Creating Space....

Three faces...

Three uniforms...

Three personalities...

One Lord....

One heart cry...

One mission...

I have been blessed with an incredible mate and four amazing children - each unique, each vibrant, each witih varying interests, tastes, propensities - yet there is room for all to participate in God's story.

All can follow Jesus and lead others to follow Jesus, in authentic community, for the good of the world.

I am so glad there is space in The Salvation Army and the church, the body of Christ, for differing gifts, personalities, expressions - it wasn't always so in the Army.

I thank God for the life and energy and vision and hope of generation next, and the wisdom of the past as well. God give us discernment as we navigate the turbulence, and thrill of today.

The long unwinding road from earth to heaven....

Let nothing disturb thee,
Nothing affright thee;
All things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting;
Alonge God sufficeth.

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade - kept in heaven for you! (1 Peter 1:3,4)

I'm tired - good weekend in Montreal ministering in French, Friday p.m., Saturday, and english Sunday. Nine countries represented in the Design for Life weekend - truly the diverse, rich, body of Christ. Sunday, last time we will preach in the Montreal Citadel on Drummond St - memories. As we sang the Lord's prayer the sun burst through the Stained glass windows of Christ. I encouraged the congregation as they move to new facilities to be the church they are to be, not a model of others, they are to listen to Christ, rooted in the word, free to soar and be.

For the offertory Steve Pelley combined the Beatles' "The Long unwinding road" with "Prayer gently lifts me to highest heaven, from earth's confusion to Jesus' breast, my sin and weakness, my doubt and sorrow, are lost forever in sweetest rest" - exquisite.

The songs we sang made sense, the connections with people profound, God was present.
I'll hold on to those moments, as I navigate the tiredness in my spirit, and body. God with us!

God cannot fill what has not been emptied...

Benedict gives us a great prayer for the day:

Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you,
intelligence to understand you,
diligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
vision to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
a life to proclaim you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives with you now and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.

For those who struggle with the mechanics, practise, and sense of prayer, from George MacDonald:

"He that prays and does not faint will come to recognize that to talk to God is more than to have all prayers granted - that is the end of prayer.