We get what we give.... 

This is a spiritual axiom that holds true no matter what the situation. 

We get out of "it" exactly what we put into “it”. Whether it be our gym routine, work, or other lifestyle actions, our results come directly from our efforts. 

This holds true for us mentally as well. Our thoughts, attitudes, and ultimately our behaviors are the product of what we put in our minds. Spiritual growth can only come for us when we open our hearts and minds to seek His truth and Will for us. ... Check your experience. ... 

"What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." Big Book pg 85 

Lord, let us give you our will and our lives daily in order to grow and thrive, AMEN. 

"Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." Luke 6:38 

 Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all!

It’s supposed to be that when we look in the mirror we see a real reflection of ourselves. Now this happens for me as I shave, brush my teeth and attire myself for the day. 

There are also other mirrors that we can use to see other things. 

For example, looking in the mirror of self-reflection should show us where we stand spiritually, morally, and emotionally. There is also the mirror of seeing ourselves in others. Oh and the mirror of seeing our experiences through other situations, places and things! 

Now perhaps it’s different for you BUT… why is it that when I look into the mirror of self-reflection, I see who I want to see through the illusions of my intentions? 

When I am spiritually unbalanced this happens along with seeing reflections fueled by resentment, fear and pride when I dare look in the mirrors of people, places, things and situations. 

I am lucky to have a picket fence of friends and accountability partners to help me see the real me and not become swallowed up in the illusions my self – centered fear, pride, or anger that are managed by the addiction committee residing in my head. 

I am glad that when I turn these moments over to God and trade my will for His, I gain the proper reflection of self. How’s this working out for you?... Check your Experience….. 

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” James 1: 23-25 

Lord, let us open the eyes of our hearts to gain the help of the Holy Spirit inside of us to truly see our reflections of our own will, words, actions, and thoughts, AMEN. 

“We were prepared to look at it from an entirely different angle.” Big Book pg 66 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. 

Please help us continue to help others! 

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Have a blessed day y’all! 

He sees everything… 

I love watching people. I learn so much from others. It’s interesting to me to watch folks as they interact with others. 

My experience has been that different situations bring different actions and behaviors. 

For example, at the drive through the focus is on the order, as both the attendant and the customer are trying to purchase a pre-established menu item, pretty much a no brainer. 

Then there is the grocery store and the need to be in the shortest line. The type A personality verses the passive is fun to watch. The Type A will go all out directly to the short line and heck with whomever has the misfortune of being in their way, while the passive personality will be aware of others and see the type A and clear out of the way letting them go first. 

My favorite is the unexpected assist. 

Recently I observed a mom with a toddler attempting to fit all of her bagged purchases into one hand while deftly grabbing car keys and freeing the other arm to hold the baby because the cart would not go outside of the store, all the while shoppers moved around her as they exited the store. She almost went into shock when I asked her if I could help. After the shock wore off, she saw my smiling wife near me and figured out quickly I was not a psycho stalker, but she politely refused and gave us a heartfelt thank you for caring enough to ask. 

 Remember folks, keep the eyes of your hearts open to see who the Lord puts in your path. It’s always good to offer assistance for the right reasons… Check your experience…

“In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.” 1 Timothy 5:25 

Lord, let us perform good deeds with the only motive of being of service to others and not for personal gain, AMEN. 

“It depends on us and on our motives.” Big Book pg 70 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all! 

Finish what you started. ...

It's human nature (self-will) to want to ease up near the end and let our efforts slide. 

Most folks are aware of this and combat this feeling by reaching down deep (God's will) to muster the needed energy and focus to finish strong. 

How are you finishing your tasks, duties, and commitments? ... Check your experience. ... 

"Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon." Big Book pg 59 

Lord give us the drive and presence of mind to seek Your will in our efforts to finish strong, AMEN. 

"Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have." 2 Corinthians 8:11 

Have a blessed day y'all!! How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Now maybe it’s different for you, but the addict that still resides in my head after all these years still tries to convince me that the self-centered feeling of ‘I want what I want and I want it all now’ is an OK and actionable thought! I am sure the committee of ego, pride, and the other self-will characters in my my head agree! 

This is Stinking Thinking! 

I am so glad I have the Holy Spirit in my heart, a daily relationship with Jesus, and my picket fence of friends in my SCAA and AA 12 Step communities to help keep me on the right path and accountable to continue to seek God’s will and not fall victim to this illusion. 

Now here is the hard part….. well at least it was and still is for me! 

This is not an overnight matter! This means I just can’t wish myself to become patient and tolerant right away! I have had to work on this for many years. Heck, I still must work on these defects of character! 

The good news is that when I make myself take the time to respond rather than instantly react based on the emotion of the moment, my day goes much better! I am a work in progress. 

How about you? Are you working daily to grow a stronger foundation that allows you to respond instead of react? … Check your experience… 

“Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10 

Holy Spirit Come, fill me with your patience, guidance, grace, and tolerance to allow me to respond instead of reacting to life’s challenges, AMEN. 

“It will take time to clear away the wreck. Though the old buildings will eventually be replaced by finer ones, the new structures will take years to complete.” Big Book pg 123 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all! 

Actions bring results … 

Perhaps you are free of this, or have no issues with it, but it’s an age old twist on our thinking that causes a lot of us to become resentful, jealous, envious, or even bitter. 

We want people to judge us by our intentions while we choose to judge others by their actions. It’s another condition of being human. The solution is pretty simple. We must own this twist of thinking and correct it through our own actions and efforts and not our intentions. 

Think about it, are we able to see the results of others or our own intentions? I INTENDED to lose weight… I INTENDED to get my college degree… I INTENDED to be a better husband and father… 

It carries no lasting effects. 

Only actions on our part brings the desired and needed results. … 

Check your experience. … 

“It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels.” Big Book pg 85 

Lord let us put actions behind our efforts to be better people, seeking Your will and not our own, AMEN. 

"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. 

Please help us continue to help others! 

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html 

Have a blessed Day y’all! 

I can't. ... HE can. ... I think I will let Him. 

The pressures of everyday life can become overwhelming. Especially when we fall under the worldly illusion that we must do it all alone, by ourselves and perfectly. 

 Friends please know that you are never, ever, alone! The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and will see us through times of stress and uncertainty. 

 Have you tried allowing God to carry those heavy burdens? ... Check your experience. ... 

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 

Lord remind our hearts in times of stress and heaviness that You are with us and ready to shoulder the load, AMEN. 

 "I can't. ... HE CAN. ... I think I will let HIM." Big Book Steps 1, 2,& 3 

 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y’all!

‘Some gave all, and all gave some’… 

Please remember those who died protecting and serving us so that we may continue to live in freedom and grace. 

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 

Lord, we pause to day to remember and honor those who laid down their lives in order to protect us and our freedom as a nation under God, AMEN. 

“We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.” Big Book pg 133 

Have a blessed Memorial Day y’all! 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

It’s a 3 day weekend with lots of BBQs, sales, and hopefully socially safe gatherings. 

Just a suggestion, but take a moment, when you can, to remember and say a prayer of thanks to those who willingly and bravely gave their lives in order for us to remain free and safe. 

Last I checked we are still ‘One nation under God’. … 

“There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me -- and He came.” Big Book pg 12 

Lord thank you for our freedom and bless those who have fallen while they served our country to protect us, AMEN. 

“The memory of the righteous is blessed,” Proverbs 10:7 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. 

Please help us continue to help others! 

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Have a blessed day y’all! 

That EASY Button

Remember those Staples commercials with the “Easy” button?  

Wouldn’t it be great if we all had one of those? It seems life would be so much more manageable if whatever we needed changed, fixed, or done could be handled by just pressing the Easy button.   

Unfortunately, that is not how it works, unless you are a toddler! We have to put in effort, willingness, and old fashioned work in order to survive and grow. 

This is a spiritual principle and sometimes we forget this. The Bible has a few examples where Jesus asks impaired and sick folks if they want to be well. He immediately heals them when they say yes, but like Paul Harvey used to share, there is always the “rest of the story” that we need to know in order to be able to understand the healings.  

These folks demonstrated faith, hope, and willingness long before Jesus came to heal them. This is why he healed them because he knew that they had put in the hard work and the HEART work ahead of time to prepare them to receive His healing.  

How’s that working out for you?  Are you just sitting on the sideline wishing and waiting for Jesus to fix you or your situation or are you doing something daily to demonstrate your faith by providing the needed willingness and effort to show you are doing your part?.. 

Check your experience…  

“Yet they got well.” Big Book pg 110 

Lord, let us provide action daily to show our willingness to change and grow closer to You and Your will for us, AMEN.    

“Would you like to get well?” John 5:6 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all! 

Keep Pressing On

Have you noticed how much more automated our lives have become? From the GPS systems in our devices and cars to the “smart” appliances that can alert us to when they need attention or restocking, we now have more things than ever that can do our thinking and work for us. 

While automation is a nice convenience that allows us to focus our time and attention on other matters, how do we keep our focus on our spiritual growth? I enjoy my daily Bible study along with the spiritual tools and devotions that are delivered to me daily via email, but I remain grateful that I still have to apply the humble willingness to study and learn daily. 

Applying what I learn in the Word to my life daily helps me to keep walking with Jesus and pressing on toward His will for me. Thank goodness I have not automated this part of my life! This would block me off from the sunlight of His Spirit and I could become lost in the illusions of this material world. 

How about you? 

What parts of your life have become automated that perhaps are removing you from growing spiritually?.. Check your experience… 

“The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.” Big Book pg 60 

 Lord, let us not automate our daily time with You in the Word, AMEN. 

“But I press on” Philippians 3:12 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all!! 

Try a Little Kindness

This is probably not seen too much these days and certainly not reported very often in the news media, but kindness covers a multitude of anger, hurtful, and just plain lonely feelings. 

Perhaps you have already been the receiver of an act of anonymous kindness. Just last week a friend shared how they were pleasantly surprised to learn as they picked up their daily Starbucks order at the drive through window that the unknown person in front of them had paid for their coffee. 

I dare you to give it a try! 

Do something anonymously for a random stranger or for a loved one. See how you feel afterwards. 

Remember, it’s not about being seen doing this, it’s about serving others with no expectation of a return. 

I promise you that the indirect return you get from this is better than you can imagine! Go on…You can do this! Then…..Check your experience. …. 

“Were we kind and loving toward all?” Big Book pg 86

Lord, let us show our love today through kindness to those around us, AMEN. 

”Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! 

It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all! 

Good looking out.

Have you ever noticed that the best things come from ideas and actions focused on helping others? 

The internet came from 2 guys trying to have a quick and simple communication system for their company. 2 brothers wanted an easier way for folks to get from point A to point B and air flight came about. A few folks wanted to worship Jesus without persecution and America came to be. ...It's the same in our lives. 

We (hopefully) are walking a path of good that our children wish to follow. We volunteer with others to help those who are not as blessed as we are right now. Good things come from looking out for others. How are you intentionally looking out for others? ... Check your experience. ... 

"...do not think of what you will get out of the occasion. Think of what you can bring to it." Big Book pg 102 

Lord open the eyes of our hearts to let us see those You would have us help, AMEN. 

"Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. 

Please help us continue to help others! 

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html

Have a blessed Day y’all! 

"Soul Food"

Our information age provides us with instant and on demand information and access to just about anything we can think of. With just a few clicks we can learn what products to buy, where to go for fun, and even the right food to eat. 

Now I am sure we all have learned that just because it’s on the internet doesn't necessarily mean that it's true. ... 

We must consider the source. ... 

We can even find arguments pro and con on the benefits of low carb, fat free, and diet foods these days. It's very confusing, especially at times when all we have to rely on is ourselves… 

What about the food for our souls?.. 

There is one thing that has not changed over time. It's the Word and Truth in the Bible. Sure, "religious fads" come and go but the Word and its source remain the same. Consider the source. How are you getting spiritually fed?.. 

Check your experience… 

"Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things" Big Book pg 100 

Lord thank you for constantly and consistently offering Your Word as the Spiritual food and nourishment for our souls, AMEN. 

 "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." John 6:27 

 How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y’all!

Most folks I know are doing a better job these days of choosing better foods and meals. 

Just like having the proper fuel for our cars, it’s important to have the proper fuel in the form of nutritious healthy food for our bodies. Slowly the fast food chains are getting this message and it’s possible to get a sort of healthy meal from them if there are no other healthier options, but for the most part, fast food, like sugary snacks, are full of empty calories that fool our bodies and leave us more hungry as well as tired. 

It’s the same in our spiritual nutrition as well. We can fool ourselves and load up on man-made words and spiritual “junk food” that require no action on our part and make us feel momentarily good about ourselves. 

Unfortunately, like fast food, this leaves us hungry and thirsty in our souls. We can get true spiritual nutrition daily by turning our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him and feast on His Word daily… 

Check your experience… 

“A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, "a design for living" that really works.” Big Book pg 28 

Lord, let us feed spiritually on Your Word and the Holy Spirit, AMEN. 

“Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 

Looking to volunteer or plug into an existing helping opportunity in the Greater Phoenix AZ area? 

Visit Servants Hearts! It’s a free site to help connect folks with volunteer and helping opportunities! 

Furniture Bank and Spiritual Solutions Group are pleased to sponsor and share this free helping service from Faith Through Works Fellowship. 

Pray for its growth to provide helping hearts and willing hands to our organizations that need help! 

http://aservantsheart.us

Have a blessed day y’all!

It seems we have seasons for everything in our lives.  

We have clothes for the changing seasons. Heck, even Arizonans have a jacket in the closet somewhere! We have football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and other sports seasons. We even have seasons that we can put on our food to spice it up or change the flavor. 

What about our lives? It’s a common to hear that folks are “going through a season” when there is change or challenge in their lives. Change is inevitable for all of us. It’s part of being human. However, it’s how we deal with the change and the seasons in our lives that helps us grow spiritually. 

Maybe it’s different for you, but I have learned to embrace change over the years. I may still bristle when it comes unexpectedly, but I clear my mind and remind myself that I turned my will and life over the Lord when I got sober, and that frees me from pride and fear taking control of my thoughts and actions. 

What about you? 

Does change bring resistance and lock you in a battle with your self-centered feelings and pride preventing you from growing? Perhaps change ignites fear inside of you, shutting off the Holy Spirit and trapping you within your closed mindset. Or maybe you embrace change knowing there is a lesson to be learned and the outcome will make you a better person. … 

Check your experience. … 

“Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.” Big Book pg 84 

Lord, thank you for the seasons in our lives that help us to grow in spirit and understanding. Please give our hearts comfort and our minds relief in times of change, reminding us that You know what is best for us and will NOT give us anything we cannot handle, AMEN. 

 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 

Furniture Bank Continues to help those in need! 

Until we are clear from the world heath challenges, Furniture Bank is neither accepting nor scheduling pick-ups of donated items. 

We are using our cash reserves to order new items that can be drop shipped and delivered to our clients. 

Furniture Bank is a 501c3 public charity and every penny donated goes toward helping our families, veterans, and individuals in need. 

Please help us continue to help others! 

http://www.furniturebank.us/arizona-tax-credit.html    

Have a blessed day y’all!                        

Another way to see things

We use our eyes to see all that this world has to offer. That’s part of being human. We are also equipped with another way to see. 

Our Spiritual nature inside of helps us to see in a different way. We cannot see the air we breathe, yet we take it for granted that it’s here. We naturally take it for granted that when we flip a light switch the light will come on and when we put the key into the ignition, the car will start. 

This comes from FAITH. 

We learn by doing and by feeling. This is how we develop our spiritual eyes. Now it’s a fact that we all crawl before we walk. So, we cannot develop spiritual eyes overnight. Like the air we breathe, light switch, and the key in the ignition, we build up a continued and familiar experience over time that allows us to believe it will work. 

THAT is a form of FAITH! 

It’s the same with our Spiritual Faith. We must build on it and grow it so that we can rely on it in times of uncertainty… Check your experience… 

“In this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves.” Big Book pg 70 

Lord open the eyes of our hearts through building and growing our faith in You and Your Word, AMEN. 

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all! 

Planting seeds in hard ground

If you have ever gardened or worked with your yard, and especially if you live in Arizona, you learn pretty quickly that the ground here is pretty hard and not too compliant when it comes to yielding to a shovel, spade, or a hoe. 

We learned that in order to plant, we first have to treat the ground here with water, over and over to get it to soften and become workable. The more we work with the ground, the deeper we can dig to allow more room for the plant to take root and grow. 

It’s the same with our hearts when it comes to accepting change. 

Now maybe it’s different for you, but I have learned from experience that until I can soften my heart and become willing to accept needed change and allow it space in my heart, nothing changes and I remain hardened inside. 

When I soften my heart through willingness and allow God’s grace and guidance to plant the needed seeds of change it comes and I grow… Check your experience... 

“His change of heart was dramatic, convincing, and moving.” Big Book pg 55 

Lord, let us become willing to allow our hearts to soften to accept the changes You have for us, AMEN. 

“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.” Jeremiah 4:3 

How about a daily dose of hope and inspired thought? 

Join me in looking at the things we face daily with passages from both the Big Book and Bible! 

Every penny goes to support Faith Through Works Fellowship ministries including Furniture Bank! 

Order today and help us help others! 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pastor+mark+farley&ref=nb_sb_noss

Have a blessed day y'all!!