Better, with God

A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Micro Changes

Small changes can help us change our habits. Changing our habits leads us to better outcomes. We can break big changes or shifts into small segments and increase over time. We do not have to do it all at once. This can set us up for failure, rather than success.

You are the average of the five habits you repaet most.  James Clear

Scripture  

The Ten Commandments are all great foundations for good habits! Read Exodus 20 for God’s instructions.

Put God first, don’t swear, go to Church on Sundays, honor your parents, be faithful, don’t lie – all good habits for living your life in way that honors God and others, and yourself.

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. Luke 16:10

Day by Day

The song, If You Want Your Dream to Be…(San Damiano Song) By Donovan really fits well here, so please excuse the 70s throwback to my youth. This is not the scene I describe in the podcast, but the song itself.

If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely. Small beginnings, greater ends, heartfelt work grows purely.

If you want to live life free, take your time, go slowly. Do few things but do them well, simple joys are holy.

Day by day, stone by stone, build your secret slowly. Day by day, you’ll grow too, you’ll know heaven’s glory.

If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely. Small beginnings, greater ends, heartfelt work grows purely. If you want to live life free, take your time go slowly.

In prayer, ask God where and how you can be better.

Would you like to discuss how to be better? Interested in joining us for the Pentecost Novena? Get in touch with me here.

We can trust God!

A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

What does trust mean?

What does the word trust mean? “A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.”

We have belief in God.  He is reliable. He is truth. His ability is above all, as is His strength. We can trust Him. Yet we falter at times.

The Word

Look at this verse from Sirach 2:10:

“Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? Has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?”

Where has God been in your past?

Look at your own life, not past generations, and see where God has been there for you. Often we don’t see it at the time, but when we look back, we see how He protected us or saved us from making a mistake.

For our challenge, look back on your life and think about all the times and situations where you see God. If you are so inclined, write them down. It is your personal story of salvation, your spiritual adventure!

 

Embrace Uncomfortable?

A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Do you like being comfortable?

I do. In the spiritual life though, comfortable can mean stagnant. Or stuck. Not moving toward greatness.

Two quotes

“The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”  Pope Benedict XVI

“If you are always comfortable, nothing really happens, nothing changes. Embrace uncomfortable.” Me, as in, I said that!

Why be uncomfortable?

I think sometimes we need to be uncomfortable so we can grow and change. God really does call us to greatness, not mediocrity.  If you feel a tug toward change because you have become complacent or want to grow closer to God, pay attention.

This week, if you sense a pull from the Holy Spirit, pray this prayer each day, The Litany of Trust.

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Faith, a gift from God

A Production of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network.

Hans von Balthasar says that “Faith is the fundamental response to the love that has offered itself up for me.”  That love is God giving up his Son so that we might have eternal life. That love is Christ crucified.  I believe that God offered up his love for me, just as he did for you.   In thinking about that love intellectually, it is beyond our grasp.  Most of us have experienced love in our lives, both given and received, but even those who profess to love us unconditionally and want nothing but our happiness let us down.  God never lets us down.  He never takes away the visible and real reminder of his love, which is Jesus, broken and poured out in the Eucharist for us.  Matthew 8:26

God does not demand we have faith, he offers it to us as a gift, we choose to accept it or not. People who profess no faith usually fall into two categories:  they do not need faith or they are afraid to accept it. Others want faith; seeing in people of faith something that they do not have in their own lives.  But they know that by accepting the gift, there are responsibilities that come with the gift of faith.  Changes would have to be made and possibly difficult choices, so instead of accepting faith they are adrift, constantly trying to fill the emptiness.  As St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless, Lord until they rest in thee.”

In Hebrews 11:1 we read that “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” None of us can see the future, but we can trust and rely on God to guide us in our lives, no matter what happens.  Too often, we use our faith to get us through the bad times, not remembering that God wants to be with us in the good times as well.  Jesus died for us, that is TRUTH.  But he also rose for us.  It is in that rising from the dead that faith of the Apostles grew and changed, eventually, the Holy Spirit came down and gave them the power to move in that faith.  His resurrection is what we have faith in because in that action he gives us new life.  The cross tells us that we must die to self, but once we do we are raised to a new life of faith far greater than the one we gave up on our cross.

Faith gives us strength and the ability to grow into the persons God meant for us to be.  Each of us has a purpose, we are told, that “No one lights a candle and hides it under a bushel basket.” Faith is not meant only for your good, but for the good of others. To thank him for that gift I accept I do what I can to not only grow my faith but to share it with others.

Faith is the ability to see God at work in this world; to believe in a power much bigger than you.  With faith the impossible becomes possible.  It is faith that gives us the courage to bring children into this world. The desire to walk with another on their life’s journey is part of faith.  It is the strength in our soul to say yes when every other part of us is screaming no.  Sometimes faith means trusting just enough to get out of bed believing that God will clear a path, knowing that when I fall, he will lift me up.  Faith also gives us the ability to question the nuts and bolts of our religious beliefs and practices, knowing that God is there in those details and wants us to come to him using our intellect as much as our soul.

Scripture Verses quoted:

“If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:30

‘He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.” Matthew 8:26

 

the not lukewarm challengeOur challenge this week is to write down each day, one thing to give to God for Him to take care of instead of worrying about it.