1 Corinthians: So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
Showing up is one of the easiest and equally, hardest things to do. Today my intention is to Show Up. This has been my intention before and likely will be again, but it is in the showing up where the growth happens.
Isn't it after all, what God wants for us, to grow in faith, to be more like the saints, to show up for ourselves and our neighbor? Showing up is being present. Showing up is love. Love of ourselves and our neighbor.
It's honoring ourselves, what we put into our bodies, what we listen to, what we read. Would that hamburger and fries taste great? Of course. Would it be the best example of honoring ourselves and the body God gave us? Likely not.
Are we listening to the gossip and judgments that bombard us every day? Are we choosing to listen to those things that lift us or the things that bring us down?
Are we reading things that lift us? If I'm making the effort to show up and yet reading something that isn't life-affirming, I find that I quickly leave the "showing up" phase and quickly become the numb, lifeless reader, who likely will fall asleep after the first paragraph.
If I practice showing up, I notice more. If I notice more, I become more grateful. If I become more grateful, I begin to honor God's gifts more fully.
Though our soul is eternal, the body is not. By loving our God-given vessel, we are honoring God. We must love ourselves first before we can love and accept our neighbor, our family member, as we each are on our own God-given, specially-designed-for-us journey.
March 7
Matthew: But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mark: Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him;
Luke: John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
John: Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
Acts: And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Romans: But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
1 Corinthians: So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
2 Corinthians: Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside,
Galatians: so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham.
Ephesians: Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power.
Philippians: Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.
Colossians: These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
1 Thessalonians: For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith.
2 Thessalonians: For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you,
1 Timothy: Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.
2 Timothy: who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Titus: so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Hebrews: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,
James: For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
1 Peter: Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious gift of life—so that nothing may hinder your prayers.
2 Peter: But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.
1 John: Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
Revelation: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens: