in loving memory.

I think we all have those one or two friends in our lives that we hold closest to our hearts. That person who you can trust with your soul; the one who you feel comfortable enough telling anything to because you know they won’t judge you or break your confidence. The person that you can lose contact with for weeks, months or even a couple years and then, in one instant, pick right up where you left off, without the guilt or blame of losing touch.

Last week, I got a devastating email from this friend. She is someone whom I met when I was eighteen.  Our paths crossed at a critical point in our lives and our friendship bond runs deeper than most. Her joy is my joy, and in the same sense, her pain is my pain. And currently, pain is an understatement in her life. The cards she has been dealt is definitely not a fair hand. Why is one person left to bear all types of troubles, even worse, at the same time, when so many of us seem to breeze blissfully through life? Obviously, we all have our slumps to endure and our mountains to climb, but c’mon, this dear friend of mine has been forced to climb Mount Everest..in stilettos…blindfolded….and backwards. Without going into too much detail or breaking confidence, my friend is suffering tragic loss, financial hardships, broken relationships, internal battles–all at this very moment. 

However, take heart! Our God is mighty! He is an ever-present source of peace, strength, and comfort!

One of this weeks Vespers’ stations that I created is fittingly on comfort and compassion. I felt my friend’s presence with me as I designed this meditation. I hope that each of you can find inspiration and comfort from the below passage. We all suffer pain and loss and tragedy and hardship. Each at different times, in certain degrees, for various lengths of time. God did not promise that our earthly journey would be light and easy. Through our pain and trials, we are given the opportunity to turn to and rely on God’s infinite compassion. May you find it today.

This is for you, Mal…

Comfort and Compassion

 “This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you…For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”

                                                                                                     -Isaiah 49: 8, 13

 “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.”         -Psalm 145:8

 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” -2 Corinthians 1:3

 “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”-James 5:11

 “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy…filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”                        -Psalm 86:15

In this fallen world, it is not unusual to feel alone and isolated when we are going through troubles of various kinds. We might feel as if no one understands or cares. As if no human word or touch could comfort us the way we desire.  Yet, God did not create us to be fully dependent on human comfort. He designed us to yearn and seek for comfort that surpasses human understanding and ability. Praise be to God that He is ever-present, comforting us with His divine peace, love, and compassion!

-How have I experienced God’s comfort and compassion in my life?

-Has God used human or earthly means as a way of bringing His comfort to me?

-How can I be a tangible source of God’s compassion for others?

 

-much love to you all, SK

 

Sit back and relax…

So, this week’s liturgy focus was on the creation story of Genesis 1-2. The verse that stuck out to me was from Genesis 2 which states that God rests on the seventh day, after spending six days creating.  Wait. What was that? God….rested?  The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-perfect God rested?  But, why?  Surely God doesn’t get tired!

Tiredness.

Exhaustion.

Fatigue.

Weariness.

For many individuals, these words have negative connotations. They allude to…

Weakness.  Failure.  Shortcomings.  Frailty.

We don’t like to admit that we are tired. But, why?  Our culture is one of the “go-go-go mentality”. Always needing to be

Producing.

Accomplishing.

Attaining.

Gaining.

Achieving.

Doing. Doing. Doing.

But, wait. God rested. He rested. Our Lord rested. 

…Maybe he did this to be an example. To illustrate. To exemplify. To show us that we, too, need to rest… 

Below is the Vesper’s station that I developed for this weeks gathering. My desire is that you take the time to rest and meditate upon these words. To treat your mind, you body, your soul to some much needed…

Relaxation.

Renewal.

Rest

“And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation.”  

                                                                           -Genesis 2:3

Most of us are not very god at resting. If we even pause in life, we tend to get anxious.

But, we need rest. Rest restores us…

Restores our bodies from fatigue of constant activity.

Restores our minds from the never ending clutter of things to do.

Restores our souls from the insanity of grandiose self-perceptions

            of being both indispensable and capable of performing

            beyond normal human limits.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows we need rest. God considers rest to be so important that he set the example of resting after creation. Rest honors God and restores our perspective.

In what areas of your life is God calling you to rest… 

            Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? Mentally?

***May God give you the courage to rest. May you find ways to rest that will restore your soul.

-SK

Why Worry??

I just wanted to share another Vespers station with you all. My prayer is that God speaks to you through this meditation; that you are able to identify areas in your life that cause you to worry so that, through awareness, you are able to draw from Christ’s strength and begin the journey of “letting go and letting God.”

REFUSE TO WORRY

 I Peter 5:7

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”

 Ecclesiastes 11:10

“So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body…”

 Philippians 4: 6-7

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace.

 Matthew 6: 25-27; 32-34

“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothes? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

 In this world there will always be something enticing you to worry. That is the nature of a fallen, fractured planet: Things are not as they should be. So the temptation to be anxious is constantly with you, trying to worm its way into your mind. The best defense is continual communication with God, richly seasoned with thanksgiving. Allow awareness of His presence to fill your mind with light and peace, leaving no room for fear. This awareness lifts you up above your circumstances, enabling you to see problems from God’s perspective. Live close to Him! Together you can keep the wolves of worry at bay.

 -What are things in my life causing me to worry?

-What physical side effects do I experience when I worry?

-Do I truly believe that God does care about what happens to me?

 ***Today I will refuse to waste energy worrying. I will notice that when I intentionally make an effort to remain in constant communication with God, I will have strength to spare.  

 

Blessings,

Sarah Kate