My hope for you

Poetry speaks to our minds and hearts and is meant to communicate more than the sum of its words. It is an apt expression of our walk with the Lord. I encourage you to forward this link to those you love. I pray this poetry leads you into reflection and prayer but I also want to start a conversation. You, too, have something to share with others-not only in person, but also here. Your experience is yours to give away to build up and learn from others in the Body of Christ. Share the word that you hear, the experiences you have lived. We are all part of the New Evangelization.If you also want to contact me by email, feel free: genefirn@yahoo.com

Table of contents: October 7, 2012

Saturday, January 13, 2018

The Quest

at birth each embarks upon
a Quest to find Happiness...
it is a Precious Seed of the 
Eternal which I have tenderly 
planted in your heart meant to 
germinate...grow... and ultimately
blossom in My Love ...it is a 
journey through joy and sorrow 
nurtured by desire's finite / infinite 
qualities seeking both immediate 
and ultimate objectives as your 
Thirst seeks satisfaction in the 
refreshing waters of achievement 
but ultimately in Me where Thirst 
is finally Quenched in Living Waters 
but because of sinful nature's darkened 
intellect and weakened will leading to 
disorientation in this fallen world 
combined with deceptive freelance 
feelings tossed to-and-fro by shiny 
objects that surreptitiously become 
humanity's false idols to pursue and 
ultimately worship - all that this self-
oriented world offers - success...wealth...
material goods...fame...power....beauty...
pleasures of body and soul - too many to 
even count - each having the common 
denominator of seeking the...
Perfect in the imperfect
Infinite in the finite
Eternal in the temporal
all of which remain powerless to bring 
anything except momentary delight but 
then frustration when the ambition 
attained only brings exacerbation with 
the under-whelming fulfillment resulting 
from exorbitant expectations and left with 
no other recourse than to commence once 
again the dance of delusion  - a cruel 
imitation of Sisyphus condemned to an 
exhausting uphill enterprise only to 
hopelessly watch his achievement 
backslide down the slippery slope... 
Satan of course is delighted with your 
treadmill imitation tempting you with 
imaginative dreams of greater conquests -  
more...always more....while gaining less...
always less...but Know that in this journey 
I will never leave you nor forsake you for 
I continue to speak to you especially in your 
frustration because My Hope is that in your 
misery you will be open to My offer of Grace- 
an opportunity to realize the reason for your 
emptiness and set out in a New Direction 
finally comprehending that it is only in My 
Perfect... Infinite...and Eternal Love that will 
ultimately Satisfy your lifelong Quest for 
Happiness...that only I will Truly Fulfill you 
and it is only in your Surrender to Me as your 
Personal Lord and Savior that you Truly begin 
to find the Total Joy that My Own Surrender has 
Won for you

Reflection/Discussion:

-What does it mean that our desires have 'finite and infinite' qualities?
-How do people look for the "Infinite in the finite"?
-Explain the story of Sisyphus.
-What does the "dance of disillusion" mean?
-What does our "fallen nature" mean?
-Using 'success' / 'money' as examples, explain "The Quest".
-How is Jesus' Infinite Love the Source and End of your Quest?
-What does it mean to "surrender to Jesus as your Personal Lord and Savior"?
-What does "begin to find the Perfect Joy" mean?
-How has Jesus' Surrender won Total Joy for you?

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

The Father

the father-wound
is a plague
all too rampant
among us
sadly most are
damaged by Dads who
pass-on their own
wounds through
sins of what they
do or fail to do
leaving us with
sometimes under-the-
surface feelings of being
abandoned / unloved
angry / alone / insecure
neglected / abused
leading us to look for
love and comfort in
places that ultimately
do not mend our hearts but
lead to deeper destruction
all of which delights
satan who makes it seem like
it's all our fault while also
deliciously contaminating
our self-image and that of
God The Father
without realizing the
transference of infected
characteristics and feelings
but... Jesus came not only to
save / free / heal us from the
effects of sin but also to
reveal His Father to us
because through Jesus
His Father has become
Our Father who has
Created us in His Own
Image and Likeness
and who FIRST loved us
through Jesus despite
our sin and weakness-
even while being rejected
He showed us that
His Father is
Tender
Merciful
Loving
Forgiving
Gracious
like the father of the
prodical son story
so...now what?
we need to
go after the Truth by
asking The Father to Reveal:
-any false images
 we may have of Him and
 ourselves and begin to live our
 True Identity and Dignity as a
 Son or Daughter of God
-His Personal Love for us
-by Grace forgive our own Dad of
 his sins againt us- one at a time
-give over our anger and hurt to Jesus
-realize how these have led into
 behavior / thinking that are
 not true / healthy and ask
 The Father to heal us
-get whatever help we need
 in this process
-begin to speak to The Father as
 our ABBA...Daddy.....because
THAT is the TRUTH...and
ask for the Grace to
accept in our hearts that
we ARE precious to Him
He DOES Love us and...
He WANTS us to live in
Intimacy with Him
Now and Forever

Reflection/Discussion:
-What is your image of The Father?
-What was/is your relationship like with your own Dad?
-How has that affected your own self-image?
-Spell out the truth/lies about The Father's image you have?
-With whom can you talk about these matters?
-If you haven't done so, speak to The Father in prayer.
-Ask Him to speak to you and listen for His quiet Voice.
-If you are a Dad, ask The Father to show you where you
      have sinned by what you have done and failed to do
      with your children.. Then, begin to repair. The Father
      will help you. Get help if you need it.