COOS Love Podcast

At baptism, we promise to “put our whole trust in Christ’s grace and love.” Faith is not a head trip: while we certainly want to be as intelligent as possible as we think about our experience of God, the essence of faith is not intellectual – the essence of faith is trust. We actively trust in Christ when we choose love over fear and hope over despair. Doing that makes us happier and offers a much...

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This could seem to be impossible, especially since we can’t just manufacture feelings of love. The key to loving God genuinely and wholeheartedly is allowing ourselves to be loved by God. The more we experience God's love for us, the more we will naturally love God in return. Connect with Chur...

In giving us the Holy Spirit, God gives us God’s very self. God is a generous giver, and through the Holy Spirit the fullness of the Holy Trinity lives and moves in us. To access that we need only desire it: the very act of asking opens us up to the gift that has already been given to us. That gift, God’s presence within us, is an unending source of love, life, and renewal.  Connect with Church of...

The biblical images of the Holy Spirit all involve movement. The Holy Spirit is not a static thing that we possess, but a dynamic flow of divine love. That love moves through us to bless others. The Spirit flows through people in different ways, empowering them with different gifts, but always the Spirit moves through us to serve other people and help the world around us. Connect with Church of Ou...

Human beings are very good at comparing themselves with others, but doing so does not tend to make us happy. Comparing ourselves with others is especially unhelpful in our spiritual life. Our goal is to follow Christ as best we can and take whatever the next step is for us to grow in love and faith – without assessing how we are doing compared to others. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE &nb...

Human beings are capable of developing in many ways, including spiritually. Just as we can devote time and energy to exercising and honing our skills, we can and should do the same to grow spiritually. Worship and serving others are key components of that, but a regular prayer practice is essential for such growth to happen.  Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

We are not only one with Christ, we are one with each other. At the deepest level, our thoughts and feelings impact each other because we are one. That means when we strive to let go of negative thoughts and feelings and instead intend love, we are not only helping ourselves but we are helping others. Choosing love and intending love always makes a positive difference in the world around us becaus...

Having times of silence is essential to our spiritual well-being. Silence allows us to listen to ourselves and be aware of what we are really feeling and experiencing. Such listening also puts us in touch with our soul, our deepest self, which is actually doing the listening. And silence allows us to listen for God, who speaks to us in ways that go deeper than words.  Connect with Church of Our Sa...

One of the great gifts of the resurrection is knowing that we are held safely in God’s love forever. Having that security is essential for us to grow in love. Living the resurrection means practicing letting go of fear and reminding ourselves that we are – and always will be – safe. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

There is one way we can always be powerful: we can wield the power of loving intent. No matter where we are or what circumstances we are in, we can each moment choose to intend love. Rather than giving way to fear, anger, and other negative emotions, we can intend to love and let that intention direct our actions. In doing so, we join Christ and align ourselves with God’s infinite loving power – w...

None of us likes feeling powerless, but being powerless can be a crucial aid to spiritual growth. It is when we are most powerless that grace ‒ which is God’s freely-given, no-strings-attached mercy and help ‒ can flow into our lives and give us what we most need. Rather than resisting powerlessness, we can see it as a valuable treasure and a means of transformation.  Connect with Church of Our Sa...

Jesus teaches us not to worry, but not because we will never have difficulties. Living well means accepting the difficulties as they come and addressing them with an attitude of openness and faith. Rather than resisting or resenting reality, we can allow the hard challenges of our lives to lead us into greater trust in God and deeper love. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

We are not called to pray as a religious obligation or because God will be angry with us if we don’t, but because prayer connects us with the Source of life and the Wellspring of all love. The method we use is not as important as our intention to be with God. If we feel too busy to pray or too afraid, actually praying anyway can help us to let go of such obstacles so that we can experience ever mo...

Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and bless those who hurt us, but that can be a difficult process that takes time and energy. Jesus tells us to do what it takes, however, because he does not want us to be imprisoned in our own anger or pain. Loving and forgiving others leads to greater freedom for us and more love for the world. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

Many Christians in our society like to argue that their way of following Christ and being church is the right way, and others are wrong. Such a mindset may gratify egos, but it will not lead to greater love. Whatever our tradition or denomination, the goal of all worship, prayer, and service is to grow closer to Christ and abound more in love for God and others. If our path is producing the fruits...

The Church produces lots of words, words of liturgies, doctrines, sermons, and messages, but those words only have value insofar as they lead us to a Reality that goes beyond words. It is crucial that we remember that our religion, with all its attendant words and rituals, is meant to lead us to the mystery of God’s loving Presence which is with us at all times. We can point to this Presence throu...

God pours out spiritual gifts on all of God’s people. Each one of us is uniquely gifted, able to manifest God’s love in a way that no one else can. Our gifts are given for the common good, and using them to build up community can bring us joy. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

Jesus tells us not to worry because God loves us and cares about us. There are practical steps we can do to help us trust in God’s love more fully. These include giving our anxiety to God and deliberately thinking about those good and lovely things which point us to the goodness and loveliness of God.  Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

 If we believe that we are here to have an easy life, free from pain, then it is hard to trust God because life is not always easy and pain-free. But if we believe we are here to know intimate closeness with God and to grow in our capacity for love, then we can trust that God will work in all circumstances to help us fulfill our purpose as human beings. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE &nbs...

While we may not always feel like we are a new creation, God’s limitless, ever-renewing energy is available to us each day and each moment. As we tap into the endless source of vitality within us which is the Holy Spirit, we can draw upon the power of God to give us the love and strength we need every day. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

While people often look for religion to provide methods and systems, genuine faith and authentic prayer come not from a system but from an attitude of openness and trust. Cultivating an outlook of receptivity is key to experiencing the presence of God in our lives. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

All of us have the Holy Spirit living within us, and the Apostle Paul tells us that we should rekindle that gift. Worship, prayer, and acts of service can help remind us that we have the very Spirit of God filling us and moving through us.  Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

Christ, the love of God made physical, is the DNA of all creation. Christ resides in all people, and loving others means recognizing Christ within them. Doing so enables us to love more and helps us bring out the best in others. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

Carrying the weight of our own wrongdoing can be heavy, making it hard for us to live with freedom and love. Jesus takes that burden from us and offers us forgiveness and new life. In doing so, he also moves through us to set others free from their sins as well. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE    

When the people we love suffer, we suffer with them. While that’s a burden we want to carry for the sake of love, it can feel heavy and at times unbearable. Jesus can lighten that burden for us by connecting us with the endless love and energy of God and by filling us with hope. Connect with Church of Our Saviour HERE