I am writing this today as we plan to head out tomorrow morning for the cities to be with my dad and to go to my uncle’s Reviewal in the evening. There is going to be time of sharing and a power point of the celebration of his life at the close. We plan to stay overnight at Augustana and see my dad again before the funeral Tuesday at 11. Then following we will begin our long trip and head to Washington to see our dear friends. Then we go on to Colorado, Texas and Kansas.
Soon we are going to a Cursillo gathering at our new church and help with the pot luck etc. We are feeling at home already and warmly welcomed to everything. What a blessing! Al hasn’t missed preaching either but maybe it is because he has been too busy.
Devotions for 9-12 from Henry Nouwen’s book called “The Selfless Way of Christ”
This book of Henry’s is about downward mobility in our Christian life,
He speaks of ministry and the spiritual life belonging together. Living the spiritual life is an intimate communion with the Lord. It is seeing, hearing, and touching. Living a life of ministry is witnessing to Him in the midst of this world.
If our ministry does not emerge from a personal encounter it will become a tiring routine and boring job. On the other hand, when our spiritual life no longer leads to ministry, it quickly leads to introspection and self-scrutiny. Our life in Christ and our ministry belong together as the two beams on the cross.
He points out how the ambition for power and success are very different from true ambition to love and serve others. True freedom is found in downward mobility as Jesus himself followed that path.
Somewhere deep in our hearts we really know that success, fame, influence, power, and money don’t give us inner joy and peace. We can rather see that those who have shed false ambitions have found a deeper fulfillment in their relationship with God. Downward mobility actually leads us heavenward.
This may be the last e-mail for a while as we will be on the road. I will write as I can. Do check www.canaansrest.net as I may be writing from there. Check the box that says sister Judy and you will find me. Al hopes to write so you may want to check Brother Al box too.
We would appreciate prayers for our trip as we put on lots of miles and will be gone about 5 weeks. That is a first for us. Thank you for prayers for my aunt and family too. It is so good to rest all in His hands. Blessings and love, Judy
You can try to contact me by e-mail as well
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