Day 15: Friday, March 17, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 15: Friday, March 17, 2017
The Prayer of Saint Patrick
I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
The invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Through a mighty strength,
The invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.
✚✚✚
Challenge: Seek Jesus
Our challenge for this week was for us to seek Jesus.Checking in to see how’s it going?
Day 14: Thursday, March 16, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 14: Thursday, March 16, 2017
Carmen Tucker
Roadmap
Scripture: Psalm 32:8 God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye.
Devotion: On my white board at work, I have laminated signs that say, ‘I understand’, ‘I learned’, ‘Main Idea’, ‘Objectives’, ‘I don’t Understand’, ‘Characters’, ‘Purpose of the Text’, ‘What did I read?’ and ‘Key Words in the Text’. The signs are designed for students to make sense of grade level material. It is supposed to be a roadmap for students, so they can organize their thoughts, curriculum and the design of a story.
In the same light, these laminated signs can also be a roadmap for our relationship with God! Without even thinking about it, we often ask God and even ourselves, ‘What is the objective of my day, of my meeting, of my life?’ Maybe we go to God when we do not understand something.
I believe Lent has less to do with giving up beloved things and habits, and more to do with the roadmap. Use the simple signs, meditate on them and apply them to your relationship with God. Let that relationship with God be the guide in every part of your life.
Prayer: Dear God, Be our roadmap and inspiration. Design our story and teach us the way. Amen
✚✚✚
Day 13: Wednesday, March 15, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 13: Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau
Rev. Sela Finau
Hope
Scripture: Romans 5:2-4 (NRSV) through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Devotion: As children, we may have dreamed about what we would be when we grew up. As we got older, we continued to dream of what our life may look like, and it may have changed from one day to the next. We continued to imagine ourselves as being successful in whatever career or position we held. As an adult, we eventually began a vocation and a career that we thought would last us the rest of our lives.
However, the problem is that the rest of our lives may change quickly if we lose our job. Terrible things happen in life and may leave us feeling hopeless. An illness may prevent us from working. A death or an accident may leave us distraught. A natural disaster destroys our home. Unexpected events shake every bone in our body. Our trust in the goodness of life vanishes. We’re suddenly set adrift, with nowhere to go and nowhere we want to go. We imagine that life has been unfair to us and God has left us.
Whatever the circumstance that brings a loss to our life’s direction, there is still reason to maintain a sense of hope. This kind of hope is built on trust, not in ourselves or others, but in God. Our hope rests on the awareness that God is in control. The same God that calls us by our first name and knows the number of hairs on our head. God holds us up in our times of need. Take comfort in that knowledge and pray that God will plant new seeds of hope in our hearts.
Prayer: Dear God, life is not easy. It is in your mercy that we are able to do the things today. We can do nothing more than trust in you. Help us to grow through this process called life, and comfort us who are experiencing difficulty with a change in our life plan. Please give us the strength and courage to continue hoping. Amen
✚✚✚
Day 12: Tuesday, March 14, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 12: Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Tylor Cavender
Tylor Cavender
Is God a Sports Fan?
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Devotion: “We gave it our all tonight, and walked away with a victory. We want to thank God for this win.” I’ve heard countless post-game interviews that went something like this. Football players might catch the long pass for a first down and point to the sky. A baseball player might step up to the plate, make the sign of the cross, and then get ready to hit. God seems to be invested in the victories of innumerable athletes. But, is He really a sports fan? Does he care that the Patriots won another super bowl? Did he have a hand in Amanda Nunez’s knock out of Ronda Rousey during UFC 207?
The problem with these kinds of statements is that the focus is on the wrong thing. People are focused on themselves and on thanking God for doing things just for them. These statements can seem like someone is saying God is on their side but not their opponents. Similarly, their opponents probably didn’t lose because they are less Christian. What is it that God should be thanked for? It almost certainly isn’t for a win. An easy alteration to these shows of faith would be to thank God for giving us the ability to do these things. It might be a good idea to also ask God for guidance so that we can use the abilities he gave us to glorify him.
The problem with these kinds of statements is that the focus is on the wrong thing. People are focused on themselves and on thanking God for doing things just for them. These statements can seem like someone is saying God is on their side but not their opponents. Similarly, their opponents probably didn’t lose because they are less Christian. What is it that God should be thanked for? It almost certainly isn’t for a win. An easy alteration to these shows of faith would be to thank God for giving us the ability to do these things. It might be a good idea to also ask God for guidance so that we can use the abilities he gave us to glorify him.
In 2011, the former Denver Broncos quarterback, Jake Plummer, criticized the then current Broncos quarterback, Tim Tebow, for always having his faith on display. Tim Tebow responded by saying that he does feel the need to say he loves Jesus all the time, and that he had no intentions to stop. Mike Sweeney, a baseball player who ended his career in 2010, said in an article with CNN, “Saint Francis of Assisi says preach the gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words. That’s something I’ve tried to live my whole life.” I think these are great examples of someone doing it the right way.
Aaron Shust sings a song called, “To God Alone.” The lyrics sum up the instructions Paul gave to the Corinthians. “To God alone be the glory- To God alone be the praise- Everything I say and do- Let it be all for You- The glory is Yours alone.” Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Aaron Shust sings a song called, “To God Alone.” The lyrics sum up the instructions Paul gave to the Corinthians. “To God alone be the glory- To God alone be the praise- Everything I say and do- Let it be all for You- The glory is Yours alone.” Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Prayer: Awesome God, help us to remember these words from Paul’s letter. Help us to remember that these words can still be useful today. Help us to live in a way that glorifies you. It is in Jesus’ name we pray, amen
✚✚✚
Day 11: Monday, March 13, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Week 3
Day 11, Monday, March 13, 2017
Vesta Ryan
Sun and Son
Scripture: Psalm 84:11a (NRSV) For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor.
Devotion: Are you like me? When the sun shines and warms me, I’m in a good mood – happy, jolly, bouncy. But when it’s cloudy and cold, the opposite is true – sad, solemn, quiet.
My breakfast room has two large windows facing east, so when the sun comes up, it shines on the table where my solar powered flower, daisy, sits near my coffee cup.
Daisy dances from side to side in the sun. She’s connected to the source. But when a cloud blocks the sun, she slowly stops, reviving, connecting, only when the cloud goes by.
I’m like that! When I do God’s will He shines on me and makes me happy. When I let worries block my thoughts, I get depressed. I need to keep connected.
I need the sun, but most of all I need the SON.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Be the sun of my life. Let your Son shine out of me to others. Forgive us, in Jesus’ name. Amen
✚✚✚
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Prayer
God of life and death,
teach us to hold out for a deeper life,
for the prayerful consciousness that enables us to transcend our
petty desires for security and self-image,
so that we may be free to rest in communion with you.
We do want life, but we want the Big Life,
which includes you and everything else too.
God of life and death,
teach us to hold out for a deeper life,
for the prayerful consciousness that enables us to transcend our
petty desires for security and self-image,
so that we may be free to rest in communion with you.
We do want life, but we want the Big Life,
which includes you and everything else too.
Bring us to a new humility before you and give us one thing more,
a grateful heart. Amen
✚✚✚
Day 10: Saturday, March 11, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 10: Saturday, March 11, 2017
Rev. Sela Finau
Spiritual Discipline
Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 (NRSV) Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Devotion: I learned over the years that spiritual discipline is a necessary element of the Christian faith. Yet it is not an easy thing to do or practice. It requires discipline until it becomes a habit. Spiritual discipline can be a variety of things. In the beginning of Lent, the Church invited us to observe a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; by worship, reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.
Spiritual discipline should lead us to a life that is more godly and Christlike. It is supposed to help us trust our personal experience with ourselves, which is, in a way also an experience of God. Sometimes we are amazed that the two experiences coincide. However, when we practice a spiritual discipline and seek to know God whether through repentance, praying, fasting, worship, or reading Scripture, we also come to know and accept our own humanity; when we meet and understand ourselves at deeper levels, we also meet and know more of God. Thus it can be said that we don’t have any real access to who we are except through God, and we don’t have any real access to God except through knowing ourselves through our humanity.
During Lent, may we find the time to practice spiritual discipline by spending time away from our everyday work, our everyday surroundings, and allow space for God to clear our mind, relax and simply be at peace with God and with ourselves. May this Lenten Season allow us to refocus and be renewed in our faith for an overall healthy mind, body, and spirit.
Prayer: Gracious God, when it seems like we’re drifting away, help us to find our way back to you through spiritual discipline. Amen
✚✚✚
Member Spotlight, Nellie Ledesma
Member Spotlight
Nellie Ledesma
March 10, 2017
Nellie Ledesma was born in Nueva Laredo, Mexico, and adopted by her family who lived in Cotulla on a ranch where they raised cattle and chicken. She spent most of her early life in Cotulla from kindergarten through high school. Besides her mom and dad, her family included four older children.
Nellie fondly remembers her childhood on the ranch. They would go to the river, which she loved. “I loved listening to the river,” Nellie says. Since Cotulla was very dry and hot, a favorite thing to do was to play in the huge spigot from the irrigation pipes. She had a pet deer, brought home by her dad when the mother was killed. Nellie loved the faun, and the faun loved her, even after she grew up and had two baby bucks. Even as an adult, her doe would eat out of Nellie’s hand.
Nellie rode the bus from the ranch to school, and remembers trading her tacos for sandwiches. She thought sandwiches were wonderful because that meant being rich. The kids who came to school with sandwiches thought they got the better deal because they though tacos tasted better. School was rough in the beginning for Nellie, as she spoke no English and the school spoke no Spanish. A big change for her came when one of her teachers took a special interest in Nellie, and she made the promise to learn what she needed to learn.
Nellie has been married to Rob Ledesma for 20 years. Rob does commercial flooring for places such as Army bases, schools and hospitals. He is on the road constantly, since they have been blessed with a lot of contracts. They have no children, but she has three dogs, and they have lots of nieces and nephews. She is now taking turns with her sister caring for her elderly mother.
Nellie no longer works because of an accident that left her disabled two years ago when she fell off a ladder. Before the accident, she worked in the prison for seven years, and before that in other positions as an administrative secretary in Round Rock and Austin.
A member of Taylor FUMC for a month, Nellie used to be a Catholic, but likes her new Methodist experience. Betty Brown invited her to come to church and she especially appreciates our pastor who was most welcoming to her when she attended. She reports she was actually shocked when she first came because the members of the church were so outgoing and welcoming. Her Catholic experience was of a much more reserved and quiet congregation. “It’s awesome,” she says. “Before when I left a service, I felt like I was carrying the cross, but now I feel uplifted when I leave.”
Nellie reports that she always wanted to sing in the choir. [The writer enthusiastically let her know the choir welcomes new members and would love to have her take part!] Her favorite hymns are “I’ll Fly Away” and “Go Rest High Upon the Mountain.” She loves those because they free your spirit, and remind you that it is okay to let go. She loves the bluesy, belted-out, soulful, old gospel music.
As a good friend, Nellie can be boisterous and out-spoken but she gave up being snarky for Lent. “I want to be a friend people would like to have,” says Nellie. Her husband says she’s a good wife.
If money were no object, Nellie would be a missionary somewhere she knows the language. She would love to help communities. And as for where to travel, she would love to go to Nazareth and the Holy Land.
The most fun Nellie has ever had was going to Costa Rica, sightseeing and learning about the county. She particularly enjoyed getting to know the citizens of Costa Rica, and remembers one family who was selling coconut water on the beach. The mother was working very hard, and had several children helping out as well. Rob asked one of the boys if they liked soccer. They replied “Oh, yes!” Rob and Nellie came up with the idea to go to the little market near there, and buy the boys a soccer ball and whatever else they needed so that they could play. “That made their day and it made our day,” says Nellie. “It made me feel so good.”
Nellie fondly remembers her childhood on the ranch. They would go to the river, which she loved. “I loved listening to the river,” Nellie says. Since Cotulla was very dry and hot, a favorite thing to do was to play in the huge spigot from the irrigation pipes. She had a pet deer, brought home by her dad when the mother was killed. Nellie loved the faun, and the faun loved her, even after she grew up and had two baby bucks. Even as an adult, her doe would eat out of Nellie’s hand.
Nellie rode the bus from the ranch to school, and remembers trading her tacos for sandwiches. She thought sandwiches were wonderful because that meant being rich. The kids who came to school with sandwiches thought they got the better deal because they though tacos tasted better. School was rough in the beginning for Nellie, as she spoke no English and the school spoke no Spanish. A big change for her came when one of her teachers took a special interest in Nellie, and she made the promise to learn what she needed to learn.
Nellie has been married to Rob Ledesma for 20 years. Rob does commercial flooring for places such as Army bases, schools and hospitals. He is on the road constantly, since they have been blessed with a lot of contracts. They have no children, but she has three dogs, and they have lots of nieces and nephews. She is now taking turns with her sister caring for her elderly mother.
Nellie no longer works because of an accident that left her disabled two years ago when she fell off a ladder. Before the accident, she worked in the prison for seven years, and before that in other positions as an administrative secretary in Round Rock and Austin.
A member of Taylor FUMC for a month, Nellie used to be a Catholic, but likes her new Methodist experience. Betty Brown invited her to come to church and she especially appreciates our pastor who was most welcoming to her when she attended. She reports she was actually shocked when she first came because the members of the church were so outgoing and welcoming. Her Catholic experience was of a much more reserved and quiet congregation. “It’s awesome,” she says. “Before when I left a service, I felt like I was carrying the cross, but now I feel uplifted when I leave.”
Nellie reports that she always wanted to sing in the choir. [The writer enthusiastically let her know the choir welcomes new members and would love to have her take part!] Her favorite hymns are “I’ll Fly Away” and “Go Rest High Upon the Mountain.” She loves those because they free your spirit, and remind you that it is okay to let go. She loves the bluesy, belted-out, soulful, old gospel music.
As a good friend, Nellie can be boisterous and out-spoken but she gave up being snarky for Lent. “I want to be a friend people would like to have,” says Nellie. Her husband says she’s a good wife.
If money were no object, Nellie would be a missionary somewhere she knows the language. She would love to help communities. And as for where to travel, she would love to go to Nazareth and the Holy Land.
The most fun Nellie has ever had was going to Costa Rica, sightseeing and learning about the county. She particularly enjoyed getting to know the citizens of Costa Rica, and remembers one family who was selling coconut water on the beach. The mother was working very hard, and had several children helping out as well. Rob asked one of the boys if they liked soccer. They replied “Oh, yes!” Rob and Nellie came up with the idea to go to the little market near there, and buy the boys a soccer ball and whatever else they needed so that they could play. “That made their day and it made our day,” says Nellie. “It made me feel so good.”
Be sure to let Nellie know how much we appreciate her being a part of our congregation, and wait until you hear how beautifully she sings!
By Robin McKinley
Day 9: Friday, March 10, 2017, #Lent Devotion
Day 9: Friday, March 10, 2017
Belinda Moss
Rejoice
Scripture:
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Devotion: Singing has always been what I fall back on when I am happy or sad. God’s word thru song helps lift the spirit when all around may seem to be falling apart. Growing up, my family would meet each evening for devotionals that would include my dad taking out his accordion and playing songs. We would sing for an hour or so, every one of us suggesting songs that we wanted to sing. (Can you just visualize 2 – 12-year-olds sitting around worshiping God in song). We are told to rejoice always. This week, find times to rejoice in the Lord.
Prayer: Dear Lord thank you for all good gifts, may we learn to use all our talents in service to you. Prepare us for the coming of your kingdom. Amen
Prayer: Dear Lord thank you for all good gifts, may we learn to use all our talents in service to you. Prepare us for the coming of your kingdom. Amen
✚✚✚
