Praying With The Eyes

Relationships seem to be more difficult to maintain today than in the past. Is this because of social media? Or is it because it’s difficult to trust other people? And why does the Bible say that I’m supposed to love our enemy? Matthew Murphy, a member of Holy Cross, and I tackle these questions as we talk about relationships in this 56th episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast. Matthew Murphy, a member of Holy Cross, lives in Black Forest, Colorado. He was a certified EMT by the time of his high school graduation and is now continuing on to become a Director of Christian Education next fall at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska.

Alan Briggs, pastor, author and leadership consultant, joins Pastor Doug Brauner as they discuss Alan’s book, Everyone’s a Genius. They talk about what a genius is and how we might discover our genius as well as the fear of using our genius in the world. Amazon link to Alan’s Book: Everyone’s a Genius. Alan’s Website: www.alanbriggs.net Psalm 139:13-16 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” English Standard Version

Pastor Doug Brauner is joined by Dan Hampton, the Director of Growth Ministries at Holy Cross, as they discuss the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and its importance for us today. Blog written by Dan Hampton: A Day That Changed the World. Other Blogs: Luther’s 95 Theses The 95 Theses: A Reader’s Guide Videos: Treasures of the Reformation. Produced by the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod featuring President Harrison. Scripture: (Passages are linked to Biblegateway.com) Romans 3:19-28 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 4:10 2 Timothy 3:10-17

In this episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast, Pastor Doug Brauner, Senior Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, muses about the good old days of black and white and film photography and the lessons they teach us about life. PWTE Blog: Going Old School Five Points of Comparison between Life and Film Photography Imperfections – Film photography is imperfect, much like life itself. Surprise – Surprise come in both the good and bad aspects of life as in film photography Slow Down – You cannot take pictures as fast with a film camera as with a digital camera. Film photography cause a person to slow down. For me, this an aspiration that I have in life, to slow down. Patience – Closely related to slowing down, film photography builds patience in the photographer. You have to wait to see the results. Patience is a much-needed quality in life today when we get everything when we want it. Risky – There is more risk in shooting film. You don’t know what you shot until you develop yo

Pastor Doug Brauner of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado addresses the issue of fatigue in this episode of the Praying With The Eyes Podcast. He will talk about the causes of tiredness, temptations that can lead to greater tiredness, and one way of addressing exhaustion. Blog: “Lord, I’m So Tired” Additional Blogs: WebMD: Why Am I So Tired? Mayo Clinic: Fatigue Causes and Consequences of Fatigue Familylife.com Living with Debilitating Fatigue Scripture: Matthew 14:1-33 Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

In this episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast, Holy Cross’s Director of Growth Ministries, Dan Hampton, sits down with Pastor Doug Brauner as they talk about service ministry and its relationship to worship and our growth in Christ. Pastor Jeffrey Meinz joins them later in the podcast as they talk about the PWTE blog, Bloom Where You Are Planted. PWTE Blog: Bloom Where You’re Planted Scripture: (Scriptures are linked to biblegateway.com) Deuteronomy 10:17-18 Exodus 22:22 James 1:27 Micah 6:8 Hosea 6:6 Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado  

In this podcast, Pastor Doug Brauner shares five lessons he learned from the solar eclipse as well as how to deal with times that we have failed God. Blog: More Than a One Time Shot Five Lessons I Learned from the Solar Eclipse Lesson #1: Plan Ahead, Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. Lesson #2: Modify Your Expectation, Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Lesson #3: Enjoy the Moment, Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Lesson #4: Don’t Leave Too Soon, Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of something is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient than arrogant. Lesson #5 Don’t Worry, Proverbs 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Pastor Jeffrey Meinz, the Director of Worship Ministry at Holy Cross Luther Church in Colorado Springs Colorado joins Pastor Doug Brauner, the senior pastor at Holy Cross, in this edition of the Praying With The Eyes podcast. This is the second in a series of three podcast that focus on growth, worship and service. Both pastors talk about how worship relates to our growth in Christ and our service to others. Dan Hampton, the Director of Growth Ministries at Holy Cross, joins them later in the podcast to add his thoughts on this topic. Blog: A Place to Gather and Connect   Scripture: (Click on each passage to read it at biblegateway.com) 1 John 4:11-12 Psalm 96:9 Deuteronomy 6:13 Micah 6:8 1 Chronicles 16:29 Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO  

God created us to grow not only physically but spiritually. In this episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast, Pastor Doug Brauner is joined by Dan Hampton the Director of Growth Ministries at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They explore Dan’s heart for seeing people grow in Christ. Pastor Jeffrey Meinz and another special guest will join them later in the podcast. This is the first of three podcast which explore the relationship between worship, growth and service in the Christian community. Blog: The Three Amigos Scripture: (Each passage is linked to biblegateway.com) Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Proverb 17:17 2 Timothy 3:16 2 Peter 1:21 2 Peter 3:18 Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO

If you drive to work, mountains or the bowling alley, you might see a bumper sticker that reads Tolerance. But what does that bumper sticker suggest about our lives? What does it mean to be tolerant, and why is it that it seems the people who preach tolerance are intolerant? I invite you to join Richelle Hecker and me, Pastor Doug Brauner, as we explore the virtue of tolerance in this episode of the PWTE podcast. Blog: Why Are So Many Tolerant People Are Actually Intolerant Blog: The Illusion of Moral Neutrality Blog: SparkNotes: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Scripture Galatians 5:22-23 Colossians 3:12-13 Philippians 2:1-11 Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO