Bill Tonnis Ministries

Acts 19:8
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the kingdom of God.

From the start the followers of Jesus were already making Christianity into a left-brained, intellectual argument. In many ways we are still arguing over words and their meanings when it comes to religion. Funny…but Jesus never seemed to get into arguments with people over doctrines and dogmas. As far as we can gather from the gospels, Jesus spent His time living-out the Good News…extending love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to all people…never seeming to care what their beliefs were. Your brain can believe a lot of things…but if your heart is cold and judgmental…how can you help build the kingdom of God? Following Christ is not about being right…but being in right relationship. Following Christ is not about being correct…as much as being connected to everything. An encounter with Christ leads to a transformed heart and a larger capacity for compassion.

Suggested song of the day—“Salvation” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” link.
Have a blessed day!

John 16:21
“When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.”

There is a pattern in life all around us. It is the pattern of dying and rising. Franciscan priest Richard Rohr in his book Falling Upward writes: “Reality, creation, nature itself, what I call the “First Body of Christ,” has no choice in the matter of necessary suffering. It lives the message without saying yes or no to it. The “Second Body of Christ,” the formal church, always has the freedom to say yes or no. That freedom allows it to say no much of the time, especially to any talk of dying, stumbling, admitting mistakes, or falling. Yet God seems ready and willing to wait for, and to empower, free will and a free “yes.” Love only happens in the realm of freedom.” A woman’s “yes” in giving birth to her child is a beautiful example of following Christ’s example of dying to yourself. New life follows…and in that loving act…there is transformation. May we all say “yes” to God’s invitation to “dying” to our “false selves”…so that our “true selves” can be born.

Suggested song of the day—“Seasons” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

Mark 16:15
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

Jesus wants us proclaim the Good News. But what exactly is the Good News? Christians will give you many different answers to that one. What did Jesus do? He reached out to those who were excluded from society and communities…and included them. He went to be with the “sinners” and told them that God loved them and that God forgave them. He did this for the woman caught in adultery and most notably to His persecutors when He was nailed to the cross. In both cases no forgiveness was even requested. He told the story of the Prodigal Son who was welcomed home and fully accepted by the father (God) even when the returning son did not ask for forgiveness…but only wanted to be allowed to return as one of his father’s servants. Each of us is called to be a sign of that same unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion to every creature…meaning even the animals! To quote St. Francis, “Preach the gospel always…and when necessary…use words.” Be the Good News! For that to happen you have to truly know and experience the radical and transformational love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion of God. Christ wants you to experience this now through my words. It’s true. Believe it. That’s Good News!

Suggested song of the day—“Salvation” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

Acts 17:26-28
He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’

How amazing is God! To try to capture the concept of “God” is beyond words…but St. Paul makes a valiant effort in preaching to the Athenians. God is not ‘out there’ somewhere…but is interwoven in the deepest fibers of our being. It is in our Loving Creator that “we live and move and have our being.” St. Paul is actually quoting a poet from the third century before Christ. Sometimes poetry, music and art are the only ways to catch glimpses of what is beyond the realm of logic. Loving God, may I find you in all I see. Breath of God…breathe on me.

Suggested song of the day—“Breathe On Me” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

Psalm 138:3
When I cried out, you answered; you strengthened my spirit.

How often do we instinctively cry out to God for help? Seems to happen quite frequently…at least with me. Seems we have a built-in need for Something bigger than us…Someone Who will always be for us…Someone Who would never leave us. Isn’t it interesting that this desire is “built-in“? Could it be that God loves nothing more than to come running to be with us in times of need? Yes…it’s true! Even when all seems lost…God is with us. As a matter of fact…God doesn’t come running because God is already here…in the fabric of your being…as close as your breath. Find strength and comfort in that.

Suggested song of the day—“I Will Give You Rest” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

John 15:16
“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.”

We all start out in life believing that we are the center of the universe and all things are here to cater to our every whim. It’s a good way to start out. Babies need constant care and attention to know they are loved and accepted. But as we grow we come to realize that we are not the center of the world. That takes “dying to yourself”…letting go of egocentric desires…and coming to know that God is at the center of all that is. It is not about me and my story…but about God and God’s story. Each of us was loved into existence by God to be tiny reflections of the One who made us. Each of us was chosen to be a unique reflection of our Loving Source…to bear the unique fruit that only each of us can bear and then to share it with all. Each of us is called to take part in the cosmic dance of creation.

Suggested song of the day—“Shall We Sing” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

John 15:12
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”

This one line is enough to keep each of us busy the rest of our lives without judging anyone else. Each of us is commanded to love one another…and that means everyone…even the ones who give us a hard time. Even our enemies! Jesus gave us the model for being human. He loved even when he was persecuted. He loved even when he was nailed to a cross. Jesus looked down from the cross at His persecutors and said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They had not even asked for forgiveness! Each of us has turned our backs on Christ. Each of us has chosen to put our ego-centric desires first. This same Christ looks at us and says, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Sit for a moment and reflect on the amazing, unconditional, saving love of God for you. Allow it to transform you…and pass it on!

Suggested song of the day—“May I Be Light” on the Listen to Your Heart album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

Psalm 96:1-2
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; announce his salvation day after day.

Ever listen to the birds in the morning? It’s like they awaken and immediately joyfully announce with all their being, “I am!” Each moment is a gift. Each breath is a gift. Each experience of our senses is a gift. God loved each of us into existence. Each of us is meant to be a unique reflection of our loving Creator. There is nothing we can do to merit God’s love. We do not have to prove ourselves worthy of God’s love. God’s love is freely given! Live in this knowledge. It will be your salvation. Allow it to set you free. Your very life will become a new song in praise of God!

Suggested song of the day—“Sing a New Song” on the Live to Love album.
All songs available on iTunes. Click on the link under blogroll to the right.
CDs available by clicking on “home” and then the “store” tab.
Have a blessed day!

John 15:5
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”

Jesus said that God is the vine grower and He is the vine. Each one of us is like a branch from that vine. When we are conscious of this divine connection and live in that consciousness we are truly living in the will of God. It is living in a constant flow of love and acceptance. However, when our egos take over and life becomes all about me…my will…my plan…then we are not consciously connected to the Vine. My own “private salvation project” as Thomas Merton called it will not lead to life that lasts (branches with fruit)…but to dead-ends (withered branches). Don’t forget that Jesus also says that God will prune the branches that bear fruit. That means that there will be some painful struggles that will lead to bearing even more fruit…if we remain consciously connected to the vine. How? By being present to God in all things, through silent prayer and meditation, receiving the sacraments and using your gifts and talents in the service of building God’s kingdom.