Dear Family in Christ,
This is the most wonderful time of year! Hoodies, pumpkins, pumpkin spice, boots, scarves, hayrides, football games, 5k races, campfires, the changing tree colors, no sweat (unless you’re running a 5k)! This list could go on and on. There are so many wonderful things about this season that are life-giving to the soul. If you are a lover of summer, winter, or spring, you would probably say the same thing. What all of this really means is, if you are looking for it, in every season of the year and every season of life, you can find something that gives life to you and to others around you. This makes sense because God has created the world and us to be givers and receivers of life. It is simple, but we are the ones who make it hard. The formula is as follows:
Breathe in God, find life.
Breathe out God, give life.
Say it again, breathe in (pause… deep breath) God (from the air, the book you are reading, the phone call you are having, the challenges you are facing) FIND LIFE (this happens when you are able to find and recognize God at work in all situations and in all places). Now that you have God in your lungs, from your fingers to your toes, in your heart and your head, breathe out (pause… exhale) God (through a new perspective, in kindness, in love) to all around you, and see the ways in which you become a life giver.
We have the blessed assurance that God is generous with His love and that His love gives life. We have seen this in His generous offering of Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord. And Jesus even said in John 10:10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Let this be your mantra in all you do. This will be our church’s mantra in all we do.
Our worship, our witness, our outreach, our nurture, our administrative boards, our education, our building, our community will be givers of life. This might mean some things will have to be adjusted so we can fully live into being life-givers and life-receivers. Finding life and giving life is the greatest gift we have in this world. There might be a day when we are no longer here (a thousand years from now ;) and the question stands, “what will be remembered of us?” The answer is: we were the place where people found life. This is worth fighting for, this is worth paying for, this is worth living for.
Breathe in God, find life. Breathe out God, give life.
From one light to another,
Pastor Hannah Loughman
Photo by Shawn Rossi