Lent 2016 | Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

the courageous life

This Lenten season we will be exploring the theme: The Courageous Life. When we look in our wider culture at the definition of courage, our minds are often filled with images of warriors and heroes achieving acts of physical prowess and daring adventures. And of course there is some truth there. But Christian courage, the kind of courage that grows when we choose to be disciples of Jesus Christ, looks a little different. To the world, the courageous life of a Christian often looks like weakness, sacrifice, and vulnerability. It looks like depending on God instead of ourselves. And of course, it is Jesus Himself who offers the best and most authentic example of the courageous life. In his life, death and resurrection, Jesus never pretended to be anything or anyone other than exactly who he was, even and most especially when it was risky. As we go throughout these forty days of Lent, we invite you to join us in following the example of Christ: to choose to be real and authentic with your family and your friends, in your job and your neighborhood, and most especially in your relationship to God. And may God bless

you with abundance as we follow the way of the cross.

3180 peachtree road, ne . atlanta, georgia 30305 . www.prumc.org

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Ash Wednesday ServicesWednesday, February 10, 2016

Imposition of Ashes in the Moore Chapel7:00 – 9:00 am and 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Family Ash Wednesday ServiceWednesday, February 10, 5:00 pm, Moore ChapelJoin us as we learn about the Lenten season through story, song, scripture and the imposition of ashes. Matt Nelson preaching, “Practice Makes Perfect.” Childcare for children ages 4 and younger is available by reservation only at eveningchildcare@prumc.org.

Ash Wednesday Evening ServiceWednesday, February 10, 7:00 pm, SanctuaryBill Britt preaching, “Living by a Moral Compass.”

Lenten Prayer MinistryAsh Wednesday, February 10 - Easter Sunday, March 27“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best.” Philippians 1:9

• Our prayers reflect God’s love and mercy toward those in need.• Praying helps us to think beyond ourselves.• In our quiet hour we discover how God is moving through us.

These are just a few of the compelling reasons to become a prayer volunteer during the six weeks of Lent. Volunteers pray for the concerns of others one hour each week. To learn more or reserve your hour please contact Susan Marshall at 404.240.8228 or susanm@prumc.org.

Lenten Sermon SeriesSundays, 8:45 am, 11:15 am, 5:00 pmFebruary 14 Putting First Things First February 21 Living in the Moment February 28 Pruning and Being PrunedMarch 6 Forgiving and Being Forgiven March 13 Loving ExtravagantlyMarch 20 Thy Will Be Done

The Courageous Life: Living by a Moral CompassThe Week of Ash Wednesday

February 10 - 13, 2016 | Karla Daniel

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In her devotional Wilderness Wanderings, Marilyn Brown Oden tells a story about her family’s first camping trip. She and her husband Bill took their four children out for a real backpacking trip in the rugged beauty of the Colorado Rockies, equipped with topographical maps, a compass and all the right gear. Even their preschooler carried a daypack (filled with the family’s socks!) After a successful day of hiking through stunning landscapes, they found a lovely spot by a blue lake to set up camp for the night. They felt rather smug about how adventurous and self-sufficient they were. They stretched a tarp over the kids’ sleeping bags, carried water from the lake, started a fire to cook dinner... and smashed their compass.

The next morning, they started out again, enthusiastic - though maybe a little less smug. But it wasn’t long before they were lost - really lost. “If only we had a compass!” Oden laments.

We know what that’s like, don’t we? One minute we are enjoying all the beauty life’s journey has to offer, and the next moment it seems as though we are completely lost, and we aren’t sure where to turn. We find ourselves lamenting, “If only we had a compass!”

The season of Lent is a good reminder that we do indeed have a compass, and we are reminded of it at the altar of the church on Ash Wednesday.

I heard a pastor once call Ash Wednesday the most uncomfortable day of the year. In the middle of a hectic, busy day we carve out precious time to come to a mid-week church service... only to get ashes rubbed onto our foreheads and to hear the minister say: you are dust, and to dust you shall return. And if that weren’t enough, we are told to pray in private, to downplay any discomfort we have in fasting, and to give our offerings in secret. In a culture that promotes accomplishment and loves public accolades, the world of Ash Wednesday is strange and unnatural to us.

And yet we keep showing up. Year after year, we arrive with quiet hope and expectation. There is something about this day that we crave without realizing it: there is a purity in Ash Wednesday’s austerity that is an antidote to the excesses of American life; there is relief in the intentional invitation to fast when we’ve mindlessly given into gluttony; there is a freedom to quit keeping up appearances and just be really and authentically who we are: sinful and broken and in need of grace. And as that ash touches our foreheads, we are reminded that we are not in fact the most important, influential, interesting person in the room and in fact, we are not expected to be! In that moment we connect with the deep understanding that we were created for something more important than achievement and applause, and that our worth comes from something deeper than what we can put on a resumé or post on Facebook. Ash Wednesday invites us to strip away the images and facades we are tempted to create for ourselves and simply come before God as our truest and humblest selves, and see God for who God offers to be in our lives. The traditional spiritual practices of Lent - prayer, fasting, and charity - help recalibrate our moral compass so that we might better follow Christ, our True North, to the God who seeks us and loves us.

The Courageous Life: Living by a Moral CompassAsh Wednesday, February 10Read Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18

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In the age of GPS, a compass and map seem like outdated tools for finding your way. Members of the Appalachian Mountain Club set out to determine what worked better. They sent two experienced hikers out into the backcountry to complete three navigation challenges, one with a GPS and one with a map and compass. You might not be surprised by the outcome: the GPS was always faster, hands down. But there was a twist: in terms of safety, the map and compass won, hands down. GPS batteries freeze, satellite signals get lost, and sometimes a GPS even thinks south is north! Is the map and compass slower? Yes. Does it requires training and practice to use correctly? To be sure. But slower and accurate is better than quick and lost.

We live in the age of the quick-fix. Whether you are feeling off-course in your prayer life, your friendships, your family, or with your health, the internet and the self-help aisle are filled of self-declared prophets and leaders offering “easy” solutions to get you back on the right path fast. And, of course, there is certainly help and wisdom to be located there. But the path of discipleship is a lot more like the map and compass than a GPS.

Courageous living means willing to go slowly, to be willing to do the hard work of showing up every single day to your life, to trust that God is at work and that God is leading you through the wilderness.

Where do you need to slow down? Where have you grown impatient when solutions to problems and answers to prayers didn’t come as quickly as you’d hoped and you charged ahead without really knowing where you were headed or who was leading you? Have you followed a “GPS” instead of taking the time to pay attention to the guidance offered by our Compass: Jesus Christ?

The Courageous Life: Living by a Moral CompassThursday, February 11

Read John 10:4

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“Humility is not thinking less of yourself - it is thinking of yourself less.” These words (traditionally - but incorrectly! - attributed to CS Lewis) are a wonderful corrective and encouragement in a world where selfishness is practically a virtue. Part of our ability to follow a moral compass means admitting that perhaps we do not always have the right answers, and that even in our attempts to be faithful to the word of God, our own prejudices, sinfulness, or wishful thinking has steered us away from God’s true north.

Today, prayerfully consider an event in your life, a spiritual question in your heart, or social concern in your community where you would benefit from a deeper commitment to humility and an openness for God’s voice, not your own opinion, to become clear.

The Courageous Life: Living by a Moral CompassFriday, February 12

Romans 12: 9-21

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The Prayer of Saint Francis helps direct us as we move from harmful shame to faithful humility, from arrogant pride to generous service, as we seek to live courageously into the call of a disciple. As we pray these old, holy words together, reflect upon what you need to stop following so that you might more faithfully and courageously follow Christ.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; were there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

The Courageous Life: Living by a Moral CompassSaturday, February 13Read Philippians 2: 1-5

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Reflections on Living by a Moral Compass

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.

Matthew 7:21

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Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.Goethe

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Outreach SundayFebruary 14, 2016Special Worship | 8:45 and 11:15 am, SanctuaryLocal Outreach Forum | 10:00 am, SanctuaryCongregational Luncheon | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Grace HallJoin us in worship as we celebrate our local agency partners through music, prayer and encouraging words. Outreach forum, congregational luncheon and agency expo on this day.

Praying the HoursMondays, starting February 15, 6:30 pm, B152Commit to daily prayer based upon the ancient Liturgy of the Hours and selected texts from Christian Mystics. Class led by Darren Hensley. Sign up at www.prumc.org/register.

Visit the Holy Land Without Leaving HomeTuesdays, Starting February 16, 6:00 pm, C208Enjoy bible study and stories of those who have visited places integral to our faith. Class led by Jamie Jenkins. Sign up at www.prumc.org/register.

45th Habitat for Humanity BuildSaturday, February 20, AtlantaPRUMC and Habitat believe that every person should have access to a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Our volunteers of all skill levels partner with Habitat house leaders to construct a home in 7 weekends. Our spring build will be led by Patty Harris and Josh Stephens. 40 Volunteers needed each Saturday. Volunteer at www.prumc.org/habitat.

Peachtree Seeds of Light StudioSaturday, February 20, Harp Center Art Room9:00 am - 12:00 pm / Adult Workshop1:00 - 4:00 pm / Student WorkshopJoin Leslie Watkins to find inspiration in the theme of “Courage: Putting First Things First” this Lent. We’ll reflect on poetry, scripture and story, then express our insights through individual artwork. $10 per person/per class for materials. Register for sessions individually or as a group. Sign up at www.prumc.org/register.

Georgia Boy Choir Festival ConcertSaturday, February 20, 7:00 pm, SanctuaryOver 250 young men from across the country celebrate their art in the Finalé Concert of the Georgia Boy Choir Festival. The concert features performances by all five levels of the Choir, the various Choirs attending, and all Festival participants. For more information and concert tickets, visit www.georgiaboychoir.org.

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstThe First Week of Lent

February 14 - 20, 2016 | Karla Daniel

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As we enter this first full week of Lent, we are called to an act of courageous living: putting first things first. Initially, this seems like nothing more than a simple invitation to get our priorities in order. A worthy task to be sure, but hardly one that we would define as courageous... until we start digging into why our priorities are disordered in the first place.

According to many biblical scholars, the story of Jesus’ temptation is in part a redemption story: it is a story about correcting the sin and fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - which is, of course, all of our story of sin and brokenness. What Adam and Eve got wrong, Jesus gets right, and in his example we are shown how to overcome that “original sin” and regain the Paradise God first intended for us. Often times, we think about Adam and Eve’s first sin as disobedience or pride - and to be sure, those things play a part in their (our) sinfulness. But underneath all of that is the sin of mistrust. This is what the serpent introduces to us, this is what enters our hearts before we commit those first visible sins: mistrust and insecurity about who God has promised to be for us and what God has promised to do for us. That mistrust shows up in how we set our priorities: seeking to secure power, reputation, and external validation by our own strength takes priority over our dependence on and trust in God.

The three temptations that Jesus faces - and overcomes - parallel the ways in which each of us is tempted to put something other than God first. Henri Nouwen, in his book In The Name of Jesus, sets those three temptations in modern contexts.

The first temptation, to turn stones into bread, Nouwen identifies as the temptation to be “relevant” - to be noticed and appreciated for our work.

The second temptation, to receive all the kingdoms of the world, is the temptation to be “powerful” - to exercise control in our world (big or small).

The final temptation, to throw himself down from the Temple pinnacle, is the temptation to be “spectacular” - to live a life that is envied by others.

This week we will consider how each of us is tempted. We will reflect on ways in which we have given into temptation - and we will prayerfully commit to following Christ’s example to overcome temptation again. We will be invited to turn away from temptation and instead live the life outlined for us by Jesus in his response to temptation: ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Do we have the courage to live this way?

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstSunday, February 14

Read Luke 4:1-13

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The first temptation is to turn stones to loaves of bread. One of the most subtle but interesting parts of this temptation is that loaves is plural. One loaf of bread would be sufficient to quell Jesus’ hunger. Nouwen points out that what the devil is really tempting Jesus to do is make so much bread that the hunger of others will be satisfied, too. Can you imagine the reception Jesus would receive if he walked out of the wilderness with piping hot, fresh bread for anyone who wanted it? They would be so impressed by his work! But that is not what God has asked Jesus to do. What Jesus will walk out of the wilderness and offer is Himself.

Do you define your relevance and your worth by what you can do for or give to people? Are you tempted to believe that God is pleased with you most when you have done something impressive? What would you have to change in order to believe that simply offering yourself - your love, your brokenness, your authentic presence - to others and to God is more than enough?

What kind of courage would it take to share your authentic self ahead of the achievements you have accrued?

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstMonday, February 15

The Temptation to Be Relevant

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By offering Jesus the kingdoms of the world, the devil is tempting Jesus to be coercive instead of invitational in his ministry, to use forceful power instead of gracious love. Nouwen suggests that “power offers an easy substitute for the hard work of love.” Throughout history the Church has spoiled its holiness by choosing power over love. At its worst, that power grab resulted in the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the institution of American slavery. And even in a country that professes a belief in the separation of church and state, the church is still tempted to choose the easy route of aligning itself with powerful people and groups instead of following the humble, loving path of Christ.

What do we risk by choosing love over power? What do we risk by choosing power over love? Where are we most tempted to give in to the devil’s offer of “kingdoms?”

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstTuesday, February 16

The Temptation to Powerful

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I remember when we were little, my friends and I occasionally entertained the question: “What would you want to be famous for?” Would you want to be an award-winning actress? A rock star? A best-selling author? (True confession: I’d still love to be J.K. Rowling!) In the age of the internet, the opportunity to be famous is tantalizingly close. Musicians are discovered on YouTube, and blogs with a high volume of followers are offered book deals. Even in our own circles, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and the like make it seem like some of us lead much more glamorous and interesting lives than the rest of us. While there isn’t anything wrong with being famous or popular, the temptation to covet that popularity can lead us to overlook and squander the gifts in life God has already given us. We focus on ourselves instead of our community.

Where in your life are you tempted to be spectacular and well-recognized? Who are you ignoring in that pursuit?

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstWednesday, February 17

The Temptation to Be Spectacular

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In response to these three temptations we all face, Nouwen offers three actions we can take to correct them.

To counteract the first temptation, relevance, he encourages committing to deepen your love of Jesus in prayer. To combat the temptation to be powerful, he suggests being willing to set aside your own ideas of what matters and follow Jesus’ leading into places you would rather not go. To overcome the temptation to be popular, he invites us to humbly serve those who can never repay us or applaud us by the world’s measures - and to let them serve us.

Which temptation strikes most deeply at your priorities and preferences? How might you practice overcoming that temptation in the coming weeks?

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstThursday, February 18Read Luke 12: 27-34

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To discover your true priorities, what you’re really putting first, we are often told to look at our checking account statements or our day planner. Where you spend your money and your time—those are your priorities. It can be a startling practice.

As we journey through Lent, make a habit of stopping every few days and checking on who or what gets your time and your money. What changes would you wish to make? Who can help you stay accountable to a resetting of your priorities?

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstFriday, February 19Read Exodus 20:3

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Dr. David Lose says, “There is a crucial link between trust and temptation. To the degree that we trust God for our daily needs, for a sense of purpose, for our identity as a child of God, the temptations of the world have, frankly, little appeal. But to the degree that we allow our natural insecurity to lead us to mistrust God, we are open to the possibility, appeal, and temptation of the proposition that it is all up to us, that God is not able to provide and so we’d better take matters into our own hands.”

Jot down one thing - one important thing - in your life with which it is easy to trust God for support. And then, jot down one thing you’re struggling to trust God with right now.

What makes them different from each other? How might your cultivate the courage to trust God with more of your life? Are you approaching those things with Jesus’ response to the devil in mind: ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’

The Courageous Life: Putting First Things FirstSaturday, February 20

Read Isaiah 43:1-3

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Reflections on Putting First Things First

Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.’ ”

Luke 4:8

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It’s a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations.Danny Boyle

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Trip to Carlos Museum: Times and Texts of the BibleTuesday, February 23, 9:30 am departure, $30Join us for a special docent tour of “Times and Texts of the Bible” where we will explore objects in relation to the sacred book. Lunch to follow at Which ‘wich Sandwich Shop. Cost all inclusive. RSVP to Julie Gohring at 404.240.8332 or julieg@prumc.org.

45th Habitat for Humanity BuildSaturday, February 27, AtlantaPRUMC and Habitat believe that every person should have access to a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Our volunteers of all skill levels partner with Habitat house leaders to construct a home in 7 weekends. Our spring build will be led by Patty Harris and Josh Stephens. 40 Volunteers needed each Saturday. Volunteer at www.prumc.org/habitat.

Doxology Fundraiser for Wesley Tour of EnglandGive My Regards to BroadwaySaturday, February 27, 7:00 pm, Harp CenterThis summer our Youth Choir, Doxology, will walk in the footsteps of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley as their annual choir tour takes them to England! You can support their journey by coming to a wonderful fundraising event featuring show-stopping musical numbers by these talented youth. Ticets are $10 at the door and additional donations can be made at www.prumc.org/giving. Attendees and donors will be eligible for a drawing of two tickets to the fabulous Fox Theatre’s upcoming production of The Sound of Music. For more information, contact Kathy Fletcher at 404.240.8290 or kathyf@prumc.org.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentThe Second Week of Lent

February 21 - 27, 2016 | Bill Britt

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At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Luke 13:31-35

As we continue on our journey with Jesus through the Lenten season, we come to the part of the story where things are getting dangerous. Jesus’ ministry has created great expectations among the people of Israel, and King Herod perceives Jesus to be a political rival and a threat to his throne. Therefore, Herod plots to have Jesus killed. Those who care about Jesus quickly warn him and encourage him to flee.

There is an old saying: “Wherever the Lord builds a church, the devil builds a chapel.” You and I know the truth in those words. You give of yourself in service, and it seems that others are working just as hard to undermine the good that you do. Jesus certainly must have felt that way. I wonder if he ever felt like checking out and doing something else with his life. It takes courage to live through difficult times.

This week we are thinking about the courage it takes to live in the moment. If you had the chance to choose the time and place in which you lived, when and where would it be? Honestly, I might choose a small town in the mid-twentieth century – some place like the fictional town of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show. Most of us are looking for less stress in our lives and are tempted to choose a simpler time when things moved much slower.

However, (and here’s the lesson from Jesus for this week) God has given us this day and this time in which to live. The scriptures tell us Jesus’ ministry began “in the fullness of time,” and Jesus seemed to understand he was in the right place at the right time to share God’s message of hope for a needy world. That belief gave his life purpose and a focus that enabled him to thrive, even when others were trying to bring him down. In a similar way, this is our time, too.

“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

The challenge for us this week is to find the courage to live in the moment.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentSunday, February 21

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me, to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes shall stumble and fall. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in the Lord’s temple…I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27

What are your fears? What are you afraid will happen or not happen in the days to come? Write down your fears. Name them. Put them on paper. Reflect upon them. What is behind that fear? Now, in a prayer of confession, offer these fears to the Lord and ask for courage.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentMonday, February 22

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“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to your God to order and provide; In every change God faithful will remain. Be still, my soul; your best, your heavenly friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”

Be Still My SoulUnited Methodist Hymnal #534

Lent is a forty-day season designed to help you slow down and sense the presence of God in your life. To slow down takes courage. Find time each day to breathe... to pray... to listen for the voice of God… and to allow your spirit to experience the joy of the Lord.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentTuesday, February 23

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“Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be confirmed to the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.” Philippians 3:17-4:1

Fear has a way of unnerving us, causing us to either fight or flee. What is needed in those times is the courage to take a stand. The interesting thing is many people believe courage is something heroic. Certainly, heroism is important, and we desperately need heroes. However, we may have lost our appreciation for courage in everyday ordinary life. What do you need to stand firm about in your life?

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentWednesday, February 24

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“Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.I am weak, but thou art mighty, hold me with thy powerful hand.Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.Feed me till I want no more.”

Guide me, O Thou Great JehovahUnited Methodist Hymnal #127

What are you wrestling with during these days? Maybe a member of your family is struggling with an addiction and you’re trying not to be an enabler; maybe your boss is unethical and you’re looking for a way to confront him; maybe a room has just opened up in the assisted living center and you’re trying to decide if you should give up independent living. Life requires courage…and the help of Almighty God.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentThursday, February 25

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“God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;Thou who hast by Thy might led us into the light,Keep us forever in the path, we pray.Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,Lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand.True to our God, true to our native land.”

Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Welden Johnson

You’ve heard someone say, “I’m in a good place.” They may be referring to their physical location or their emotional well-being or their spiritual health. What about you? Are you in a good place? This is the season set aside to take the steps needed to get there. Is there something holding you back from being in a good place? Stress? Worry? Anxiety? Why not take them out on a drive this weekend? Put them in the car and drive way out in the country. Open the door, gently push them out, and quickly drive off. Then, on the way back home, pick up three new friends to travel with you - faith, hope, and love. They will help you arrive at that “good place.”

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentFriday, February 26

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“God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power. Crown thine ancient church’s story bring her bud to glorious flower. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour.”

God of Grace and God of GloryUnited Methodist Hymnal #577

This has been a week of considering what it means to “live in the moment.” It may be a cliché, but “bloom where you are planted” is a helpful thought nonetheless. As we bring this second week in Lent to a close, let us give thanks for the gift of life, the people with whom God gives us to share this gift, and the courage to live a life that is pleasing to God.

The Courageous Life: Living in the MomentSaturday, February 27

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Reflections on Living in the Moment

In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day.Luke 13:33

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When we can become skilled at selectively knowing what to prune out of our lives, what remains becomes stronger, brighter, clearer.Lisa Byrne

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The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedThe Third Week of Lent

February 28 - March 5, 2016 | Leslie Watkins

Family UMKF: Lent and Me... A Walk in the DarkSunday, February 28, 4:00 - 6:00 pm, Rollins Bldg, 3rd FloorFor 3rd, 4th, 5th graders and parents. Join us as we explore tangible ways to handle fear and uncertainty in today’s world. Led by Dr. Susan Anne Bennett (Adams), we will create prayer beads, journey through a labyrinth, and enjoy music as we learn to draw closer to Jesus in times of darkness. We’ll conclude with a meal together. $15 per family. Sign up at www.prumc.org/register. For more information, contact Martha Christopher at 404.240.8243 or marthac@prumc.org.

Three Choirs FestivalThursday, March 3, 7:00 pm, SanctuaryThe GSU Singers, Emory Concert Choir and UGA Hodgson Singers come together for an incredible evening of music. The talent of these young singers is amazing! This will be an uplifting experience not to be missed.

45th Habitat for Humanity BuildSaturday, March 5, AtlantaPRUMC and Habitat believe that every person should have access to a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Our volunteers of all skill levels partner with Habitat house leaders to construct a home in 7 weekends. Our spring build will be led by Patty Harris and Josh Stephens. 40 Volunteers needed each Saturday. Volunteer at www.prumc.org/habitat.

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At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them - do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Luke 13:1-9

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being Pruned Leslie Watkins

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My first memory of a fig tree is from my Granny’s charming, southern Mississippi garden. In the back corner by the yew hedge, there was a grand fig tree that we could actually walk under and through. It served as a fort, home base and, during long summer days, a kitchen, from which we would gather its sweet fruit for a quick snack. We were always very careful when we played in the fig tree though, because my grandmother worried that the fig leaves would “irritate our skin” (or so she told us; I later learned that what she feared were the snakes that hid there.)

The memory of my grandmother’s magnificent fig tree and its abundant yield year after year is what I expect of my own two fig trees, but so many times mine have disappointed me. Sometimes the figs are plentiful and perfect. Sometimes figs appear but never ripen. Despite fertilization, pruning, watering and care, they are at best painfully unpredictable. Once, after an unusually long and freezing winter season, we thought we had lost one of them for good. The following spring its hollow, dead branches failed to produce anything green, so Porter reluctantly cut it down to the ground. We decided to wait one more year to see if it would come back to life and were thrilled the following spring when, from the barren root stump, bright green shoots once again began to grow. This will be the third spring since its resurrection and we are hoping to see fruit once again.

Reading Luke’s parable of the fig tree always reminds me of the fig trees I have known and enjoyed over my lifetime: of course my grandmother’s and the two I have now, but also the Black Mission fig I so wanted to transplant when we moved (its dark purple-black fruit transformed into the most aromatic, rich burgundy-colored preserves). I also think about the fig tree on the abandoned lot from which my childhood friends and I used to “steal” fruit, laughing, squealing and running off with sticky handfuls of figs in case we were to get caught.

Each of these fig trees has blessed me not only with delicious produce, but also with the joy of revisiting the memories they provided. I remember the simple beauty and shape of each tree and the large, fuzzy, deep green leaves. I remember the time my girlfriends and I fell to the ground giggling as we pondered the leaves, imagining just how, exactly, Adam and Eve might have worn them as clothing. I remember the robin’s nest one fig tree housed and how quickly those baby birds grew up and flew away. I remember the baby opossum, hanging on for dear life as our dogs terrorized it down below. And, as I wait expectantly for the miracle of new growth each spring, I anticipate the sweet expression of joy on the face of our English cocker, Lady, as she devours the figs from the lowest branches, as if even she knows they are precious gifts from God.

My adoration of all growing things, especially fig trees, makes it easy for me to sympathize with the gardener in Luke’s parable as he pleads with his frustrated employer for more time to nurture the unfruitful fig tree. “Give it one more chance, please, Sir,” the gardener begs. “Let me tend to it, and you’ll see. I’ll prune out the damaged and harmful branches and treat the soil with plenty of fertilizer so that it is properly fed. Then, if at last it fails to produce figs, I will cut it down and remove it from your garden.” We can almost hear it in his voice, a love so tender and intimate that there is no fear in challenging his employer’s command.

Many of us are quick to read this parable from the perspective of the gardener because it is comforting to be reminded of God’s goodness and mercy, and God’s love for all living things. But what about when we read it from the perspective of the landowner? What about when we read it from the perspective of the fig tree? With these questions in mind this week, let’s dig a bit deeper into this simple, everyday life story and see what we might find. Perhaps we might find a more complex story with a much larger message and vision than what we first encountered. Join me in God’s garden this week and let’s play!

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedSunday, February 28

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Lectio divina is a form of meditation or prayer using Scripture. There are different ways to practice lectio divina, but today, follow this pattern:

1. Read Luke 13:1-9 aloud, as if God is speaking to you.

2. Pause and recall if one word or a particular phrase captured your imagination or curiosity.

3. Ponder this and journal your impressions.

4. Read the passage again listening for God’s voice and for fuller understanding.

5. Journal what you hear God saying to you and pay attention to how the passage makes you feel.

Note that in verses 1-5 Jesus refutes the particular thought of the time that God causes bad things to happen to bad people because of their sin (i.e. if something bad happens to you it is because God is punishing you for something you have done). Jesus responds to the questions about this with a firm, “No.”

He tells the people that God does not cause bad things to happen to anyone, but then he does give them a harsh warning. “Time will run out,” he says, “one day it will be too late. Repent and turn back to God while you have the chance, so that you may not perish like the others have.” Jesus is clear about the goodness of God, and he is clear about our responsibility as God’s children. As R. Alan Culpepper notes in his commentary on Luke, “although there is mercy in Jesus’ parable, it is still a warning of the urgency of repentance. The time until the judgment is extended for just a short time.” (Culpepper, R. Alan. “Luke.” The New Interpreter’s Bible: the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of John. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1995. 271.)

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedMonday, February 29

Lectio Divina - Praying with Scripture

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Mud oozed beneath his boots as he patrolled his estate and steam engulfed him with the loamy scent of raw, mossy muck as the sun baked the soaked earth. It had been an unusually wicked summer with a great deal more rain than usual, but today was milder than it had been in weeks. At last the landowner was able to access his estate to determine the number of workers he might need for the harvest.

The day brought bad news from every corner of the garden. The grapes were swollen, having taken in too much water, and he worried that their flavor would be compromised. The vegetables, although plentiful, had not had enough sunlight to ripen, and most were mildewed. The hay bales were starting to decay because of a new leak in the barn, and he swore he could even hear the cows complaining. As he made his way through the garden, he felt a rumble in his stomach and realized he hadn’t stopped to eat all day.

As the landowner approached the four fig trees at the end of his estate, he couldn’t wait to test out the second harvest. Earlier that summer the harvest had been plentiful, except for the younger tree, which had yet to produce fruit. But he was hopeful, and he anticipated squelching his hunger with a handful of the sweet fruit. But when he arrived he found only slim pickings. As he examined each tree, he carefully selected the edible fruit from the ones that had already been discovered by the birds and placed them in his bucket.

The few figs he found were fleshy, but not very sweet, and the landowner fumed, recalling the words of his neighbor who had taunted him and called him foolish for even planting figs in the first place. “With all that space you could grow at least five rows of vegetables and make a lot more money,” the neighbor had chided years ago. But figs were his favorite fruit. They reminded him of his childhood home. And so he planted them anyway.

By the time the landowner made it to the end of the row, his patience was wearing thin. The last fig tree was the most recently planted one and it was his favorite. He had tenderly propagated it himself from the cutting of a tree from his father’s garden, one that was known all over the region for its bold abundance. He had nurtured the sapling day by day until it was strong enough to plant in the ground. It had been his treasure, his delight and joy to grow, and he imagined showing his neighbor large, full baskets of exquisite figs and jars of preserves that he would sell at a high price.

The young fig tree had a beautiful shape, the leaves were lush and healthy, and it had been placed in the garden’s most prime location for proper sunlight. But to his dismay and disbelief, there was not a single fig to be found. He turned over every leaf, he dug in the debris under the tree for signs of fruit, but there was no evidence of a single fig.

Heartbroken and angry, he called for his gardener to come at once. “Would you look at this? It’s been three years and still no figs. Not one! All that work for nothing!” he shouted, disgusted. “I even put it in the best spot in the whole garden!” The landowner shook his head, took a deep breath and said, sternly, “Chop it down and get it out of here. As a matter of fact, let’s get rid of all of them. I’ve got better things to grow in this garden.” And he stomped off, kicking the bucket of figs to the ground as he went.

Dear God, you created me in your image and you know everything about me. You have given me a life with purpose and you have equipped me for the work to which you call me. Despite my failings to love you and others, despite my failure to follow your will, you love me. Thank you, God. Give me the courage to reflect on my life, to root out habits and behaviors that don’t honor you and to seek you with my whole heart so that my life may glorify your name and be a blessing to others. In your holy and blessed name I pray, Amen.

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedTuesday, March 1

The Landowner’s Tale

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“Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11

The landowner judged the fig tree by its inability or unwillingness to bear fruit. Surely, any of us who have experienced the frustration and devastation of fruitless labor empathize with the landowner.

Those perennial bulbs you spent your entire Saturday planting that failed to produce flowers? That tough business proposal you were assigned requiring you to sacrifice precious family time, only to learn that the project was given to another firm? Most of us know firsthand about the disappointment and frustration of fruitless labor, especially when we have poured our blood, sweat and tears into the endeavor. Like the landowner, we understand what it is to want to take an axe to something in our lives that requires much more effort than it’s worth.

But the fascinating thing about the parables of Jesus is that they are layered with meaning beyond just the practical everyday story. Jesus’s parables also speak to our souls with spiritual language. So, while we relate to the landowner’s desire to remove the unworthy fig tree from his garden on a practical level, our souls “hear” something else.

Lent is a time for introspection and repentance. Repentance is a voluntary change of mind and heart that brings a fresh attitude toward God, oneself, and life in general. To repent means that a person turns away from evil and turns his heart and will to God, submitting to God’s commandments and desires and forsaking sinful ways. Lent is also a time to prepare for new beginnings and a time to make a fresh start. It’s a time to reset, reprioritize and reorder so that through a growing relationship with God we may more fully reflect God’s love to others and to all of God’s creation.

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedWednesday, March 2

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“I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:1-2

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

The gardener watched as the landowner stomped off. Many thoughts raced through his mind but ultimately it was his love for the little fig tree that suddenly made him shout out, “Stop! Wait!” The landowner turned abruptly and the gardener ran to catch up with him. “I believe that little fig tree will produce fruit. It’s still young, but it’s healthy alright. Let me take care of it for one more year. I just noticed some branches that need careful pruning and it could probably benefit from fertilizer after all this rain. I’ve seen this before, but I believe this time next year it will be on its way to being the most prolific fig tree on your estate. Would you let me try?” asked the gardener.

With the landowner’s permission the gardener began to care for the fig tree. In early spring after the final frost, he spent an afternoon inspecting the tree to determine what it needed. It was just beginning to bud and was the perfect time for a pruning to remove all the damaged or harmful branches and to force new growth. Using a sharp saw he made clean cuts to remove all of the completely dead branches first. He found several smaller branches growing inward, so he gently pruned those away. Then he cut down the tallest branches because they were blocking sunlight from the smaller branches below. Lastly, he pruned away any branches that had the slightest evidence of disease so they wouldn’t infect the whole tree. By the time he was finished, the fig tree looked completely different. It was a ghost of its former self, but he wasn’t worried.

A few weeks later he filled his wheelbarrow with composted manure, grabbed his shovel and headed to the back corner of the garden. When he got there he was excited to find green shoots and leaves budding from the fig tree in new places. While he loosened the soil around the base of the tree he listened to the birds singing as they busied themselves with springtime mating rituals and nest building. Here and there worms wriggled in the soil where he dug, and even more worms were found in the composted manure he mixed into the soil all around the tree.

After a good watering, the gardener sat down, reached into his backpack for his sack lunch and enjoyed a simple meal of bread, cheese and dried dates. He gave thanks to God for his food and for the warmth of the sunshine. He thanked God for his life and for his work which both challenged and satisfied him. He praised God for the beauty of the earth, the animals and creatures that surrounded him. And he prayed for the little fig tree.

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedThursday, March 3

The Gardener’s Tale

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“You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness...” Galatians 5:22

Jesus said that “every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). The gardener understood the importance of pruning away not only the damaged and diseased branches, but also the sturdy ones, so that the fig tree would be forced to produce new life.

In his book, The Fruit of Christ’s Presence (Broadman Press, 1990), Harry Lee Poe beautifully describes the process of spiritual pruning. In his chapter “Abiding and Pruning,” Poe suggests that counter to what we might expect, pruning does not diminish the beauty of the tree. Careful pruning serves to enhance it. Likewise, the spiritual pruning we choose to accept is not a punishment from God, but rather a submissive means to receive God’s reward. All of us who claim to live on the vine of Christ and who bear the fruit of Christ will need to prune or be pruned spiritually at some time in our lives. When we submit ourselves to spiritual pruning, we experience richer, deeper spiritual growth because things that have been inhibiting that growth are removed.

We are often told that things won’t hurt. We tell our children the vaccination “won’t hurt.” We visit the dentist and are told that the procedure “won’t hurt.” But the truth is, some things that are good for us do hurt. Spiritual pruning can be painful as well, as we tear away old habits, thoughts and attachments that feel comfortable, that have become a part of our identity. As Poe says, “The amputation of a leg consumed by gangrene hurts, but it saves a life.”

Further, Poe says, “Christians sometimes believe their faith will ensure an earthly life without struggle or pain. Freedom from pain and suffering is a promise of a Christian’s future in glory, but pain and suffering are a part of the present world, as we grow and mature into the likeness of Christ. Pain from spiritual pruning is a result of our reluctance to give up whatever inhibits our growth. Our habits, attitudes and thoughts are as much a part of our own identity as our faces, arms and legs. To have part of our spiritual being pruned is to lose part of who we are. (p.22.)” Pruning takes courage because it changes who we are.

Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Is this spiritual fruit evident in your life? In your life, are you aware of distractions, attachments, attitudes and habits that go against God’s will? If so, what might they be? What are you afraid to prune from your life? Why? What would it look like to let go of the burdens that hinder your spiritual growth? How would you benefit from letting go? How would others benefit?

Holy and Loving God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word and deed. You already know them, Lord, but today I need specifically name the sin(s) that keep me from fully trusting you and following your will: {pause and name any sins you wish to confess}. Oh God, I truly desire to let go and turn to you but I need your presence and your guidance; without you I can do nothing. Thank you for supporting me with your courage and strength. Thank you for loving me in spite of my failures and for promising me new and abundant life. Teach me how I can better serve you so that my life will be a reflection of your goodness. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedFriday, March 4

Read Matthew 6:16-20

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Preparations for the harvest celebration had been going on for days. In the village there was a sense of urgency as the neighbors bustled about, and even the foreigner passing through could sense something exciting about to happen. Little children flocked to the fields to pick wildflowers for colorful wreath garlands to adorn their hair, and wove even larger ones for the livestock that would join the parade. Older ones busied themselves bathing the prized cows and horses, goats and pigs that would be displayed as a sign of prosperity. Cooks exchanged ingredients and tips for their secret family recipes, butchers trimmed the choicest cuts, and farmers gathered the best and the most beautiful selections from their gardens. It was going to be the best harvest festival any had known.

While all of this was going on in the village, the old landowner watched as his staff prepared his estate for the celebration. Ever since he could remember the villagers had gathered at his homestead for the annual harvest festival. There were two rules his mother always enforced: only the best would be accepted and everyone, even the outcast and the stranger, was invited. Those had been the rules handed down through her family for generations and the old landowner was not going to let her down.

It was actually something he enjoyed watching come together. Gardeners trimmed the hedges, swept the walkways, and lit the paths with tall torches. In the tree branches that framed the walkway leading to the gathering space, colorful cloth streamers danced in the breeze, and he could see in the distance the musicians setting up the band stand. Makeshift tables would be covered with quilts and blankets would be spread on the ground next.

He decided he would take a walk to the site, before the crowds arrived. He picked up his cane and carefully limped his way down the long path. The sun shone from the west and he noticed that the shadows it made were growing longer, a sure sign that summer was coming to an end. As he moved closer to the site, he heard the noisy chirping of what seemed like an entire flock of birds as they scattered about gathering food at the end of the day. When he arrived he saw them, darting around and about his family treasure, the legendary fig tree.

It was more beautiful than he had ever seen it before. Leaves of green and golden-yellow glowed in the afternoon sunlight. Even after a record harvest that year it was still producing figs, and the gardeners, on ladders, were fighting away the birds while they hung lanterns from its lowest branches. No one knew its age, only that it had been on that spot for as long as his family had owned the land, for many generations.

Its vast span and height were unparalleled throughout the entire region, and it provided the most beautiful canopy for the entire harvest festival. Every once in a while visitors to the village would knock on his door and ask for permission to visit the legendary fig tree, and he was pleased every time he was asked to tell the story of how the love of a simple gardener transformed a barren fig tree into something so beautiful. As he pondered the miracle, the old landowner reached up and plucked a plump, sun warmed fig and bit into it. The juicy sweetness startled him and he smiled, giving thanks to God for the outrageous extravagance of it all.

The Courageous Life: Pruning and Being PrunedSaturday, March 5

The Tale of the Fig Tree

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Reflections on Pruning and Being Pruned

If it bears fruit next year, fine. If not, then cut it down.Luke 13:9

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It takes a strong person to say sorry, and an even stronger person to forgive.forgiveness

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Be Brave and Kind: An Evening with Glennon Doyle MeltonMonday, March 7, 6:30 pm, SanctuaryPRUMC’s Women’s Lecture Series is proud to present Glennon Doyle Melton – author, speaker, philanthropist, and founder of the online community, Momastery. A popular blogger and contributor to the Today Show, Melton offers a unique perspective on faith, family and living life “unarmed.” $25 tickets at www.prumc.org/register.

45th Habitat for Humanity BuildSaturday, March 12, AtlantaPRUMC and Habitat believe that every person should have access to a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Our volunteers of all skill levels partner with Habitat house leaders to construct a home in 7 weekends. Our spring build will be led by Patty Harris and Josh Stephens. 40 Volunteers needed each Saturday. Volunteer at www.prumc.org/habitat.

Peachtree Seeds of Light StudioSaturday, March 12, Harp Center Art Room9:00 am - 12:00 pm / Adult Workshop1:00 - 4:00 pm / Student WorkshopJoin Leslie Watkins to find inspiration in the theme of “Courage: Loving Extravagantly” this Lent. We’ll reflect on poetry, scripture and story, then express our insights through individual artwork. $10 per person/per class for materials. Space is limited: you may register for sessions individually or as a group. Sign up at www.prumc.org/register.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenThe Fourth Week of Lent

March 6 - 12, 2016 | Susan Marshall

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“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:12

It was May 13, 1981 when Mehmet Ali Agca tried to assassinate Pope John Paul in St. Peters’ Square. The Pope was shot four times. He finally recovered after months of recuperating.

Two years later during the Christmas season the Pope visited the prison where Agca was incarcerated. For 21 minutes the Pope held the hand of the would-be assassin. He talked with him and forgave him before leaving the prison. It was said that the grace extended to the prisoner had transformed Agca and the violence in St. Peter’s, that day. A year following the visit, Agca was pardoned by Italy’s president and deported. Before leaving Italy Newsweek carried this article:

Agca proclaimed that he had become a man of peace. He traced his transformation to the conversation with the Pope. He now had a “profound respect” for Christianity. His plan after being freed was to become a “preacher, going to all nations of the world preaching good and the truth to all people.” The story was celebrated around the world.

Was your first reaction to this story, “Of course, he forgave him because he is the Pope.” But we then deny his humanness, when we think this way. He had a choice. What was and is remarkable was the Pope’s purposeful decision to forgive him. We do not know when he made the decision to act with grace or the prayers and process that enabled him to make the visit. What we do know is that it transformed the life of a young man, who made a terrible choice, and became a witness to the world.

Gracious God, you give us a chance to move forward and create a new beginning through your grace. May we remember this and extend that forgiveness to others.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenSunday, March 6

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“Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another.” Pope John Paul

“Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within,Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin!”

Grace Greater Than Our SinUnited Methodist Hymnal #365

Our congregation was singing this old hymn several years ago. We were ending the fourth and final verse, “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.” As we began singing the familiar chorus, “Grace, Grace, God’s Grace,” the organ stopped playing. Scott Atchison turned to the congregation and began directing those of us in the pews. At first, singing “a cappella” and without the organ’s support felt awkward. As we continued to sing, though, the sound coming from the congregation was memorable. Our voices sounded beautiful, free, and confident.

To ask for forgiveness, is similar to the way I experienced that brief moment in worship. It is awkward and risky. There are no guarantees of the outcome. We are still called to find the voice within us, seeking reconciliation, seeking forgiveness. That is what God continues to do for us through Christ.

Silence the voice of our egos, so that we may humbly seek forgiveness from you and others.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenMonday, March 7

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“Peter came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times”. Matthew 18:21-22

Don’t you wish Peter had had not asked Jesus that question? Forgiving someone seven times is a stretch but to forgive seventy-seven times? That seems unrealistic and unachievable. Listen to Barbara Brown Taylor’s thoughts on what seems like Jesus’s unfair expectations of us in her sermon, “Arthritis of the Spirit.”

“In case you have not noticed, Christianity is a religion in which the sinners have all the advantages. They can step on your feet fifty times, and you are supposed to keep smiling. They can talk bad about you every time you leave the room, and it is your job to excuse them with no thought of getting even. The burden is on you because you have been given yourself.”

Our tendency is to resent the responsibility to forgive, hold on to the hurt, resent the person who has harmed us and bury the anger. But to live abundantly, we know that only injures us. The forgiveness God offers us and the grace we extend to others is healing.

Barbara Brown Taylor ends the sermon by saying, “We are being set free by someone who has arranged things so that we have all the advantages. We have choices. We have will. We have an Advocate, who seems to know that we need lots of practice in forgiving.”

Dear God, let our practice of asking for forgiveness become a way of life for each of us.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenTuesday, March 8

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

At Peachtree Road we are privileged to work with a group of women who have been abused and neglected. The stories of what have happened in their lives are incomprehensible to many of us. Yet, they are resilient and courageous. Their ability to move forward is grounded in facing what was done to them, letting go of blaming themselves and creating a new life for themselves. Do they loathe the persons responsible for their abuse? Yes, and they will tell you that part of the healing comes from understanding the pain and the betrayal.

This group of young women are now finding a place to call home, where love is greater than the anger and resentment they feel. The experiences of the past will not define them. Their prayers are to let go of what has been and move toward what is possible through God’s help.

“Forgiveness is not something we do for other people. We do it for ourselves to get well and move on.” Henri Nouwen

God of all goodness, may we have the courage to work through the pain, so we may be able to forgive ourselves and those who have hurt us.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenWednesday, March 9

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“...and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

This passage was recently read in a class I was attending. Those of us there nodded our heads in agreement, as it was read. The speaker then asked, “Are you kind and tenderhearted to yourself and do you forgive yourself when things go wrong?” There was silence. This reminded me of a devotional Richard Rohr had written about why it is difficult to forgive ourselves.

“Perhaps the most difficult forgiveness, the greatest letting go, is to forgive ourselves from doing it wrong. We need to realize that we are not perfect, and we are not innocent. Letting go of that notion means that the denied, repressed, rejected parts of myself are seen for what they are. You hand it over to God. You hand it over to history. You refuse to let the negative story line that you’ve wrapped yourself around define your life. Letting go of our cherished images of ourselves is really the way to heaven, because you fall down to the bottom, you fall on solid ground, the Great Foundation, the bedrock of God.”

God of Peace, enable us let go of the negative stories that we have allowed to define us. May we see the shadow part of ourselves for what they are. Then, turn them over to you.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenThursday, March 10

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“It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” William Blake

This is a disturbing quote, probably because it is true. With our friends there is a sharing of thoughts and feelings, rich memories and a foundation of trust. There is an expectation of loyalty and love among friends.

Perhaps, that is why we painfully remember the last days of Jesus’ life. During the Last Supper Jesus acknowledges that there are friends who will betray him. These intimate friends of Jesus had prayed together, traveled together and welcomed new people into their circle. Knowing this, was it easier for him to forgive the guards and the crowds rather than his friends, who kept a safe distance from the cross?

We only know that his love for his friends and those who harmed him, was greater than his desire for revenge. “Forgiveness is the final form of love,” according to Reinhold Neibuhr. As we see throughout Jesus’ life, his love for others triumphs over judgement, anger, resentment and bitterness.

God of Light, help us to remember that forgiveness, modeled by Jesus, is about loving others and ourselves.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenFriday, March 11

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After writing numerous books on discovering God through prayer, Richard Foster published a series of his own prayers. Prayers from the Heart is timeless, giving us words to help us throughout the day. Two of his prayers speak to emotions we experience, as we find our way to forgive.

Turning Forgiving God, I cannot separate I refuse to allow this evil my hatred for what was done to control me from the person who did it. any more. I despise the deed. I will not be held in bondage I loathe the person who did the deed. to my hate My rage is my only revenge. any longer. But, God my rage destroys me, too. But, the strength to love, I feel this seething anger is not in me. searing my own soul. I must wait for your enabling. O Lord, my God, Now, in your great power, deliver me and with a trembling heart, from the evil I speak your word I would do to myself. of forgiveness.

Almighty God, grant us patience, as we wait for your strength to help us forgive.

The Courageous Life: Forgiving and Being ForgivenSaturday, March 12

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Reflections on Forgiving and Being Forgiven

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe

and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.”Luke 15:21-22

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“It’s impossible,” said Pride. “It’s risky,” said Experience. “It’s pointless,” said Reason. “Give it a try,” whispered the Heart.

love

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Give Love: Sponsor-a-ChildSunday, March 13 and 20, Grace HallFor almost two decades PRUMC mission teams have traveled to destitute areas in the country of Georgia. Our goal was to bring the children there into the care of our church family. We now sustain six facilities that provide love and essentials to over 300 children in the poorest region of this country. Thanks to our Sponsor-a-Child program, you have the opportunitity to provide these children with warm winter coats for unheated schools, boots for muddy unpaved roads, nutritional meals, medical care and so much more. Join us in “loving extravagantly” this week by sponsoring a child you will always cherish in your heart.

Passion of the Christ: The Musical Stations of the CrossSunday, March 13, 7:00 pm, SanctuaryAllow the story of Christ’s life through music to deepen and enrich your Lenten journey this year. Take a moment to be still and find the sacred in the unparalleled beauty of Gregorian chant, organ and candlelight. Zachary Hemenway, chancel organ, Scott Atchison, gallery organ, Schola, antiphons.

Family Lenten JourneyWednesday, March 16, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, Grace HallJoin us for a “Seder” meal shared around the dinner tables and then journey together through the events of Holy Week. We’ll welcome Jesus to Jerusalem, watch him confront the moneychangers, witness the Last Supper, pass through the Garden of Gethsemane and watch Jesus make his way to Calvary. Finally, at the empty tomb, we experience the joy and discovery of Easter morning! For more information, contact Martha Christopher at 404.240.8243 or marthac@prumc.org.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyMarch 13 - 19, 2016

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Voices of Note: And Justice for AllAtlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and Atlanta Women’s ChorusFriday, March 18, 8:00 pm, SanctuarySaturday, March 19, 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, SanctuaryFeaturing music known for uniting people of different backgrounds and cultures, and the premiere of Libertad based on the poetry of Walt Whitman. Visit www.voicesofnote.org.

45th Habitat for Humanity BuildSaturday, March 19, AtlantaPRUMC and Habitat believe that every person should have access to a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Our volunteers of all skill levels partner with Habitat house leaders to construct a home in 7 weekends. Our spring build will be led by Patty Harris and Josh Stephens. 40 Volunteers needed each Saturday. Volunteer at www.prumc.org/habitat.

24th Annual Great Day of Service Saturday, March 19, AtlantaPeachtree Road will serve as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ by serving those in need in our community on this special day in Lent. We are excited to offer new family projects held at the church for those with young children who need a flexible schedule. This year we are also offering 7 projects at the Central Mobile Home trailer park benefitting the Agape children whom we sponsor. Additionally, there will be the church restoration projects, field trips and landscaping for our partnering agencies. Registration will begin February 14 at the church and online at www.prumc.org/register. For more information contact Beth Spencer at 404.240.8234 or beths@prumc.org.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyThe Fifth Week of Lent | Matt Nelson

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As I sit here at my desk, preparing a sermon for Epiphany and writing a devotional for Lent, I wrestle with the opposing themes. We celebrate Jesus, the Light of the World, who has come to us at Christmas. The very Light who overcomes darkness, illuminating hearts and minds and lives. Then, we sit with the sobering remembrance of Jesus’ coming death. Darkness again.

Death certainly can feel dark and sobering. Mary had just experienced a death in her own family. Lazarus, her brother, had died, and she was devastated by this news. The family had called for Jesus to come, but he did not. And now Lazarus was dead. I imagine Mary felt betrayed. Saddened. Probably angry and confused, too. Mary knew that Jesus could have made Lazarus well.

And then the miracle! Jesus enters Lazarus’ dark, sealed tomb and calls Lazarus to life. As Lazarus emerges, Jesus charges those around him to remove the grave clothes. He is back from the dead!

Mary is so moved by Jesus’ gesture of love, bringing life back to Lazarus, that she responds courageously, extravagantly, pouring expensive perfume (and probably her dowry) on Jesus’ feet. Like a candle in a dark room filling space with light, so Mary’s perfume, a gesture of love and gratitude, filled the room with glorious fragrance.

Some say both gestures – raising Lazarus from the dead and the poured out perfume – were wasteful. Lazarus is going to die again at some point. And Mary could have used the value of that perfume for something better. But the other side of that argument is that extravagant love is the way we should courageously live our lives. Yes, Lazarus will physically die again and the perfume cannot ever be contained again in that bottle, but both of these acts of extravagant love are still remembered to this day.

That’s what extravagant love does. It leaves a feeling, a remembrance, an experience that we will hold and treasure and ponder in our hearts forever.

Because we have received God’s extravagant love in our lives, may we live as people who love courageously and love extravagantly so that our dark world may be illuminated with this extravagant love-light.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlySunday, March 13

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“Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blessed,Wellspring of the joy of living,Ocean depth of happy rest!Thou our father, Christ our brother,All who live in love are thine;Teach us how to love each other,Lift us to the joy divine.”

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore TheeUnited Methodist Hymnal #89

Jesus challenges us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). This command is often easier said than done. Because, let’s be honest, sometimes our neighbor is grouchy, or different, or hard to love. Loving our neighbor is sometimes inconvenient, expensive, time-consuming. But loving our neighbor is our call, our mission, our purpose. As 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Everything should be done in love.” So, how are you loving your neighbor?

Take some time to reflect on how Jesus loved others. How might we learn from his example? Can you think of a specific person who may need an extra measure of love today? Go today and show that person extravagant love.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyMonday, March 14

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My wife, Anne, grew up as an “at church every time the doors were opened Methodist,” while I attended the Presbyterian church. When we were dating, she came to church with me one Sunday and during the service we sang a good Charles Wesley hymn that she did not know. She still talks about the way the last line of the first verse almost took her breath away as we sang: “Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

“And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior’s blood! Died he for me? Who caused his pain! For me? Who him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

And Can It Be that I Should GainUnited Methodist Hymnal #363

Does is almost take your breath away to think of God’s amazing love for you? Maybe jot down some ways you’ve experienced God’s love toward you. Sit in gratitude for a moment.

But then, in response to that gratitude, move toward action. Bob Goff in his book Love Does says, this: “Love is never stationary. In the end, love doesn’t keep thinking about it or keep planning for it. Simply put: love does.”

Love does! Let’s be about loving today.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyTuesday, March 15

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“See from his head, his hands, his feetSorrow and love flow mingled down.Did ere such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?”

When I Survey the Wondrous CrossUnited Methodist Hymnal #298

Usually we like to think of love as flowery and fun and fulfilling. But what happens when love is mingled with sorrow? Sometimes love hurts. Dorothy Day, Catholic social activist and founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, says, “Love is a harsh and dreadful thing to ask of us. But it is the only answer.”

When in your life has love been harsh and dreadful, but “the only answer?” Take some time to journal about that experience.

Quote from Rover Ellsberg, ed., Dorothy Day: Selected Writings (Maryknoll, NY; Orbis, 1992.)

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyWednesday, March 16

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“I’d rather see a sermonthan hear one any day;I’d rather one should walk with methan merely tell the way.The eye’s a better pupiland more willing than the ear,Fine counsel is confusing,but example’s always clear;And the best of all preachersare the men [and women] who live their creeds,For to see good put in actionis what everybody needs.I soon can learn to do itif you’ll let me see it done;I can watch your hands in action,but your tongue too fast may run.And the lecture you delivermay be very wise and true,But I’d rather get my lessonsby observing what you do;For I might misunderstand youand the high advice you give,But there’s no misunderstandinghow you act and how you live.”

Sermons We SeeEdgar A. Guest

How many of you as a child heard a grown-up say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Even in our youth, we knew what the adult meant: it’s hard to live rightly. But we as the body of Christ must rely on the Holy Spirit to help us do just that. Our life is a sermon we preach each day.

Is your life’s sermon one of extravagant love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

Does your life tell a good story about our great God? If yes, thank God for the evidence of his Holy Spirit working in your life. If your life story is not so great right now, pray that God - through the work of the Holy Spirit in you, can help you tell a better story.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyThursday, March 17

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“Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee; changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

Love Divine, All Loves ExcellingUnited Methodist Hymnal #384

Lost in wonder, love, and praise…

Let’s be honest – we’re not really comfortable with the word “lost.” It means we’re not sure where we are. We’re not sure how to get to our destination, to make our goal, to do what we want to do. It’s a place of uncertainty.

But in this sense, lost in wonder, love, and praise is a good thing! Have you ever been so aware of God’s goodness towards you that you allowed yourself to be free in thinking about the depths and heights and breadth of God? Have you ever loved so deeply (because you’ve known great love) that it scared you a bit? Have you ever allowed yourself to be free in worshipping God – raising your hands as you sing or lying down prostrate as you pray or dancing around because you have a praise of gratitude resounding in your heart?

This verse specifically speaks to our entrance into Heaven where we will see God face to face. But let’s not wait until Heaven to find ourselves so grateful that we lose ourselves in wonder, love, and praise.

If we remember back to our text for the week, Mary’s response in pouring the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet was a “lost in wonder, love, and praise” act, a response of extravagant love and gratitude. People thought she was weird. People criticized her. People may criticize us for extravagant love and gratitude and prayer and praise. It’s okay if they do. Be brave. Wonder, love, and praise courageously, extravagantly anyway. God is our audience, not the world.

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlyFriday, March 18

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In her book Carry On, Warrior, Glennon Doyle Melton tells the story of her family’s first brush with death: the day her son, Chase’s, beloved fish, Jacob, dies. They have the difficult discussion about loving and death. Here’s what she writes:

“When [Chase] asked me, ‘Why, Mom? Why does God send us here, where things hurt so much?’ Why does he make us love things that he knows we’re going to lose? I told him that we don’t love people and animals because we will have them forever; we love them because loving them changes us, makes us better, healthier, kinder, realer. Loving people and animals makes us stronger in the right ways and weaker in the right ways. Even if animals and people leave, even if they die, they leave us better. So we keep loving, even though we might lose, because loving teaches us and changes us. And that’s what we’re here to do. God sends us here to learn how to be better lovers, and to learn how to be loved, so we’ll be prepared for heaven.”

Are you loving extravagantly in such a way that you’re changed for the better, made healthier, kinder, realer?

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” (1 John 4:7a NIV)

Melton, Glennon D., Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life, (New York, NY Scribner 2013) p. 147

The Courageous Life: Loving ExtravagantlySaturday, March 19

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Reflections on Loving Extravagantly

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard. It was an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair.

John 12:3

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Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.Eric MetaxasBonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

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Palm SundaySunday, March 20, 2016Festival Worship | 8:45 and 11:15 am, SanctuaryCongregational Luncheon | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Grace HallOutdoor processions, choirs, instrumentalists.

Holy Week Midday Services and LunchesMonday, March 21 - Thursday, March 24, 201612:05 pm Service in Moore Chapel12:35 pm Lunch in Grace HallMon Julie Wright Tue Leslie Watkins Wed Jamie Jenkins Thu Darren Hensley

Maundy Thursday Evening ServiceThursday, March 24, 7:00 pm, SanctuarySelections from Messiah, and Ola Gjeilo’s Ubi Caritas sung by Chancel Choir with Orchestra.Scott H. Atchison, conducting. Bill Britt preaching.

Community Good Friday ServiceFriday, March 25, 12:00 pm, PRUMC SanctuaryRev. Dock Hollingsworth of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist, preaching. Lunch to follow in Grace Hall.

Prayer VigilGood Friday, March 25, 3:00 pm - Easter Sunday, March 27, 6:00 amWe invite you to pray one hour during this sacred time. Each prayer volunteer will receive a guided meditation, bringing meaning to the prayer time. To schedule your hour please contact Susan Marshall at 404.240.8228 or susanm@prumc.org.

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneThe Sixth Week of Lent

March 20 - 26, 2016 | Julie Wright

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He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Luke 22:39-46

When United Methodist clergy go through the process to become ordained, it can be quite lengthy, particularly in my case. After approval from the local church and the District Committee on Ordained Ministry, then five years of seminary (I had three active children, ages 8-14 when I started, so did not attend full-time), I was approved for provisional status (like a doctor serving a residency.) Elders serve in full-time appointments but deacons can serve part-time which adds at least a year to their provisional time. Finally, I went before the Board of Ordained Ministry for full connection ordination in 2013. They deferred me, saying I needed to do more work.

Let me tell you, that really took the wind out of my sails. I was hurt, disappointed, angry, and embarrassed. But my prayer to God from the get - go had been “not my will but Yours be done, Lord.” So, I took every opportunity to see what God would have me learn from this experience. During the following year, I studied harder, tried to gain in the areas in which I was lacking, and prayed - a lot - with a great deal of humility. In 2014, I was approved as an ordained deacon in full connection, praise God!

In the verses above, Jesus prays what he is about to experience will not occur. Jesus was human and like any of us, did not want to endure the extreme torture he knew was coming. Yet as the obedient Son, Jesus acquiesced to the Father’s plan and said “your will be done.” That, my friends, is courageous living.

Are you able to live courageously and when faced with difficulties, say to God, “I really don’t want this but your will be done?”

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneSunday, March 20

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“Moses answered, ‘I must do this because the people come to me to learn God’s will.’” Exodus 18:15

Prior to Moses’ words, he had been sitting “from morning to evening” to resolve problems between the people and “make known to them the statutes and instructions of God.” His father-in-law, Jethro observes that he will wear himself out along with the others around him if he continues in this manner. He suggests that Moses delegate to multiple men who fear God, and are trustworthy to judge smaller cases, while the important cases would still go to Moses.

What I appreciate about this passage is that all of them recognize God’s providence and desire God’s direction in all matters. If I were watching Moses and the others, I imagine they would lift in prayer the request or issue and wait for a response. That’s the hard part – waiting. Our society today demands instantaneous responses and with God, sometimes we must listen and wait. And wait more. Consider today what you might do to live courageously while you wait to know God’s will and God’s response.

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneMonday, March 21

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“People cast lots to learn God’s will, but God himself determines the answer.” Proverbs 16:33

A game of chance (as in casting lots) does not reveal God’s will and this verse affirms God’s sovereignty. God created all things and determines their purposes; it is up to us to follow that purpose or path, living courageously. What is that phrase? Make plans and watch God laugh. We can make plans but all is governed by God’s will.

Today, think about how God’s will has been revealed to you in the past. How have you known you were abiding in God’s will?

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneTuesday, March 22

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“Therefore, since Christ suffered as a human, you should also arm yourselves with his way of thinking. This is because whoever suffers is finished with sin. As a result, they don’t live the rest of their human lives in ways determined by human desires but in ways determined by God’s will.” 1 Peter 4:1-3

Just a question to ponder or journal: what does living in God’s will mean to you, and how is that living courageously?

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneWednesday, March 23

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“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then in this way:Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come. Your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:8b-10

Our scripture today is from the Sermon on the Mount, one of my favorites, especially when I need to renew. Reading Matthew 5-7 is like a how-to-live-as-a-Christian guide. Focusing particularly on the Lord’s Prayer and saying those words completely from my heart, I surrender myself to God’s will, again and again.

Say the Lord’s Prayer out loud to yourself and think about each word as you say it. Is there one word that stands out to you? Think about why that word seems important right now. How could this be part of God’s will for you today?

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneMaundy Thursday, March 24

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Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.” Luke 22:41-44

Repeating part of Sunday’s reading, we’ll focus on Jesus in prayer. Before most of Jesus’ miracles, he prayed. To get closer to God, he prayed. Before facing the horror of the darkness to come, he prayed.

Luke (the physician) adds the medical detail about Jesus sweating drops of blood as he prayed. Medical research confirms this can indeed occur under conditions of extreme stress. Yes, Jesus was under tremendous stress because knew he was facing terrible pain but also the horror of the darkness of sin. He bowed to the Father’s will and accepted his earthly fate.

As you live courageously, pray to God to give you the strength to bear the difficulties that are sure to come your way. Write the prayer below.

The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneGood Friday, March 25

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The Courageous Life: Thy Will Be DoneSaturday, March 26

“And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hewbrews 10:10

Today, we remember the time that Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. What do you suppose the disciples were doing and thinking on that day before they learned Jesus was resurrected? Did they consider this God’s will? They weren’t living very courageously at this point, hiding in someone’s home for fear of the Roman authorities, but tomorrow, everything changes! And this is the will of God!

The labyrinth below is for you to think and pray about being more open to God’s will, listening for God’s voice as you live courageously in our crazy world. Slowly trace the path with your finger or use a pencil. When you arrive in the center, pause to listen for God’s direction, then trace your way back out to the opening. Journal as you wish.

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Reflections on Thy Will Be Done

He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup of suffering away from me. But do what you want, not what I want.”

Luke 22:42

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Lent 2016 | Peachtree Road United Methodist Church

Albert Einstein

There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.