😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  Last Hump Day was Ash Wednesday and Sunday was the first Sunday of Lent.  For going on 52 years now, I’ve experienced the Lenten season.  Typically, it’s been my least favorite liturgical season, but it feels different this year.  It doesn’t matter how many times you hear something, your current attitude and outlook on life will bring a new perspective on what can seem like a dust covered message.  Sunday’s second reading was Romans 5: 12-19.  The verse that rang clear as a bell to me was verse 19.  “For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.”  We all know the One that we will be made righteous through is Christ.  What came to mind next was that Christ also gives us the opportunity to contribute to this turnaround from sin to righteousness.  Sin entered paradise because of selfishness.  Wanting more than paradise could offer.  Seems kind of silly, right?  What’s better than sharing paradise with the Lord?  Sin is the no brainer choice.  Choosing the love and grace of God is a conscience choice.  That’s were obedience comes in.  You know those “random acts of kindness” that make you feel good and happy?  Do you really believe they’re random?  They seem to me to be planned opportunities that the Holy Spirit presents to us.  Opportunities to step outside of our selfish selves to be obedient, thereby drawing one step closer to the love and grace of our Father and paradise as it was originally offered to us as His sons and daughters.  During the season of Lent there is a great focus on prayer, fasting, and alms giving.  True, these are things we should be focusing on every day.  As you draw closer to Christ’s road to Calvary this Lent, you are once again presented a greater opportunity to choose to receive the love and grace of our Lord through your obedience, when He presents you with opportunities.  Don’t just make the no brainer choice.  Stop and make a conscience choice. 

Just a quick reminder to go to the menu and checkout the Walking with Emmaus page.  Our first walking share group will be Sunday, 3/15/2020 1:00 PM at Charleston Falls in Tipp City, OH.  All are welcome to join our walk.  If you are an Emmaus alumni, bring your name tag and group reunion card.  I hope to see you there.  Bless others and be blessed.

#Kutless – Grace and Love

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  Wow, what did the Emmaus weekend experience mean to me?  I listen to music when I’m getting ready for the day, but Monday I made a conscience choice to not be distracted by the music and allow myself to listen for Him.  I allowed the workaholic in me to relax and not even crack my work computer open.  When I got back to work on Tuesday, a coworker asked me how the weekend was.  I told her it was so good that I didn’t even crack open my computer on Monday.  She said “Yeah, I kept expecting to see something come through from you.”   

 It all started Thursday night when I met a new friend that I was so comfortable with that it felt I’d known her, her whole life.  When we met, I had no idea the healing He started in motion.  Saturday the Holy Spirit did some phenomenal works opening my eyes to an area that I had no idea I was holding onto so tightly.  I opened my heart to let go and in return found many hands reaching out to support me and an army of angels praying for me and with me.  Allowing that unrealized burden to be thrown into the sea of forgetfulness has lightened my step.  It’s crazy how things can weigh us down without ever realizing it.  But what’s even more crazy is when we grab some bate, a fishing pole, and charter a boat to bring us back to the deepest depts of the sea of forgetfulness to try to drudge up that which we were freed from.  It’s so easy to hash and rehash experiences in our lives, to feed off the negativity, and live in the muck and mire.  It’s time to burn the ships, break the fishing pole, and throw that bate to the gulls.   Leave that junk in the depts of the sea.  I don’t even want you standing on the shoreline dipping your toe in it.  Every decision we make to look in that rearview mirror blinds us to what lies ahead and sets us up for wreckage.  Make a clean break and don’t turn back.  Bless others and be blessed.

#ForKingAndCountry – Burn the Ships

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  I’m so thankful the sun is starting to rise earlier.  Seeing and sharing a sunrise absolutely warms my heart.  Driving to a meeting Saturday morning, a friend and I were heading straight into the rising sun, which sparked a conversation about how transition lenses don’t change in the car because the windshield has some UV ray protection build into it, therefore my glasses won’t change.  My friend commented that even on cloudy days, 70% of the sun’s rays make it through, so you still need to wear sunscreen.  That put a big smile on my face.  Even on your cloudy, dark days, the Son will always be a ray touching your life.  You may not see those radiant beams of light on the cloudy days, be that doesn’t mean He’s not with you.  And as long as you don’t put Sonscreen on, He will leave His mark on you.  You know what I mean, that undeniable glow that shines forth from the faces of those basking in the Son.  There’s no other glow like it. 

Thursday evening kicks off the Greater Dayton Women’s Walk to Emmaus #107.  I’m so excited for the 22 Pilgrims that are going to be spending 72 nonstop hours of being drenched in the Holy Spirit.  I’m also excited for the 30 team members and the community of volunteers that have been and will continue to freely give of themselves this weekend to ensure these Pilgrims have everything they want and more.  You know, sometimes its in the receiving of that which we didn’t even know that we were missing or needed, that can turn a mind…heart…life around.  Even if someone told these ladies everything planned on the schedule for them this weekend, they still wouldn’t have a clue as to what’s about to happen in their lives this weekend.

With that being said, in powerful moments like these, Satan is bound to be pounding on the door and trying his best to sabotage any and everything he can to keep God’s Pilgrims from experiencing the unconditional love and grace of our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Three in One.  Of the 27 live in team members, five are Michele’s/Michelle’s.  As you may know, Saint Michael is the patron saint of Michele/Michelle.  And Saint Michael is an Archangel, a defender of the kingdom of God.  The team kind of took that as a sign that this Walk needed to call upon Saint Michael to help protect all those participating in Women’s Walk #107.   As the Lord places these Pilgrims and this team in your thoughts and hearts this weekend, will you please say a pray that God’s Will be done.  And if you’re willing, maybe pray this prayer to Saint Michael.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.  Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;  And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.  Amen

Bless others and be blessed. 

#GreaterDaytonEmmaus

#WalkToEmmaus

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  One-on-one interactions and relationships are where I thrive.  As much as I would like it to be, our world doesn’t consist of just one-on-one relationships.  We’re all an integral part of society.  When people know that you’re a Christian, they watch you and are taking notice of how you act and react in situations.   I used to volunteer with a high school youth group and we had this one individual that had a pretty foul mouth.  When she would say a cuss word, I started yelling “Foul ball!”.  The first time I did that everyone just looked at me strangely.  The second time, they started to pick up on why I said it.  It took a while, but the foul balls became less and less.  One day that individual came up to me and said “My friends notice that I haven’t been cussing as much and wanted to know what was going on.”  So, she explained what had happened in our youth group.  She then said that her friends weren’t cussing as much either.  Isn’t it amazing how one small action can create a far reaching ripple effect?  Making a difference in our world doesn’t have to be some huge monumental situation.  Let’s face it, very few of us will have that kind of opportunity.  More times than not, our opportunities will show up as small, barely noticeable items.  That single drop of water that grows into a ripple.

In Matthew 25: 31-40 Jesus clearly states what mercy looks like.  Feed the hungry.  Give drink to the thirsty.  Welcome a stranger.  Clothe the naked.  Care for the sick.  Visit those in prison.  Let’s take a slightly different look at these merciful acts.   

Feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty:  Maybe what they hunger and thirst for isn’t physical, but hunger for the Word of God and thirst for streams of Living Water.

Welcome a stranger:  There are many people in this world that feel invisible and completely alone.  I encourage you to make eye contact with someone.  Smile and say “Hi”. 

Clothe the naked:  Think about all the clothes you have packed away in your house that you haven’t worn in months or even years.  How much of a difference could it make to a single mom if she was able to go to a thrift store and purchase an outfit that she could confidently wear to an interview?  It could mean the difference between getting that higher paying job, so that she could better care for her child, or not.

Care for the sick:  That includes boo boos, life threatening diseases and those fighting to break the chains of depression, alcohol and drugs.

Visit those in prison:  Don’t forget the elderly that can no longer drive themselves around town.  Their homes can feel like a prison as they wait day after day for a visitor to come.

To make a real change in this world, mercy (meeting a person’s need) and justice (addressing the cause of the need) must go hand in hand.  For example, mercy is giving a food basket to a family in need.  But justice aims to determine why this family is hungry and addresses the factors causing that need.  Be a joyful witness for Christ in all you do.  Show others that your source of strength and zeal comes from our Lord.  Bless others and be blessed.

#CastingCrowns – Courageous

#Courageous – the movie

Christ’s peace be with you. After reading the Wednesday, February 5, 2020 😎🐫🎤 message, a follower and coworker stopped by my office Friday morning and said that I needed to read the Our Daily Bread message for Friday, February 7, 2020. At the end of my work day instead of just jumping in my car, I decided to pause a moment with God and read the message that was lovingly passed onto me. It very much so touched my heart, so I wanted to share it with you. Does what we do matter? I’ll let you decide that for yourself. Thank you friend for being a smiling face and blessing for me. Bless others and be blessed.

https://odb.org/2020/02/07/working-for-gods-glory/

#OurDailyBread

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  In two weeks it will be one year that I’ve been at my job.  I’ve been told repeatedly, by multiple people that for those who are willing to stick it out, it will take about five years to become comfortable in this position.  It’s been extremely challenging for me, being that I feel like I’m not serving my customers as timely, completely, and confidently as I want to be able to serve them.  I don’t know, maybe deep down I figure the more hours I put in, the sooner I’ll get to the five year comfort level.  The problem is, I’m having a very hard time allowing myself to walk away from my work.  I work late almost every day.  I work at home at night.  I also work on the weekend.  My mental and physical wellbeing are out of balance.  I’m pretty sure that’s because I’m working instead of taking the time to go on hikes in nature and clear my mind.  It frustrates my husband.  My mother-in-law tells me I shouldn’t work so much.  “I know.  I know.”  I was talking with a friend about it Monday and it seemed like without hesitation she said “How do you reconcile that with God?”  Oh, that one hurt.  As so often the truth does, when we have chosen not to face it.  It’s sad to say, but it can be easy to blow off those around us, thinking they will always be there.  I feel better mentally, physically, and spiritually when I take the time to walk in nature.  And it also clears my head so that I can be more mentally available and present with those that I’m with.  The Holy Spirit and I have our greatest conversation in nature and I’ve really been missing that this past year, along with missing time with my husband, family, and friends. 

I don’t think anyone likes waking up all hours of the night and early morning thinking about all the work that still needs to be done.  I’m kind of feeling like a body that’s growing too quickly and ending up with some permanent stretch marks.  I need to give myself permission and allow myself to grow a little at a time, so that I’ll be more balanced, pliable, and won’t leave a trail of damage in my wake.  You may find yourself in a similar situation.  How can I allow myself to be filled with Him, if I’m always overflow with work?  I’ve decided that I need to free my mind of the pressure I’m putting on myself.  Regain the balance between my personal and work life.  And allow the Healer to be what fills my life, not work.  Bless others and be blessed.

#MercyMe – The Hurt and the Healer

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  2 Kings 4: 1-7 shares with us a story of trust. 

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”  Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”  Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.  Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”  She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.  When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.  She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

We’re kind of catching this story in midstream, so we don’t really know what all this widow and her sons have tried to keep themselves afloat before she cried out to the man of God.  Maybe he was her first thought, or maybe he was her last resort.  Either way, she opened herself to his words, then she and her sons without question did as they were instructed.  First, they sought the assistance of those around them, family, friends, neighbors.  Having a strong community of believers that we can turn to in our times of need is extremely vital.  Second, the boys gathered all the empty jars their community had to offer and presented them to their mother.  Third, the widow allowed the oil to flow until there were no more jars to fill.  As a reward for her trust and obedience, their debt was paid in full, plus additional money to live on.  I can’t help but think if we would empty ourselves and come to the Lord with the support of our community of believers and prayer warriors, how He will fill us to overflow with all we will ever need in this life, plus that which will help fill other’s vessels.  But first we need to trust Him with ALL of our empty vessel.  Our entire being and all the different aspects of our lives.  How can you possibly overflow with Him if you aren’t bringing your family vessel to be filled?  Maybe you brought your family vessel, but left your work vessel at work.  So maybe both of those were filled, but you didn’t trust the Lord to fill your finance, friendship, faith, or action vessels.  Can you see how until you trust the Lord and present Him all of your vessels, you will always walk away feeling empty?  Like the widow’s small jar of oil, the Lord’s grace, peace, forgiveness, presence, gifts, and glory will only stop flowing when we stop presenting our emptiness to Him to be filled.  It’s hard to receive something if you don’t have anything to receive it into.  Present your entire self as an empty vessel for our Lord to rest within.  Allow yourself to be overwhelmed and overflowing with Him.  Bless others and be blessed.    

#HillsongUnited – New Wine   

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  What’s your favorite season?  I imagine your mind immediately went to spring, summer, fall, or winter, right?  But what about the seasons of life and work?  Seasons of joy, pain, relationships?  Seasons of growth, journey, and rest?  Seasons of highs and lows?  Seasons of purpose, on top of the game and those seasons of feeling unnoticed and worthless.  There are a great variety of seasons that we work through in our lives and journey with the Lord.  Sometimes we just need a Spiritual shot in the arm to propel us into the next season of our journey with the Lord.  Within the Catholic church, we have a variety of seasons…Advent, Christmas, Lenten, Easter, and Ordinary Time.  Yep, you read that correctly, Ordinary Time.  Well that sound exciting, right?

Two Sundays ago kicked off the season of Ordinary Time with the Gospel of Matthew 11: 25-30.

At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned You have revealed them to the childlike.  Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.”

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

On the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time we heard from the Gospel of John 1: 29-34

The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  He is the One of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because He existed before me.’  I did not know Him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that He might be made known to Israel.”  John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon Him.  I did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God.”

We’re only two weeks into Ordinary Time and already the Lord has offered to reveal Himself to us if we simply come to him with childlike faith, not to be confused with childishness.  It is the Son who first desires to reveal Himself and all His gifts and grace to us before we even know of Him.  If we choose to evenly yoke ourselves with the Lord in meek and humble service, we will find work with Him isn’t such a burden and He will give rest that no other can provide.  I have to tell you, Baptism is my favorite sacrament to witness.  For me, it brings with it an overwhelming joy of knowing that the Holy Spirit has been gifted upon and into the life of a person.  Although we are not always ready to accept or even realize that when we receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism, that is our ordination into discipleship.  To paraphrase John, “I did not know Him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that He might be made know.”  For being in a season of Ordinary Time, it sure feels extraordinary.  Let the living, true word of God be the extraordinary in your ordinary seasons of life.  Bless others and be blessed.

#JeremyCamp – Living Word     

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you. What will it cost you to spend time with Christ?
Luke 9:57-62 tells us:
As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” He said to another man, “Follow Me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

This week I’ve been faced with a situation that took me out of my normal routine and placed me in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory. When faced with situations like this, it’s so easy to want to run to the familiar and comfortable. The three men that Luke mentioned were faced with similar situations. Keep with what you know or embrace the unfamiliar and leave what you know and love behind. What’s behind door number 1? Oh if we would only be willing to open that door and step through. Think about the incredible gifts and experiences of walking with Jesus that those men denied themselves, because they were maybe afraid of the unknown and wanted to keep with familiar and comfortable. I’m very thankful that the Lord “nudges” me when I’m frozen with fear and unwilling to move on my own. We only have so much time to choose to join and experience a real relationship with our Lord and we should not let anything stand in the way. Don’t put off unto tomorrow what should be shared and said today. Bless others and be blessed.

#Unspoken – Light That Never Fades

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  Day 2 – 6 of 2020 I spent working through an intestinal virus.  No fun, right?  Thursday was no doubt the worst of it.  Every 15-20 minutes something was coming out.  I remember thinking…”I’ve got to make sure I keep liquids in me so I don’t end up dehydrated and in the hospital.”  So, every time it came out one end, I was pouring more into the other end and ate a saltine cracker.  My body was achy.  I had the worst headache I ever remember experiencing.  I could barely move…until I had to make the mad dash. 

An intestinal virus doesn’t sound like a great way to start a new year, but God was speaking through this and took the time to share with me.  First and very important, stay hydrated!  As work, chores, projects, commitments, family, and friends draw from you and drain your live, you need to keep hydrated.  Every time you turn on the spigot and allow your life to flow, you need to return to Me, The Well of Living Water and be replenished.  I need to preface this next part with…”Hi, my name is Shelly.”  (Hi Shelly)  “If I weren’t married, I would be a workaholic.”  Three of my five sick days, I didn’t think one bit about missing work and how it would be piling up.  Talk about a freeing three days.  My body may have been taking a beating, but God was freeing my mind from worry, stress, and pressures I put upon myself.  I felt so relaxed.  Oh, I can’t forget the weight loss.  Heck with dieting and exercise.  One good intestinal bug every now and then will put you a month ahead of your weight loss plan.  Returning to the office Tuesday, I felt good physically and mentally.  I felt relaxed, refreshed, and refilled.  Who would have thought?

John 4: 1-26 (NIV)  Jesus Talks to a Woman at the Well

The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.  When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.  Now he had to go through Samaria.  So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as He was from the journey, sat down by the well.  It was about the sixth hour.

 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)  The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.  How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”  “Sir,” the woman said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water?  Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”  He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”  “I have no husband,” she replied.  Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”  “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Jesus declared, “Believe Me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”  Then Jesus declared, “I, who speak to you am He.”

Bless others and be bless.

#CastingCrowns – The Well