Glenn from Re-dreaming the Dream has organised a synchroblog which is designed to get us all sharing about what God is doing in us at the moment. He believes as do I that our testimonies are powerful and can bless, challenge and inspire others in their own walk with God. So....
Here goes.
1. How Are You Doing?
I'm doing ok at the moment. I've had a really challenging and interesting 2008 so far but I know that God is teaching me an awful lot... almost like I'm going through an intensive to grow me in a greater and faster way than what I've experienced for a while. It's tough, but I'm positive 'cause I know whom I have believed!
2. What Are You Doing?
I am actually physically doing a lot less than I was at the end of last year, and much of what I believed I would be doing this year has in fact died a quick death! I began the year changing jobs to manage a Church-run gallery and gift shop only to feel that I had to give it up so I resigned 4 weeks ago. Last week I began a new job in a cafe at a Private Hospital just up the road from me. The day I got my new job we found out that the gallery was going to have to close due to problems we inherited when we took over.
I began the year as the new department head for our small groups..... we will have our last one tonight. The church is going through much change and our small groups are closing for the rest of the year to make way for some 'back to basics' stuff.
What I am doing though is going to ground so to speak; focusing on God and I instead of the busyness of church life; I'm painting again and looking to start writing again. I feel like I'm in a really good place!
3. What Are You Learning?
I'm learning so much! I'm learning to let things go. I'm learning that it's ok for the things in my hands to die as the reasons I held them are not always the obvious ones. God has a way of achieving his goals in what we do even if they aren't the goals we thought we were supposed to achieve. I'm learning that people are so much more important than the objective. I'm learning about what it truly means to be light to those around me; and how God has shown by example how his reflection in us should look!
I'm learning that being salt and light to those I meet is everything and if I forget to shine then darkness remains unchallenged. I'm learning that to cling tightly to my Lord while loving the people I come into contact with is a beautiful place to be.
4. What Are You Dreaming About?
It's funny, had I answered this a year ago, it would've been about stuff I wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, I still want to do things like preach, write, paint etc. but my focus has shifted. I really want to shine as brightly as possible. I'm dreaming about making a difference, about becoming so big inside that I can accommodate more of God. I'm dreaming about living so fully in and with Him that His presence spills over into every place I go.
I'm dreaming about using the things I want to do as vehicles for people to encounter the awesome power of my God and have it change lives. I'm dreaming of the day God pours himself out through me so much that I'm nothing more than a conduit for his glory.
I love him. He is my life and I dream of living my life in constant worship and obedience to him.
I dream of walking in humble submission, of remembering to stop and just adore him because he is so worthy.
View the entries from all the other participants:
Alan Knox: You are Here
Barb: One Year Checkup
Erin Word: My Turn
Glenn Hager: Feeling Free
HW: May Synchroblog
Jeff McQuilken: Mile Marker Reflections
Jeromy Johnson: Our Story - Chapter 10
Kathy Escobar: It Stinks Down Here, but I Really Love The Smell
Lyn Hallewell: Your Turn
Sarah: Glenn’s May Synchroblog
Tera Rose: May Synchroblog
Monday, May 5, 2008
Synchroblog...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Isaiah 43:7
I've had this scripture stuck in my head for the last few weeks and have been mulling it over. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it as I'm feeling like there is greater truth and application there than I may have given it credit for. It's one of those golden oldies that those of us who've been in church circles for a long time will be familiar with, but I'm wondering if familiarity hasn't possibly clouded my eyes to something that could alter me substantially.
Isaiah 53:7 - "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
So there it is. What do you think?
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
A Great Post....
I can say this, because it isn't mine!!!! :-) I was over at James Macpherson's blog having a good read... as I am wont to do..... and what he had to say in the following article really resonated with me. I hope you find it worth reading, I know I did. Thanks James!
'If the Church is to have a future'
"These graphs, from the most recent National Church Life Survey, speak for themselves.
But just in case you missed the point, the average age of people in our churches is significantly older than the general populous. (The vertical axis represents percentages and the horizontal axis age groups)
Don't get me wrong, our precious seniors are just as important as any other demographic ... but certain churches will find it increasingly difficult to sustain themselves as they fail to replace those who are passing away.
The Pslamist declared that one generation would proclaim God's works to another. This is more than a suggestion. It is an imperative. The alternative is to face a long and excrutiating decline toward extinction. Of course, reaching the next generation means change. It means that while the message never changes, the method will. Infact, it must.
One of our nation's most respected pastors told me recently that he is increasingly seeking creative ideas from the under 30s on his team. He laughed in self-depreciation as he admitted that he was struggling to allow them to change many of the things in his own church that he himself loved. But determined to remain relevant to a rapidly changing society, he was determined to jettison any styles that prevented the substance of the Christian message from reaching his community.
It reminded me of John Wesley who, when told he was no longer allowed to preach in Anglican parishes because of his contemporary style, announced: "The world is my parish". He took to the open fields were crowds came to hear him in their thousands..Wesley declared: "I love the rites and ceremonies of the (Anglican) Church. But I see, well-pleased, that our great Lord can work without them.”
Allowing tradition and style to get in the way of presenting the gospel message is not unique to 'other' churches. We Pentecostals can be equally adept (or should I say inept) at preserving the frills whilst losing the essential mission.
Like Wesley, there's nothing wrong with loving our particular styles and church fashions. We all have our particular preferences. But we must never forget that God can work without them. Dare I say it, sometimes and in some circumstances God can only work without them."
James Macpherson
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Checking In
Hi. Thought I'd check in to say hello to everyone. I hope you are all well.
I've been thinking about the importance of branding.... not the "grab that calf and hold 'im" kind of branding, but the kind that gives identification to a particular business, product or group. I know that here in the blogisphere there is a fairly anti-business sentiment to the way we do Christianity, but I'm starting to wonder if perhaps the business world hasn't got an awful lot of 'God-principles' and adpted them to make them work. After all, truth is truth no matter who you are.
While I don't think we should be necessarily looking to the business world to tell us how to do church, I think they don't deserve to have a monopoly on how to get society's attention! This brings me to branding. While I joked about the whole 'cow branding' thing, in some ways it's really not that far off. A brand is anything that identifies an item or individual with something greater, and marks it as belonging.
We carry a brand whether we like it or not. Our actions, statements, attitudes and beliefs brand us. They identify us as belonging somewhere, and people's perception of what we belong to - whether for good or bad, is a result of how we live out our branding. Do we live in such a way that we give a good and true impression ofwhat we belong to?
It fascinates me now that I am pretty much in charge of a small business how much perception affects people's patronage of a business. I read a fascinating article by Phil Cooke awhile back and have been chewing it over for some time now. You can read it here. I think that if we want those around us to view God, the church and Christianity the way it really is, it's up to us to carry the culture Jesus established.
If we are being watched to see how genuine that which we profess to be actually is, we'd better make sure we are outworking our faith in such a way that sees us branded in a way that brings glory to our maker and not reproach.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
TGIF!
Tomorrow morning very early I fly off to sunny Queensland leaving my Husband and sons behind! YAY!! ....... But it is sad too. I'll miss them but it's only for 3 days. I am going to visit my family, spend two days sailing off the south east coast aboard my dad's yacht, a few hours catching up with some old friends, then a day with my mum. I am looking forward to a change of scenery.
I have been pondering the idea of living in the eye of the storm. We all seem to encounter storms at an ever increasing pace. It only seems like one has passed when another hits shortly after. Sometimes I wonder if maybe we just need to learn to live in the eye.
It's the idea that it is possible to live a life that is calm and has control, order and peace despite the swirling hell that often surrounds us. Maybe it's like Peter walking on water, we can have the impossible in the middle of chaos when we learn to keep our focus on Jesus rather than the circumstances. Peter only started to sink when he became overwhelmed by the storm. When he saw Jesus as greater than the wind and waves, he was able to live above it.
Just a thought I'm pondering. I get the feeling God wants us to find him as our anchor while the devil tries all he can to knock us off course and shipwreck what God is doing in our lives; not just so that we can be safe and steady.... that is obvious; but so that we can actually allow him to center us in the calm and quiet that the eye of a storm affords. If we can stay there through him, then the storm need never tear at us till we feel we have only just survived it still standing!
Psalm 29 says "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."
This gives me confidence that it is possible. If God sits enthroned over the chaos that can overtake our lives at times, then we - as his children and servants should be able to sit above and not be caught up in it all also. If the Lord gives us strength and peace even as he sits over what seems inescapable, then I believe we can have that strength and peace and are meant to in the middle of hell breaking loose, not just when it has subsided.
What do you think?
