Gateway Fellowship

I spent a week in the mountains with young people doing inner healing work. It's always intense and special. And it is SO good to have such a grace-community to come home to.

Joel is a real friend to Gateway. He spoke while I was away in Costa Rica.

This chat is based on Luke 19:11-27

What gets my attention is more important to who we become than what happens.

Our overseer Mark conducted the service to formally recognize Carl and Stan as assistant pastors at Gateway.

What is your conscience? Does it always line up with God's truth? How can we line it up? What are some religious approaches to a defiled conscience? What about religious approaches to a clean conscience? What are some gospel solutions to deal with a defiled conscience? How is conviction different than condemnation? How is an orphan spirit different from the Spirit of Adoption? What's a hyperactive conscience? What's a seared conscience?

What perfectionism isn't, what it is, what kinds of things it says, and some things that might work better for us, such as... "Done is better than perfect." "Just keep moving." "We ain't building no piani." (Acceptable tolerances)

Do I fit in? Do I belong? If they really knew me, would they really love me?

12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.14 For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. (Heb 3:12-14 NRS)

Comparison is a real joy thief.

Linda on faith, generosity, and more.

Carl is one of our assistant pastors. :)

Life's full of contradictions.

This is the first time someone was so tall I could barely fit them in the baptismal tub. :)

I wrote this for me, but shared it in case others may find it helpful.

What is it that God most wants from and FOR you and me?

"A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

An overview.

Fear and mere human reasoning are not the life God intends us to live by faith and the insights of his self-revelation. There is a better, way more peaceful, way more hopeful way, by the Word of God.

I'm loved by God as is. I trust God as is. My life is blessed as is. I love others as is.