Alice is a 50 year old refugee from Liberia (a country in Africa) who stopped into our house for two days of rest from her journey. She is homeless and is one of the 2% of people in the refugee program who just can't or won't adjust to life in the states.
Lessons from Alice
1. More of a chicken is edible than we Americans think!
2. Egg yokes will make you fat if you don't cook them through.
3. Education is a privilege, not a right.
4. The freedom to cook the things I like in my own kitchen is also a privilege.
5. I take for granted so many of my freedoms and privileges.
6. There are so many compassionate and selfless people in Colorado springs and most people who really want help can get it.
7. There are those few who no one knows how to help and if more of the church was acting like the church, some of these people would find their place.
8. Helping those who need our help is not heroic, it is simply the way it's meant to be.
9. Not everyone will accept help, therefore you can't help everyone.
10. Though God is not a helpless God, He knows the feelings of helplessness and chooses to subject Himself to them by giving us the choice to accept or run from His embrace. He knows the heartache of a parent whose child rejects His love. He yearns.
11. He continues to offer places of grace and rest even when we have no idea that He is doing it and still run away.
12. Sometimes the only way you can help someone is to let them go into the hands of God.
13. The battles we fight for His causes are sometimes limited and short lived, and that's OK.
14. Be so careful not to hold out hopes for someone if you don't know you can fulfill them; even if you really believe you can.
15. Sometimes you just have to trust that God's purposes were fulfilled even if you feel that you might have actually made things worse in some ways.
16. At times we are called to speak hard truths bluntly without cushioning it, even if the truth is heart piercing and they might hate you for it.
17. Anger and compassion can go hand in hand; both can be appropriate at the same time for the same person.
18. Christ's provisions go above and beyond what we can imagine. The limits we put on His grace are man made. We all need so much more Grace than we know.
19. Someone who appears to be as innocent as a dove can also be as shrewd as a snake!
20. We don't have as much control of our lives as we think.
21. Who we are and the way we respond to the world is largely molded by our circumstances. We are products of our families and culture as much as I try to reject that reality.
22. We all have brokenness to work through and many of us are not so blessed with a vision of what “healthy” looks like.
23. I must have compassion on others and myself and give room for the process not expecting others to think and act the way I do. I need to ere on the side of grace rather than personal offense. I hope others will do the same for me and, when they don't, I hope I can still offer them grace.
24. God uses our neediness to draw us deeper into Himself and closer to each other.
25. We are all needy.
26. Christ can suddenly burst into a room through a persons smile that has been made startlingly radiant from suffering.
"Do not hand over the life of your dove to the wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
Have regard for your covenant,
because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name.
Rise up, O God, and defend your cause..."
Psalm 74:19-22
“Come to ME all who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
My Emmaus Story
This is another assignment from the Spiritual formation program I am going through. We were assigned to talk about pivotal points on our spiritual journeys or "Emmaus Roads" (taken from the story in the gospel of Luke). Before you read this, I have a couple of disclaimers. First, I am blessed to have my parents. They were not perfect as they themselves would readily admit, but I owe who I am today to them. They gave me my legacy of faith and I thank God they were my parents! Second, My college pastor Alan Fadling and his wife Gem were not responsible for my phariseeism. They taught me how to hear from God and have taught me much about His grace throughout the years. And last, The pastor God used to convey this revelation on my road to Emmaus was Pastor Chuck Holiday. I am forever grateful for his hand of grace in my life. OK, now to the story...
In order to share one of the most defined bends in my road to Emmaus, I need to give you a glimpse of what the road looked like before.
Much of my life was lived in fear that someone would find out who I really was. I had a pretty isolated childhood and was homeschooled most of the time from 4th grade on though I was actually just more “home” than “schooled”. I had been convinced early on that I was stupid after being berated by my second grade teacher in front of my whole class. I was not a self motivated learner and decided then and there that if I didn’t ever really try, then I couldn’t ever really fail. I dug my heels in and my parents didn’t push. My lack of a consistent academic education and healthy outside relationships throughout the years only imbedded deeper into my heart the belief that I was inept. I felt very ill equipped for life and was consumed by feelings of inferiority, except for in one place; on the stage in musical theater. In that one area, I knew I was exceptional and was well trained. If I had the chance to perform for someone, then and only then did I feel comfortable and significant. I had their adoration and my role to hide behind.
When I was 17 I plugged myself into a church. For a while I thought I had the potential to be quite competent in church life. After all, I loved Jesus, was a pretty good girl, had strong convictions, hated sin, loved the bible and learning how to be a good Christian. I even married my husband with the dream of going into ministry with him. But eventually I found myself living in guilt there too. I understood what the Churches measuring sticks were in order to please God and be a good Christian. I began to realize after trying very hard, that I couldn’t measure up there either. My quiet times became more and more infrequent as I wearied of trying to convince God of how sorry I was for my sin, begging forgiveness, and promising to do better.
Now comes the big curve in the road. God lead my husband and me to a new church with a pastor whose teaching brought a surprising revelation.
When we first started going he was preaching on the Ten Commandments, Jesus style, which meant he went way beyond the physical acting out of the “thou shalt nots” and began to quite disturbingly delve into the motives and thoughts of the heart. He preached the law harder than I had ever heard. He read from Galatians 3:10 which says, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of Law.”
I began to realize that my sin was actually MUCH worse than I thought it was and God’s measuring stick was MUCH bigger than that of the churches. His stick is “Be holy as I AM holy”. He doesn’t lower His expectations so that I can attain them. And the anger and questions began to rise up. He requires perfection in order for me to know perfection?!!!! What kind of a God is this?!!!”
It may seem like this revelation would have been a death blow capable of driving me from my faith forever; and that is, in fact, exactly what it was! It was a death blow …to my pride…and it did drive me away from my faith… in my own self righteousness and self redemption. But, thank God, our pastor didn’t leave me there wallowing in a pool of despair. That was only half of the big revelation.
The other part of the big revelation that changed me forever was this: Romans 8:3-4, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
Epiphany!!! The life, death and resurrection of Christ did not merely bring me back to even ground. He did not wipe out my sin and then say, “OK now make something better of yourself.” No. He actually gave me His righteousness! Every minute of His sinless perfect existence on earth, every temptation deflected, life revived and obedient step taken was for me! He gave it as a gift to me just for believing it! I am now seen as perfectly obedient, spotless and righteous by God because I am found in Christ. In Christ! Wow! Guilt be gone!!! I have full access to the presence of God through faith and not through my own striving and in spite of any sin that remains. Not only that, but I have a new heart that is alive to all He wants and is capable of living like Christ. I don’t have to create that, I’ve already got it! And now I only have the joy, and often the pain, of learning to live from this new heart as the Spirit leads.
So how has this changed the way I live? For one thing, I am much freer from the fear that I will be found out. No matter what comes to light, my identity rests in Him. God sees all of the dark corners that remain in my heart, but I can be confident now that Christ is already waiting for me there in those places. Since I journeyed with Jesus around this bend in my road, I have been blessed with the experience of my heart being striped naked in front of God and my brithers and sisters and being seen, loved and embraced as both sinner and saint. That kind of love transforms. Like the chocolate raisins, the warmth of His grace melts away all my impurities in His time. I am free to delight in His presence within myself and those around me, trusting He is at work. I am finding the profound mystery of 1John 1:7 to be true…
“…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
And though I still feel the strong pull of my desire to perform for approval, I am much more liberated from the need to impress. My relationship with God has deepened profoundly with the knowledge that I need not perform well to earn His adoration. I have it simply because I am His little princess. And my heart responds back with adoration for my Daddy whose love and provision go way beyond what I can imagine.
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.”
Romans 8:15, 16
In order to share one of the most defined bends in my road to Emmaus, I need to give you a glimpse of what the road looked like before.
Much of my life was lived in fear that someone would find out who I really was. I had a pretty isolated childhood and was homeschooled most of the time from 4th grade on though I was actually just more “home” than “schooled”. I had been convinced early on that I was stupid after being berated by my second grade teacher in front of my whole class. I was not a self motivated learner and decided then and there that if I didn’t ever really try, then I couldn’t ever really fail. I dug my heels in and my parents didn’t push. My lack of a consistent academic education and healthy outside relationships throughout the years only imbedded deeper into my heart the belief that I was inept. I felt very ill equipped for life and was consumed by feelings of inferiority, except for in one place; on the stage in musical theater. In that one area, I knew I was exceptional and was well trained. If I had the chance to perform for someone, then and only then did I feel comfortable and significant. I had their adoration and my role to hide behind.
When I was 17 I plugged myself into a church. For a while I thought I had the potential to be quite competent in church life. After all, I loved Jesus, was a pretty good girl, had strong convictions, hated sin, loved the bible and learning how to be a good Christian. I even married my husband with the dream of going into ministry with him. But eventually I found myself living in guilt there too. I understood what the Churches measuring sticks were in order to please God and be a good Christian. I began to realize after trying very hard, that I couldn’t measure up there either. My quiet times became more and more infrequent as I wearied of trying to convince God of how sorry I was for my sin, begging forgiveness, and promising to do better.
Now comes the big curve in the road. God lead my husband and me to a new church with a pastor whose teaching brought a surprising revelation.
When we first started going he was preaching on the Ten Commandments, Jesus style, which meant he went way beyond the physical acting out of the “thou shalt nots” and began to quite disturbingly delve into the motives and thoughts of the heart. He preached the law harder than I had ever heard. He read from Galatians 3:10 which says, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of Law.”
I began to realize that my sin was actually MUCH worse than I thought it was and God’s measuring stick was MUCH bigger than that of the churches. His stick is “Be holy as I AM holy”. He doesn’t lower His expectations so that I can attain them. And the anger and questions began to rise up. He requires perfection in order for me to know perfection?!!!! What kind of a God is this?!!!”
It may seem like this revelation would have been a death blow capable of driving me from my faith forever; and that is, in fact, exactly what it was! It was a death blow …to my pride…and it did drive me away from my faith… in my own self righteousness and self redemption. But, thank God, our pastor didn’t leave me there wallowing in a pool of despair. That was only half of the big revelation.
The other part of the big revelation that changed me forever was this: Romans 8:3-4, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
Epiphany!!! The life, death and resurrection of Christ did not merely bring me back to even ground. He did not wipe out my sin and then say, “OK now make something better of yourself.” No. He actually gave me His righteousness! Every minute of His sinless perfect existence on earth, every temptation deflected, life revived and obedient step taken was for me! He gave it as a gift to me just for believing it! I am now seen as perfectly obedient, spotless and righteous by God because I am found in Christ. In Christ! Wow! Guilt be gone!!! I have full access to the presence of God through faith and not through my own striving and in spite of any sin that remains. Not only that, but I have a new heart that is alive to all He wants and is capable of living like Christ. I don’t have to create that, I’ve already got it! And now I only have the joy, and often the pain, of learning to live from this new heart as the Spirit leads.
So how has this changed the way I live? For one thing, I am much freer from the fear that I will be found out. No matter what comes to light, my identity rests in Him. God sees all of the dark corners that remain in my heart, but I can be confident now that Christ is already waiting for me there in those places. Since I journeyed with Jesus around this bend in my road, I have been blessed with the experience of my heart being striped naked in front of God and my brithers and sisters and being seen, loved and embraced as both sinner and saint. That kind of love transforms. Like the chocolate raisins, the warmth of His grace melts away all my impurities in His time. I am free to delight in His presence within myself and those around me, trusting He is at work. I am finding the profound mystery of 1John 1:7 to be true…
“…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
And though I still feel the strong pull of my desire to perform for approval, I am much more liberated from the need to impress. My relationship with God has deepened profoundly with the knowledge that I need not perform well to earn His adoration. I have it simply because I am His little princess. And my heart responds back with adoration for my Daddy whose love and provision go way beyond what I can imagine.
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.”
Romans 8:15, 16
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A love letter from Jesus
My husband encouraged me to post this. It was an assignment I had for my Spiritual Formation Class last week. I had to write a love letter to myself from God. Oh my! How in the world do you do that? I began to pray and meditate on how He has loved me throughout my life. This letter was the result and He met me in some very surprising and personal ways through it. I now see Him standing with me in many more scenes from my past where I had missed His presence before.
My Dearest Jenny,
Ages before you were born I spelled out my love for you. It has been scattered in the heavens, tucked into every detail of creation, written in the Word, and fleshed out with my very life.
I greatly anticipated the day of your birth when your parents, whom I chose for your nurturing, would gaze in wonder at the beauty I designed before I spoke the world into existence.
You felt me whisper my love as I sent a breeze to wisp across your baby soft cheeks, laughter floating along your baby breath in response.
I was there when you played princess in the solitude of your backyard imaginings, unaware that you were indeed royalty and that I was the Prince you dreamed of. I had already come to your rescue defeating the black witch who once held you captive in her stone cold dungeon. As you sang into the wishing well of innocent girlhood hopes, I received the songs as prayers for your life, handling them as sweet treasures.
I ached with you as your body quickly matured and your spirit struggled to keep up. I cherished you when hatred for yourself was consuming. I was with you there, capturing each tear though you felt so alone. I saw then what you could not; rich beauty which concealed in its depths precious gems yet to be discovered.
When you shone like a star on the stage, I was your front row. It was My adoration you sought, My applause you longed so much to hear…and still do.
I lead you by your overwhelming desires to those of Mine who would teach and inspire you. I accompanied you into adulthood overjoyed by your invitation to take your hand. Your heart was drawing nearer; mine rejoiced.
I journaled every season of your story on my heart; every wave of guilt and freedom, every whim of fancy, every dream sacrificed, the wooing and the wedding, disillusions and new hope, forgiving and healing, each conception and birth. I picked you up and held you when your sinfulness stung. I sang of My redemption as I enveloped you in white.
It was I who mended the torn fabric of your marriage and fused you together with forgiveness, grace and passion. Your union is a masterpiece reflecting well Myself and my Church Bride.
I delight to see your understanding of our Father grow richer as I shepherd you through the thick of parenting riddled with its own set of joys, fears, failures, laughter and desperate moments. Remember always; I AM their Shepherd. I will be there for them in their stories as I always have been in yours.
And now as together we approach new thresholds, I encourage you, walk through with boldness! Continue on in our story, Beloved. Journey deeper, closer with me and you will shine ever more radiant as you glory in my love that’s never ending, never failing, ever embracing you with grace until the day I sweep you off this earth and carry you over the final threshold into the eternity of happily ever after.
Forever yours,
Jesus
My Dearest Jenny,
Ages before you were born I spelled out my love for you. It has been scattered in the heavens, tucked into every detail of creation, written in the Word, and fleshed out with my very life.
I greatly anticipated the day of your birth when your parents, whom I chose for your nurturing, would gaze in wonder at the beauty I designed before I spoke the world into existence.
You felt me whisper my love as I sent a breeze to wisp across your baby soft cheeks, laughter floating along your baby breath in response.
I was there when you played princess in the solitude of your backyard imaginings, unaware that you were indeed royalty and that I was the Prince you dreamed of. I had already come to your rescue defeating the black witch who once held you captive in her stone cold dungeon. As you sang into the wishing well of innocent girlhood hopes, I received the songs as prayers for your life, handling them as sweet treasures.
I ached with you as your body quickly matured and your spirit struggled to keep up. I cherished you when hatred for yourself was consuming. I was with you there, capturing each tear though you felt so alone. I saw then what you could not; rich beauty which concealed in its depths precious gems yet to be discovered.
When you shone like a star on the stage, I was your front row. It was My adoration you sought, My applause you longed so much to hear…and still do.
I lead you by your overwhelming desires to those of Mine who would teach and inspire you. I accompanied you into adulthood overjoyed by your invitation to take your hand. Your heart was drawing nearer; mine rejoiced.
I journaled every season of your story on my heart; every wave of guilt and freedom, every whim of fancy, every dream sacrificed, the wooing and the wedding, disillusions and new hope, forgiving and healing, each conception and birth. I picked you up and held you when your sinfulness stung. I sang of My redemption as I enveloped you in white.
It was I who mended the torn fabric of your marriage and fused you together with forgiveness, grace and passion. Your union is a masterpiece reflecting well Myself and my Church Bride.
I delight to see your understanding of our Father grow richer as I shepherd you through the thick of parenting riddled with its own set of joys, fears, failures, laughter and desperate moments. Remember always; I AM their Shepherd. I will be there for them in their stories as I always have been in yours.
And now as together we approach new thresholds, I encourage you, walk through with boldness! Continue on in our story, Beloved. Journey deeper, closer with me and you will shine ever more radiant as you glory in my love that’s never ending, never failing, ever embracing you with grace until the day I sweep you off this earth and carry you over the final threshold into the eternity of happily ever after.
Forever yours,
Jesus
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Desire for Perfection
If we were not created for perfection, why do we desire it? If there is no perfection somewhere beyond this life why do we so want the perfect job, house, family? Why does illness and death feel so unnatural? Why is saying goodbye so hard? Why do we long to be loved deeply and why is it so painful when those we love hurt us? Why do we continue to search for the next big thrill, the ultimate adventure? Why must we always have something to look forward to? Why do we continue to write Cinderella stories and wish for happily ever after? Why does blatant evil infuriate us and make us burn for justice? Why do we seek out heroes, and dare to hope in someone we see as better or stronger than ourselves? Why do we look down on those who do not live up to our own ideals? Why do we have ideals at all? Why, even when things seem as close to perfect as possible, is it still not quite enough?
“He has made everything beautiful its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Romans 8:20, 21
“Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
2Corinthians 5:2-5
“For now we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect disappears…Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
1Corinthians 13:9, 10, 12
How does the hope of perfection effect the way I live my life?
Dear Perfection, may your promise of a perfect eternity grant me peace, rest and patience as I wade through this imperfect world. Give me grace for myself and those around me, knowing we will someday be whole. May I never live in fear of what we may have to live without or live through. May I have the grace to delight in my earthly blessings as glimpses of what is to come and not be determined to hold onto them for dear life. The greatest things in the world, the most beautiful places and well written fairytales cannot compare with what you have prepared for me in heaven. One day, you will make all things perfect... forever. Amazing.
“He has made everything beautiful its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Romans 8:20, 21
“Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
2Corinthians 5:2-5
“For now we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect disappears…Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
1Corinthians 13:9, 10, 12
How does the hope of perfection effect the way I live my life?
Dear Perfection, may your promise of a perfect eternity grant me peace, rest and patience as I wade through this imperfect world. Give me grace for myself and those around me, knowing we will someday be whole. May I never live in fear of what we may have to live without or live through. May I have the grace to delight in my earthly blessings as glimpses of what is to come and not be determined to hold onto them for dear life. The greatest things in the world, the most beautiful places and well written fairytales cannot compare with what you have prepared for me in heaven. One day, you will make all things perfect... forever. Amazing.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Wind
The wind blows seemingly aimless. It brushes by, whirls around and sifts through using its objects as instruments with which it plays a customized composition. It sings differently though the pines than through the aspen groves; differently again through the rain than through the prairie grasses. It howls as it echoes against impenetrable granite and rushes madly as it is channeled through a narrow canyon. Oh the delicious, sparkling breeze which carries the ocean’s mists! How subtle the whooshing sound as it lifts the soaring eagle up upon its back!
There are times when the wind is ruthless. The shriek of the hurricane has power to tear apart in mighty gusts; a sharp contrast to the melody of a mild spring day suspending on its breath the delicate Painted Lady butterfly! It is often warm and comforting, sometimes frigid and sobering, never predictable, but always singing the appropriate song for the season, though it may sometimes seem to us out of sorts.
So it is with the Spirit. He plays skillfully through each unique soul the composition, perfectly accompanying the story the Master orchestrates in the lives of His instruments.
Oh Mighty Wind of God, train me to listen for the unique composition you sing through not only my own soul but the beautiful souls of those you place near me. May you create a pleasing harmony for Your pleasure as I brush up against the other instruments in your great symphony; though it may at times sound to my ear discordant. May you grant me an attentive heart yearning to savor the song, be it barely breezing or wildly whistling. Gift me with patience for prolonged periods of silence. Keep me penetrable that I may rustle like an Aspen rather than echo like a boulder. Grant me sensitivity to your constant whirring over, around and through the happenings of living. May my ear be ever pricked anticipating Your song as spontaneous and evergreen as the wind through the Pines.
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8
There are times when the wind is ruthless. The shriek of the hurricane has power to tear apart in mighty gusts; a sharp contrast to the melody of a mild spring day suspending on its breath the delicate Painted Lady butterfly! It is often warm and comforting, sometimes frigid and sobering, never predictable, but always singing the appropriate song for the season, though it may sometimes seem to us out of sorts.
So it is with the Spirit. He plays skillfully through each unique soul the composition, perfectly accompanying the story the Master orchestrates in the lives of His instruments.
Oh Mighty Wind of God, train me to listen for the unique composition you sing through not only my own soul but the beautiful souls of those you place near me. May you create a pleasing harmony for Your pleasure as I brush up against the other instruments in your great symphony; though it may at times sound to my ear discordant. May you grant me an attentive heart yearning to savor the song, be it barely breezing or wildly whistling. Gift me with patience for prolonged periods of silence. Keep me penetrable that I may rustle like an Aspen rather than echo like a boulder. Grant me sensitivity to your constant whirring over, around and through the happenings of living. May my ear be ever pricked anticipating Your song as spontaneous and evergreen as the wind through the Pines.
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 3:8
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