SoulFull Week Thirty-Six

 

Finlay and a "nerve plant"

I hope you are having a blessed Friday, Friends.  Because we are blessed, aren't we!  Christ won when he gave up his life on the cross for us, and when he defeated death.  Everything going on right now is just the denouement.  We are waiting for his return, and it will happen regardless of the enemy's little temper tantrums.

It has been a sad week for our country because one of our young Christian brothers was assassinated.  

Charlie Kirk was assassinated because of his faith.  He was assassinated because he was effective at witnessing to others, especially Gen Z on college campuses.  He was assassinated because he was an effective and respectful debater.  He was assassinated because he became the big brother to millions of young men whose voices and rights were restricted due to the Marxist takeover in our colleges and universities.  Not only was he a forceful voice for them, he encouraged them to be bold in their beliefs and faith.  He was assassinated because he was an encourager.  He was assassinated because the Marxists cannot win a policy or value debate against anyone who understands natural rights, the Constitution of the United States, and our founding's Christian values.

I have been thinking about William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" a lot lately.  If you have a chance, I would encourage you to look it up and read it soon.  

The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

~William Butler Yeats

"Things Fall Apart"

I think this quote is so true, however Charlie Kirk was the exception.  He was the best, and he had conviction AND courage.  Courage is the virtue that supports all other virtues, and Charlie had enough courage for a large army.  Now it's time for many, many others to stand in the breach.  We must be committed to saving our Constitutional Republic and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The only way [they] could defeat Charlie Kirk was to assassinate him.  Or so they thought....

Because now Charlie is in a position of influence that Marxists cannot possibly understand because they lack understanding of what it means to have eternal life.  Like the quote from our lesson on page 178:

Resurrection is our thankful reality.

I am certain that the Marxists are plotting even more assassinations as they want to silence more effective communicators.  My prayer is that the enemy's plans will be thwarted, and that God will use Charlie's assassination for good.  I have faith that he will.

Because of Charlie's assassination, I have been spending time thinking about how I want to live the rest of my life with the time I have remaining.  I have a few ideas, and I will share them soon.

Now on to our lesson...

I thought of y'all quite a bit this week because y'all are all much better gardeners than I am.  I thought it was inspiring, and I'm so happy to have read it this week because nature is so healing.  I especially loved Farrell's description of her "inner garden," on how its cultivation depends on discipline.  It seems like the most important things in life depend on it.  I also found this lesson encouraging, right when we needed it most.  God wants to work a new thing in our lives, and he is "waiting at the garden gate for us."  I want to let him in and lead me so I can better serve him and humanity.

Here are the Bible verses from this week.

Sorry I had Isaiah 43:18-19 on separate graphics ;P

Were you able to plant anything this week?  I actually repotted the nerve plant at the top of the post because it had outgrown its 4" pot.  I decided to plant a basil plant in the empty 4" pot because we go through a lot of it.  I'm hoping I can keep it healthy!  Here it is:

Also I was able to make the pesto from last week's lesson.  It was delicious, and a huge hit with the family.  I highly recommend it if you haven't tried it yet.  Because there are only three of us, I froze half of it.  A little goes a long way with pesto!

I still haven't made the granola, but maybe soon.  I purchase the best granola at a local bakery, so I don't know if Farrell's recipe can beat it.  

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for our blog friend Emily (McGriff) and her husband Jim because they both have COVID.  Emily's blog is The French Hutch.
• Please pray for our blog friend Jenna Meon.  She is currently in rehabilitation for her walking.  She is still struggling with her standing.
• Please keep Rita's neighbor Chris in prayer as she battles her cancer.  She is recovering from a 2nd surgery to remove what is believed to be another cancer on her lung.
• Kitty's son Mike and his friend are working on a game for a company and need to have it done in three months and have a verbal agreement for another game. Prayers that they can get this done.  Also, pray that they will get good news on a proposal (a separate project).
• Keep Rita's daughter Megan in your prayers as she delves into her 3rd and final year of Nurse Practitioner program. Her anxiety is pretty high with the new schedule of work, school and home life balance.
• Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.  She is struggling, y'all.
• Kris has a praise and a request:  Her little grandson and daughter and SIL are loving their new home in Michigan. Her daughter landed a great job running a huge 9 practitioner clinic in Michigan. Hoping the learning center that her grandson went to will open the new one very soon near their new home in Michigan so he can go to the same daycare and structure.
• Carla's prayer request is for all the young people entering the military, the love they feel for the USA to become warriors to fight to keep us free. She is so thankful, as we all are!
• Pray for the victims and families of the Minneapolis Annunciation Catholic Church who were attacked in an act of despicable hate by the young man this week.  Please pray for the safety of our Christian children in this country.
• Please pray that the violence from trans activists will end, and that they will get the mental health help that they so desperately need.
• Pray for the victims of the Colorado school shooting.
• Pray for Charlie Kirk's family, friends, and our nation as we heal from his assassination.
• Pray for one of my daughters.  She is struggling spiritually right now.
• Carla and her husband has decided to stay in their home and not sell it and move.  Pray that God will give them peace in their decision.  

This quote is from the book A Secret Garden.  My prayer for us is to let God in so he can work a new thing in our lives.

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill