Acts of the Apostles 8:1-3 - Being Empowered Despite My Past Failures (Bible Journal)
"[1] Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. [2] (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) [3] But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison (Acts of the Apostles 8:1-3 NLT)."
I am going through a season where I am struggling with anxiety over shame for past sins and mistakes that I wish I could go back and handle differently, but I am unable to alter. Today's Scripture began with showing us a glimpse of Saul's dark feelings and actions, reflecting someone that can easily be written off as nothing more than a cruel villain. This isn't his destiny though, as later chapters reveal his encounter with the Lord, which converted Saul into a staunch Christian and ally to the Lord that we know as Paul. He couldn’t change like this on his own, but God worked through him, and Paul embraced it and allowed the Lord to empower him to do great things in the Lord's name. It is reassuring to know that if Paul could go through such a radical change even after all the wrongs he did, that I can also be changed and serve as an ally to God, regardless of my past mistakes.
Chuck Mingo's latest message ("How To Access Power" - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/270-crossroads-church-28634445/episode/s2-ep13-how-to-access-power-165384788/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false) featured some great mantras that I will be utilizing as I continue to work through internal struggles over my past failures. I loved Chuck's statement of "kicking out the trash talking voice of shame," and his reminder that "you don't have to be defined by your biggest mistake." One of the most important things Chuck helped me to remember is that I'm not alone in overcoming these feelings, as I can call on the Holy Spirit to help me work through the things I need to overcome. Constantly trying to sort through everything by my own thoughts and feelings alone is not only exhausting, but doesn't lead to complete peace in the end, as new anxieties will inevitably come into play. But trusting in God to help me through any and all of these battles, along with embracing my identity as a son that belongs to Him, will be the key that I need to use to unlock true calmness, and the path to the next step in the role God wants me to play in the growth of His Kingdom.
Lord, thank You for the gift of Your son's work on the cross, and His resurrection afterward that paid the price for all of my past, present, and future sins. Thank You for not letting that be Your only plan for my life, as there is more work that You would like to do through me. Please help me to continue to stand up to that voice of shame, and please help me to pay attention to what You truly want me to put my focus on. Please help anyone dealing with feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness, and please equip me to be part of the solution for those that are going through these kind of challenges. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Money Withdrawl Declined - Cyclo Officially Challenged!
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
Cyclo opened the treasure chest and eyed the money within greedily. He reached in to remove the bills for counting purposes, but as he did so the money disappeared, and electric blasts emerged from the chest, shocking him.
Tamma grinned as Cyclo screamed in pain. The plan she formed with the Pirate and his crew was unfolding perfectly.
"So that's it?" Jahno asked nervously. "We've won?"
"Sorry Dad, but that won't be enough to stop him." Tamma advised as Cyclo's electrocution continued. "But the next phase will be starting now."
A brilliant white light generated from the electric blasts, surrounding Cyclo, Tamma, and Jahno. Once the light faded, the three found themselves standing on a vast plot of farmland, with houses far off in the distance.
"Yay, the trap and transfer worked!" Essie squealed, standing beside Rick, Cerissa, and Mitch (who had already transformed into his Pirate form). Essie and Cerissa were dressed in their mage robes, while Rick was fully armored thanks to his helmet. The crew raced over to where Tamma and Jahno stood.
Cyclo broke free from the electric blasts, then cast a fireball out of his hand that incinerated the treasure chest. He then turned to glare at Jahno, Tamma, and their new allies.
"You've really blown it this time Jahno. Now your precious daughter and the rest of your pathetic town are mine for the taking!"
"No, you.... you.... you.... are wrong." Jahno stammered nervously. "I am putting my faith in my daughter, who entrusted this Pirate and his crew to stop you."
"Thanks Dad." Tamma said softly as tears once again rolled down her cheeks. "Alright guys, Cyclo is away from everyone else in town, and he should be partially weakened from the jolt in that trap. That should make a difference in the fight to come!"
"Ha ha ha ha, your daughter is even dumber than you Mr. Mayor!" Cyclo roared with laughter. He then waved a hand over himself, fully treating his injuries with a healing spell.
"Don't you dare insult Tamma, you are the idiot here!" Rick shot back. "You will regret underestimating us, we have more than enough power and talent to stop you. Hey Pirate, is it ok if I fight him first?"
To be continued....
Genesis 3:24 - Back To The Garden Someday (Bible Journal)
"[24] After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24 NLT)."
It is a sad situation, messing up and having to leave the perfect paradise that was set up for you. It is easy to shake your head at Adam and Eve for making such a dumb move (just don't eat the fruit, follow the basic instruction you were given). Then, I remember all the sins that I have committed, and realize many of those were also dumb moves. But thanks to God giving us a way back to Him through the payment of our sins through the work Jesus did, we can one day go back to what is the equivalent of that perfect garden. I certainly don't deserve it, but I am thankful that God has made it possible.
Thank You Lord for the work of Jesus to save us from our sins, and thank You for the reminder that I'm not only far from perfect, but that I need help in resisting temptation too. Please have mercy on me for my past mistakes, and please help me to be better today. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Poetry in Pieces: Week Seven w/@MeeJong
This is a collaborative poem MeeJong and I wrote together by alternating verses over a 7 day time frame. Due to the busy nature of this crazy yet wonderful thing called life, this poem slipped through the cracks about a year ago. With MeeJong's blessing, I am excited for this poem to now appear on your screens. This poem was written with a gratitude theme throughout. So without further ado, we'll kick this off with my verses, followed by MeeJong's words:
I may be weary, and I may be overwhelmed.
I may be nervous for the challenges that lie ahead.
But adversity has honed me, and helped me grow.
So today, I am thankful for personal growth through trials,
and changing by stepping outside of my comfort zone.
I may be leary, and I may be overlooked.
I may be timid in the stream of life’s force.
But experience has taught me, and helped me know.
So today, I am thankful for the life which has grown,
Even when I tried to shrink, and hide from beauty unknown.
As I prepare to face a new day, I smile with thoughts of last night.
Fellowship at our friend's place, she is an integral part of our family.
We attempted to make our own onigiri, which I likely was the weakest creator.
But it was tasty all the same, and will be one more thing I seek to improve at.
So I give thanks today, for friendships that shine brightly in our lives.
The people that are a blessing to me and mine, I treasure their contributions to my life.
The new day dawns with hope and gratitude
Last night set an easy pace
Shifting gears from the rat race
Allowing friendship and good times to shine
Refilling this empty cup of mine
I look forward to the weekend too
But first there’s so much work to do!
The work was intense, but I did all I could.
This morning I woke at my own pace,
Which is not an option I always have.
I am grateful for this restful morning,
And this opportunity to get some writing in.
Tomorrow will be busy, but I am excited for
Our next family adventure!
Gratitude
Is hard found and easily won
Or easily found and hard won?
Either way
Gratitude
Is what I seek each day
And I thank you
For the opportunity to say
Thank you for this day
And that you looked my way
Even my rougher days are a bit better
When I start the day journaling on gratitude.
Although days like today are much easier
When it comes to finding thankfulness.
On a day Iike today where I'm normally at work,
I have a vacation day instead, and I was even able to get some grocery shopping done early.
Not the most poetic or exciting content to capture, but sometimes the little stuff is the best.
I am thankful for this chance to pause, take a breath, and write some words with you.
Capturing content
Can be an art
But also
Just a release of the heart
So hearing about gratitude
The small joys
In your daily existence
A reminder to breathe
To write our truth
Is a wonderful way
To start my day
So thank you
Thank you for the reminder, it is something I needed.
It has been a very stressful week, with new classroom dynamics pushing me to the limit.
But now I breathe a sigh of relief, and look forward to some down time at home.
A nice long birthday weekend, is exactly what I need to count my blessings again.
I am grateful for this chance to reset, make family memories, and enjoy life admist the challenges.
Work stress is real
Heavier each day
My back ready to break
My head pounds away
My heart seeks solitude
A weekend escape
It’s on the schedule!
Just have to get through today
Had a weekend escape of my own yesterday, meeting some anime actors and book authors at a convention we've never been to before.
Now I rest from that fun but long trip, and spend a quiet day home with my crew.
I've completed another trip around the sun, and I don't feel qualified to be at this new age.
But despite that, I thank God for where I've been, what I've overcome, what I'm still overcoming, and who is there with me on this journey.... including you.
I long for the time
When I would pass days
In any multitude of ways
But now
My days pass me
Blurring past so fast
My reflection itself
Is merely a blur
So let me pause
Hold this time
And gratitude
In my heart
And offer it to you
I agree, and can't believe it's March already.
Fall is the time of year I feel most alive, ironic
considering I spend a chunk of it dressed like the undead.
But warm temperatures, swimming with my loved ones,
and baseball season sound nice.
Today I give thanks for the Spring and Summer to come, with some fun memories to go along with them.
I come alive in Spring
The weight of winter
Lifting
Although my allergies
Are another of life’s little jokes
As I want to be outside
Enjoying the weather
But if I do
I turn into
The Abominable Snot Monster
That being said
I am grateful
For the change of seasons
My shifting mindset
And for finally being able
To write again.
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 3/4/2024
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for last week's prompts from the app.
I am going to continue to do gratitude journals, but I will likely only be posting them in the Crossroads Anywhere app going forward. To anyone that read these journals in the past, I thank you :-)
3/4/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- Working on improving time management at work and at home.
- Seeing my favorite volleyball team play.
- A family adventure.
3/5/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
I am grateful for the chance to make some progress on the work I have to get done this week, for the coffee I am about to drink, and the chance to spend a little more time with my family this morning due to a carpooling situation.
3/7/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
My wife for transporting us around when needed, and showing us the blessings of helping a friend in need.
3/8/2024
Affirmation: "God will never leave me or abandon me."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You Lord for Your help and guidance this week, for some time off with my family, and mutual interests to be passionate about.
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 2/26/2024
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for this week's prompts from the app....
2/26/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- A shorter work week.
- Working on some life improvements - getting back into reading, exercising, working on my voice acting class.
- Time with my family.
2/27/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
- One more extra day off, even if it is for a dentist appointment.
- New music to check out.
- No shortage of sports to check out.
2/29/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
- Ben and Jerry for their delicious ice cream, which was a nice treat after a rough day at work.
- The Antique Mall by my work for being a warm place to walk on my break.
- My dentist for continuing to help me.
3/1/2024
Affirmation: "God will never leave me or abandon me."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You God for being with me through a short but challenging work week. Thank You for a few days to rest and enjoy family, hobbies, and You.
Breakfast, and the Collector Arrives
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
Mitch and his crew slept well after their late night pool party with Tamma and Dianna, meeting the pair for breakfast in the dining area beside the lobby. The breakfast setup was as spectacular as the pool, their room with four king sized beds, and the vast hallway corridors of the Aplonica Inn. They were treated to a buffet complete with freshly made pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, eggs, grits, pastries - too many things to fit in a brief chapter of this story.
"Thanks for an amazing start to the morning Dianna." Cerissa said gratefully, as she created her own breakfast sandwich with the sausage, pancakes and eggs, while also enjoying a ham and cheese omelet. "Compliments to the cooks!"
"I'll be sure to tell them, they are quite amazing." Dianna smiled kindly. "We need to send you guys off well, since tonight is the night."
"Indeed." Mitch said with resolve as he sipped on his steaming black coffee. "We will settle the old account with Cyclo, then your amazing home can hopefully get back to what it does best, which is pretty much everything."
"Yeah, time to put our training in action, right Essie?" Rick asked enthusiastically as he downed a glass of orange juice.
"Definitely Rick, I look forward to fighting alongside you.... and everyone else too!" Essie answered while blushing, hiding her awkwardness by quickly returning to her hot cocoa.
"Thank you my friends." Tamma said as she once again shed a few more happy tears. "Help yourselves to as much breakfast as you want, then I will link up with my dad. We'll meet up in the art park at 6:00 tonight, and prepare our trap."
*****
Tamma and Jahno stood in front of the stage in the Aplonica Art Park, marveling at the shiny treasure chest that stood on it.
"The Pirate and his crew have everything set for our collector's arrival." Jahno said without trying to hide his dread. "I hope you made the right call with this, I fear for the worst if this fails."
"They won't fail father." Tamma answered boldly. "Mitch, Cerissa, Rick and Essie are the real deal, and they will succeed."
"We shall see, I certainly don't want you to be wrong." Jahno said, still sporting no confidence in his tone.
A hulking figure approached the pair, his one eye greedily eyeing the treasure chest before gazing at Tamma. He smiled maliciously and cackled before addressing Jahno.
"Thank you for your usual punctuality, honorable mayor." Cyclo's voice mockingly boomed. "Just so you know, if there is even a cent missing from our agreed amount, your daughter comes with me and becomes my bride instantly."
"Of course Mr. Cyclo, I assure you it's all there." Jahno stammered, while Tamma flashed a fake smile at the cyclops. "Go on ahead sir, count it out and see that we came through for you, just like we always do."
"If you say so Mr. Mayor." Cyclo sneered as he climbed onto the stage and approached the chest.
To be continued...
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 2/19/2024
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for last week's prompts from the app....
2/19/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- My birthday.
- Time with my family, especially this weekend.
- Continuing to explore aerobic/cardio workouts thanks to the Relentless 2800 I am doing with my men's group.
2/20/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
I am grateful for another trip around the sun, another day to take on, and the life I have been blessed with.
2/22/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
My wife made sure we all got to work/school, and brought our dog to her appointment (where we got good news about a follow up).
2/23/2024
Affirmation: "God has great plans for my life."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You God for helping me through this work week, for a fun birthday that stuck the landing, a couple of extra days off, and some family fun to look forward to.
Pool Party, The Night Before....
This chapter is part of "The Small Town Magic Arc." Links for prior chapters in this storyline can be found here: https://www.theprose.com/post/746871/the-small-town-magic-arc
True to Dianna's word, the pool was a few rooms away from the room the crew had checked into. The pool was spacious and inviting, and also included a nice sized jacuzzi for a neighbor. Rick and Essie had a net set up, and they were enjoying a spirited competition of water volleyball. Mitch and Cerissa relaxed on opposite sides of the jacuzzi and enjoyed a chat, while Tamma went back and forth between the pairs, feeding off of the crew's bliss.
"Smile!" Tamma beamed, first taking a picture of Rick and Essie playing their game, then getting a shot of Mitch and Cerissa in their state of pure relaxation. "I hope you guys don't mind, I want to remember this moment, regardless of how tomorrow goes."
"Don't worry Tamma, this won't be the last time we share a nice get together." Mitch said warmly (no pun intended, with his current hot tub destination and all). "We can come back tomorrow night when everything is resolved. Another soak in here will definitely hit the spot post battle."
"Yeah Tamma, we definitely want to hang out with you some more!" Essie beamed, Rick nodding and smiling as well.
"We will make memories now, and we will make more after we take care of Cyclo." Cerissa added kindly, also keeping the party all smiles by including one of her own. "The memories we make here will be a nice addition to the old memories that Essie and I will eventually recover."
"Thank you all, I can't wait!" Tamma squealed excitedly.
"Don't forget to include your childhood best friend in the memory building adventures, Tamma."
Dianna entered the pool area, her business attire replaced with a swimsuit. She carried a stack of pizzas from Paula's Pizza Parlor, along with a box of donuts from The Aplonica Coffee Bean & Brew. She grinned at the group as she set the food down on a table near the lounge chairs.
"Dianna! Yes, it wouldn't be a party without you too girl!" Tamma cried out excitedly. "It doesn't hurt that you brought the greatest pizza and donuts ever!"
"Paula and Raul dropped them off just now." Dianna said thankfully. "Raul apologized for forgetting to bring you the donuts you had ordered the last time you were at the cafe. We can enjoy all of this food, and I'll get us some drinks from the bar as well."
"You are an excellent host Dianna." Mitch said appreciatively. "So you and Tamma go way back?"
"Yup, while Tamma is a descendent of the town's founder, this hotel has been in my family for generations, me being the current owner and manager. We haven't been able to bring in as many guests lately, with Cyclo's reign of terror and all. But once you guys defeat him, I swear I will bring this place back to its former glory."
"We'll do our part to get you there Dianna, we promise." Mitch vowed. "Thanks to you, Tamma, and everyone's generosity and kindness, we will create some good memories together with this refreshing place, this amazing pizza, and these highly anticipated donuts. Tomorrow we will help you take back Aplonica, and the best will be yet to come for not only you two, but everyone that calls this town home. Thank you again for taking care of us. Tomorrow night, it will be our turn to take care of you."
To be continued....
Gratitude Journal For The Week of 2/12/2024
A Church I follow has an app (Crossroads Anywhere) where we journal together as a community, and one of the things we journal about are things we are thankful for. I wrote these for last week's prompts from the app....
2/12/2024
"What are you looking forward to this week?"
- Basketball and hockey to follow.
- Celebrating with my family and students on Valentine's Day.
- Taking Chuck Mingo's message to heart and keeping my "eyes up" on God when worldly things and anxious feelings distract.
2/13/2024
"What are you grateful for today?"
- Being just about ready for Valentine's Day at work and at home.
- My family that I will return home to tonight.
- The coffee that is currently brewing.
2/15/2024
"How did someone help you this week?"
- Aerobics instructors making workouts available easily online.
- My friend and daughter making a delicious chocolate pie to celebrate Valentine's Day with.
- Generosity with treats being given out at work.
2/16/2024
Affirmation: "I have been uniquely designed for a purpose."
"Is there anything you would like to thank God for this week?"
Thank You God for all Your support this week, especially with Valentine's Day in my classroom, beginning the Relentless 2800 with my men's group, and with life in general. Thank You for some downtime this weekend, and lots of exciting things to look forward to.