“I feel seen” is a cliché, but like all clichés, it embodies a truth. To say that we feel “seen” expresses a yearning, doesn’t it? A yearning for affirmation, for assurance that we’re not weird and, most of all, a yearning to know that we are loved.
When we take a moment every day—more than one!—and quiet ourselves in prayer, we’re in the presence of the One who created us on purpose, the One who gave his life for us. It can change our whole day to be assured that there is One who knows us and, yes, sees us for who we really are. Each of us is, indeed, seen.
Continued prayers for the Ukraine and the Sudan. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Ukraine and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in Ukraine and Sudan and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace – we who are working towards it and for all who are in danger from this conflict. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen
Father I am struggling to love- I used a word to describe someone that I am not proud of. Please help me to love when it is difficult to love. I pray for forgiveness and I pray to learn how to endure with patience and love in my heart I ask this in Jesus Mighty Name Amen
Thank you Amy for those reassuring words that God chose us and will always love us no matter how we feel about ourselves. A beautiful way to start the weekend! Continued prayers and blessing to all!
*** Jesus' commandment to 'love one another' in John 15:12a, 17, "Here is My command. Love one another...Here is my command. Love one another!" *** 'Love one another' looks like this in John 15:12b-13, "just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than the one who gives their life for their friends!" *** I became a friend of Jesus when I 'love one another' in John 15:14, "You are my friends if you do what I command!" *** I am no longer a slave to sin but a friend of Jesus when I 'love one another' in John 15:15, "I do not call you slaves anymore. Slaves do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father!" *** It is not to my credit that I am capable of 'love one another' and became a friend of Jesus but His work alone in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me (Jesus). Instead, I chose you. I appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit that will last. I also appointed you so that the Father will give you what you ask for. He will give you whatever you ask for in My Name!" *** There is a cost (hated by the world) to following Jesus to 'love one another' in John 15:18, "My disciples, does the world hate you? Remember that it hated Me first!" *** The reason the world hates you in John 15:19, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you!" ******* Why do you think 'love one another' as Jesus told us to will get us hated by the world? That is an interesting question!!! It got Jesus hated and killed by His own people when He loved us to the cross!!! Why??? What should peace ☮️ look like according to Jesus??? I know Jesus brought me eternal peace in being rejected and persecuted by His own people and dying on the cross for my sins while I was still a sinner... *** Matthew 10:34-36, "Do not think that I (Jesus) came to bring peace to the earth. I didn’t come to bring peace. I came to bring a sword. I have come to turn “ ‘sons against their fathers. Daughters will refuse to obey their mothers. Daughters-in-law will be against their mothers-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own family.’ (Micah 7:6)" *** Ephesians 6:17, "Put on the helmet of Salvation. And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s Word!" *** 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the Word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God!" Amen!!!
Amy thanks for you contribution to the living faith family. Your comments are always on target and gets me thinking. Want to share this with the living faith family. Living faith family one of the books I read in the morning is "The monastic way" it's a book with daily readings about living in a monastery. Today's day's ends with this < Imagine for a moment what America would look like, Imagine the degree of serenity we'd have, if laypeople had something comparable to the daily schedule of the cloistered life. It provides scheduled time for prayer, work, and recreation. Joan Chittister. OSB Ken
Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate the community here.
Is it co-incidence that today's gospel begins and ends with the same command "love one another as I have loved you? " Jesus's instructions on love to us is testament to the kind of love shared between himself and his Father and so he expects no less from us as children of God. The small acts done in and with love, without reservations, will go a long way in fulfilling Jesus's command to love one another as I have loved you. Thank you Jesus for the first example of selfless love, Amen. Blessings and prayers Living Faith Family. Remembering and praying for all special intentions and needs. God bless!
Hey Grammy P, that little symbol at the end of Ron’s sentence is called an emoji. If you type the word, “peace” the symbol may pop up. Or, at the bottom of your keyboard is a smiley face. Tap that and scroll thru for any number of emojis. Tap on the emoji and it should pop up. That’s how it works on an iPhone. ☺️ ☮️ God bless, the LFF!
☮️???? None of the emojis I chose work from my iPhone…
Kevin, you got me going on this interesting rabbit trail of emojis ????????????????????????????
So only certain emojis work and not 'two hearts' from my iPhone...I want to see if it works from my desktop? ☺️ ☮️
☮️???????? I am trying out what you have instructed to see if it works from my iPhone…
"in the presence of the One who created us on purpose, the One who gave his life for us", may we all ways be. Thank you for this, Amy! ????????
So glad my words were helpful!
GrammyP, That is exactly what spoke to me today! Many blessings to you!
Thank you Patrick. I love the term “ micro connections” !!☮️
Ron, how did you manage to get the special character at the end of your sentence?????
Amy—Thank you for the wonderful reminder to stay “seen” by connecting with God many times as we go about our daily lives. :)
Amen amen..thank you Amy...I love your spiritual day Patrick
Amy, you’ve described perfectly a practice I have developed in the last few years. It has changed from taking conscious effort to being habitual, it occurs as simply as I live and breathe. During my day I make regular “micro” connections with the Lord often, without breaking stride. It could be a smile to myself or another, a thumbs up, literally, a thank you, simple actions, thoughts or spoken words. A series of little action that keep me focused on the reality of the constant presence of the Lord. Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Love this and would also like to try it.
Patrick—this is brilliant! What a wonderful way to stay connected to God as you go throughout the day. I’m going to start doing this today—thank you for the lovely idea! :)
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Amy, a day late and a dollar short in responding, but I’m echoing the comments of the community in saying that your comments spur meaningful reflections in all of us and we are so appreciative. Thank you for consistently delivering impactful words to our community. I continue to look forward to your reflections in the written line-up! I love the callout for the micro-connections. I will try to incorporate those connections today!