In our vulnerable moments, know that God is Emmanuel. He is with us, declaring \u201cMy grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.\u201d<\/p>\n
I am grateful to Patrick Johnson for allowing me to share his wonderful reflection, \u201cA Sunrise Liturgy for the Hard Mornings.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is the Founder of GenerousChurch Global, an organization that catalyzes and strengthens generosity through global church and ministry networks to accelerate disciple-making.<\/p>\n
Patrick is one of the leaders I deeply admire. Recently, he wrote about people-centered leadership, saying in part: \u201cI want something different for our team \u2014 the kind of organization where Troy shows up as Troy, Jessica shows up as Jessica, and Gabby shows up as Gabby \u2014 not merely as functions, but as people.\u201d He went on to describe a vision of building \u201cthe most loving ministry in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
He invites people to think differently. I pray that we will all have a meaningful and enriching time reflecting on the following message:<\/p>\n
You do not have to arrive before you can begin
\nYou only have to start walking.
\nSo you step outside.
\nYou feel the air on your face.
\nYou hear the birds before you see them.
\nYou are already being met.<\/p>\n
Some mornings the orphan is louder than the son.
\nSome mornings the older brother in you stands in the field,
\ncounting the years, listing the service,
\nwondering why the music is for someone else.
\nYou do not have to hide this from God.
\nYou do not have to fix it before you pray.
\nThe Father comes out into the field.
\nHe has always come out into the field.<\/p>\n
Our Father in heaven, The Lord is your shepherd. You are a beloved son or daughter. I am enough. You do not have to build your brand today. Breathe in. Patrick Johnson emphasizes that people do not need to fix themselves before coming to God, because they are already seen, known, and met with compassion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":258171,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19606],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-258170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-future-ready"],"zyndk8_nxtgen_metadata":{"nxtgen_comments":[{"1956":"galing ng author \ud83d\udc99","1957":"sana ma feel ng lahat \ud83d\udcaf","1958":"ok lang pero sana may guide \ud83e\udd14","1959":"more support please \ud83d\ude4f","1960":"prayer \ud83d\udc99"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=258170"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":258176,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258170\/revisions\/258176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/258171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=258170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=258170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatic-fuchsia-armadillo.46-250-226-234.cpanel.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=258170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nhallowed be your name.
\nYour kingdom come,
\nyour will be done,
\non earth as it is in heaven.
\nGive us this day our daily bread,
\nand forgive us our debts,
\nas we forgive our debtors.
\nAnd lead us not into temptation,
\nbut deliver us from evil.<\/em>
\nSay it slowly. Say it again.
\nLet the word Father stay in your mouth a little longer than the rest.<\/p>\nWalk With The Shepherd<\/h2>\n
\nYou are not shepherding yourself this morning.
\nYou are being led.
\nHe makes you lie down in green pastures.
\nHe leads you beside still waters.
\nHe restores your soul.
\nEven when you walk through the valley \u2014
\nand some weeks you are walking through the valley \u2014
\nyou will fear no evil,
\nfor He is with you.
\nGoodness and mercy will follow you
\nall the days of your life.
\nNot just the good days.
\nThe bad days, too.
\nThis day.<\/p>\nRemember Who You Are<\/h2>\n
\nNot because you have earned it.
\nNot because the work is going well.
\nNot because you have finally arrived.
\nBecause the Father says so.
\nYou are a disciple of Jesus.
\nStill learning. Still following.
\nYou do not have to know the whole road to take the next step.
\nYou carry a calling.
\nBut the calling is not the center.
\nThe belovedness is the center.
\nThe calling flows from it.<\/p>\nThe Creed<\/h2>\n
\nI have done enough.
\nI will have enough.<\/strong>
\nNot self-sufficiency.
\nChrist-sufficiency.
\nAutarkeia.
\nI have learned<\/em>, Paul said.
\nPast tense. Ongoing force.
\nHe did not arrive. He is still arriving.
\nSo are you.<\/p>\nRelease The Day<\/h2>\n
\nYou do not have to prove anything.
\nYou do not have to be the biggest.
\nYou have to love, and be loved.
\nThe work will keep.
\nThe people you serve are held by the same Father who holds you.
\nYou are not their shepherd.
\nYou are a sheep who gets to walk alongside them.<\/p>\nClose<\/h2>\n
\nBreathe out.
\nHear the birds.
\nFeel the ground under your feet.
\nNotice the light.
\nYou are not there yet.
\nYou are on the way.
\nThe One who began a good work in you
\nwill be faithful to complete it.<\/p>\nAmen.<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"