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| Asa returns |
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We hope this note finds you well, celebrating what God has done, and anticipating another year of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and kindness.
The past year for the Leininger’s has been unique. We’ve had completions, celebrations, pauses, continuations, and re-directions.
In the spring, Asa and Aravis completed educational quests they were on. Aravis completed her homeschool experience and we were blessed by many who gathered to celebrate her accomplishments at Common Grounds Coffee House in Strafford. In August, Aravis began working at the same coffee house. Then she added three other jobs in the fall. She anticipates moving to NYC in the spring of 2024 to pursue a career in acting/theater.
Asa graduated from Missouri State University with a double major in History and Theater. In the summer he worked at a camp in Southern California, traveled from coast to coast, and then made his way to the Dominican Republic to work with the Peace Corps. While in the DR, Asa gained some clarity about his professional interests. He will begin 2024 back in the USA, pursuing a professional path in theater.
In the spring Moses and Emily were apart of the revival/outpouring/Jesus movement at Asbury University. They live and work at Asbury U and study at Asbury Seminary. After returning from a European trip in June, Moses accepted another challenge of being a modern worship leader at Centenary Church in Lexington, KY. They are enjoying their life together.
With siblings transitioning, Kyrie took her own re-direction. She began her sophomore year of HS at Strafford HS. She is our last kid, and our only kid to experience preparatory school outside of the home-schooling environment. She is doing well in school and ignoring her dad’s pleas to get a C in at least one class.
Anna and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last May. With all the events happening for the kids, we had about half a second to celebrate. We sense a need to be present to the kids while they are here. Their wings are spreading and our time with them feels short.
In the fall, Anna faced a question: what were her days going to look like with homeschooling not on the docket? While there are not clear answers for her next adventure, for the moment she has been glad to take up substitute teaching. She has a number of new stories and she can tell you her favorite grade/age level to teach 4(th).
A year ago I was offered an opportunity to take a sabbatical over the summer. The spring brought planning. The summer brought the experience. It was a tremendous gift from the fine folks at Schweitzer Church. In the midst of that season, I gardened, read some books, biked and began running again, and we traveled some. Anna, the girls, and I went to NYC in early July. We also had some time in Chicago, MI, and then I went to Wichita, KS for a quiet retreat.
The sabbatical provided clarity to my sense of being and calling. It was restful, in a way. I reconnected with the value of an afternoon nap; I took one every afternoon that I was at home.
In some circles there has been a lot of talk about ‘burnout.’ In fact, most professions are seeing people who have been long ‘obedient in the same direction,’ opting for the exit door. On the one hand, an unavoidable truth is that we all make our entrances and exits. On the other hand, much of burnout, early exits, and a retreat of wisdom to the sideline far too soon is because we’ve lost the gift of the sabbath and sabbatical.
Resting, reconnecting, and celebrating have been means of grace that helped transition our pauses, continuations, and re-directions.
In all that is ahead, we pray you’ll look back and behold the faithful kindness and mercy of God, and in faith, you’ll take each day with curious delight, resting, laboring, and rejoicing in God.
God’s best to you,
Jason
PS – Kyrie said I was supposed to sign off as Rev. Dr. Jason
PSS – We love hearing from you! If you’re ever in the Springfield, MO area, contact us and we’ll connect!
This past spring I have had an incredible privilege to conduct and record a number of interviews, with Really Cool People. The interviews were turned into a podcast by that name and the podcast is available in all the places you may listen to this content.
The podcast became a vision and work because of a number of converging realities.
1) In December of 2022 I was looking for a book, biography preferably, that I could give as a gift to Anna. Specifically I was looking for biography of a wise woman (or women), and of someone who wasn't writing because they were 'famous,' but because they were 'accomplished' apart from lights and screens. I could not find a new biography, not on the normal web sites, or in the still existing new books stores. I could find twenty such books on guys, but none on a woman.
2) About the same time, I was looking for a publisher for my work on Joseph. One of the publishers replied with an offer letter. Accompanying the offer to publish was a fact sheet about the publishing world. As I read each bullet point of fact it became obvious that publishing, marketing, and selling books is a hard business. One fact was jarring - 80% of works published will sell less than 300 copies in their lifetime. (This is one reason why professors assign their own books for a class, they are trying to recoup the publishing costs.) The fact sheet was from 2009; the last decade has, in my observation, not improved the outlook for increased engagement in books. I had given some thought to writing a biography, or an anthology with several mini-biographies, but the market for written material, and the cost to produce it, made the project look bleak.
3) For several years one of my co-workers has made a case for podcasting. Until a couple of years ago I had not listened to a single podcast. Then a neighbor revealed that she worked for a news podcast that is produced by the same group that produces a magazine I've taken for over two decades. It was good. I began exploring other podcasts. As I listened to other podcasts, it dawned on me that one of the ways I've appreciated and taken in stories is through the aural tradition; most generally around a table, in a barn, in a car or truck. Aural wisdom sharing is as old as time, and I've been privileged to be a participant, as the kids say, 'IRL - in real life' (in person), and by listening to the radio. I saw the possibilities for a podcast.
Following Christmas break of 2022, I approached my co-worker, and said, "now is the time for a podcast."
Taking all the back-story into consideration we planned out the spring. My co-worker did the technical work, and I worked on the line-up for Season 1. Taking a lead from my earlier desire to find the story of a wise woman, I asked women who were over 60 years of age. In the end, four decades were represented - 60's - 90's. They all are active at Schweitzer Church, and while some talked of their church experience, I was really looking for the stories of their lives, and the wisdom they might share, for whomever might listen.
One of my aunts listened to all of the stories. She said she thought there was a theme to the whole season, one beyond my parameters: a theme of trial, and the theme of faith. I'll leave that for listeners to discern what theme(s) may be present, if any at all. What I remain convinced of is something I say briefly in the podcast, that comes from CS Lewis' sermon, "The Weight of Glory":
It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, it at all, only in a nightmare. . . There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, art, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. (The Weight of Glory, 39)
In the midst of recording there has been much laughter, a few tears, and a high regard for the lives that have been shared. The people I've interviewed are Really Cool People. Their lives, in a thousand different ways, have been marked with trials, and deep goodness. Each one has joy, real joy. The Lord is their Good Shepherd. I hope you will take a listen. (I'd also welcome you to rate it and share it.)
In the fall, after my co-worker and I return from sabbaticals, we look forward to producing Season 2.
O Christ, you are our Rest
among the possible voices that call out to us
You have called us by name
to follow, and to come aside to a place of rest
To be renewed in our spirits
to be healed in our souls and bodies
We confess, we are prone to live life in a blur of activity
running, fretting, stewing
Rest is hard to come by
You, O Christ, have called us by name, to enter into your rest
Help us to cast into the hands of Kind Father our daily grind
To rely on a fresh move of the Spirit to watch over all we care about
To be renewed in delight by your rest,
And strengthen our hands for the work you set before us
Prayer for 26 Feb 2023
Kind Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth
We gather together today to worship you, for your great and mighty deeds of creation and redemption
We gather with our neighbors, friends and family - and in gathering, we join others around the world who have been moved by Your Spirit, people from every tribe and tongue upon the earth,
It is our prayer to have the power of Christ at work in us and in our world
We pray that you would strengthen us at the center of our beings
where our hearts ache, where they hurt - bind them up with your healing
We pray that our minds would be shaped by the words of Christ,
that what flows from the work of our hands and mouths would be fruits of your grace,
that the fruits of the Spirit would be evident in us, so that our homes, our workplaces would be spaces of grace
We pray that our bodies would be strengthened for the work you have placed before us. When our bodies and souls are tired, grant us rest, Thank you for this day of rest.
Amen.
Yesterday was a gorgeous snowy day in the Ozarks.
We woke up to 6-7 inches of snow. It was a gorgeous blanket covering the ground, the trees, the cars, everything.
Stillness and silence filled the air as most activities paused. First to behold in wonder, and then to wait the clearing of roads so that travel could be commenced safely.
By the late afternoon, the wind had picked up and the temperature had crested above freezing. The heavy blanket covering the trees began to shed, falling in clumps and bursts of snow dust.
Also by mid-afternoon the silence and stillness had given way for those of us quietly inside the house to play in the wonderland. I hooked my tractor to the sleds. The kids - now all young adults - put on their snow gear, so seldomly used in these parts, and outside we went.
We played. Asa the big brother had much fun throwing as much snow as he could gather on this sisters. Kyrie, the last of our crew, was a super child again - playing King on the Mountain, except we had no mountain, so she tried her level best to knock her big brother and I over into the snow. This tractor and rowdy play was reminiscent of when we lived in central Michigan a decade ago.
It was a good day. More restful, still, playful, and productive than days when I wake up and 'get to work'.
Reminds me of Ruth Haley Barton's work, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, that I have been reading lately, of the necessity of rest that is included in the sabbath. I love the snow, in part because it imposes a sabbath that is good, peaceful, and filled with joy. I'm challenged by it also, because a true sabbath embrace has to come not from without, but from within.
Today I am happy to announce a new book project is ready to share:
As a young person I was like Jospeh, from the book of Genesis, I had visions of being "a leader." What I did not know was that becoming a leader is a process. This book follows Joseph's life as a leadership development example that is often marked, expanded, and made significant by difficulty and faith. Joseph's youthful imaginations of himself as a leader are radically different at the end of his life, and the world is better for it.
The optimal reader is a person thinking about their leadership arc and destination. This could be a student in college thinking about becoming a leader in their career, or a person who finds themselves stuck in their current role. This material has been used with student groups, a mid-career small group, and church staff. At the end of each chapter there are a series of questions that make this work helpful for personal reflection or group discussion.
A note from the Leininger’s - Composed by Aravis & Jason
Merry Christmas!
We are celebrating in our home just east of Springfield, MO.
The outside looks like a winter wonder land. One of the kids said, this is the first Christmas where we have had snow on the ground. We are glad for the snow, but we could do without the bitter cold. These conditions do make us wonder about the challenges that Holy Family endured, not only in Bethlehem, but throughout the early years, when little kings tried to take out the real King. We are thankful the true light came into the world, to bring help, healing, and hope.
The year of 2022 has flown by.
In January we said farewell to Asa as he began a trek to England for a semester abroad. He returned in early June. Along the way he visited Greece and Italy. He is hopeful for a return trip.
In February we made a quick trip to Kentucky to see Moses & Emily, and many other dear friends. Before arriving in Wilmore we stopped in Louisville for the National Farm Machinery Show. It was a quick stop, but it was like a shot of adrenaline for this farm kids heart. Anna, Aravis, & Kyrie were kind in allowing this revelry.
Moses & Emily are generally doing great and having more fun than two newlyweds should be allowed to have. They have fantastic community around them. They are working, studying, and serving in a church plant in Lexington. We are thrilled for them, and just a smidge jealous of friends, Diane & Kathi Leigh Munoz, who get to see them more than we do. But we couldn’t be more grateful for the community of Christ that creates strong bonds.
In the springtime Aravis & Kyrie were active in show preparation and presentation at Springfield Little Theater. They were in the shows Percy Jackson the Musical, and SpongeBob.
In the summer we set out for Michigan enjoying time with family, the beach, and a memorable visit with my grandmother. Grandma Leininger has dementia and is in the very good care of my Aunt Paula. Grandma is 91, is rather agile, and has become quite the trickster in her state. She gave us some good laughs, even as we know Aunt Paula has her hands full in giving her excellent care.
In the summer Aravis also had the joy of traveling with Springfield Little Theater to New York. She saw several shows, took some tours, and participated in a couple of workshops. A fun time was had by all.
In the fall, Asa began his senior year at Missouri State, double majoring in History and Theater. Aravis began her senior year of High School. Kyrie turned 14 and is a Freshman. Anna continues to homeschool the girls and is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Kyrie was in School of Rock the musical at Springfield Little Theater. As that show wrapped up Aravis started work at Silver Dollar City (SDC), playing the part of the sister to Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This is her third year playing that role. This year, she was included as an adult in one of the dance numbers. She has decided pursuing work in the entertainment world is her next step. What that looks like has yet to be fully determined.
Anna has played a major role in Aravis’ work at SDC, driving to Branson most of the 5 day-a-week schedule. Rather routinely she makes some kind of treat to share with the cast of fine actors from around the country. In November she had a big birthday - turning 50! We were able to celebrate on a night when all the kids were here.
In the fall I planted wheat on 5 of our 10 acres. I am having fun experimenting with growing grasses and grains on this plot of land. I also began to put the finishing touches on a book that I hope will be available in early 2023. Its working title is On Becoming a Leader: A Journey with Joseph. It will be available through Amazon.
Writing a year in review is incredibly difficult. There are so many details, so many funny stories that are left out, so many wonderful visits of friends and family that we haven’t even described, some real disappointments and some exhilarating memories that had to be skipped over. We are grateful for all of these, and more, because they are all marks of God’s grace, that is at work shaping us, and leading us into a good and beautiful life. We are so glad to call you friend and send you these greetings!
We close with a picture captured at Schweitzer Church’s Christmas Eve service, and the opening lines from O Holy Night!
O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
A Corporate Prayer (on Veterans Day weekend)*
Kind Father
We have heard the call to Give Thanks and Praise
It is always right and good to rejoice in your loving kindness, tender mercy, and merciful justice
We Give Thanks
For the Gift of Grace, of redemption born of Jesus
We Give Thanks
for the indwelling Spirit who makes your kingdom personal
We Give Thanks
for a house of worship, with neighbors, friends, and family
We Give Thanks
for our country, its veterans, its liberty and opportunity
We Give Thanks
for a new day filled with your Holy ambitions
We open our hearts anew to you this morning O Lord*
That the Love of the Father and
The Life of Christ
And the Breath of the Spirit
Would quicken within us a greater affection for your ways
Bring comfort
to those who are grieving
Bring healing
to those who are struggling in mind, soul, or body
Bring the warm embers of friendship
to those who feel alone
Bring the care and courage of your kingdom and church
for those who are poor
* this prayer took in three points of input - Psalm 107, Veterans Day in the US, and part of the liturgy for ‘a liturgy of the hours - before daybreak’ from Every Moment Holy.
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| The Mary Tyler Moore house in Minneapolis, MN. Mary was incredibly hospitable, and had to learn to lean into Assertive and Directive, for her own good, and the good of others. |
In a recent conversation, I shared about an increase in transient guests we have experienced at the church I serve. The increase is expected to be temporary, and it is primarily the result law enforcement razing homeless camps. As a church staff we asked, what should our posture be? We developed the posture - Assertive, Directive, Hospitable - drawing upon the fullness of scripture and the wisdom of the saints.
In the flow of the discussion, my fellow conversationalist asked, "have you shared this with anyone outside of your team? I like the concept, but have never heard of it."
"No," I replied. "But I will."
For what it is worth, here is a working draft, with places for you to fill in resources in your neighborhood.
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Assertive Directive Hospitality
Assertive:
- take the initiative to greet people on campus
- take the lead in conversations, in setting the pace of interactions
- while initiating, carry with you a non-anxious presence - we are not in a hurry, we are available
Directive:
- as a staff member you have access to resources that may be helpful to a person who is looking for some direction or help; discern in the conversation how and where to direct a guest
- if a person needs a place to stay - you can direct to an emergency shelter
1)
2)
3)
- If a person is loitering, impeding the access of others, or being disruptive, you have direct discretion to ask people to move along, and/or make a call to 911
Hospitable:
- if a person is looking for food - share an "on foot" food package with them, created by the Food Pantry
- if a person needs a bottle of water - share it with them - you will find water available ___________
- if a person needs a restroom . . . (use your best judgment) ... you may direct them to (a specific) restroom
- if a person needs a place to pray, we have that available in many spaces
Boundaries:
- if you feel uncomfortable or in danger, be assertive, directive, and breath
- work with an awareness of where fellow co-workers are located; let someone else know what and where you will be and for how long . . . don’t fly solo.
- if you are alone on campus or in the building, we advise against deep engagement
If you wrestle with how to engage while retaining a semblance of boundaries according to the tenor of Jesus, you should be aware that the early church wrestled with the same questions. In a brief resource titled, The Didache (the teaching of the 12 apostles), composed about 100ad, the early church began to rely on the following practice:
CHAPTER 12 - Traveling Christians (http://www.thedidache.com)
1 Let everyone who "comes in the Name of the Lord" be received; but when you have tested him you shall know him, for you shall have understanding of true and false.
2 If he who comes is a traveller, help him as much as you can, but he shall not remain with you more than two days, or, if need be, three.
3 And if he wishes to settle among you and has a craft, let him work for his bread.
4 But if he has no craft provide for him according to your understanding, so that no man shall live among you in idleness because he is a Christian.
5 But if he will not do so, he is making traffic of Christ; beware of such.
I just completed the work: "We the Fallen People; the Founders and the the future of American Democracy" by Wheaton College history professor, Robert Tracy McKenzie.
The book is an insightful reminder about how the founders philosophically viewed the human person - as made in God's image and severely hampered with a fallen nature of original sin. Given this anthropology McKenzie describes how the founders had hope for democracy, but not a faith in it - because Democracy can become tyrannical as much as any other form of government.
McKenzie interacts heavily with Alexis de Tocqueville's work, 'Democracy in America.' He spends a significant amount of time reflecting on the importance of Andrew Jackson's presidency and its importance to today. Three particular Jacksonian events come to the fore front, his lost campaign to JQ Adams, Indigenous re-settlement, and the deconstruction of the bank of the United States.
McKenzie is an integrative and thorough writer - fully aware of lines that may be too easily #hash-tagged and #tweeted as readers plunge in and engage. He does what few historians will do as a point of conclusion, he asserts broad steps that could be made to restore a degree of cordial discourse to our shared public life. You can listen to a presentation he made here: https://www.faithandlaw.org/we-the-fallen-people/
11 September happens to fall on Sunday in 2022. How does one mark a day of profound significance for so many? Prayer is a fitting endeavor. In an attempt to prepare for a congregational prayer time, I worked on the following prayer. Maybe it will be helpful to you. It is written to be a together prayer.
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Prayer for 11 Sept 2022
(Bold = everyone pray)
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We lift our voices in worship today, Kind Father, to join with the saints and the angels in praising You
In thankfulness we come before you in prayer
Today we remember a day that marked this nation and our lives
11 September 2001
We especially pray for those who bear the weight of grief that enveloped this generation
We are thankful that you have not left us as a desolate people
But you have called us to employ Your gifts of
confession and courage,
repentance and reconciliation,
justice and joy
We pray afresh for our nation this day
Our hearts are anxious,
our devotions mixed with idolatry and justice
Our souls hunger for truth in a land of 1/2 right prophets
Our conversations have lost civility
Forgive us, for wandering hearts
For setting aside your gifts of grace
For seeking power and place instead of being a people of blessing
Reminded us of our confession of faith:
Chris has Died
Christ is Risen
Christ will come again
And stir up our hearts with the love of Christ.
The Lord’s Prayer
Anna, the girls, and I recently made a summer voyage to our home state of Michigan to visit with family and friends. We are never able to see all the people we would love to see, or do the things we would like, but we are able to stay connected, to some of the people and places that we love.
This trip was a first-in-a-while for us; there were only four of us traveling together. Until a year ago we had been a family of 6. This summer our eldest, Moses, is married and living in Kentucky. Asa, our second, is staying with Anna's folks and working for the summer. That means it was the girls and I, headed out for a fun filled adventure, especially centered around exploring coffee shops and ice cream places.
Thinking of Ice Cream. The girls counted our days and discovered that we had ice cream all but one day of our trip. They decided on the return trip they were done with ice cream for a while. One thing I noticed along the way - ice cream shops are believers in happiness, and that ice cream is a delivery mechanism for happiness. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen someone sobbing in an ice cream shop.
One of the joys of our trip was that our parents are retired and we were able to spend some spacious time with them. Along the way they recounted good stories about times that were either before our time or when we were too young to remember.
My dad recalled some of his young days as a farmer, when he built a certain barn and he was feeding pigs. A fungus got on the corn he raised and the pigs would not eat it. He had to import grain from a feed mill to get his pigs ready for market. After that year he switched to raising cattle. Cattle were less picky about corn.
My father-in-law recounted a story of when he was living in Chicago and he had a gun pulled on him. He was taking his brother to the train station and some local dudes, known to the police, decided to have a tiff on the street. His brother, sitting in the back seat of the car found a toy gun and pointed it at the locals. Eventually they were all taken to the police station. The police said, the local dudes were well known for wild shenanigans and were in the precinct often. They sent my father-in-law on his way. He said he stayed off that street for two years.
One of the things we realized (again), is that our existence and the lives we have are remarkable signs of God's providence. There are so many times, in our lives, in the lives of our parents and forebears that our very existence could have been snuffed out. Yet God, and the angels have been hovering, providing, protecting, guiding, to bring life into existence.
I look at the picture of the coffee cup at the end of this post, and I wonder if this should be the theme that babies encounter when they come into the world: This is a happy place!
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| Nephew Owen sharing some of his wisdom at Refuge Coffee House in Quincy, MI. I was never able to grow my hair as long as his when I was in high school. |
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| My girls said they had never spent much time exploring Hillsdale, MI. Anna and I decided to take them to town. We showed them Hillsdale College, found a cool coffee shop, and, at the urging of my dad, went to Dairy Queen. Aravis got a dipped cone to go with her shirt. I love the sign - "Welcome to Happiness." |
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| With Anna's sister, Sara, and family. We hung out at the beach in Ludington, MI. Walked to the lighthouse, went to House of Flavors, and then returned to the beach to watch the sunset. Here's a view of our crew at House of Flavors. |
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| At House of Flavors, primarily an ice cream shop, they also believe in happiness. The message on this cup could reverberate in many places and the world would be a better place. |
In Matthew 13.31-32, Jesus uses an illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."
This past week my family hosted some friends for dinner who will be relocating soon to North Carolina. As we laughed and talked I thought about the journey of our friendship. We met soon after my family moved to Springfield. My girls were very young and interested in ballet. Miss Cathryn was their first teacher in Springfield. Soon after meeting her, she married Mr. Andy, and we were at the wedding. Along the way, Anna and I took a trip out of state, and this young couple came to stay with our four kids. When we returned, Mr. Andy asked if our kids could be in one of the shows he was directing through Springfield Little Theatre. (That one show has turned into more than we can count.)
Along the way Mr. Andy and Miss Cathryn gave life to three boys. Those boys are young adventurous souls, and when we are together, much revelry ensues. In their presence, there is joy. In their presence, they also give me a gift, of imagining a next chapter of my life, what being a grandfather might be like. From one small act. . .of taking ballet classes unrolled a good kind of life we had no clue awaited us. There is a panoply of joys - especially on that night when I took the boys for tractor rides. (See pic)
Reflecting on this relationship, I was drawn into Jesus parable of the mustard seed and how it reveals God’s kingdom. Starting out small, and then growing into a profound blessing to countless birds and beloved creatures of God.I’ve been reminded of stories many of you have shared with me about small steps of faith and how God has taken you on an incredible journey. I think about the events and ministries taking place around the Schweitzer campus; of people loving and being loved by Jesus in small ways, and then the incredible fruit of the Spirit that emerges in their lives. The Kingdom of God, of joy and peace, of restfulness in Christ, of sacrificial compassion, and investing in community; most often starts with something small and non-descript.
The kingdom lies ready, like a seed awaiting soil and rain, and when we take up and read the Bible in a regular routine, or we begin to pray, or we start having Christian conversations, or we sing along with the songs of worship, or we take pictures at church, or become a reading buddy, or make an offering to God . . . God’s good and beautiful Kingdom begins to take root in our hearts, and before long, the small seed is a tree. I encourage you to notice and name the gifts of the Kingdom God has planted and grown along your way. In doing so, we give a witness to God’s faithfulness and goodness, to others and ourselves, for those moments when life is hard and overwhelming.
May you rejoice in the countless trees that surround you. I also encourage you to take what may look like a small step of faith today - you never know where Christ may be leading you, or the treasures of the kingdom that will unfold. This I know is true, with small seeds of faith, the Lord creates incredible joy.
I hope you are looking forward to Sunday, when we gather in worship. Something special awaits us!
Pastor Jason
In worship today I invited people to engage with this prayer. Afterwards several people expressed an interest in the full text. I thought readers here might find it helpful.
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A Prayer of Relinquishment (Richard Foster, Prayers From The Heart, p.29)
