In This Week's Newsletter...

• Hello from Ireland! • St. Patrick & the Book of Kells • Inismor, Cliffs of Moher Photos!

Top of the mornin’, to you!

Dear Friend,

Hello from Ireland!

It's a rainy morning on the Dingle Peninsula in the deep south of Ireland. My wife, Krista, and I arrived in Ireland a week ago to meet my daughter, Ellie, and son-in-law, Evan, who are living in Barcelona, Spain, as she completes her graduate work in landscape architecture.

During this Passion Week anticipating Easter, coming to Ireland has been especially meaningful since both sides of my family come from counties Clare, Roscommon and Cork. (I'm 97.8% Irish…)

In Dublin, we visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Book of Kells, the dramatic and exquisite calligraphy of the four Gospels written in Latin around 800 A.D.

The life of Patrick and the beauty of the Word of God, plus Ireland’s wonder-filled landscapes have inspired my heart, soul and mind.

Contrary to common myths and stereotypes, St. Patrick is not the Irish-jigging, lucky leprechaun many make him out to be.

After after being captured into slavery and forced to work in Ireland, Patrick had a dramatic conversion to Christ as a teenager. He escaped back to England where God called him in a dream to return to Ireland to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

St. Patrick spread the Gospel, started churches and monasteries, healed the sick, and fed the poor.

Imagine the goodness, beauty, and kindness of God flowing through one person like that!

From the natural beauty of the Aran Islands to the rolling Irish hillsides to the rugged Cliffs of Moher, I’ve had to stop and ask myself, “Am I living in awe and wonder enough?”

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s love for Christ and others, I hope this Passion Week of Good Friday and coming Easter you will cultivate a deeper sense of wonder, awe, and inspiration for how deeply loved you are by God.

We have one life to live here on earth, so let us live in love and live in God.

Wishing you a fine Irish blessing,

Joey

PS: For more Irish inspiration, scroll down for photos of the Aran Islands and Cliff of Moher.