Welcome to our two-week journey through gratitude and the resulting response to give. We’re calling this experience: “Embrace the Journey: Uniting for a Gospel of Welcome” through the Gift of Gratitude that Generates Giving in many different ways.
As a member of the human race, I often find myself trapped in patterns that were imprinted on me during my formative years. These patterns, shaped by well-intentioned individuals, have become my default setting, influencing how I perceive myself and the world around me. They are what we commonly refer to as mindsets or where we place our focus — either a scarcity mindset driven by fear and anxiety that resists change, or a focus on gratitude that empowers action and the pursuit of goals.
In my early days, I adopted the scarcity mindset, as it was deemed a righteous perspective. There was a belief that being poor was godly, while wealth hindered spiritual growth. Not having enough was considered virtuous because it meant we relied on God to bridge the gap. The wealthy were seen as dependent on their resources, rather than trusting in God’s provision.
This default mindset caused immense suffering, not just for me but also for my family. Focusing on scarcity turned my attention inward, away from the blessings bestowed upon me by God. I discovered that my heart thrived when I directed my focus towards the people I loved, rather than dwelling on what I lacked. However, when I succumbed to anxiety and fear stemming from scarcity or never having enough, I retreated into myself, conveniently finding solace in blaming others and especially my wife. This provided temporary relief for me, but it left the other person feeling terrible while leaving the underlying issues unresolved.
The other day, Marti enlightened me about the power of where one puts their focus. She handed me a cup of coffee, asserting that I would inevitably spill it while making my way to the kitchen table. Determined to prove her wrong, I held the cup with extra care while mentally repeating, “Don’t spill the coffee.” Unfortunately, my fixation on avoiding spillage caused the coffee to slosh from side to side until it eventually spilled onto the floor. Marti triumphantly pointed out that if I had focused on where I was going, rather than obsessing over not spilling the coffee, the floor would have remained dry.
This anecdote reminds me of the familiar tale of a driver losing control of their car and colliding with the only tree in sight. The driver’s fixation on avoiding the tree led them directly into it, rather than steering away from it.
I invite you, as I am doing myself, to observe your mindset honestly and without judgment. Without awareness and a change of focus, we cannot initiate meaningful change. We will keep hitting trees and spilling coffee. The good news is that we all possess the capacity to shift our mindset, transforming the way we think about ourselves and the world.
For me, altering my default setting is a gradual process. I aim to leave behind the scarcity mindset and embrace a life of gratitude. Believe me, I am tested countless times, often when I least expect it, tempting me to revert to my default mindset. Similar to working out at the gym, changing a default setting requires endurance, persistently maintaining a high level of energy rather than slouching in complacency. One weekend won’t do it. It demands focusing on where I want to go, rather than dwelling on what I wish to avoid. Daily, I implore God to guide me towards the path of gratitude.
To aid in my transformation, I have started keeping a Gratitude Journal. It allows me to recognize the things I am genuinely grateful for. However, the challenging part for me lies in translating gratitude into action. It’s easy to list the things I appreciate, but allowing God to motivate me to act and give from a place of gratitude requires conscious effort. Many of you have already embraced this response to gratitude because you reset your default mindset long ago. For me, it involves reprogramming my thinking, making a deliberate choice to (1) cultivate gratitude, and (2) generously give from that grateful state.
Of course, this transformation demands that I open my heart wide to change. Embracing change goes against the very core of my nature, even though I am fully aware that without it, my life will only grow more difficult. Changing this default setting is the key to preventing both my own suffering and the suffering of those around me. Yet, I must admit that I often struggle to avoid postponing change for yet another day. It takes immense courage to confront the challenges that present themselves in the here and now, relinquishing control and allowing God to act through me, resolving the problems at hand.
In this heartfelt letter of confession, I hold myself accountable to you, my fellow Catch Citizens, to embody a spirit of gratitude and to translate that gratitude into meaningful action. It is not mere words that I offer but a commitment to give and give and give. I want you to truly understand the depth of my appreciation for your presence in my life. It is through this profound gratitude that I am inspired to reciprocate by giving abundantly.
In this journey of transformation, I am learning to shed the shackles of scarcity and fear, embracing a mindset of gratitude and the desire to give. It is an ongoing process, one that requires unwavering dedication and a willingness to grow. With each passing day, I strive to rewrite my default setting, replacing scarcity with generosity and anxiety with joy.
I implore you to join me on this path of growth and change. Let us break free from the confines of our past and step boldly into a future illuminated by gratitude. Together, we can transcend the limitations of our scarcity mindset and create a ripple effect of love and compassion in the world.
Thank you for being a part of this transformative journey, and please know that my gratitude for you knows no bounds. I am committed to living a life of gratitude, and I pledge to give from the depths of my heart, ensuring that you feel cherished and supported like never before.
PLEASE WELCOME
OUR NEWEST MEMBER TO THE CATCH TEAM
We are thrilled to welcome Terri Main as the Catch Ministry’s Director of Community Development. Terri will focus her time on how best to connect our community of believers and specifically enhance our programs in support of our all important MemberPartners.
Terri Main’s life has been defined by her commitment to Christian ministry, education, communication, and the arts. Terri’s journey with us began in the mid-70s, during the Jesus Revolution, when she was part of a concert production group, Harvest Seed Productions, in Eureka, California. This group was instrumental in staging weekly Jesus Music concerts, a movement with which our founder, John Fischer, was deeply involved. During this time, Terri handled publicity, led Bible studies for the ministry staff, and produced a Jesus Music radio program called “The Sound of the Comforter.” Her passion for the music and teachings of that era remained a guiding force in her life.
Life took her on various paths as a college educator before she reconnected with John and the Catch Ministry in 2012. Through her contributions to this ministry, Terri has shown herself to be thoughtful, innovative, and reliable. We are fortunate to have her on board to take on this much needed upgrade for the MemberPartner program.
Terri welcomes your interaction. She is available at [email protected].
We and our American friends will take a holiday tomorrow. We will be back with you all the more on Wednesday when we will continue to Embrace the Journey in honoring our amazing MemberPartners.
We know a friend of the Catch who requested prayer as he traveled to watch his father die — and how he thought it would be a time fraught with turmoil for him, because of unresolved issues between his dad and himself.
The power of gratitude is proven to have a direct effect on our relationship with God, who, in turn, causes us to experience the gifts of giving, which turn obstacles into opportunities. It is truly turning the grace given to us outward to others — and the Lord takes it from there.
Did I say the Jesus Movement was all about the gospel? Here’s a good example. From Paul Clark’s “Songs of the Savior Volume 2” (1972) comes this song about being born again. It’s a classic Jesus Music presentation of the basic gospel message that comes out of Jesus’s encounter with Nicodemus in John 3.
You Must Be Born Again
by Paul Clark
There once was a man name Nicodemus
who came to Jesus one night
asking the Master what must I do
to be good in Gods sight?
Jesus gave him an answer
that was simple to understand
that which is flesh is flesh
but by the Holy Spirit you must be born again
Nicodemus said, “how can these things be?”
I’m still not very clear
I know You’re a teacher that’s come from God
but, I’m not sure that You’re my Savior
Jesus gave him an answer
that was simple to understand
“How can I tell you of heavenly things
if you won’t believe the things at hand?”
Whosoever, believes on my name
shall have everlasting life
and will not perish when this world ends
Are you like Nicodemus, my friend?
finding it hard to believe?
Just step out on faith and follow, He said,
“Whoever asks shall receive!”
You can have everlasting life
you can have it today
have your name written in the Book of Life
it’s the only way to be saved.
You must be born again…
You must be born again…
You must be born again…
You must be born again…
The Jesus Movement was all about the gospel. It simply wasn’t the time to be much concerned about anything else. Nutrition, skin care, body building, aerobics, gut health, inflation, your 401(k) … who cares about any of that when we are on the eve of destruction? There’s only one question that matters, “Are you ready to meet Jesus?” When you meet Jesus will it be for the first time, or will it be as old friends?
Let me ask you a question. When you see the lyrics to “Eve of Destruction,” (yesterday’s Catch) does that seem like 58 years ago to you? Does it sound like some age we have passed through that we don’t have need of anymore — just a nostalgic memory — or does it seem like yesterday? I say definitely yesterday. Is the gospel any less relevant today than it was then? Not at all.
In fact, it is more necessary today because the message of the gospel has gotten lost in a subculture that has played politics and focused on issues like abortion, homosexuality, gender identity, race, book banning, and religious freedom. I believe we need the message of the gospel now, more than ever.
And in the church, the message of the gospel has been buried by so much worship music. In the church it’s all about worship. Certainly worship is important, but Jesus didn’t commission us to go into all the world and worship Him. But to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). There will be plenty of time in heaven to worship, but it will be too late to preach the gospel. Everyone will have already heard.
Eve of Destruction
by P.F. Sloan
sung by Barry McGuire
The Eastern world, it is explodin’
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’
You don’t believe in war, but what’s that gun you’re totin’?
And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin’
But you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
How you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction
The Jesus Movement started right here with this song. It didn’t start with a baptism, or a get-right-with-God message, or a Christian song on Christian radio, or a hippie church, or a tent meeting where everyone got saved. No, the Jesus Movement started as an apocalyptic song about the end of the world sung by a man who wasn’t even a Christian (at least not yet) and recorded in one take with the singer simply filling in the vocal line for the musicians to hear — not even thinking about a final vocal. But the next morning Barry McGuire turned on his radio and there was the song already on the playlist. The producers were that sure that it would strike a chord and it was the message for the times. It was Ezekiel or Daniel pointing out the woes of a nation in trouble.
There was one common thread that ran through much of the music that was written and sung during the Jesus Movement, and that was the message of the gospel. Just as worship is the common theme of Christian music today, so the gospel of the saving grace of Jesus Christ was the dominant theme of the Jesus Music of the Jesus Movement. Much of it was personal, telling the story of the writers’ desperate need and the grace of God coming to the rescue. Few did it as deeply and as emotionally as this song by Glen Kaiser, then of Resurrection Band.
In the mid-sixties, a daring new portrait of Christ by Richard Hook began to circulate that was rugged, masculine and a little dirty from the road. It was just in time to become the image of Christ for the Jesus Movement. It was a refreshingly human portrayal after decades of familiarity with the Warner Sallman head of Christ from the 1940s. I was moved by it enough to write a song in 1968 called “Born to Die.”
“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you…” Jesus says it to us. We say it to Him. We say it to each other. You say it to me. I say it to you. Randy Stonehill wrote it on a tablet and then sang it to the whole world. “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you…” Not “I love you because,” or “I love you when,” or “I love you after,” but just “I love you.” That’s all. That’s everything. Everything starts and ends here.
She’s been called the First Lady of the Jesus Movement, and the fact that she came out of Fort Wayne, Indiana proves that in 1970, Jesus wasn’t only moving in southern California, He was moving all over. This was a global phenomenon.
John Fischer The Catch 