Notes from the Chaplain 4
And here are a few more notes to add to the collection.
Grace and Peace to you today!
A Note from your Chaplain
June 13, 2019
Hey there, brother. I’ve been thinking about you and praying for you a lot recently. I’ve also been thinking about the changes you’ve been making in your spiritual lives and the changes I’ve been making in mine. We are all continually growing and learning and changing.
I am convinced...
...that we will never have all the answers, but I am also convinced we should never stop searching for them. When we seek knowledge and understanding and wisdom with an open heart, we will find true growth. We don’t need all the answers. We just need to grow and mature. We need to search. Search in conversations, in silence, in prayer, in reading, and in journaling.
Seeking Wisdom
The Bible is a great source for wisdom. A great place to spend time if we truly want to grow and learn and change. There is more than enough wisdom to last us a lifetime. But as we read, we also need to remember and reflect. The way I do this is by keeping a scripture journal. When I find something that really strikes me, I add it to my list of favorites. Over the past few years, my list has been growing and changing. And I’m sure that it will continue to grow and change. Just as I am continually growing and changing.
Some of My Favorites
These are some of the verses and passages that are important to me. You might recognize them from the short list I write at the bottom of each of these weekly notes. If you don’t already have a list of favorites, I would encourage you to start making one. Start with just one verse. Then add to it over time. Feel free to use some of these to help you get a start. Enjoy the search for wisdom. Enjoy the journey. But never stop growing and changing.
God, have mercy on me - Luke 18:13; be joyful, pray continually, give thanks - 1 Thes 5:16-18;
love the Lord, love your neighbor - Mark 12:30-31 and Matthew 22:37-40;
love, joy, peace, patience... - Gal 5:22-23; your will be done - Matt 6:9-13;
create in me a pure heart - Psalm 51:10-11; by grace through faith, not by works - Eph 2:8-10;
do not conform, be transformed - Rom 12:1-2; value others above yourselves - Phil 2:3-4;
be still and know - Psalm 46:10
do not be anxious about anything - Phil 4:6-7; faith is being sure of what we hope for - Heb 11:1;
run with perseverance...fixing our eyes on Jesus - Heb 12:1-2;
power to grasp the love of Christ - Eph 3:16-21; for God so loved..to save the world - John 3:16-17;
live a life worthy of the calling - Eph 4:1-3; be holy in all you do - 1 Peter 1:13-16;
rooted and built up in Him- Col 2:6-7; seek first His kingdom - Matt 6:33-34;
trust in the Lord with all your heart - Prov 3:5-6
this is the day...I will rejoice - Psalm 118:24; rejoice in the Lord always - Philippians 4:4;
I can do all things - Philippians 4:13; in all things, God works for the good - Romans 8:28;
only what is helpful for building others up - Eph 4:29;
hope in the Lord (soar, run, walk) - Isaiah 40:31; justified...peace with God - Romans 5:1-2;
All fall short... justified freely - Romans 3:23-24; live a life worthy of the Lord - Colossians 1:9-10;
ask seek knock...receive find open - Matthew 7:7-8
I will give you a new heart - Ezekiel 36:26-27; love is patient, love is kind - 1 Cor 13:4-7;
whatever you do, work at it with all your heart - Colossians 3:23-24; clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility - Colossians 3:12-15 NIV be kind and compassionate...forgiving each other - Eph 4:32
my commandment is this; love one another as I have loved you - John 15:12
the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love - Galatians 5:6b
we rejoice in hope...and in suffering - Romans 5:2-5
awe of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 9:10
in him we live and move and have our being - Acts 17:27-28
act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God - Micah 6:8
Love one another, love comes from God...God is love - 1 John 4:7-8
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer - Romans 12:12
when you pray, go to your room, close the door, pray to your Father...in secret - Matthew 6:6
Nothing can separate us from the love of God - Romans 8:37-39
Listen and do - James 1:22; hope and a future, pray and listen - Jeremiah 29:11-13
Give thanks, the Lord is good, his love endures forever - Psalm 136:1
Spend some time seeking wisdom. Grace and peace to you today!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
June 22, 2019
Hey there, brother.
Grace and peace to you!
Today I just wanted to share a familiar prayer. Serenity is a sense of peace and calm. This prayer is an excellent reminder of how to live each day with peace and to fill our days with calm. Pray this often.
Prayer for Serenity
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right
if I surrender to Your will
Reinhold Niebuht
God bless and see you soon!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
June 26, 2019
Hey there, brother. I hope today is a day with grace and peace and joy, and I hope that if today is a tough day, you look for ways to find grace and peace and joy. Because I know that we often find what we’re looking for.
Ask, Seek, and Knock
I love the 7th and 8th verses from Matthew chapter 7.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
I used to look at that passage a little selfishly. Like, if we want something and pray for it, we’ll get it. But now I look at that passage differently. I don’t think of getting “stuff” I desire. Now I think of getting the outlook I desire.
What do we REALLY want...to be changed
What are we asking for? What are we seeking? What doors are we knocking on? What do we truly want and desire? I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we really just want to be changed. We want to figure things out and live life better. We want to live for something bigger than ourselves. We want to be happy. We want peace. We want joy. And this change happens when we start looking at ourselves and others differently. With compassion.
Judging Others...Ask, Seek, Knock...Do To Others
It’s interesting that the “ask, seek, knock” passage comes after the “do not judge others” passage and right before the “do to others what you would have them do to you” passage.
Don’t judge others
Ask, seek, and knock
Treat others like we want to be treated
If we really want change...
...living this way will definitely change us. It will transform us. It’ll transform our relationships. It’ll transform our outlook. It’ll lead us to more peace, and it’ll lead us to more joy.
What do I (me, Thom) really want?
I want to build good relationships. I want to be able to have honest conversations. I want to lift others up and be lifted up by others. I want a life full of grace and peace and joy by loving God and loving others. And I think really, that’s what we all want.
I Am So Thankful!
I’m so thankful that the Sheriff, Jail Commander, and Jail Officers allow us in. I’m thankful for the opportunity to come see and visit with you regularly. I love building friendships and just talking. You are truly a blessing. You are treasured. You are greatly loved. I know you face tough obstacles in your life, but know that you are never alone in your struggle. You are never alone in your joy. You are never alone in your silence. There is great hope now and on the other side of these times. Build your relationships with God and with others. Ask, seek, and knock.
Praying and Rooting
Jeremy and I are praying for you and rooting for you. This ministry team is praying for you and rooting for you. God is receiving the prayers and rooting for you. Lift each other up. And believe in yourself as much as we believe in you. God bless and see you soon. Grace, peace, and joy!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
July 4, 2019
Hey there, brother. Grace and peace and joy to you today. You have been in my thoughts and prayers again this week. You are a blessing.
Happy 4th of July!
I was thinking about Independence Day. A day we set aside to remember and recognize the American colonists who had a vision of independence. Those American colonists made a bold statement about how things were going to change. They knew it would not be easy, but change was necessary if they were to have freedom to determine their future. It’s a powerful document, a strong statement, and a great lesson for us all.
My Daily Morning Vision
Above my desk, I have my “Daily Morning Vision” posted. It’s a document and a reminder of who I aspire to be. It’s my mission. It's the future I'm seeking. It's actually a messy document, because I’m continually editing and adding. Here are a few of my vision statements.
Be the kind of person who takes daily next steps to build an intentional, optimal, and compelling life (design a plan, make daily progress, enjoy the process)
Mission Statement: love, enjoy, inspire, encourage, and positively impact
Areas of Intention: faith, family, fitness, finance, career connections, commitments, contributions
Live life better. Look for ways to help others do the same. Cherish others.
Freedom and Autonomy requires Discipline and Patience.
Show up and keep showing up. Do the work. Every day.
Be grateful, be well, be the change I wish to see in the world.
Live the Way of Jesus - love, compassion, encouragement, forgiveness, empathy
Choose to enjoy today. Choose to be here now. Choose to live the dream.
Each of these phrases have deep meaning to me. It’s far from a perfect vision and I’m far from a perfect man. But this is my daily vision. This is my daily declaration.
Do Not Conform, Be Transformed
There is power in making a declaration no matter how great or small. As long as we follow through. And as I evolve, so does my vision, and so does my document. I’m a big fan of Paul and this morning, I read chapter 12 of his letter to the Romans. After reading this passage, I added a new phrase to my imperfect but ever evolving document. Romans 12:2 inspired me to add “Do not conform, be transformed.” (All of chapter 12 is pretty awesome!)
The Lesson of Transformation
As I thought about that passage, I started thinking about the significance of today’s date. I thought about those early colonists. I thought about their vision of the future and the necessary path they would need to tread. These were imperfect people with an imperfect plan, but they saw a need for change, made a statement, and acted on. In the same way, I’m an imperfect man with an imperfect plan. I saw a need for change in myself, I made a statement of my vision, and I am acting on it. Every day. The colonists were looking for a better life. I’m striving to live a better life. If we want to make meaningful change, we cannot conform to our current ways or patterns, we have to be transformed. Daily. By the renewing of our minds. And each day, we can do so with a simple, yet powerful, declaration of transformation. So today, choose to make a declaration. Today, choose to be transformed.
God bless! Grace and peace and joy.
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
July 7, 2019
Hey there, brother. I pray that today is a day filled with grace and peace and joy. I pray that you have spent time in silence, in quiet thought, and in deep prayer. I pray that you are seeking faith and hope and love. I pray that you are looking for ways to serve and ways to gain and give peace. I pray that you will embrace the mystery of God as you seek wisdom and direction in life and in your next steps. I pray for you every day. And I thank God for you because you have blessed me! I am grateful to know you. I am grateful to share with you. I am grateful to grow with you in the spirit.
We Need Each Other
I’m sorry I cannot be with you this Sunday. I look forward to our time together and hearing what you’ve been working through. I love hearing about what you’re reading, what you’re thinking about, and what you’re praying about. We need each other. We need each other to share in this path. This journey of life as we travel together.
The Simple Path
I was thinking about how sometimes we get caught up in how complex and confusing life is. We want to have things figured out, but wisdom and maturity takes time. Sometimes we just need to keep it simple. And that reminded me of a quote by Mother Teresa.
“The simple path: silence is prayer, prayer is faith, faith is love,
love is service, the fruit of service is peace.”
Mother Teresa was a true servant. She lived her entire life in service to others. And she liked to keep things simple. Silence. Prayer. Faith. Love. Service. Peace. I think that’s a great path and a great example to us all.
What is Our Path?
It’s easy to look at others and think they have things all figured out. Then wonder why we don’t have things figured out. But remember, we are all on our own paths. We are all on our own journeys. Some paths and journeys are tougher than others. No path is perfect.
And just so you know, some people may look like it, but no one really has everything figured out. We all have to have faith and we all have to have trust in something bigger than ourselves. We don’t have to have all the answers. We just have to have love and service. “...love God...love others…” Mark 12:30-31. This is our real journey. This is our real path.
What is Our Prayer?
So what about prayer? What do we desire. When we step back and really think about it, what we really need is God and each other. We need to look to God for guidance and look to others to serve. It is a continual cycle of receiving and giving. Receiving love, giving love. Receiving hope, giving hope. Receiving peace, giving peace. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gives us an example of what prayer looks like. Praising God. Taking God’s path. Taking care of today. Being changed. Being transformed. So whatever you pray, keep it simple. And if you do, you will surely find grace and peace and joy.
I hope you remember you are truly treasured. You are greatly loved. I know you face obstacles and resistance in your life and on your path. But know that you are never alone in your struggle. Know that you are never alone in your moments of silence. Know that you are never alone on your path. Know that you are greatly treasured and there is great hope now and on the other side of these times. Grace, peace, and joy on this path. God bless!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
July 16, 2019
Hey there, brother. Today I’m praying for grace and peace and hope and joy and healing for you.
Gratefulness
I am grateful for the opportunity to come visit with you. I’m grateful that Jeremy can join me. I’m grateful to the Sheriff, Jail Commander, and Jail Officers who allow us in. I’m grateful for our ministry team and for those in the community praying for us all. Remember that you are continually in our prayers.
Injuries and Healing
I was thinking about how in life, injuries happen and injuries take time to heal. The greater the injury and damage, the more time our recovery takes. We usually think about physical injuries, but there are other kinds of injuries as well. Emotional injuries, spiritual injuries, financial injuries, and injuries to relationships. We all have injuries in our lives. We’ve had people who have injured us and there are those around us that we’ve injured. Take a moment to think about those injuries. Emotional, spiritual, financial, and relational pain and suffering. What do we do about those kinds of injuries? I think we should think about these things like we think our physical injuries. See someone. Talk about it. Make a plan to begin healing. And know that healing is going to take time. Some injuries leave behind scars and some never fully heal, but we should make the effort to begin the healing process.
We Need Each Other
I think that’s why Jesus put so much emphasis on loving each other. It’s because we need each other. No one has all the answers, but we can be an ear. We can listen. We can encourage. We can pray. And it may take a long time, but we can begin to heal. Let’s continue to pray for each other. We all can use prayer, and we all can use healing.
Fear and Peace
It’s interesting how many times, in the Bible, the phrases “fear not” and “do not be afraid” seem to pop up. Usually it’s when someone has a spiritual encounter. Life is full of mystery and things we just don’t understand. And that can be scary. But when things are most scary, we can hold to this thought. “Fear not.” Or like when Jesus was in the boat during the storm and he simply said, “peace, be still.” Let’s think about this the next time we are afraid or anxious. Think about this passage from Philippians.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:4-7
We are Treasured and Loved
Remember that we are treasured and greatly loved. When we face obstacles and resistance in our lives, we are never alone in our struggles. We have each other and we have the love and joy and grace and peace of God. God is good, and I am thankful. Let’s continue to lift each other up. We’re in this together. And for that, I am grateful.
God bless and see you soon!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
July 21, 2019
Hey there, brother. Grace and Peace and Joy to you this week. Most weeks I write thoughts and share some scriptures with you. This week, I thought I’d do something a little different. This week, I wanted to share a few of my favorite movies. I think there’s a reason we’re drawn to certain movies. Here are mine and why I enjoy them. After reading this, take a few minutes to think of your favorites and what makes them special to you.
Mount Rushmore
The man responsible for Mount Rushmore was Gutzon Borglum. Borglum selected four Presidents to represent significant eras of American history. He chose Washington to representing our nation’s birth, Jefferson representing our nation’s growth, Roosevelt to representing our nation’s development, and Lincoln to representing our nation’s preservation. Birth, growth, development, and preservation. So I was thinking if I could choose my top four movies and carve them into Mount Rushmore, these would be my picks.
Airplane! “I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley!”
What draws me to this movie is that it taught me that we can find humor in the mundanity of everyday life. Humor is everywhere. We can’t take anything, especially ourselves, too seriously. Airplane! gives us permission to laugh and be silly. I think this might have been the birth of my personality and outlook on life. Love it. Enjoy it. And try to help others enjoy it.
The Jerk “The new phonebook is here!”
This is a fun movie, but what I find most captivating is the brilliance of the man behind the movie. Steve Martin is by far my favorite comedian and actor. There is so much I love about him and the characters he creates. Looking back to that movie, I love how his character, Navin R. Johnson, continually faces obstacles with resilience, determination, optimism, and joy. And this is the growth of the hero’s journey. What a great lesson!
A Few Good Men “I want the truth!”
This is a favorite of mine that builds gradually to the powerful courtroom scene where Lieutenant Kaffee has Colonel Jessup on the stand. David versus Goliath. The underdog versus the champion. It’s a story where the little guy prevails because of his gradual transformation and newfound strength and courage. And because of this courage, he can face one of the most powerful men in the military. The obstacles seem too big and the risk seems too great, but Kaffee has done his work and his development has prepared him to go all in.
Apollo 13 “I believe this is going to be our finest hour.”
Lincoln was a symbol of preservation amidst chaos and disorder. How fitting a thought for my next favorite movie. It seems EVERYTHING is going wrong and there. I love how Flight Director Gene Kranz responds to the statement that “this could be the worst disaster NASA has ever experienced.” Everyone knew the consequences of failure, but his focus was on survival. Relentless effort to complete the mission with no loss of life. Where others saw a potential for the “worst disaster,” Kranz saw the potential for the “finest hour.” He was fighting for their lives in this rescue story. The lesson for me is to never give up and to keep fighting our preservation.
How About You
These are my top four. Think about your favorites. Then ask yourself, “what is the message? What is the lesson? What am I learning?” I know this note is a little different than previous notes, but think about the lessons we can learn from these movies we watch. This week, think about birth, growth, development, and preservation and how that applies to your life.
God bless and see you soon!
Thom Miller
A Note from your Chaplain
August 1, 2019
Hey there, brother. Grace and Peace and Joy to you today and this week. This morning, I was looking back over the past six months of notes I’ve written, and I’m reminded that change and transformation is part of life. This is the twenty-sixth weekly “Note from your Chaplain” and I can see how my writing has evolved and changed over time. I think this is interesting and a great lesson to all of us.
Begin Before You’re Ready
When I started writing these notes, I didn’t really know what would come of them. In fact, I had no idea I would still be writing them. I thought I might occasionally share some thoughts and things to consider but this has become a weekly habit of mine. When I began, my words and my thoughts and my messages were far from perfect. When I wrote those first words on that first note, I didn’t feel “ready” to start or ready to share, but I wanted to begin. So I did. The following week, I still didn’t feel “ready,” but I sent another note. Again, it was far from perfect, but I just began. Again and again. Every week since then, I’ve sent a new note, ready or not. I decided to begin before I was ready. I knew that if I waited until I was ready, I would never begin. I didn’t write these notes because I was trying to have the perfect words and have the perfect message. I was just trying to connect and encourage and maybe share a little hope. This has been a great practice for me, and I hope these notes have been of some worth to you.
My Hope Is That You’ll Do the Same
We all have things we want to do or begin, and it’s natural to want to wait for the right time to begin. We feel like we’re not ready yet so we wait until later, but when we think this way, “later” may never come. I encourage you to begin before you’re ready. What is it you want to work on or improve? What have you been putting off until later. Pretend that today is the “later” you’ve been waiting for. Figure things out as you go along. Try something new that you know will improve your life. Be fearless. Just start. Make some mistakes and learn from them. When we’re trying to improve our lives and live life better, we can’t be bystanders or spectators. We have to be active participants in our lives. Let’s give ourselves permission to be beginners. Let’s give ourselves permission to start something new even though we don’t have it figured out yet. Let’s “fear not” and begin before we’re ready.
What Do We Want
Really. What do we really want? Calm? Change? Transformation? Healing? Love? Acceptance? Joy? Patience? Grace and Peace? Relationships? The answer is yes. Yes to all of these. And really, all of these are centered on healthy relationships. Relationships with God and with others. When Jesus was asked “what the greatest command,” he had a simple answer. Love God and love others. Life can be pretty complicated, but that answer is pretty simple. So what do we really want? I think we want relationships with God and others. And those relationships will change and grow over time.
So Now What?
My hope in these notes is that you will be forgiving and fearless. Forgive others and yourself. Be fearless in moving forward and making changes for the better. We all need encouragement and hope. These notes are just me trying something to improve my life and my relationship with God and with you. I wasn’t ready, but I started anyway. I encourage you to find something that will improve your life with God and with others. Be fearless in moving forward. Be forgiving as make mistakes. Try something new and begin before you’re ready. God bless and have a great week!
Thom Miller
