Community Prayer Guide | August 2020

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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Community Prayer Guide August 2020

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians. 4:6-7

Church
Pray for Jesus followers to bring love, peace and wise solutions to all areas of our local community.
Pray for God’s love and wisdom for pastors/leaders as they discern how to lead in this season.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for reconciliation, love and strong friendships to grow among pastors of all ethnicities.

Education
Pray for wisdom and peace to guide school leaders and families as they prepare for adjustments this fall.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for wisdom in the state government for allocating funds and for effective school guidelines.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for the public to receive & hear clear facts from our local government vs. hearing inaccurate information.
Pray for leaders to have empathy and understanding to recognize injustice and then to bring solutions.
Pray for grants to be used wisely to implement solutions & increase services for the mental health crisis.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for God to raise up business advocates and coaches to support and strengthen business leaders.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves
as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34

Arts
Pray for the Oregon Christian Writers Conference to be fruitful in equipping writers for kingdom impact.
Pray for isolated artists to find connection, encouragement and new inspiration through relationships.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries, for peace & safety as venues reopen.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for families as they prepare for a unique school season: God’s guidance, provision, and peace.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a vaccine, and/or other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for an abundance of PPE for our community’s health care providers (HCPs).
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and good stewardship of local resources.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies compared to many other cities.
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.

Media
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom for the high school/college leadership to navigate restarting athletics.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports & camps: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for coaches to be strengthened and have wisdom to lead teams in this season.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
1 Timothy 2:1

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Emotional Well-Being | Peace Found in Perspective

We were winding our way up and over the mountain and back down to the west side of the island, which we are currently calling home. My husband and I were engaging in a gratitude conversation, sharing how blessed we feel. Life could have easily taken a different turn at many points in our journeys, both together and as we were growing up. Why were we spared from a more tragic experience? Why did God guide us and bless us? Who are we to be so fortunate, with so much suffering in this world?

One answer is that we will never know and our goal is to follow God’s guidance so that He can use our journey in intentional ways that we may never understand.

Another answer is perspective. I’m sure there are many out there that would not look at our journey as incredibly fortunate. While you can’t deny the great privilege we have with access to clean water, loving friends and family and so much opportunity, we have had our fair share of struggle.

As we made our way back to a comfortable home where our three healthy and incredibly capable children waited, I realized my perspective could be different.

Now I was pondering this; why am I so blessed to be able to feel blessed in moments of struggle? Even through seasons of sadness, stress, frustration and desperation, somehow we continue to feel so incredibly blessed.

I know that depression has visited so many different walks of life and the specific situation we are in doesn’t always dictate how we feel about ourselves, our current state and the world around us. Sometimes when light is shining right on us, we feel darkness. Sometimes when friends are reaching out, we feel alone.

So all I can really share, in hopes that it will help those struggling emotionally, is what has helped me: Being grounded in faith, surrender and gratitude.

• Stay grounded in the Lord through prayer

• Surrender yourself, your world, your relationships and especially worldly things

• Rejoice that God has a plan and each step has a purpose

• Serve others and pray for them

• Take action - small and easy steps forward build momentum

• Find things to be grateful for - simple and small can build momentum here as well

“I continue to be grateful and always aware that I am in charge of my faith and my perspective,
but not my life.”

In today’s “you can have it all” culture, this belief may not be popular, but I believe in putting God’s plan before any worldly desires. In fact, I aim to cut out worldly desires and let go of dependency on my own dreams to embrace the journey set in front of me. This has filled me with gratitude and joy, even through hard times. Be careful not to just pretend, but to really dig deep and decide what desires can be released and what to pull into focus. In Ephesians chapter 4, starting at verse 17, Paul “insists” we no longer live as Gentiles “darkened in understanding and separated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18). Our hope and joy and gratitude comes from our connection to our God.

Ephesians 4:21-24
“Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in the true righteousness and holiness”

This isn’t at all to say we are sad because we’re not living for God. Rather, through sadness we can remain or at least regain our sense of gratitude and joy through a shift “in the attitude of your minds” and rejoice in the truth that we were “created to be like God in the true righteousness and holiness” and that God is in control of the this beautiful creation around us. I surrender my own worldly desires to an all powerful and loving God who created the incredible life that surrounds us, for which I am so grateful.

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About the Author

Leona is a wife, mother and traveler who is intrigued by how different people live. Her latest project is exploring ways that different walks of life can simplify, in order to live a fulfilling journey.

Emotional Well-Being | Jesus’ Emotional Health

When our kids were very young but old enough to go to Sunday School, a fellow parent shared that they had taught their child that if he was ever asked a question, any question, by his teacher during a Sunday School lesson, to just shout out “Jesus!” and his answer would most often hit the bullseye. We laughed about that together and in thinking back, there is some profound truth in that! It seems Jesus really can be found as some kind of answer to most any question.

In thinking about the topic of “Emotional Health” for this devotional series, I wanted to go back and look at how Jesus experienced and expressed emotions in Scripture, thinking there should be some good clues for how we should also deal with our emotions. Below are some thoughts.

As recorded in “Psychology Today”, most psychologists would agree there are six basic emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust and surprise. There are many variations and nuances within each of those emotions, but those are the six category headings.

I found Jesus experiencing each of these six emotions in the Gospels, though usually the name for the emotion was not explicitly mentioned.

In John 2, Jesus seemed like he must have been happy at the wedding feast in Cana by 1) turning the ceremonial water for washing into delicious wine for drinking to keep the wedding party going, and 2) he may well have been joking with and teasing his mother when she told Jesus, “They have no more wine.” He replies, “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” Then Mary turns and tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do, apparently knowing Jesus was just teasing her and would truly do something about the wine problem! This possible interpretation was first mentioned by Randi in a sermon awhile back. We don’t know for sure what this exchange was about, but I like this possible explanation because it’s a rare example of Jesus’ levity and playfulness, which would be fitting for him to have had.

Jesus expressed his sadness in John 11:35. At the death of his friend Lazarus. Lazarus’ sister, Mary, came to Jesus weeping, together with many others, and Jesus too was filled with emotion. The shortest verse in the Bible is this: Jesus wept.

In Matthew 26:38-39 Jesus is in Gethsemane with his disciples, he is praying to His Father, because he knows what is about to happen. The Scripture says, “He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’” Jesus had just said that his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. I think it’s safe to say that it wasn’t just sorrow but also fear that he was experiencing, since he had asked his disciples to keep watch like bodyguards while he prayed.

The well-known temple scene in Matthew 21:12-13 is when Jesus enters and overturns the tables of the money changers and proclaims, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers!’” He is angry that these people are making profit in a sacred space meant to be consecrated for the meeting between God and His people.

Jesus is disgusted at the hypocrisy of the Pharisees when he calls out the “seven woes” in Matthew 23. No other group of people were called out by Jesus for their duplicity like these religious leaders, who paraded around arrogantly as if they were holy, put difficult requirements on the common people, and yet did not even fulfill these requirements themselves.

The last basic emotion is surprise. Jesus expresses surprise in Matthew 8:10 when talking with the Roman centurion, who has asked Jesus to come heal his paralyzed servant. Jesus agrees to go, but the centurion discloses his faith when he tells Jesus he doesn’t need to go anywhere to heal. He can do it right where he is by just saying the word. When Jesus heard this, “he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith!”

So, what can we take away from looking at Jesus’ emotions and how he expressed them? One thing is certain: he didn’t stoically try to hide them or suppress them. Since we believe Jesus never sinned, we can then also say it is not a sin to feel emotions.

Many of us grow up with the idea that some emotions are good and some are bad. We often try to ignore, minimize or deny the ones we think are unacceptable. But doing this usually leads to all kinds of problems, and sometimes physical ailments. We have been created with emotions and they serve a good purpose. They lift us, they lower us, they warn us, they connect us to others, they prepare our bodies to physically respond to a stimulus that could save our lives. They set in motion a chain of chemical reactions that can energize us or calm us.

I’ve heard it taught that it’s not the emotions that are bad, but our expression of them could be. Anger is a good example: anger can give us the energy we need to right a wrong. But it can also destroy if it goes unchecked and dominates without the good boundaries of reason and empathy.

It seems wise to learn to understand why we feel the way we do. This way we can know ourselves better and manage our reactions to people and events. Our emotions aren’t in control, but they also aren’t denied.

And one thing I’ve learned is not to fear emotions. This is how the Lord helped me see this. I had a dream one time that I was a big iceberg right off the beach at Bandon. My family was playing on the beach along with many other people. All of a sudden, me, the iceberg, started to melt and I was terrified that the tsunami-type waters resulting from my meltdown would flood the beach and kill my family. Well, the melting waters barely added much of a ripple and everyone was fine and continued playing! Because of what I was going through at the time, this dream was easy to interpret. My frozen emotions were coming alive and I needn’t worry that they would harm anybody. They weren’t dangerous.

The take-away for me is to let our emotions do their work in us within the boundaries of our God-given reason. Maybe this is part of loving God with all our heart, soul and strength and loving ourselves and loving our neighbors at the same time.

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Philippians 2:6-7
Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Matthew 22:37-40
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

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About the Author

John has been an essential component to the life and development of CitySalt since 2004 and, presently, serves as an associate pastor with a focus on prayer, discipleship and spiritual direction in addition to being a regular part of the teaching team. He enjoys the outdoors, water sports, music, reading and especially spending time with his wonderful family and chocolate lab, Gunnar.

Emotional Well-Being | Behave in a Way You Can Be Proud Of

“Behave in a way you can be proud of,” is a phrase that’s been running through my mind off and on since March. In some moments I am successful and in many, I am not. But still, this phrase encourages me to keep trying.

Yesterday a work phone call began with the customary “How are you?” I responded with a neutral, “I’m okay.” This prompted my co-worker, who I’ve never met in person, to express concern and ask if there was anything she could do to help. I appreciated her tenderness, but at the same time, I wonder if it’s time to just stop asking people how they’re doing if the only answer we’re willing to accept is a cheerful “I’m good.”

Usually I do give the customary answer. But to be honest, at this point in the pandemic, “I’m good,” would be a dishonest response from me. Even “I’m okay” may be a stretch. And considering the pandemic, it probably shouldn’t require an explanation.

But, here’s a more accurate answer. I have been quarantined at home with my very energetic children for three months. I have been working from my home part-time, while homeschooling my extremely oppositional 8-year-old and also caring for my 5-year-old son. Each day is exhausting and emotionally draining, and often involves breaking up a number of physical fights between kids, being screamed at for setting limits on screen time, and locking myself in time out so I can practice deep breathing.

Those are the personal struggles I’m dealing with on a daily basis. Additionally, I’m feeling the collective anxiety and grief of our nation as we face crises on several fronts — public health, economic, and political.

I think we need to be sober and honest with ourselves in this moment. For many of us, these are dark, dark times. Yes, the COVID pandemic will end, perhaps as soon as next year when a vaccine arrives. But we should not minimize the lives that have been lost and will be lost before this is over. And this other pandemic we are now reckoning with, the pandemic of racism, is also far from over, and has also taken many lives. The African American poet Clint Smith speaks to this moment succinctly in his poem “When people say, ‘We have made it through worse before:’”

Sometimes the moral arc of the universe does not bend in a direction that will comfort us. Sometimes it bends in ways that we don’t expect & there are people who fall off in the process...I have grown weary of telling myself lies that I might one day begin to believe. We are not all left standing after the war has ended.

Reckoning with racism forces many white Americans to face an internal ugliness that we would prefer to pretend has never existed. Acknowledging the prevalence of racism in our nation’s past and present, and being willing to look into our own hearts to confront racism that may exist inside of us is a painful ask. It’s a lot to reckon with, in addition to the grief and uncertainty we are facing right now with COVID. We would prefer to keep racism packed away neatly in a dark corner of our unconscious, because it makes us uncomfortable, so we never ever talk about it.

Black people and their allies have brought racism to the forefront of our national conversation lately, out of necessity. Because racism is a life and death issue for them, as we’ve seen in the many murders of unarmed black people by police officers.

For me, being quarantined has felt a bit like being on a really long airplane ride, and now it feels as though the airplane itself might be crashing. COVID is not done with us yet, and neither are our national struggles with racism. How will we make it through to the other side? And do I even trust the pilot?

I had a good conversation with my friend Britni the other day about self-care and she reminded me why it’s so important — you have to put your own oxygen mask on first. You’re not much good to those around you in the plane crash if you’ve passed out from lack of oxygen.

So, even though the people around me need a lot of help — my sweet children who just want to go to school and see their friends, the low-income families I work with who have preschoolers with disabilities — I can’t effectively support any of them if I don’t take care of my own emotional wellbeing. Even though I may want to dive into anti-racist work and contribute to efforts of racial reconciliation, I also cannot do this effectively if I don’t stay grounded in my own self-care.

These are some strategies I’ve been using to nurture my emotional wellbeing. This time is still a huge challenge for me personally, but these strategies are helping me cope:

• Exercise. Running, yoga, and walking have been helping me through this season. Did you know that running can be as effective as anti-depressants in treating mild to moderate depression?

• Gratitude journaling. I try to write down things I’m thankful for in my gratitude journal before I go to bed. This helps train my mind to focus on positives.

• Spend time reading Scripture. Scripture is one important way that God can speak to us and bring us comfort and guidance. One verse that has helped me through challenging times is Isaiah 43, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” This verse reminds me that God has a purpose for me and will guide me through whatever challenges may come.

• Mindful breathing and contemplative prayer. This is a practice I’ve been trying to adopt recently. I’m struggling with consistency, but this is an area of growth for me. Even when my mind is unable to stay focused enough for contemplative prayer, I benefit from a few minutes of stillness and deep breathing.

• Talking about emotions. In May I read the book Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett, which is all about emotional regulation. One thing I learned is that just being able to label and express our emotions helps us to stay emotionally regulated. Writing can also serve this purpose.

• Practicing kindness. Finally, once I’ve put on my own oxygen tank with these other practices, I can practice kindness toward others (which also in turn makes me feel good). Practicing kindness can look as simple as feeding my children or doing chores around the house, but I’m also thankful that helping others is part of my paid work. During this pandemic, I’ve had the opportunity to coordinate delivery of necessities like food, clothing, and diapers to some of the families I work with. Jesus calls us to “love your neighbor as yourself,” and practicing kindness brings us one step closer to this commandment. Aligning ourselves with God’s commandments is an integral component of emotional wellbeing.

How are you nurturing your own emotional wellbeing during this time? My hope for each of us is that by taking time in this season to do some hard internal work, we can emerge transformed and will be able to look back on this season knowing that we did our best to behave in a way that we can be proud of.

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About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Emotional Well-Being | Independence Day

I have been dreading this day. I feel heavy and concerned for my family, for others.

The 4th of July - a day when Americans celebrate - independence. Under normal circumstances we get together and throw a party, have a barbecue, watch fireworks. But we are also in the middle of a pandemic. People are tired of being apart. Rebelling, even angry. More people will “break the rules” today. More people will get sick, disease will spread, using our own desire to be close, our desire to be together, to be one, to reflect the Image of God, against us.

I am sad. I am anxious. I feel defeated.

Suddenly the Holy Spirit shows me a different perspective. A different way to see this.

This pandemic has revealed a beautiful fact. In all our brokenness, in all the chaos, in everything that has been twisted, God has preserved His Image in humanity. Not just in the Church, but in all humanity!

In all the time sin has been in the world, it has not been able to destroy the Image of God that is in us all - our desire to be One. To be in relationship.

It has taken a beating since the Garden. It is no longer untarnished and pure, but it is still there. Still strong, even defiant against what the enemy would throw at it. It is strong even in those who do not acknowledge it as God’s Image.

God is greater. In humanity we see that the Image of God is not defeated. We desire oneness and relationship!

Not that I think we should abandon wisdom and be together at all costs. On the contrary, it is my opinion that we are called to wisdom. I believe we need to face this situation as the foe that it is and work together to defeat it. We can assess our vulnerabilities and use our strengths. Those strengths may include patience, self-control, perhaps self-denial for a time. I see those characteristics in Jesus in His time on this planet. The unified goal being to see the enemy defeated once again!

This revelation for me is not about influencing behavior or personal choices during this time. I have my opinions, but it is too big a task for me to tackle what is right for everyone. I am not the judge.

My joy and my hope is in the fact that the Image of God is still alive and well in the human race! Bruised, imperfect, dented, cracked, but alive and well!! Thanks be to God! He is the Victor!

Ok now I sound a bit Christian-ese. Forgive me. I am excited. There is hope for us. God is good. His image prevails in us! He can continue to build on that in us as a planet.

Lord, I pray that you will teach us during this time of forced separation, that seems wise to me for a time to embrace our desire for Oneness that is Your Image reflected in us. Use it into the future as we are able to come back together to bring us to greater unity as a church, city, state, nation and world. Lord, like Job, bless our latter days more than our beginning!

Genesis 1:27 NKJV
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

1 John 4:4 NKJV
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

John 16:32-33 NKJV
32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 17:20-23 NKJV
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

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About the Author

Darla loves God and is the Media Communication Coordinator for CitySalt Church. She is a graphic designer and an entrepreneur. Always learning. Eternally grateful for her wonderful and supporting husband Mark and faithful friends who are are pillars of encouragement in all her endeavors.

Mark and Darla have no children but have the privilege of loving a gaggle of ever expanding nieces and nephews.

Emotional Well-Being | Putting it into Practice

“Jesus did not promise to change the circumstances around us. He promised great peace and pure joy to those who would learn to believe that God actually controls all things.” ~ Corrie ten Boom

That quote was in this week’s readings from an old daily devotional by one of my favorite heroes. How fitting for these times! Even if the state of this pandemic is better by the time this gets published, I’m sure the world’s circumstances will still be far from perfect. And even without pandemics, our lives are often difficult no matter how much we try to make them easier or drama-free.

I’ll be honest; I do ask Jesus to change this or that circumstance for me sometimes. I don’t think that’s wrong. He wants us to take our needs to Him. But we also need to trust Him to give us what we truly need, even when He doesn’t change our circumstances.

Philippians 4:6-7 RSV
“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Living this out is not easy, though. Once we’ve prayed about something and done our best to trust Him with the outcome of it, how do we train our minds and hearts to recognize and feel this promised peace and joy? Especially during difficult trials, like the one the whole world is facing right now?

I think that can look different for different people. For me, it looks like doing exercises to train my eyes to see gifts that He’s given me that help me with whatever I’m going through at the time. And to take the time to deal with the hard things and negative emotions so they don’t fester and make me cynical or depressed. For me, I’m writing daily gratitudes in a 2020 planner that a friend designed, and writing about my concerns in a journal. But I’m also doing some lists in a notebook that are helping me to process things more visually.

If you’re willing, you can join me for one of these exercises. Grab a pen and piece of paper (or a spot in your journal or even your computer), and make an old-fashioned T-chart of some sort. I’ll make one here, too, and fill it in with some examples from my life. On the left side, title it something like “Concerns” or “Difficult Things.” On the right side, title it something like “Things I’m Thankful For” (or more accurately for me during this pandemic: “Things helping me stay somewhat sane!”). Then, try to fill it in with at least three things in each column. You don’t have to think of things for the right side that answer or counterbalance the left side, but you could.

Things Weighing Me Down Lately

1. Isolation

2. Loss of freedom to travel

3. Worrying about the world (including my friends and family): division, disease and deaths, the economy, etc. Confession: I have been guilty during this pandemic of compulsively needing to check world news on my phone before I go to bed and again when I wake up, just to make sure the world isn’t completely falling apart.

Things I’m So, So Thankful For Right Now

1. My cat, neighbors, and technology that keep me from feeling too alone

2. The freedom to go for walks in my neighborhood (and my county now), and the fact that the area I live in is chock full of woodsy trails

3. My guitar so I can practice playing worship songs, which helps me refocus on Who is almighty, all-powerful, and loves me (Oh, and this sounds trivial next to that, but I’m also grateful for free online guitar lessons)

Now take your lists and talk to God about them. Really talk to Him about them. Tell Him how you feel about the things weighing you down. He loves you and wants to hear it. Then thank Him for the ways He’s blessed you.

Admittedly, doing this once will probably not change your life. It may change your perspective a little. It may not (I speak from experience). But doing this regularly, whether on paper or even just in your mind as you go for a walk, can add up over time. My hope is that you (and I) will gradually experience more and more peace and joy in our daily lives as we turn our concerns and our gratitudes over to Him.

Philippians 4:6-7 RSV
“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Please feel free to leave comments with what creative ways you are employing to keep your mind and heart healthy these days. I would love to hear them!

Post note: I wrote this post last night. Before I went to bed, I read a devastating story about the plight of a Rohingya refugee woman. This morning I woke up to see the news that protests about race issues are exploding in U.S. cities. I had to take my own advice and journal and pray and ask God to heal this world, and to guide me. I feel helpless as I sit in my cozy little apartment in a relatively safe city while around the world there is reason to fear. So I hold fast to the verses from Philippians. Thank you, Lord, for my safety. Please heal my country and world of the divides that are causing devastation. Guide me to any way that I can help.

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About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Community Prayer Guide | July 2020

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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Community Prayer Guide July 2020

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ... His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace.
Ephesians 2:13-14

Church
Pray for reconciliation, love and strong friendships to grow among pastors of all ethnicities.
Pray for God’s love and wisdom for pastors/leaders as they discern how to lead in this season.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.

Education
Pray for unity with school leaders and families as they prepare for Fall adjustments and for wisdom and peace to guide them.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators during the summer.
Pray for wisdom at the state level for allocating funds, procedures for schools, and that God will bring forth a higher good from the COVID-19 challenges.
Pray for God’s innovation for Project Hope and His provision for supplies to meet many families’ needs.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for leaders to have empathy and understanding to recognize injustice and then to bring solutions.
Pray for newly elected/appointed local leaders to have God’s grace and wisdom as they begin to serve.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate reopening.
Pray for God to raise up business advocates and coaches to support and strengthen business leaders.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
1 Thessalonians 3:12

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16

Arts
Pray for God's compassion and comfort to bring healing to hearts through art created during COVID-19 (PAC RIM exhibit, "For Such a Time as This" at the Emerald Art Center, and River Road Art Group "Reflections").
Pray for isolated artists to find connection, encouragement and new inspiration through relationships.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries, for peace & safety as venues reopen.

Family
Pray for good leadership over every home that balances work, school and family all together.
Pray for families to engage in new healthy activities and relationships that strengthen families.
Pray for families to be surrounded with peace, wisdom and support systems.

Health Care
Thank God for low COVID 19 cases locally. Ask God to eradicate it from our community, and pray for God to provide a vaccine.
Pray for local health care leaders to collaborate with each other and have God’s wisdom in their decisions.
Pray for health care providers (HCPs) to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to bring God’s peace, give grace & speak healing words into every interaction with others.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies compared to many other cities.
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.

Media
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom for the high school/college leadership to navigate restarting athletics.
Pray for the Lord’s creative strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for all local athletes to see Jesus and their lives in light of eternity through this and every season.

Be joyful always. Pray continually.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Emotional Well-Being | Good Grief (and The Art of Being Human)

We are taught to be our best. To succeed. To learn quickly, sidestep mistakes and achieve. And no matter what, we learn to put on a happy face in public. But when we struggle with deep emotional pain (and we all do), this inauthentic social dance becomes doubly hard with the isolation it brings. And there is always unreasonable pressure to fix brokenness quickly - and move on.

We are all human, as God created us - in HIS image, and sometimes I feel that in our attempts to be better people, and better Christians, we send and receive a message that our humanity is inherently dirty and an automatic source of shame. Our attitudes and actions can certainly be sinful, but are we inherently bad?

We all love to label, and “mental illness” (or the more vanilla--depression or grief), are tossed around to help us try to understand. But it can be viewed as personal failure. Stigmas are an unfortunate byproduct of our social and religious systems, and because of that, I fear most of us don't seek help.

Even in an environment of compassion, making space for someone suffering in our midst can be clumsy and awkward, like the classic - what do you say at the funeral? Sadly, too often that conversation is avoided all together.

Speaking of grief, I used to think of it as an emotional health subset of a subset, applying only to the death of a loved one. Now with my Mom’s recent passing, it seems a lot bigger. Maybe a starting point for real personal change, not just a result of loss. Grief carries with it a lot of extra baggage - guilt, fear, anger, a certain disorientation, and certainly sometimes resignation (depression). But is there any good in it? I believe there is!

I am realizing that my sadness and bouts with depression stem from grieving over something lost. I yearn for something to be returned to its rightful owner. Or it goes even deeper, and farther back in my life, to things promised by friends and family but not received. This has led to gaps in my human experience, a feeling of "have I missed something?”

So beyond our creation story, made in God's image, to our redemption - can we learn something about grief from the life of Jesus?

I find it fascinating that his ministry covered the last three years of his time on earth, but why did the Father bring him here for three decades prior? To simply be human? Since Jesus was God, did he need to be raised and trained as a human child? Did he really need a spiritual apprenticeship in the temple?

All food for thought, but I suspect it had something to do with him leading us not just by word, but by example. He started sharing and modeling to his Jewish culture, then his legacy branched outward to the world. But he wasn’t just a hired actor. He didn’t “put on a show.” God lived his own humanity!

(Whew!)

Yes, Jesus was the absolute ultimate paradox - both God and human, and he experienced and displayed all kinds of human emotions. But did he grieve? In the Garden of Gethsemane, and with his disciples sleeping, he was alone in the night's darkness with his emotions as he anticipated his suffering. In a surprising display of his humanness, he asked the Father for another choice.

And later, on the cross, he cried out in the ultimate agony--separation. Why did the Father leave him alone?

Maybe Jesus wants to show us it's good to grieve. Maybe it's just part of our road back.

Sin and our fall from grace robbed us of many things. Our typical reactions are a misguided substitute for what was lost. It seems our social expectations and shame have diminished us so much that we’ve almost lost the art of being human. We don't like pain, but pain alerts us that something isn't right - for our own good. It's an authentic reaction.

I am learning to view grieving as an organic and positive process, a slow unlocking mystery, to a new level of wholeness.

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Common Ground | The Holy Spirit is our Common Ground

As I write my blog post during Pentecost, I realize our common ground is the Holy Spirit, via the connection He gives us to Jesus, to God and to each other. I have a diverse group of friends of differing opinions and backgrounds, fears, loves and life experiences--Christians, Jews, lawyers, pastors, writers, carpenters, workers in all fields and persuasions.

I believe the Holy Spirit in me wants the best for all these people. I want them to excel and succeed and have their best lives. I treat them with love and respect as best I can and find that they treat me in kind. There are, of course, disagreements sometimes but more often than not, we are able to work things out and come back together.

Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite movies. Released in 1971, it tells the story of a poor village in pre revolutionary Russia and how they must face the changes in the world while the Jewish main character, Tevye, must deal with marrying off his three beloved daughters as they come of age. I recall a story Pastor John once told that is also depicted in the movie as Tevye is on his rounds delivering milk one morning:

MORDCHA: Why should I break my head about the outside world? Let them break their own heads.

TEVYE: He’s right. As the Good Book says, “If you spit in the air, it lands in your face.”

PERCHIK: That’s nonsense. You can’t close your eyes to what’s happening in the world.

TEVYE: He’s right.

AVRAM: He’s right and he’s right? How can they both be right?

TEVYE: You know, you’re also right.

Google script link.

This scene makes me chuckle. I like it because it shows an example of listening to other people and hearing their values, not just their words. Their words may seem to express opposite opinions, but often after breaking down what they truly mean, we find common ground in the values behind them.

I see this happen often on Facebook. I am delighted when I see several people from the different slices of my life agree on something and I shout (quietly, to myself), "You, see! There IS common ground!" It shows me that, in the end, we are all just humans with struggles, trying to find a way to take care of ourselves, our families and our friends.

God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the true common ground, not only between my friends, but also between them and Him. I am here to remind them of His link to them in times of need and joy, and to be salt and light that can bind us to each other and bring us together in Him.

Acts 2:2-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Matthew 22:8-10 (NIV)
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Matthew 5:13-14
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Tevye meets Perchik in the circle of the village. - He's right, and he's right - they can't both be right.

This scene is longer then the excerpt above, but contains the excerpt in context.

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About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Phase 2 | All Church Update

June 5, 2020

Dear Church,

I want to express my appreciation of your collective efforts to honor the social distancing guidelines as we all work to mitigate the impact of this pandemic. It seems Oregon has done a good job adjusting to the necessary changes and has been spared a potentially more deadly outcome.

As Oregon continues a path toward returning to our new normal, I want to update you with regard to the physical gatherings of our Sunday evening services.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown recently announced that Lane County is approved to enter Phase 2 of the reopening efforts at this stage of the pandemic. The restrictions summarized as part of Phase 2 include individual, social, civic and faith-based gatherings to be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors. It is highly possible that Oregon will be at Phase 2 through the summer and maybe even the Fall.

Essentially we are still encouraged to maintain social distancing measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and it is strongly recommended that when in public gatherings all wear face coverings to protect you and others.

In preparation for Phase 2, last week I met with our CitySalt ministry leaders to discuss the consideration of returning to physical gatherings at The Box. Our discussion was guided by recent recommendations from our Foursquare President-Elect, Randy Remington, that aimed to help church leaders as they wrestle with when to reopen their buildings. He suggested the following considerations and questions and we have prayerfully taken them to heart:

Considerations:

What is our context?

• What is the tone and values of our community?

• How do we love and honor our neighbors and not do things that compromise our witness?

What are the existing polarities?

• How can we honor differing opinions and views on the pandemic? (ie. masks, social distancing and pandemic importance)

• How do we consider those with compromised health or concerns?

Questions:

1. Is it permissible?
   (State/County/City policy). Under Phase 2 it is permissible for our church to gather physically if we practice social distancing with under 50 people indoors and under 100 people outdoors.

2. Is it ethical?
   Even if it is technically possible and permissible, does it violate a value for life and the welfare of others?

3. Is it missional?
   Can we continue to be a people “on mission” even though we don’t gather for a weekly worship service for a while? Since love is our mission, it seems that we are free to continue to be the Body of Christ “on Mission” in many creative ways.

4. Is it practical?

• Do we want to gather if it requires social distancing and likely requires a mask?

• What about handshakes or hugs? What about singing?

• Are the required cleaning and disinfecting protocols reasonable?

• Is our congregation ready to gather physically again?

• How would we protect our Kids Ministry volunteers?

• What about other groups using The Box before us?

After prayerfully considering all the above, our team decided not to resume physical gatherings at The Box at this time. We believe this step aligns us with public health recommendations and supports a larger collective effort to minimize the potential spread and protect our most vulnerable citizens.

In the meantime, I believe we can individually and collectively explore new and creative alternatives that can be a source of encouragement and fellowship with those we share life and faith with.

I also invite you to continue participation in the following:

• Join us on June 9th for a CitySalt day of Prayer and Fasting.

• Small Groups: Consider forming a small group fellowship, bible study, or Triad with some people you like or want to get to know better. Take the initiative.

• Be Spiritually Aware: Be discerning, creative, and engaged. If God puts someone or something on your heart, maybe He is asking you to initiate something that normally you would expect “the Church” to do. Now is the time for us to be the church scattered rather than simply the church gathered.

• Personal Devotion: Allow this time to try and practice spiritual disciplines and traditions like Sabbath-keeping, stillness, solitude, silence, rest, devotional reading, and prayer while providing loving care for loved ones, neighbors, and co-workers. Try a new book, podcast, or video series.

• Check out our live stream service on Sundays each week at @ 5:30pm for a time of connection and encouragement with pastors, leaders, friends, and guests. Feel free to share our live stream services with friends and loved ones by viewing and interacting through Facebook, YouTube or from our CitySalt Homepage at www.citysalt.org.

• Pre-Service Zoom Fellowship @ 4:30pm. Join us each Sunday (before our live stream service) for an all-church Zoom Fellowship. This is a pre-service video conference using Zoom that allows households to connect and interact together online. To participate you will need to download and set up the Zoom App on a phone, tablet, or laptop that has a camera and has a strong internet connection. Once you are set up, you can join the group video session, at 4:30pm each Sunday. Link can be found on our Upcoming page.

• Benevolence Fund - To help with financial needs that will arise for individuals and families as this health crisis impacts our economy, in addition to your regular giving to support CitySalt, you can make a tax-deductible contribution specifically to our Benevolence Fund, that is dedicated to providing assistance to those with practical needs. To make an online contribution, you can visit https://www.citysalt.org/give. Or, if you prefer to write a check it can be mailed to CitySalt Church PO Box 5830 Eugene, OR 97405.

In addition to the above, we will be looking for some creative ways to encourage fellowship and learning that may include outdoor gathering, small groups, bible studies and book discussions.

Also, if you have any questions or would like to request a meeting with a pastor, please feel free to contact Mike D’Eliso at (541) 632-4182 or mike@citysalt.org and he can help you get connected.

Thank you for your support and diligence through this unique time and season.

Together in His Grip,

Pastor Dusty

Community Prayer Guide | June 2020

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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Community Prayer Guide June 2020

Pray and proclaim God’s word as you pray for our community:

Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
Psalm 68:28

Pray the requests and Scriptures in each of the sectors below.

Church
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
Pray for pastors, ministry leaders and their leadership teams to have God’s wisdom, joy and strength.
Pray for God’s love to empower His people to live like Christ and share His love.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.

Education
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Pray for educators to have rest, rejuvenation, and creative ideas for next school year during summer break.
Pray for isolated students and families to have meaningful connections and support throughout the summer.
Pray for education leaders to have creativity and wisdom to lead schools and families.
Pray for God’s innovation for Project Hope and His provision for supplies to meet many families’ needs.

Government
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
Pray for the financial stability and wise stewardship over local governments to govern diligently.
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for newly elected local government leaders to have God’s grace and wisdom as they begin to serve.

Business
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate reopening.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.
Pray for God to raise up business advocates and coaches to support and strengthen business leaders.

Arts
They made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Exodus 36:35
Pray for the Lane Arts Guild to be funded and for God’s provision for local theaters and art galleries.
Pray for Jesus-following artists to have strength and joy to bring encouragement to our community.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to be upon all forms of local art to extend Jesus’ love & impact people for the gospel.

Family
Husbands love your wives, just like Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
Pray for peace over every home that balances work, school and family all together.
Pray for families to engage in new healthy activities and relationships that strengthen families.
Pray for families to be surrounded with peace, wisdom, and support systems.

Health Care
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Luke 5:17
Pray for local health care leaders to collaborate with each other and have God’s wisdom in their decisions.
Pray for health care providers (HCPs) to have God’s wisdom, strength and health as they care for people.
Pray for HCPs to bring God’s peace into every healing interaction with others.

Police and Fire Departments
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. Romans 13:4
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the wholistic health of our First Responders & families including their spiritual & emotional protection.

Media
And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4:37
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcast and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom for the UO/PAC 12 leadership to navigate restarting college athletics.
Pray for the Lord’s creative strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for all local athletes to see Jesus and their lives in light of eternity through this and every season.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Common Ground | The Unifying Influence of Jesus

One of my dearest friends and I strongly disagree in our political views. I’ve long thought that one of the key reasons Allison and I have stayed friends for so long, is that we’ve agreed to not discuss it much. But, in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to avoid the topic. Allison explained that her sister shares the same views that I have, and she wanted to better understand her sister’s point of view. And so, with a fair amount of nervous trepidation, I began to share my opinions in response to her questions.

During one heated discussion, we both paused, trying to avoid a descent into acrimony. We both wanted to protect our friendship. I said, “We might not agree on many things, but we do agree on the most important thing, our common faith in Christ!” Allison wholeheartedly agreed, and our conversation took an immediate positive turn. We discussed the things we were grateful for in each other and ended our conversation with prayer.

Later on, as I reviewed the conversation in my mind, I was struck by the unifying influence of Christ. And I realized that if the Lord was not present, as the connecting bridge in our friendship, we might not be friends at all. As in any friendship, our differences in temperament and beliefs are often too large and too numerous for simple human will to overcome. Our agreement in prayer and our choice to receive God’s grace and forgiveness from each other is what serves as the glue that keeps us together as friends.

Ephesians 4:2-3 TPT
“With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience. Be faithful to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit among you in the bonds of peace, being one body and one spirit, as you were all called into the same glorious hope of divine destiny.”

Also, I am continually surprised by the progressive nature of God’s presence in my life. As long as I look to and listen to Him, He blesses me, by improving me. Another friend, Bonnie, and I have gradually progressed from being acquaintances to being friends, over the course of three decades. In the early days, my perception was that our temperaments clashed. Her introverted need for solitude was a challenging mix with my extroverted need to think out loud about a variety of topics. I felt embarrassed and thought I was responsible for the exasperation I thought I read from her body language.

Over the years my friendship with Bonnie has held a mirror to my progress in Christ. I now see that I am not the only factor responsible for any person’s mood or emotions. There are many other factors involved. We are both under construction in God’s remodeling process of our lives. I believe He used us both, to sand off sharp edges and shape each other for a season of time. I find that I am now able to enjoy periods of quiet in her company, and I enjoy hearing her perspective in the brief conversations we now have. I am thankful for this learning experience. And, I am so thankful that we all have Jesus, the unifying, redeeming savior, as our common ground.

John 17:9, & 20-23 Living Bible
(Jesus’ prayer to the Father, for his disciples and future believers.)
“My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father... I have given them the glory you gave me – the glorious unity of being one, as we are…so that the world…will understand that you love them as much as you love me.”

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About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Common Ground | Identity

My 5 year old has recently discovered The Lion King and it’s his new favorite movie--to the point where he wants to watch it multiple times a day. He jumps forward and back to his favorite scenes. This morning we sat and watched some of it together and I was surprised when he shared a favorite scene with me: It was the part when the baboon leads Simba through the dark forest and pushes him to think about who he really is.

I’ve been thinking about this too. As the years go by, I find I sometimes question my life choices, basing the value I put on myself and the life I’ve lived so far on a worldly, cultural idea of worth. As I look closer at where I’m putting my energy, my worldly goals and why I pursue them, I find that the foundation is based on a mis-guided definition of success and acceptance.

Interestingly, if you asked me directly what I value most, money, power and acceptance would not be on the list. If you sat with me and reminisced on the past 15 years (even the whole 37 that has been my life so far), I would be full of stories of wonderful times, amazing blessings and struggles full of growth and God’s work. Still, I live this parallel life in my mind: full of hope and dreams and goals, like I haven’t “arrived” or “achieved” yet. These ideals are not aligned with my true values, rather they are designed by what I subconsciously think is expected of me from other people. My success (or lack of success) is based on other people’s acceptance and in the back of my mind, they will only accept me if I live up to the standard set in our culture of a fancy career that pays well and all the material possessions to show for it.

Despite falling into the patterns of this world and reaching for such “goals” at times, I know these things do not define me and I must really ask myself what is important in determining where I put my energy. More importantly, I must remind myself what is important in determining who I am. When I pray and study the bible, all signs point to my value as a daughter of God, and a believer in Christ. When I focus on God, I am fully in the moment with no story of my past choices or family history hindering my complete confidence and joy of who I am, where I have been and what may come next. I see beautiful moments of struggle, triumph and hope filled with God’s amazing work and I feel so much Love flowing through me.

Unfortunately we tend to define WHO we are, by the journey we have been on. The truth though, is that we are sons and daughters of the most amazing Creator. Our journeys, although they influence us, do not define us. Rather we are to live in faith and define our identity not in worldly measures, but in the Lord;

Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Likewise, we must remember that this truth applies to everyone around us as well. We all have our own experiences and journeys through this world, beautiful threads woven in and out of triumph and struggle, passing by, through and around each other, but always accountable to God’s judgement alone and always with His love and grace awaiting us.

Romans 14: 3-4
“The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand”

If we use a person’s journey to judge who he/she is, we are missing out on the beauty that is in all of us as creations of our Lord. Our ambition to “succeed” keeps us focused on becoming someone we think we should be, and taints our view of those around us, often separating us, rather than uniting us in God’s love. Judgement after all is the work of the Lord, not of man, and does no good when brought between us.

Romans 14: 13
“Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way”

When what we have (or don’t have) is set aside, we can then see each other in a new light and see ourselves for the beautiful creations of our God, of whom we were meant to represent.

I invite you all to join me this week in seeing others through God’s eyes. Set down the experiences, “successes” and struggles that are scattered throughout the journey of a friend, a coworker or a family member and instead see the core of the human that was carefully and perfectly designed by our creator.

In Romans, Paul gives quite a lengthy and very clear instruction on how to view, treat and live among one another, despite any differences, even those regarding our beliefs, our faith and how we choose to live.

Romans 13: 9-10
“The commandments, “Do not commit adultery”, “Do not murder”, “Do not steal”, “Do no covet”, and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law”

Romans 14: 19-23
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

Romans 15: 1-2
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

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About the Author

Leona is a wife, mother and traveler who is intrigued by how different people live. Her latest project is exploring ways that different walks of life can simplify, in order to live a fulfilling journey.

Common Ground – Practicing P.L.A.C.E.

One of the first things I learned as a child was to make distinctions: a boy is not a girl, white is not black, ugly is not beautiful, healthy is not sick, fat is not thin, Christian is not Jewish or Muslim, American is not Russian or Japanese….and, of course… Texas is not like anywhere else!

To be sure, it’s a pretty common thing to learn about something by learning about its opposite, or if not opposite, at least something different. We like to contrast things. It helps bring things into clarity.

As I got older, though, I realized that these dualistic contrasts were not always helpful and could be sometimes downright harmful. And why is that? Well, I think it is because it’s all too simple, and to keep it simple and easy to understand, you have to do a lot of generalizing and stereotyping to make things (and people) fit into little boxes with clear rigid sides. This way we have a sense of some kind of tidy control over our categories. We can file them away in alphabetical order on the shelves in our mental library. We can even do this with God, or at least our ideas about God.

The problem, as I see it now in my life, is that life isn’t so tidy, predictable, able to be categorized. And when we only think dualistically, we tend to judge “the other” as something not as good as the thing we are, or the thing we understand best. I guess that’s a piece of human nature. We tend to judge and fear things that are unfamiliar to us.

This is not very helpful when we want to live out Jesus’ mandate to love God and to love other people as we love ourselves…. even our enemies! How do we do that well, if we are suspicious and fearful of people even a little different from ourselves?

It might help us if we did some “exchanging”. We could practice P.L.A.C.E. (patience, listening, awareness, curiosity, empathy).

Maybe we could exchange our impatience for patience. Maybe we could quit talking so much about ourselves and our opinions and do a lot more listening and asking questions. Maybe we could exchange our judgement for curiosity about “the other”. Maybe we could look for ways to be empathetic rather than critical. Maybe we could exchange our fear for a new kind of courage that allows us to stay put in unfamiliar or uncomfortable circles.

I read in the teachings of a very wise man that it usually takes either great love or great suffering for our little neat boxes to be expanded, to be transformed. When we experience deep, healthy love (human or godly) or we experience great pain and suffering, our horizons open up in a way they couldn’t otherwise. Isn’t this a mystery? Maybe this is what Jesus was getting at when he said, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Suffering is bound to happen to us if we are human. It is common to the human condition in this imperfect world, so no one escapes it. But it seems to me that living a life of love might be more of a choice. We get to choose whether to love God or love other people. We can choose to just live a life “looking out for #1”. Some people are energized by anger and power over others. But at what cost? As Jesus put it, they would gain the whole world but lose their souls.

There are actions that bring life and there are actions that bring death. It seems to me that being more open, accepting, including, helping, loving… and just plain walking alongside people of any persuasion (whether racial, social, economic, sexual, religious, national, etc.) is life-giving to us and to them. The contrary to this brings a kind of death energy. And I have a strong feeling that walking alongside “the other” will expose more commonalities than differences among us. We are, after all, nothing more or less than ….human …created in the image of a most loving God.

Matthew 22:37-40
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Matthew 5:3-4
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 16:26
What good will it be for a man is he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

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About the Author

John has been an essential component to the life and development of CitySalt since 2004 and, presently, serves as an associate pastor with a focus on prayer, discipleship and spiritual direction in addition to being a regular part of the teaching team. He enjoys the outdoors, water sports, music, reading and especially spending time with his wonderful family and chocolate lab, Gunnar.

Common Ground | Common Ground Breeds Compassion

John 4:19-24 NIV
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Wow, I had no idea how timely this topic would be when we planned it! Common ground has always been an important theme in life to me. It allows empathy and compassion and Godly love to happen, brings people together to achieve the best outcome for everyone, and allows for fellowship. As I write this, the world is struggling with the effects of Covid-19. There are some strong differences of opinion in how our city/county/state/country/world should be handling it right now, sometimes for good reasons. But we need common ground in order to remember what we're fighting for in the first place, so we can work together to lessen the consequences of the pandemic.

The other day, a friend I'd worked with in a conflict zone overseas posted about the similarities between living in that country and the situation we're all in now. A friend of hers (presumably here in the USA) made the comment “But this sort of thing shouldn't be happening here.” I quickly replied that no place in the world deserves what we’re going through. We’re all in it together. No country or people group is immune to disaster, or is more important than any other place. God makes it pretty clear in the Bible that He loves the entire world. That means we all have something in common. We’re all humans, created by God, loved by God, and God desires us all to come to Him.

In the book of John chapter 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman. The Samaritans had common ancestry with the Jews, the ethnic group Jesus belonged to, but they had split over the years and had different customs and religious practices. The divide was so wide that Jews and Samaritans wouldn’t even talk to each other if they could help it (hence the impact of the story of “The Good Samaritan”). But instead of engaging in the argument that she posed about where people should worship God, Jesus found common ground with her. One day, true believers would worship in the Spirit and in truth, instead of the places where each of their respective ethnic groups gathered to worship. She couldn’t argue with that one, but winning a potential argument wasn’t even the point. Jesus provided a way for Jews and Samaritans to come together, and more personally, for this woman to have fellowship with Him.

What could happen if we focused on what we have in common with other people groups instead of our differences? I will let your imagination run wild with the possibilities of that. But I believe a lot of good would come of it. I’ve seen it happen in this country and in others. Finding common ground doesn’t mean not acknowledging our differences. Differences often exist for valid reasons. What it does mean is having compassion and empathy for each other, while acknowledging that our commonalities bring us together. At the very base level, we are all humans and as such, deserve respect.

Now there is a danger in focusing too much on common ground. I see the potential for us to feel that since we all have things in common, our experiences, and the differences they make in our lives don’t matter. But this is far from the truth. It would be damaging to think that just because we’re all equal in value and we all have things in common, that we all have equal needs. Unfortunately, people who have been oppressed in their current lives or histories, or live in poverty or war, often have more needs or have unequal access to fulfilling them. Not acknowledging that and just living with rose-colored glasses is denial, and doesn’t seem like acting in love to me. For me right now, this means being grateful for the prosperity that I live in (yes, I’m stuck in isolation, but I have a cozy little apartment to be stuck in and a cat to keep me company), and praying for (and even maybe donating to) people groups who will face Covid-19 with much greater need, such as people in poverty here or in other countries, refugees, and others.

But the remedy for this is the same as the goal for finding common ground: love, compassion, empathy, and working together. If we keep those things in focus, we can do much good in drawing people together and even drawing them closer to God.

I want to leave you with something a little different and a little fun, as a way of demonstrating our current basis for common ground, and bringing us together with laughter. My fellow nerds will already know that the Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine is not a sympathetic character. Yet this cute little video helps us understand what we’re going through a bit. We can empathize with him and with the rest of the humans on this planet because we’re all in this together, and we can beat this pandemic by working together (separately as much as possible, of course!). I realize that by the time you read this, the social isolation may be over, but I think it’s still relevant to my theme. You’ll understand the inside jokes a lot more of course if you’ve seen other HISHE/How It Should Have Ended videos, especially the other Villain Pub ones, but you’ve probably seen at least a few of the movies referenced in it so I think you’ll still get it. Enjoy!

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About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Community Prayer Guide | May 2020

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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Community Prayer Guide May 2020

Pray and proclaim God’s word as you pray for our community:

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive,
and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
Jeremiah 29:7

Pray the requests and Scriptures in each of the sectors below.

Church
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
Pray for pastors, ministry leaders and their leadership teams to have God’s wisdom and direction to lead.
Pray for God’s love to empower His people to live like Christ in this season of challenges and share His love.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured-out on our entire community to draw people to follow Jesus.

Education
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Pray for grace, wisdom, healthy self-care, as educators adjust to providing distance learning from their homes.
Pray for all barriers to be removed that isolate vulnerable students and families.
Pray for great synergy and effectiveness as groups and churches provide support to educators in this season, that new partnerships develop and remain in place after this time.

Government
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
Pray for the financial stability and wise stewardship over local governments to govern diligently.
Pray for the Lord’s wisdom to be given to national, state, county and city leaders.
Pray for God to guide local elections in May that include county commissioners, city counselors & sheriff.

Business
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, patience and hope for a rebuilding season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees and become profitable again.
Pray for business leaders to have fresh vision and creative innovation to chart a new course forward.

Arts
They made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Exodus 36:35
Pray for all artists to search for and find eternal life in Jesus.
Pray for Jesus-following artists to have strength and joy to bring encouragement to our community.
Pray for the Lord’s hand to be upon all forms of local art to extend Jesus’ love & impact people for the gospel.

Family
Husbands love your wives, just like Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
Pray for peace over every home that balances work, school and family all together.
Pray for families to engage in new healthy activities and relationships that strengthen families.
Pray for families to be surrounded with peace, wisdom, and support systems.

Health Care
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Luke 5:17
Pray for peace, protection and God’s blessing on all local health care workers and their families.
Pray for God to heal people who become sick with any illness or disease.
Pray for health care providers to have God’s wisdom, strength and health as they care for people.

Police and Fire Departments
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. Romans 13:4
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace” and then bring peace to every situation.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the wholistic health of our First Responders & families including their spiritual emotional protection.

Media
And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Luke 4:37
Pray for hope filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcast and celebrated locally.
Pray for local media leaders to have clear vision to bring fair and accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
Pray for the Lord’s creative strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for the healthy re-engaging of youth sports activities after this season passes.
Pray for all local athletes to see Jesus and their lives in light of eternity through this, and every season.

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Common Ground | Right or Relationship?

Several years ago I was struggling in my marriage. You know, the typical getting to know each other kind of stuff, when a relationship goes from romantic to real. We weren't seeing eye to eye, rather we were going nose to nose. I don't remember now what the hot topic was, but I certainly remember what a great friend of mine said to me later as I told him about the conflict. He said I had two choices in any argument. I could be "right,” or I could have relationship. Which one, he had the guts to ask, was more important to me?

I instantly knew he was right. And wise. But, I silently reasoned, couldn't I have both? Well ideally yes, but in this case, no, as my ego was bigger than my logic. Struggles between people are typically chalked up to "lack of communication,” and yes, that's mostly true. But good intention can so easily be drowned in the words, due to the lack of strong relationship in the first place. Or it can be absent altogether, buried under our baseless assumptions. One of my favorite quotes is: “A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” (And in my case, reiterating them).

We are taught from an early age that right is, well, RIGHT. Math either computes exactly or it's wrong and rendered useless. The scientific method requires earnest study, then an educated theory, then experiments to prove it wrong or right. In our biblical heritage, there is extremely high value, even if not always verbalized, in having right doctrine. We speak of being “right with God” with frightening consequences for the alternative.

In our current world, realizing a sense of common ground sometimes seems like a quaint notion reserved for pacifists, or a weak option if we feel like being nice to people. In reality, I would submit that it’s absolutely essential for any of us to not only get along, but to excel as individuals and as human team members.

Why? Because we ARE all relational. We were created that way. Every last one of us. And every good work in every facet of our human experience is in some way affected by, involves, or benefits others.

So should we devalue or even toss out our strong and long-held convictions, for the sake of agreement? Should we avoid honest conversations at all costs? Absolutely not. But here are a few things that help me navigate the thorny patch of words and people:

1. I should always be seeking a more “perfect truth”. I see through the glass dimly, and I always want to see more clearly. It’s okay to not have all the answers yet, and my view is typically tainted by incomplete information (emotional assumptions).

2. People, even those I disagree with, are way more important than my arguments. I will never influence anyone in a positive way, without already having a relationship with them. That comes first. Mutual respect comes next.

3. I have way more in common with others than I have differences, and we are frequently desiring the same good outcomes. “Us vs. Them” tribalism has to go. Can I work with others for a common good even while disagreeing with them?

I realize that I act, by nature, like a myopic mule with blinders on. But I desperately need others’ perspectives, fueled by their personal stories to complete my big picture. And empathy - borrowing others’ glasses to peer into their world - is a powerful key that unlocks it all.

It’s a win/win - righteous relationship!

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Love Purified | God’s Healing Love

I’ve never served time in jail. But I have spent too much time, off and on, in an internal prison of self-condemnation after personal failures. Since childhood, a pattern of condemnation assaulted my mind with lies. These lies were aimed at convicting me of being too flawed to have any hope of self-improvement.

But God broke through and told me that my paralyzing inner prison was not the end of my story. Christ offers me redemption by teaching me new life skills through the learning of life lessons. Jesus met me at my most painful times of paralyzing condemnation, and set me free with His healing love.

God’s healing love is often found in people who have gone through the healing process themselves. This love gives me the room to fail and then turn to God on my own, for resolution. People who are conduits of God’s healing love are those who have let go of their opportunity to judge me at my point of failure, have chosen to forgive, and leave me in God’s care.

I have experienced God’s healing love with friends who believe in the best possible future for me. They have caught a vision of me as my best self and they trust God to bring it to pass in my life.

This healing love has freed me to pursue my learning experience with God, to learn more of the lesson He is actively teaching me. God’s healing love, combined with my friend’s forgiveness and acceptance in brotherly love, has helped me rise again from the figurative death of my failures, to live again in God’s redemptive love.

In a recent time of solitude, I heard God communicate I had starved myself of His Love. I had neglected to receive the life-sustaining nourishment of His love. This opened a galaxy of thought in my mind. How could this be? But it was true. My early life experience taught me love was something I had to earn, and it was issued sparingly. The concept of being given unconditional love is not something I can comprehend. And I’m aware I live with this contradiction - I can gladly give my deeply-felt love to others, but receiving it still shocks me. It comes from wrong information I learned from my youth--lies that would tell me I was defective and not qualified for continued acceptance and inclusion in the lives of people, even those I considered friends.

Throughout my adult life, I lived with a rigid pattern of self-condemnation and deprivation of self-love. Subconsciously, I put myself in a kind of adult time-out because I had failed. And I didn’t allow myself to move on and try again, but instead, I stayed stuck. I finally recognized the self-condemnation, which I hated, but thought I deserved. Forgiveness from others and myself, breaks this pattern. I have lived outside of my self-imposed prison long enough, so that the freedom of self-forgiveness is my new normal. I recently noticed significant evidence of God’s healing love in my life.

My neighbor Cathy recently bought a dog which surprised many of us in our condo complex. Such a big commitment of time, effort, and money for a single person who works full-time. But we all cooed and smiled when she brought her beautiful Labrador Retriever puppy home and took him for walks.

One day she walked up to me in the parking lot and started to tell me about the hardships of her puppy chewing her shoes and urinating on the carpet. I was late for an appointment and didn’t have time to talk. I should have told her this kindly and gently, but instead I exercised what I thought was merciful self-restraint. I stopped myself from bluntly telling her she should not complain about her choice, and limited myself to one sentence, saying “Well, that’s what puppies do.”

Unfortunately, Cathy did not catch my hint that I was not able to talk with her then, and she continued her complaints. I awkwardly repeated my response, “That’s what puppies do.” Then I saw the hurt in her eyes. This caused me pain also when I realized she received my comment as rejection, and I know that feeling too well. I tried to apologize and asked if we could talk later, but she quickly turned away and walked across the parking lot to her condo.

A few days later, I saw her in the parking lot, and called out to her. No response. I called her name again, still no response. I walked up to her and by now her back was turned to me. So, I tried to walk around to face her and started to apologize, when she quickly spun to face me fully, and shouted, “No! You do not get to talk to me now, maybe later.” And I replied, “But I want to apologize!” “She repeated, “Not now!”

Thankfully, I’ve learned to get past my own hurt feelings and walk away from another people’s sudden loss of temper. I walked home and sat on my couch with the very familiar tear-filled eyes and tight stomach that I experienced after receiving a burst of rage during childhood. But this time I didn’t second guess my choice of action. My apology was the right thing to do. And I let go of needing her to forgive me instantly. I repented to God and received His forgiveness and peace.

A couple of weeks later I saw Cathy on the sidewalk in our complex, walking her dog. I was driving home and was in the driveway almost at my home, when a holy spirit idea dropped into my mind. I responded by pulling my car over to face her, rolled down my window and said “Hi, when you feel ready, let’s talk through what happened.” But I didn’t get a chance to continue. Cathy said “No, I want to apologize to you! She explained “I received feedback from several other people telling me I was not prepared to raise a puppy by myself. Your comment put me over the edge and I lost my temper. Will you forgive me?

I stood there with a slightly dropped jaw and then quickly recomposed myself, and uttered a brief “Oh, okay! Yes I do! And I ask you to forgive me!” She did, and then we then talked it out, while her 6-month-old puppy chewed on his leash.

What a sense of relief I felt at that moment, which I didn’t get to experience much in my past. But those stifled experiences from childhood have value, in that they serve to motivate me to not let the sun go down on my anger. Now that I have tasted freedom from wrath, I am no longer willing to spend time in someone’s anger jail.

God’s healing love gives me a greater sense of personal freedom, step by step. In addition to taking time in my day to quiet my mind and enter into God’s presence, I also set aside time to ask God for His wonderful, healing love which changes me from glory to glory. And I am so very thankful for my friends and prayer partners who share God’s love with me through forgiveness and acceptance.

My current, self-written, motto for this spiritual season in my life is “Take time to Nourish yourself with love, mercy, and peace from Christ. You are deeply loved by Jesus, our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. And everything is going to work out in your life, according to God’s loving plan. It is well with my soul.”

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 MSG
“Love never gives up,...Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”

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About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Love Purified | Believing in His Promises

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before we knew how widespread it might become, my mom, who lives in Albuquerque, fell and broke her hip bone. I was worried about her as she is the "prime doer" in my family and this would definitely slow her down, if not stop her in her tracks (or traction) for a little while.

I held off on going immediately, because my brother lives within driving distance from my parents and we were starting to hear news of the virus coming to our country from overseas. Mom was out of surgery and seemingly doing okay, but I could tell she was not happy to be laid up in a rehab center.

She finally got home and had everything pretty well organized, while my brother continued helping out. News about the virus was getting more frantic and so I still held off going. Was I really needed?

Then the call came. Or rather, the message (mom and I chat on Facebook Messenger). She would really like me to come down. So I prayed on it and prayed with my wife. Darla and I felt that I really needed to go down, in spite of all the fear--fear of the virus, of the financial cost of going and of the travel itself (planes both thrill and terrify me)!

I gave it all to God and He made it happen. My aunt and uncle helped with the travel expenses, I flew all the way there and had my first Uber experiences (both quite pleasant, actually).

Mom just wanted some extra care and love via a visit from her youngest son, whom she was unable to travel and see this year. I helped them out around the house and met their new doggie (a very friendly doggie indeed). I also got to see my brother and his partner. It was a good visit and a good thing to do.

During my visit, fear of ‘The Virus’ grew around the world, with nightly news reports on how it was spreading. It was pretty scary and I wondered if I would be allowed to get home, much less, not get infected.

But I left that all to God as I didn't have any choice in the matter now. When it was time to go home, I got another Uber to the airport and flew through LAX and SEATAC to arrive home. And, four weeks later, I am healthy, with no symptoms.

All this took place before we understood the full extent of the pandemic and social distancing became a way of living. I believe it is wise to follow the guidelines set out by our state. However this experience taught me something about giving my fears to God and following what I felt I heard from Him in my heart, even if the world and my own inner voices were telling me to do something else. My wife once told me that she took a risk because God told her that even if that risk didn't work out how she was hoping, that He would still be there to catch her. And He was. And still is. And always will be.

Psalm 3:5-6
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”

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About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Love Purified | We Have the Power

I have been thinking about gifts lately. Not the kind you get for birthdays or holidays, but the kind given to us by our Father who loves us. I believe that the Father gives us gifts that are just for us, just to bless us when we need lifting up. Gifts that we get to enjoy that bring us pleasure, maybe a talent for something we love to do, maybe a person who makes our life a better place. There are also many gifts intended to be given away. Think of the gifts of the Spirit…

Galatians 5: 22-23 (NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…

The world is full of builders, craftspersons, writers, mathematicians, artists and problem solvers of all kinds. The list goes on.  

The Father has also given us a gift, that the Bible calls very powerful. Our tongue. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” With it we have great power. The power to praise God. The power to demolish strongholds. The power to tear ourselves or another down. And the power to build up and strengthen, validate and encourage one another. The power to let someone know that they are valuable to you; that your life is better for them being in it; that you appreciate something about them. This power can be directed toward a neighbor, a friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse, a child, someone who lives in your house or around the world. This is an awesome power, let's not waste it!

In this season we have been made all too aware of the unexpectedness of life. Let’s seize the moment to use our tongues as a gift. Choose someone you like, someone you love, someone you appreciate and tell them so today! Tell them why. Encourage someone who is facing a challenge. Be there for someone who needs a friendly ear. Sometimes the power is in what we don’t say. Make someone’s world better today, this week, this month. Be creative. You have the power!

Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV)
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV)
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

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About the Author

Darla loves God and is the Media Communication Coordinator for CitySalt Church. She is a graphic designer and an entrepreneur. Always learning. Eternally grateful for her wonderful and supporting husband Mark and faithful friends who are are pillars of encouragement in all her endeavors.

Mark and Darla have no children but have the privilege of loving a gaggle of ever expanding nieces and nephews.