Author: Open Waters Studio

Lord, one day while praying, I felt prompted by Your Spirit to wear a Cross around my neck. I thought that way, when I do good things, people will know it is You not me. The Cross is also a sign to others that I’m Your Child – Saved and Loved.

I have a faux gold and blue enamel Cross that I could wear around my neck. But then I had the thought that I needed to wear a wooden Cross- not a metal one. I was sure I could order one online but procrastinated – unmotivated to do so.

Time went by. One Sunday, I felt this nudge to go to the 10:30 church service, instead of the noon service I usually attend. I glanced around at fellow worshipers before church started. A solitary figure at the back of the church caught my eye briefly, but I was brought back to attention when the music started. Near the end of the service, I looked back at the figure again. This time I noticed a beautiful little wooden Cross hanging around his neck. I caught up with him after church and introduced myself. I admired his Cross, and I told him I felt Led to wear a wooden Cross around my neck as well. I asked him where he got his. He told me he carves them from a cherry tree in his yard. I asked him if I could commission one from him. He said no, he would make me one as a gift…

At this point, I was dazzled by Your Hand in this, Lord!

The next week, this kind man had a box of Crosses he had carved in different styles. He said he didn’t know which I would prefer. Oh my Goodness – such Generosity – the Fruit of a Spirit-led life! I chose the simplest of the Crosses, bound with leather and laced through with a leather lanyard.

I’m awestruck, Lord, by this Powerful Sign that You Will Always Provide for me. And You Taught me to wait for You to Lead when I’m obeying Your Will. You Will Light the Way.

When I put the Cross around my neck, the man warned me that it might attract harsh comments from strangers. I said that was okay. On the contrary though, I’ve had more pleasant conversations initiated by strangers than ever before. I think they approach me because of Your Cross around my neck. They aren’t all Christians… Your Cross still signifies Love and Acceptance to many people. I think people see me as a safe person to talk to. This is good news in the face of the bad press that Your followers often get because of nefarious acts falsely claimed to have been done in Your Name.

This is absolutely the Cross You Meant for me to wear, Lord. It Marks me as Your Child, and it reminds me of the Love, Kindness, and Generosity shown to me in acquiring it!

I finger it often – especially when life gets hard. Then I remember that You Are and You Are With me! It reminds me that although we are bombarded with bad news, You are still Here and In Charge. Therefore, there is still Good in the world, and Hope in Your Saving Grace.

Thank You, Lord, for this Gift – the symbol of Your Sacrifice for our Salvation and Your unfailing Love for us!

Amen✝️❤️😊

Baptism isn’t a sign of our commitment to You, God. Baptism is The Sign of Your Commitment to us. It is the Mark of Your Profound Spiritual Covenant, which Reverberates beyond our reality.

And Baptism isn’t a condition of Salvation. Salvation comes through Grace. Your Saving Grace means we do nothing to save ourselves. Your Gift of Baptism is Freely Given – available for everyone – even people who don’t undertand its profound Spiritual implications because of cognitive impairment, age, or other reasons.

What happens Spiritually at our Baptism then? It’s not a meaningless ritual, or You wouldn’t have been Baptized, Lord. Baptism is the Sign of our Adoption into Your Family. We are “tattooed” with the Sign of Your Cross. We claim our Places as Your Children, Father, Adopted through the Blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Lord, You Instructed Your Disciples (and us) during Your Time here. You Demonstrated how we are to come to God. Your Baptism was a visual and audible Sign of what happens at our Baptism. God’s Holy Spirit Descended upon You as a Dove. And God Spoke Aloud, claiming You as His Son.

“As soon as Jesus was Baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment, Heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God Descending like a Dove and Alighting on Him. And a Voice from Heaven Said, ‘This is My Son, Whom I Love; With Him I Am Well Pleased.'” Matthew 3:16-17

Baptism is Your “Stamp of Approval” for us. We are Forgiven! We have been “Signed, Sealed and Delivered” : )

All Praise, Honor, and Glory to You, Oh God!Amen ✝️❤️😊

But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have Fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus, His Son, Purifies us from all sin.” 1John 1:7

Lord, You saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, so You Created Eve. When You Walked the Earth, You usually had a crowd around You. You had Intimate Friendship with Your disciples and supporters. One of Your Sacraments is called “Communion”. Your Church is a Community. Together we are Your Temple – The Body of Christ on Earth. Isolation is not Your Will.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Everyone longs to be Truly Seen and Heard. That is Agape Love. How can people know Love if no one really sees them or listens to them? We feel so alone – even in a crowd or with family and friends – when we’re not really seen or heard. We need others to acknowledge our humanity.

To truly see and hear each other, we need to abandon ourselves, so as not to filter our perception of others through our own egos. Of course, we can’t do this by ourselves (I feel like a broken record 😏) We need to plumb the depths of our souls to reach the Infinite inside of us in order to draw on God’s Power to let go of ourselves. It takes constant contact with God through continuous prayer. Only then are we led toward a Christ-like, selfless existence. It’s where we ourselves find Peace and Joy.

This sounds insurmountable! But we just need to show up. God does the rest. Nothing is impossible for God! Not even us : )

Sometimes I spend hours with a friend, and after we part, I realize I don’t even know what that person was wearing!

I want to see and hear others with my heart, Lord. Show me how. What I need to do. Help me to be mindful of others, not absorbed in myself. And help me always to be mindful of Your Presence in everyone and every interaction.

“For where two or three gather in My Name, there Am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

“Will you let me be your servant, Let me be as Christ to you; Pray that I may have the grace to Let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey, We are trav’lers on the road; We are here to help each other Walk the mile and bear the load.”

From “The Servant Song” Richard Gillard

Amen ✝️❤️😊

“Surely Your Goodness and Love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:6

Lord, You Are the Life-Giver. The Living God! You are the Alpha and the Omega, and we have our beginnings in You. We are animated by Your Breath of Life, as are all living things, and we are Made in Your Image which is Love.

Love is synonymous with Life.

If this were my last week on Earth, how would I spend it? …Seeing family and friends and doing the things I like to do one last time? I’m privileged to have choices. Some people will spend their last mortal week in refugee camps. Some people will starve to death during their last week on earth. If I were where war, poverty, or oppression limited my choices, what would I choose to do?

I suppose some might choose to speed up the end. But even people in the most dire circumstances cling to life. Skeletal Union soldiers imprisoned in Andersonville lived on despite their intense suffering. Emaciated concentration camp prisoners, who had lost their entire families, struggled to remain alive against all odds – not knowing what other horrors lay ahead. Some Holocaust survivors are still alive in their 90s, carrying their burdens of sorrow daily. They have chosen Life despite all of their losses.

“Something in me did not want to give up on life, was unwilling to let go, wanted to fight to the very end. Where that part of me got the heart, I don’t know.” Pi (Life of Pi)

We have an overwhelming Will to Live, Lord. There is something about the Essence of Life that we cherish deeply – regardless of how much pain and suffering we are going through. Why?

That all Life is Precious is a Spiritual Truth that everyone understands – though many turn away from this Truth to their own devices. The Will to Live is an incessant impulse based on our Deep Knowledge of Your Law, which is Love, written on our hearts. We know in our innermost beings that all Life is from You, Lord, and therefore Dear… And that we Belong to You.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set Eternity in the human heart… ” Ecclesiastes 3:11a

We feel rich beyond belief in a field of wildflowers or hiking through a sun-splashed woods.And we are Immortal!

Thank You for Your Twice-Given Gift of Life, Lord!

All Glory, Praise, and Honor to You, God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!Amen ✝️❤️😊

“For the Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Your physical entrance into our world, God, changed everything.

We even started counting the years over again at Your Birth.

According to Gallup, 93% of all Americans celebrate Christmas. Christians are joined by many Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, people of the Islamic faith, and areligious people in observing Christmas. We put up Christmas trees, give and receive gifts, sing, and gather for feasts in December.

“The True Light that Gives Light to everyone was Coming into the world.” John 1:9

In the northern hemisphere, December is the time of long nights, but the world lights up at Christmas. Because we can’t see our way in the dark, we echo Your Light Coming into the world. People line their porches with lights, wrap lights around trees in their yards. Christmas trees sparkle with lights, and many place candles in their windows as welcoming signs.

Some people complain that Christmas has been commercialized. And indeed, self-indulgence is magnified at Christmas by great shopping deals and extravagant parties. Still, the Spirit of Christmas is intact. Almost everyone is moved by the Peace of “Silent Night, Holy Night”.

Christmas is a time of deep emotions. We associate Christmas with Love, Remembering, Gathering in Community with family and friends, Giving, and even Forgiving. The Spirit of Generosity is abundant at Christmas time. No matter their faith, many people are well aware of the Truth that…

“It is more Blessed to Give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

When You Ascended into Heaven, Lord, Your Holy Spirit was made available to everyone in the world. Maybe at Christmastime, more people are in tune with Your Holy Spirit and are allowing Your Grace and Truth to Reign in their hearts ❤️

Merry Christmas 🎄🎄🎄