28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:28-31(c) Bonnie Oden
“I awoke, like most mornings, praying for my girls.”And so began the email from my father in Houston.The previous evening my 90 year-old grandmother, who lives in Seattle, spent time lovingly praying over me during our short phone call.
Prayer isn’t mentioned in this passage of scripture, but loving God is.And when we truly love him, don’t we also trust him and thus are drawn to surrender to him the deepest desires of our hearts?As I humbly realized that the innermost longings held by my father and grandmother in those moments were providence for me, I appreciated that this generosity sprung out of their profound love for God.
Is our love for God so abundant that it naturally spills over onto others so that, as my dad says, Jesus’ life is reflected?If not, perhaps loving God deeper is the place to begin.
My simple life…
is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I let God lead me. I have been married to Greg for 27 years and we have three wonderful children.
My simple life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I let God take control. I followed God’s call to begin seminary at Perkins School of Theology in January 2006. I graduated in May 2011.
My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God’s call. I began the Degree in the Art of Spiritual Direction at San Francisco Theological Seminary in January 2009. I graduated in May 2011.
My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God's call. I was ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA and spent three amazing years in Pastoral Ministry at Highland Springs Senior Living in Dallas, TX.
My life is not simple at all. Yet it is so simple when I listen for God's call. My passion is the Christian Spiritual Life. As a spiritual director and retreat leader, I am so blessed to hear how God is at work in the world.
How is God at work in your life?
