A Repentant Heart

1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness

Your Will... Matthew 26:39

Matthew 26:39

Jesus said "Father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

God's will is greater than ours yet we constantly go ahead of God with our own needs and desires. Sin and pride take over our flesh and we are held in bondage until we surrender ourselves to the only way back to God... That's Jesus Christ! In John 11:25-26, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 

That question was not only to Martha but for everyone... Do YOU believe this? 

Cry Out... Mark 10:47

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:47
In Mark 10:46-53, Jesus left the city with a large crowd following close behind. Most likely this crowd was creating a great deal of noise and excitement. A blind man begging for help would be sensitive to hear the activities as the people scuffled by.  It is amazing that a blind beggar would know about “Jesus of Nazareth” and somehow would know that Jesus could help him. The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” While Jesus walked on earth, He answered that kind of prayer frequently. It must have been music in our Savior’s ears, because that is why Jesus came, to grant mercy to blind beggars like you and me. Jesus stopped, called to him and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” This man could have asked for money or help with some other desperate need, but instead he asked specifically for his sight. Jesus said that his faith healed him as the beggar immediately received his sight.
There are many situations and circumstances in our lives where we are blind to the will of God. But how many of us cry out to God for mercy?  How many of us really bring our specific need to the Savior to ask for His touch? Too many times, we are faithless to ask for what we really want. Too many times, we hear that Jesus is near but are apprehensive to call out to Him. This blind beggar received what he asked for. This blind beggar knew that Jesus could touch him and change him. He did not hold back but yelled into a crowd full of people. Jesus says in Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”We need to take Jesus at His word. We need to understand that God desires to grant mercy and He wants us (the spiritually blind) to see. Are you in need of His mercy today? Tell Jesus what You want Him to do for you…tell Him that you need Him today. Just think, it is not necessary to yell or push through a crowd – He is just a prayer away.

Trust in God

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

Why is trusting in God good for your health? So you don't worry

An Abundance

"To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." (NLT) ( Matthew 25:29 ) 

Are you spending each day utilizing your God given talents? If not, think about doing things that take advantage of your special talents and then put a lot of muscle behind it. When we make wise choices and use our talents to the fullest extent, success follows.

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Marks of Maturity

Ephesians 4:14–15

To be mature is to be fully developed, complete, and "grown up." Becoming mature is a process of consistently moving toward emotional and spiritual adulthood. In that process we leave childish and adolescent habits and adopt a lifestyle where we are fully responsible for our own decisions, motives, actions, and consequences.

I heard someone say recently that maturity is developing and discerning competence as to how to live appropriately and to change rightly. In a word, it is stability.

We never "arrive." We are always in the process of moving toward that objective. I have also observed that when maturity is taking place, balance replaces extremes and a seasoned confidence replaces uneasy feelings of insecurity. Good choices replace wrong ones.

Do you have these marks of maturity:

Concern for others that outweighs personal concerns

Detection of the presence of evil before it's obvious

Self discipline

Compassion and involvement

Tempered emotions

Consistently growing in God's Word

How do your "marks" stand up? Will you work on improving them

before the next scoring period?

 With maturity, balance replaces extremes and confidence replaces insecurity.

A better way... Romans 12:10-13

Romans 12:10–13

Yourself. Yourself. Yourself. We're up to here with self! How very different from Jesus' model and message! Instead of a "philosophy" to turn our eyes inward, He offers a fresh and much-needed invitation to our "me first" generation. There is a better way, Jesus says. "Be a servant. Give to others!" Just listen: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Phil. 2:3–4).

Know what all that means? Well, for starters, "nothing" means just that. Stop permitting two strong tendencies—selfishness and conceit—to control you! Let nothing either of them suggests win a hearing. Replace them with "humility of mind."

But how? By regarding others as more important than yourself.

Look for ways to support, encourage, build up, and stimulate the other person. And that requires an attitude that would rather give than receive.

"Humility of mind" is really an attitude, isn't it? It a preset mentality that determines ahead of time thoughts like this: I care about those around me. Why do I always have to be first? I'm going to help someone else win for a change. Today, it my sincere desire to curb my own fierce competitive tendencies and turn that energy into encouraging at least one other person. I willingly release my way this day. Lord, show me how You would respond to others, then help me do the same.

To get started in this unselfish lifestyle, let me suggest three basic ingredients: giving, forgiving, and forgetting.

Once we make up our minds to implement the truth of Philippians 2:3–4 (taking a special interest in others) or Galatians 5:13 (serving others in love), those three basics will begin to emerge. Instead of always thinking about receiving, we'll start looking for ways to give. Instead of holding grudges against those who have offended us, we'll be anxious to forgive. And instead of keeping a record of what we've done or who we've helped, we'll take delight in forgetting the deed(s) and being virtually unnoticed.

It is impossible to give yourself away at arm's length.

 Don’t allow what selfishness or conceit suggests win a hearing or control you.

First fruits... Matthew 22:37

In His Presence: Matthew 22:37

The Bible calls the priorities of stewardship our "firstfruits." In the agricultural environment of the biblical times, people lived on the food they grew. Giving God their firstfruits would mean giving Him the best and the first of what they had to give.

Giving your firstfruits is a tangible, visible way of telling God that He is first in your life. God has always demanded that He be first because He is God. In Revelation 2:4, Jesus told the church: "You have left your first love." Jesus had slipped into second or third place. When God stops being first, we have a problem.

Colossians 1:18 tells us we should live in such a way "that [Jesus] Himself might come to have first place in everything." Jesus wants to be the focus of every aspect of your life all the time, without exception. Why? Because everything we have and ever will have is rooted in God. He deserves to be the focus because He is the Creator, Sustainer, Source, Savior, and King.

A passage from Haggai demonstrates where our priority as stewards should be: "You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; … he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes" (Haggai 1:6). When God is not first, we can't possibly enjoy the stuff of life. Whenever the provisions of God become your god, you have replaced the true God with your own god.

One Minute Please

How dare we live for everything else and forget the Source.

Simple faith... Matthew 7

Matthew 7

When it came to clear communication, Jesus was a master. Children and adults alike had no difficulty understanding His words or following His reasoning.

This was never truer than when He sat down on a hillside with a group of His followers and talked about what really mattered. His hillside chat was an informal, reasonable, thoughtful, and unpretentious presentation.

People were fed up with the manipulation, the pride, and especially the hypocrisy of their religious leaders. Man-made systems of complicated requirements and backbreaking demands shut the people behind invisible bars, shackled in chains of guilt. They could not measure up. Many were losing heart. But who dared say so?

Then out of the blue came Jesus with His message of liberating grace, encouragement to the weary, hope for the sinful. Best of all, everything He said was based on pristine truth—God's truth—instead of rigid religious regulations. He talked of faith in terms anyone could understand. No wonder the people found Him amazing! No wonder the scribes and Pharisees found Him unbearable! Hypocrisy despises authenticity. When truth unmasks wrong, those who are exposed get very nervous.

So what does Jesus want? What was He getting at?

He was simply saying that He wanted His followers to be people of simple faith, modeled in grace, based on truth. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.

Jesus put it straight: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them" (Matt. 6:1). In other words, stop acting one way before others when you are really not that way at all.

Following His passionate reproach against hypocrisy, Jesus also warned the people against judging each other. "How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?" (Matt. 7:4).

Jesus was encouraging tolerance. Be tolerant of those who live different lifestyles. Be tolerant of those who don't look like you, who don't care about the things you care about, whose fine points of theology differ from yours, whose worship style is different. Be tolerant of the young if you are older . . . and be tolerant of the aging if you are young.

Jesus' words that day on the hillside were powerful. When He finished speaking, nobody moved. Small wonder. His words were like spikes nailing them in place.

People of faith mean what they say and do what they hear.

They do not substitute words for actions or pious discussion for personal involvement.

 Everything Jesus said was based on God's truth instead of religious regulations.

Precious things...1 Peter 1:7

The price of precious things

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

There are sometimes rare and beautiful wares brought into the market that are invoiced at almost fabulous rates. Ignorant people wonder why they are priced so high. The simple reason is that they cost so much to procure. That luxurious article labeled £75 was procured by the adventurous hunter, who, at the hazard of his neck, brought down the mountain-goat, out of whose glossy hair the fabric was wrought. Yonder pearl that flashes on the brow of the bride is precious, because it was rescued from the great deep at the risk of the pearl-fisher’s life, as he was lifted into the boat half-dead, with the blood gushing from his nostrils. Yonder ermine, flung so carelessly over the proud beauty’s shoulder, cost terrible battles with Polar ice and hurricane. All choicest things are reckoned the dearest.

And so it is that the best part of a Christian is that which was procured at the sorest cost. Patience is a beautiful trait, but is not worn oftenest by those who walk on life’s sunny side in silver slippers. It is the product of dark nights of tempest, and of those days of adversity whose high noon is but a midnight. For “the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Purity of soul is like purity in gold, where the hottest fires turn out the most refined and precious metals from the crucible.—Theodore Cuyler.

When other things are broken, they are nothing worth,

Unless it be to some old Jew or some repairer;

But hearts, the more they’re bruised and broken here on earth

In Heaven are so much the costlier and the fairer.

—W. R. Alger.

Those who are broken in wealth, and broken in self-will, and broken in worldly reputation, and broken in their affections, and broken oft-times in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless, the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God’s glory. “The lame take the prey,” Isaiah tells us. God must have broken things.

“By reason of breakings they purify themselves” (Job 41:25).

Al Rosario 

Sent from my iPhone

Self Pity...1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19

A severe case of ingrown eyeballs strikes all of us every once in a while. In both dramatic and subtle ways, the stubborn enemy of our souls whispers sweet little nothings in our ears. He reminds us of how unappreciated and ill-treated we are . . . how important yet overlooked . . . how gifted yet ignored . . . how capable yet unrecognized . . . how bright yet eclipsed . . . how valuable yet unrewarded.

But the most damaging impact of self-pity is its ultimate end. A frown will replace your smile. A pungent criticism will replace a pleasant, "I understand." Suspicion and resentment will submerge you like a tidal wave, and you will soon discover that this sea of self-pity has brought with it urchins of doubt, despair . . . and even the desire

to die.

An exaggeration? If you think so, sit with me awhile beneath the shade of a juniper tree located at 19 First Kings, the address of a prophet named Elijah.

Elijah had just won a great victory over Ahab and his Baal-worshiping pawns. In fact, God stamped His approval upon Elijah in such a way that all Israel knew he was God's mouthpiece. As a result, Jezebel, Ahab's spouse (he was her mouse), declared and predicted Elijah's death within twenty-four hours.

Now, the seasoned prophet had surely been criticized before. But this threat somehow found the chink in his armor.

So Elijah ran for his life. Then, beneath the tree, overwhelmed with self-pity, he said, "I've had enough . . . take away my life. . . . I've worked very hard for the Lord God of the heavens; but the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you and torn down your altars and killed your prophets, and only I am left; and now they are trying to kill me, too" (1 Kings 19:4, 10 TLB).

Yet God didn't rebuke His man, nor strike him dead. He encouraged him to take a rest, enjoy a catered meal or two . . . and get his eyes off himself and his situation so that they might get back on the Lord. God even gave him a close friend, a fella named Elisha, with whom he might share his life and his load.

Feeling sorry for yourself today? Why not try God's remedy: Take a break, stop trying to work things out yourself. And take a long, loving look at your Savior in His Word . . . and then spend some time with a friend. You'll be amazed at the outcome.

Self-pity is the smog that pollutes and obscures the light of the Son.

Salt & Light... John 8:12

John 8:12; Matthew 5:13

God calls us to be salt-and-light Christians in a bland, dark society. We need to remember salt must not lose its taste and light must not be hidden. Let me suggest three statements that declare and describe how to fulfill this role:

"I am different." We should not become like the world. We must guard against being sucked into the prevailing culture and conforming to society's expectations.

"I am responsible." Every once in awhile we need to ask some hard questions: Are we making contact with others? Are we seeking isolation? It's up to us to spread the salt and light.

"I am influential." Let's not kid ourselves. The very fact that we belong to Christ—that we don't adopt to the system, that we march to a different drumbeat—gives us an influence in this society of ours. We are influencing others in our every behavior, be it good or bad. Even when we aren't trying, out comes the salt and on comes the light.

Remember to keep your light "on" and your saltshaker tipped!

Don't take it easy... Psalm 90

Psalm 90

Last fall one day at the church, I spotted a visiting gentleman who was shaking hands with a half-dozen folks he’d never met belore. Then he looked at me, and with a grin and a twinkle, he whipped out his hand. It was a hand you could strike a match on, toughened by decades of rugged toil.

"You look like a man who enjoys life. What do you do for a living?" I asked.

"Me? Well, I'm a farmer from back in the Midwest."

"Really? I guess I'm not surprised, since you've got hands like a tractor tire."

He laughed . . . asked me a couple of insightful questions, then told me about his plans for traveling on his own.

"What did you do last week?" I asked.

His answer stunned me. "Last week I finished harvesting 90,000 bushels of corn," he said with a smile.

I then blurted out, "Ninety thousand! How old are you, my friend?"

He didn't seem at all hesitant or embarrassed by my question. "I'm just a couple months shy o' 90." He laughed again as I shook my head.

He had lived through four wars, the Great Depression, sixteen presidents, ninety Midwest winters, who knows how many personal hardships, and he was still taking life by the throat. I had to ask him the secret of his long and productive life. "Hard work and integrity" was his quick reply.

As we parted company, he looked back over his shoulder and added, "Don't take it easy, young feller. Stay at it!"

The Bible is filled with folks who refused to take it easy. Remember our friend Caleb, who, at age 85, attacked the Anakim in the hill country and successfully drove them out (Josh. 14)? Or Abraham, who had a baby (well, actually Sarah did) when he was "in his old age" . . . he was 100, she was 90 (Gen. 21)? Or Noah or Moses or Samuel or Anna, the 84-year-old prophetess . . . significant people, all.

Age means zilch. Wrinkles, gray hair, and spots on your hands, less than zilch. If God chooses to leave you on this old earth, great. If He makes it possible for you to step aside from your work and move on to new vistas with fresh challenges, that's also great.

And whatever else you do, don't take it easy!

"No disease is more lethal than the boredom that follows retirement" (Norman Cousins).

 Age means zilch. Wrinkles, gray hair, and spots on your hands, less than zilch.

Unwholesome Talk... Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

—Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

We can use our words to be cute. We can use our words to appear impressive. We can use our words to win arguments. We can use our words to defend ourselves. We can use our words to lie and distort. We can use our words to do many things, but God wants us to use our words to bless. So when we speak, if our words do not bless and benefit those to whom we direct them, then we are to simply not say anything. Grandma was right. "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all."

Prayer...

Give me wisdom today, dear God, to speak words that bless my family, my co-workers, and those I meet. I want to be truthful, loving, kind, and merciful when I open my mouth and speak. May the words of my mouth be used in your service and to your glory today, dear LORD. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Seek God... Lamentations 3:25

Lamentations 3:25

"Lord, I'm back and I diligently seek you." How many times have we said this? This time stop talking and sit silently. Wait patiently, seek diligently, sit silently. That means you need to pour out your heart and then deliberately be quiet. Spend a full day in quietness.

Meditation is a lost art in this modern, hurry-up world. I suggest you revive it. Not by endlessly repeating some mantra to get into some other frame of mind. Not that. Simply and silently wait before your faithful God. Read a passage of Scripture, perhaps a psalm, and let it speak. Say nothing. Just sit silently. Let Him talk. Let Him reassure you that you are fully and completely forgiven and that your shame is gone. Feel His arms around you. Understand the cleansing that He's bringing. Feel again the freshness and relief of His presence.

God will give you a fresh start if you'll stop fighting. It works. I know. I've been there. Just submit to Him and accept His grace.

God will keep His promise to forgive and welcome you home.

His mercies are new every morning.

 God will keep His promise to forgive and welcome you home through Jesus Christ.

Finance... Malachi 3:7-12

God's Master Plan of Finance

Malachi 3:7-12

Though the world is full of disorder, confusion, and uncertainty, believers in Christ have the wonderful assurance that God is in absolute control of every situation. When He created the heavens and the earth, He had a purpose and a plan, which He carried out with precision and order. Nothing was haphazard, late, or uncertain. The Lord also has a plan for each one of us, and every aspect of our lives is not only under His scrutiny, but also under His care.

One of those areas is our finances. If we'll follow God's plan, He promises to manage our money. Now, that's quite a blessing. After all, who do you think would be better at knowing how to handle money—you or our omniscient, all-powerful God? He promises that if we will give Him the first part of all we receive, He'll provide for our needs. He has an amazing way of making the remainder stretch farther than the original amount.

So, considering the blessings of this promise and the unfailing faithfulness of the Promise Giver, what is keeping you from obeying this command? The most likely reason is unbelief—fear to test Him on this even though He invites you to do so. But you may be asking yourself, What if He doesn't come through? What if I give it away and don't have enough?

The Lord is after your trust, and what better area to test and build it than your finances? Believing Him for our salvation seems easy, yet we often doubt He'll keep His promise when it comes to money. Take a step of obedience today, and discover how faithful your God really is.

Trust... Isaiah 2:22

My house is going to trust the Lord. The kitchen is getting hot when pride steps in.

Isaiah 2:22 Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?

Right now, where is your trust? Is it in your own intellect, abilities, and what people say? The Word of God reminds us continuously to stop trusting in man,Stop trusting in our own judgement and to start trusting in the ways of God. Today, the Lord our God clearly wants us to put an end to trusting in man.

The ability to trust in the Lord, to believe in the unseen, and walk by faith, is to be treasured. Sometimes the way the Lord guides and leads us may seem confusing and doubtful, but here is the test. Will we trust and obey or trust in our own ways?

The Word of God reminds us to stop trusting in man.OurFather wants us to confess our deepest fears to Him. As we do this, ask the Lord if we are fully submitted to Him. Do we trust in our own hands, in the ways of man, or are we fully surrendered to Him?

God is encouraging us to trust in Him. Trust in our maker. Can we trust in our maker today? Or are we too proud to do so? Let us always remember: man's wisdom does not compare or even come close to God's foolishness. This is the power of our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Isaiah 2:22 Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?

Right now, where is your trust? Is it in your own intellect, abilities, and what people say? The Word of God reminds us continuously to stop trusting in man,Stop trusting in our own judgement and to start trusting in the ways of God. Today, the Lord our God clearly wants us to put an end to trusting in man.

The ability to trust in the Lord, to believe in the unseen, and walk by faith, is to be treasured. Sometimes the way the Lord guides and leads us may seem confusing and doubtful, but here is the test. Will we trust and obey or trust in our own ways?

The Word of God reminds us to stop trusting in man.OurFather wants us to confess our deepest fears to Him. As we do this, ask the Lord if we are fully submitted to Him. Do we trust in our own hands, in the ways of man, or are we fully surrendered to Him?

God is encouraging us to trust in Him. Trust in our maker. Can we trust in our maker today? Or are we too proud to do so? Let us always remember: man's wisdom does not compare or even come close to God's foolishness. This is the power of our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

cordiality...Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15

The heart of the term "cordial" is the word "heart." And the heart of "heart" is kardia, a Greek term that most often refers to the center of our inner life—the source or seat of all the forces and functions of our inner being. So when we are cordial, we are acting on something that comes from and affects the very center of life itself. Maybe that's why Webster defines "cordial" as "of or relating to the heart; vital, tending to revive, cheer or invigorate, heartfelt, gracious."

Being cordial literally starts from the heart, as I see it. It begins with the deep-seated belief that the other person is important, genuinely significant, deserving of my undivided attention, my unrivaled interest, if only for a few seconds. Encouraged by such a belief, I am prompted to be sensitive to that person's feelings. If he is uneasy and self-conscious, cordiality alerts me to put him at ease. lf she is shy, cordiality provides a relief. If he is bored, cordiality stimulates and invigorates him. If she is sad, cordiality brings cheer. What a needed and necessary virtue it is! How do we project cordiality? Try these four basic ingredients:

1. A warm smile. A smile needs to become a natural part of your whole person, reflecting genuine friendliness. Nothing is more magnetic or attractive than your smile, and it will communicate volumes to the other person.

2. A solid handshake. Never underestimate the value of this cordial expression, my friend. The handshake is a rare remaining species in the family of touch, and it is threatened with extinction.

3. Direct eye contact. Accompanying every handshake and conversation, no matter how brief, ought to be an eyeball-to-eyeball encounter. The eyes reflect deep feelings enclosed in the secret chamber of your soul . . . feelings that have no other means of release. Eye contact allows others to read these feelings. Cordiality cannot be expressed indirectly.

4. A word of encouragement. Keep this fresh, free from clichés, and to the point. Call the person by name and use it as you talk. Be specific and natural, and deliberately refuse to flatter the person. Let your heart be freely felt as your words flow.

"Oil and perfume make the heart glad, / So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend" (Prov. 27:9).

Spread some sweetness . . . have a heart . . . convey cordiality!

How are you doing in the cordiality department?

Try to be conscious of it this week, without being self-conscious.

 Nothing is more attractive than your smile, and it will communicate volumes.

Crucible of crisis... Jonah 2:1-6

Jonah 2:1–6

God's Word is filled with examples of those who believed God and "commenced prayer." David certainly did. "I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm" (Ps. 40:1–2).

Paul and Silas experienced the same thing in that ancient Philippians prison when all seemed hopeless (Acts 16:25–26). And it was from the deep that Jonah cried for help. Choking on salt water and engulfed by the Mediterranean currents, the prodigal prophet called out his distress:

"Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said, 'I called out of my distress to the LORD, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; Thou didst hear my voice. . . . All Thy breakers and billows passed over me. . . . But Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God'" (Jonah 2:1–6).

Often it is the crucible of crisis that energizes our faith. Think it over.

 Often it is the crucible of crisis that energizes our faith.

Doubt

"Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death."

Unknown

Doubt brings us down and gets us off track. Doubt opens the door to usher in all forms of fear. If you want to minimize doubt and fear then make up your mind to reduce their food supply. So what kind of faith food helps to starve doubt to death and begin to feed our faith? Begin with the Word of God... For solid food try reading daily a a truly amazing book . . . read the Bible, the inspired Word of God, a collection of texts written over 2000 years ago. Fix your mind on things that are true, lovely and right. Fill your mind with stories of faith. Spend time in nature, with small children and the aged. Volunteer to help the less fortunate. In other words, give of yourself. Feed others and be fed. But above all, love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.