My Spiritual Journey:
Walking with God – A call to Action
I believe many Christian believers have experienced the Lord in mysterious ways and just do not know it.
My most recent spiritual journey is my story of cancer. This past January I had a five-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. While I was home for several weeks recuperating I reflected on my faith levels. Over several weeks I hated God and wanted to ignore God (not pray to him). While I was waiting for the oncologist appointment to tell me my fate, I asked God to give me a sign that my health would be all right - no sign came.
I remember many years back, my friend telling me about the Prayer of Jabez:
"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' And Jabez called on the
God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my
territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from
evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested"
(1 Chronicles 4:9-10)
The first sign of hope is when I asked what Jabez asked for: to have God’s hand in mine, to be kept from evil and to have no pain. As I was driving in my car to an appointment I was thinking about my cancer, my eyes started to tear so I pulled over. I desperately asked like Jabez did and I asked for a sign. I felt compelled to change the radio station and the song came on by Bill Withers, “Lean on Me”. This first sign gave me hope and strength to persevere a few more days until I heard from the oncologist.
The second sign came while I was in church. After I received the Eucharist, I prayed for peace of mind. All I could think of is “cancer” even though I it was stage one. I asked the Lord to set my mind free so that I could sleep peacefully at night and to feel well rested while awake. When I walked out of church, I felt physically lighter and my eyes saw things brighter. From that day on, I have accepted the fact that I am “cancer-free” and the Lord is watching over me. I can actually sleep through the night without waking up in a panic.
I believe many Christian believers have experienced the Lord in mysterious ways and just do not know it.
My most recent spiritual journey is my story of cancer. This past January I had a five-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. While I was home for several weeks recuperating I reflected on my faith levels. Over several weeks I hated God and wanted to ignore God (not pray to him). While I was waiting for the oncologist appointment to tell me my fate, I asked God to give me a sign that my health would be all right - no sign came.
I remember many years back, my friend telling me about the Prayer of Jabez:
"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his
name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' And Jabez called on the
God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my
territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from
evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested"
(1 Chronicles 4:9-10)
The first sign of hope is when I asked what Jabez asked for: to have God’s hand in mine, to be kept from evil and to have no pain. As I was driving in my car to an appointment I was thinking about my cancer, my eyes started to tear so I pulled over. I desperately asked like Jabez did and I asked for a sign. I felt compelled to change the radio station and the song came on by Bill Withers, “Lean on Me”. This first sign gave me hope and strength to persevere a few more days until I heard from the oncologist.
The second sign came while I was in church. After I received the Eucharist, I prayed for peace of mind. All I could think of is “cancer” even though I it was stage one. I asked the Lord to set my mind free so that I could sleep peacefully at night and to feel well rested while awake. When I walked out of church, I felt physically lighter and my eyes saw things brighter. From that day on, I have accepted the fact that I am “cancer-free” and the Lord is watching over me. I can actually sleep through the night without waking up in a panic.
School Activity: Representing the Sacraments through a Wordle
Part 1:
Part 2: |
l would have my high school students write a three-paragraph story explaining how God has touched their life. After their story is written, the student would go through their written work and pick out key important words to create their Wordle (image cloud of words).
The students would post their Wordle pictures around the room.
(a) Students would go around to reflect on similarities and differences between the Wordles. (b) Each student would pick one Wordle and explain to the class the story he/she perceives by the image cloud of words. (c) Each student will place their story of God by their Wordle. |
Resources:
Lean on Me by BILL WITHERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg&feature=kp
http://www.wordle.net/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg&feature=kp
http://www.wordle.net/