It is a confusing world now. With countries shut down and citizens relegated to our houses, our “normal” world has been turned upside down. In hearing the news, it appears our democracy is in danger when every person, regardless of race is regarded with dignity and honor.
Our scientists caution us about the virus, “It isn’t over yet.”
I’ve always been an optimist thinking that every tough situation will get better, or that some problems will just disappear. But, reflecting back on my life so far, that hasn’t always been the case. I had two marriages that didn’t get better no matter how hard we tried, and both ended in divorce. I’ve had jobs that became oppressive and I changed jobs. When each of my parents were sick, I knew that they weren’t going to get better, but we made the most of the time we had left.
It seems like my “reality” of optimism isn’t all “real” after all.
When I was a young adult, I thought that believing in God was going to make life easier: that my “prosperity” would be directly tied with my “piety” and I’d be protected from sorrow and pain.
I now know that isn’t the way it works. Jesus never promised us that things would be easy if we followed Him, but He did promise He would always be with us. Jesus is someone who experiences it all with us: the joys and the sadness that life inevitably brings.
My understanding has now changed as I truly believe that God loves me, just the way I am. It makes all the difference in this confusing world. I don’t need to earn His love, and I won’t be banished to Hell for every transgression. It was a long journey of spirituality for me, but I got to that realization just over 10 years ago with the help of good friends, great preaching, and trips to South Africa.
Now I am called to spread the Good News. If there is one thing that I would like everyone I meet to know without any doubt: YOU ARE LOVED.
But how do we know? Reinforcements for me come with reading Scripture, hearing the Word preached and taught, and good friends who remind me of God’s goodness.
I’ve found particular comfort in the Gospel and Letters of John and I’ve composed a book formatted to be prayed with Anglican Prayer Beads.
Would you like to join me? I welcome your feedback on using prayer beads to enhance your prayer life, and whether praying the Gospel of John reinforces that YOU ARE LOVED.
Join me this Tuesday evening, June 16 at 8PM (CDT) for a 30 minute Zoom call. We’ll talk about the history of Anglican Prayer Beads and use Chapter 1 of John’s Gospel to illustrate. I’ve attached the PREFACE and a diagram of ANGLICAN PRAYER BEADS that we will use during our Zoom call.
Zoom invitation below. Please invite others to join!!
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Agatha Nolen is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Agatha Nolen's- You Are Loved- Praying with Anglican Prayer Beads and John
Time: Jun 16, 2020 08:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71592584786?pwd=NG9hU2xhVTNBTytPSFMxSENnK1JkZz09
Meeting ID: 715 9258 4786
Password: YouAreLove
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha