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Living The Solution – Online Newsletter |
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January 24, 2005 ISSUE |
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Opening Thoughts:
I believe each of us possesses gifts that God has
granted us and much of our life is spent discovering those gifts. Ideally,
we should all use our God-given gifts to benefit others. I see it as
a way of partnering with God in the ongoing creation around us.
The challenge may be discovering just what those gifts
are. Because I often can’t see them clearly in myself it helps
to be around others, working together towards a worthwhile goal. It is
another reason for community.
If you are currently facing an overwhelming difficulty
perhaps you will experience the inability to do it alone, reach out to
God and others and suddenly recognize the gifts in and around you.
Peace and joy,
Tom Gilbert
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IN THIS ISSUE
Feature Article: The Gift of Surprises
In The Spotlight: Aid for Asia Tsunami Victims
Daily Thoughts: Waiting for the Messiah
Prayer & Sharing Requests
Quotable: On the Gifts of God
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| FEATURED
ARTICLE |
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The Gift of Surprises
Article by Tom Gilbert
Surprises can come in many new and unexpected
ways. The very nature of a surprise can result in sudden
realizations that things are not always the way they seem.
Routines are a natural way of living. We need organization and structure to keep
us from aimlessly wandering. However, the pitfall is that our routines can become
ruts. As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “I don’t just get in
a rut…I move in and furnish it!” The surprises in our lives have
a way of jarring us from this false reality and opening us up to new possibilities.
A surprise can also be a shock. It’s not always a pleasant experience.
We may get surprised by news of health problems, tragic events, financial challenges
or the heartbreaking loss of a loved one. These unwelcome surprises may force
you to face some personal demons. The knowledge that you are not in control of
your life, that death is real and comes to everyone, and that no matter how well
you plan things are not going to turn out the way you want it are often bitter
pills to swallow.
Read the entire article here.
Discover more thought provoking articles
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| IN THE SPOTLIGHT |
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Aid for Asia Tsunami Victims
The continuing news of the devastation, loss
of life and great suffering in Asia from the earthquake and resulting tsunami
calls us to respond. There are many agencies providing relief efforts.
Below are some of them and please help if you can.
World Vision International
Gospel For Asia
Catholic Relief Service
Christian Aid
Church World Service
International Federation of Red Cross
Lutheran World Relief
Mennonite Central Committee
Mercy Corps
World Relief
See more at our Spotlight Specials page
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you support our ministry – thank you!
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DAILY THOUGHTS & REFLECTIONS |
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On Your Feet – Waiting for the Messiah
He said this and then spit in the dust, made
a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes,
and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent").
The man went and washed—and saw. Soon the town was buzzing. His
relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging
were saying, "Why, isn't this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?" Others
said, "It's him all right!" But others objected, "It's
not the same man at all. It just looks like him." (John 9:6-9 — The
Message)
Here we have a group of people, the
Jews, that have been waiting for the Messiah, and when
He comes and does what He says He will they want to find
every excuse about why this can’t be the one. Even
when Jesus performs miracles they do not want to believe
it — they still try to explain it away. It would
almost appear that they we more committed to looking for
the Messiah than wanting to really find Him.
Things really have not changed much today. People are still looking for something
more in their lives. They feel in their hearts that there must be more than just
this life, there must be some reason for their being here, and when someone suggests
that it is God, their response is the same as the Jews; they come up with a host
of reasons of why Jesus is not the one.
We as Christ’s followers make the same mistake too. We pray and ask God
for direction in our lives, to show is what He is doing and how we can join in,
and then when He does our reaction many times is to question what He has shown
us. We ask for special signs (fleeces) to test what God has told us. That is
our “spiritual” way of saying, “No this can’t be God.” We
do all of this rather than be thankful that He answered our prayer.
Don’t make the same mistake that other have made; don’t question
God when God moves but rather praise Him for showing you who He is and where
He is working. God is constantly working in the world around you and He is waiting
for you to see what He is doing and for you to get involved. Don’t let
your disbelief prevent you from being a part of what God is doing. Believe Him
when He moves and speaks.
Live it with Passion
Pete Reinbold
Get daily inspiration with a Scripture verse and commentary
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Daily Thought
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PRAYER REQUESTS & RESULTS |
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Prayer works. It really does.Submit your prayer
requests and we will pray for them.
Of course, we keep your information confidential.
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My thoughts are shared regularly on the pages of
our web site, especially on
the Journal pages.
We welcome and appreciate your feedback. If you would
like to submit an article please see our writer's
guidelines.
It is our hope that the content of Living The Solution will
stimulate you to deepen your faith. That is certainly a result for us in both
our writing and reading. If you would like to see articles on a particular topic
or you have comments please let us know.
Send an email
Quotable: On the Gifts of God
“It is not in the gifts He
received but in the virtues He practiced that Christ
is our model. That which is asked of you, so that you
may resemble Him, is to make the same use as He did
of the gifts of God, according to the measure in which
you have received them.”
— Jean N. Grou (1731- 1803)
Copyright 2005 Living the Solution, all rights reserved.
Tom Gilbert
Editor/Web-servant
Living The Solution
www.livingthesolution.com
P O Box 25584
Albuquerque, NM 87125-5584
Toll free 1-800-399-2564 ext 105 (US only) or 505-247-3232
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Radical
Grace
by Richard Rohr
408 meditations by America's foremost retreat master and preacher, striking the
spirit of each season.
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here
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