God loved you before you were born, and God will love you after you die.
In Scripture, God says, "I have loved you with and everlasting love."
This is the fundamental truth of your identity.
This is who you are whether you feel it or not.
You belong to God from eternity to eternity.
Life is just a little opportunity for you during a few years to say, "I love you too. ~Henri Nouwen
God created us to be in relationship with Him and with others. He is inviting us this Lent to purify our hearts and minds and to turn our attention back to Him, to grow in our love for Him. There is no room for fear, hopelessness or uncertainty. He is walking this journey with us and gives us His Son to show us how to love and live simply.
Christ lived the virtue of simplicity everyday and carried out His mission with loving obedience to His Father. Our Lenten promises should reflect the same simple, yet demanding obedience and love.
Remember this definition of simplicity: a spiritual discipline that trains the soul to fulfill its God-given mission. This is the simplicity we are striving for.Ask yourself what you can do for God this weekend. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you in this effort and you will know exactly what God is calling you to do. Make a firm decision to follow through and carry it out without anyone else knowing. It is between you and God. You are his hands and feet.
SPIRITUAL
Receive the gift of the love of God this weekend through the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. If only you could truly grasp the depth of His love for you. He is what you are searching for and the only true love that will satisfy the longings of your heart. It's time to own your belovedness. Click the link to listen to a beautiful song by Sarah Kroger - Belovedness
SELF
A few quotes from St. John Paul II to remind you of how much you are loved. "The human being is single, unique, and unrepeatable, someone thought of and chosen from eternity and someone called and identified by name." "It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life.
Return to who God made you to be. Review your temperament in the book linked below. This is the very first book that I read on the 4 temperaments. I've been hooked ever since!
SERVICE
You are an ambassador for Christ in this world. Take your mission from the challenge above and do it with love. It does not have to be anything huge. Often times, the greatest impact is made through small efforts of love. "Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the lord Christ." Colossians 3:23
In case you still need this:
"Like him (Matthew), I too want to leave behind my old life, and follow no one but you, O Lord, who cure my wounds. Who will ever separate me from the love of God which I find in you?" ~St. Ambrose
Today's Recipe
Avocado Chocolate Pudding
This is a favorite of mine when I have extra avocados and a sweet tooth!
1 avocado - peeled pitted, and cut into chunks
1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup coconut milk
1⁄4 cup raw cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
Place avocado, banana, coconut milk, cocoa powder, honey, lemon juice, and coconut into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Divide into small containers, and store in the refrigerator 1 hour until set.
Grayscale Phone Challenge Update:
I am not amused one bit by my black and white phone. I really don't like looking at it. However, there are some things that I do on my phone for business that have been difficult without color. For those who don't know me, I make rosaries and jewelry and take pictures of them with my phone. I usually edit a bit to remove shadows and improve the color to make it more true. That is really hard to do in grayscale. So, I went back to color for a few minutes to take some pictures of rosaries that needed to be sent out. My eyes were shocked at the vibrancy of the colors and honestly, it was almost too much! The busyness of all the apps made my brain hurt. Dare I say it was a relief to go back to grayscale?!? Enjoy your weekend! I'll be back in your inbox on Monday with Day 5 of SIMPLE40. If you are enjoying SIMPLE40, please share with a friend!
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