Category: Spirituality

Dear Holy and Loving Presence, we lift our hearts in gratitude for every place where Your name is praised, Your Spirit is sought, and Your people gather. Bless all houses of worship this week—chapels and cathedrals, meetinghouses and monasteries, sanctuaries and sacred spaces—where souls come to be renewed and communities are formed in love.

We pray especially for the Champaign-Urbana Society of Friends. May the hymns sung at 10:00 a.m. rise like incense, and may the silence of worship at 10:30 be filled with Your gentle whisper. Let spoken ministry be led by Your Spirit, and may each child in First Day School be nurtured in wonder and care. As Friends gather to explore the Testimony of Stewardship, may their reflections deepen our collective reverence for the Earth and all creation.

We also lift up St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, and all who enter its doors seeking beauty, tradition, and truth. May the liturgy be a balm to weary hearts, and may the fellowship shared there reflect the joy of Your kingdom.

Guide us all to approach this week with unity and purpose. Let our prayers be sincere, our actions compassionate, and our gatherings infused with grace. May we listen deeply, speak kindly, and walk humbly with You.

In stillness and in song, In ritual and in reflection, Be with us, O God.

Amen

I visited St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church in Anchorage, Alaska, on September 21, 2025. The service was moving, filled with tradition, and a moment of reflection. The link will direct you to full posting. May God bless and keep. 💕✌️🙏

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1784nTTp3U/

I wanted to share Thursday’s breathtaking wilderness wildlife glacier tour I took on September 18, 2025. Alaska’s vastness humbles and heals. Click the link for the photos. May God bless you and keep. 💕✌️🙏 https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#label/Save/FMfcgzQcpnQhClNVSktQBLDtwTWCbGbc

Dear Eternal Spirit, we give thanks for the sacred spaces where hearts gather, voices rise, and silence speaks. Bless every place of worship this week—chapels, temples, mosques, synagogues, meetinghouses, and homes—where Your presence is sought and Your love is shared.

We lift up the Champaign-Urbana Society of Friends, and all who will join in song, silence, and Spirit-led ministry. May the hymns sung in the commons echo with joy and welcome. May the Meeting for Worship be a wellspring of peace, where spoken words and quiet hearts are held in Your light.

Bless the little ones in First Day School with wonder and care. Bless the potluck table with nourishment and fellowship, and may the emergency fund overflow with compassion for those in need.

Guide us all to approach this week with unity, purpose, and humility. May our gatherings be inclusive, our prayers sincere, and our actions rooted in love. Let every announcement be a call to service, every introduction a reminder of belonging, and every moment a chance to reflect Your grace.

In stillness and in song, In laughter and in longing, Be with us, Holy One. Amen 💕✌️🙏

My Alaskan vacation/retreat from September 23 to October 1, 2025, was a complete success and blessing. I thank God for this. Here’s the link to my photo dump. Feel free to ask questions or make comments. 💕✌️🙏

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0dfU138NBTJzOgfJWcAgkNTJg

Dear Spirit of Unity and Renewal, We lift up all places of worship— from quiet meetinghouses to vibrant sanctuaries, from the Champaign-Urbana Society of Friends to every community gathered in Your name.

Bless the hymns that rose at 10:00 am., simple and joyful, echoing through the commons. May each note prepared the heart for the silence that followed— a silence rich with listening, where Your Spirit stirred and spoke.

We trust You where present at the Meeting for Worship at 10:30, among those who where gathered in person and online. May the spoken ministry flowed gently, born of truth and led by love. Bless all the little ones that were First Day School, and we hope they felt Your wonder in every story and smile.

May our steps as we walked the land— from Sola Gratia Farm’s new property to the original acreage at St. Matthew Lutheran Church be blessed. Each tree, each patch of soil, reminded us of our sacred call to stewardship. May our sack lunches shared was with laughter, and fellowship bloomed like wildflowers.

We give thanks for Faith in Place and the vision of the Lumpkin Family Foundation. Bless the 27 native trees and shrubs planted with care, and the stories that were shared at 2:00. Let this celebration be a testament to what faith can grow when rooted in love.

As we enter this week, may we be led by purpose, nourished by community, and blessed by Your abiding presence. Amen 💕✌️🙏

Robert Michaud’s post—drawing from Thomas F. Torrance’s profound theological insight—offers a rich and deeply Christ-centered perspective on the nature of being “born again.” It challenges the common view of conversion as a personal milestone and reframes it as a participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Lesson: Born Again in Christ—A Shared Humanity Redeemed

Key Scripture Passages

• Colossians 3:3–4
• Romans 6:4–5
• John 3:3

Reflection

The Highlander’s question—“When were you born again?”—is often answered with a date, a moment of personal decision. But Torrance’s response reframes the question entirely: our rebirth is not merely personal—it is cosmic, communal, and Christ-centered.

To say “I was born again when Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and rose from the tomb” is to affirm that our transformation is rooted in His incarnation and resurrection, not in our own striving or emotional experience. It’s a theology of union: we are not just followers of Christ—we are participants in His life.

Colossians 3 reminds us that our true identity is hidden with Christ. That means our conversion is not a self-improvement project—it’s a revelation of what God has already accomplished in Jesus. Romans 6 echoes this: we were buried with Him, raised with Him, and now live in Him.

This doesn’t negate personal repentance or spiritual awakening—it grounds them. It means that when we turn toward Christ, we are stepping into a reality that already exists. We are not creating new life—we are receiving it.

Application

•  Rest in Christ’s Finished Work: Your new birth is not something you manufacture—it’s something you inherit through union with Jesus.
•  Reframe Repentance: Let repentance be less about guilt and more about reorientation—turning from self toward Christ.
•  See Others Through Redemption: If Christ has redeemed humanity, then every person carries the potential of resurrection life. Treat them accordingly.
•  Live from Identity, Not for It: You are already hidden with Christ in God. Let your life reflect that truth with confidence and humility.

Prayer

Dear Christ of New Creation, thank You for taking my broken humanity and making it whole. Thank You that my rebirth is not a moment I earned, but a mystery I live into—rooted in Your incarnation, sealed in Your resurrection, and hidden in Your glory. Teach me to live from this truth, to turn toward You daily, and to see myself and others through the lens of redemption. In Your name, Amen 💕✌️🙏

More information reguarding Robert’s Facebook post can be found following this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E8E8vLYF4/

Dear Eternal Spirit of Light and Love, we lift up all places of worship this week—chapels, temples, mosques, synagogues, meetinghouses, and quiet corners where hearts gather in reverence. May each space be filled with peace, purpose, and the gentle movement of Your presence.

We hold especially in the Light the Champaign-Urbana Society of Friends, as they prepare to gather in song, silence, and shared discernment. Bless the hymn singing at 10:00 AM with joy and unity, as voices rise in harmony and hearts open to grace.

At 10:30 AM, as Friends settle into the sacred silence, may Your Spirit guide each soul—those in the meeting room and those joining from afar. Let the stillness speak, and may each person feel held, heard, and led.

Bless the time of introductions and announcements at 11:30 AM. May it be a space of welcome, clarity, and connection. Watch over the children in preschool care, that they may be safe, nurtured, and joyful.

As refreshments are shared and fellowship deepens, may laughter and kindness flow freely. And as the monthly meeting for worship for business begins around noon, grant wisdom, humility, and unity to all who participate. May decisions be made with integrity, compassion, and a shared sense of purpose.

We pray for all who enter these spaces—longtime members, first-time visitors, seekers and servants alike. May they find belonging, inspiration, and the courage to live out their faith in the world.

Guide us through this week with open hearts and steady hands. May our worship be sincere, our fellowship rich, and our service rooted in love.

In the Light that knows no bounds, Amen.

In the Light that knows no bounds, Amen 💕✌️🙏