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Sabbath Devotional :: Be Thou an Example
In light of the important and moving Code Purple post below, I simply leave a scripture at the end of Second Nephi 26:33 to lead us into Sunday worship: “. . . He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” May we all reflect on God’s love for all his children and President Monson’s simple plea: 1. Fill your mind with truth; 2. Fill your heart with love; 3. Fill your life with…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Buds if not Buddies
We recently concluded our Operation Purple Rain. Every day since May 1st, I, like many of you, sent letters to Congressman Jason Chaffetz in purple envelopes to urge him to act aggressively as Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform committee to explore Russian ties with our current administration. I wanted to add a little creative zest to the task so I wrote my messages in haiku. That choice made me focus on finding out more about the man and his actions. Since I’m only recently a resident of Utah, I didn’t know anything about him — including how to pronounce his last name. While looking for photos to accompany…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Find Your Calm Center
A few weeks ago, I came to myself in the middle of my family room late one night. I say that I “came to myself” because I’d spent that day, and the days before it, in such a frazzled mental state that I had hardly had a moment to check in with myself either physically or mentally. The last months in my life have been a study in balance: My career has been at an intense moment, my health has been struggling, my family has somehow still needed to be fed, and I’ve been trying to learn how to live with the constant emotional fluctuation that I’ve felt since the…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Open Our Hearts to Christ
We live in a world that is quickly becoming desensitized to subtlety and nuance. So much in modern society is loud, sensationalized, and overblown. Companies include more flavoring in gum than they did in the 20th century. Music is amplified. Substantive discourse is reduced to soundbites. Billboards are flashier. We crave more and notice less. So what is the antidote? Charity. That pure love of Christ (His for us; ours for Him and for each other) can soften the calloused spots in all of us and, by extension, society at large. As we open our hearts to Christ’s influence, we gain a greater capacity to empathize with our brothers and…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Betrayal and the Promise of Redemption
When I saw a recent NY Times article I had to double check that it wasn’t a satirical piece. Even two short years ago these words would have seemed like Saturday Night Live sketch comedy. Donald Trump giving Sarah Palin, Kid Rock and Ted Nugent a tour of our beloved White House, pausing long enough to mock a painting of former First Lady, Hillary Clinton? No. Not possible. Outlandish, fantasy! Yet, sadly, this is not some unimaginable alternative reality. it’s not an article written for the Onion or upcoming SNL fodder. And although it is indeed outrageous (and for many of us unbelievable), it is very much real. As I…
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Sabbath Devotional :: The Armor of God
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with…
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Sabbath Devotional :: All are Needed
I have recently been studying the lives of significant women in the history of both the early Church and the restored Church. Regardless of the century in which they were born, these women tend to embody firm resolve, loyalty to truth, civic-mindedness, self-reliance, a hunger for knowledge, and an inborn sense of justice — the same qualities that drive us forward at MWEG. One favorite story: “When a teamster tried to steal Lucy Mack Smith’s horses as they were moving to Palmyra, she [confronted] him in front of all of the travelers present: ‘Gentlemen and ladies, please give your attention. As sure as there is a God in heaven, that…
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Sabbath Devotional :: You Are My Beloved
I returned home late tonight (Saturday) after spending the past week in Seattle helping my younger sister who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had a bi-lateral mastectomy on Wednesday. (The surgery went well, and the good news is that it looks like the cancer hadn’t spread to the lymph nodes.) My feelings have been very tender as I’ve contemplated the fragility of life, the preciousness of our relationships, and God’s astonishing love for us. As I thought about what to share with you for this week’s Sabbath Devotional, this passage from Henri J.M. Nouwen’s book “Life of the Beloved” came to mind. Nouwen writes of the need for…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Voices
Like many of you I am a news junkie. I want to know what’s going on in the U.S., as well as around the world and understand the issues and respective implications. And also like most of you, I never seem to have enough time in any given day or week to read (and do) all of the things I would like to. So many responsibilities, worthy causes and interests vying for our time. So many sources of news competing for our attention, it feels like ‘information overload’ or at least ‘abundance’ is the order of the day. Throw in an obsession for good books and worthy ideas and it…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Emojis, Gandhi and God
It has been another busy week in our country. Town Halls convened — some raucous — some civil. Phones and faxes rang. Citizens wrote, stamped and sent post cards and letters. Grassroots organizations — many with goals overlapping MWEG’s — sprang up. Merriam-Webster reminded the country, despite sound bites to the contrary, that the definition of feminism is “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” Articles and actions collected likes, hearts, wows, as well as weepy and angry faces. I caught myself after clicking on the angry icon related to some new irksome development. What am I doing with the anger I just admitted to…
