It's time for the 2nd element in our 30 day kindness challenge: PRACTICING PRAISE. The goal is to find one positive thing that you can sincerely praise or affirm about your person and then tell them AND tell someone else.
According to research, that one simple activity can make a HUGE impact on even the most challenging of relationships.
Why is that? Check out part 3 of The KIND that Breaks and see for yourself.
Read MoreEver thought about what it would feel like to have a superpower? If so, you're gonna love the latest series we kicked off at The Well this week: "The KIND that Breaks".
It's all about a superpower that can change just about any relationship there is - no matter how difficult and hopeless it might seem. It's the superpower of KINDNESS and you're invited to join us for a 30 day challenge as we seek to exercise this superpower in our lives.
And be sure to check out http://stsa.church/kindness for resources and more fun stuff!
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“But first I want you to tell me this: do you know the power of love? Christ passed over all the marvelous works which were to be performed by the apostles and said, ‘By this shall men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” --St John Chrysostom
The idea of hospitality has challenged me over the past few weeks and seems to have culminated in the latest Vesper and Liturgical Gospel readings both regarding how we treat one another, and how we rely on the Holy Spirit to work in us, God to provide for us, and Christ to show us the way to be holier hosts (Luke 14:7-15, Luke 9:10-17).
A word often used for hospitality in the New Testament, philoxenia, combines the idea of loving as if you would love someone bound to you by blood or faith (philo) and applies it to a stranger (xenos).
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Below is a post I originally wrote back in 2013. I am reposting it today because a) it is one of my all-time favorites, b) I was speaking about the importance of caring for others this past Sunday, and c) God has been pounding this lesson into my head repeatedly over the past two weeks.
That's because I've spent more time in hospitals and emergency rooms in the past two weeks than the rest of my life combined - not for my sake, I am just fine, thanks be to God. I've been in and out of hospitals attempting to provide care for some loved ones - people who I love and care about deeply. That's actually the reason why I've been a little off-schedule with my posts and scopes recently.
And this experience has really taught me a lot - both about myself and about how God works in this world. Once things settle down and I get a chance to catch my breath, you can be sure that I'll be sharing those lessons - but for now, here's an important one to start off with: MY GOOD SAMARITAN MOMENT.
Read MoreWe're underway in our attempt to live "questionable" lives and the first habit we're going to practice is: I WILL BLESS THREE PEOPLE THIS WEEK.
What does it mean to "bless"? I gave some examples in this week's message but the main idea is to go out of your way to do something kind solely for the benefit of another person. It could be a nice note. It could be a surprise gift. It could be simply a hug. Whatever you decide to do, the goal is to find (at least) three people to bless week - one of whom must be outside of the church family.
Sounds like fun huh?
