The Bible - it's a big book when you're looking through it for something written specifically to and for you.

The Bible Draft is a fun and creative way to connect your experiences, thoughts, and feelings directly to the words of Scripture. Played similar to the format of a fantasy football league with the commeraderie among players in your league, the creativity of team names, and the personalization of Scripture passages just for you, the Bible Draft is a worthwhile challenge for those who have never opened the Bible before as well as for anyone else at any stage in the journey.

Men from the Fall 2024 Saint Louis/Saint Francis ACTS Retreat prepare to engage with Bible Draft - OH YEAH! "My son, from your youth up choose instruction and when you are old you will keep finding wisdom. Come to her like one who plows and sows, and wait for her good harvest. For in her service you will toil for a little while, and soon you will eat of her produce." - Sirach 6:18-19 Let's go get that good news, brothers!

Turn on Your Heart Light

We've all heard the common phrase "don't judge a book by it's cover" or "it's not what's on the outside, but what's inside that counts." Yes, these sentiments are true and worth putting into practice. But I am a human, filled with faults. I will misjudge at times, and people will misjudge me at times. I can put on an act and have people see what I want them to see about me - whether it is fake news or not. But what if I could see as God sees? THE LORD LOOKS INTO THE HEART! That statement is both comforting and frightening to me. What does God see when He looks into my heart? Does He see goodness and a desire to follow Him with my whole heart? Does He see the contempt I hold for another person despite what my outside actions show? Does He see the darkness of sin that I can hide from most people? Does He see where I tried even though I failed? YES! He sees all of this and more. There is nothing I can hide from God! Yikes! Such a simple phrase "the Lord looks into the heart-" but life changing. Instead of worrying about what the world sees in me, I need to focus my energy on what God sees in me. What changes do I need to make so that my heart reflects the love, forgiveness, mercy, generosity that He shows me (there's enough work to do here that I won't have time to judge anyone else!)? I want to give God an "oceanfront view" when He looks into my heart. I will fail. I will still have areas of darkness that I can't overcome. I am full of sin. Just like David. Yet God saw past the outward appearance of David to find a "man after his own heart.. ."  Imperfect but faithful. So the next time I want to put on an appearance for someone or judge someone, let me remember that #1 God sees what's truly inside me. Change your heart, girl!! and  #2 Gods sees what's truly inside of everyone else - Let me look at them with His eyes of love. Let my heart light shine, Lord!