Devotions

 

 

Words: keep the tongue bridled Actions should speak louder Thoughts should run toward what's noble and pure Companions should pull you up, not drag you down Heart — well, the heart of man's problems is the problem of man's heart so be blessed and pure in heart -DTH- More at Line of Poetry  

 

 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow... (Matthew 6:28) ​I have always loved nature. It is my happy place. Just as ecosystems thrive with a variety of animal and plant life, so too does the human ecosystem thrive with different brain types. We can learn much from this, and from the views of Indigenous cultures. The purely medical view may have its place and may help some, but this deeper view is frankly beautiful—  just like nature itself. In Māori, autism is called Takiwātanga—moving in one's own natural rhythm and time.   ​In Aboriginal culture, it is Dadirri—deep, inner listening to the land and spirit.   ​The Navajo have the term Hózhó—a unique thread in the natural harmony of the universe.   ​In biblical and spiritual reflections, patterns of seeing shells or leaves mirror the recognition of the logic of the Creator. ​Through a high sensitivity to wind, light, and sound, a quiet soul remains receptive to the still, small voice. ...

I remember when I was a child having a bookmark that was my Grandma Holdsworths, made by the Peace movement known as CHIPS. It had the collect for peace on it. I also had a small wooden Saint Francis that was hers and a picture NIV Study Bible. Though those items are long lost they speak to who I always wanted to be and what I knew early on I believed. Over the October break some people of faith are celebrating the world week of prayer for peace. Due to circumstances I won't be posting lots for this in 2026. However, here is the collect to get us started on praying and seeking peace. I also include some other peace prayers. A Collect for Peace  O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ...

When people think about the origins of Christianity, they often picture a long game of telephone—decades of silence followed by someone finally writing down the story of Jesus in the Gospels years after his death. ​While the full-length narrative Gospels ( Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John ) were indeed written roughly 30 to 60 years after the crucifixion, recent historical and textual analysis reveals a surprising plot twist: the core beliefs, creeds, and hymns of Christianity were being written down and recited within months to just a few years of Jesus' life. ​Long before bound Bibles or formal church libraries, the earliest followers of Jesus were already capturing their faith in stone, song, and scroll. ​The Paper Trail: A Timeline to the Earliest Texts ​ 30–35 AD (Within 2 to 5 Years of the Crucifixion): The Jerusalem Creeds ​ The Text: Embedded formulas like the 1 Corinthians 15 resurrection creed. ​ The Significance: Passed down almost immediately by the ...

The rain falls gently on the old tin roof. Angels in the tabernacle? The rain, loud enough to merge with Psalms,  yet not to drown the word of God.  The precentor sings a line and the congregation follows. "To thee I lift my soul..." The precentor sings a line and the congregation follows.  The rain, loud enough to merge with Psalms,  yet not to drown the word of God. Angels in the tabernacle?  The rain falls gently.  - DTH -  More Poetry   Follow for poems in your inbox. 

As some may know, one of my favorite saints is Saint Francis of Assisi. Whilst I don't agree on all his teachings I have always admired this wealthy man turned poor Saint.  In a time animals were mere food or inconvenience he loved animals.  In a time of a huge gap between the rich and poor he loved and identified with the poor. In a time of religious corruption he was a reformer before the Reformation.  In a time of ruined and abandoned churches he was a master builder.  In a time where love had waxed cold he loved.  In a time of war and crusades he stood for peace at great expense to himself. His time is not unlike today in fact.  His example is relevant to us.  The Canticle of the Sun ​ (Translation by Matthew Arnold) ​O most high, almighty, good Lord God, to thee belong praise, glory, honor, and all blessing! To thee alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce thy Name. ​Praised be my L...