Listen: https://joelbidderman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/At-the-Foot-of-the-Cross-HI.wav Consider: Alphonsus Liguori recorded a story about Francis of Assisi in his work The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, One day a gentleman found him [Francis] weeping and crying out with a loud voice. On being asked why he did so, he answered, “I weep for the sorrows and ignominies of my Lord: and what makes me weep the most is that we, for whom he suffered so much, live in forgetfulness of him.” And on saying this he redoubled his tears, so that this man too began to weep. Whenever the saint heard the bleating of a lamb, or saw anything else that reawakened the memory of Jesus’ Passion, he immediately [...]

Listen: https://joelbidderman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/At-the-Foot-of-the-Cross-HI.wav Consider: "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) Abraham, Moses, Israel, Jesus...being led into the wilderness is a regular part of life with God. I grew up in a Christian sub-culture of society where things like prosperity Gospel was the norm. Spiritual success was measured by not suffering, and having material abundance. But my [...]