Author: hopelessdevotional

Do Good and Trust

Do good and trust.

This is a must.

When’s life’s a bust

And we are thrust

Into distrust,

Remember, just

Ignore the fuss,

Forsake disgust,

Fight for “us.”

Things will adjust.

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

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MLK Day

“White Americans must recognize that justice for black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society.”

Here is a lesser-known quote by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1967. I share it in the hopes that it will be a small step toward un-white-washing the legacy and message of a truly radical change-maker.

The idea that a society rooted in racist views and practices can remove some statues, pass rudimentary legislation, and consider the job done is folly. I don’t know when America stopped striving for better, but I think we need to recover the fearless spirit that prompted our founders (with all their sins) to take a tremendous leap of faith in the hopes of establishing a nation never before seen.

So this MLK Day, remember the true message of the good Reverend Doctor.

The work continues and must continue until true, restorative justice is a reality for all.

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

Needed Thought for the Day

“Bear fruit worthy of repentance… His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” — Matthew 3:8, 12, NRSV

I’m reading and sitting with Matthew 3 tonight. We are the trees and the wheat. We bear fruit and are the fruit. We produce and are a product of our efforts and deeds.

Growth requires the transformation of not only what we produce in life, but also of our relationship to those words and deeds. Our heart, our intent, and our actions are all called up for consideration and transformation.

Needed that today. ❤

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

Normal Any Day

I’ll take normal any day,

As I’ve had it stripped away.

Crisis crept its way inside,

Spreading tendrils far and wide,

Shaking loose all that I knew,

Haunting every breath I drew.

So when complaining of routine,

Seeking beyond what is seen,

I remind my wandering heart

Of what this looks like torn apart,

Thanking God for boring days,

Miracles in their own ways.

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

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Laid Bare

Laid bare, I’m scared of what is found.

No doubt, the fractures, pits abound.

Fear that freezes hard as ice,

Wrathful fires burning bright.

Hope. There’s hope in there somewhere

Which keeps me bold enough to dare;

Dare to dream the world anew;

Hope that change can touch me, too.

Laid bare, there’s much to scold and jeer,

Yet I know there is value here.

We all have much to value, dear.

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

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My Belief in a Nutshell

I haven’t written like this in a while, but as my faith and life continue to change, so will the content I offer here. 🙂 I’ve been reflecting on my core beliefs, and it’s been… something.

My belief in God, in Christ, may not qualify as “rational” to many, and that’s okay. I don’t really care to debate God’s existence or all the logical flaws that naturally result from any in-depth theological work.

What I know is what I have felt, experienced, and learned. These are what give rise to my faith, and that is enough for me.

All my life, I have sensed a Presence, most acutely after the passing of my mother. It is a sense of not being alone, a sense of fulfillment, completion, solace… even in places or times when that wouldn’t make sense. I have interpreted and continue to interpret that Presence using the Christian faith in which I was raised.

I find God in the love of others, the timely affirmations and instructions of Scripture, and a sense of wholeness in silent prayer and communal worship.

Does this resonate with you?

Why do you believe or not believe, and what does that look like in your life?

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

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Far I Wander

Far I wander in my mind,

Leaving my surrounds behind,

Whipping through the inner spheres

Which brim with every hope and fear.

An odyssey in my own head,

Anticipation, anger, dread,

Fantasy, and inspiration

Fill this stay-at-home vacation–

“Sorry, could you repeat that?”

Thanks for Reading! Be Blessed!

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