McFadden Place » Devotional

Gathering Prayer from the book When Silence Falls

Michael McFadden — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 01:26:22 +0000

My mom just sent this over and I thought I would pass it along.

Gathering Prayer from the book When Silence Falls by Anna Burke

May we see the Light on the hill.

May we hear the Peace in the noise.

May we touch the Hope in the fading light.

May we feel the Sorrow in the earth.

May we hold the Teardrop in the towel.

May we feel the Healing in the pain.

May we drink the Water from the source.

May we give the Pardon to the one who asks.

May we sense the Victory in the failure.

May we seek the Beginning in the last breath.

May we await the Morning in the silence.

Lent Reading List

Michael McFadden — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:56:12 +0000

I just got back from Denver Community Church’s Ash Wednesday service. It was a great time spent reflecting on the upcoming Lent season and God’s mercy. This year DCC has published a reading list for Lent – it’s through several Psalms. I thought I’d pass it along.

Psalms of Lament

During this year’s Season of Lent our community is going to shift its focus from Mark’s gospel to what are known as the Psalms of Lament. These are certain passages throughout the book of Psalms in which the author, often at wit’s end in a time of great need or crisis, cries out to God. We’ve prepared a reading list on our site to guide you through these Psalms and invite you to join us as we study them together during these next seven weeks.

Lent Reading List

What North American Churches Can Learn from European Church Planters by Kelly McFadden

Michael McFadden — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:59:59 +0000

I’m excited to write that a recent article Kelly wrote was featured on LeadNet.

Below is an excerpt from the report. You can see the featured article on the LeadNet website.

Leaders of the Antioch Movement in the Ukraine still remember the day denominational leaders in that country decided to trade their independent church-planting efforts for a united national plan.

It was the first time since the fall of Communism ushered in religious freedom in the Ukraine that religious leaders had banded together for the purpose of widespread church multiplication.

“We tried to help churches understand that it is our country and we are responsible for it; it is our people and our churches who need to deliver and give birth to other churches,” says Victor Kulbich, who helped train church planters in the country. “And it is our responsibility to bring the Gospel to each man, woman and child and plant the churches. It is a huge vision and we need God’s help.”

The culmination of the collaborative work of the Antioch Movement was when Baptist, Pentecostal and independent church leaders came together to sign a historic plan to . . .

If you have a few minutes read the article on the Leadership Network website. Feel free to rate the article and leave a comment. The more the merrier.

Bouncing Back: Devotional

Michael McFadden — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:35:09 +0000

As many of you know Kelly writes devotionals for HomeWord, today I received this one in my inbox. I’m not sure when she wrote it but it’s very timely considering economic environment.

Bouncing Back
This devotional was written byKelly McFadden

Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.
?¢‚Ç¨‚Äù Proverbs 25:11 (NLT)

As a junior in high school, I was devastated when I was cut from the top volleyball team and sent to the second team. I felt disappointed, embarrassed and dejected. That evening, I spoke with a friend who passed on these words of wisdom, “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce back that matters.” I wrote the quote on my mirror and committed to doing my best for this new team, instead of sulking over my personal loss. Instead of continuing to fall and spiral, I committed to bounce back.

What I learned that day is that what happens to me in life doesn’t count as much as how I react to those things. I had a choice the day I was cut from the team: I could wallow in misery and quit the team, or I could choose to fight through my circumstances and work hard to improve. Each day, choices like these present themselves. When people are cruel, I can choose to accept their apology or let my bitterness grow. When I am treated unfairly, I can vengefully plot a way to get even, or I can seek the Lord’s wisdom and demonstrate patience as He shows me what to do. When I am fired from a job, I can learn from why things did not work or I can blame everyone else around me for my misfortune and never learn, grow or change. When I am congratulated for a job well done, I can either pat myself on the back or thank the Lord for providing me with the skills to succeed.

Life throws different circumstances our way every day, both good and bad. Wherever you are in your life, it is important to remember that people are watching and looking to see how you are living your life. You will long be remembered, not only for what happened to you in your life, but for how you handled life’s circumstances. When those circumstances cause you to fall, I challenge you to bounce back!

To comment on today’s devotional, click here.

GOING DEEPER:

1.Think about a time in your life when you have reacted well to a disappointing circumstance and another time when you have reacted poorly. Why do you think you reacted the way you did in those circumstances?

2.Why are our reactions as Christians so important? How can you help make sure you are someone who bounces back?
FURTHER READING

James 5:10-11; Ephesians 5:6-9; Titus 2:6-8

Romans Study

Michael McFadden — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:17:47 +0000

Below are the beginnings of my notes on a 6 week Romans Study. More content coming.
A 6 part study on the Book of Romans

I. The Foundations of a Christian’s Faith

Reading: Romans 1:1-17; for a PDF with these verses in the NIV, NASB, and NLT click here
Research: Listen to Tom Nelson’s sermon on Romans 1:1-7 – Faith’s Foundations – recorded 10/08/2006. Click here and download.
Questions

II. The Epitome of Human Nature

Reading: Romans 1:18-3:20
Research:
Questions

III. Called to Righteousness

Reading: Romans 3:21-5:21
Research:
Questions

IV. Sanctified

Reading: Romans 6-8
Research:
Questions

V. The Historical Context of a Christian’s Faith

Reading: Romans 9-11
Research:
Questions

VI. Living it Out

Reading: Romans 12-16
Research:
Questions

Make It Beautiful

Michael McFadden — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 18:24:00 +0000

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden and appeared on HomeWord’s daily devotional

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.?¢‚Ç¨‚ÄùPsalm 139:13-16

In November of last year, a young girl named Courtney suddenly passed away a few days before her 20th birthday due to complications from a bone marrow transplant. I never met or knew this radiant young woman, but her story has touched me deeply. The family’s online journal tells a story of grief, confusion, courage and, above all, thankfulness, faith and love. Below is an excerpt Courtney’s mom wrote in the journal five days after, as she put it, her youngest daughter earned her wings.

“I have spent much of the past 24 hours looking back on Courtney’s life and the view of her life that I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of. As a very young girl, Courtney was really a Mama’s girl, always by my side – she truly was my baby?¢‚Ç¨¬¶When I first learned that Courtney had cancer in Sept. 2000, I thought to myself, she is such a little girl – so fragile. I wasn’t sure that she could handle what she was about to be forced to. But I was wrong, she was so strong – she never asked why, she never felt sorry for herself – not in 2000 and not in 2006. She accepted her life and made it beautiful?¢‚Ç¨¬¶As a mom, who is mourning her daughter, I know that Courtney would want me to pass along a few words of advice. Love your children (and family) like there is no tomorrow – hug them tighter, smile at them brighter and be sure to tell them you love them as often as you can.”

SOURCE: Family blog

Each person was made special, delicately woven by his or her Maker. God makes no mistake and knows the plans He has for us and our bodies. One of the beauties of this family’s journal is that they understand this. Courtney’s family knows that God has a plan for her even when her body, that He created, got too weak and sick to be here. The family misses her terribly, but they know she served God’s purpose on earth and they’re thankful for the gift of their time with her.

Courtney was a girl who never felt sorry for herself and accepted her life and made it beautiful. None of us has the promise of tomorrow. You do have this promise: You have a Maker who made no mistake in how He created you. He made you the right size, shape, temperament and personality. My suggestion? Make sure you are making your life beautiful using what God gave you, like Courtney did.

GOING DEEPER:
1. You have been given the exact right genetic make-up. How can you use what God has given you to make your life beautiful, no matter the circumstance?

2. Who in your life do you need to hug a little tighter?

FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:13-14; James 4:14-15

Free Hugs

Michael McFadden — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:21:00 +0000

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden and appeared on HomeWord’s daily devotional Jan 4, 2007.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.?¢‚Ç¨‚ÄùColossians 3:23-24

In September of 2006, a video was released on the popular Internet site YouTube. The video took place in a walking mall in Sydney, Australia and showed a man, known as “Juan Mann,” holding a sign offering “Free Hugs.” As you watch the video, you see person after person walk by and ignore this hugger. In fact, at one point the police make him stop. People eventually warm up to the man and the video ends with many people approaching him for a hug. Months after the video’s release, nearly 7 million people have viewed it; all over the world, “Free Hug” campaigns are being held as a way to give a gift with no expectation in return.

Mann simply did this because he felt that sometimes people just need a hug to feel better. In fact, the first woman who stopped for a hug shared that that very morning, which was the year anniversary of her daughter’s death, her dog had died. All she needed this day when she felt so alone was a hug. And there was Mann to give it to her, freely.

I remember as a kid being challenged to do one nice thing for someone every day without expecting anything in return. Sometimes it is hard to do something for someone else unless you know you will get a “thank you” or a pat on the back or the favor returned. The Lord calls us to a different standard. We are to work with all our heart for an audience of one, God alone. We are not to work and toil for the approval or applause of man. We are to serve and give out of purity and thankfulness of heart.

What have you done lately for someone else without expectation of anything in return?

GOING DEEPER:
1. What can you do today for somebody else?

2. With whom do you work or interact who needs a hug in the form of grace or encouragement or understanding or help? Perhaps you should extend that to them this week.

FURTHER READING:
Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:11