classic Saturday

From Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, written by Madame Guyon (1648-1717).

Guyon wrote about two ways to meet Jesus.

She calls the first way "praying the Scripture" and advises her readers to stay in a short passage of Scripture until the reader has sensed the presence of God, felt the heart of the verse(s), and turned it into prayer.

Guyon calls the second way "beholding the Lord". She encourages the reader to set aside time to sit in the presence of God, using Scripture only to help get our minds off outward things and turned in to the deep parts of our being.

In her words, "The Lord once promised to come and make his home within you (John 14:23). He promised there to meet those who worship him and do his will. The Lord will meet you in your spirit. It was St. Augustine who once said that he had lost much time in the beginning of his Christian experience by trying to find the Lord outwardly rather than by turning inwardly."

Madame Guyon wrote of the importance of Scripture to help us tune out the world and tune into the presence of Christ. I don't know about you, but it's not possible for me to go long without Scripture before I feel disconnected from Christ. His Word really is living and active. Do you find this true for yourself as well?

undoing racism

I'm in a 2 1/2 day workshop at UNI this week called "Undoing Racism" brought to us by the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Critically important conversation this first day regarding institutional racism and its effects.

love cedar valley 2011 promo

classic Saturday

Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

In today's selection from Devotional Classics (edited by Foster and Smith), St. Francis had been called by God into a life of devotion to Christ, but he was experiencing angst as to what that call entailed...whether he was to give himself to continual prayer or to preach publicly. The text says, "He wanted very much to know which of these would please our Lord Jesus Christ most. And as the holy humility that was in him did not allow him to trust in himself or in his own prayers, he humbly turned to others in order to know God's will in this matter."

Oh the goodness of God through His fellowship of followers. I'm grateful today for all of the spiritual friends God has given me who offer to listen to my life and who provide counsel that helps me develop character and discern at the crossroads. My life is so much richer because of these friends! Can you think of a few friends who help you to better know God and God's will?

the new jim crow

I'm in a book discussion over the book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. The group met today and has read and discussed through chapter 3. All I can say is that I'm deeply challenged and thoughtful by the content and implications.

classic Saturday

Today's Devotional Classic author is Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1933?). Sundar, a native of India who was a devout Sikh, had a radical conversion to Christ as a teenager. This excerpt is from his writing entitled With and Without Christ.

"We ought to make the best possible use of God-given opportunities and should not waste our precious time by neglect or carelessness. Many people say: there is plenty of time to do this or that; don't worry. But they do not realize that if they do not make good use of this short time, the habit formed now will be so ingrained that when more time is given to us, this habit will become our second nature and we shall waste that time also. 'Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.' (Luke 16:10)

Now it is right that every one of us should fulfill in our life the purpose of our Creator and spend that life for the glory of God and the good of others. Each of us should follow our calling and carry on our work according to our God-given gifts and capacities. 'There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit.' (1 Cor. 12:4,11)

The same breath is blown into the flute, cornet, and bagpipe, but different music is produced according to the different instruments. In the same way the one Spirit works in us, God's children, but different results are produced, and God is glorified through them according to each one's temperament and personality."

2010 census

Who lives in our community? Yesterday's paper came out with local and regional census data-

Waterloo, Iowa's population: 68,406 (loss of 341 people since 2000)

Cedar Falls, Iowa: 39,260 (increase of 3,115 people since 2000)

Black Hawk County: 131, 090

African-Americans in Waterloo: 10,606 in Cedar Falls: 814

Hispanic and Latino population in Waterloo: 3,827 in Cedar Falls: 771

Census data show that Iowa's population rose by 4.1 percent from 2000 to 2010 to just over 3 million people.

Data shows that rural areas are losing population as people move from rural to metropolitan areas.

You can read articles related to these census findings at :

Black Hawk County, C.F. Grow, Waterloo Shrinks

Census shows Latino Boom in Iowa

Iowa's Rural Areas Losing Population