“Can you tell me how you feel?”

“No. I’ve tried to put word to it, you know, but I can’t. I’m just really tired. Mentally drained.

I feel like I am jumping through hoops or something. I don’t feel like God is teaching through me. I feel like a fake person, you know. I say what I need to say, do what I

need to do, but I don’t really mean it.”

“What does the real you want to say and do?” he asked me.

“I don’t know….”

“Can you tell me how you feel?”

“No. I’ve tried to put word to it, you know, but I can’t. I’m just really tired. Mentally drained.

I feel like I am jumping through hoops or something. I don’t feel like God is teaching through me. I feel like a fake person, you know. I say what I need to say, do what I

need to do, but I don’t really mean it.”

“What does the real you want to say and do?” he asked me.

“I don’t know….”

“Are you having a crisis of faith?” he looked concerned.

“Maybe. What is a crisis of faith?” I asked him.

“Do you believe in God?”

“Yes.”

“You aren’t having any doubts at all?” he asked.

“Are you having a crisis of faith?” he looked concerned.

“Maybe. What is a crisis of faith?” I asked him.

“Do you believe in God?”

“Yes.”

“You aren’t having any doubts at all?” he asked.

“No. I don’t have any doubts about God or anything; it’s just me. I feel like I am constantly saying things I don’t mean. I tell people they should share their faith, but I don’t fell like

sharing my faith. I tell people they should be in the Word, but I am only in the Word because I

have to teach the Word. I said to a guy the other day, ‘God bless you.’ What does that

mean? Then I started thinking about all the crap I say. All the clichés, all the parroted slogans. I

have become an infomercial for God, and I don’t even use the product. I don’t want to be

who I am anymore.” Don Miller

Blue Like Jazz

“No. I don’t have any doubts about God or anything; it’s just me. I feel like I am constantly saying things I don’t mean. I tell people they should share their faith, but I don’t fell like

sharing my faith. I tell people they should be in the Word, but I am only in the Word because I

have to teach the Word. I said to a guy the other day, ‘God bless you.’ What does that

mean? Then I started thinking about all the crap I say. All the clichés, all the parroted slogans. I

have become an infomercial for God, and I don’t even use the product. I don’t want to be

who I am anymore.” Don Miller

Blue Like Jazz

Matthew 19:16-22

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get

eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the

commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false

testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Matthew 19:16-22

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get

eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the

commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false

testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:16-22

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

“An Geadh-Glas”“An Geadh-Glas”

Celtic word for the Holy Spirit:

Celtic word for the Holy Spirit:

Wild GooseWild Goose

In his Letters to Malcolm, C. S. Lewis said, “If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my

life, where would I be now?” Lewis went so far as to say that someday we’ll be more grateful for our

prayers that didn’t get answered than the ones that did. The reason for this simple: Many of our

prayers are misguided. We pray for comfort instead of character. We pray for an easy way out

instead of the strength to make it through. We pray for no pain, when the result would be no

gain….But if God answered our prayer, it would rob us of our greatest opportunities.

In his Letters to Malcolm, C. S. Lewis said, “If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my

life, where would I be now?” Lewis went so far as to say that someday we’ll be more grateful for our

prayers that didn’t get answered than the ones that did. The reason for this simple: Many of our

prayers are misguided. We pray for comfort instead of character. We pray for an easy way out

instead of the strength to make it through. We pray for no pain, when the result would be no

gain….But if God answered our prayer, it would rob us of our greatest opportunities.

Many of our prayers would short-circuit God’s plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking

Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.

Mark BattersonIn a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

Many of our prayers would short-circuit God’s plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking

Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.

Mark BattersonIn a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

Many of our prayers would short-circuit God’s plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking

Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.

Mark BattersonIn a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

Many of our prayers would short-circuit God’s plans and purposes for our lives if He answered them. Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult circumstances and start asking

Him what He wants us to get out of those difficult circumstances.

Mark BattersonIn a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

Nehemiah 2:1-5In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look

so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart."

Nehemiah 2:1-5In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look

so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart."

Nehemiah 2:1-5I was very much afraid, but I said to the king,

"May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my

fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

The king said to me, "What is it you want?"

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let

him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Nehemiah 2:1-5I was very much afraid, but I said to the king,

"May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my

fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

The king said to me, "What is it you want?"

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let

him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Nehemiah 2:1-5I was very much afraid, but I said to the king,

"May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my

fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

The king said to me, "What is it you want?"

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let

him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Nehemiah 2:1-5I was very much afraid, but I said to the king,

"May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my

fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

The king said to me, "What is it you want?"

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let

him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Philippians 2:12-18

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to

work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act

according to his good purpose.

Philippians 2:12-18

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to

work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act

according to his good purpose.

Philippians 2:12-18Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like

stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the

sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too

should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:12-18Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like

stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the

sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too

should be glad and rejoice with me.