In many cases, moms will be the ones figuring out how to juggle childcare and homeschooling responsibilities with work, while dads are able to continue working mostly undisturbed.

Children will fall behind academically, but even more seriously, they will be at higher risk for abuse and neglect as support for families reaches an all-time low. Additionally, many kids rely on eating free breakfast and lunch at school 5 days a week. Even when schools continue to provide free meals, families may lack the transportation to come pick up food.

I do take the risks of COVID very seriously and realize that there is no perfect solution. We can’t avoid risk entirely, but we need to minimize it. I adopted mask-wearing in March and wish that everyone would have done so. As one article I recently read stated, “this isn’t rocket science.” We know what we need to do.

I wish so much that I could change the past, that I could wave a wand and our nation could have developed a better response to COVID that would now allow local schools to safely reopen. I wish so much that I could change other people’s choices in the present, that everyone would comply perfectly with mask-wearing and social-distancing so that this nightmare could be over. I cannot change either of those things. I can only control my own response (and sometimes even that seems difficult).

So how will my family get through this next season of remote learning? I’m not sure. Like, really unsure, and because of this, I’ve been praying for help. It’s one of the most basic prayers, “God if you’re listening, please help.” Save our ship.

Since I’ve been praying directly for help more, a few things have arisen. I put my daughter on the list for a fall childcare option that sounds functional, and made plans for my mom to babysit/homeschool my 5-year-old son. I have had a couple of outdoor meet-ups with friends, and just seeing friends in real life made me feel better. A retired K-3 teacher offered to help me with tutoring. My supervisor at work told me they’re looking into ways to support staff with children under age 10.

There aren’t many bright sides to this pandemic, but one idea that’s been resonating with me lately is the Celtic idea of “thin places” — places where the veil between the spiritual and physical world is thin. These are places where we may feel the presence of the divine, or perhaps experience the miraculous.

I’ve been in thin places a few times, or perhaps I should clarify, places that were thin to me. In the trailer where I taught fourth grade at a tiny mission school in northeast Portland, praying with my students daily about their little and big concerns. On a study abroad trip to West Africa, the Holy Spirit seemed almost as present as the smell of diesel fuel permeating the air. Hiking through Mt. Pisgah Arboretum with my family.

Could the idea of thin places also apply to times in our lives, and could this season become one of them for me? Could it for you? I believe that sometimes, when we come to the end of our rope, when our resources are tapped out and we can’t go any farther on our own strength — those are the times when God is able to work most powerfully in our lives.

I certainly feel thinned out, with so much of my sense of control and normalcy missing. What remains when we lose our illusions of control?

Small moments. Great blue herons fishing in the river. Hummingbirds in my backyard. My son giggling. Reading to my daughter before bed. Knowing that I still enjoy spending time with my husband after 16 years together.

Faith, hope, and love.

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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.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Miracles Welcome | Miracles Start in the Heart

2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Note: If you don’t have time to read this, skip down to the end and listen to the awesome song I posted a link to. It is very inspiring and encouraging.

In times of crisis, I hear this verse a lot (and boy, is our world in crisis now). People draw comfort from it. Sometimes they become zealous because of it, calling everyone to repentance of sin. This is not a bad thing. But I feel like sometimes the focus is not in the right place.

We, as Christians can tend to focus on the more overt sins of “others” - promiscuity, abuse, crime, whatever. Turn from your wicked ways, and our land will be healed. But we forget the first two commands in the verse.

First, we need to humble ourselves. OURSELVES. Not humble others. This involves a willingness to hear from God regarding what we ourselves need to repent of. The answer may be much less obvious things than the “big sins” we focus on.

It could be egotistical pride. Imagine what could be done in our states and countries if all the people, including leaders, worked together in humility! Or if we, including myself, would pray for our leaders instead of complaining about them or making fun of them?

It could be an insensitive attitude: “Why are they so upset? That’s not my fault.” (This is not a partisan statement; I think we’ve all been guilty of this.)

Maybe we need to repent of hopelessness or despair, which is in essence a lack of faith. Yeah, that’s the one that I’m struggling with the most lately. I know in my head that God is in control, but wow, it’s so hard to convince my heart of that sometimes.

That’s why I think the biggest miracles aren’t the obvious things we can see. Sure, the parting of the Red Sea or the feeding of thousands of people from a few fish and bread loaves and things like that are amazing, but I want to challenge us (yup, including me), to seek the unseen miracles. The miracles of the heart. First by humbling ourselves. And then by seeking His face.

This second step is just as abstract and seemingly elusive as the first one. But it is not as hard as we make it out to be. And it is crucial. Come to God with a humble heart, willing to listen. Ask Him where we need changes in our heart. We might not like what we hear. But it is for our best, for His glory, and evidently a necessary step for the wide-scale miracle of healing our land. And best of all, it brings us into a closer relationship with Him! Pour out your heart. The good, the bad, and the ugly. He can handle it. Changing your heart may take time. Hearing from Him may take time. That’s okay. Keep seeking Him. Keep pressing in. Keep an open heart, willing to listen.

And of course, we then need to act on what we hear. Turn our hearts to His ways, not our own. Repent of any “wickedness,” even if it’s not an action but a hardness of heart. Then, we will start to see miracles. Sure, we may not see a vaccine or cure for Covid-19 right away, or economic recovery from the damage done by it. We may not see full racial reconciliation in our community/country/world right away. But we will start to see small miracles in our own heart and in the hearts of those around us. And I believe that those small miracles have a cumulative effect.

We may need to come together as a church or a country in corporate repenting and lamenting our sins. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel did this sometimes, and prophets and other leaders led and took part in a nationwide time of lamenting and repenting, even if the leaders hadn’t participated in the sin themselves. Ezra and Daniel are examples of this. I took part in the Be the Bridge book study here at CitySalt, and the author Latasha Morrison reminds us of this concept. It will definitely take humility and wisdom from God, which is why 2 Chronicles 7:14 starts out with those steps. It’s easy to say “I wasn’t part of that,” but if I have benefitted from it, I can still take part in the lamenting and repenting of it, and be a part of the miracle that God promises in the end of the verse. This is a polarizing concept in our country right now, and I don’t want to make anyone feel pressure for this regarding any specific issue we’re facing. I believe it will come about naturally if we are willing to come to God in humility and seek His wisdom by listening to the Holy Spirit, and acting on that.

I want to leave you with something that greatly encouraged my heart this week. At the Teen Challenge thrift store, I picked up a few used CDs, including a newer Kirk Franklin album. The second song is called, fittingly, “Miracles.” It’s about how we ourselves are God’s miracles. It inspired my thoughts for this post on how the biggest miracles are in our hearts. And it brought me hope and joy. Please take a few minutes to listen to it when you get a chance, because I think it may do the same for you.

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment Miracles · Kirk Franklin / 柯克富蘭克林 Losing My Religion ℗ 2015 RCA Records a division on Sony Music Entertainmen...

Also, I found this article by John Piper to be helpful in understanding the miracle of God healing our hardness of heart so we can see Him more clearly: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-god-opens-the-eyes-of-the-heart

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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 | September 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.

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Community Prayer Guide September 2020

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:7-8

Church
Pray for Jesus-followers to bring love, peace and wise solutions to all areas of our local community.
Pray for God’s love and wisdom for pastors/leaders as they discern how to lead in this season.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for reconciliation, love and strong friendships to grow among pastors of all ethnicities.

Education
Pray for wisdom and peace to guide school leaders and families as a unique school year begins.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for wisdom in the state government for allocating funds and for effective school guidelines.
Pray for churches to see and engage the new supportive role they have with schools this year.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for the public to receive & hear clear facts from our local government vs. hearing inaccurate information.
Pray for leaders to have empathy and understanding to recognize injustice and then to bring solutions.
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Springfield mayor.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for God to raise up business advocates and coaches to support and strengthen business leaders.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Romans 8:27

Arts
Pray for the Christ-honoring artists to be inspired to create art that brings hope & encouragement.
Pray for isolated artists to find connection, encouragement and new inspiration through relationships.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries, for peace & safety as venues reopen.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for families as they start for a unique school season: God’s guidance, provision, and peace.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine, and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for an abundance of PPE for our community’s health care providers (HCPs).
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and good stewardship of local resources.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities.)
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.

Media
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for our local news outlets to have clear vision to bring accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletics to navigate a season without competition.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for coaches to be strengthened and have wisdom to lead teams without games.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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

Miracles Welcome | Everyday Miracles

"Do YOU believe in miracles?" exclaimed shocked announcer Al Michaels at the end of the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey match, after the US rag-tag assortment of college players defeated the 4-time reigning champion Soviet team. Was this really a miracle? An underdog long-shot for sure, and with sports and national passion aflame, that heart-stopping ending certainly felt like one.

Faith themes do balloon before us when the big game or other important life issues are at stake. I mean who among us hasn't silently, or overtly in the heat of the moment, prayed for just the perfect outcome?

We've reserved the idea of miracles to a last resort scenario, backs against the wall, with our hopes and dreams on the line. It's also an interesting blurring of the lines between the spiritual and secular. As someone once quipped (probably me), there are way more than a few newly reformed atheists on their deathbed.

But is all this the right way to live? I mean, has our western independence and self-sufficiency kept us at a bargaining, "pact with God" level of relationship - when all other hope is gone? It's even a cultural cliche´, displayed in books and movies: "You know God, I've not always been at my best, but if you come through for me just THIS time, I promise ..." Not sure if any of that has actually increased my (I mean our) odds.

Miracles come with a high cost and should not be treated like 3 wishes from the genie in the bottle. They should remain holy and divine. But in Jesus' time on the earth, they were also sandals-in-the-dust, everyday tools. Sure, his amazing acts demonstrated love and compassion, but they were also teaching moments, with a faith component attached. Not just believe in THE MIRACLE, but believe in Jesus, and enter into and stay in relationship with him and the Father.

How many of us would thrive in or even want to be in a one-sided, superficial relationship? A rhetorical question for sure, because the answer is obvious. Just like our earthly parents, God birthed us, raised us up, taught (and is teaching) us many great life lessons. He also loves to act on our behalf and certainly will bless us with wonderful gifts. But like our earthly relationships, it's all about connection. He deeply desires our company. In cultural-speak, he wants to be there for us. But he also wants us to be with him!

Yes, miracles are as exciting as gazing up at Yosemite's lofty granite towers, but after the adrenaline rush ends, there's still the day-to-day living and relating to our Father. All these subtle moments add up to wholeness. Their sum total is the real miracle.

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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.

Emotional Well-Being | Moments of Happiness

What an uncertain and unprecedented time we currently live in! When it comes to fighting against the disorienting sense of limbo that can come with a pandemic quarantine, I could talk about the importance of structure in our days, and a routine set of self-care goals. But my thoughts are now turned to the theme of dwelling in God’s love and absorbing the assurance and contentment we can experience in His presence, no matter the circumstances.

Psalm 103:8 NLT
“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”

Before the arrival of Covid-19, I read the biography of a British actress whose work I admire. I had no idea that she was widowed when she was thirty-nine with two sons under the age of nine. And she was five months pregnant with their third son, when her surgeon husband died suddenly of a heart attack at age forty-three. In an interview after her husband’s death, she said “Now I’m the sole breadwinner. I have to try and work non-stop, to make things work.” In that context she also said “I think the difference between finding happiness, or moments of happiness, is how you choose to interpret things. That’s a rather shocking responsibility: that we’re responsible for our own happiness. It’s not those around us.”

2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”

Moments of happiness. I inhaled at the sudden sense of freedom I felt from that thought! This concept helps me accept temporary happiness as something to look forward to. I freed myself from the subconscious pressure of working at achieving happiness as a full-time occupation. I try to focus on recognizing moments of happiness sooner, and to savor them more fully. I prefer to see happiness and contentment as a beautiful monarch butterfly that occasionally lands on my shoulder.

James 1:17 NLT
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

In times of self-review, I discovered I spent too much time in a subconscious guilt from what I perceived as me falling short of standard adult life goals. I examined which missed expectations were causing all this low-grade guilt, and I almost laughed out loud. My self-expectations were unreasonable, no longer valid, and were certainly not from God. Once I stopped feeling that guilt, I felt so relieved. This helped me slip off the straps of a very heavy backpack from my mental shoulders. I let go of the subconscious practice of trying to earn contentment, and embraced the idea that contentment is a state of being that I choose.

A sense of peace is my new normal and is a much more enjoyable way to spend my time. I realized that feeling happy and content, and feeling emotionally safe and secure, is what I become when I am in the presence of God’s love. His love heals me as I experience His assuring presence. I can let go of all guilt when I feel frustrated and anxious. Feeling discontent or even just “blah” is not a condemnation for having missed the mark. It’s a sign I need to enter God’s presence and receive His healing love.

Romans 8:6 NLT
“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

During a recent time of prayer and worship I saw a mental image of a hallway with an inviting golden light at the far end. It reminded me of childhood bedtimes when I couldn’t fall asleep right away. Sometimes I would tiptoe down the hallway toward the living room, and sit against the wall, just out of my parents’ sight line.

I would sit there and see the warm living room light just around the corner and enjoy hearing the hum of my parents’ conversation. I wasn’t close enough to hear what they said. I didn’t need to. I simply wanted their company and it comforted me to be near them. Soon I was sleepy enough to slip back into my bed and fall asleep.

During this same prayer time, I was surprised to internally hear God’s still small voice say “Enter the room!” I understood this invitation and immediately jumped at the opportunity to be in God’s presence. I imagined myself finally turning the corner and entering the room where I wanted to be, in the company of His infinite love. I felt it all around me, warm and comforting on my skin like a warm bath. I sensed God say “You don’t ever have to leave.”

I understood this to be a reminder that I’m never without His love, which accompanies me everywhere. His love never fails and it never ends. As I enjoyed God’s presence, I noticed the walls of this imaginary room faded away and a large open meadow came into my internal sight. I then heard God say “Stay in my love forever.” I’m so very thankful for this Holy Spirit reminder of how rich and secure I am in God’s unconditional love.

In what areas of your life would you like to experience a greater sense of peace and God’s healing love? Walk into God’s living room. He’s waiting for you there.

Psalm 103:12-14 NLT
“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.

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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.”

Emotional Well-Being | Iron Sharpens Iron

At the start of this pandemic, there were several memes that came across my Facebook feed about the introverts relaxing and enjoying themselves at home while the poor extroverts ran around the house going mad and lamenting the loss of their freedom to see their friends and coworkers. I chuckled at them, shaking my head. I worried about my wife but I wasn't all that concerned for myself. But as time has gone on and my office has extended their work at home timeline (now out to December 31st!) I started to realize something.

I miss people.

For some of you who know me well, such as my wife, this statement might be a bit of a shock. I am known to be comfortable staying at home, puttering away the hours reading or playing games or writing, relaxing or watching tv. I am pretty comfortable with my own company, you might say. That is not to say that I don't enjoy the company of others, but I don’t need it.

Or do I?

This realization was probably slower to dawn on me, like the proverbial frog in the slowly heating frying pan, thanks to my introverted nature. I, like the frog, start to experience gradual damage over time with the exposure to solitude and my own internal voices and fears.

Thank God that I have a live-in companion in my lovely wife. She helps me realize these dark tides and helps fight them, but it would be horrible to expect her to take care of these alone. Even with prayer and Jesus' presence, I still needed something more.

So I tried some things: meditation, some online writing events, trying to FaceTime my parents. But then, I heard my gym was going to open up and I thought that would be something helpful. My friend is a coach there, who I hadn't seen since the isolation began, and physical exercise would also be a great help to my mental attitude.

But now I had to leave the house and go somewhere in the outside world. It was pretty scary, I must admit. I had anxiety about it and balked at first. But I finally recognized the protocols that they were proposing were good and they were trying to take care of their people. I decided to go. And it was good. I hate exercising, so it's great to be able to have encouragement and a place to do it. And it was good to see my friend and talk to him.

In fact, we also made plans to have coffee. Outside and safely, but still it was great to enjoy his company.

I do believe that God made us for community, but at times I struggle with the concept. But then He reminds me why it is good and by His design.

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

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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.

Community Prayer Guide | August 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.

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Community Prayer Guide August 2020

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians. 4:6-7

Church
Pray for Jesus followers to bring love, peace and wise solutions to all areas of our local community.
Pray for God’s love and wisdom for pastors/leaders as they discern how to lead in this season.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for reconciliation, love and strong friendships to grow among pastors of all ethnicities.

Education
Pray for wisdom and peace to guide school leaders and families as they prepare for adjustments this fall.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for wisdom in the state government for allocating funds and for effective school guidelines.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for the public to receive & hear clear facts from our local government vs. hearing inaccurate information.
Pray for leaders to have empathy and understanding to recognize injustice and then to bring solutions.
Pray for grants to be used wisely to implement solutions & increase services for the mental health crisis.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for God to raise up business advocates and coaches to support and strengthen business leaders.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves
as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34

Arts
Pray for the Oregon Christian Writers Conference to be fruitful in equipping writers for kingdom impact.
Pray for isolated artists to find connection, encouragement and new inspiration through relationships.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries, for peace & safety as venues reopen.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for families as they prepare for a unique school season: God’s guidance, provision, and peace.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a vaccine, and/or other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for an abundance of PPE for our community’s health care providers (HCPs).
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and good stewardship of local resources.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies compared to many other cities.
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.

Media
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom for the high school/college leadership to navigate restarting athletics.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports & camps: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for coaches to be strengthened and have wisdom to lead teams in this season.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
1 Timothy 2:1

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

Emotional Well-Being | Peace Found in Perspective

We were winding our way up and over the mountain and back down to the west side of the island, which we are currently calling home. My husband and I were engaging in a gratitude conversation, sharing how blessed we feel. Life could have easily taken a different turn at many points in our journeys, both together and as we were growing up. Why were we spared from a more tragic experience? Why did God guide us and bless us? Who are we to be so fortunate, with so much suffering in this world?

One answer is that we will never know and our goal is to follow God’s guidance so that He can use our journey in intentional ways that we may never understand.

Another answer is perspective. I’m sure there are many out there that would not look at our journey as incredibly fortunate. While you can’t deny the great privilege we have with access to clean water, loving friends and family and so much opportunity, we have had our fair share of struggle.

As we made our way back to a comfortable home where our three healthy and incredibly capable children waited, I realized my perspective could be different.

Now I was pondering this; why am I so blessed to be able to feel blessed in moments of struggle? Even through seasons of sadness, stress, frustration and desperation, somehow we continue to feel so incredibly blessed.

I know that depression has visited so many different walks of life and the specific situation we are in doesn’t always dictate how we feel about ourselves, our current state and the world around us. Sometimes when light is shining right on us, we feel darkness. Sometimes when friends are reaching out, we feel alone.

So all I can really share, in hopes that it will help those struggling emotionally, is what has helped me: Being grounded in faith, surrender and gratitude.

• Stay grounded in the Lord through prayer

• Surrender yourself, your world, your relationships and especially worldly things

• Rejoice that God has a plan and each step has a purpose

• Serve others and pray for them

• Take action - small and easy steps forward build momentum

• Find things to be grateful for - simple and small can build momentum here as well

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

In today’s “you can have it all” culture, this belief may not be popular, but I believe in putting God’s plan before any worldly desires. In fact, I aim to cut out worldly desires and let go of dependency on my own dreams to embrace the journey set in front of me. This has filled me with gratitude and joy, even through hard times. Be careful not to just pretend, but to really dig deep and decide what desires can be released and what to pull into focus. In Ephesians chapter 4, starting at verse 17, Paul “insists” we no longer live as Gentiles “darkened in understanding and separated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18). Our hope and joy and gratitude comes from our connection to our God.

Ephesians 4:21-24
“Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 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 the true righteousness and holiness”

This isn’t at all to say we are sad because we’re not living for God. Rather, through sadness we can remain or at least regain our sense of gratitude and joy through a shift “in the attitude of your minds” and rejoice in the truth that we were “created to be like God in the true righteousness and holiness” and that God is in control of the this beautiful creation around us. I surrender my own worldly desires to an all powerful and loving God who created the incredible life that surrounds us, for which I am so grateful.

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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.

Emotional Well-Being | Jesus’ Emotional Health

When our kids were very young but old enough to go to Sunday School, a fellow parent shared that they had taught their child that if he was ever asked a question, any question, by his teacher during a Sunday School lesson, to just shout out “Jesus!” and his answer would most often hit the bullseye. We laughed about that together and in thinking back, there is some profound truth in that! It seems Jesus really can be found as some kind of answer to most any question.

In thinking about the topic of “Emotional Health” for this devotional series, I wanted to go back and look at how Jesus experienced and expressed emotions in Scripture, thinking there should be some good clues for how we should also deal with our emotions. Below are some thoughts.

As recorded in “Psychology Today”, most psychologists would agree there are six basic emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust and surprise. There are many variations and nuances within each of those emotions, but those are the six category headings.

I found Jesus experiencing each of these six emotions in the Gospels, though usually the name for the emotion was not explicitly mentioned.

In John 2, Jesus seemed like he must have been happy at the wedding feast in Cana by 1) turning the ceremonial water for washing into delicious wine for drinking to keep the wedding party going, and 2) he may well have been joking with and teasing his mother when she told Jesus, “They have no more wine.” He replies, “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” Then Mary turns and tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do, apparently knowing Jesus was just teasing her and would truly do something about the wine problem! This possible interpretation was first mentioned by Randi in a sermon awhile back. We don’t know for sure what this exchange was about, but I like this possible explanation because it’s a rare example of Jesus’ levity and playfulness, which would be fitting for him to have had.

Jesus expressed his sadness in John 11:35. At the death of his friend Lazarus. Lazarus’ sister, Mary, came to Jesus weeping, together with many others, and Jesus too was filled with emotion. The shortest verse in the Bible is this: Jesus wept.

In Matthew 26:38-39 Jesus is in Gethsemane with his disciples, he is praying to His Father, because he knows what is about to happen. The Scripture says, “He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’” Jesus had just said that his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. I think it’s safe to say that it wasn’t just sorrow but also fear that he was experiencing, since he had asked his disciples to keep watch like bodyguards while he prayed.

The well-known temple scene in Matthew 21:12-13 is when Jesus enters and overturns the tables of the money changers and proclaims, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers!’” He is angry that these people are making profit in a sacred space meant to be consecrated for the meeting between God and His people.

Jesus is disgusted at the hypocrisy of the Pharisees when he calls out the “seven woes” in Matthew 23. No other group of people were called out by Jesus for their duplicity like these religious leaders, who paraded around arrogantly as if they were holy, put difficult requirements on the common people, and yet did not even fulfill these requirements themselves.

The last basic emotion is surprise. Jesus expresses surprise in Matthew 8:10 when talking with the Roman centurion, who has asked Jesus to come heal his paralyzed servant. Jesus agrees to go, but the centurion discloses his faith when he tells Jesus he doesn’t need to go anywhere to heal. He can do it right where he is by just saying the word. When Jesus heard this, “he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith!”

So, what can we take away from looking at Jesus’ emotions and how he expressed them? One thing is certain: he didn’t stoically try to hide them or suppress them. Since we believe Jesus never sinned, we can then also say it is not a sin to feel emotions.

Many of us grow up with the idea that some emotions are good and some are bad. We often try to ignore, minimize or deny the ones we think are unacceptable. But doing this usually leads to all kinds of problems, and sometimes physical ailments. We have been created with emotions and they serve a good purpose. They lift us, they lower us, they warn us, they connect us to others, they prepare our bodies to physically respond to a stimulus that could save our lives. They set in motion a chain of chemical reactions that can energize us or calm us.

I’ve heard it taught that it’s not the emotions that are bad, but our expression of them could be. Anger is a good example: anger can give us the energy we need to right a wrong. But it can also destroy if it goes unchecked and dominates without the good boundaries of reason and empathy.

It seems wise to learn to understand why we feel the way we do. This way we can know ourselves better and manage our reactions to people and events. Our emotions aren’t in control, but they also aren’t denied.

And one thing I’ve learned is not to fear emotions. This is how the Lord helped me see this. I had a dream one time that I was a big iceberg right off the beach at Bandon. My family was playing on the beach along with many other people. All of a sudden, me, the iceberg, started to melt and I was terrified that the tsunami-type waters resulting from my meltdown would flood the beach and kill my family. Well, the melting waters barely added much of a ripple and everyone was fine and continued playing! Because of what I was going through at the time, this dream was easy to interpret. My frozen emotions were coming alive and I needn’t worry that they would harm anybody. They weren’t dangerous.

The take-away for me is to let our emotions do their work in us within the boundaries of our God-given reason. Maybe this is part of loving God with all our heart, soul and strength and loving ourselves and loving our neighbors at the same time.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Philippians 2:6-7
Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Matthew 22:37-40
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

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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.