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Church Street, Princeton
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It would be just like him

The God of the Bible looks like Jesus, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. It would be just like him to go to the cross.

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Practicing Our Scales

Imagine if our walk with Christ, representing his kingdom in the world, were as practiced and pure as Hania Rani’s fingers on the piano keys.

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Rescue

I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.

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Your Roots Are Showing

The life that I bring to the world can only be found in my attachment to Christ. His presence with me is essential.

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Connection

I live in a U.S. county with traffic problems. It's a peninsula, and what's not swamp land has been developed. Building new roads is difficult and expensive. Making things worse, roads that could connect don't.

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I am the way

Easter Sunday my pastor, Mike Ashcraft, shared a message called Saved From What? The message featured interactions Jesus had with the thieves on either side of him at Calvary.

One thief said to Jesus "Remember me when you come into your kingdom". And Jesus replied to him "Today you will be with me in paradise".

During the Easter message a question was posed: what part of Jesus' reply matters most to us? With me? Or paradise? Do we come to Jesus to have our problems solved; to arrange our lives just the way we want them? Or do we come to Jesus just to be with him?

Before Jesus' death, a few came to Jesus just to be with him; most came for healing, for food, and to see him perform signs and wonders.

Like those early 'fans', when Jesus says "I am the way", we hear him say "I am the way to". But Jesus is the Way—path, trail, road. We need to be people of the Way (Acts 9:2), not people on the way to.

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Microfasting

Did you fast anything during Lent? Do you ever fast? If so, why?

Some time ago I fasted from food for a few days and discovered something new. As my body weakened, my awareness of the Spirit and the spiritual side of me intensified. Before that fast, my served-on-demand flesh had obscured something hidden beneath.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." What are we missing when we constantly cater to our flesh? Might denying ourselves in small ways train us to deny ourselves in bigger ways when we need to? 

What is it about you that will complain if you cut off its demands—even for a little while?

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The 13.2 mark

I've run several half marathons, but only one full. I remember my thoughts at the midpoint of that one: "I feel like I should be done".

Then my next thought was: "After one more step, I'm closer to the end than the start".

The same is true for my earth-bound journey with Christ. The glory of a successful finish is closer than the disappointment of turning back. And thank you to those cheering me on!

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