March 3rd, 2021
by Denee Bowers
by Denee Bowers
Wednesday, March 3
Exodus 17-18
When I enrolled in a theological graduate program in 2011, I was a bit older than many of my fellow students. I’d been a therapist for almost a decade before deciding to become a pastor, working with young survivors of sexual assault, and those years had opened my eyes to some of the painful realities that my future congregation members very likely faced. I knew that some of my peers were survivors themselves, and I felt the need we all faced for education in this arena. Wanting to help, I decided to put together a conference about ministry with survivors of sexual assault and abuse, setting to work on it as a full-time student, employee, husband, and father in the middle of my final year of graduate school.
I didn’t know anything about working through proper channels in an educational institution. I had very little knowledge about how to find speakers or how to raise funds to compensate them, nor did I realize what I’d have to do in order to reserve space in the calendar of a busy school for all of this to happen. I also didn’t know how to get my classmates and others outside of the school to pay attention and take part. It was a good thing to see a need for this gathering, and I knew that many would benefit from it. But even with good intent and my heart in the right place, I couldn’t do this on my own. I needed help from others, and desperately. Thankfully, gracious classmates, professors, and mentors noticed this need, stepping in to help make connections, encourage participation, raise support, and make the conference a success.
In the 18th chapter of Exodus, Moses also recognized the need for a new thing. The people of Israel weren’t receiving the justice that they deserved, and Moses took it upon himself to serve as their judge. Although Moses’ heart was in the right place, he couldn’t possibly meet all of their needs by himself. In order for positive change to happen, Moses required the wisdom and support of other people. As his father-in-law said, “The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it on your own” (Exodus 18:17). Moses wanted to bring greater health and order to his people, but his proposed solution ignored a very human need: his own. It simply wasn’t his sole responsibility to help everyone. The people also needed to join in the labor of compassion, working alongside Moses to seek justice and wholeness in their lives and relationships.
Perhaps you too are recognizing the heavy needs of other people.
Perhaps you sense God’s invitation to love, care, and help others.
This is good, necessary work, but it does not need to be yours alone. For your sake and the sake of those you are seeking to help, ask others for their wisdom and support. Together, your labors are likely to yield far richer results.
Reflection by Rev. Adam Baker
Exodus 17-18
When I enrolled in a theological graduate program in 2011, I was a bit older than many of my fellow students. I’d been a therapist for almost a decade before deciding to become a pastor, working with young survivors of sexual assault, and those years had opened my eyes to some of the painful realities that my future congregation members very likely faced. I knew that some of my peers were survivors themselves, and I felt the need we all faced for education in this arena. Wanting to help, I decided to put together a conference about ministry with survivors of sexual assault and abuse, setting to work on it as a full-time student, employee, husband, and father in the middle of my final year of graduate school.
I didn’t know anything about working through proper channels in an educational institution. I had very little knowledge about how to find speakers or how to raise funds to compensate them, nor did I realize what I’d have to do in order to reserve space in the calendar of a busy school for all of this to happen. I also didn’t know how to get my classmates and others outside of the school to pay attention and take part. It was a good thing to see a need for this gathering, and I knew that many would benefit from it. But even with good intent and my heart in the right place, I couldn’t do this on my own. I needed help from others, and desperately. Thankfully, gracious classmates, professors, and mentors noticed this need, stepping in to help make connections, encourage participation, raise support, and make the conference a success.
In the 18th chapter of Exodus, Moses also recognized the need for a new thing. The people of Israel weren’t receiving the justice that they deserved, and Moses took it upon himself to serve as their judge. Although Moses’ heart was in the right place, he couldn’t possibly meet all of their needs by himself. In order for positive change to happen, Moses required the wisdom and support of other people. As his father-in-law said, “The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it on your own” (Exodus 18:17). Moses wanted to bring greater health and order to his people, but his proposed solution ignored a very human need: his own. It simply wasn’t his sole responsibility to help everyone. The people also needed to join in the labor of compassion, working alongside Moses to seek justice and wholeness in their lives and relationships.
Perhaps you too are recognizing the heavy needs of other people.
Perhaps you sense God’s invitation to love, care, and help others.
This is good, necessary work, but it does not need to be yours alone. For your sake and the sake of those you are seeking to help, ask others for their wisdom and support. Together, your labors are likely to yield far richer results.
Reflection by Rev. Adam Baker
Recent
Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3
April 21st, 2024
Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24
April 19th, 2024
Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2
April 14th, 2024
Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24
April 13th, 2024
Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1
April 7th, 2024
Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 3Explore - Week 4God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23SENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
March
Lent Devotional Day 8Lent Devotional Day 9Celebrating BEYOND // M-Note 3.3.2023Who Is Jesus: BONUS Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 10Lent Devotional Day 11Lent Devotional Day 12Who Is Jesus: Week 1 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 13Lent Devotional Day 14Lent Devotional Day 15Lent Devotional Day 16Lent Devotional Day 17The Evening Service is BACK!!! // M-Note 3.10.23Lent Devotional Day 18Lent Devotional Day 19Who Is Jesus: Week 2 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 20Lent Devotional Day 21Lent Devotional Day 22Lent Devotional Day 23The Most Important Sunday of the Year // M-Note 3.17.23Who Is Jesus: Week 3 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 24Lent Devotional Day 25Lent Devotional Day 26Lent Devotional Day 27Lent Devotional Day 28Lent Devotional Day 29Lent Devotional Day 30The Power of Easter and Invitation // M-Note 3.24.23Lent Devotional Day 31Who Is Jesus: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 32Lent Devotional Day 33Lent Devotional Day 34Lent Devotional Day 35Lent Devotional Day 36Lent Devotional Day 37You Can't Miss This Part // M-Note 4.1.23Lent Devotional Day 38
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
2 Timothy
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Devotional
Discussion Guides
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Evangelism
Explore
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Hebrews
Holy Ambiguity
Holy Spirit
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Inside Voice
Isaiah
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Lectio Divina
Lent
Life
Limitations
Longing
M-Note
Matt Miofsky
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
The Bible
The Church
The Gathering
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments