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I’m Andy and I’m a sinner! I was invited to join a small group this year, and after praying about it I felt like God wanted me to join. I have been in small groups in the past, so I guess I knew what to expect, but I’m glad for the new friends as well as a chance to get to know old friends better.

In the last few years I’ve become more and more aware of my need for God’s mercy and love. He certainly loves me -  more than I’ll ever know - but the way I live my life has a huge effect on my relationship with Him.

Our small group did a study on “spiritual rhythms”, and I appreciated learning and chatting about a number of different methods to have a better relationship with God. Some methods I find helpful and some methods just don’t seem to fit me right now. “Lectio Divina” (Sacred Reading) fits me quite well. In the past I read the bible according to a time schedule. Nowadays I’m less concerned with schedule. At this time of my life I guess I’m more aware of my sin and my shortcomings, and I really want God to use me to love the people He’s placed in my life. That has become my number one goal - loving others - even though I’m often a mess myself. So I am reading the bible looking for Him to give me what I need to love the people in my life.

I’m reading in Psalms right now. King David in Psalm 101 talks about leading a blameless life and walking with a blameless heart. Sounds impossible, but he also says “I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” Tarantino movies came to my mind, as well as internet porn. David says “I will have nothing to do with evil”, which is a broad statement but God brought one specific thing came to my mind as a way to be more like Jesus. “My eyes will be on the faithful” also spoke specifically to me. I spent a number of days “soaking” in this Psalm, and my relationship with God has been better as a result of obeying His promptings.

Life hasn’t always turned out the way I was expecting, but everything that is out of my control is clearly in God’s control. And it seems to get easier to trust Him when I try to do what He wants me to do. 

Andy Silver has three adult kids, likes to run and hike on the north shore mountains, likes to pray, and tries to be helpful if somebody needs a hand.