Not long ago—perhaps ten months—my therapist handed me a book called “Came to Believe: A Guide to the Second Step” by Chet Meyers. The book refers to the Second Step of Alcoholics Anonymous (and other 12-Step programs). For those of you not familiar with the paradigm, the way it works is this. First you admit you’re powerless, that you’ve messed up your life beyond all recognition. It’s only once you’re pretty much completely broken that you can genuinely seek help.
To get an idea of what I’m talking about, check out this video of Rob Bell speaking at Vanderbilt University about his book What We Talk About When We Talk About God. The part you’re looking for is at 52:30, and runs for maybe 3 or 5 minutes (the entire thing is worth listening to, by the way).
What Rob Bell is talking about is a fairly simple concept that AA and other 12 Step programs figured out a long time ago. The place to find God isn’t at the pulpit, it’s amongst the completely broken.
In other words, amongst people like me.
Which takes me back to Chet Meyers’s book. One of the very first exercises in the book is very simple. It instructed me to draw a picture of my earliest conception of God. Here’s what I came up with:
My earliest conception of God was angry. This wasn’t just interesting to me, it was almost a revelation. Because no matter what your religion (or lack thereof) your beliefs about … life, the universe and everything, I guess … shapes what you do. It shapes decisions. It shapes values.
The God I had somehow come to understand was angry and vengeful. It was all about hell, who was going to hell, staying out of hell, punishment, fire, and shame. Shame so powerful that it twisted my perceptions about everything.
I even sort of knew it, though I didn’t. In my short story The Garden my main character’s wife tells him, “You believe in God, but your God is a heartless and cruel one.” I wrote that one when I was in the Saudi Arabian desert in the fall of 1990, roughly a year after I abandoned my time in Jerusalem. Roughly a year after I abandoned my own search for God. That’s what I believed. Because, after all, what sort of God would create untold billions of people, only to throw 99% of them into eternal torment? Not a God I wanted anything to do with. What sort of God would allow millions of children to starve, what sort of God would allow children to be raped or wars to be waged. In my heart, I believed in a God who was disinterested in what happened on earth.
It’s no wonder, really.
My perceptions of Christianity have been shaped by the Westboro Baptist Church.
I’m going to be really honest here. My perceptions of Christianity have been shaped by the Westboro Baptist Church. It’s been shaped by people who condemned people I love and claimed that God hated them too. It’s been shaped by the right-wing politicians who take every opportunity to pull the ladder up behind them. It’s been shaped by people whose idea of evangelism is walking up to complete strangers and telling them that they are going to hell.
Want to foster a culture of shame? Then tell people God hates them. Tell people they’re going to hell if they don’t do this, or don’t believe that.
That’s how you drive people away from God.
I vividly recall the months I spent in Jerusalem after I graduated high school. I worked briefly at the Tabasco Hostel, which was on the Via Dolorosa, and I recall standing in front, selling kebabs to tourists, and watching the crowds of Christian pilgrims walking up the trail. Sometimes the crowds would be led by men carrying huge crosses on their backs. They would stop by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which was somehow owned and operated by multiple factions of Christianity which squabbled over both theology and territory within the ancient church. To me, that became representative of religion–groups of people arguing over their own territory, be it spiritual, intellectual or geographical.
There are estimated to be 20,000 and 45,000 different denominations of Christianity alone. That’s not to mention other religions. Which presents a problem for someone who is looking for answers. Who is to say which denomination has the right theology? Churches have split, wars have been fought, people have died all arguing over these different belief systems.
As I’ve presented these questions and searched for answers, one of the most consistent answers I’ve heard and seen is just read the Bible. But even that is problematic. Which Bible? From its conception, the canon, (or official list of books included in the Bible), has been inconsistent. The Eastern church has a slightly different Canon than the Western. Catholics include different books than protestants. And then you get to the problem of translation. Translation of the Bible is often driven by theology, when it really ought to be the other way around. And these aren’t minor quibbles. The differences between Calvinists and Christian Universalists turn around the translation of a very few words in the New Testament–those few words result in dramatically different theology. And the differences between those people who believe in literal interpretation of the Bible and those who don’t–that makes an even bigger difference.
Translation of the Bible is often driven by theology, when it really ought to be the other way around.
You’re probably wondering where all this is leading to.
You see, at this point I take nothing for granted. I don’t know anything. So what I’m doing is listening. Paying attention to the world around me. Reading. A lot. Because the one thing I do know is that if I’m going to be able to transform my life, I can’t just depend on me. I need to lean on God. But I can’t lean on a God who hates me. I can’t lean on a God who is all about shame.
So what I’m doing is praying. For the first time in my life, I’m doing it consistently. That’s new–because until 2013, the last time I prayed was February 24, 1991–the day my unit crossed the border into Iraq. And I’m asking for guidance and strength, basically. I don’t really believe God can be waved around like a magic wand, granting wishes to people if only they are faithful enough or do enough good or believe the right things.
But I do believe that for me, it is a life and death matter to come to some kind of relationship with the divine. I’ve killed people. I’ve lied. I’ve struggled with sexual compulsion, with compulsive spending, with lies and secrets. I’ve done things which shrouded my life in shame. And I cannot live that way any more.
So God it is. I’m trying to dispel that image of the angry faced God and replace it with something real. Instead of asking people what they think of God, I’m asking God what he thinks about people.
So there it is… stay tuned.


Hello D1 Nation,
I was recently at a Chick-fil-A sharing a cup of coffee with Toby Clem and we happened to have our bibles open. The very nice server came up and asked to refill our coffee cups. She then asked if we were doing a bible study. We looked at each-other and said kind of. We were actually going over some planned changes to D1 and an upcoming small group that we’ll be leading for our Church. We then explained the D1 concept and what the ministry is all about. She was very excited and asked questions about it and said she would check us out online (I hope you’re reading this). I then asked her if i could ask her a couple of questions which she was more than happy to answer.
Me: Are you a Christian? Her: Yes
Me: Have your ever heard of the Great Commission? Her: No, I haven’t.
Me: Did you know that you have a calling on your life that Christ has given you? Her: What do you mean?
It was an amazing exchange that only lasted about 1 minute but it highlighted something that is more common place than it should be. Most of the Churches aren’t talking about what Christ has asked us to do. When is the last time you heard the word Disciple come from the pulpit? We seem to be simply overlooking the last thing Christ said on this earth to his 12 disciples. He gave us a very clear directive, he gave us more than that, He gave us the Great Commission in Mathew 28:16-20.
We here at D1 hope that you’ll join us in simply raising awareness about the calling that Christ has placed on our lives. We weren’t just saved, we were saved for a purpose!


The moral and religious wants of the community are well supplied in this city. The church records run back as far as 1856. In 1857, Rev. Mr. Chessington, a Presbyterian missionary, organized a congregation of his denomination in the then frontier village, and the first church edifice built was by that society, the building being still standing on lower Fourth street, and now does duty as a grocer store. The churches now in this city are:
Established 1857; membership 193; church, corner Sixth and Nebraska streets.
First Methodist Episcopal
Established 1857; membership, 184; church, on Douglas street, corner of Sixth and Pierce streets.
Established in 1860; membership, 155; church, corner of Fifth and Nebraska streets.
St. Mary’s (Catholic)
Established in 1856; membership, 130 families; church, corner Sixth and Pierce streets.
Established in 1877; membership thirty-three; church, on Jackson street, above Sixth street.
Established in 1875; membership, seventy-three; church on Third street between Jones and Jennings streets.
Established in 1875; membership, forty-three; church on Sixth street, West Side.
Established 1880; membership, sixty-two; church on Court street near Sixth street.
Established in 1881; membership, fifty-seven; church, on Wall Street near Sixth street.
In connection with all these churches, flourishing Sunday Schools are maintained; the scholars in nearly every church out-numbering the membership. It shows a satisfactory growth in religious matters, that during 1881, three new churches, the Baptist, Swedish Baptist and Norwegian Methodist, Have been built or begun, and that a fourth, the First Methodist, took the preliminary steps for rebuilding and enlarging their place of worship.
Source: Woodbury County Iowa, History of Western Iowa, 1882


54 Lygon Street
Carlton, Victoria 3053
How to get here?
Bus Routes: 200, 200-207 combined. The closest bus stop to us is the Trades Hall / Lygon St stop. From there, we are less than a 100m walk up Lygon Street.
Tram routes: 1, 3, 3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72. The closest Tram stop to us is Stop 4, Queensberry St / Swanston St.
Parking: There is limited on-street parking on Lygon Street.
As those seeking to love and follow Jesus Christ, we welcome people from all walks of life and all parts of the world to join us at our 11am church services on Sundays. If you would like more information or would like to say hi, feel free to drop us a message via the contact form below.


Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
/\^/\ MyersDaily Monday, September 18, 2023 Last night I didn't get enough sleep, but still woke up at 6:15 am, read the Bible, and ran three miles keeping a streak going that started 6,496 days ago, and went to work at 8 am. Work was especially exhausting, since it felt like the end of a Friday already before the first minute, and I was sorely tempted to call in sick for the first time in my life. And then after work, I realized today was probably my only opportunity to take some pictures for some wonderful, unrecognized people who were so kind to me back in August, true heroes of humanity, and maybe the only time they would ever have the highest quality pictures taken of what they were doing with the dedication of their whole lives. So I drove home after work, spent 30 minutes updating the settings of my cameras, grabbed a ziplock bag of leftover bread I brought to the potluck at church on Sunday, ate a slice, and showed up. I thought I was going to perhaps only 1 best-of-two-games type of event, since the second was TBD. But it turned out to be out of 5, and the first one took all 5. And it was so amazing and absolutely encouraging and inspiring despite the fact that no one except those who truly loved and cared were there. Then the TBD one turned out not to be TBD, and actually that team's coach is one of my dearest friends, whom I took wedding pictures for, and knew during all of college, and is an NCAA record-holder. And then to top that off, at the very end of the night when I didn't know how I was still standing and had to tell myself motivational words in my mind to keep going, right before I left, our home team was having a meeting... They were telling positives... And then they finished and were walking away, and suddenly one of them from thousands of miles away turned and said, "You were my positive tonight." I could almost feel God smiling down and speaking words of strength through those incredibly special words of someone who cared and encouraged. The moral of this story is that being kind to others and showing up to support them makes ALL the difference. At the 125th anniversary of Friends U., I heard a story about someone very important who amazingly took time away from all of their amazing and busy offices in life, and simply stood there for many hours, holding his hat and waiting and most of all praying at a hospital during the hours of a risky surgery for someone he cared about, not even a wife or a child, but just a colleague and a friend. Humans would say that made no difference and was a waste of time. Humans would say our lives are too important to do "meaningless" things like show up and pray, or show up and support. But that's so wrong. What happens when God convicts you and calls you to do something to make a difference? Well, you can ignore the call and tell yourself your are too smart and too important. I've done that before. And I only felt miserable like I had lost an eternal treasure forever. Or you can decide to show up. You can show up, maybe not even knowing the details but trusting and letting God use you, like "Here am I. Send me." Then God makes a miracle happen and does greater things than you ever dreamed. Sincerely, Joseph Myers
God, please help us to have faith no matter how small, and trust in you in our hearts. Help us believe in Jesus who died and paid for our sins so we can be forgiven if we ask you to forgive our sins in the name of Jesus. And thus enter our hearts and help us to grow in love for you.


The Westboro Baptist Church has announced they will be picketing the funeral of Paul Walker. The Fast and the Furious actor died yesterday afternoon in a tragic car crash explosion and the controversial church seems gleeful over the news. The Westboro Baptist Church took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the subject and gave every indication that they plan to celebrate his death with a picket of his funeral.
"The furious God cut off Paul Walker! Thank God for His condign wrath! WBC to picket funeral!" tweeted the Westboro Baptist Church. "Paul Walker had a duty to live sober, righteous, godly #HeFailed #InHell Wants YOU to heed our warning (Luke 16)." They also included photos of their controversial signs including "Be Wise: Fear God" and captioned the image by writing, "Paul served himself & the gods of his world." No specific funeral arrangements or dates for Walker's service have yet to be announced.
The Westboro Baptist Church has made a reputation out of picketing the funerals of soldiers who fought for the U.S., claiming they were fighting for a nation that supports homosexuality. However, they have also turned their attention to celebrities in recent years. The controversial church has protested outside the concerts of several musicians and bands including Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and One Direction. Members of the church also appeared last year on Russell Brand's talk show Brand X and gave a him sign which read: "F-- Pimp Brand."
TMZ reports that the driver of the vehicle in Walker's death accidentally crashed into a post or tree before the car burst into flames. Senior Vice-President at Columbia Tristar Pictures DeVon Franklin tweeted: "Condolences to the family of Paul Walker. Our prayers are with him and his FF at this difficult time."
Numerous celebrities have also taken to Twitter to express their shock and sadness at his tragic death. "What a tragedy," tweeted Ariana Grande. "Cherish every moment with your friends, family & loved ones. You never know what could happen. Heartbreaking #RIPPaulWalker."
Walker is survived by his 15-year-old daughter, Meadow. She had recently moved from Hawaii to California in order to be closer to him.


Now being used in Faith-based Treatment Facilities all around the Nation
" To God Be The Glory "
Understanding Christian Drug and Alcohol Recovey
In 1935, Alcohol Anonymous was founded and became the most effective self-help recovery program known to man. What most people are not aware of is, Alcoholic Anonymous was birth in the Church to help alcoholics find freedom. Free N One rediscovered this fact and redirected those 12 Steps back to a faith-based program. We took the 12 steps, and the process of recovery, added scriptures to each step and put it in an easy to read guidebook for anyone that is ready to be free from the bondage of addiction in Jesus name.
This step-by-step guidebook is being used by drug rehabilitation centers, prisons, institutions, Pastors and teachers use this book entitled “Understanding Christian Drug and Alcohol Recovery” to further their ministry and help those find freedom.
It is an excellent tool for anyone helping others find freedom. The book explores The Disease of Addiction, Understanding Relapse, There Is Power in Being Powerless, What and Why a Sponsor, The 12 Steps to Recovery and much more...
This step-by-step guide is good for any individuals in recovery and those that want to know more about what they are going through and how to come out victorious. It is a powerful tool in this war against addiction.
See Our Books (click on)


Submit Your Prayer Request
When you pray for one of the requests below, be sure to click on the I prayed for you button so that we can let the requestor know how many times their request has been lifted up.
|Request Title||# Prayers||Submitted On|
|Deliverance from succubus demon||0||December 14, 2020||Details|
|Prayer Req Testing||0||October 31, 2020||Details|
|World Peace||0||October 31, 2020||Details|
|Calm||3||October 1, 2020||Details|
|Repentance and Deliverance||4||September 20, 2020||Details|
Deliverance from succubus demon
I'm ashamed of it and admit that I had recently fallen back into the sins of masterbation and pornography. I have repented and have shut the door on these sins as of a few days ago and don't want these sins anymore. I've been praying and fasting the past few days. There's been a succubus demon that has been molesting me and touching my body, it's been tormenting me and I need deliverance. Please pray for me, I need God's help and deliverance, thank you and God bless you.
Prayer Req Testing
Prayer for your little boy in Maryland.
I would like prayers for the world we leave in, may God Almighty bring His peace on earth.
Pray for calm in my life
Repentance and Deliverance
Hi my name is Alex and I watched your sermon today on Saul and his disobedience and rebellion against God. It really spoke to me because I find myself to be like him in many ways; impulsive, disobedient, blaming others, and manipulative. But the Word really spoke to me about how I'm living my life and the compromises I have made. I have been involved in pornography, which God had took away years ago when I first came to Him. However, like the Pastor was saying when Saul did not completely destroy the Amalkites it ended up killing him. Because I wouldn't give up homosexuality from the heart and holding on to it, it has slowly corrupted my inner life and outside world. Please keep me in prayer. Thank you.
Thank you for lifting up this request in prayer.


Message from Distinctly Blessed
Eat of His Word Daily
Distinctly Blessed was given to me in a vision by God in November 2007. God said to me “before you eat of any physical food, eat of my word. (Spiritual Food).” He continued by saying “like you need food and sleep to function, that’s how we need God in order to prosper, so eat of my word.”
He then instructed me to read my word and pray before partaking of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 3 John 1:2. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (King James Version)
Eat of His Word
Enhance your christian walk
A Christian Dining Experience
God instructed me to read Mark 16, and after reading this, I received another word from him. God spoke and said “When Jesus the son of God shows up in a different way do not doubt him! Therefore, eat… From the word to your mouth!”
Our unique designed flatware is 18/10 stainless steel, it is made using the highest quality of materials which are made to last and continue to look great!
Distinctly Blessed™ flatware is designed for normal dining use and is dishwasher safe using standard retail dishwashing detergents. This warranty does not cover damage due to inappropriate use, abuse, stains due to hard water or improper care.
– Made In The U.S.A


This was the First Christian Marriage that I have attended in my Life. It was my Brother Alwyn’s Marriage. Something I loved more in his marriage was his marriage dates. He kept his engagement on 14th Feb, the Valentine’s Day, and his marriage on 15th Feb. Day 14th night was his engagement in a marriage hall. Being an engagement it was the small relative’s crowd who landed there at night. The next day 15th Feb was the marriage. By morning 9.00 we entered the church for the marriage. The brides were dressed as per their manner. As this was the 1st Christian marriage I am attending I was just keen in checking out the way the Christians do their marriage. There were two marriages to be held that day in that church. There were three Church Father phrasing sentences from Bible and some songs about Jesus were played. Then the marriage ceremony took place as per their caste. By 12 the entire marriage session was over and returned to the marriage hall for the reception. In reception my brother’s college friends arrived and we had a nice chat by forming a round chair conference. But I really missed my sister in her Brother’s Marriage as she was unable to attend the marriage due to a problem. I enjoyed this marriage as I met my friends and brothers after a long time.


ĐẠI HỘI HUYNH TRƯỞNG MT - GRAND RAPIDS, MI
The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement is a non-profit organization, under the leadership of the Catholic Church. Its aim is to teach youths to be virtuous people and good Christians. It also offers apostolate services for the youth. Throughout its years of service, the Movement has kept pace with social and cultural changes of the day in an attempt to reach out to the youth of all times.
The Eucharistic Youth Movement has two general purposes:
1. To educate and to train youths in becoming a better person as well as an excellent Christian.
2. To organize and to guide all youths in spreading the Good News of the Gospel and to actively be involved in working for the good of society through charitable services and helping others.
Mien Trung is fully united in VEYM's purpose and mission. Our first chapters were formed in the early 1980s. Since then, we have grown to 18 Chapters and over 2500 members throughout the Midwest. Our Chaplains, Assistant Chaplains, and Youth Leaders continue working tirelessly to form our youths.
|Anrê Dũng Lạc – Davenport, IA||Anrê Dũng Lạc – Grand Rapids, MI|
|Anrê Dũng Lạc – Kansas City, MO||Anrê Dũng Lạc – Lincoln, Nebraska|
|Anrê Trần Anh Dũng – Detroit, MI||Chúa Cứu Thế – Louisville, KY|
|Chúa Thăng Thiên- St. Louis, MO||Đồng Hành – Milwaukee, WI|
|Phaolo Tống Viết Bường – St. Paul, MN||Kitô Vua – Wichita, KS|
|Maria Nữ Vương – Lincoln, NE||Nguồn Sống – Joliet, IL|
|Nữ Vương Bình An – Dayton, OH||Phêrô– Lansing, MI|
|Phaolô Hạnh – Des Moines, IA||Sao Biển – Chicago, IL|
|Thánh Giuse – Minneapolis, MN||Thánh Tâm – Cincinnati, OH|
|Tôma Thiện – St. Paul, MN|
Ban Chấp Hành Miền Trung
Trần Công Bằng, SVD
Cha Tuyên Uý MTR
Trợ Uý MTR
Nguyễn Minh Nghiệm
Phạm Chi 'Liz'


Tags: Offer at Charleston, Altoona, Newport, Anchorage, Mobile.
“We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. We are His children. I cannot explain it, but to those to whom this has happened it does not need explaining. The Holy Spirit is the present guarantee of our final salvation, the resurrection of our bodies: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Not all urban legends are true, but some of them are at least based on true stories.This one from Texas is really creepy, but is supposedly based on real events. Check it out: Urban legends are usually just that – legends. But sometimes, grim as it may be, they’re true.
Passed down from generation to generation, maybe getting slightly skewed, they still retain some degree of validity.Maybe that’s what happened with this chilling story of a love triangle gone wrong near the Frio River in Texas. Nobody will ever know what really happened, but you can get an idea by reading about it. The youngest was Maria, and she is who this grim story is about. Maria wished nothing more than to have what her sister did in life: a man who loved her and several beautiful children. We posted a picture of this photo being taken HERE of The Rover's cast and crew. You can send head portraits and selfportraits. The hair and the ponytail should be prominents. Hi there! Today is the Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party for April. This month's theme is 'new beginnings,' a perfect theme for springtime, don't you think? Here is the card that I made. I have a friend that I used to work with that just accepted a new job - it was a big change for her and I wanted to let her know how excited I was for her and how proud I was of her courage. I thought a butterfly would be a perfect image for this theme. I used this week's WMS Sketch for my card. I used the butterfly body and wings from Earth Angel to build my butterfly shape.
A few small items in the New York media provide us one case study of how these proclamations may not square with reality.In a hospital news release, we find these pronouncements about outgoing President and CEO John Reynolds, HSS board Co-Chairman Aldo Papone said, 'John's guidance and devotion to the Hospital for Special Surgery these last two decades have been simply outstanding. I have posted two guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at the Jan. Monteith" and the Dec. Here is another, with his permission. Lee Roberts Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial Following a catastrophic event, the feds are heading your way. The government's agenda may be different from yours, and its findings of fact can be admissible in evidence. And, when the worst happens, how to keep the government's report away from the jury. courtesy of on. Xiaoming said that he really liked Ching Wan's films. This chance to work with him brought both pressure and excitement. In several scenes we had to beat each other up. On the set he also looked upset. After that I was afraid as soon as I saw him. "This time changed my mind about Xiamong. Causing or tending to cause dizziness. Dictionary.
Here's an interesting letter from Sen.Mark Begich, D-Alaska, to Jane Lubchenco, NOAA administrator. Hot glue and jute string would work too instead of solder. Camouflage some old brass chandelier with a ball of thin rope. Untitled by the snail and the cyclops. It is the American way. It was such a fun and entertaining show. Wouldn’t have missed it and hope they’ll visit Cincinnati again soon!. Available here!. Observation: Paul tells the Corinthian people a simple thought on giving, and in the context it was about giving financially.
He said that those who put little in the ground should expect little produce, but those who put much in the ground, can expect more produce.A simple thought, but one I need to think about. Application: Whatever we invest in, will bring about results. The things we invest in are generally the things we see as important. When we invest in heavenly things, we will see heavenly produce. When we invest little in eternity, we can expect little return. When I get to heaven, I want to see great returns for much invested here on the earth. Observation:The Psalmist makes a declaration here about the nation whose God is the Lord. He says that nation is blessed and the people are chosen as His own inheritance. It's God was the Lord. It's founders trusted God and the nation was blessed with an amazing history. It became a superpower in a relatively short time. The problem is that our nation has turned away from God and written Him out of their history books. .


Rev Gill Webb
I have preached many sermons for Mothering Sunday but never one in such strange circumstances. Today there will be no hymns, no congregation and no pulpit to deliver my thoughts. Our church services are cancelled and mothers today who are a certain age will be separated from their children through the physical restrictions of self-isolation. There will still be excited youngsters presenting homemade cards and gifts to their mums on her special day and thank goodness for that continuing tradition. It is a day to say thank you and a day to remember the care that our mothers are daily giving us or to look back on the days long past when our mothers sacrificed so much for us and taught us the lessons of life and love that have stayed with us.
Not everyone has wonderful memories of their mother’s care and sometimes people have been damaged by indifference and even cruelty that makes this day a difficult reminder to them of what they have missed because of fractured family relationships. Hopefully there will have been other figures in their lives that have been able to offer some of the tenderness that their mother was unable to practise. We all have an image of the care, compassion and nurturing that has so long been associated with the best kind of mothering and it pains us to witness examples of this absence in so many young lives.
It is no surprise that the readings selected for this Sunday feature stories of mothers from the Bible. We will probably know the story of Moses and the dangerous times into which he was born. He was the child of a Hebrew family enslaved by the powerful Egyptian nation and the book of Exodus tells us that the ruling Pharaoh was paranoid about the dangers that this ever increasing number of families posed to his national security. His solution like tyrants before and after him was infanticide. Male children were to be refused a life and in this toxic environment an infant’s cry could herald its death.
The mother of Moses, who remains nameless, cannot countenance the death of her child and so ingeniously she finds ways to keep him away from harm for the first three months of his life. How she did this remains a mystery but like all loving mothers she was determined to protect her child from any harm. When this becomes impossible she fashions a waterproof cradle for him and hides him in the rushes where his older sister Miriam guards him from her hiding place.
Here he was discovered by a woman with the regal authority to protect him and who shows as much compassion as his birth mother. Through the courage of his sister Moses is returned to his mother to be weaned in the knowledge that Pharaoh’s daughter will keep the wolf from their door. This could have been the happy ending in another story but the day came when Moses was to be handed over to this foster mother and what a sad day it must have been for this family; to see the son and brother taken from them, away from his own people and his true identity and given into the hands of their enemy.
This same thread of maternal separation is to be found also in the early chapters of Luke’s gospel. It comes in the middle of a happy family celebration.
Jesus is taken into the temple as an infant by his proud parents to fulfil their religious obligations. He is presented with the small offering that they could afford to give thanks for his birth and here they meet two godly characters, Anna and Simeon. Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and blesses him which must have been a great joy for Mary and Joseph but then he warns Mary of the pain that will come to her in the years to come through the ministry of her son. The description Luke uses is graphic: ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too’. The future holds suffering for this child Jesus and Mary too will know her own agony as she stands at the foot of the cross and witnesses the brutal death that is visited upon him.
Motherhood brings great joy but love has a cost too and other mothers have known some of this pain; with sons and daughters who did not return from their tour of duty or suffered terminal illness or a sudden accident. Mothers have known the cost of their mothering love in many ways but also the deep joy and delight in their children.
We know ourselves to be God’s children and while we are invited to address him as our Father he also nurtures and cares for us as a mother too. He delights in us and watches over us throughout our lives; he nourishes us with his word and shows us the best ways to live for ourselves and for others. He picks us up and dusts us down when we fall. Those who have known love in their lives are able to demonstrate that same love to others and we who have been touched by the love of God are equipped to share that love with others. Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth touches on these things when he says just as we have known the consolation of God so we too may show that same gift to others.
In these days of national concern about the corona virus we are being encouraged to show heightened concern for our neighbours and friends. We are well aware that panic and maybe even self-interest has led people to take far more food than they need leaving those who come later to go without but we may not be so aware of the kind acts and initiatives that are striving to reach out to help others. Maybe on this mothering Sunday we might consider anyone we might know who might welcome a friendly call over the next few weeks or any other practical help we may be able to offer. In our prayers let us hold before God those who will be caring for the sick and taking care to the vulnerable in our communities and for all whose work is essential to the health of our nation.
As we look to a happier future let us recall the special prayer for Mothering Sunday:
God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:
strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.


Maple Alley Inn
*Please note: the location for meals cooked on Wednesdays and Thursday has been changed to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Old Parish Hall (2117 Walnut Street, Bellingham) while renovations are being made to improve the kitchen facilities at Faith Lutheran Church.
Prepares and serves hot, home cooked meals on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Old Parish Hall (2117 Walnut Street, Bellingham).
(360) 734-5121 (Whatcom County)
Click one of the following links for more information about food and meal resources in Whatcom County.


To gain the axiom-edge,
Business advice from the BibleProverbs
Faith, Hope & The Global Economy: A Power For Good by Richard Higginson (ISBN: 978-1-84474-580-7)
An excellent book in the "Faith at Work" series. Through many biblical reflections and consideration of economic activity through the years - from the beginning of the earth until now - Richard shows how God's principles for living have a positive impact on business. Hope is a very constructive and powerful concept and Richard's book discusses hope in various situations covered by different chapters:
By reference to current events, Richard demonstrates how far some organisations have moved from their roots but illustrates helpfully how some of the new evolving business structures can help redress the situation.
The book is accessible by those with faith and those without and shows through many examples how Christians, motivated by God's call upon them to work in business, have had a positive impact on the world about them.
|Website and content copyright (c) Axiom-e Limited 2001-08
axiom-e...the Strategic Financial Management Consultancy
97 Brewery Road, Pampisford, Cambridge CB22 3EW United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1223 839579 Fax: +44 (0)1223 839581 Email: email@example.com


Hey Outtatowners! We're giving you helpful tidbits of information to help you prepare for Outtatown over seven different posts. All of the topics were suggested by students from previous years; what to bring, how to pack, and what you can expect from the Outtatown experience. Make sure to check out the answers and post your own questions on our Facebook or Instagram posts!
Instruction and learning happen through a variety of ways; classroom sessions, living in community, and experiences. Here are some of the topics that you can expect to focus on throughout first semester:
- In classroom sessions, get ready to learn about: the Bible, Jesus, theology, the Gospel of Mark and listening to God, how to understand God's identity and human identity, God's invitation for us into partnership in God's kingdom work, and more.
- Through the readings and assignments you’ll have opportunity to think about and explore: what it means to follow Jesus in our society today, forgiveness, and grace. You'll also explore the context, culture, and history of Guatemala as you prepare for second semester.
- By living in community with others get ready to learn about what supportive, encouraging, healthy, and honest community looks like. Discover your gifts and strengths through this opportunity.
- Through experiential learning you’ll get to discuss issues of homelessness, wealth, and poverty during your Urban Plunges in Winnipeg and Vancouver. You'll get to engage with friends and teachers from an Anishinabe First Nation and learn about Indigenous culture and history. You'll be challenged to consider how Christians are called into the reconciling work of God in Canada today.
- You'll have many opportunities to give back to camps, organizations, and your community, leading you to consider what it really means to serve those around us and what service truly is.
Got questions as you prepare? Let us know what they are by commenting on our Facebook or Instagram posts…
Check out the other tips:


Praise The Lord!
Thank you for your interest in Friendship Missionary Baptist Church!
Here at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, we are committed to serving God and lifting up the Name of Jesus Christ. You, and your family, are cordially invited to visit and worship with us. The Bible is used for practical tools for leading to a joyous, abundant, and peaceful life. Come join our church family in worship and make your visit one to remember.
At Friendship Missionary Baptist Church we believe "Everybody is Somebody and JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL!" You will find a supportive church family with a wealth of opportunities for personal devotions and spiritual growth. Look around our website and if you have any questions and/or comments, please feel free to contact us.
We aspire to strengthen each person's faith and joy in Jesus Christ - at every point in their life. We encourage personal and spiritual growth through the preached Word of God, prayer, Bible study and active service in our church and community.
We invite you to become a member of our congregation - allowing God into your life through our spirited worship,various programs and community outreach efforts. Check back for updates to our website. There is much more to come!
May God truly and richly bless you!
Download Our Church App:
Friendship Baptist Church Marion


Bible Study Bookmarker.
Begin with prayer.
Acknowledge your need of the Holy Spirit's illumination. 1 John
Make sure that all known sins are confessed fully.
1 John 1:9, Prov. 28:13
Take brief notes.
Use a notebook or journal.
Write in your Bible margins.
Read it carefully.
Beware of the battle for your mind.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Resist spiritual laziness.
Interpret it normally, historically, and
Dispensations are rules for living, NOT for salvation.
What is the main subject?
Who is speaking?
What is the key verse?
What does this teach me?
Any commands, promises, or instructions to follow?
(Individual verses, whole passages)
Meditate on it.
1 Timothy 4:15
(Through out the day, before you go to sleep)
2 Timothy 3:16,17
If you would like a bookmarker request


Here we discuss several important quotes taken from “True Devotion to The Blessed Virgin”.
In paragraph (5) St. Louis de Montfort states: “Mary is the supreme masterpiece of Almighty God and he has reserved the knowledge and possession of her for himself.” … “Mary is the sealed fountain and the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit where only he may enter. She is the sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else in the universe.” …”No creature, however pure, may enter there without being specially privileged.
In paragraph (6) St. Louis de Montfort states: “I declare with the saints: Mary is the earthly paradise of Jesus Christ the new Adam, where he became man by the power of the Holy Spirit, in order to accomplish in her wonders beyond our understanding. She is the vast and divine world of God where unutterable marvels and beauties are to be found. She is the magnificence of the Almighty where he hid his only Son, as in his own bosom, and with him everything that is most excellent and precious.”
In paragraph (7), St. Louis de Montfort states: “The saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy City of God.”… “What incomprehensible height! What indescribable breadth! What immeasurable greatness! What an impenetrable abyss!”
In summary: The Virgin Mary is the supreme masterpiece of Almighty God, the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit. The Virgin Mary is the sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine splendor than anywhere else in the universe. She is the magnificence of the Almighty where he hid his only Son, as in his own bosom, and with him everything that is most excellent and precious.
In addition, the earthly paradise, the vast and divine world of God, the holy City of God resides in the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In the Bible, the holy City of God is described in the book of the Apocalypse Chapter 21: “ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth was gone, and the sea is now no more.  And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Therefore since the Virgin Mary is the holy city of God, then she is also the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.
In the Bible, the sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity is explained in the book of the Apocalypse 22: “And he shewed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruits every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no curse any more; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him.  And they shall see his face: and his name shall be on their foreheads.  And night shall be no more: and they shall not need the light of the lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall enlighten them, and they shall reign for ever and ever.”
This Bible passage is referring to the holy city God, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It specifically states that “the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it” and in addition, the Lord God shall be its light.
In addition, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church by St. John Paul II, paragraph (2502): “This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints.”
Hence, since Mary’s Immaculate Heart is the new Jerusalem, we can now say that in Mary’s Immaculate Heart there is reflected the most pure light of the Divine Trinity where the throne of God and the Lamb resides in divine splendor.
In summary: God created Mary, His supreme masterpiece of perfection, to be the new Jerusalem and therefore all creation that is most excellent and precious is contained in her Immaculate Heart to give eternal praise with her to its Lord and Creator.
If you venerate Mary’s Immaculate Heart, you give praise to the Most Holy Trinity, which receives its greatest glory in it, because it has made of it, the holy City of God, the place of its divine delight.
In it God the Father is reflected with joy, the Word is placed therein as in a precious cradle, and the Holy Spirit burns with the purest light of his divine love.
In addition, St. Louis de Montfort states (50) part 7: ”Lastly, Mary must become as terrible as an army in battle array to the devil and his followers, especially in these latter times.”
This is mentioned in the Bible, in the Canticle of Canticles (Song of Solomon) 6:“ My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.  I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies.  Thou are beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem: terrible as an army set in array.” “ One is my dove, my perfect one is but one, she is the only one of her mother, the chosen of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and declared her most blessed: the queens and concubines, and they praised her.  Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?”
Since the Virgin Mary is “as terrible as an army set in array” as pointed out by St. Louis de Montfort, then the Virgin Mary is being referred to as “my love”, “sweet and comely as Jerusalem”. This also means that “My Beloved” is God the Holy Spirit the Spouse of the Virgin Mary as shown in, Canticle of Canticle 5:1“Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical spices: I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved.”
The “garden” that the Holy Spirit has entered into is the Holy City of God, the new Jerusalem, the heavenly garden because this is where his friends and dearly beloved will live forever. But we have previously indicated that Mary’s Immaculate Heart, is the earthly paradise, the divine world of God, the holy City of God, and the new Jerusalem.
Therefore, Mary’s Immaculate Heart is this heavenly garden.
In paragraph (25) St. Louis de Montfort states: “God the Holy Spirit entrusted his wondrous gifts to Mary, his faithful spouse, and chose her as the dispenser of all he possesses, so that she distributes all his gifts and graces to whom she wills, as much as she wills, how she wills and when she wills. No heavenly gift is given to men which does not pass through her virginal hands. Such indeed is the will of God, who has decreed that we should have all things through Mary, so that, making herself poor and lowly,, and hiding herself in the depths of nothingness during her whole life, she might be enriched, exalted and honoured by almighty God. Such are the views of the Church and the early Fathers.
Also in the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 1:  “And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?  And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
In summary: The Holy Spirit is the only Gardener within the heavenly garden of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. He has overshadowed her with his light of love, filled her with all his gifts and has made her his Spouse.
In paragraph (5) St. Louis de Montfort states: “Mary is the sealed fountain and the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit where only he may enter. No creature, however pure, may enter there without being specially privileged.”
The Virgin Mary is the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit where only He may enter. Her garden is His exclusive property where He waters the flowers and gives them divine light. It is the Holy Spirit that causes the most beautiful flowers to spring up and gives them their color and aromatic fragrance.
No creature, however pure, may enter there without being specially privileged. It is the Holy Spirit who brings into His garden whom He wills. We must realize what a great gift we have received by consecrating ourselves to Mary’s Immaculate Heart!
In paragraph (148) St. Louis de Montfort states: “Mary presents our good works to Jesus. She does not keep anything we offer for herself, as if she were our last end, but unfailingly gives everything to Jesus. So by the very fact we give anything to her, we are giving it to Jesus. Whenever we praise and glorify her, she sings today as she did on the day Elizabeth praised her, "My soul glorifies the Lord."
In paragraph (225) St. Louis de Montfort states: “Lastly, you never think of Mary without Mary thinking of God for you. You never praise or honour Mary without Mary joining you in praising and honouring God.”
We should venerate the Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Heart because if you venerate Mary’s Heart, you give praise to the Most Holy Trinity, which receives its greatest glory in it, because it has made of this, her heavenly garden, the place of its divine delight.
If you venerate Mary’s Immaculate Heart, you also give praise to your heavenly Mother because within it is enfolded the mystery of her predilection and of the privileges of grace with which she has been adorned by God. And thus you also venerate her singular privileges of the Immaculate Conception, of the divine motherhood, of the bodily assumption into heaven, of the fullness of grace and of perpetual virginity. Enter into this heavenly garden by way of her heart so that you may understand and delight in the divine masterpiece which is your heavenly Mother.
If you love Mary’s Heart, you become clothed with her motherly love and her immaculate mercy. In the depths of her Immaculate Heart, there takes place the wonder which she accomplishes every day with you in order to make you ever more like herself and to transform your soul into the image of her own soul.
She also communicates her spirit to you in order that you may truly grow in her life and become, today, the expression of the presence of your heavenly Mother. She forms you in purity of mind, of heart and of body; and thus, you will spread about you the brightness of her immaculate light. She gives gentleness to your way of acting, so that you may be good and merciful to all.
If you offer reparation to the sorrow of Mary’s Immaculate Heart, you become a source of great joy and consolation for her, because through you she is able to take action in her secret plan. St. Louis de Montfort explains what this plan consists of:
157 “…Lastly, He who is deigned to come down to us who are not and turned our nothingness into God, or He who is. He did this perfectly by giving and submitting himself entirely to the young Virgin Mary, without ceasing to be in time He who is from all eternity. Likewise it is through Mary that we, who are nothing, may become like God by grace and glory. We accomplish this by giving ourselves to her so perfectly and so completely as to remain nothing, as far as self is concerned, and to be everything in her, without any fear of illusion.’”
Hence, St. Louis de Montfort states that Jesus Christ gave and submitted Himself entirely to the Virgin Mary. St. Louis de Montfort also explains what it means to give yourself entirely to Mary.
121. “This devotion consists in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her. It requires us to give: (1) Our body with its senses and members; (2) Our soul with its faculties; (3) Our present material possessions and all we shall acquire in the future; (4) Our interior and spiritual possessions, that is, our merits, virtues and good actions of the past, the present and the future. ”
124. “It follows then that anyone who in this way consecrates and sacrifices himself voluntarily to Jesus through Mary may no longer dispose of the value of any of his good actions. All his sufferings, all his thoughts, words, and deeds belong to Mary. She can then dispose of them in accordance with the will of her Son and for his greater glory.”
St. Louis de Montfort states that Jesus Christ gave Himself entirely to the Virgin Mary by offering all of His sufferings to her which includes His suffering on the Cross. Mary’s presence at the foot of the Cross shows us that Jesus desired to unite the Mother of God completely to all of His great sufferings at the time of His passion and death for us.
St. Louis de Montfort is saying that the pain of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was the altar on which Jesus offered to the Father the Sacrifice of the new and eternal Covenant. By Jesus Christ offering to His Father all of His sufferings through and with the Virgin Mary and by Mary offering her Son freely to the Father, she became true Co-redemptrix.
This is why in 1985, Pope John Paul II recognized Mary as co-redemptrix" during a speech in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He said, in part, "Having suffered for the Church, Mary deserved to become the Mother of all the disciples of her Son, the Mother of their unity...In fact Mary’s role as Co-redemptrix did not cease with the glorification of her Son.”: “Inside the Vatican," 1997-JUL, Page 23; as cited in Reference 3.
Jesus is the only Redeemer because He alone is the mediator between God and men. However, by God’s Will, we who have been redeemed can co-operate with Him in His redemptive work as St. Paul explains to the Colossians, 1:24: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church.”
The Virgin Mary is the perfect model of our co-operation in the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus Christ.
In paragraph 175, St. Louis de Montfort states that at the time of Noah, immediately before the flood, those whom the Lord destined to survive his terrible chastisement entered into the ark.
175. “Blessed, indeed, are those Christians who bind themselves faithfully and completely to her as to a secure anchor! The violent storms of the world will not make them founder or carry away their heavenly riches. Blessed are those who enter into her as into another Noah's ark!”
Hence, in these times, the Blessed Virgin Mary is inviting all her beloved children to enter into the Ark of the New Covenant which she has built in her Immaculate Heart for us, that we may be assisted by her to carry the bloody burden of the great trial that precedes the coming of the day of the Lord.
The Virgin Mary is Mediatrix of all Graces as explained by St. Louis de Montfort:
25. “God the Holy Spirit entrusted his wondrous gifts to Mary, his faithful spouse, and chose her as the dispenser of all he possesses, so that she distributes all his gifts and graces to whom she wills, as much as she wills, how she wills and when she wills. No heavenly gift is given to men which does not pass through her virginal hands. Such indeed is the will of God, who has decreed that we should have all things through Mary, so that, making herself poor and lowly,, and hiding herself in the depths of nothingness during her whole life, she might be enriched, exalted and honoured by almighty God. Such are the views of the Church and the early Fathers.”
In addition, whatever the Virgin Mary asks for, she obtains because Jesus can never say no to what she requests from Him as St. Louis de Montfort explains. Hence, the Mother of God is suppliant omnipotence.
27. “Since grace enhances our human nature and glory adds a still greater perfection to grace, it is certain that our Lord remains in heaven just as much the Son of Mary as he was on earth. Consequently he has retained the submissiveness and obedience of the most perfect of all children towards the best of all mothers. We must take care, however, not to consider this dependence as an abasement or imperfection in Jesus Christ. For Mary, infinitely inferior to her Son, who is God, does not command him in the same way as an earthly mother would command her child who is beneath her. Since she is completely transformed in God by that grace and glory which transforms all the saints in him, she does not ask or wish or do anything which is contrary to the eternal and changeless will of God. When therefore we read in the writings of Saint Bernard, Saint Bernardine, Saint Bonaventure, and others that all in heaven and on earth, even God himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that the authority which God was pleased to give her is so great that she seems to have the same power as God. Her prayers and requests are so powerful with him that he accepts them as commands in the sense that he never resists his dear mother's prayer because it is always humble and conformed to his will.”
Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is imperative in order to enter the Kingdom of God as St. Louis de Montfort explains. Which means, if you had not consecrated yourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary while living on earth, you will do so in purgatory.
39. “Secondly, we must conclude that, being necessary to God by a necessity which is called "hypothetical", (that is, because God so willed it), the Blessed Virgin is all the more necessary for men to attain their final end. Consequently we must not place devotion to her on the same level as devotion to the other saints as if it were merely something optional.”
40. “The pious and learned Jesuit, Suarez, Justus Lipsius, a devout and erudite theologian of Louvain, and many others have proved incontestably that devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to attain salvation.”
Next we will explain the Virgin Mary’s secret plan.
47. “I said that this will happen especially towards the end of the world, and indeed soon, because Almighty God and his holy Mother are to raise up great saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs. This has been revealed to a holy soul whose life has been written by M. de Renty.”
48. “These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides. They will be exceptionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin. Illumined by her light, strengthened by her food, guided by her spirit, supported by her arm, sheltered under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build with the other. With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness. With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon and the mystical city of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Fathers of the Church the Temple of Solomon and the City of God. By word and example they will draw all men to a true devotion to her and though this will make many enemies, it will also bring about many victories and much glory to God alone. This is what God revealed to St. Vincent Ferrer, that outstanding apostle of his day, as he has amply shown in one of his works. This seems to have been foretold by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 58: "The Lord will reign in Jacob and all the ends of the earth. They will be converted towards evening and they will be as hungry as dogs and they will go around the city to find something to eat." This city around which men will roam at the end of the world seeking conversion and the appeasement of the hunger they have for justice is the most Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Holy Spirit the City of God.”
Now that we know that Psalm 58 refers to the City of God, which is the Immaculate Heart of Mary, let us read Psalm 58 starting at verse 12: “Scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord, my protector:  For the sin of their mouth, and the word of their lips: and let them be taken in their pride. And for their cursing and lying they shall be talked of,  When they are consumed: when they are consumed by thy wrath, and they shall be no more. And they shall know that God will rule Jacob, and all the ends of the earth.  They shall return at evening and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.  They shall be scattered abroad to eat, and shall murmur if they be not filled.  But I will sing thy strength: and will extol thy mercy in the morning. For thou art become my support, and my refuge, in the day of my trouble.  Unto thee, O my helper, will I sing, for thou art God my defense: my God my mercy.”
To summarize paragraph 48 by St. Louis de Montfort, God by His Divine Mercy has provided a refuge for His children, Mary’s Immaculate Heart, the City of God, into which all must now enter to escape God’s wrath. We must all enter immediately into the safe refuge of Mary’s Immaculate Heart!
Jesus Christ is forming HIs City, the City of God, by means of the powerful action of the Holy Spirit and in the garden of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is the new Jerusalem, the new Church of Light, which has a splendor greater than a thousand suns! It is being formed in the hearts of the simple, of the little, of the pure, of the poor, of those who know how to receive and follow Jesus Christ with perfect docility, without any compromise with the spirit of the world. Jesus Christ is building His new Church in a way that is invisible and utterly mysterious in silence, in hiddenness, in prayer, in simplicity as the Bible points out:
Gospel of St. Luke 17:  “And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.”
St. Louis also explains that In the “latter times” the Most Holy Trinity has entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of May the task of preparing the Church and all humanity to live with confidence the hour of the great tribulation, which prepares you for the glorious return of Christ as explained in paragraph 50.
(50) “In these latter times Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church”.
So what does it mean to be consecrated?
As explained in our catechism, when a person is consecrated, they are being called by God to render Him perfect worship and are removed from all uses other than the sacred one they have been assigned. Therefore, your true act of consecration is that of baptism. By this sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ, grace is communicated to you placing you in an order of life higher than your own natural life, that is to say, the supernatural life. Through this sacrament you enter into a communion of love with God and your actions now have a value that exceeds human nature because they have a value which is truly divine.
After a person is baptized, they are able to give perfect glorification to the Most Holy Trinity and are now consecrated to live in the love of the Father, in the imitation of the Son, and in full communion with the Holy Spirit.
St. Louis de Montfort reveals that consecration to the Blessed Virgin is the perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy baptism:
73. “… Before we were baptised we were the slaves of the devil, but baptism made us the slaves of Jesus. Christians can only be slaves of the devil or slaves of Christ.
120. “As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites, and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God's creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus. That is why perfect consecration to Jesus is but a perfect and complete consecration of oneself to the Blessed Virgin, which is the devotion I teach; or in other words, it is the perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy baptism.”
When the Virgin Mary asks you for the consecration to her Immaculate Heart, it is to make you understand that you must completely entrust yourselves to her, in a total and everlasting way, that she may dispose of you according to the Will of God.
The fact that characterizes the act of consecration is its totality: when you are consecrated you are then wholly so, and forever! You must entrust yourselves in a manner that is complete, giving her everything; you should not give her one thing and hold on to another, for yourselves; you should truly be wholly hers. And then you should entrust yourselves to her not on one day yes and on another day no, or for a period of time, but forever!
As St. Louis de Montfort says:
101 “…Because of their fickleness they are unworthy to be included among the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary's servants. It is better not to burden ourselves with a multitude of prayers and pious practices but rather adopt only a few and perform them with love and perseverance in spite of opposition from the devil the world and the flesh.”
For example, say frequently throughout the day and especially each time you start a new task, this prayer fashioned after paragraphs 257 and 259 by St. Louis de Montfort: “Mary, I renounce my own spirit, my own view, and my own will, and I give myself up entirely to you, to be moved and directed as you wish.”
It is to emphasize this important aspect of a complete and lasting dedication to your heavenly Mother that she asks for the consecration to her Immaculate Heart.
So, why should we be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? St. Louis de Montfort explains this in paragraph 243:
243 “Loving slaves of Jesus in Mary should hold in high esteem devotion to Jesus, the Word of God, in the great mystery of the Incarnation, March 25th, which is the mystery proper to this devotion, because it was inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Hence, to understand why the Mother of God is asking us to consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart, we need to consider the ineffable moment of the Annunciation made by the Archangel Gabriel, sent by God to receive Mary’s yes for the realization of his eternal plan of redemption and for the great mystery of the Incarnation of the Word in Mary’s virginal womb.
The Word of the Father was entrusted completely to her, in love. After her yes, He came down into her virginal womb.
He was entrusted to her in his divinity. The Eternal Word, Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, after the incarnation, was received and hidden in the tiny dwelling, miraculously prepared by the Holy Spirit, of her virginal womb.
He was entrusted to her in his humanity, in a manner as profound as the way any son is entrusted to the mother, from whom everything is expected: blood, flesh, breath, food, love to enable him to grow in her womb each day, and then, after birth, each year, always close to the mother.
And Mary is intimately associated with her Son Jesus: She collaborates with Him in his work of salvation, during his infancy, his adolescence, his thirty years of hidden life at Nazareth, his public ministry; during his sorrowful passion and up to the Cross where she offered and suffered with Him, receiving his last words of love and sorrow, in which she is given to humanity as true Mother.
We must imitate Jesus Christ in his complete reliance on his heavenly Mother. For this reason, Mary asks you to offer yourselves to her with your consecration. She will be an attentive Mother for you, concerned to make you grow in God’s plan, to realize in your lives the vocation you have been called. She will bring you each day to an ever better imitation of Jesus, who must be your only model and your greatest love. You will be true instruments, faithful collaborators in his redemption.
When you suffer, Mary suffers. When you rejoice, Mary rejoices. When you are good and you love her, she jumps for joy!
When you consecrate yourself to Mary’s Immaculate Heart you are hers, you belong to her. At every moment you must be just as she would have you be; at every moment you must do just what she would have you do. Do not be afraid, she will always be near you! She will prepare you for great things, but little by little as a mother does with her child. Remain ever close to her Heart in prayer. Nothing else should be of interest or importance to you save living with her and for her.
You will then see how all things of this world appear remote and hazy to you; how everything wearies and bores you; everything else that is not Mary your Mother, who wants you whole and entire at every moment with her. Learn to let yourself be possessed by her, so that, in everything you do, it will be her who is doing it through you. It is so necessary that it be the Mother who acts; and she wants to act through you. You will have to suffer more, but courage! Mary will always be with you and you will delight as no one else in the sweetness of her motherly Heart!
Only in Mary’s Immaculate Heart is the source of your security. Here you are trained by Mary in prayer, because this is the weapon with which you must fight. Pray more. Pray always. Every action of yours must truly be a prayer. Recite the holy rosary with love and joy.
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart you are being helped by her to suffer. And now, the cradle of Mary’s Immaculate Heart becomes an altar, upon which she immolates you each day, in order to appease divine justice and that the mercy of God may descend, like a rain, to renew the world. Here you are, above all, being formed by Mary to the perfection of love. She wants to love with your heart, to gaze with your eyes, to console and encourage with your lips, to assist with your hands, to walk with your feet, to follow your bloodied footprints and to suffer with your crucified body.
In paragraph 144, St. Louis de Montfort states that St. John the Apostle was consecrated to Mary.
(144) “…Just as one who is consecrated belongs entirely to Mary, so Mary belongs entirely to him. We can truthfully say of this perfect servant and child of Mary what St. John in his gospel says of himself, "He took her for his own."
St. Louis de Montfort is specifically saying that St. John the apostle consecrated himself to the Virgin Mary at the moment when Jesus said in the Gospel of St. John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son.  After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.”
St. Louis de Montfort also says that in the latter times there will be “great saints” who will be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and so they will be in the spirit of St. John the Apostle as explained in the following paragraphs.
(35) “…Together with the Holy Spirit Mary produced the greatest thing that ever was or ever will be: a God-man. She will consequently produce the marvels which will be seen in the latter times. The formation and the education of the great saints who will come at the end of the world are reserved to her, for only this singular and wondrous virgin can produce in union with the Holy Spirit singular and wondrous things.”
(57) “They will be like thunder-clouds flying through the air at the slightest breath of the Holy Spirit. Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, troubled at nothing, they will shower down the rain of God's word and of eternal life. They will thunder against sin, they will storm against the world, they will strike down the devil and his followers and for life and for death, they will pierce through and through with the two-edged sword of God's word all those against whom they are sent by Almighty God.”
This explains why Jesus said to St. Peter that he will have St. John remain until he returns because the “great saints” of the latter years will be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary just as St. John the apostle was.
Gospel of St. John 21:21 “Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: Lord, and what shall this man do?  Jesus saith to him: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? follow thou me.  This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. And Jesus did not say to him: He should not die; but, So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee?  This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things, and hath written these things; and we know that his testimony is true.”
Also St. John the Apostle was told that he “must prophesy again” in the Apocalypse 10:11 “And he said to me: Thou must prophesy again to many nations, and peoples, and tongues, and kings.”
Also in the Gospel of St. Matthew 16:28 "Amen I say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
As well in the Gospel of St. Mark 8:39 "And he said to them: Amen I say to you, that there are some of them that stand here, who shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God coming in power."
And in the Gospel of St. Luke 9:27 “But I tell you of a truth: There are some standing here that shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God.” Hence, all who are consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are in the spirit of St. John the Apostle.


I have never been one to struggle with my identity. Before I had a child I knew that I was emotionally strong, a critical thinker, and a Christ believer. It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first child that my identity was truly challenged. You see, I was pregnant and then all of a sudden I wasn’t. This story didn’t end with a beautiful bouncing baby like I thought. It ended in tragedy. It ended in a miscarriage.
My identity before I lost our little Peach was emotionally strong (check), a critical thinker (check), a strong believer (double check), and now a mommy. When I stared at that ultrasound screen with tears welling up in my eyes and the silence of the ultrasound tech ringing deafeningly in my ears, my identity was dissolved. Who am I? I was weak, so weak. Weaker than I’d ever been in my life. Depressed? That would have been a nice vacation from how I felt. I couldn’t begin to possibly explain the how or why this was happening to me. I questioned God. I was angry, so angry. Why, me?! Every minute was spent reflecting on what could have been. The child that I could have had. The pregnancy that I lost. I was not going to be a mama.
I was lost. For a long time I couldn’t get through the day without crying. I remember one church service the pastor was talking about joy, and why we as Christians should be joyful. I remember sitting in my seat filled with anger and sadness and shaking. Joyful? Joyful for what? How can I possibly find joy when I am in such despair?
So, there I was lost. Lost in my grief and lost in myself. After crying to my aunt one day she asked me, “how do you eat an elephant?” to which I stuttered through tears “one bite at a time.” That’s exactly how I went through my grief. One day at a time. She also gave me my favorite bible verse: Joshua 1:9. That verse says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go.” Strong and courageous. That stuck with me. I stopped trying so hard to put the pieces of my life back together myself. I stopped trying to pin down my new identity. I had to take it one day at a time. I leaned on my family and friends. I started talking to God again everyday. Slowly (very slowly) I felt stronger.
Fast forward almost two years later and I can rest comfortably in my identity. Yes, I am a critical thinker. Yes, I am a believer in Christ. Yes, I am a mom who has lost a baby. But, above all else. I am strong and courageous.


"Music is such a powerful instrument…When people begin to sing, something happens." - Pastor Daniel Mutibwa, Director, Neema Children’s Choir
The 16 members of Uganda’s Neema Children’s Choir (ages 7-16) radiate such infectious smiles and contagious enthusiasm, you might not realize the incomprehensive hardships that they’ve experienced. When their guardian, Pentecostal Pastor and Choir Director Daniel Mutibwa, established his church, he was moved by the number of neighbourhood children who had really sad stories to tell. “Most of the children, aged three to four years, were from a slum area of Kampala called Line, behind Uganda Clays,” recounted Mutibwa to Mathias Mazinga of Saturday Vision. "The place is notorious for prostitution, alcohol and drug abuse. I discovered that some were homeless orphans, whose parents had died from HIV/AIDS. Others came from poverty-stricken homes, while others had just been abandoned, or abused and thrown out of their homes by drug-addicted parents. One of them was rescued after he was stabbed with a knife by his step-mother and thrown on a garbage heap, bleeding,” says Mutibwa.
“As a church, we decided to start a children’s ministry, which we called Kingdom Child Project, to look after these destitute children. We took them to school and provided for their material needs. Later, we realised that a number of them could sing and wanted to express their pain and deliverance through music. So, we organised them into a 40-member group, named Neema Children’s Choir,” adds Mutibwa. (Neema is Swahili for divine grace.)Today, there are 150 needy children under Mutibwa’s care. He has built a primary school, Saving Grace Academy. The children live in a home called Naioth (the place of rejuvenation) Children’s Home, Kajjansi. Mutibwa has also acquired 20 acres of land at Naluwembe, Mpigi district, where he plans to set up a multi-purpose centre for the children.


Thursday, March 13, 2008
Lord, You are the vine, and I am a branch. I want to abide in You and You in me, so that I will bear much fruit, for without You, I can do nothing ... If I abide in You, and Your words abide in me, I will ask what I desire, and it shall be done for me. I pray that Your desires will be my desires; that Your Word will be held close in my heart. By this Our Father is glorified, that I bear much fruit, so I will be Your disciple. Thank You for loving me and accepting me as Your child and disciple. I pray that I will always remain full of Your joy and love others as You have loved me. (Based on John 15:5-12). In Your name I pray, amen.


Cook Library provides a public "LAN" computer equipped with additional equipment and software for those who experience difficulty using conventional computer equipment:
This computer terminal is kept in a generic configuration. If you need assistance in configuring it for your exact needs, please speak to a member of the library staff and they will assist you. If you find that this computer needs something to better fulfill its intended function, please speak to the Interim Library Director and he will work to acquire the necessary software or equipment.
Cook Library provides our patrons access to a state of the art document magnifier and viewer.
If you need assistance in using this machine, or in setting up your reading material, please speak to a member of the library staff.
Cook Library supports the mission of Western Theological Seminary by being the center for access to biblical, theological, and ministry information resources for students, faculty, and alumni of Western Theological Seminary and the West Michigan community.


|Methodist Cemetery, Tuckerton, NJ. (John H. Yates 2010)|
Methodist Cemetery -- Corner of North Green and Church Streets
This small cemetery dates from the early 19th century and was part of the first Methodist Church grounds. It is the burial grounds of many early settlers. A large obelisk marks the final resting place of the Honorable Ebenezer Tucker, the area's most prominent 19th century citizen, for whom Tuckerton was named.


February 21 – Morning
“He hath said.”
If we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is there which shall not fall smitten with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God’s covenant? Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will not the corruptions within, and the snares without; will not the trials from above, and the temptations from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark of “He hath said”? Yes; whether for delight in our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, “He hath said” must be our daily resort. And this may teach us the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand. There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopoeia of Scripture, and you may yet continue sick unless you will examine and search the Scriptures to discover what “He hath said.” Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with the promises of God? You can recollect the sayings of great men; you treasure up the verses of renowned poets; ought you not to be profound in your knowledge of the words of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? Since “He hath said” is the source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you richly, as “A well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.” So shall you grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life.
More Posts for Show: Morning & Evening


Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are commissioned by St. Teresa parish, under the guidelines of the Archdiocese of New York, to assist at Mass in distributing the Eucharist, as well as bringing the Eucharist to the homebound and infirm. If you are called to this beautiful ministry, speak with one of the priests for information and training. For more information, please contact Dawn Twomey, Parish Manager, in the rectory at 718-442-5412.
There is a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel on the grounds of
where our Lord is present 24 hours a day?
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available every Monday through Friday
from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm at Saint Christopher's Church
130 Midland Avenue, Grant City.
Regularly scheduled adorers are needed. If you are interested, please call Saint Christopher's Rectory at 718-351-2452.


Below is the message entitled “Don’t Look at the Lack but the Blessing” preached by Pastor Rickey A. Smith, Sr. on Sunday, May 2, 2010. They dynamic message will truly bless you.
Category: Pastor Smith
Pastor Rickey A. Smith, Sr. of the Zion Baptist Church, Hagerstown, MD preaches an encouraging sermon entitle “Stretchable But Not Breakable”. God does not break his people, He stretches them. If you stretch forth your life to Him, He will stretch you, mold you, and form you into the image of Jesus Christ.
We pray you are blessed by the message below. To support the Zion Baptist Church ministry, please visit our website at www.ZBC61.org.
Pastor Rickey A. Smith, Sr. preaching on Sunday, May 2, 2010.
In this message Pastor Smith preaches that even when we feel we cannot make it on our own, we can ask God to order our footsteps. Even when we are in a desert place, as Jesus and His disciples where when He feed the 5000, God is supplying our needs. In our desert place, we can praise the Lord for his loving-kindness and mercy, because in THAT place, Jesus is there. Don’t look at the lack in your circumstance; look for the Lord and to the Lord. He is there.
The Installation Service for Pastor Rickey Smith will be held on Sunday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m. at the Zion Baptist Church. Please send all wishes of blessing to 61 West Bethel Street, Hagerstown MD 21740.


Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-19
This month I've been attending a Wednesday night Bible study about Advent, the season of preparing for Jesus' birth. I suppose we are preparing for the preparing, heh.
At the beginning of tonight's meeting, our pastor Jason welcomed us, led us in prayer, and then said, "We'll get started in about two minutes." He sat on the edge of the desk, and after about ten seconds of uncomfortable silence someone piped up with a question unrelated to the study. After answering the question, Jason pointed out what terrible "waiters" we are. We weren't able to just wait for the session to begin...we had to be doing something. This led into a discussion of the fact that when we can't control our circumstances, the only thing we can control is our response to them.
As an example, Jason was talking about the frustrations of air travel. (Amen.) He mentioned a mission trip that we took to Mexico in 2006, which involved opportunities to give thanks for all kinds of unforeseen circumstances, or to feel angry and put-upon if one were so inclined. This trip included flight delays, missed connections, an emergency landing because of smoke in the cockpit, and a flat tire on our 15-passenger hoopty rental van, out in the middle of nowhere. The first Spanish word many of us learned was "flexibilidad" and as a group I think we did a pretty good job with the concept.
I got to thinking about how those experiences, unpleasant as they were in the moment, made for amazing bonding within our group. Some of my favorite memories of the trip wouldn't have happened if everything had gone according to our plans instead of according to God's will. I find that that happens often when I travel: The unexpected inconvenience, detour, or change in plans often results in some joyful surprise that just may be the highlight of the journey.
Isn't that generally true of our whole lives? We believe we know what is best for us, and we despair when our best-laid plans go awry, when relationships end painfully, when babies don't arrive as easily as we had expected, when whatever we thought we needed is yanked away. My life is full of those unanswered prayers, and when I look back I thank God for his infinite mercy in guiding me to where He wants me. I hear all the time the saying, "When God close a door, He opens a window." I think that in most cases, that window was always there but we were too busy clawing at the door to see it.
Not surprisingly, my children are the area of my life where this rings most true. Adoption was not part of our original plan, and raising children with special needs was certainly not part of the plan. I will not say that I have never grieved for a more "normal" or easier parenting experience, because that would just be a lie, but I will say that I wouldn't trade my children or our life together for anything. If you've never read Emily Perl Kingsley's "Welcome to Holland," it's about as perfect a summation of those feelings as I could imagine.
I know that God has equipped me for this task, but sometimes I forget. OK, LOTS of times I forget. I fully believe that some of the toughest parts of raising these amazing, challenging little people may give rise to the most precious moments of the journey. I pray that God will lend me the wisdom and patience to wait joyfully and be thankful even in the circumstances that wear on my very last nerve.


Come as you are and experience what God has for you, in a comfortable and inviting environment, every Sunday at the times below.
11:00 AM 24 N. Chapel St. Waukegan, IL 60085
1:30 PM 24 N. Chapel St. Waukegan, IL 60085
11 AM 1730 Lewis Ave. North Chicago, IL 60064
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our music is dynamic and expressive. You also might see some people raising their hands as a biblical expression of worshipping God. Followed by worship, we dive into the Word of God and provide practical ways to live empowered and victorious lives.
We have a deep passion to reach people with the hope of Christ. We believe that the power of Christ can transform every life. Vertical Encounter is a place of healing, restoration, and second chances. You are invited to visit with us this weekend for practical teaching, great music, an exciting kids program, and an empowering church experience.
- Worship experience is typically about 75 minutes, including 3 songs, a Biblical message, and a time of prayer and reflection at the end.
- Fill out a connection card and drop it in the offering or at the welcome table.
- Visit our welcome table for a free gift and more information about us.
- Meet the pastor and our team. We’d love to meet you!
- Party with the Pastors every first Sunday of each month.


Giovanni Cimabue (1240-1302)
Giovanni Cimabue - was born in Florence in 1240 and died in Florence in 1302. Considered to be the first great artist of the Early Renaissance, and the mentor of floretine painter Giotto.
Cimabue was trained in the art of painting by several Byzantine masters working on the decoration of the Gondi chapel, situated next to the principal chapel of Santa Maria Novella. Young Cimabue is said to have started imitating the "fine antique style of Greece" in the arts, but vastly improving that art and lifting it far above its level.
Vasari cites, among the works for which Cimabue was famed, the "altar dossal at St. Cecilia, a panel of the Madonna in Santa Croce." His success advanced through panel and fresco projects in Florence, in the convent of Santa Croce and especially in Assissi, where he painted frescos in the Lower and Upper Churches of San Francesco, in the vaults above the choir, where he placed the Four Evangelists, and on the north wall, where he depicted scenes from the lives of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of St. Francis, as well as of the Madonna (Death, Assumption, Enthroning).
He pushed forth the technique of the fresco through personal innovations in color and composition, as well as through using models (Vasari says "painting from nature") for his portraiture of St. Francis, for instance, which was unusual in his time. Much of the frescoes Cimabue authored have been worned out by dust and chipping, but the remnants, especially the slightly better protected vaults) are edifying for his superior skills and diligence.
Cimabue's project at San Francesco was completed by his student Giotto. Later, in his work on a giant Madonna on a panel for Santa Maria Novell in Florence, Cimabue started drafting the accompanying angels in forms that were new, modern, although the composition was still Byzantine. He received, Vasari notes, high praise for that accomplishment, the Madonna panel being visited later by King Charles of Anjou himself in his passing through Florence.


Merry Christmas Everyone!! I’ve been enjoying my holiday away from the computer, but I just couldn’t help but share this story of Christmas as told through the eyes of a child. So precious and so necessary to share with our children at this time of year.
Thank you Stephanie, wishing you & yours all the best this holiday season! Wish I could reach out and hug you right now.
I stumbled across this inspiring prayer from Illuminata: A Return to Prayer and thought you might find it as … uplifting, relevant, and sublime as I do.
Dear God, I give this day to You.
May my mind stay centered on the things of spirit.
May I not be tempted to stray from love.
As I begin this day, I open to receive You.
Please enter where You already abide.
May my mind and heart be pure and true, and may I not deviate
from the things of goodness.
May I see the love and innocence in all mankind, behnd the masks
we all wear and the illusion of this worldly plane.
I surrender to You my doings this day.
I ask only that they serve You and the healing of the world.
May I bring Yourlove and goodness with me, to give unto others
wherever I go.
Make me the person You would have me to be.
Direct my footsteps, and show me what You would have me to do.
Make the world a safer, more beautiful place.
Bless all Your creatures.
Heal us all, and use me, dear Lord, that I might know the joy of being
used by You. Amen.
I hope it helps you, as it has helped me, to fill your days with love, patience, compassion and understanding ~ not only with your children, but with all of whom you come in contact. I’ve been stealing away a few quiet moments for myself each morning to think on this prayer an what it means to me. I’ve had extraordinary results in my home and believe sometimes all it takes to get the day moving in the right direction is a gentle reminder of all that we can achieve if we can just focus and concentrate on the moment we’re in Now.
“It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are thieves who rob us of today.”
“So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less.”
“Life must be lived as we go along.”
What a perfect motivation for Spring 2009, I’ll have no problem keeping up the eating ice cream and going barefoot part of the deal. I’m even looking forward to swimming in more rivers (although mine might be swimming pools) and laughing ALOT more, The part I’ll be working on this season, letting go of dread and regret. How about you? Ready to take a leap of faith and enjoy your life?
A brief moment for reflection and praise in honor of springtime- courtesy of all these wonderful folks on Flickr