The Quest

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?

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.