Know Your Life Values ~ ~ Your Truth

Going Deeper ~ ~ Know Your Life Values ~ ~ Your Truth

Gentle people: Today is a good day to focus on what you value most in life.
What are the ideals, morals, and principles . . . the TRUTHS by which you
choose to live?

If you make a list, it might include things like:

freedom   family   education   world peace   civil rights

love   compassion   faith   spirituality   beauty   wealth

truth   prayer   diversity   women’s rights   simplicity   God

fame   wisdom   fun   openness   human rights   reading

solitude   the Arts   health   learning   connections with others

time for oneself   personal development   study   animal rights

worship   creativity   care for the environment

Go ahead and make a random list of things that come to mind.
Everything is acceptable here.

After you’ve made a list, draw a circle around 5 of these that you think
are most significant to your life. Then, on another sheet of paper draw
a large circle. Thinking of this circle as a clock. Add in the approximate time each day, or week, that you devote to these 5 life values. In the remaining space note where you actually spend your time.

I find it’s important to reflect upon our life values every year because
they really do change. I used to spend most of my time on my health –
trying to find ways to recover from diazinon poisoning. Then I realized I was missing out on LIFE. There was so much I could still do even with
limited health, and that was even more healing!

It’s also easy to get distracted from what we really value in life and get stuck on a path that leads us away from who we truly are.

Are you living the things you value most in life?

May you be guided to know the truth about yourself.

With grace and peace to you,
Anna Lin

What Is True For Me?

Going Deeper ~ ~ Reflections ~ ~ What is True for Me?

As I mentioned earlier, since December I have been reflecting on my word for 2017, which happens to be TRUTH!

Please note: It is not my intention to be political here. I actually wrote this before the recent events of the day; but now the whole world is actually focusing on the word Truth.

In my personal reflective time I began asking: What is true for me?
Our character tells the truth about who we really are, ideally revealing
honesty, integrity, authenticity, faithfulness . . . being honorable, sincere,
pure.

We live in a time of deception when it is difficult to know truth from falsehood. . . where some think that if something is said over and over again people will believe it’s true. We even do this to ourselves. . .
pretending we are what we are not . . . covering over our lives with lies and deceit about our character . . . our deeds . . . our life’s purpose.

Like the apostle Paul, I catch myself doing this again and again.

“ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. . . For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7: 15 & 20)

Or, we may be too hard on ourselves . . . only focusing on our mistakes, our weaknesses, our failures.

Dear friends, Let us be honest about our lives. What is true for me?

Each year I find it helpful to take an honest assessment of my life.
I make a list of all of my strengths and all of my weaknesses.
Then I give thanks and celebrate my strengths and look for ways I can build on these strengths.
But I am also aware of my short-comings and realize that it is my weaknesses that keep me seeking daily communion with a loving God through Jesus Christ. I ask for God’s help to turn these into strengths.

Dear friends, God will use us just as we are!
Of that we can be sure.
God’s grace is true!

~ Anna Lin

WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2017?

WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2017?

Many of us have the delightful practice to be guided by
a particular word each year. My year actually begins
with Advent . . . when I sit in silent retreat time and listen
for a word to be given.

My word (s) for 2017 is SPIRIT and TRUTH.

My intention is to be guided by the Spirit each moment of my life
in the Truth of Christ . . . which is all love and joy and peace.

Each week perhaps I’ll share a bit from the in-sights I am given through this spiritual practice, and I’d love for you to also share what the Spirit is revealing to you as well . . . that we might encourage one another and build up the body of Christ.

What is your word for 2017?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105

 

Spirit Light

Gracious God ~ ~ Holy One,

Lead us into the freedom of the Spirit through Jesus Christ . . .
Shining the Light out of darkness.

By your loving kindness free us from our choices
to go astray.

Give to us all that is needed to serve you faithfully.

Inflame our hearts with the fire of your love.

Fill us with the Light and Life of your Spirit
to be witnesses to your kingdom here on earth.

Help us to be loving in all we do and say.

Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen

~ Prayers of Anna Lin

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