Happy St. Patrick's Day, a little late...

Please note on your busy calendar that we now have 2 Lenten services on Wednesdays: noon and 7:05pm.

1st Lenten service after Ash Wednesday: "You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe." (Dallas Willard). Think about the word, "unceasing:" that very word promises us that our souls will take us to heaven for eternity. Doesn't that bring joy, assurance, and strength?! Dallas Willard also said, "The most important thing is not what you do, but the person you become." Our actions will not get us to heaven; we already have that ticket! So - concentrate, instead, on living the life that God created us for: serving and loving others. Those may seem like action words on the surface, but they're meant as an attitude, as well. God will meet us where we are, physically and spiritually. Our inner world needs more attention than our outer world. Remember this: we are never alone!

Cliff Notes: Philippians 3:17-4:1. So, you were always told that St. Patrick was Irish. Well, actually he was English, kidnapped by those pesky pirates, taken to Ireland, and, long story short, he brought Christianity to the Irish, bless his soul. He was very smart, combining pagan worship ideas with this new religion, which made it comfortable for the locals to embrace the change.

More Cliff notes: God is the connection to our souls. John Wesley, the originator of the Methodist church, said, "How is your soul?" At first glance, this seems like an easy question to answer, but when you really think about it, you first have to understand what your soul is, exactly. The soul is hard to define. It is the very deepest part of us, according to Dallas Willard. We are not made to be self-sufficient! We need God's grace to empower us, so we can live in His abundance. This is a daily struggle; our will vs God's will, ego (Edging God Out) vs God. Think about the different types of soil: Hard-packed that cuts us off from God, because it is too hard to till. Rocky soil has no depth, so plants wither and die. The soul can flourish, but then it, too, dies. Thorny soil: this is too cluttered to allow any growth. The soul can be too cluttered with material things, desire for power, lavish lifestyle, etc. Healthy soil is fed by grace and understanding of God. Read Psalm 23! Take time alone, in prayer, with God and this will restore your soul. He leads us to be the person we hope to become.