2. The TRINITY is a person (3-in-1; omnipotent –
omniscient)
I RELATE BETTER TO ‘JESUS’ than to the ‘HOLY
SPIRIT’ or ‘FATHER GOD’
JESUS EXISTED & STILL EXISTS -- he knew me
before I even was
The HOLY SPIRIT indwells us
JESUS LOVES ME, irrespective of how ‘sinful’ I
behave
HE OFTEN USES PAIN / SUFFERING to get my
attention

3.  I’M NOT SO SURE GOD IS INTERESTED IN MY DAILY LIFE
 HE REALLY DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MY HAPPINESS… PER SE
 HE CARES MORE ABOUT MY SANCTIFICATION – LEADING TO A
NET INCREASE IN THE SHALOM (PEACE, JOY, FORGIVENESS) IN
THIS WORLD
 I’M NOT SURE IF THERE’S A ‘HEAVEN’ AS I’VE HEARD IT
EXPLAINED BY MOST
 FOR ME, JESUS ‘COMMUNICATES’ BEST THROUGH
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER -- CP is a progressive movement toward
greater interpersonal involvement with God in Jesus.
 “I once prayed for God to bless my life in all that I am doing, now I
pray ‘Lord put me in the places that you are blessing, this is the sacred
place in which I will experience and know Gods shalom and love and
my souls place of real and sustainable nourishment’.” (P Young, The
Shack)

4. • THE ENTIRE WORLD SEEMS TO BE GOING TO
•
•
•
•
‘HELL IN A HAND BASKET’ -- just as the Book of
Revelations says it will
THE WORLD IS A CRUEL, FEARFUL PLACE,
mostly…
LIFE ISN’T FAIR (i.e. LIFE IS HARD)
HUMANITY LIVES A ‘STORIED’ LIFE
PEOPLE’S STORIES INTRIGUE ME

5. • I’M NOT THAT SIGNIFICANT (I’m just 1 in 6.5B souls on this planet)
• LIFE ISN’T ABOUT ME, IT’S ABOUT CHRIST’S WORK
IN/THROUGH ME
• WE ALL DIE – BUT LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH
• THE WORLD CAN BE A MYSTERIOUS PLACE
• IN THE END, IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER HOW MANY BREATHS
I TOOK, BUT HOW MANY MOMENTS THAT TOOK MY BREATH
AWAY
• THIS WORLD WILL END (SOMEDAY) AND THEN WILL BE
RENEWED (i.e. THE NEW JERUSALEM)
• IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO US THAT MATTERS MOST -- IT’S
WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS TO US, THAT MATTERS
MOST

6. • NO ONE IN MY CLOSE FAMILY KNOWS THE
‘REAL ME’
• JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE FAMILY, DOESN’T
MEAN YOU CAN ALWAYS BE TRUSTED
• WE OFTEN HURT THE ONES WE LOVE THE
MOST, i.e. FAMILY/FRIENDS
• I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY WIFE’S CORE
BELIEFS & VALUES ARE…

7. •
I NEVER LEARNT HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS, SO I ‘SECONDED’ THEM…
•
EVERYTIME I’VE TRIED TO LOVE OTHERS IN MY FAMILY, I’VE ALWAYS
FAILED AT MY ATTEMPTS…
•
I WISH I UNDERSTOOD HOW TO LOVE MORE AND WHAT TRUE
FRIENDSHIP REALLY LOOKS LIKE
•
LOVING BEGINS WITH A SMILE, GROWS WITH A KISS, ENDS WITH A
TEAR. WHEN I WAS BORN, I WAS CRYING AND EVERYONE AROUND ME
WAS SMILING. I WISH I COULD LIVE MY LIFE SO THAT WHEN I FINALLY
DIE, I’M THE ONE SMILING AND EVERYONE ELSE AROUND ME IS CRYING.
•
I believe PAUL ‘s words in 1COR13 Verses 1-3:
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not LOVE, it profit me nothing.

8. I'VE LEARNED THAT I DON’T REALLY KNOW
WHO I AM ANYMORE (MAYBE I NEVER DID)
I’VE LEARNED THAT SOMETHING THAT I
MIGHT DO IN AN INSTANT, CAN GIVE ME
HEARTACHE FOR LIFE.
I'VE LEARNED THAT IT TAKES YEARS TO BUILD
UP TRUST, AND JUST SECONDS TO DESTROY IT.
SOMEHOW I’VE COME TO BELIEVE LOVE IS A
CHOICE
TRUST IS GIVEN AWAY; NOT EARNED
FEAR IS OFTEN MY DRIVER

9.  I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I’M ANGRY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO
BE ANGRY, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO BE ABUSIVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE ARGUE, DOESN'T MEAN
THEY DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I DO, NO MATTER HOW
I FELT WHEN I DID IT.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE I EXPECT TO KICK ME
WHEN I’M DOWN, WILL BE THE ONES WHO HELP ME UP INSTEAD.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T LOVE ME THE
WAY I WANT THEM TOO, DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T LOVE ME WITH
ALL THEY HAVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT IT ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO BE FORGIVEN BY
OTHERS, BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEARN TO FORGIVE MYSELF FIRST.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE LOVE ME. ALL I CAN DO IS
BE SOMEONE WHO CAN BE LOVED, AND THE REST IS UP TO THEM.

10.  I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I’M ANGRY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO
BE ANGRY, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO BE ABUSIVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE ARGUE, DOESN'T MEAN
THEY DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I DO, NO MATTER HOW
I FELT WHEN I DID IT.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE I EXPECT TO KICK ME
WHEN I’M DOWN, WILL BE THE ONES WHO HELP ME UP INSTEAD.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T LOVE ME THE
WAY I WANT THEM TOO, DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T LOVE ME WITH
ALL THEY HAVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT IT ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO BE FORGIVEN BY
OTHERS, BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEARN TO FORGIVE MYSELF FIRST.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE LOVE ME. ALL I CAN DO IS
BE SOMEONE WHO CAN BE LOVED, AND THE REST IS UP TO THEM.