On Faith...

I recently finished 'beatitude' by Matthew Paul Turner. In lieu of a review (because I stink at writing reviews) I am again going to share passages that stuck out as I was reading.

'Sometimes, in order to live the way Jesus intends for me to live, I have to break a few rules. They're not always my rules. Sometimes they're the rules of a particular church. Sometimes they're the rules of friends or family. Sometimes they're simple rules I have assumed to be true all my life. But when I am engaged in the journey, Jesus often surprises me by breaking a few rules.'

'Despite not being considerably moved or impassioned by his nine-to-five, that did not stop him from investing his complete self into his work and the relationships he created.'

'People make poor choices and must learn to live with the consequences. But I do believe that one or two acts of mercy could have changed these people's outcomes. Because mercy tends to that; it changes things.'

'For me, the hard-to-show mercy is intentional kind of mercy I am called to hand out daily and and willingly in the lives of those in need, in want or in pain. That kind of mercy actually takes time, effort, energy and finances on my part.'

'Sure, I've fed the homeless on Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. I support a child with Compassion International and another with World Vision. I give money when disasters hit. I put coins in the red Salvation Army cans at Christmas. I give my left over clothes and house items to people in need. But does any of this really cost me all that much? And isn't mercy something that is free but costs a lot?'

Philippians 2:1-4 (The Message)

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.