Faith Focus - The Blue Church

Pastor Rob Ladonne,

“God is the author of life so it is no surprise that much of life prompts us to think about Him. In the writings below you will find references to every day experiences that have brought my faith into focus. I hope these writings encourage

you to have a deeper faith in God.”

A Christian Who is Worse Than An Unbeliever?

Posted on Sep 29, 2018 in Faith Focus |

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8 Wow! Those are some strong words written by the Apostle Paul. “Worse than an unbeliever.” Why would Paul speak in such a manner?

What Can I Do Without My Love?

Posted on Sep 23, 2018 in Faith Focus |

Hi Emma …… I miss you. I am not doing well Emma. I don’t know how to do this without you. Nothing is the same. I don’t seem to care about anything much lately. The shows we used to watch, the places we used to go. I don’t bother with them anymore. I don’t know, it just seems like they were our things and now there is only me, and they don’t fit. It is true what they say sweetheart.

Eggs and Seeds

Posted on Sep 23, 2018 in Faith Focus |

Sometimes when I go to a restaurant, I tuck the tip inside a little booklet which contains the plan of salvation and the Gospel of John. Perhaps this seems foolish, as one might conclude that everyone who receives such a booklet takes the tip and deposits the booklet in the trash. Critics may say, “Rob, you are wasting your money and forcing your religion on others.”

Sinking From Thinking

Posted on Aug 12, 2018 in Faith Focus |

I’m staring at barbed-wire. It looks sharp. It surrounds a building that is very secure. Inside are inmates who are in cells that are very secure. How is it that someone arrives at a point in their life that they are so restricted? Can you imagine being such a person? Consider the prospect of being forcefully taken to where you don’t want to go. You are removed from your loved ones. Your friends. Your comforts. The underlying message? You must pay for how you have harmed us (society) and you are presently not welcome on our streets.

Let’s not Cause God to Spit

Posted on Aug 5, 2018 in Faith Focus |

Imagine you are a very wealthy person. You live in a beautiful house. You drive an expensive car. You eat the finest of foods. You want for nothing. Each day you feel content and secure and the most you have to wonder about is what pleasure you will experience next. Then, one day, you decide that you will go to the bank and withdraw all of your funds so that they may be transferred to another financial institution which will give you a higher return. You arrive at the bank and meet with the branch manager.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

Posted on Aug 5, 2018 in Faith Focus |

Recently I enjoyed a trip to Lancaster to see a brother and sister in Christ. It was a beautiful day, the landscape was breathtaking, and the fellowship was sweet. What was also sweet was the delicious ice-cream shop we stopped in to enjoy. While in this quaint little ice-cream shop, I noticed a free Christian devotional booklet that I gladly picked up. Before reading it however, I looked at the listed beliefs of those who wrote the booklet and was surprised to find the following:

The End of an Era

Posted on Jul 22, 2018 in Faith Focus |

This week, the prison I have been working at for almost twenty years closed its’ doors. I am now in a new correctional facility and my old jail looks strangely like a relic from times gone by. As much as it appears so, it is not just a relic to me. I have poured my heart and soul into my work there. I have affected many lives there and they have affected me. I have experienced times of joy, sadness, fear, frustration, satisfaction, victory, and hopelessness, and in some ways I feel I have left part of me in there.

Legacy

Posted on Jul 14, 2018 in Faith Focus |

You don’t know me.

I was before your time.

Perhaps you know the legacy that I left behind?

I sat in the pew where you sit each week.

I sought the same God that you now seek.

I served with a passion, and involved myself with much.

By God’s grace, lives I did touch.

I taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and worked VBS.

Showed up on work days, assembled bulletins, and helped as I knew best.

Hey…..Hey……Who’s in Charge Here Anyway???

Posted on Jul 7, 2018 in Faith Focus |

One morning this week, I walked into the prison and felt like walking right back out. Before I got to my office, I was told that a captain wanted to see me. Then I go to my office and my phone immediately rang. Then I opened my emails and more bad news greeted me. I was less than ten minutes into my day and I had a multitude of problems that were confronting me. To make matters worse….there was me. I didn’t help. I started getting frustrated and anxious my mind started reeling about how these problems needed to be solved, and how some of them should have never occurred in the first place.

A Foreign Language

Posted on Jul 1, 2018 in Faith Focus |

Recently, several people blessed Lisa and I with a gracious gift. Some of those gifting us were believers in Christ, and others were not. We were deeply touched by their expression of love and gratitude. In response, we mailed each of them a letter telling them so. In one section of the letter we wrote, “ We are strong believers that in this life we are called to humble ourselves and serve people, considering them more important than ourselves.” The letter was received well by all, but one individual felt it important to respond to us by saying that we should never consider ourselves to be less important than others.