M.C. Wright

Praying for all of our Law Enforcement men and women. I heard someone say today, "I didn't realize that being a police office meant you were a target like this." So to all all my police-friends, I appreciate you...and my heart is with your loss. MC

Sixth Sense Technology

In His book "Imagination First" Eric Liu notes that, “Imagination is the capacity to conceive of what is not…” We spend much of our lives noticing what is not, however, we rarely begin to image what might fill the void. Some men and women do begin to dream about what could be, or what is needed and our world is full of the fruition of those dreams, from art to technology.

The truth is that our current reality was once a dream, or an idea inside of someone’s mind…Our future reality is currently residing in someone’s  imagination, what if that someone is you!”

In my talk this morning we looked at the things that keep us from seeing the impossible happen, as well as a six step process I use to work through dreaming and implementing new things. You can listen to the talk by going to Monty's PodCast. It should be up online by Tuesday.

I also gave out a "Dream Canvas" for you to begin writing down some of the creative, imaginative, and Divine dreams that have been put on hold in your soul for too long. You can download a PDF of that here: Download Dream Canvas

I believe that the church should be the most creative place on the planet...it's time to let God stretch our imaginations, and help us begin seeing "what isn't." Perhaps that something that is on your heart is a God-nudge that will impact all kinds of people!

Watch the following video from "TED" It is about the unveiling of the latest sixth sense technology. This video just blew me away! If we can create this kind of innovative technology to meet consumeristic needs, image what could be accomplished for God's kingdom vision for humanity.

It's time to unleash the God-dreams inside of us...they will change our lives, the lives of others, and this planet! I think Corrie ten Boom said it best:

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and

receives the impossible.” ~Corrie ten Boom

Monty

The Similar Worlds of Leadership and Conducting

Check out the new leadership article over on Planet Changer, "The Similar Worlds of Leadership and Conducting"  go to http://www.planetchanger.com  and click on the link on the front page, or use the navigation tabs and go to Planet Blog.

MC

So...what will heaven be like?

I have read thousands upon thousands of pages concerning the "how to's" of getting to heaven. Some of the books I have read have been inspiring and enlightening while others left a taste in my mouth that shouted out, "Dude this is way past the expiration date!"

While so much has been written about "How To Get To Heaven" there is scant little about what will it be like when we get there. I have always been the kind of guy that like to know the details about a destination. In fact, the details about a destination fire me and keep me moving during the days, weeks or months leading up to the adventure!

Recently, I was in Paris, London, Edinburgh, York and even Amsterdam with my family. While I didn't know everything about those cities, I would find myself pouring over web sites, travel books, and pictures of the beauty that each of those places held. It cranked up my anticipation, and created a longing in my heart, and it caused me to plan and utilize my time now in such a way that I could maximize and even afford the things that I wanted to do in each of the destinations.

As I think about the topic of heaven, I can honestly say that I have never heard a message on what it will be like...I know, I know, you're thinking that is because no one has been there and come back here to tell us about it other than some suspect Near Death Experiences, but even they don't completely fill us in.

So, for the past three weeks I have been teaching on "Second Life"...what happens when we die. We have dug through alot of stuff from heaven and hell to the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. This week I will be answering as many point blank questions as possible.

I have hundreds of questions in hand, and have been quantifying them into "most asked" categories, and I will start with the most asked questions first.

Here are a sampling of some of the questions I have been asked:

* If I have been married more than once on earth, who will I be married to in heaven, and how will all the relationships work together?"

* Will I recognize my relatives when I get there?

* Will there be sex in heaven?

* Do you still have a chance to believe and be saved after you die?

* Will I get hungry in heaven?

* Will my pets be in heaven?

* What will I be doing for eternity?

These are some great questions. Invite a friend and join me at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance this Sunday. There are two time options for you: 9:00 am and 11:00 a.m.

You can listen to the last three talks on Second Life by going to http://www.svaonline.org/content/view/125/153/

Your life today will dramatically change as you begin to get some clarity around what will happen after you die. Not only will it motivate you, but it will change the way you look at everything from relationships to material things. From the way you spend your time, to how you invest your life in things that matter both here and in eternity.

I would love to help crank up your anticipation, and create a longing in your heart that causes you to utilize your time now in such a way that I could maximizes an eternity that is beyond your belief!

Here's a great clip we played last Sunday about the transition from this life to the next, and the difference that knowing God makes!

See you and your friend on Sunday!

MC

Pressing Through & Finding Hope

I recently received the link to the video in this post. After I watched it, I was amazed and inspired. Katharine shared her story a while ago in our community of faith and it was powerful...this video does a great job of relaying the whole picture of her weight loss journey.

There are so many complexities surrounding our appearance. From weight issues to other physical conditions...from self perception to experienced emotional realities. Even when we begin working through and walking through those areas, it sometimes takes us a while to adjust to our "new skin" so to speak. Often, we build a protective identity around ourselves that insulates us from making decisions that would benefit us greatly, but would also change our perception of who we think we are.

And when something about us has the potential to dramatically, even if it is for the better, very often we decide to forgo the changes and stay "safe."

I so appreciate Katharine's bravery and tenacity of spirit. A car accident became a portal of grace that thrust her on a new adventure that would change her life. She didn't play it safe...she jumped into the great unknown realm of possibility where God does His greatest work in our lives.

Thanks for sharing your story Katharine!

MC

Real Church

I have been plowing through Dr. Larry Crabb's new book, "Real Church...does it exist?"  At first I thought, "oh man, another let's trash the church book..." but the more I read, the more his heart and passion began to come through challenging us to ask some really tough questions about the current gathering practices of the church, why we do it the way we do?  does it transform people? and are they a place God would even want to show up?

Larry tackles the, "There must be something more" question that many people ask when it comes to the Church. In all honesty, that was a driving question I had which resulted in the types of gatherings we have at the church I pastor, Snoqualmie Valley Alliance. In fact, you need to stretch beyond the concept that church is a "Sunday only experience."

Far too many people think that Church is what happens on Sunday. In truth, that is simply one "gathering" of many that happen all week long. So to be fair, we can't simply make a broad brushed statement about the gathering practices of a church based on Sunday alone, that is, unless the only gathering you have is for the very small time slot on Sunday, and if that is the case, you really do need to readdress the relevance of your church.

Larry makes a statement early on in two short sentences or points, that I really enjoyed:

1. God is a party happening.

2. I'm invited to the party.

I love that. The Trinity has been enjoying each other forever. There is a trinitarian party going on, a dance of the Divine that is beauty, joy, life. It's His party, but the really cool news is that we have been invited to the party.

So Larry looks at the church and believes that it was God's design that we be a dance studio. He states:

"A gathering becomes a church when a group of Christians together hear the music of heaven's party and the laughter of God enjoying Himself and begin awkwardly dancing with the Trinity into the relationships and circumstances of life in order to bring heaven's way of doing things to earth...That's the more."

What an incredible visual! Crabb also moves to motive as well when he says:

"A gathering becomes a church when people meet for one supreme purpose, not to enjoy life, not to help others enjoy life, not to persuade others to find life in Jesus, but to become like Jesus in the motives, thoughts, and appetites-all for the pleasure of the Father...When people gather to relate to Jesus-to God, and to one another-they take on a challenge that will expose and confront every drop of self-centeredness in them. And that's the more. And that's impossible without the Spirit...When a group of Christians meet to become little Christs, they declare war on everything that gets in their way, on everything in them-not in others-that hates the goal and violently opposes the process."

Most people try to find a church that they like...is hip...has a great kids program...looks nice...has good teaching. The list goes on and on. Perhaps the church has become more and more ineffective over time because the church has traded transformation for attraction.

One law of group dynamics is that what ever method you used to reach a person, that is the method you need to keep them. If we are only about attraction, then we must always do bigger and better attractional stunts, and when the show isn't quite as good, the people look for a better attraction.

That is not what church should be about. That is also what burns out so many pastors in ministry, and disillusions so many people people seeking an intersection of God in their lives.

I dream of a church that truly experiences and dances with God on a daily basis...

I dream of a church that is creative because it's people are creative, not as a marketing ploy.

I dream of a church where the dance with God transforms the life of the dancer into beauty, joy, hope, and life.

I dream of a church that relates and becomes for each other the center of encouragement, challenge, and care that we so desperately need.

I dream of a church that is as giving in grace as it is in receiving grace.

I dream of a church where the people are becoming self-forgetful, and live paradoxical lives of radical others-centered-ness.

I dream of a church that the Trinity longs to dance with.

Hhmmm...it's always good to ask the hard questions of ourselves and our motives and realign with the heart of Abba.

Dei Gratia,

Monty

Astounding Young Guitar Player

I first watched a YouTube video of Sungha Jung playing his guitar about a month ago and my jaw literally dropped. This extremely young guy has some serious guitar chops. Not only does he nail his notes, but he also has a surprisingly mature ability to "feel" and create his own groove for the songs he plays.

Experiencing people who are flowing in their "Divine Sweet-spot" is powerful and fun. That is one of the reasons that I do what I do. I love to unleash people into their God-dream, God-potential and/or their  God-purpose.

Before you watch the video of Sungha, ask yourself a couple questions:

1. What is it that I love doing that makes me come most alive?

2. What is it that keeps me from stepping out into my God-dream?

Experiencing the fullness and presence of God is not dependent upon what your particular view of success is...rather God will meet you fully as you simply exercise a step of faith towards something that scares you, something that He has infused into your heart...God loves faith, and a far better definition of success in God's eyes is do whatever it is that He inspires you to do regardless of the results.

Watch this young man play his heart out and enjoy the sounds of Divine-gifts at work...the result is beauty, pleasure, art, and joy.

Monty

Burma Benefit Dinner correction :-)

I fixed a typo in my blog post...the Burma Benefit dinner is Sept. 10th Not the 12th...Thanks Rachel for the heads-up!!!

MC

Burma Benefit Dinner

 

Many of you know of the Planet Project in Burma/Thailand. We are working to build a larger hostel for children who have been displaced by the atrocities committed against them by the Burma Army/Government. We have 50 children that you can sponsor to ensure they get food, clothing, shelter and education. Go to http://planetchanger.com for more information.

One Non profit that we are teamed up with in Thailand and Burma is the Jericho Alliance, lead by George and Cindy Tronsrue. Right now they are working on building a medical clinic and have some incredible goals of impacting and aiding the oppressed people of Burma, and I am proud to be associated with them.

One way that you can help is coming up on September 10th is by attending a "pre-opening" for a new restaurant in Bellevue, WA. called "John Howie Steak. John Howie has agreed to give 100% of the money from this evenings dinner and event to help to make an impact in Burma through The Jericho Alliance Foundation!

You will enjoy a range of signature dishes by the talented Chef John Howie in this uniquely premiere
steak house, where USDA prime beef will be grilled over mesquite coals. Other incredible dinner
options will also be available. Venue, located in the chic Bravern Building, features two private
dining rooms, a piano lounge, the Northwest’s best selection of single malt scotches and cognacs
and a grand selection of wines from the Northwest and around the world.

This is a insider opportunity to attend a mock service, where you will see firsthand how a restaurant
prepares to open. In order for the staff to have a complete “dress rehearsal” we will reserve tables
of 2 and 4, at specific times. Guests will be ordering from menu cards of select items from the
regular menu, specially prepared for each table. Each diner at the table will experience something
different and we encourage you to sample your tablemate’s meal too! See below for more details.

I hope you can make it, below is a PDF file with the invitation and reservation information, as well as a PDF with information about the atrocities happening in Burma right now!

invitation/reservationf

Burma-5Alive

Monty

Finding God In The Shack

It truly was an incredible weekend. Phase one of our remodel was done, and we had Paul Young, author of "The Shack" in to speak on Saturday and Sunday at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance. What struck me immediately about Paul, was how real and authentic he was. Conversation was easy, and grace-filled. You wouldn't know you were cruising the the 405 with a man who has sold millions of copies of his book.

Each session was marked with the same level of genuineness as he wove his own story in and out of the story found in "The Shack." If you have never read the Shack, you should. It is a modern day parable of the reality of God's goodness even in the midst of tragedy, or our own "great sadness" as the book reveals.

Paul definitely has a way with words and crafting an engaging story that is not only captivating, but enlightening and thought provoking at the same time. This book has been the conversation piece at coffee houses all over. And what most excites me is the way it has created a conversation about God, Trinity, Pain and suffering, and goodness among people who believe and follow Jesus, as well as those who don't.

Some of the dialog involving the personages of God in the book have also caused quite a stir among some Christians. It should come as no surprise that any author who majors on the theme of grace will get attacked, and Paul has taken his share of criticism.

Should you desire to look more deeply into some of the themes found in the book check out the book "Finding God In The Shack" by Randal Rauser. Rauser is a theologian and he looks through some of concepts found in The Shack, and he does it from a theological point of view.

I am so glad we had an opportunity to experience and learn from Paul...your many emails of thanks and kudos relaying how his sessions drew you closer to Christ in very real ways is also encouraging!

And remember, Papa is rather fond of you :-)

Monty

Powerful Prayers Vol. 6 "Change The World By Changing Me" Bayazid

Across most cultures and faiths, there are a few key concepts, thoughts, or values that seem to emerge. One of these transferable truths is that the most profound way to impact the planet and the lives of others is by first allowing God to do a work in our own hearts.

This month's powerful prayer, while credited to a Sufi poet from the 800's, is one to take to heart. Find a place to settle, remove your distractions, grab a cup of coffee or tea and slowly read the prayer/story.
________________________________________

Change the World By Changing Me

I was a revolutionary when I
was young and all my prayer
to God was 'Lord, give me the
energy to change the world.'

"As I approached middle age
and realized that half my life
was gone without my changing
a single soul, I changed my
prayer to 'Lord, give me the
grace to change all those who
come in contact with me.
Just my family and friends and
I shall be satisfied.'

"Now that I am an old man and
my days are numbered, my one
prayer is, 'Lord, give me the grace
to change myself.' If I had prayed
for this right from the start I should
have not wasted my life."

                     ~attributed to Bayazid
________________________________________

Monty's Rumination...

Perhaps this poets words struck a chord with me because this seems to have been a journey which mirrors my own. As we look at the different decades of our lives, we begin to see this reality played out in the way we approach the world, other people, and ourselves.

In our 20's and 30's we are consumed with passion to make the world and the planet a different and better place. This age is marked with a needed egocentrism that propels us to passionately stand up and try to right the wrongs that our conscience sees in the world. We are in love with the idea that we can be a change agent,and as we begin down this path, our good intentions are often overshadowed by our lack of maturity and the good that we desire to accomplish becomes a hard-edged, often legalistic and a graceless attempt to fix the world to the way we think it should be. As we grow up, and begin to consider our ways, we transition to the next phase of life. While we transition it is important to remember that passion though...I have met far too many people who simply traded the passion of their youth in for money, stuff and things...then they wonder what ever happened to the person they used to be...

In our 30's and 40's our focus has changed as we enter into marriage, children, and sustaining our home life. The desire to see the world changed is still there, but it is tempered by the realities and the responsibilities of life. No longer able to join every demonstration that comes along, nor able to afford to go wherever the fight may be, we try to make an impact where we are. Volunteering at church, synagogue, or community. Investing in our children's  education and social lives. Infusing our friends and family connections with the passion that still remains in our soul but seems to have fewer outlets. In this phase of life it is important to process the limitations we experience in life. If we do not transition this time of our life well, we will begin to "act out"  in ways to try to regain that power and control that we thought we had before. This is a key time to consider the paradoxes of life as you realize that the old way of doing things not only no longer works, but often, they didn't really help that much. Here we begin to transition from Me-control to God-control.

From our 40's and 50's and beyond we begin to learn the God-rhythms of life that began early on but were done more as a duty than as a part of our humanity. This is the time of surrender in our lives...when we are secure enough to be insecure; smart enough to admit we don't know; and realize that we can no longer fake it. Our focus moves off of changing everything around us, and we begin to change the one thing that we can...ourselves.

What is actually so powerful about this transition is that as I truly allow God to move and morph me, I have the greatest impact on those closest to me, those around me, and in a very real way can impact the planet. While the delivery changes, the desire is fulfilled, but it is done in such a way that I am forever changed.

Jesus said it best, "Seek first the kingdom and these things shall be added to you." In otherwords, keep your heart's focus on your life with God, His ways, His purposes, and those passions and desires that roam the corridors of  your heart will find fulfillment through Christ.

So this month as you pray, may the meditation of your heart be to first experience a divine life change in the depths of who you are....as that happens, believe me, this planet will change!

Dei Gratia,

Monty

A Jesus Manifesto Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola

 I have always appreciated Leonard Sweet's thoughts, writings, and now his Tweets :-) The following article, or manifesto, was written by Leonard and Frank Viola and comes from the thoughts of their respective books "So Beautiful & From Eternity To Here."

As I read their manifesto I kept hearing myself say , "Yeah...uh-huh...that's right!" very often. People are hungry for an authentic God-invasion in their lives. Not another religious experience, or set of moral expectations. When we reduce Christianity, or following Jesus to those types of things we are dishonoring God and the men and women that He so desperately loves.

The key to all things is simply "Jesus." As you read, I hope you have some "uh-huhs" of your own...post your thoughts after you read...what think ye?

Dei Gratia,

Monty

A Jesus Manifesto

for the 21^st Century Church

 

By Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

Christians have made the gospel about so many things … things other than Christ.

 

Jesus Christ is the gravitational pull that brings everything together and gives them significance, reality, and meaning. Without him, all things lose their value. Without him, all things are but detached pieces floating around in space.

 

It is possible to emphasize a spiritual truth, value, virtue, or gift, yet miss Christ . . . who is the embodiment and incarnation of all spiritual truth, values, virtues, and gifts.

 

Seek a truth, a value, a virtue, or a spiritual gift, and you have obtained something dead.

 

Seek Christ, embrace Christ, know Christ, and you have touched him who is Life. And in him resides all Truth, Values, Virtues and Gifts in living color. Beauty has its meaning in the beauty of Christ, in whom is found all that makes us lovely and loveable.

 

What is Christianity? It is Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Christianity is not an ideology. Christianity is not a philosophy. Christianity is the “good news” that Beauty, Truth and Goodness are found in a person. Biblical community is founded and found on the connection to that person. Conversion is more than a change in direction; it’s a change in connection. Jesus’ use of the ancient Hebrew word shubh, or its Aramaic equivalent, to call for “repentance” implies not viewing God from a distance, but entering into a relationship where God is command central of the human connection.

 

In that regard, we feel a massive disconnection in the church today. Thus this manifesto.

 

We believe that the major disease of the church today is JDD: Jesus Deficit Disorder. The person of Jesus is increasingly politically incorrect, and is being replaced by the language of “justice,” “the kingdom of God,” “values,” and “leadership principles.”

 

In this hour, the testimony that we feel God has called us to bear centers on the primacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Specifically . . .

 

1.                  The center and circumference of the Christian life is none other than the person of Christ. All other things, including things related to him and about him, are eclipsed by the sight of his peerless worth. Knowing Christ is Eternal Life. And knowing him profoundly, deeply, and in reality, as well as experiencing his unsearchable riches, is the chief pursuit of our lives, as it was for the first Christians. God is not so much about fixing things that have gone wrong in our lives as finding us in our brokenness and giving us Christ.

 

2.                  Jesus Christ cannot be separated from his teachings. Aristotle says to his disciples, “Follow my teachings.” Socrates says to his disciples, “Follow my teachings.” Buddha says to his disciples, “Follow my meditations.” Confucius says to his disciples, “Follow my sayings.” Muhammad says to his disciples, “Follow my noble pillars.” Jesus says to his disciples, “Follow me.” In all other religions, a follower can follow the teachings of its founder without having a relationship with that founder. Not so with Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus cannot be separated from Jesus himself. Jesus Christ is still alive and he embodies his teachings. It is a profound mistake, therefore, to treat Christ as simply the founder of a set of moral, ethical, or social teaching. The Lord Jesus and his teaching are one. The Medium and the Message are One. Christ is the incarnation of the Kingdom of God and the Sermon on the Mount.

 

3.                  God’s grand mission and eternal purpose in the earth and in heaven centers in Christ . . . both the individual Christ (the Head) and the corporate Christ (the Body). This universe is moving towards one final goal – the fullness of Christ where He shall fill all things with himself. To be truly missional, then, means constructing one’s life and ministry on Christ. He is both the heart and bloodstream of God’s plan. To miss this is to miss the plot; indeed, it is to miss everything.

 

4.                  Being a follower of Jesus does not involve imitation so much as it does implantation and impartation. Incarnation–the notion that God connects to us in baby form and human touch—is the most shocking doctrine of the Christian religion. The incarnation is both once-and-for-all and ongoing, as the One “who was and is to come” now is and lives his resurrection life in and through us. Incarnation doesn’t just apply to Jesus; it applies to every one of us. Of course, not in the same sacramental way. But close. We have been given God’s “Spirit” which makes Christ “real” in our lives. We have been made, as Peter puts it, “partakers of the divine nature.” How, then, in the face of so great a truth can we ask for toys and trinkets? How can we lust after lesser gifts and itch for religious and spiritual thingys? We’ve been touched from on high by the fires of the Almighty and given divine life. A life that has passed through death – the very resurrection life of the Son of God himself. How can we not be fired up?

 

To put it in a question: What was the engine, or the accelerator, of the Lord’s amazing life? What was the taproot or the headwaters of his outward behavior? It was this: Jesus lived by an indwelling Father. After his resurrection, the passage has now moved. What God the Father was to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is to you and to me. He’s our indwelling Presence, and we share in the life of Jesus’ own relationship with the Father. There is a vast ocean of difference between trying to compel Christians to imitate Jesus and learning how to impart an implanted Christ. The former only ends up in failure and frustration. The latter is the gateway to life and joy in our daying and our dying. We stand with Paul: “Christ lives in me.” Our life is Christ. In him do we live, breathe, and have our being. “What would Jesus do?” is not Christianity. Christianity asks: “What is Christ doing through me … through us? And how is Jesus doing it?” Following Jesus means “trust and obey” (respond), and living by his indwelling life through the power of the Spirit.

 

5.                  The “Jesus of history” cannot be disconnected from the “Christ of faith.” The Jesus who walked the shores of Galilee is the same person who indwells the church today. There is no disconnect between the Jesus of Mark’s Gospel and the incredible, all-inclusive, cosmic Christ of Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The Christ who lived in the first century has a pre-existence before time. He also has a post-existence after time. He is Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, A and Z, all at the same time. He stands in the future and at the end of time at the same moment that He indwells every child of God. Failure to embrace these paradoxical truths has created monumental problems and has diminished the greatness of Christ in the eyes of God’s people.

 

6.                  It’s possible to confuse “the cause” of Christ with the person of Christ. When the early church said “Jesus is Lord,” they did not mean “Jesus is my core value.” Jesus isn’t a cause; he is a real and living person who can be known, loved, experienced, enthroned and embodied. Focusing on his cause or mission doesn’t equate focusing on or following him. It’s all too possible to serve “the god” of serving Jesus as opposed to serving him out of an enraptured heart that’s been captivated by his irresistible beauty and unfathomable love. Jesus led us to think of God differently, as relationship, as the God of all relationship.

 

7.                  Jesus Christ was not a social activist nor a moral philosopher. To pitch him that way is to drain his glory and dilute his excellence. Justice apart from Christ is a dead thing. The only battering ram that can storm the gates of hell is not the cry of Justice, but the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of Justice, Peace, Holiness, Righteousness. He is the sum of all spiritual things, the “strange attractor” of the cosmos. When Jesus becomes an abstraction, faith loses its reproductive power. Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live.

 

8.                  It is possible to confuse an academic knowledge or theology about Jesus with a personal knowledge of the living Christ himself. These two stand as far apart as do the hundred thousand million galaxies. The fullness of Christ can never be accessed through the frontal lobe alone. Christian faith claims to be rational, but also to reach out to touch ultimate mysteries. The cure for a big head is a big heart.

 

Jesus does not leave his disciples with CliffsNotes for a systematic theology. He leaves his disciples with breath and body.

 

Jesus does not leave his disciples with a coherent and clear belief system by which to love God and others. Jesus gives his disciples wounds to touch and hands to heal.

 

Jesus does not leave his disciples with intellectual belief or a “Christian worldview.” He leaves his disciples with a relational faith.

 

Christians don’t follow a book. Christians follow a person, and this library of divinely inspired books we call “The Holy Bible” best help us follow that person. The Written Word is a map that leads us to The Living Word. Or as Jesus himself put it, “All Scripture testifies of me.” The Bible is not the destination; it’s a compass that points to Christ, heaven’s North Star.

 

The Bible does not offer a plan or a blueprint for living. The “good news” was not a new set of laws, or a new set of ethical injunctions, or a new and better PLAN. The “good news” was the story of a person’s life, as reflected in The Apostle’s Creed. The Mystery of Faith proclaims this narrative: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” The meaning of Christianity does not come from allegiance to complex theological doctrines, but a passionate love for a way of living in the world that revolves around following Jesus, who taught that love is what makes life a success . . . not wealth or health or anything else: but love. And God is love.

 

9.                  Only Jesus can transfix and then transfigure the void at the heart of the church. Jesus Christ cannot be separated from his church. While Jesus is distinct from his Bride, he is not separate from her. She is in fact his very own Body in the earth. God has chosen to vest all of power, authority, and life in the living Christ. And God in Christ is only known fully in and through his church. (As Paul said, “The manifold wisdom of God – which is Christ – is known through the ekklesia.”)

 

The Christian life, therefore, is not an individual pursuit. It’s a corporate journey. Knowing Christ and making him known is not an individual prospect. Those who insist on flying life solo will be brought to earth, with a crash. Thus Christ and his church are intimately joined and connected. What God has joined together, let no person put asunder. We were made for life with God; our only happiness is found in life with God. And God’s own pleasure and delight is found therein as well.

 

10.              In a world which sings, “Oh, who is this Jesus?” and a church which sings, “Oh, let’s all be like Jesus,” who will sing with lungs of leather, “Oh, how we love Jesus!”

 

If Jesus could rise from the dead, we can at least rise from our bed, get off our couches and pews, and respond to the Lord’s resurrection life within us, joining Jesus in what he’s up to in the world. We call on others to join us—not in removing ourselves from planet Earth, but to plant our feet more firmly on the Earth while our spirits soar in the heavens of God’s pleasure and purpose. We are not of this world, but we live in this world for the Lord’s rights and interests. We, collectively, as the ekklesia of God, are Christ in and to this world.

 

May God have a people on this earth who are a people of Christ, through Christ, and for Christ. A people of the cross. A people who are consumed with God’s eternal passion, which is to make his Son preeminent, supreme, and the head over all things visible and invisible. A people who have discovered the touch of the Almighty in the face of his glorious Son. A people who wish to know only Christ and him crucified, and to let everything else fall by the wayside. A people who are laying hold of his depths, discovering his riches, touching his life, and receiving his love, and making HIM in all of his unfathomable glory known to others.

 

The two of us may disagree about many things—be they ecclesiology, eschatology, soteriology, not to mention economics, globalism and politics.

 

But in our two most recent book From Eternity to Here and So Beautiful—we have sounded forth a united trumpet. These books are the Manifests to this Manifesto. They each present the vision that has captured our hearts and that we wish to impart to the Body of Christ— “This ONE THING I know” (Jn.9:25) that is the ONE THING that unites us all:

 

Jesus the Christ.

 

    Christians don’t follow Christianity; Christians follow Christ.

    Christians don’t preach themselves; Christians proclaim Christ.

    Christians don’t point people to core values; Christians point people to the cross.

    Christians don’t preach about Christ: Christians preach Christ.

           

Over 300 years ago a German pastor wrote a hymn that built around the Name above all names:                                                                                                                          

            Ask ye what great thing I know,

that delights and stirs me so?
What the high reward I win?

Whose the name I glory in?
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

            This is that great thing I know;

this delights and stirs me so:
faith in him who died to save,

His who triumphed o’er the grave:
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

 

---

 

Jesus Christ – the crucified, resurrected, enthroned, triumphant, living Lord.

 

He is our Pursuit, our Passion, and our Life.

 

Amen.

 

*****

  

We also suggest listening to the YouTube song “Give Me Jesus” while reading this manifesto.

 

 

Sacred Space Retreat Aug. 28-30

Are you ready to experience  a three day retreat with me at a monastery in Oregon where you learn the practice the deeper rhythms of your life with God! I am so excited to spend three days together where we learn, practice and experience God in some dynamic ways!

Maybe you are ready for your prayer life to change from stale old form prayers to something new...

Maybe you are ready for your life with God to change from knowledge to experience...

Maybe you are ready for your spiritual journey to change from duty to a dynamic relationship with God...

With Mount Angel Monastery as our host, I will be leading you through:

sacred journey: learning to practice, accept and understand spiritual formation as a process and not a destination.

sacred moments: learning to worship and become fully present in each of your moments. practicing the art of transformative thankfulness.

sacred hours: also called the daily office, we will enter into the practice of drawing together as a community to worship as the bells sound six times each day.

sacred words: learning to absorb, chew, and meditate on God’s Word. The Word of God is transformative and more than theological information. it needs too be consumed.

sacred wounds: learning to become authentic men and women entering into the trust and rhythm of community where wounds can be healed and become sacred.

sacred sounds: learning to worship with sound, music, prayer, and tone. sounds draw our attention towards God,

sacred silence: learning to bring every thought to Christ through the practice of silence. Silence creates the venue for us to hear God speak.

For more information and to sign up for Sacred Space go to: http://remorph.wordpress.com/sacred-space/

This event will definitely be a defining moment in your life, so sign up today...You'll be glad you did!

Monty

Yes You Can!

I think I have said the words "Yes you can!" more times than I can count. Maybe it's because I have a knack to see the hidden potential buried in people. Maybe it's because most people don't believe in themselves. Maybe it's because our performance oriented culture keeps people locked in a dungeon of fear, so they just never even try to experience their dreams.

Whatever the reasons may be, nothing excites me more than when people begin to tap into the God-potential that they posses, or a better way to say it is, that posses them!

One thing I have noticed is that we tend to become most like the people we hang around with. Therefore, if I spend alot of time with people who are negative, never take risks, or don't believe in themselves, I will soon begin to think just like them.

This isn't to say that you cut yourself off from every person who has the Eeyore syndrome, but it does mean that you need to manage how much of your time and energy you invest in them if you want to live your life to the full.

If you spend time with people who think big and positive, and see God-possibilities all around them, guess what? You got it, you will also start to think positively, big, and begin to see the limitless potentialities that surround you each and every day!

There is a story called the Golden Eagle that speaks to this:

A man found an eagle's egg and put it in the nest of a backyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them.

All his life the eagle did what the backyard chickens did, thinking he was a backyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet into the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among the powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked.

"That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth-we're chickens."

So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.

That is so sad to me. We have one go around at this thing called life, and to have wasted all of our potential, and in fact, to have never entered into the gifts, talents and abilities that God created you with, is wasting the beautiful gift of life that God has given us.

Maybe you need a nudge today. Here it is, you are an incredible person, created by God to do amazing things! You are a son or a daughter of the king. You are royal.You can do it!

Here is an important life changing truth: If you have said yes to following Christ, you have all the power that created the universe dwelling within you! That kind of power is limitless, powerful, dynamic and has the potential to move mountains.

One of my all time most favorite (and for those who know me, most quoted verses) is Philippians 4:13 which says: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

That is not an egotistical belief because it is not about me, but about the incredible God who made me, and loves me. He is infinite, sovereign, merciful, loving, powerful, beautiful...

So maybe you are looking at a project, a possibility, or a problem right now and your reaction to the circumstance is, "I can't do it."

Let me lovingly yet and powerfully remind you...Yes You Can!

Here are some things to consider to help you develop a different way of thinking and looking at the circumstances of your life:

1. Ask yourself about the the friends you spend the largest amount of time with. Are they negative or positive. Are they healthy and encouraging you, or are they drawing energy out of you. You need to have balance with the friends in your life. You should have friends who you pour truth, love and energy towards, as well as have friends who pour into you. If all of your friends tend to be more on the "taker" side of things, it is definitely time to hang with some people who will "give" you some positive encouragement!

2. Ask yourself if you believe that God is more powerful than your circumstances.What you believe about God will affect how you see things including yourself. A healthy view and understanding of God will help you develop a healthy view of yourself and vice-versa.If you don't go to church, then it is time to go to a church that challenges, energizes, and grows you. I'd invite you to check out http://www.svaonline.org of course :-)

3. Remind yourself that you are royalty, a son or daughter of the king. You an heir of all things. Would your circumstance be changeable by a king's kid? Well, that's who you are! Too many people have such a low estimate of themselves, that they don't believe they are worth God's attention. John 3:16 reminds us that God so loves all His creation, that He sent His Son on a rescue mission to pull you out of the despair, depression, struggles that life throws at us. Not only that, but He longs to spend eternity with you...come on, eternity is a long time to spend with someone you really don't like! God loves you, and chose you...now let Him be God in your life and experience His strength, power, and hope.

Step out this week...and as you begin to recognize the limiting belief's that are buried inside you, remind yourself that: Yes you can!

Dei Gratia

Monty

Web Site Story

Leonard Sweet sent out a link for this as a tweet and it is pretty funny. Time to get web savvy :-)

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

The Hungry Birds...Sadhu Sundar Singh

One of my favorite spiritual authors is Sadhu Sundar Singh. His story is amazing. Born in 1889 into a Sikh family in India (Sikh is a mix of Hindu and Islamic beliefs) he had a hunger to really know God. His father enrolled him in a Christian missionary school where he was introduced to yet another God option, Jesus.

Singh's heart became even more troubled about who or what to believe, and when he was 16 years old, he yelled out to God that if He didn't reveal Himself he was going to place his head on the train tracks and wait for the next train to take his life. Since God had eluded Singh in this life hopefully he would find Him in the next life.

That night at 3:00 am, Sundar Singh had an encounter with Jesus Christ, and for the rest of his life traveled as a Sadhu (holy man) in the Sikh fashion, but his heart and life belonged solely to Jesus.

He refused to clothe his faith with Western trappings, and lived his life in prayer at Jesus' feet, sharing what he was learning from the heart of the Master, as he spoke in parables all over the world. He roomed for a while with C.F Andrew, who wrote a memoir on Singh, and who also spent much time with Gandhi in India.

The Western world was at a loss with what to do with Singh...He challenged the way Western Christianity worshiped intellectualism and structure more than they spent time learning and listening to Jesus, and simply following him. That is a challenge that Western Christianity still needs to heed.

Here is one of his parables called the Hungry Birds...read, think, meditate and apply :-)

___________________________

Once as I wandered in the mountains, I came upon an outcropping of rocks, and as I sat on the highest rock to rest and look over the valley, I saw a nest in the branches of a tree. The young birds in the nest were crying noisily.

Then I saw how the mother bird returned with food for her young ones. When they heard the sound of her wings and felt her presence nearby, they cried all the more loudly and opened their beaks wide. But after the mother bird fed them and flew away again, they were quiet.

Climbing down to look more closely, I saw that the newly hatched birds had not yet opened their eyes. Without even being able to see their mother, they opened their beaks and begged for nourishment whenever she approached.

These tiny birds did not say: "We will not open our beaks until we can see our mother clearly and also see what kind of food she offers. Perhaps it is not our mother at all but instead some dangerous enemy. And who knows if it is proper nourishment or some kind of poison that is being fed to us?"

If they had reasoned thus, they would never have discovered the truth. Before they were eve strong enough to open their eyes, they would have starved to death. But they held no such doubts about the presence and love of their mother, and so, after a few days, they opened their eyes and rejoiced to see her with them.

Day by day they grew stronger and developed into the form and likeness of the mother, and soon they were able to soar up into the freedom of the skies.

We humans often think of ourselves as the greatest living beings, but do we not have something to learn from these common birds? We often question the reality and the loving nature of God. But the Master has said: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Whenever we open our hearts to God, we receive spiritual nourishment and grow more and more into the likeness of God until we reach spiritual maturity. And once we open our spiritual eyes and see God's presence, we find indescribable and unending bliss.

___________________________

Dei Gratia,

MC

Chasing God

Language often has a way of either helping or hindering us in life. For example, when I read what the prophet Jeremiah wrote, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, (29:13) my mind immediately translates the passage in such a way that I sense a need to chase God if I want to find Him.

Striving, is a word that comes to mind...but striving is not what Jeremiah is really saying. My mind and body often strive, but my heart works on a completely different plane. The heart, or the seat of my soul, is a feeling, sensing, experiential part of who I am. To seek God with all my heart is really a call to allow myself to be loved by a mysterious, un-catchable, and un-tameable God.

Perhaps our problem with experiencing God in real-time is that we are trying to chase Him down with our intellect, and grab ahold of Him with our hands, which is utterly impossible, because God, who is Spirit, is always beyond our imagining, and able to break free from any human hold.

In a paradoxical way, the path to a God-encounter is to be caught and loved...this is a dependent act of receiving... not winning or earning.

There is an ancient story entitled "The Little Fish" that speaks to this journey:

"Excuse me," said an ocean fish.
"You are older than I, so
can you tell me where to find
this thing they call the ocean?"

"The ocean," said the older fish," is the thing
you are in now."

"Oh, this? But this is water. What I'm seeking
is the ocean," said the disappointed fish
as he swam away to search elsewhere.

Very often, the God who loves you, the God you so long to know and encounter is surrounding you, but instead of simply seeing Him, we wrongly assume we must chase Him...a God that can simply be seen can't possible be the One, we misguidedly think. So we rush off again in search of the God who is always there.

There is another story about a person in search of God who encounters a traveling holy man. The seeker said to the holy man, "For years I have been searching for God. I have looked for Him everywhere that people have told me that He can be found: on the peaks of mountains, the loneliness of the desert, the silence of the cloister, and in the company of the poor."

"Have you found Him?" the master asked.

"No I have not. Have you?"

What could the holy man say? The evening sun was sending shafts of golden light into the room. Hundreds of sparrows were twittering on a nearby tree. In the distance you could hear the hum of people experiencing life together. A mosquito buzzed near warning that it would soon strike...And yet this man could sit in the same sounds and experiences and say he had not found God.

After a while, the seeker left, disappointed, to search elsewhere.

Have you been frustrated in your pursuit of God? Have you been searching everywhere people have told you to search but still haven't found what your looking for?

Maybe it's time to learn the lesson of the Little Fish...There isn't anything to look for, all you need to do is simply look, then you will finally see.

The God who is there is found not with your eyes or your hands, but your heart.

Dei Gratia

Monty

Let's Say Thanks To Our Troops...

No matter what your war philosophy is...when it comes down to our friends and neighbors who serve in the US military, they are worthy of our thoughts, prayers, and thanks.

As we continue through Memorial Day week...let me encourage you to say some prayers for the people serving in our armed forces, also pray for peace and resolution.

I got an email today from Michelle, a friend of mine, and she sent me this great web link. They have put together a collection cool, hand drawn thank you cards that you can simply click on, select some text, and it will get sent to a soldier just like that.

So take a moment and portal over to: http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

and tell someone that you appreciate their sacrifice for our country.

Dei Gratia
MC

We Are Three You Are Three

Have you noticed that our energies often get "all-in-a-tizzie" ( that's a nice way to say we loose it :-) when someone does something in a fashion that is different from the way we do it, or the way we think it should be done?  Suddenly we become the champion and expert of our way of doing things and decide that we must teach all others the correct way for it to be done!

I see this far too often in the church. In everything from "this is how you pray" to " this is how you read the Bible" or even "you're not really following God unless you..." I wonder where our need to correct everybody else comes from.

I came across this parable that just made me smile...meditate on this today.

______________________________

We Are Three You Are Three

When the Bishop's ship stopped at a remote island for a day, he determined to use the time as profitably as possible. He strolled along the seashore and came across three fishermen mending their nets. In pidgin English they explained to him that centuries before they had been Christianized by missionaries. "We Christians!" they said, proudly pointing to one another.

The bishop was impressed. Did they know the Lord's prayer? They had never heard of it. The bishop was shocked.

"What do you say, then, when you pray?"

"We lift eyes in heaven. We pray, 'We are three, you are three, have mercy on us.' The bishop was appalled at the primitive, the downright heretical nature of their prayer. So he spent the whole day teaching them the Lord's Prayer. The fishermen were poor learners, but they gave it all they had and before the bishop sailed away the next day he had the satisfaction of hearing them go through the whole formula without a fault.

Months later, the bishop's ship happened to pass by those islands again and the bishop, as he paced the deck saying h is evening prayers, recalled with pleasure the three men on the island ho were now able to pray, thanks to his patient efforts.

While he was lost in thought he happened to look up and noticed a spot of light in the East. The light kept approaching the ship and, as the bishop gazed in wonder, he saw three figures WALKING ON  THE WATER!

The captain stopped the boat and everyone leaned over the rails to see this sight. When they were within speaking distance, the bishop recognized his three friends, the fishermen.

"Bishop!" they exclaimed. "We hear your boat go past island and come hurry-hurry meet you."

"What is it you want?" asked the awe-stricken bishop.

"Bishop," they said, "we, so sorry. We forget lovely prayer. We say, 'Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, your kingdom come...' then we forget. Please tell us prayer again."

The bishop felt humbled. "Go back to your homes, my friends." he said, "and each time you pray, say, 'We are three, you are three, have mercy on us!'"

____________________

Today, release others from having to do everything "your way," In many ways we are as limited by our knowledge as we are by our lack of knowledge. Wisdom teaches us the application in our souls of our understanding. Wisdom also teaches us to smile and then release our need to rule, judge, control, and correct those who do it different than we do. When was the last time you walked on water?

Dei Gratia

Monty

Powerful Prayers Vol. V: Reinhold Niebuhr

The Serenity Prayer has been instrumental for millions of people working through all the hard stuff of life. It was penned in 1943 by Reinhold Niebuhr who was an activist, theologian, and pastor. Niebuhr spoke out against the Ku Klux Klan, and even spoke against what he saw as deplorable worker conditions under Henry Ford.

The heart of the man that is credited for this month's Powerful Prayer is clearly articulated in the words that follow. So, find a quiet spot...get comfortable...breathe in God's goodness...breathe out the days struggle...open your eyes...and slowly read the prayer. I will post some ruminations at the end of the prayer.

_____________________________________________________

God grant me the serenity
    to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
    not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
    if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
    and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.

Amen.
_____________________________________________________

Monty's Rumination...

There are at least five powerful movements in this prayer, and each movement builds upon the other to lead us to a place of surrender, empowerment, and peace.

1. God-reality

The first movement is the most important. From the first word of this prayer we are immersed in the truth that "I am not the center of the world." So often we live and interact with others as if we believed we were the epicenter of the universe. An overinflated view of self always disconnects us from the love of others and places us as an adversary with God...not a great place to be!

Movement #1: God is...and if God is, then I am not God. If I am not God, I can begin to give up my tendency to try to control the world, other people, and all my circumstances. When we begin to play God through the vehicle of control, it wears us out...wipes us out...and makes us weary. Take this step...peace is coming soon!

Prayer Point: Tell God you are ready for Him to be in charge, not only in your words, but in your actions. Ask Him to help you decrease so that He can increase.

2. Acceptance

Health and peace and balance are available when we decide to accept our current reality. Denial very often warps our perception, that is why we need other people who we trust to tell us the truth about our circumstances. I call that person a true friend! Someone who will point out the relational, emotional, or even physical realities of our life. When we hold onto a false reality we lengthen our struggle and pain. Some things are so hard to accept. Illness, injustice, given-talents verses wanted talents, or even another person withdrawing their love from us. All these things wound deeply and can be a causation where we try to fix, change, manipulate or morph the actual reality into desired reality. Eventually we learn that the only thing in this life that we are able to control is "me."But changing me is the way to changing my world!

As a pastor I have watched and encouraged people as they struggled with what they wanted to do, verses what God had created them to do. When they got their will in alignment with God's plan they had epiphanies and wondered why they had ever wanted to do that other thing! I just smile and remind myself there is no need to say "I told you so!" Acceptance, then, can even be applied to accepting the good things God has given us. Sometimes we feel unworthy, or undeserving of the blessings we encounter...Are you allowing mistakes from the past to keep you from accepting a God-reality today...this one works both sides of the track.

Spiritual growth happens as we step out of denial into God's grace and accept our current reality for what it is...then we are ready for the next movement...wisdom!

Prayer Point: Ask God to help you see and accept your life as it is, not as you want it, or think it should be. Thank God that you are right where you need to be to experience more of Him. Pray that you would be honest with yourself, others, and God in all that you say and do.

3. Wisdom

After we center our hearts and lives on the God-reality, we pray about the circumstances that we encounter each and every day. Some things in this life we have absolutely no ability or possibility to change, morph or control. Do you try to control your spouse, your kids, your boss, the weather, the stock market? I know that in my own life, I have very often relied up and trusted my abilities, my savvy, my entrepreneurial spirit, or my talents to change my reality. And do you know what? Many times I was able to do some pretty incredible things!

Then one unsuspecting day, a situation or three came along that God did not intend me to change, and bang...I hit a wall that I didn't know what to do with. So I tried harder...worked harder...and still nothing. That lead to some anger, resentment and frustration...I desperately needed to breath this prayer!

Finally, when God breaks through, we realize that if we are to experience peace, balance and passion in this life, we need to hold things lightly. That means we need this prayer. We need wisdom to know what is changeable (my choices, my issues, my life) and what is out of my control (most everything else!) But this is huge...when we enter into the awareness of what is changeable, and what is not, we will journey to the next movement...courage.

Prayer Point: Pray for supernatural wisdom to discern what God is up to in your life. Also pray that God would lead you to some incredible friends who will stand with you, be honest with you, and love you on your good days and your bad days!

4. Courage

Making changes in our lives (the things that we can control) is not easy...in fact, this is hard work! Courage is not the absence of fear as some people believe, rather courage is doing what we know we need to do in spite of the fear! I like what 17th century writer Baltasar Gracian said: "Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit." So courage is like the miracle grow formula for wisdom!

When God reveals the changes we can and need to make...sometimes our feet feel like they are encased in concrete, unable to move. Your stomach is in knots, you begin to weigh the potential losses and assess whether or not you think your heart can take the hits that might come. You wonder if it is possible for this thing to change, for you to change, and you wonder how things will be different if they do change!

The courage necessary to move through the growth challenges must come from a source much stronger than you! You need the God's power to infuse you and unleash your courage to help you choose the next step!

Prayer Point: Pray that God would fill you, flood you, and infuse you with His Spirit of power. That is the same Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead! Ask the Spirit of God to give you the courage you need in every situation...then move!

5. Trust

What is it that truly unleashes a man or a woman to do the impossible? What is the difference between the person who says "it can't be done," and the one who says "why not?" It is the depth of their faith. But faith must have an object...in otherwords, the power of your faith is determined by who or what you put your faith in. If my faith is in a door-knob, there probably will not be a whole lot of change, peace or healing taking place in my life. However, if my faith is placed in God who has proven Himself faithful and able, I begin to trust the outcomes of my life.

This is critical. If  believe that God truly loves and cares for me. If I believe that God has my best interests at heart. If I believe that nothing is impossible for God...then I am faced with a choice as good and bad situations invade my life.

Will I trust that God has me, or will I try to control what I don't like. When I trust God in all things and circumstances, I stop second guessing the pain or hardship in my life as signs that He is angry with me. They are in fact, just a part of life. BUT...if I belong to God, He promises to use those experiences to grow me, strengthen me, and heal me...the one ingredient needed is trust. Trust is like the activator agent for all the movements we have talked about. Trust doesn't second guess...deny its reality...whither at the challenge...or fail to see the truth. No, trust merely clings and believes in the goodness of God which sustains all things.

Prayer Point: Ask God to help you identity the things that have caused you not to trust Him. Ask Him to heal those wounds and bless you with a faith-filled and trusting heart.

When we practice these prayer movements we begin to experience happiness and joy in this life no matter what the circumstances. Your world is no longer controlled by externals, but your soul is growing stronger in the grace and presence of God in your life.

Dei Gratia,
Monty