Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts

Monday, January 24, 2011

Gratitude thoughts from Brian Walsh

In a culture of perpetual dissatisfaction,
a culture where you are what you have made yourself,
a culture of ceaseless craving
……for new experiences,
……for consumer goods,
……for power,
……for sex,
……for wealth,
……for status,
a culture of hyperactive frenzy and anxiety,
a culture of paralysis and numbness,
……in this culture,
……gratitude can set us free.
Gratitude receives life as a gift,
not a self-made accomplishment.
Gratitude is rooted in deep satisfaction,
not held captive to dissatisfaction.
Gratitude replaces isolation
with community.
Gratitude replaces competition
with friendship.
Gratitude meets an economy of ‘more’
with the audacious experience of ‘enough.’
Gratitude abandons aggression
for gentleness.
Gratitude shakes off arrogance,
for humility.
If the peace of Christ rules in our hearts,
if we know the power of forgiveness,
if we have been renewed in Christ,
if love binds our lives together,
then we will be thankful.
If the word of Christ dwells in us richly,
if the word of Christ takes up residence deep in our lives,
if that word begins to bear fruit in us,
if wisdom begins to shape our imaginations,
then we will sing songs of profound gratitude.
If we have come to Christ,
if we give our whole lives to Christ,
if we submit every dimension of our lives to his loving rule,
if we do everything in the name of Christ,
……then our whole lives will be a thanks offering,
……our whole lives will give thanks to God our Father.
Christian ministry is not a duty,
it is an act of gratitude.

You can find the rest of Brian's stuff here.


Thursday, December 14, 2006

creation groans


Somalia and Ethiopia conflicts...

Peace on earth to all men and women...

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Chechen Brutality

Can you say middle ages?

This account is humiliating. A story that makes you wonder how humanity can get to this level and makes you hope for redemption and grace.

In reading Romans, I think I finally get chapter 5. Evil can never increase to the amount that grace will not be able to surmount it. Grace always goes beyond evil. From the beginning, love created the world and remakes the world, while evil can only destroy. As Rob Bell says, "love wins."

Let's pray for that in this story...

Again, you may need a NYTimes free account to view the article and video.