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Day 5 - The Distraction of Dallas "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message). Have you been to Dallas lately? It is a large metropolis woven together by intertwining highways, toll roads, and boulevards. Navigating around the city is nearly impossible without the support of a dependable GPS and an alert co-pilot. On a recent visit to Dallas, I had to endure the infamous spiral of confusing interchanges. Even with advanced navigational tools and a dedicated co-pilot, we were always heading in the wrong direction. Recalculating, Recalculating—the GPS sounded like a broken record. To intensify the challenge of the roadways, there was a plethora of fast-weaving motorists, making every move feel like a near-death experience. Our first morning out, a car came out of nowhere, smashed into our vehicle, and jarred everyone. We were nearly pushed into the next lane and had to swerve to avoid colliding with a second vehicle. By the grace of God, the cars involved in the accident were able to pull onto the shoulder. We assessed the well-being of each other as the heavy traffic whizzed by on the left-hand side making it impossible for the driver to open her door. After a moment of strategizing, she gathered her license and registration, crawled over the console, and exited from the passenger side. Before long, a policeman pulled in. After checking on our welfare, he had the drivers exchange the necessary information and sent us on our way. We arrived at our destination late, a bit shaken, but thankful no one was injured. Later, I reflected on our treacherous ordeal. I realized that my life before the slow-down of COVID 19 was much like driving on that Dallas freeway. I spent my days racing from place to place, weaving through challenging roadblocks, constantly shifting focus, and changing directions. My demands, obligations, and schedule were so tight that when a detour or an accident caused a delay, I found myself annoyed and frustrated. Ironically, God often used those inconveniences to get me to slow down, to be still, and to draw near to Him.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/675637991229479/permalink/1553693136757289/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v What did the late Henri Nouwen mean when he said: “if you are willing to listen from your broken (place) you will be able to allow something new to come forth in you. “ Do you agree? Why (not)? Could it be that embracing your own brokenness would allow something new to happen in your life? What part of our community do you find broken? How could we address it and make something new/better?

This comes to you "hot off the press" because we have concluded our Thursday evening Bible Study led by our Chief Vision Keeper, Dr. Herbert Fenner. The subject of study is Spiritual Growth and Maturity which is necessary for all believers in Jesus Christ. What is Spiritual Growth? It is the process of becoming more like Christ in character, conduct, and conviction. Even Jesus experienced growth and maturity as noted in Luke 2: 41-52 with special emphasis on verse 52- "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man". In order to grow, you must take in nourishment. Food feeds our bodies, but the nourishment of our spirit comes as we feed upon the Word of God. This is one area in which our caloric value should increase. So, my friends, what is the conclusion of this sharing? The conclusion is: In order to grow and nature as believers, we MUST read and diligently study the unadulterated word of the Living God, our Father and 👑. Growth is inevitable if you hunger and thirst after righteousness and begin reading the Gospels which delineate the nature and acts of Jesus throughout his earthly journey. Here are 2 take-aways from this sharing: READ YOUR BIBLES and Study The Word of God, especially what Jesus said and what Jesus did during His time in the world. ** Peace and Blessings,Students of the Gospel.