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Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking

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I – “Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:1-9 – NIV)

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II – “The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.” (John 5:9-15 – NIV)

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III – “That which is now already has been, and that which is to be already has been; and God seeks that which has passed by so that history repeats itself.” (Ecclesiastes 3:15 – AMPC)

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IV – Feel all your feelings… Letting yourself embrace the totality of all your feelings allows you to self-validate your own humanity, and helps you create a life for yourself that is fuller and more satisfying…just be aware that even though all your feelings matter, they may not always be the proper touchstones for making important decisions…certain feelings may cause you to overreact in particular situations, and result in knee-jerk responses that ultimately bring frustration and embarrassment to you…when you respond in a way that’s out of proportion with an actual reality, you can end up creating a situation that’s even worse or more complicated that the one to which you are responding… Don’t make big decisions when your emotions feel out of our control, or when you feel overwhelmed or exhausted…scientific studies have shown that even something as basic as simple sleep deprivation hampers your ability to regulate your emotions, as it affects your prefrontal lobe…they’ve also found that when you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more apt to overreact to experiences, especially negative ones…then there’s the kind of exhaustion that can’t be remedied with a good night’s sleep – the emotional exhaustion that comes from dealing with a difficult situation over an extended period of time that leaves you worn out on the inside…that’s a whole ‘nother thing, entirely, but the same caution applies…in a word, avoid making important decisions when you’re overtired physically or emotionally… Life will always be a series of decisions and choices…some of the keys to ensuring that the decisions you make support the kind of life you desire to lead is getting enough sleep, meditating, remaining present, pacing yourself, taking it one day at a time, and not allowing yourself to be pressured into making decisions concerning things that can wait… Timing is everything… Keep your eye on the prize… Breathe… Maintain your courage… Make your decisions only when you’re good and ready… #JESmeditation

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V – “I’ve felt that connection with others throughout my life – sometimes it’s a random person in an elevator, where you look into each other’s eyes, and for reasons you can’t explain, there is a connection, not just simply eyes meeting, but some deeper knowing, an acknowledgement of each other’s humanity and the reality of being on the same path. And when that happens, it’s pretty magical. Other times I’ve looked into the eyes of someone who is homeless or just down-and-out, and when our eyes connect it is as if I could see my very own face staring back at me and for that brief moment, and often even longer, I experience the pain of my own journey and feel deep empathy followed by gratitude that my journey has taken me to where I am today. Everyone has a story, and I have learned that, at the core of it, most of our stories are more similar than not. Connection can be powerful. Sometimes just a brief meeting can change someone’s life forever.” ― James R. Doty

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