Moment of Grace

The bedrock of the Christian faith is the good news about God's love. Christian teachings about who we are and about our relationship with our Lord and each other is rooted in the fact that God is love and that He loves His creatures. "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16.

When we are really hurting, we put up our defenses, become rebellious, and may even feel victimized. We keep trying to lighten the burden by using our own meager resources. We try all sorts of escape mechanisms, only to discover that we feel more and more isolated, lonely, and lost. Our greatest need is to let God into our life.

Do you realize that God really loves you and His love is there to heal you, renew you, restore you, and lift you up? You may be carrying a heavy burden. Let God remove the load. You may be experiencing a broken relationship. Let God mend your heart. It may be job dissatisfaction, financial difficulties, or a deep concern for a world possessed by unspeakable evil and destructive powers. But right now, in this moment of grace, in this moment of spiritual renewal, discover God's gentle healing power in your life.

God is reaching out to comfort you as you have never been comforted before. Why not allow God to hug you right now? Let Him put His loving, compassionate arms around you right now. Experience the dissipation of all your hurts and disappointments as you permit yourself to be soothed, massaged, and gentled by your gracious loving Father.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, in this moment of grace, in this moment of spiritual refreshing, lift my burdens and bring your gentle healing power into my life. Support me, O Lord, through this troublesome life, until the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and my work is done. Then Lord, in your mercy grant me a safe lodging, a holy rest, and sweet peace at last; for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

MORE RESOURCES:

500 $1 return airfares for inspirational Kiwis - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0810/S00122.htmcid=0ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNHsRgjT7M-cTrN6YNwTBNQ4gphqQg500 $1 return airfares for binspirational/b Kiwis/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScoop.co.nz (press release),nbsp;New Zealandnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Well, we want to show our Aussie friends what makes us Kiwis special by giving away 500 $1 return fares to binspirational/b Kiwis making a difference in our b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A ball of inspirational predictability - Surrey Now

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html%3Fid%3Dbfc80b36-53d0-45d0-9f8c-8696448b90efcid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNENTw587wv2S35LJx9YXrG0Qs2tEAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=jC1jmCg4OYkJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/5f4aa900-9e28-4adf-a6a3-afa5261ed237/express.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Vancouver Sun/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/surreynow/news/whatson/story.html%3Fid%3Dd1e67b7b-a2d4-47fd-a143-e4b599cfc116cid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNH3MFbftMSowZlwUqgjaM8KyhFtbgA ball of binspirational/b predictability/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSurrey Now,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Gary Fleder#39;s extensive use of close-ups. bInspirational/b? Check. Predictable? Yep. But The Express is a safe bet for sports fans and non-cynics alike./fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.dailyherald.com/story/%3Fid%3D241604cid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNHXtpYv--oXYfW-NlIjmFXAF_uedgFootball drama a genuine binspirational/b tale/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChicago Daily Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/listing.cfm%3FtmID%3D2818cid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNGSnxLaAlPQBu45v7bUJCOv8arkFwThe Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBox Office Prophets/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-3fd=Rurl=http://www.ecollegetimes.com/news/2008/10/09/Movies/Review.The.Express-3479781.shtmlcid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNHuVF5kuC5zlCyr9sjL9GMu2c6GKAReview: The Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCollege Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-4fd=Rurl=http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5893/768/cid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNF3Zgy0NmPkpdqjnnBydz3lZhumcAnobrLake County News/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-5fd=Rurl=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.express10oct10,0,3109342.storycid=1255039742ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNGnKBv-1aneEyoonnZHMuvzCCLJvgnobrBaltimore Sun/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255039742hl=ennobrall 467 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Marriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings inspirational film ... - Sioux Falls Argus Leader

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081011/LIFE/810110312/1004cid=0ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNGo3ZdsEmlbtx4wYy7NapYsTTVWqgMarriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings binspirational/b film b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSioux Falls Argus Leader,nbsp;SDnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Moviegoers can credit a group interested in promoting healthy marriages for bringing the binspirational/b movie quot;Fireproofquot; to Sioux Falls for a weeklong b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A new generation of icky, angsty, inspirational books for teens ... - Calgary Herald

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/swerve/story.html%3Fid%3D4f48bffb-c488-47e1-99bc-032d457c352ecid=0ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNEfP5xd_WGDGZ-GRCaF11Us_kp_vgA new generation of icky, angsty, binspirational/b books for teens b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalgary Herald,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Hunter S. Thompson In high school my best buddy Gavin and I fancied ourselves literary snobs. We read Dostoevsky--he was our favourite--and Tolstoy and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Inspirational#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34 - Lancashire Telegraph

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3748208._Inspirational__Blackburn_mum_of_seven_dies__34/cid=0ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNF69RhBY3ASjAykU8vUFB8BoJrtGQ#39;bInspirational/b#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLancashire Telegraph,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Catherine Pye » Four weeks ago she was given six months to live. Charmaine had drawn up a wish list of things she wanted to do with her final days, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!” - St. John's University

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/pr_aca_081010.stjcid=0ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNGovJNyucXcwvcyi4OL5spWZ78iHQbInspirational/b Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!”/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSt. John's University,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Your Influence and was featured in the motivational speaker compilation Lessons from the Road: bInspirational/b Insights by Leading Speakers in Education. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/without-quarter-my-pocket-new/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B7C5AD198-AAD6-412F-ADE8-009ABF5FBDE2%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255491471ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNExT4qlSyg2Gv9s8Kpx2iDB9lmq1w#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SALEM, Ill., Oct 08, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Dr. Secundino E. Rubio#39;s life is a series of binspirational/b stories. From his childhood in pre-Castro b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Pink Is Back And It#39;s The Colour Of Courage And Beating Breast Cancer - Glasgow Daily Record

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/3144279/Dont-tell-me-how-I-should-feel-about-my-breast-cancer.htmlcid=1255048041ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNF-QTIrZtMrb-P2DMCw8PZ3Pi8a6gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=3GaTKlNg4FAJimgurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01004/judith_milner_canc_1004425c.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Telegraph.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/comment/columnists/lifestyle-columnists/kaye-adams/2008/10/11/pink-is-back-and-it-s-the-colour-of-courage-and-beating-breast-cancer-86908-20793365/cid=1255048041ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNFdRqTEIXnckSstdXdTkmtkmY_5FwPink Is Back And It#39;s The Colour Of Courage And Beating Breast Cancer/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGlasgow Daily Record,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It is the colour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a brilliant concept which puts breast cancer high on the public agenda but in a positive, binspirational/b b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081010/LIVING/81009025/1004cid=1255048041ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNEMAQVfKp0Gal_i_TG3zQ4ILXGO5AFight against breast cancer/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBurlingtonFreePress.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255048041hl=ennobrall 74 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Demure look for inspirational Helen - The Press Association

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jFR4b_x9lQIQO8tJg_TmOKWyq_JAcid=1255308338ei=vpnxSPvRAYLUyQTIkMDDBwusg=AFQjCNHE8xIBu8gRU19L8ryH4BWS2BOK4gDemure look for binspirational/b Helen/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Press Associationnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Actress Dame Helen Mirren looked unusually demure when she collected an award for her fashion sense. Dame Helen, who is known for her love of revealing b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational - Google News

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