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Friends United Meeting |
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Quaker Life
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| Valiant for Truth | Contents |
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By Patricia Edwards-Konic As I look over the photos on my desk, I notice one taken at Maroon Bells, Colorado, when my two sons were three and eight-years-old. How young they look! Another was taken several years ago on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati. What fine young men they have become! This winter, the Jungle Queen Cruise in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, took a picture of my husband, Dan and I. How surprised I was concerning my hair color (more than 50% grey according to my hairdresser) and my weight! I now have it on the refrigerator to help remind me to eat better (unfortunately, the junk food is in a drawer, not the frig). Not only have my sons grown up before my eyes in these photos, but I have grown older in each one. Photos are like that. They show significant change with each passing year. First there is the physical growth from children to adults; then the wrinkles, hair color change and/or loss and the extra pounds. Suppose our spiritual growth could be captured on film and preserved in photos the same way our physical aging is? As you study each picture, would there be obvious signs of your spiritual growth and maturity? Or would we continue to look like babies year after year? Growing spiritually is an active process. Richard Foster in the new Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible calls this “the with-God life.” Throughout history, God has been with His people in an active way and people of faith have actively sought to grow in God’s way. We cannot sit idly by and expect spiritual growth to just happen. We can’t be passive pieces of clay waiting to be shaped into a beautiful vase. Only we can take a hand in the process of our spiritual growth and allow the trials and joys of life to shape our character into God’s character. Just as our bodies need nourishment to grow and develop, so too does our spirit. Daily Bible reading and prayer are essential. Listening for God’s whispers to action is vital as we go through our day. Responding to God’s nudges gives meaning and purpose to our activity. Then our spiritual biographies show maturity and health. So what does your spiritual photograph show? Are you still a baby after all these years? Or are there wrinkles from trials and stretch marks during times of change? May the radiance of joy born through faith flow out to those you touch. ______________________________________ On the Cover At the opening of the FUM African Ministries Office in Kisumu, Kenya, there were prayers of dedication and a ceremonial cake cutting. Presiding Clerks of the United Society of Friends Women organization of each Kenyan Yearly Meeting, led by Dorothy Selebwa, Presiding Clerk of USFWI Kenya, helped FUM staff, led by Retha McCutchen, cut the cake and officially inaugurate this newest FUM office.
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8 The With-God Life: An Interview with Richard Foster 10 Where is the Power of the Lord Now? 12 Ministering to a Broken World 15 World Gathering of Young Friends 16 Reflections on Pope John Paul II _______________________________ 4 Commitments 4 News from Friends United Meeting 14 Soul Food 18 News 20 Peace Notes 22 Reviews 26 Passages 28 Classifieds 30 Meeting Directory 33 Friends United Meeting Member Yearly Meetings 34 Viewpoints
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