i m a g i n e
Share
a r o m a
olives
bread
b r e w e d
T h e s u n l i g h t
t h e w e a t h e r e d
court y a r d
a
sits
S o l i t u d e
a
quiet
cur i o s i t y
l i n g e r i n g
w
i
t
h
i
n
y e t
her
e
y
e
s
r
e
f
l
e
c
t
a
w i s t f u l
l
o
n
g
i
n
g
a
d e e p
t
h
i
r
s
t
u
n
q
u
e
n
c
h
e
d
her gaze
is fixed
on a group
nearby
where a man
is speaking
his voice
carries
on the breeze
weaving its way
t
h
r
o
u
g
h
the marketplace's
lively
sounds
he speaks
of a wisdom
that promises
to liberate you
to accept
what you cannot
control
to find strength
in reason
he paints
a picture
of a Life
Lived in Harmony
With Nature
a Life of
Peace
found
through
d
i
s
c
i
p
l
i
n
e
yet
his
w
o
r
d
s
though
w i s e
happen t o
f
o
a
t
like
distant
e
c
h
o
e
s
u n a b l e
t o
t
o
u
c
h
the
D
E
P
T
H
S
o
f
her
L
o
n
g
i
n
g
he
calls it
The Path
to a L i f e
well - L i v e d
t
h
e
h
e
a
r
t
o
f
s t o i c i s m
a school of thought
founded by Zeno of Citium
in the early 3rd Century BC
stoicism emerged
during a time
of political upheaval
and social unrest
in ancient Greece
Zeno a merchant turned philosopher
began teaching in Stoa Poikile
a famous public colonnade
in ancient Athens
attracting students
from all walks of Life
the stoics seek to find
inner Peace
World
that often seems
chaotic
and
unpredictable
t h e
s t o i c s
h a v e b u i l t
a m a g n i f i c e n t
t e m p l e
y e t t h e y ' v e
f o r g o t t e n
T o I n s t a l l
T h e S a c r e d
F L A M E
THAT WOULD BRING it
T
O
L
I
f
e
stoicism teaches
Seneca
Y e t
a
D i f f e r e n t
C u r r e n t
M o v e s
In a distant
corner
a small group
gathers
Drawn not
by a merchant's call
Rabbi
a Message
not of strength
from our own might
but of a
S T R E N G T H
T h a t
F l o w s
a n d
E t e r n a l
Not of e n d u r i n g
L i g h t
That
S h i n e s
even in
P
l
a
c
e
s
He Speaks
Of a Home
Where a fragile Hope
flickers
Like a candle
in The
S
t
i
l
l
n
e
s
s
His Words Carry
a Peace
Unlike any
other
a Peace
That Hints
of a True Path
a Path
That Is Freely GIVEN
by a Man Named
J
e
s
u
s
He Speaks
Forgiveness
That Knows
No Bounds
and Redemption
that can Transform
even the most
b r o k e n
p
e
r
s
o
n
at First Glance
stoicism
and The Teachings Of Jesus
May Seem as Incompatible
defined by
strikingly different
foundations
One exalts reason
The Other
stoicism's unwavering
emphasis
on personal virtue
and self-Control
stands in contrast
To The Way Of
Jesus
Which Is Rooted
In Grace
and The Transformative Power
O
f
D I V I N E
I
N
T
E
R
V
E
N
T
I
O
N
yet as we Explore Further
we uncover
a Hidden
Harmony
that can
Awaken us
to a Deeper
Understanding
of ourselves
and The World
Around us
His
P r e s e n c e
imagine Epictetus
to Live
yet
a subtle unrest
a thread pulled tight
effort tied to absence
a hunger suspended
yet the horizon
a target
the stoics
built a ship
yet charted
casting themselves
on an endless
U
n
c
e
r
t
a
i
n
t
y
a
s
y o u
L i s t e n
t
o
t h e
s t o i c ' s
t e a c h i n g s
y
o
u
F i n d
y o u r s e l f
I n t r i g u e d
Y e t
In The Gospel of John
a Seemingly Ordinary Meeting
Takes Place By a Well
in Samaria
Though it Quickly Becomes
Anything But Ordinary
Jesus Encounters
a Samaritan woman
and Engages her
Deeply
in an Intimate
Conversation
His Voice Carrying
both Calm Assurance
and Something
she cannot yet
Name
each Question
Pulling her Closer
To an Answer
she has spent her Life
S
e
a
r
c
h
i
n
g
she Softens
not from debate
but from His
Delicate
W o r d s
Which
M
O
V
E
With
tenderness
Touching
her Heart
in Ways
Unseen
He Says to her
Sweetly
Breathing The Words
Like a Sacred
Secret
W
h
o
e
v
e
r
D
r
i
n
k
s
o
f
E
a
r
t
h
e
n
w
a
t
e
r
s
Will
Thirst
a
g
a
i
n
B
U
T
whoever
D r i n k s
T
H
E
W
A
T
E
R
H E
F R E E L Y
G I V E S
W I L L
N
e
v
e
r
T
h
i
r
s
t
A G A I N
F
O
R
E
T
E
R
N
I
T
Y
I N D E E D
y o u
W I L L
T
a
s
t
e
T h e
I
F
E
in their pursuit of worldly wisdom
could never
T
h
e
T R U E
D
I
V
I
N
E
F
U
L
F
I
L
L
M
E
N
T
T H A T
C O M E S
F R O M
a
D
e
e
p
l
y
I
n
t
i
m
a
t
e
R
e
l
a
t
i
o
n
s
h
i
p
W
i
t
h
H
i
m
A
Source
Of
Strength
and
Purpose
That
Transcends
The
Limitations
of
Human
reason
and
s
e
l
f
D
i
s
c
i
p
l
i
n
e
I m a g i n e
J e s u s
S t a n d i n g B e f o r e
a
c r o w d
o f
w e a r y t r a v e l e r s
Speaking of a
L O V E
That can
T r a n s f o r m
Even the most
b r o k e n
Soul
o
GOD's Character: Perfect and Compassionate
e m p h a s i z e s
T h a t G O D
I s F l a w l e s s
A n d
J u s t
T H E W O R D
T a k e s T h i s
A S t e p F u r t h e r
o f
I n
T h e
O l d
T e s t a m e n t
G O D
D e s c r i b e s
H I M S E L F
a s
C o m p a s s i o n a t e
a n d
G r a c i o u s
S l o w
T h i s
S h o w s
u s
T h a t
G O D
I s
N o t
J u s t
A
D i s t a n t
F l a w l e s s
B e i n g
B u t
A l s o
A
L o v i n g
F a t h e r
W h o
U
n
d
e
r
s
t
a
n
d
s
s
t
r
u
g
g
l
e
s
a
n
d
W
a
n
t
s
T
o
H
e
l
p
W h i l e
s t o i c i s m ' s
v i e w
o f
G O D
i s
P e r f e c t
a n d
J u s t
T h e
T
R
U
E
W O R D
a
n
d
T h e
W a y
O
f
J
e
s
u
s
A
d
d
s
T
H
E
D
i
m
e
n
s
i
o
n
O
f
H
i
s
U
n
c
o
n
d
i
t
i
o
n
a
l
L
O
V
E
A
n
d
C
o
m
p
a
s
s
i
o
n
C o n s i d e r
T h e
S t o r y
o f
T h e
p r o d i g a l
s o n
i n
L u k e
1 5
w h e n
t h e
w a y w a r d
s o n
r e t u r n s
h o m e
a f t e r
s q u a n d e r i n g
h i s
I n h e r i t a n c e
h i s
f a t h e r
R u n s
T o
E m b r a c e
h i m
S
h
o
w
e
r
i
n
g
h i m
w i t h
L
o
v
e
a n d
F
o
r
g
i
v
e
n
e
s
s
T h i s
P a r a b l e
I l l u s t r a t e s
T h e
D e p t h s
o f
G O D ' s
C o m p a s s i o n
A n d
H I S
D e s i r e
T o
R
e
c
o
n
c
i
l
e
W i t h
H I S
c h i l d r e n
E v e n
w h e n
t h e y
h a v e
S t r a y e d
F a r
F r o m
H
I
M
T h e
R e a l i t y
o f
d e a t h
I t M a t t e r s
- G O D -
W h a t
i s
D e a t h ?
E i t h e r
a
T r a n s i t i o n
o r
a n
e n d
- S e n e c a -
S e n e c a
S u g g e s t s
t h a t
d e a t h
i s
e i t h e r
m o v i n g
o n
t o
s o m e t h i n g
e l s e
o r
s i m p l y
c e a s i n g
t o
e x i s t
a n d
h e ' s
n o t
a f r a i d
o f
e i t h e r
p o s s i b i l i t y
I n
s i m p l e r
t e r m s
h e ' s
s a y i n g
w e
s h o u l d n ' t
f e a r
d e a t h
b e c a u s e
i t ' s
e i t h e r
a
n e w
b e g i n n i n g
o r
t h e
e n d
o f
o u r
w o r r i e s
Y e t
H I S
W O R D
T e l l s
u s
T h a t
w h a t
w e
D o
i n
T h i s
L i f e
h a s
E t e r n a l
C o n s e q u e n c e s
T h e
a p o s t l e
P a u l
w r i t e s
w e
M u s t
a l l
A p p e a r
B e f o r e
T h e
J u d g m e n t
S e a t
o f
C h r i s t
s o
T h a t
e a c h
o f
u s
M a y
R e c e i v e
W h a t
I s
D u e
t o
u s
F o r
T h e
T h i n g s
d o n e
w h i l e
i n
T h e
b o d y
W h e t h e r
G o o d
o r
B
a
d
2 n d
C o r i n t h i a n s
5 : 1 0
T h i s
R e m i n d s
u s
T h a t
o u r
C h o i c e s
M a t t e r
n o t
j u s t
f o r
N o w
b u t
f o r
E
t
e
r
n
i
t
y
I n
T h e
B o o k
o f
A c t s
w e
r e a d
a b o u t
t h e
m a r t y r d o m
o f
S t e p h e n
a
y o u n g
F o l l o w e r
O f
J e s u s
w h o
w a s
s t o n e d
t o
d e a t h
f o r
h i s
F a i t h
a s
h e
f a c e d
h i s
a c c u s e r s
S t e p h e n
h a d
a
V i s i o n
O f
J e s u s
S t a n d i n g
A t
T h e
R i g h t
H a n d
o f
G O D
A c t s
7 : 5 5 - 5 6
E v e n
i n
t h e
f a c e
o f
d e a t h
S t e p h e n
f o u n d
C o m f o r t
A n d
C o u r a g e
I n
T h e
P r o m i s e
o f
E t e r n a l
L i f e
W i t h
C h r i s t
N o p e r s o n
h a s t h e
p o w e r
t o h a v e
e v e r y t h i n g
t h e y w a n t
b u t
i t
i s
i n
t h e i r
p o w e r
n o t
t o
w a n t
w h a t
t h e y
d o n ' t
h a v e
a n d
t o
c h e e r f u l l y
p u t
t o
g o o d
u s e
w h a t
t h e y
d o
h a v e
- S e n e c a -
S e n e c a
E n c o u r a g e s
u s
T o
b e
C o n t e n t
w i t h
w h a t
w e
H a v e
r a t h e r
t h a n
a l w a y s
w a n t i n g
m o r e
I n
o t h e r
w o r d s
H a p p i n e s s
C o m e s
F r o m
A p p r e c i a t i n g
w h a t
y o u
H a v e
n o t
f r o m
A c q u i r i n g
w h a t
y o u
d o n ' t
T H E
W O R D
T a k e s
t h i s
a
S t e p
F u r t h e r
T e l l i n g
u s
T o
B e
T h a n k f u l
a n d
T o
T r u s t
G O D
T o
P r o v i d e
F o r
o u r
N e e d s
I n
T h e
B o o k
o f
P h i l i p p i a n s
4 : 1 2 - 1 3
P a u l
w r i t e s
i
h a v e
L e a r n e d
T h e
S e c r e t
o f
B e i n g
C o n t e n t
i n
A n y
a n d
E v e r y
s i t u a t i o n
W h e t h e r
w e l l - f e d
o r
h u n g r y
W h e t h e r
L i v i n g
i n
p l e n t y
o r
i n
w a n t
I
C a n
D o
A l l
T h i s
T h r o u g h
H I M
W h o
G i v e s
m e
S t r e n g t h
w h e n
w e
F o c u s
O n
H I S
D i v i n e
L o v e
A n d
P r o m i s e
w e
W i l l
F i n d
T r u e
J o y
a n d
P e a c e
T h e
S t o r y
o f
t h e
I s r a e l i t e s
i n
t h e
w i l d e r n e s s
I l l u s t r a t e s
t h e
I m p o r t a n c e
o f
G r a t i t u d e
a n d
T r u s t
D e s p i t e
G O D ' s
M i r a c u l o u s
P r o v i s i o n
o f
M a n n a
a n d
Q u a i l
t h e
I s r a e l i t e s
g r u m b l e d
a n d
c o m p l a i n e d
l o n g i n g
f o r
t h e
c o m f o r t s
o f
E g y p t
( E x o d u s 1 6 )
T h e i r
L a c k
o f
G r a t i t u d e
a n d
T r u s t
i n
G O D
L e d
T o
a 4 0 - y e a r
J o u r n e y
i n
t h e
w i l d e r n e s s
a
S t a r k
R e m i n d e r
o f
T h e
C o n s e q u e n c e s
o f
U n b e l i e f
T R U E
W I S D O M
C O M E S
F R O M
G O D
A L O N E
L e t
u s
a p p r o a c h
H I M
w i t h
H u m i l i t y
R e a d y
T o
L e a r n
a n d
G r o w
I n
T h e
N e w
T e s t a m e n t
w e
m e e t
A p o l l o s
a
L e a r n e d
m a n
w h o
w a s
W e l l - V e r s e d
i n
T h e
S c r i p t u r e s
D e s p i t e
h i s
K n o w l e d g e
A p o l l o s
H u m b l y
R e c e i v e d
I n s t r u c t i o n
f r o m
P r i s c i l l a
a n d
A q u i l a
w h o
E x p l a i n e d
T h e
W a y
o f
G O D
m o r e
a c c u r a t e l y
t o
h i m
A c t s
1 8 : 2 4 - 2 6
A p o l l o s '
H u m i l i t y
a n d
W i l l i n g n e s s
T o
L e a r n
A l l o w e d
h i m
T o
B e c o m e
A n
E v e n
M o r e
E f f e c t i v e
T e a c h e r
a n d
E v a n g e l i s t
T r u e F u l f i l l m e n t
S e e k i n g
G O D
A b o v e a l l
" D o n ' t s e e k
f o r E v e r y t h i n g
t o h a p p e n
a s y o u w i s h
i t w o u l d
b u t r a t h e r w i s h
t h a t e v e r y t h i n g
h a p p e n s a s i t a c t u a l l y
w i l l
t h e n
y o u r
L i f e
w i l l
f l o w
w e l l
- E p i c t e t u s -
E p i c t e t u s
S u g g e s t s
t h a t
w e
s h o u l d
a c c e p t
t h i n g s
a s
t h e y
a r e
r a t h e r
t h a n
c o n s t a n t l y
w i s h i n g
f o r
s o m e t h i n g
d i f f e r e n t
I n
s i m p l e r
t e r m s
g o
w i t h
t h e
f l o w
a n d
a c c e p t
L i f e ' s
e v e n t s
W h i l e
t h e r e ' s
w i s d o m
i n
t h i s
T H E
W O R D
T e a c h e s
u s
T o
S e e k
G O D ' s
W i l l
A b o v e
o u r
o w n
d e s i r e s
J e s u s
T e l l s
u s
B u t
S e e k
F i r s t
H I S
K i n g d o m
A n d
H I S
R i g h t e o u s n e s s
a n d
a l l
t h e s e
t h i n g s
W i l l
B e
G i v e n
T o
y o u
a s
w e l l
M a t t h e w
6 : 3 3
W H E N
w e
L o v e
H i m
w i t h
a l l
o u r
H e a r t
M i n d
S o u l
a n d
S t r e n g t h
w e
F i n d
T r u e
P
U
R
P
O
S
E
a n d
F
U
L
F
I
L
L
M
E
N
T
i n
L i f e
I n
T h e
B o o k
o f
D a n i e l
w e
r e a d
t h e
R e m a r k a b l e
S t o r y
o f
t h r e e
y o u n g
m e n
S h a d r a c h
M e s h a c h
a n d
A b e d n e g o
w h o
R e f u s e d
T o
B o w
d o w n
t o
a
g o l d e n
s t a t u e
e v e n
u n d e r
t h e
t h r e a t
o f
b e i n g
t h r o w n
i n t o
a
f i e r y
f u r n a c e
- D a n i e l 3 -
K i n g
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r
f u r i o u s
a t
t h e i r
d e f i a n c e
o r d e r s
t h e
f u r n a c e
t o
b e
h e a t e d
s e v e n
t i m e s
h o t t e r
t h a n
u s u a l
a n d
c o m m a n d s
t h e
s t r o n g e s t
s o l d i e r s
t o
b i n d
t h e
t h r e e
m e n
a n d
t h r o w
t h e m
i n t o
t h e
f l a m e s
Y e t
W h a t
h a p p e n s
n e x t
i s
n o t h i n g
s h o r t
o f
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