http://amchurchadultdiscipleship.net/archives/905 A Place for Thirsty Souls Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:47:53 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://amchurchadultdiscipleship.net/archives/905/comment-page-1#comment-711 Allan Landin Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:22:32 +0000 http://amchurchadultdiscipleship.net/?p=905#comment-711 I'm glad someone shared my first thought about that Starbuck's cup, Cynthia. After working with many homeless persons in a mental health setting I learned many of the characteristics of the population first hand. Even those who may be suffering from mentall illness or using drugs are NOT stupid! Many are quite resourceful in managing to survive in the street's rough conditions. Many are quite good at reading people as well. They appreciate genuineness and can smell a condescending attitude from down the block. Try on a different perspective--- We too are homeless, spiritually speaking. God sent His "only begotten son" to share our plight and show us a different way of living. When He left to go back to His own home He left His apostles to establish a homeless shelter for us. When we find that shelter what we want is to feel a sense of belongingness and being nurtured. While here we want to walk and share the Way to our real, eternal home. I’m glad someone shared my first thought about that Starbuck’s cup, Cynthia. After working with many homeless persons in a mental health setting I learned many of the characteristics of the population first hand. Even those who may be suffering from mentall illness or using drugs are NOT stupid! Many are quite resourceful in managing to survive in the street’s rough conditions. Many are quite good at reading people as well. They appreciate genuineness and can smell a condescending attitude from down the block.
Try on a different perspective—
We too are homeless, spiritually speaking. God sent His “only begotten son” to share our plight and show us a different way of living. When He left to go back to His own home He left His apostles to establish a homeless shelter for us. When we find that shelter what we want is to feel a sense of belongingness and being nurtured. While here we want to walk and share the Way to our real, eternal home.

]]> http://amchurchadultdiscipleship.net/archives/905/comment-page-1#comment-702 Cynthia Fish Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:39:18 +0000 http://amchurchadultdiscipleship.net/?p=905#comment-702 The Starbucks cup could have been thrown away by someone else and this man simply dug it out of the trash to use it as a way of collecting change. He could have been given the coffee by a kind-hearted man or woman. We simply do not know. I understand why judgement can lead us to the wrong conclusions but satan sure makes it easy to do because you can do it so quickly. We can all win the Gold Medal in "Jumping to Conclusions." Yet Jesus wants us to take a second look - a longer look, a look into the eyes of the wounded and broken-hearted. Only then will we be able to listen to them and give them a sense of dignity, compassion, and hope - a feeling that someone cares. A feeling that they have value. Don't we all want to feel that way? The Starbucks cup could have been thrown away by someone else and this man simply dug it out of the trash to use it as a way of collecting change. He could have been given the coffee by a kind-hearted man or woman. We simply do not know. I understand why judgement can lead us to the wrong conclusions but satan sure makes it easy to do because you can do it so quickly. We can all win the Gold Medal in “Jumping to Conclusions.” Yet Jesus wants us to take a second look – a longer look, a look into the eyes of the wounded and broken-hearted. Only then will we be able to listen to them and give them a sense of dignity, compassion, and hope – a feeling that someone cares. A feeling that they have value. Don’t we all want to feel that way?

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