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Showing posts from October 8, 2017

"A Small Book about a Big Problem" by Ed Welch. A Review

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A Small Book About A Big Problem by Edward T. Welch My rating: 5 of 5 stars It's a teeny thing, just a little bigger than the size of a smartphone. But as they say, "Dynamite comes in small packages!" Ed Welch, licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), has compiled 50 short daily devotions into a small, 186 page hardcover with this intriguing title, "A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace." Each day's easy to comprehend reflection runs between 300 to 350 words, or two to three small pages, all of which are bite-sized and focused on one topic per day. Like a good physician of the soul, Welch works the reader through the various angles and aspects of anger: causes, catalysts, and catastrophic results. The author also examines the whys and ways of change by looking into new routines, remedies and the Redeemer. This tiny volume is not afraid to address the se

Vespers - 8 October 2017

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O our God and Father, who is making the first last and the last first, who has made little children the measure of your kingdom; please give us that wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3.17). As we operate, deliberate, expostulate, and at times, remonstrate, may it not be as enemies and adversaries, but as fellow human beings made in your image, made to have unending fellowship with you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May we grasp right from wrong and chose that which is right, for ourselves, our families, and our people. May partiality and prejudice be put far from us, and integrity and equality gain the upper hand. O Lord, hear our prayer. Lord, as we pray for our local, State and National leaders, we affirm with the Sage in Proverbs that the wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving (Proverbs 14.8); we cry out to you to endow our lead

"Mighty God, Loving Father...." 8 October 2017

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Mighty God, Loving Father, who sent your Son, Jesus Christ to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified (Isaiah 61.2-3); we lift up our hearts and hands and voices to give you praise, to thank you, and to rejoice in your goodness! Creator and Sustainer, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; we pray for the nations and peoples of the world, and specifically Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and Andorra ; we pray for our own country, we pray our friends, foes and family with the Psalmist in Psalm 146: please execute justice for the oppressed…; give food to the hungry…; set the prisoners free, specifica