Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat The author’s spiritual director told Manning to define himself radically as one beloved by God.  God’s love for each of us constitutes our worth. We need to accept that and let it become the most important thing in our lives.  The basis of our personal worth…

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat So often we want to present a perfect image to others that they may admire us but consequently they don’t know us. Augustine wrote, “There can only be two basic loves, the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or the love of self unto…

Devotions based on Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat The author said that what is denied cannot be healed. If we remain in hiding and deny the reality of our sin, we deprive the community of our healing gift. “In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.” ( Thorton Wilder)   If we conceal our wounds,…

Devotions from Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat God wants us to stop hiding and openly come to Him.  Why do we hide what we feel ourselves to be ( which we assume is unacceptable) and put on the appearance of what we are not?  God loves who we really are—whether we like it or…

Devotions from Brennan Manning’s book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are.” I John 3:1  The Father doesn’t want us to be perfect but real. Yet at times we try so hard to please…

Devotions from Lisa McMinn’s book, The Contented Soul “Our ultimate happiness is not found in external circumstances but in a trust that we are made for eternity.” God is present with us now but one day we will be brought into His direct presence. In the meantime we may go through suffering which may allow…

Devotions from Lisa McMinn’s book, The Contented Soul  “Life is not about my happiness but about the joy of recognizing that we all emerge from one source-and that source is God who loves us.”  Contentment is rooted in remembering.  But often we have twisted memories when it comes to wrongs others have done to us…

Devotions from Lisa McMinn’s book, The Contented Soul Memory holds our experiences together so that we re not disconnected souls living without connection to our past or our future. As Christians we remember Christ’s death and resurrection and look forward to what is ahead. We remember that we are not alone and that God was…

Devotions from Lisa McMinn’s book, The Contented Soul Some profound moments of contentment come as we recognize that we are part of and belong to something bigger than ourselves.  On the other hand we find ourselves living in discontent when we live in isolation, as though we belong to no one or nothing. When we…

Devotions from Lisa McMinn’s book The Contented Soul Do we live as though the earth belongs to us or as though we belong to the earth?  Another way to say it, do we view the earth as primarily a resource to harness and use or as a gift put under our stewardship to protect, conserve…