Tag: bible

Disconnection

by rkcdlitt

Unfortunately, we are trained to be disconnected people. All of our heroes in life are go-it-alone supermen who conquer all the villains that life throws in front of them, who then hop in their vintage cars and drive off into the sunset. Many of our books and most of our movies have the same theme.
We have this theme because in reality our life is a series of burdens and uncertainties that disappoint us in our shallow, uninteresting daily lives. At some point, whatever our employment is, the joy and gloss is torn off to reveal the toil and mundane existence of the boring everyday existence of modern life. In our hearts and minds, we gradually deteriorate to a state of nothingness and joylessness that looks for any excitement it can find. Our physical world cannot give us this excitement forever.
The light in our hearts must rise out of this mundane state allowing others to share in the will that God has put in the very core of our being that other people can observe and share, seeing the joyful difference, but realizing the similar internal feelings in their own very beings. When it does, this light from our hearts, that we all share, bears the image of God, raising us out of the mundane existence of human drudgery that no longer needs the artificial movie hero we formerly worshipped.
We have overcome the enormous of influential disconnection to the message that Jesus taught so long ago and still teaches today, Love, God’s unending Love is always with us and outlasts all of our troubles, connecting us in infinite Love.

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book. (3.99 Kindle eBook)

Our Troubles lead to Hope

by rkcdlitt

Now that we have already broken most of our new year’s resolutions, let’s take a look at our lives and honest virtues that are always with us. First and foremost, we have our family. And we all have a family that nurtures us. Our traditional family, we all know about, but for too many of us, a non-traditional family that also is one of support and love, lives on the streets of our towns and cities. They too have their codes of friendship and family, one of hidden love and support. But do not despair the love of God is always with us and the darkness is not permanent. Regardless of what our life circumstance is faith and virtue can be and are ours to live and love. Fear and doubt can be left behind by the faith and love of the ever-present love of God leading us through the tunnels of darkness to a full life of meaning. A life of struggle and doubt at times, yes; but a life that is always a life of faith, virtue, and always, love.
©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

Photo by Griffin Wooldridge on Pexels.com

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Life is Good

by rkcdlitt

In the spiritual adventure of what we call life we discover that our life is like a drop of water in God’s eternity. With our family and friends always walking beside us, catching us when we falter, we are always assured that we are on the safe and treasured path that God has given is yesterday, today and tomorrow, allowing us to walk in His grace. When we forever take God’s Love and Grace as our everyday mantra, we treat all whom we meet with love and peace in our hearts and on our lips.
Truly, Life is Good.

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

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Love (God) Casts Out All Fear

by rkcdlitt

I was raised in a wealthy family, but not how you think. My father took a train to work every morning (we owned no car). My mother arose at four AM every morning to work in a bakery across the street from our third-floor apartment in which we lived. My sister and I walked to school every day carrying our deluxe lunches of lettuce and mayonnaise sandwiches. My father always told us before he left for work that God loves and protects us, and we should not be afraid of anything as we go to school. It was a code we were taught to live by.
That was over 70 years ago. I have had a very good life, a sometimes-rough life, but a good life. My wife and I (together 57 years) live quietly, enjoy our children and grandchildren and occasionally get the chance to travel. My father was correct, God does not expect us to go it alone. Every time I fell, God was behind me to help me get back on my feet. With love of both God, my wife, and a lot of hard work, we gave life with lots of love to a healthy family hopefully raised in the old-fashioned way.
As we begin a new year, we see our world as a very scary dangerous world. I see the headlines and there are no safe places to hide from those who want to do harm to whomever is in the way. New Orleans, Arizona, Virginia; individuals or groups have the intent to do harm to innocent people everywhere. My only defense is an offense, and that is to have love and peace in my heart and on my lips at all times, and to know that Love casts out all fears. So, trust God. You are not alone. God loves you.

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

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Light within you

by rkcdlitt

Do you feel it deep within you?
It’s always there but not beating.
Not beating like your heart.
It’s a warmth that’s always there.
Sometimes you try to ignore it.
But it shines through regardless.
This light is the soul that God
places in our hearts that shines
up through our faces for others to see;
we feel, but cannot see it in ourselves
as others do. We can only see it shine
in others. It is God’s wonderful plan
seeing the light within you shine
for others to see, and for you to see
their light shine to see their beauty.

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

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Strength of Goodness

by rkcdlitt

I awoke this morning with the blood of God flowing through the veins in my body. If you ask me how I know, I will tell you that I live with the goodness that God has blessed me with allowing me to live for the better part of almost 82 years on this small orb we call Earth in the atmosphere somewhere in the vast milky way God created billions of years ago. After I thanked God for allowing me one more day, I kissed my wife, told her I loved her, and bounded out of bed (slowly creaked my ancient bones) to face the new day.
Let’s face facts, our lives are difficult; we face some troubling times in our lives, but we make our way through these times. My grandmother always said that the tunnel may be dark, and it may be long, but there is always light at the end of that tunnel, and that light is God, and if you add one more letter “O” to God, which is :Good; and we know that God is Good., we are born of God; we are born of Good; therefore, we are all born with the strength of Good, the strength of God.

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

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Purifying Salt

by rkcdlitt

It’s a funny thing about salt. We use it so freely for many different things on a daily basis. It makes a very good flavor enhancer for our favorite foods. But salt through the years, including today, has had other purposes.
My ancient Italian great grandmother used to throw salt over her shoulder to ward off evil spirits when she felt threatened by others’ words or deeds. My cousins and I used to fall down laughing at her.
Today, doctors warn us that too much salt upsets the chemical balances in our bodies and put us on salt-free diets; we sprinkle salt on our driveways and walks in the winter to melt ice; and, there are many of us that use salt as a cleansing of negative karma in their lives, and others who use salt as a way to illuminate the spiritual path.
I don’t know why I became so curious about the spirituality of salt, but as for a high school history teacher, I am sure that from before the time that man began to form colonies to the present day, the possession of salt has been an important commodity. We worry about the nuclear bomb! A little white grain has caused a great deal of hardship in the history of the world.
Funny thing about mankind. Even the possession of the littlest things causes the greatest amount of greed.
I am so curious why some faith traditions use salt as a spiritual purification rite. But that’s for another day.
With thoughtful Love and God’s Grace, Russ.
©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

Gift of Free Will

by rkcdlitt

Free will comes with many different restrictions. A few of these are: do not discriminate; don’t hit a man when he’s down; don’t insult the poor because they are poor. There are many more don’ts on the stairway to the top rung.
I believe in what one man said. That man lived over 2000 years ago. He was Jesus of Nazareth. Some call him Christ; most call him a prophet. Whatever you call him, he was a man of great vision. One of his greatest sayings was that there are really only two great commandments. The first is to love God. . . no argument there. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Your neighbor is in fact yourself and you in fact are your neighbor. And who is your neighbor? Anyone and everyone whom you may meet.
This is my simple philosophy. So, everyone I meet, I love. Everyone I meet is a brother or sister, born of a different physical mother, but here, walking on this earth by the love of God, just as I am. Therefore, I love them as myself, a brother or sister in the love of God now and forever.
So. Good night – this is my free will!

I love you! Everyone God-loving one of you!

©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

If you are inspired, read my latest book.

Who am I

by rkcdlitt

I am a retired high school history teacher and college writing and literature professor. In my prayer life, I have attended church since I was a five-year-old in East Orange, NJ. After a tour in the Marine Corps, I was in my own business for almost twenty-five years. During this time, I attended a UCC church in Summit, NJ and served as the chair of the Christian Education program and was a Sunday School teacher for almost twenty years. While there, I became a Stephen minister tending to the needs of those in spiritual need of missing God in their lives.
My wife and I moved to Fredericksburg, VA in 2009 and I immediately became active in prayer ministries. With two others, I helped create a Stephen Ministry at our local Episcopal church. I also helped in the creation of a prayer corner allowing people to offer prayers after our celebrating the Eucharist.
I am now an active member of prayer programs in both churches (NJ and VA). With others I spend most of my day in Bible reading and prayer.
This website is dedicated to prayer through meditations, prayers, and poetry and prose meditations on Love, Faith, Community, and prayer.
I pray that you will be nourished by my offerings of prayer.
©Russell Kendall Carter, BA. MAT. Dlitt.

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