Honoring All, Keeping the Peace – Genesis 23

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Honoring All, Keeping the Peace – Genesis 23

The freedoms and liberties God’s grace offers us also includes responsibilities. For 4,000 years, the story of Abraham burying Sarah has taught us how to honor the bodies of our loved ones who no longer have God’s Spirit stirring within them. It’s a beautiful and moving story of attitudes and values: respect and generosity. When we hold each other and every part of our community with the same degree of care, concern, and respect that Abraham showed, THAT is when we usher in the Kingdom of God, a kingdom where everyone can enjoy the freedoms and liberties we hold dear.

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Trusting Our Creator – Genesis 21:1-21

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Trusting Our Creator – Genesis 21:1-21

Some of the best advice ever given to me is this: “Don’t worry about the details; focus on learning the concepts. When you understand the concepts, you’ll be able to figure out the details regardless of the situation.”
The concepts in this week’s story are: 1) God is the Creator of All, 2) God is Approachable, 3) Do not be Afraid, 4) God Never Abandons Us
Actively LOOK for ways to include people who are marginalized or rejected. WORK to include them in... everything. If we do that, if we reach out to others the way God reached out to Hagar, we will be beacons of hope, we will be light in the darkness, and we will certainly create the “Peace on Earth” we pray for each week!

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Extraordinary Living – Genesis 18:1-15

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Extraordinary Living – Genesis 18:1-15

When we do what is possible – what is ordinary, God can do the impossible – the extraordinary through us. If all of us take just one step forward each week in our efforts to love God, love ourselves, and love others, I am convinced that we will personally experience extraordinary moments of emotional and spiritual growth which will lead to our community being transformed before our very eyes. And we can do this knowing that God is taking those steps with us.

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