The birds of the air....

Sunday service was unlike any other. We watched a video, taped earlier that week, by a sister church in Utah. The couple it in are one of the founding couples of the church, Mike and Paula. Paula this past week was diagnosed with colon cancer which has spread to her liver. They shared deeply personal aspects of the emotional journey they have already been on the short time since learning of her illness. It was deeply moving and I could have been the one sitting there mouthing the words she spoke.

She spoke of how over the past couple years she has suffered from an intense loneliness and feelings of isloation even in the midst of being a follower of Jesus. I have been there; we can be surrounded by hundreds and still feel alone. Her sharing brought to the surface and put a name on it for me and a clarity of how lonliness, like other negative feelings is borne of false perceptions and too much time spent thinking about the wrong things. How much of our day do we spend reflecting on what could have been or what we've done wrong? How much of our time do we focus on things instead of relationships? How much of our day do we spend believing lies and worries that limit our personal effectivenss and our freedom to give ourselves to others? I know the answer for myself and it is awakening in me a new focus and an important reality.

If we truly understand and embrace God's love for us their can be no lonliness regardless of what others say or do or what we say and do to ourselves for His love surpasses and covers it all. The minister asked us to read Matthew Chapter 6 which I immediately did and I would encourage you to read it too. This excerpt from it means so much to me now: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

I have many worries. I have spent too much time absorbed in them and I am doing my best to take this Scripture to heart and to meditate upon it so that it becomes a reality in my life in a profound way and to lay these worries down, completely and walk away from them. I hope this intensely personal sharing and this Scripture is of value to you as well.

Tomorrow, I am going to begin sharing in bite-size pieces real things about my journey and as I continue to share, day-by-day, it is my goal to help you understand the changes I've made, that I continue to make and the impact they are having on my life; whether it's related to food, exercise, my spiritual journey or the ellimination of stress-triggers and other negative influences.

Thanks for stopping by and I would love to hear your comments! Thanks to those who have already!!