One of the key promises of our meetings is that what we share in the room stays in the group. So I am not making notes of the meetings so I can “spill the beans” on anything. I just wanted to highlight some of the gems that came up and give us a place to reflect before our next meeting on April 8. Also for anyone who wasnt able to attend maybe we can share a little of the topics we covered so they can weigh in on it if they are able to come to a later meeting.
Russ asked if we are “Riding for the brand?” With ranches you used to ride for the brand, meaning the brand of the ranch. It would have been wearing the colours or waving the flag proudly when you move through your daily life. So in context of our faith, the question asks the same of us. Its a good question. It is the same vein as asking that if you disappeared tomorrow, would there be any evidence of you being Christian? How are we living outside of the brick walls of the church?
We watched the Fr Mike video asking if Forgiveness is the same as Reconciliation. Spoiler, its not. The video is in our playlist and well worth watching a couple times. It outlines a structure explaining the steps of healing from a hurt, and forgiveness is not acceptance or blind allegiance. Its just a step in the process, and you don’t need to really force yourself to take all the steps. It does however bring into perspective how God forgives us and what lengths He goes to for us. Which in turn asks us to try to follow His example.
We talked again about loneliness and how communities have changed over the years. The impact it has on us now, and more importantly the impact it has on our youth who are trying to make sense out of a world that has changed and deteriorated much quicker than our ability to adjust, cope or even explain it.
We discussed what it means that Jesus went to Hell and returned, and how we might understand the layers of our emotions.
We talked about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that led Russ to pose a question for us to contemplate before we go back in April. “What is hindering you from getting all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for yourself?” Take some time to consider that and see what you come up with.
As always, after a period of digestion between meetings if you have anything you think of that you need to ask or explore in relation to the last meeting, that will be welcome discussion at the start of the next meeting.
Read your Bible daily. Take time to pray daily. Find your silence and listen to what God is saying. Take the opportunity you are presented to talk about this with other people when you have a chance. And if someone you know needs to find a place to talk through some faith hurdles, bring them to the next meeting with you.
