A NEW LENTEN FAST

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6

 

In the Christian church, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends about six weeks, or forty days later, on Maundy Thursday, when Christ shared a last meal with His disciples before going to the cross. Lent is often associated with fasting, particularly Christ’s forty-day period of fasting and temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). Many Christians still observe some type of food fasting during Lent, perhaps giving up some special treat for the six-week period. Fewer folks will actually skip meals. I have given up chocolate many times, but I’ve eaten my share of sweets during Lent to make up for the loss of sugar in my diet. But Pope Francis has come up with some ideas for a different type of “fast” during the forty days following Ash Wednesday. Here is his list for this year:

 

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and have trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness and fill you hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

 

I think Pope Francis is on to something, and his ideas might be harder to implement than giving up food items! Imagine if we each could stick to even half of his list of things from which to abstain! Wouldn’t this world be a better place for at least six weeks? And what if the items on the list became a habit rather than a short-term project? This is certainly something to think about! As Isaiah says in Chapter 58 of the book by his name, the fast God wants is for us “to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke.”  Let’s try Pope Francis’ idea of a meaningful fast this year!

 

Lord, we thank You for suffering through many trials on this earth, all for us! Amen

 

Alone on a Colorado mountain, Meg Corrigan faced the unthinkable, a situation that almost ended her life. Hear the details of her astounding rescue from the hands of a gun-wielding attacker and how she walked off that mountain. Hers is a story of tragedy turned holy, a journey of sorrow and healing, a powerful message of hope in the darkest hour. In her memoir, Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child, Meg credits her resilience to the grace of God. She is also the author of Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist, tales based on her years as a drummer in a Hawaiian show band; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian, released this month. Meg is a retired college counselor, author, speaker, trainer and sexual assault survivor. She speaks to churches, civic groups, college students, mental health professionals and law enforcement personnel, as well as youth in juvenile facilities. Corrigan lives in Lake Elmo, Minnesota with her husband, Patrick and their formerly disenfranchised rescue dog Ginger. She loves to coax seemingly dead plants out of the soil in her yard. The couple have four daughters, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Contact her at MegCorrigan@comcast.net or www.MegCorrigan.com .

JOHN THREE SIXTEEN

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may bot perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

 

How in the world do you write a novel about a Polynesian show band traveling the United States and interject a Christian message plunk in the middle of the story? The ancient Polynesians people are said to have sacrificed human beings to appease their many gods. But when I wrote the novel, Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist, loosely based on the years I spent playing drums in a traveling Hawaiian band, I was determined to include some mention of the God I had found after leaving the road for a more normal lifestyle.

 

Enter John Three Sixteen, described as follows in the book: “John Three-Sixteen kind of stands out….He’s six foot six and muscular, with long brown hair and a full beard.  Adding a camel hair cloak and a Happy Meal of locusts and honey would not be a stretch….” John the book character was a steel guitar player from Mississippi. My “character” was a twenty-something single girl named Todd, and I played percussion (trap drums and various hand percussion instruments designed to provide a South Sea Island flavor to the music). In the book, “John Three-Sixteen was his legal name. He had it changed when he originally ‘saw the Light’ in 1965. He gave his heart to Jesus and never looked back. John said it was only right to change his name, since he believed his sole purpose on earth after his conversion was to spread the Gospel of Christ. And he did it in such a quiet, inoffensive way, people couldn’t help but like him instantly.”

 

In a chapter entitled “Stuck In Lodi Again,” Todd tosses and turns in her bed at the hotel where the band is staying. Todd is “stuck” in Lodi, California with a boyfriend she doesn’t really like and ponders her situation. Finally, she wanders down to the coffee shop and finds John sitting quietly reading his Bible. He says the Lord told him to go to the coffee shop, and there he is. Todd joins him, and the conversation that ensues comes slightly short of converting her to Christianity. But the seed is planted.

 

Jesus, help us see messages, even in novels, about how Your great love can change lives. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist (cover art by the author); and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has over thirty years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, war veterans, and other trauma survivors.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

 

ROCK CAIRNS

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His decrees. Psalm 25:10

According to Wikipedia.com, a cairn is a “man-made pile (or stack) of stones…used for a broad variety of purposes, from prehistoric times to the present.” The word is derived from an ancient Scottish Gaelic term. These rock stacks have been built and used as burial monuments, for defense, hunting, ceremonial purposes, and to mark hidden items. The most common uses for cairns has been to mark trails for travelers. They appear throughout the world, in all sorts of terrain. They vary in size and complexity from simple piles of rocks to delicately balanced sculptures that seem to defy gravity. In recent years, it has become popular to construct and display cairns in cultivated gardens and in state and national parks. In many parts of the world, building rock cairns in public places has become frowned upon or even made illegal, because many cairns can confuse hikers, and because today’s eco-conscious society practices a “leave no trace” ethic regarding shared or public lands.

I have been fascinated by rock cairns for many years, and I have seen examples of them in foreign countries like Scotland and Ireland, and in nearby neighbors’ yards and gardens. I do not have a steady hand, but I marvel at people who can stack rocks with great abandon, never having their structures tumble like pick-up sticks. It is not lost on me that, while these formations have been used in marking paths, they also represent a delicate balance, just as life offers us paths to choose with wise guidance and personal stability.

The Bible offers many examples of God leading us along with “markers,” often His precepts, commandments and promises. The Psalms are filled with such examples, the most beloved perhaps the 23rd Psalm, which says, “He leads me in right paths for His name sake” (v.3). Each New Testament Gospels refer to John the Baptist as a sort of human cairn, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” The Lord provides markers, or “cairns” for us to follow in the way He wishes us to go.

 

Lord, You provide both guidance and balance in our lives. Help us see the markers You provide for us in this world. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has over thirty years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, war veterans, and other trauma survivors.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

COME TO HIM AND REST

 

by Guest Blogger Nikki Abramson

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

 

When health strikes against you, it is easy to want to fight back, to do it yourself. This is at least the case for me. This past year I struggled with the diagnosis of a rare form of intestine cancer. At the young age of 33, having cancer is not easy; at any age cancer is not easy. It took me a long time to surrender to God, to know that He could and is able to help me. I was so exhausted from going to doctor after doctor trying to figure out what I had and how to get help. The only option was an extensive surgery and with my pre-existing conditions, it would present more complications than I would ever know, or we could ever plan for. I had more hospitalizations than we ever thought. I was in the hospital every other month, once for 25 days. It broke me. As I laid there, I heard Him say to me as I was so weary ‘come to me and I will give you rest.’ It was then I realized I had tried to do it all on my own. I didn’t fully trust that He could help me in the midst of my pain and anguish.

 

God can and will help you in your greatest need. Reach out and call to Him. When I was so desperate and I had nothing left, that is when He spoke. When have you needed to rest? It is easy to go, go, and go. Matthew 11:28-30 is a great reminder to us that if we come to Him, He will give us the rest that we need in whatever form that looks like.

 

Dear God, help us to remember to come to You, to trust You, that when we come to You, You will give us rest. We often are so weary and burdened with our daily lives, our struggles, our to-do lists. Help us to say no when we need to. Help us to rest when we need to. Help us to come to You and to rest as our lives are so burdened by the struggles of our daily needs. Help us to lay them at the cross. In Your Name, Amen

 

Nikki Abramson is an author, actor, educator, director, teaching artist, and speaker. She has written two books: I Choose Hope-Overcoming Challenges through Faith and Positivity and Hope for Today as well as contributed to five anthologies. She co-wrote a play ‘No Limits’ and ‘Beyond Limits’ based upon being a woman of color and the challenges of having a chronic illness. She teaches and directs acting. For more information go to www.nikkiabramson.com