đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. In the 8th chapter of Mark, right before Jesus introduces His disciples to the horrific road He was to travel on the way to His resurrection, He asked them two questions. First, âWho do people say that I am?â Second, âBut who do you say that I am?â
A few days ago on social media, I saw a cartoon image of Satan standing at the Pearly Gates. There was a caption on the cartoon, but it was the picture that stuck with me and keeps drawing me back. Yesterday morning as I was reading my morning devotionals and Bible, the thought crossed my mindâŠâGod is extremely forgiving. The devil must have done something really horrific for God not to let him back into heaven.â After all, he was there before. He knows what itâs like to be a member of the heavenly host. I pondered this though throughout the day Tuesday and right at the end of the work day, God shared something with me. âHe never asked.â
Satan has never asked God for forgiveness. Which tells me, if Satan was to approach God and sincerely ask for forgiveness, I believe God would offer him forgiveness and welcome him back home. I donât think many of us would rank ourselves at the same sin level as Satan. Hopefully you are much, much lower on the sin chart ranking. But no matter where you are, moving up or down the Heaven/Hell rankings, you are one sincere conversation and request for forgiveness away from redemption, a clean slate, and an awe inspiring, eternal relationship with our Lord.
Now, I pose the question to you. Who do you say that Jesus is?
If you listen, He will tell you.
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. Keep Moving Forward Episode 51 has a bit of a twist for you. Diana is the interviewee, sitting on the other end of the couch. Itâs interesting to hear a different side of her. Click the link below and listen for yourself.
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. Today I have two episodes of Keep Moving Forward for you. Episode 49 made me pause a bit to rethink different approaches to accomplishing the same goal. It also made me what to watch Legally Blond. Click the links below and listen for yourself.
Monday, August 1, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 49: Action for the ADHS Mind with Kristina Ellis
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. âThen looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, âEphphatha.â that is, âBe opened.â And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.â â Mark 7:34-35
EphphathaâŠThrough the years that has been a word that has stood out to me. Initially because of itâs melodiousness, but also because itâs kind of fun to sayâŠEphphatha…and I find it interesting that Mark kept this Aramaic word in the text. Speech and speaking are learned by first hearing. No one comes out of the womb speaking, but the majority of babies do come out hearing. When your hearing is impaired or completely blocked, it will affect your ability to speak clearly or even speak at all. So, in this case, itâs not the debate of which came first, the chicken or the egg. Hearing certainly precedes speaking. Thatâs something to contemplate.
Before speaking the word, Jesus looked up to heaven and He sighed. Why did He look toward His Father and sigh? Do you think He was just worn out from people not listening and needing some strength from His Father? Or was it maybe kind of a pity sigh? Maybe it was a sign of disappointment in the fact that He was pouring His heart out to so many, yet relatively few actually heard and understood. Weâre not alone in our struggle to hear. Even the disciples, who experienced Jesus up close and personal, had to ask on multiple occasions what the real meaning of certain parables were.
There have been many times in my life when I did not hear the Lord speaking to me, partly because I just didnât know better. I hadnât spent enough time with Him and His word, getting to know Him and why He wanted to be with me. And then, there were other times that I just didnât want to hear what He had to say, so I would purposely block Him out. It sounds pretty crappy as I read this, but the truth is what it is, and the truth is that many times I have put myself above God.
Hearing the Lord is a choice that we have to make multiple times a day. As we choose to be opened to hearing God and His word, our mind will be opened, our speech will be opened, our actions will be opened to fearlessly proclaiming Him to all of us who so desperately need Him in our lives.
I say to you âEphphatha! Be Opened!â
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. Itâs only Wednesday, but my brain feels like itâs put in a 40 hour work week already. I havenât worked that much yet, but not having a good balance sets my mind in a fog and it becomes a challenge to focus on something other than work. When my brain starts getting to that numb stage, I just want to sit and do nothing, thinking that will help relax and refocus my mind. In reality, getting up, moving around, doing physical work, and getting my eyes off a computer, phone, and TV are more beneficial for me. When my mind is in that numb stage, I donât want to read or talk to people, and itâs hard to convince myself to get up and move. I try to convince myself that Iâd do a better job relaxing if I did nothing. In times like this, I can be my own worst enemy and Iâm robbing myself of the peace I need to maintain balance.
In Mark 6: 30-32 we hear about the apostles returning to Jesus and sharing with Him all they had done and taught. Recognizing their need for some down time from their work, Jesus invites them to jump in a boat and sail to a deserted place to rest from their work. So, what do you think that would look like for a diverse group like that? Right away, I would imagine some of them maybe grabbed a pole or net and would do a little fishing. Maybe they would find a calm place of shore and do a little swimming. Maybe when they reached their deserted destination, they would cook up a meal, share some stories, and find some moments of solitude and quiet.
I believe thatâs a keep point. To gain and maintain balance, to a degree, we need to distance ourselves from our job. But that doesnât mean we should become a blob that melts into a couch or chair and do nothing. Yes, we absolutely need those quiet moments alone, but we also need moments of physical activity, and interaction and discussion with others. Each of us are unique in what that balance looks like for us. Half the challenge is knowing what our balance combination is and the other half is working at maintaining that balance. When Iâm out of balance, I feel fatigued, my eyes are tired, Iâm irritable and short tempered. Just ask Brian, heâs experienced my unbalance first hand. Itâs not that I want to be that way, but sometimes I just donât even know what we need to get my balance back.
I read this quote by Archbishop Fulton Sheen Monday. âBefore undertaking a task great or small, before making decisions, before beginning a journey, the humble will acknowledge their dependence on God and invoke His guidance and His blessing on all their enterprises.â
When I start relying on myself more than God, I get out of balance. Our balance starting point is to first get centered and balanced with God. He will flow through every part and aspect of your life, which is why itâs so important to start with Him.
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. Last week when Diana Marie Keller released her Keep Moving Forward episode 47, I was on vacation with my mom and sisters, so I listened to both episode 47 and 48 this morning. I think Diana may have been looking into my life a bit, because in both of these episodes she was very much describing what Iâve been experiencing and feeling. The good news is, she also provided some good advice to work through these moments. Click the links below and listen for yourself.
Friday, July 22, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 47: What To Do When Youâve Lost Your WHY
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. I spent last Thursday through Sunday experiencing new and different adventures in downtown Cincinnati, OH with my mom and two sisters. My oldest sister picked a fabulous hotel that placed us within walking distance of the majority of our planned activities. I very much enjoy getting to know an area by foot. There is so much that is missed when you have to concentrate on driving. Along with our planned outings, we also had some planned down time just hanging out at the hotel. Who knew that doing the daily USA Today crossword puzzle could bring so much laughter and late nights?
We enjoyed the Van Gough Immersion experience, a B & B Riverboat cruise, the Underground Railroad Museum, Khronâs Conservatory, and a Cincinnati Reds game, but there was one experience on our list that gave me the greatest feeling of family and brought me back to my childhood. Sunday morning we walked to St. Francis Xavier church and prayed the Mass together. I do enjoy walking to Mass. It just seems to allow a degree of peace before walking into church. I donât get to experience it very often, but having Mass outside in nature is my favorite.
After Sunday morning Mass, we walked back to the hotel to checkout and head off to our next adventure. When we arrived at our room, I went to get my checkbook so I could pay my sister for the weekend, but couldnât find my checkbook. I knew exactly where I put it, but I couldnât find it. I emptied everything out of my bags twice. I then turned the lights on hoping it would help me see things a little better, but I still didnât find it. My Mom also looked, but still nothing. I called Brian to see if maybe I actually left it at home, but he couldnât find it there either. At that point we considered it gone and were heading down to the lobby to file a report.
When we arrived in the lobby, my sisters were already there waiting for us. We informed them that we couldnât find it and my sister suggested taking one more look. I told her, âI know exactly were I put it. Right here behind my flip flops.â And as I pulled my flip flops out, there it was. Both Mom and I were like, âWe pulled every thing out of there and even felt down there, but couldnât find it.â
So, what made the difference? In the room, my first couple searches were with just a little sun shining in the room, with my back to the windows and my body blocking the light from my bags. The next two searches were in the same room, but with the addition of a couple dimly lit table lamps on. The lobby on the other hand had an entry that was a wall of windows and a partial glass ceiling, which allowed so much natural light in. I placed my bags in a chair that placed them closest to the window, so my body wasnât blocking the light. It was amazing how clearly and quickly I was able to find what I was looking for. I thought, âWow, I canât believe I couldnât see that before.â
In that moment, God reminded me that from time to time we create our own blindness by blocking the Light of Christ from illuminating our lives. All I have to do is put His light ahead of me, not behind me. How much more do you find when your open your Bible, allow the light in, and are able to read His word, as opposed to a closed Bible with no words to be read? How much more can a song lighten your spirit and lift you up when itâs playing, as opposed to when itâs silent? How much closer will prayers prayed and conversations with the Lord bring you into a deeper relationship with Him, as opposed to never saying a word to Him? Yes, being in the light is a choice. When searching for my checkbook in our room, probably all I needed to do to find my checkbook, would have been turn around with my bag to face the light. I know, it sounds pretty simpleâŠand it is. Your better days ahead are as simple as choosing to turn to face and walk in the light, as opposed to choosing to walk in the dark. If you donât believe me, I encourage you to take this challenge. Pick something in your regular daily activities and choose to invite God into that activity each day for three days. After those three days, try doing that same daily activity without inviting God along. Seriously, it can be as simple as brushing your teeth or walking down the steps. When I brush my teeth, I pray on the Armor of God and when I walk down the steps, especially in the dark, I pray the Sign of the Cross. âIn the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank You Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Jesus.â That gets me from the top step to the bottom. Allow His light to brighten even the most menial activities in your life, and before you know it, youâll be inviting Him into greater activities. As His light continues to grow in your life, your eyes will be opened to seeing so much more.
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. This past Thursday – Sunday was the Greater Dayton Womenâs Walk to Emmaus #108. I had the pleasure of serving the Pilgrims and live-in team each day in different capacities, beginning with kitchen set up on Wednesday, greeting and carrying the Pilgrimâs luggage upon their arrival, preparing and serving meals, participating in a candlelight prayer service, praying multiple times during the 72 hour prayer vigil, clean up at the end of the Walk, and attended the closing ceremony to welcome the new Pilgrims into our Emmaus Community family.
I really, REALLY enjoy experiencing the Pilgrims upon arrival Thursday and then experiencing their Walk transformation at the closing Sunday. It makes me smile when greeting them and carrying all their luggage in, they donât really know what to do. So many times Iâve heard them say, âI can get them.â At times, itâs hard to allow others to help us. We donât want to seem weak or that we canât take care of ourselves. There is no weakness in allowing others to serve you. Jesus is the perfect model of serving others, in so many ways. At this moment, Jesus comes to mind when He washes His discipleâs feet. So often, when others offer us help, our kneejerk respond is similar to Peter. ââNo,â said Peter, âyou shall never wash my feet.ââ Iâve reacted like that more times than I remember or even care to count. It can be a real challenge, but by allowing those walls that we build around ourselves, come down brick by brick, you allow God to step in and be your shield and defense, but you also allow His amazing grace and many blessings in. Some of those blessings are the people that God sends to you when you need them most. Allow yourself to be open and available to Him and those He sends to you.
One of the, I would guess, top three experiences that the Pilgrims mention and discussed at the end of the Walk is the incredible feeling of family and a sense of belonging in this Emmaus Community family. So many Pilgrims, including myself when I was on my Pilgrim Walk, have no idea how much we need this community and the presence of God they bring with them. Some times you just donât know what you need until you experience it for the first time.
My Pilgrim Walk weekend was July 21 â 24, 2011, which will be 11 years ago tomorrow. I remember telling the Community at the closing, âI didnât hear anything this weekend that I didnât already know. But what made the difference was all of you.â Looking back, it sounds kind of cocky. I was comfortable and confident in my relationship with the Lord, but oh how He has enlightened me and opened my eyes to so much more in these past 11 years.
Itâs actually been a bit of a struggle writing this today because my mind is all over the place as I reflect on my Emmaus Walk. That weekend experience was one of the biggest pivot points in my life. I feel like my thoughts today are a bit scattered and there is so much I want to share with you about the weekend experience, but ultimately it really is all about your âWalkâ with God. Please allow Him and others to serve you in His name. And in return, He will guide you in how you may serve others in His name. Knock a brick or two off the wall. Allow His light to penetrate into your soul, that you may radiate His presence in and through your life.
This week, I would like to conclude with a quote from Archbishop Fulton Sheen. âIt is easy to find truth, though it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.â
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
Christâs peace and presence be with you. Diana had a double shot of Keep Moving Forward for us last week. The first is a Monday bonus episode focused on coping skills. The second is a combination of conversations with six of Dianaâs book launch team members, as they discuss six of the conversation starters in Dianaâs soon to be released book, âStop Talking About the Weather!â I found their conversations interesting and relatable to experiences in my life. Take a listen.
Monday, July 11, 2022
Keep Moving Forward â Diana Marie Keller
Episode 45: âIâve Got 99 Coping SkillsâŠâ with Lindsey Konchar
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay if forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.
đđ«đ€ Christâs peace and presence be with you. What does peace mean to you? For me, itâs more of an outdoor, not indoor feeling. Itâs quiet, not noisy. Itâs individual time, not group time. Itâs eyes closed, not open. Itâs an internal conversation, not external. Itâs early morning or late night, not midday. Itâs ears open and mouth closed.
Now, how does your body, mind, and spirit tell you that you need more peace? I have a few tells, but the most predominant is body, which produces pain across my upper back and shoulders. Mind causes me to want to shut down and sleep. Spirit causes restlessness, until I rest in Him.
Something I experience, which you may also, is that my body, mind, and spirit at times fight themselves to keep me away from seeking the peace I need. I donât know, maybe that sounds very strange to you. Hereâs a perfect exampleâŠIn my younger years there was a certain time of the month that I would become rather irritable and I would literally have this conversation with myself. âJust take a Midol. Youâll feel better.â To which I would respond in a louder tone, âI donât need a Midol!â âYes, you do. Just take a Midol.â Granted, this was all going on in my head. Much of the time, itâs those internal, nonverbal conversations that will raise your level of angst, unrest, and a lack of peace.
In Mark 4:35-41 when the apostles found themselves on a boat, in the midst of a storm, worrying if they were going to drown, they found Jesus in the stern of the boat sleeping. The apostles seemed a bit bewildered that Jesus wasnât concerned about them possibly drowning. Jesusâ response to the apostles makes me smile. âHe got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, âQuiet! Be still!â Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, âWhy are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?ââ
I know, itâs easy to say, âBut Heâs God. He can be calm. He doesnât have anything to worry about.â That could be very true. He doesnât have anything to worry about, but He does care and He does love you. At times, I think our actions cause His level of peace to go down. He wants great things for us and when we donât want to accept the path to those great things, He knows weâll end up making choices that arenât great for our physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Take some time this week to find your best path to peace, when life and those voices in your head start fighting you. Donât wait too long before you shout out âQuiet! Be still!â
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others. Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday.
