LISTENING WOMAN

LISTENING WOMAN
Do You Hear What I Hear?

Jan 10, 2011

The Ice Berg

Whoa, can you believe I encountered an Ice Berg this morning in my quiet time.  Reading I John 5, I realized that it was saying to me:  My Faith in Believing that Jesus is Who God says He is and that He can do what God says He can do equals the POWER that overcomes the world!  Well now, why would that be an ice berg?  From The Message I read "Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways.  The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our FAITH.  The person who wins out over the world's way is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. . .  If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son.  Whoever BELIEVES in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. . . This is the testimony in essence:  God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son.  So, whoever has the Son, has life, whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.   And how do we know we have eternal life, well the whole book of I John is about believing what God says about His Son, Jesus and Jesus says the bottom line is "loving correctly".  The first part I need to get down is how to Love God correctly which means DOING WHAT HE SAYS instead of gushing out sentimental junk!

Now a picture:  How is this an Ice Berg.  There is a little command:  Love as I have Loved you!  We say:  "OK" and then go merrily on our way.  But when we look under the little ice cap we are blown away with the size of what God is saying.  Ponder that!   How's your Loving on a scale of 1 - 10?  BEWARE - AN ICE BERG IS LOOMING!

Jan 9, 2011

You Have a New Name - Beloved!

A thought to make your day:  From Matthew 3:13-17 there is a startling thought, that if accepted can change how we proceed through life.  God called Jesus "My Beloved Son" before He had done anything in ministry.  Was in knowing that He was Beloved that He proceeded to accomplish what God had planned. 

Have you ever thought about the fact that when each of us go through baptism, we enter the family and God says of us that we are Beloved?  The startling fact is that most of us, myself included, spend the rest of our lives 'doing' so we can prove we are Beloved.  However, it's a God Thing because of His love and Grace.  It's a GIFT straight from God.  To enter into His family is to enter the glad "river" to be captured by the Gospel of Radical Love!  Can I accept God's affirmation that I am His Beloved, that this Name is given and not earned, and proclaim what He says "You are my Beloved Pattigail"

Well, how about let's greeting each other with:  Hi my name is Beloved PATTIGAIL - What's your Name?_______________?
(these thoughts were evoked from a sermon by Rev. Bill Braswell presented at the Village Chapel of Bald Head Island)

Jan 7, 2011

What Happens When Women Pray

There is an adventure in my life that I would like to share.  Four of us are getting together, after exploring the Adventure of the book God Guides.  We have named ourselves birds because we live on an Island.  God speaks through nature so we watch our birds to learn what is positive and negative about each bird.  I wanted to be something majesticic but the gals named me "Killdeer" - if you aren't familiar they are the little birds that run all over the place along the beach and when in danger fake it to divert your attention!  Nailed!!
I run with a Brown Pelican - who should probably be a Dove, a Wise Owl - who ponders what she says and a Great Blue Heron - who keeps us focused and sluggish (have you ever watched how long a heron can stand still?) 

It is a "God Thing" that we are together.  He orchestrated our getting together and we have been searching for almost a year as to what our purpose is.  The first purpose was, as a group, to experience being quiet together [that's a miracle for women :-)].  Amazing what happens when women get together intentionally to listen together for God's voice!  We each learned the value of each one's personality and what they added to the group with no comparisons or judging [Another miracle for women].  We had a day where each of us had a "God Guides Day" and did nothing but be directed on how and where God wanted to communicate with us and then got together and shared our day.  [We all experienced miracles that day and the joy of sharing with others on the same jouney was an exquisite joy.] 

After a year, we are focusing on What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christensen and are excited as we realize that God is calling us to learn to pray more powerfully, more focused and in line with what He sees is His will and not ours.  We were first challenged to pray for two particular people and see if it made a difference in their lives.  Do you know it is hard to focus everyday on praying for someone just because God has directed it? And even harder- even though we believe God - to believe that our praying will truly make a difference.  At our last get together we realized that God wanted us to pray for two couples.  We are waiting quietly for what God wants us to do.  It is so exciting when we focus and pray as a group the change we experience.  Ms. Killdeeer wants to run and fix everything but my instructions are to suggest that both couples may want to begin the adventure of reading God Calling - which Ms. Great Blue Heron has motivated us to enjoy and shareMs. Brown Pelican/Dove is encouraging us to read The Faith Club to watch for opportunities that are God Guided and Ms. Wise Owl has blessed me with the thought:  "We all let people into our lives, but you will find that really good Friends let you into your Own."    A God Adventure - oh kill dee kill dee kill deet deet deet = Thank you God.

Jan 5, 2011

New Year - New Thoughts

IT'S A NEW YEAR:  2011   Focus:  How to Have Quiet Trust!   The top of my new journal has a profound thought that I want to be challenged with this year:  Sacrifice of Time with God pleases Him and strengthens me!  I am deciding how I can make this an actual part of my day instead of randomly seeing if it happens.