Goals

This Study Has Four Goals.

              Goal 1: To provide a vehicle for personal refection during Lent that will help to deepen individual relationships with God within a Beloved Community.  I will provide information through emails, social media, and /or my web page.

              Goal 2: To invite people to use multiple methods of communication: the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogging, email, (possible conference calls if I can figure out how to do that) and other methods.

              Goal 3: To encourage people to record what they are learning systematically so they can see their own personal growth.  If you participated last year in this study, you have a head start.  Look at what you wrote last year, and see what new insights you may be discovering.

              Goal 4:  To form a Beloved Community.  This is the groundbreaking part.  How could we join together to encourage establishing a community that commits to being, “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.”  You see I feel strongly God does not want us to hate or to be taught to hate.  If God wants us to love even those we find unlovable, how can we pray and act in a way that is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing?  John 14.15-16 explains that God will send an Advocate to help us. John says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” At this Level, I want us to seek the will of God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit within a “Beloved Community.”  God’s love never fails. Jesus’ life shows us how to live.  When we pray, act and keep praying to discern what God’s love is calling us to do, The Holy Spirit inspires us as individuals and as communities. If we honor God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength together, there is no limit to what we might be empowered to do. 

If you want to participate at Levels 2-4, I ask you to write an introductory statement (it can be one sentence) about yourself that I can share.  I will set up a private page for those on Facebook. Our website is prayactprayagain.org.  I am 78 years old—so using the social media tools is a learning experience for me.  As we break new ground together, I hope we can discover new ways to shine God’s eternal image into the world using 21^st Century tools.

Remember: our guidelines are suggestions. Take what feeds your soul. Let me know if there is a way you see that might improve how people can participate.  Thank you so much. Thank you for even considering joining this journey. Be blessed, and know you are perfectly made in God’s image.