March 14th, 2023
by Sarah Turner
by Sarah Turner

Day 21
Tuesday, March 14th
John 9:1-23
9 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his parents?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents. This happened so that God’s mighty works might be displayed in him. 4 While it’s daytime, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said this, he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smeared the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went away and washed. When he returned, he could see. 8 The man’s neighbors and those who used to see him when he was a beggar said, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” and others said, “No, it’s someone who looks like him.” But the man said, “Yes, it’s me!”
10 So they asked him, “How are you now able to see?” 11 He answered, “The man they call Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes, and said, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 They asked, “Where is this man?” He replied, “I don’t know.” 13 Then they led the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus made the mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes on a Sabbath day. 15 So Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. The man told them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some Pharisees said, “This man isn’t from God, because he breaks the Sabbath law.” Others said, “How can a sinner do miraculous signs like these?” So they were divided. 17 Some of the Pharisees questioned the man who had been born blind again: “What do you have to say about him, since he healed your eyes?” He replied, “He’s a prophet.” 18 The Jewish leaders didn’t believe the man had been blind and received his sight until they called for his parents. 19 The Jewish leaders asked them, “Is this your son? Are you saying he was born blind? How can he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know he is our son. We know he was born blind. 21 But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who healed his eyes. Ask him. He’s old enough to speak for himself.”
22 His parents said this because they feared the Jewish authorities. This is because the Jewish authorities had already decided that whoever confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why his parents said, “He’s old enough. Ask him.”
Reflection
One thing that jumped out at me during this scripture was how everyone tried to explain away the miracle that Jesus had done. He gave sight to a man that had been born blind. Can you imagine? You have never seen a sunset or the ocean or a child's smile and then, Boom! All of those images come flooding in. Would you care where this gift came from or if it had been done on a Sabbath? I don't think so, Tim. You would be too busy studying a clay jar or watching a cat run through a field or seeing how blue the sky can be.
How many blessings and miracles in my life have I tried to explain away as coincidence or luck? I grew up as a missionary kid in the Dominican Republic. I got to live my formative years in the Caribbean with great friends and a tight-knit missions community. Those first few months on the mission field, I cried myself to sleep. I had to give up grandparents, friends, and Dr Pepper. Those hurt. However, through the pain, God was expanding my horizons far beyond what I could ever imagine. I gained a one-of-a-kind perspective. He worked a miracle in me. I hope you can look back through your life and see where God has worked in you a miracle. You are the only you out there, and God wants you to be exactly who you are deep down.
Prayer
Lord forgive me for being blind to the amazing things that you have done in my life. Please give me sight to see the miracles that make me who I am today and the amazing things that you are trying to do all around me. Amen.
By Aaron Stapleton
Tuesday, March 14th
John 9:1-23
9 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his parents?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents. This happened so that God’s mighty works might be displayed in him. 4 While it’s daytime, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said this, he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smeared the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went away and washed. When he returned, he could see. 8 The man’s neighbors and those who used to see him when he was a beggar said, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” and others said, “No, it’s someone who looks like him.” But the man said, “Yes, it’s me!”
10 So they asked him, “How are you now able to see?” 11 He answered, “The man they call Jesus made mud, smeared it on my eyes, and said, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 They asked, “Where is this man?” He replied, “I don’t know.” 13 Then they led the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus made the mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes on a Sabbath day. 15 So Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. The man told them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some Pharisees said, “This man isn’t from God, because he breaks the Sabbath law.” Others said, “How can a sinner do miraculous signs like these?” So they were divided. 17 Some of the Pharisees questioned the man who had been born blind again: “What do you have to say about him, since he healed your eyes?” He replied, “He’s a prophet.” 18 The Jewish leaders didn’t believe the man had been blind and received his sight until they called for his parents. 19 The Jewish leaders asked them, “Is this your son? Are you saying he was born blind? How can he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know he is our son. We know he was born blind. 21 But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who healed his eyes. Ask him. He’s old enough to speak for himself.”
22 His parents said this because they feared the Jewish authorities. This is because the Jewish authorities had already decided that whoever confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why his parents said, “He’s old enough. Ask him.”
Reflection
One thing that jumped out at me during this scripture was how everyone tried to explain away the miracle that Jesus had done. He gave sight to a man that had been born blind. Can you imagine? You have never seen a sunset or the ocean or a child's smile and then, Boom! All of those images come flooding in. Would you care where this gift came from or if it had been done on a Sabbath? I don't think so, Tim. You would be too busy studying a clay jar or watching a cat run through a field or seeing how blue the sky can be.
How many blessings and miracles in my life have I tried to explain away as coincidence or luck? I grew up as a missionary kid in the Dominican Republic. I got to live my formative years in the Caribbean with great friends and a tight-knit missions community. Those first few months on the mission field, I cried myself to sleep. I had to give up grandparents, friends, and Dr Pepper. Those hurt. However, through the pain, God was expanding my horizons far beyond what I could ever imagine. I gained a one-of-a-kind perspective. He worked a miracle in me. I hope you can look back through your life and see where God has worked in you a miracle. You are the only you out there, and God wants you to be exactly who you are deep down.
Prayer
Lord forgive me for being blind to the amazing things that you have done in my life. Please give me sight to see the miracles that make me who I am today and the amazing things that you are trying to do all around me. Amen.
By Aaron Stapleton
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2025
January
Happy New Year // M-Note 1.4.2025Cancel the Noise // M-Note 1.11.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 1The Beloved Community // M-Note 01.18.2025Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 2What A Coincidence // M-Note 1.25.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 3Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 4The Original Influencer // M-Note 2.1.25
February
The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 1Exploring New Sites…And You’re Invited // M-Note 2.8.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 2Uncovering Implicit Bias // M-Note 2.15.2025A "Flurry" of Activity // M-Note 2.22.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 3The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 4
March
Beloved Community Action Steps // M-Note 3.1.25Vulnerability & Wilderness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 1Trusting the Spirit's Lead | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 2Courageous Connection | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 3What's Your Emotional IQ? // M-Note 3.8.25The Spaces Between Us | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 4Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 1Jesus Weeps With You | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 5When Sadness Lingers | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 6Lurking in the Shadows | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 7Cycles of Life and Death | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 8Inked in Memory | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 9The Void of Grief | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 10Sending Forth // M-Note 3.15.25Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 2Journey Not Alone | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 11Friends Along the Way | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 12The Loneliness of Fear | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 13Not Through With You Yet | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 14Clinging to Hope | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 15Bring It To The King | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 16Pray When Unsteady | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 17Courage to Stand for Faith | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 18Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 3A Holy Rage | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 19Focus on What is Holy | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 20Fast for Justice and Kindness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 21The World is Harsh and Beautiful | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 22I Feel Sorry for Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 23Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 4i flipped a table once | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 24Ain’t Got Nothin’ | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 25Spring Forward in Faith // M-Note 3.29.25Visio Divina | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 26Everlasting Joy Sealed in Your Heart | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 27
April
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2024
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February
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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 5
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