"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies..."

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies..." Romans 12:1-2

To the athlete, the entrepreneur, to the scientist, to the busy businessman, to the young girl seeking attention, the young man seeking approval, the father, the mother, to present your bodies means something entirely different and it will change the way we do life...

And we are to be doing life different.
Fully.
Nothing held back.
(Col 3:17, 23)

Any idea what that would look like for you?
What that would really be like for me?

To present your bodies means something entirely different and it will change the way we do life.
It will challenge our comfort zones without question.

That is why we have to be urged.
It's unusual and it changes the usual, usually.

Loving God & Loving Others
Between & Beyond the Walls

Rich Donnell

Chase Someone By Letting Them Catch You.

A "unclean" woman had touched him — and he healed her.
We have to get that. Unclean. A Nothing,  A Nobody... thought to reach out and touch Jesus.

A "Nobody" touched Jesus.

"Jesus said, 'Who touched me?' Peter said, 'But Master, we've got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.' Jesus insisted, 'Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.'

When the woman realized that she couldn't remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed." Luke 8:45-47  


A "unclean" woman had touched him — and he healed her.
We have to get that. Unclean. A Nothing,  A Nobody... thought to reach out and touch Jesus.

We have to get that... nobodies can still touch Jesus.

Loving God & Loving Others
Between & Beyond Walls

Rich

Standing Out Is Different Than Outstanding

In a world where many people want to stand out, few will stand up to the task at hand...
Jewish traditions tell us after receiving his instructions to build the ark, Noah planted the trees from which he would build the ark.

Wow.

Many people have trouble sticking to any project, whether or not it is directed by God. It is interesting that the length of Noah's follow through was greater than the lifespan of most of us today.

Noah's (not always perfect) life gives us encouragement and empowerment.
In a world where many people want to stand out, stand up and step up to the God-given task at hand...

Colossians 3:17, 23

Loving God & Loving Others
Between & Beyond The Walls

Rich Donnell

A Really Good Dream

“Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.” Genesis 37:5

God gave Joseph a good dream. Not just any dream, it was a good dream! A really, good dream. No, I would say even better that, God gave Joseph a majestic dream.

As you read the Genesis passage, Joseph’s dream was simple. I am standing, others are bowing. Good dream! Come on now—anyone married with kids running around the house understands that one. Say it, “I am standing, others bowing," good dream!

Think about it, if we are going to get a dream from God, we don’t want to be the person bowing… God is never in THOSE dreams. No way! If we are going to get a dream from God we want to be the person standing—right? That’s how we know it is a dream from God. I am standing and they are bowing. Good Dream. It’s a God deal, or at least that is the way people have a tendency to think.

However, that is not exactly how God thinks.

God gave Joseph a good dream. A dream that a person his age and in his position may not—or perhaps could not have understood was about a redemptive plan, other people, and the purposes of God. A plan where he (Joseph) would be the vehicle to show a whole nation (Israel) that He (God) loved them.

Still, God gave Joseph… at his age… at the right time… a good dream.

He still does it you know. He still gives us those good dreams.

God still gives those good dreams to those He loves and holds close to His chest. Dreams we may not initially understand as part of His redemptive potential for lives, other people, and His purposes. God still give good dreams that may have very little to do with prestige, position or power. However, He still does it. God still gives those good dreams with incredible potential to people just like you and me. Our job—is to fulfill His dreams with our future.

“I have a dream!”

Ephesians 2:10

Loving God & Loving Others

Between & Beyond Our Walls

His Glory, My Goal

Rich Donnell