Psalm 69:8-10

For your sake I bear insult, shame covers my face. I have become an outcast to my kin, a stranger to my mother’s children. Because zeal for your house consumes me, I am scorned by those who scorn you.

Sometimes when we follow Jesus and speak the words the Lord places in our hearts we see great things, conversions of hearts, and great joy! We get a wonderful feeling inside that we wish would never end! But sometimes when we follow God’s call…we are met with derision and rejection. Sometimes the worst assault may come from those closest to us who feel uncomfortable about how we’ve changed when they haven’t. Jesus felt the same scorn when he returned to Nazareth. “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house” (Matthew 13:58). You are in good company! Follow Jesus where He leads!

Suggested song of the day—”I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Jeremiah 18:6

Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

Just as God’s words came to Jeremiah…they are still true today for each of us. No matter what you’ve done in the past…no matter how badly you have messed-up your life…God can mold you again. God wants to re-fashion you again and again and again to carry on the on-going love story of creation. This story is like a cosmic dance with God accompanied by the most amazing music! The invitation is never withdrawn and is always being offered. Will you accept the invitation?

Suggested song of the day—”Shall We Sing” on the Listen to Your Heart album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Matthew 13:44

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

The kingdom of heaven…or as Jesus is sometimes quoted as saying…the kingdom of God…is so valuable…so worth experiencing…that it would be well worth selling all that we had if that would attain it! Perhaps if we could sever our attachment to material things so that they would not be our motivation…but instead loving God and loving all people and all things would be our motivation…the kingdom of God just might take us by surprise!

Suggested song of the day—”Singing My Song” on the Live to Love album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Matthew 13:31

Jesus proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.”

Jesus clearly expected us to take action in helping God bring about the kingdom of heaven in the here and now! How are we being called to sow the seed of God’s kingdom so that it grows in this time and place? To know…we must be awake and alert to God’s voice…which means we must be focused on the present moment which is where our Loving Creator always is…and is always yearning to love us and to be with us! Allow God’s Light to fill you and shine through you!

Suggested song of the day—”May I Be Light” on the Listen to Your Heart album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

John 20:18

Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.

Today we celebrate the life of St. Mary Magdalene. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus selected a woman to be the first witness to his astounding resurrection…and to be the first person who would announce the most Amazing News that had ever or will ever happen? In a world dominated my men, where women were servants and had no rights, it was a woman, Mary of Magdala, who informed the other disciples of the Good News! I wonder how well that went over with the other disciples? In St. Luke’s account, two angels told Mary of Magdala and other women that Jesus had risen. When the women told the apostles…they did not believe them. It may be uncomfortable for each of us at times to announce we have been touched by the Risen Lord. On such occasions…take courage…and think of Mary of Magdala.

Suggested song of the day—”Take the Road Less Traveled” on the Live to Love album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Jeremiah 1:5-7

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord God!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord answered me, Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak.

What is God asking you to do? Usually it’ll have something to do with your talents…but sometimes you may not be aware of a talent that God wants to develop in you. Is there an “inner yearning” to do something? Perhaps God is calling you! Our egos will make excuses because our egos think our lives are all about us. But our lives are actually about God and God’s love story…God’s dream for the world. You are a part of that! Jeremiah’s excuse was that he was “too young” to speak out as a prophet. You are never “too young” or “too old” or “too short” or “too tall” or “too ANYTHING” for God to work with you! God doesn’t call the qualified. God qualifies the called!

Suggested song of the day—”Listen to Your Heart” on the Listen to Your Heart album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Micah 7:18-19

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt?

Isn’t God amazing! Our Loving Creator constantly pours out Love upon us…accepting us exactly who we are in our imperfection…yearns to be with us…and would do anything to be with us for eternity…even becoming human and dying on a cross to say, “I love you!” God from age to age, you have loved each of us…before time began! As St. Paul said in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is Good News!

Suggested song of the day—”How Wonderful to Me” on the Live to Love album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.

Micah 6:8

You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.

The Prophet Micah says that God is not interested in your sacrifices to prove yourself more worthy of God’s love. God is interested in your heart! God already loves you infinitely…and it’s unconditional! Maybe we would do well to simply awake to that fact…and allow it to sink-in and fill us! Doesn’t that kind of love make you fall in love with such a God? Doesn’t that make you want to walk humbly with your God?

Suggested song of the day—”I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album.

To hear a clip, click on the itunes icon in the upper-right corner.