Open the flood gates of heaven! We say that but do we mean it? Do we know what that would look like? Or only what we want it to look like? Prosperity, Goodness, Blessing, Overflowing Cups?
Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus? Do we? As He really is and not how we perceive Him to be? Recently at the If: Gathering one of the speakers said (My BFF Jen Hatmaker): I thought I was confident in God, but I was just confident in my understanding of Him.
I would say only confident in my perception of who I want Him to be, not who He Is.
I say I want to be open. Opening my hand to the poor, the widow and the orphaned. Do I? Why are my fists clenched. It's not enough to SAY it!! I'm not talking about works here people... but again as my BFF Jen Hatmaker says: We have to stop blessing blessed people and serving the saved! WOW. That is from last years IF:Gathering and I'm still shaken by it. Imagine what might happen if I listened to this years! :)
What poor and widowed and orphaned do I know? Oh yeah, my neighbors! Across the street, next door, in my community.
Open. My eyes, my hands, my heart.....
Showing posts with label Jen Hatmaker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jen Hatmaker. Show all posts
Friday, February 20, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The One Where I Observe
Observe that I haven't had a post in oh... four months! Observe that I've had week after week after month after month of striving. Observe that I'm wrapped up in an anxiety ball of what I should be and who I could be. Observe that I am sick and tired of being tired.... there's an exhaustion in my soul that I can't shake.
All this list making and striving and standing on the tips of my toes trying to measure up....
Then walks in Seven. A book that's been on my night stand for months. I read it, it wrecked me. In good ways, in bad ways, in frustrating way...like I don't live in Austin. Jen Hatmaker and I aren't BFF, but she rents space in my head and maybe that's enough. Who am I kidding?! That IS NOT ENOUGH! Maybe I should move?
Eat 7 Foods
Wear 7 items Clothes
Get rid of 7 Possessions. Every Day.
7 types of media, just no. Tv, Gaming, FB, Tweets, iPhone apps, Radio, Texting, Internet (real phone calls only)
7 Habits for a greener life
7 Places your money goes (only)
7 Sacred Pauses. Finished this chapter just in time for Lent.
Lent, that time of year when my husband announces that we aren't catholic. DUH! And I say you don't have to be catholic to observe Lent. DUH!
Jen bases this chapter on a book by the same name, Seven Sacred Pauses
Like Jen, I haven't been getting these done exactly, but I'm working on it.
Enter Day 2 of the She Reads Truth Lent Study/Devotional, Whatever you want to call it. And here is my "response" my pause today
[Insert deep breath here.]
It’s no wonder we try to come to Him with layers of lies and pride and every other self-preservation instinct intact. It makes sense, right? Except it doesn’t… because Jesus. ~~Amanda Williams
I needed to hear this. So much so that my jaw is sore from clenching it. Yea... So there's that. Hard week after hard week and the shame and the guilt and the striving. And the to do lists and the things to check off.
And then there's the cross, the feet of Jesus beckoning me to just turn towards Him, lay it all down and exhale.
Noah Webster in his original dictionary defines return as:
1. To come or go back to the same place.
2. To come to the same state, as, to return from bondage to a state of freedom.
6. To show fresh signs of mercy.
Returnable: that may be returned or restored
Returned: restored
It is God who does the restoration work. We only turn in his direction.
And so I pause and make time for pauses, because I'm not giving up for/on Lent. Unless you count sleep. I'm getting up earlier to pause in the sacred silence. To read, to pray, to lay it down. Because these burdens, I can't bear them and somewhere I think I've read I shouldn't be anyway.
I'm observing a modified 7 over the next 6 weeks.
02/22 begins "Clear The Clutter - Make Space"
I will purge at least two items per day for 14 days. Now that's fairly easy for me, not so much for my people, they could be hoarders. Maybe I'll do this one for them. I'm really excited to get the garage and attic cleaned out. I like Becoming Minimalist Blog. He said and I'm paraphrasing... if you need to buy more stuff to organize your existing stuff you have too much stuff.
03/08 begins "Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose
Plastic, Paper, Cans, Cardboard
Get a compost bin and experiment, hope to not attract varmint.
03/22 begins "Phone Fast"
Phone can be in use from 7AM - 7PM. I've already begun this part. The teenager is grounded for life, so that'll help him, not sure about the hubs.
I've taken Facebook off my phone and I don't access it during business hours. Thanks, Crystal Paine!
Turned off at 7PM
Dinner at the table, I can hear them grumble now, but really do we need to see another rerun of Big Bang Theory?
Read Lent Passages
Observe Sabbath, I may have to pull teeth and limbs for this, but it's only two weekends, they can do it!
More Lent Ideas:
40 Ideas for Lent
All this list making and striving and standing on the tips of my toes trying to measure up....
Then walks in Seven. A book that's been on my night stand for months. I read it, it wrecked me. In good ways, in bad ways, in frustrating way...like I don't live in Austin. Jen Hatmaker and I aren't BFF, but she rents space in my head and maybe that's enough. Who am I kidding?! That IS NOT ENOUGH! Maybe I should move?
Eat 7 Foods
Wear 7 items Clothes
Get rid of 7 Possessions. Every Day.
7 types of media, just no. Tv, Gaming, FB, Tweets, iPhone apps, Radio, Texting, Internet (real phone calls only)
7 Habits for a greener life
7 Places your money goes (only)
7 Sacred Pauses. Finished this chapter just in time for Lent.
Lent, that time of year when my husband announces that we aren't catholic. DUH! And I say you don't have to be catholic to observe Lent. DUH!
Jen bases this chapter on a book by the same name, Seven Sacred Pauses
Like Jen, I haven't been getting these done exactly, but I'm working on it.
Enter Day 2 of the She Reads Truth Lent Study/Devotional, Whatever you want to call it. And here is my "response" my pause today
[Insert deep breath here.]
It’s no wonder we try to come to Him with layers of lies and pride and every other self-preservation instinct intact. It makes sense, right? Except it doesn’t… because Jesus. ~~Amanda Williams
I needed to hear this. So much so that my jaw is sore from clenching it. Yea... So there's that. Hard week after hard week and the shame and the guilt and the striving. And the to do lists and the things to check off.
And then there's the cross, the feet of Jesus beckoning me to just turn towards Him, lay it all down and exhale.
Noah Webster in his original dictionary defines return as:
1. To come or go back to the same place.
2. To come to the same state, as, to return from bondage to a state of freedom.
6. To show fresh signs of mercy.
Returnable: that may be returned or restored
Returned: restored
It is God who does the restoration work. We only turn in his direction.
And so I pause and make time for pauses, because I'm not giving up for/on Lent. Unless you count sleep. I'm getting up earlier to pause in the sacred silence. To read, to pray, to lay it down. Because these burdens, I can't bear them and somewhere I think I've read I shouldn't be anyway.
I'm observing a modified 7 over the next 6 weeks.
02/22 begins "Clear The Clutter - Make Space"
I will purge at least two items per day for 14 days. Now that's fairly easy for me, not so much for my people, they could be hoarders. Maybe I'll do this one for them.
03/08 begins "Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose
Plastic, Paper, Cans, Cardboard
Get a compost bin and experiment, hope to not attract varmint.
03/22 begins "Phone Fast"
Phone can be in use from 7AM - 7PM. I've already begun this part. The teenager is grounded for life, so that'll help him, not sure about the hubs.
I've taken Facebook off my phone and I don't access it during business hours. Thanks, Crystal Paine!
Turned off at 7PM
Dinner at the table, I can hear them grumble now, but really do we need to see another rerun of Big Bang Theory?
Read Lent Passages
Observe Sabbath, I may have to pull teeth and limbs for this, but it's only two weekends, they can do it!
More Lent Ideas:
40 Ideas for Lent
Friday, March 28, 2014
The One Where It's Not About Merit
I didn't study for my blog this week. I commented on the SRT devotional, these are my comments; I decided to share them here.
Wednesday: Jonah Chapter 3: 5-10, 1 Timothy 1: 15-16
I'm a little late to the Jonah study. It's been an interesting few weeks. But sisters I'm here to tell you. GOD IS FAITHFUL!! School situation: worked out smoothly. Work situation. Well, working out, but I received confirmation yesterday that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. God is good!
By the looks of my bible I haven't studies Jonah all that much. I have two notes. I've watched veggie tales more than I've spent time in these four chapters. But what I do have is awesome.
Grace: an unobligated giver giving something remarkable to the undeserving.
I know this is chapter 3. But my notes on 2:7-9 says God uses the defeated to do great things! (This is something I need to hear, often. Because I feel so defeated and unqualified).
I love how chapter 3 begins with... Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time..... Doesn't it always? A 2nd time, a 20th time, a 245th time, a 2,764th time, or Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes times a year!
Thank you Rebecca, I have new notes in my bible. :) repentance is about what God is doing, NOT about merit!
Because I've begged to differ with our brother Paul on who's the chiefest, I feel often times that I have more feathers in my headdress than he does. I like Paul, understood rules, and followed them (mostly). I like Paul, have held cloaks while bludgeoning others with "the gospel rules" Thinking of myself much higher and mightier because I'm a Christian, look at me, I go to church, I read by bible, I listen to only Christian music loudly so others can hear it, I follow rules.
I don't know how to say this other than to say it. I've felt the nudging to confess something to y'all for a while. Not because I need to confess it, but because someone needs to hear it. Because repentance isn't about merit. It isn't about earning your way into grace. No matter what you've done or what you will do, if you are in Christ there is therefore no condemnation.
I don't know how to say this other than to say it. I've felt the nudging to confess something to y'all for a while. Not because I need to confess it, but because someone needs to hear it. Because repentance isn't about merit. It isn't about earning your way into grace. No matter what you've done or what you will do, if you are in Christ there is therefore no condemnation.
If we think gouging eyes out is bad, well then I'm going straight to hell. And I used to believe that, all day, every day, begging for Gods forgiveness. I'd read my bible. I'd try to be a good church lady, you know the kind that are so full of The Lord that they practically float instead of walk, I prayed for hours, I went to church, I watched church on television. I listened to church on the radio. Because I desperately wanted grace and mercy. I wanted to live in the Freedom that others talked about. Even if that means I sit in the corner and wear the dunce hat in heaven. Maybe if I was good enough I'd get to touch the hem of His robe? Or like Moses (my fellow murderer) I'd get glimpse of His back?
My former life can be described like this:
Sex, drugs, rock n roll and 2 abortions later.
Yeah. I said the A word out loud. And I've spent years idolizing condemnation because I didn't believe that forgiveness, that grace or mercy was for me. Then I took a class called Forgiven and Set Free, then I taught it for several years. And The Light started to come on. (a new study is out now called Surrender The Secret and a video about it is here and if that weren't enough the phone number is 1-866-482-LIFE)
I encourage you to surrender the secret today, to someone, freedom is yours! I promise! Email me, or call the number above, find a study near you.
Sisters, I say sisters because the statistic is 1 in 4 women have had an abortion, all women, not "those women" all women in North America, yes "church women" too. There's more than 4 of us here, I can't be the only one!
Sisters, do not wait years or another moment in the corner with the dunce hat on!! First off, that's my corner! J/K I'll share it! I welcome the company of the Forgiven and Set Free! Forgiveness is for You! Today! Right Now! Walk in the Freedom Christ died to give you! It Is For Freedom Christ Set You Free!
Sisters, do not wait years or another moment in the corner with the dunce hat on!! First off, that's my corner! J/K I'll share it! I welcome the company of the Forgiven and Set Free! Forgiveness is for You! Today! Right Now! Walk in the Freedom Christ died to give you! It Is For Freedom Christ Set You Free!
It's not about your merit. It's not about what you can do or what you have done. It's not about how far you can run. It's about His Grace! Receive it today!
Thursday: Jonah Chapter 4: 1-11
I like the notes in my bible. I like it that someone said to me recently that my bible is the biggest bible they've ever seen. Ha! I think they must be a young person.... Bless them. ;)
It's an ESV study bible. The notes on Jonah are so good. The theme of Jonah it says is: The Lord is a God of boundless compassion not just for "us" (Jonah and the Israelites) bur also for "them" (the pagan sailors and Ninevites). Pierced. (My words not the theme)
I've been such an "us" and "them" Christian for so long. Not because I want to keep others out. It's that like Jonah, I've been prideful of my "status" wondering why God has mercy on "them" I mean really, why isn't "Nineveh" burning down yet?
Ugh. God forgive me!!!
I think for a while, although I was prideful, I was also ashamed of the gospel, because I do have compassion for others to the point of weeping. But I don't want them to see that. That makes me a cry baby for Jesus without any real substance of why I believe.
So I take the hard core theological route, well that makes me a lunatic. And if I were just real and authentic, people might see that I have chinks in the armor, it might expose my soft underbelly and I could be hurt. And I've been hurting for a long time.
Then I realized the kind of "hurt" God is calling me to isn't the kind I'd experienced in the past. He promises to take care of these things when I live authentically.
At the IF:Gathering. Jen Hatmaker said something that stuck with me.
Clue #1 that your life is off mission. It is costing you NOTHING!
For a long time it's cost me nothing. Serving safe people and blessing blessed people. It's time to make the three day journey to Nineveh! Amen!!
I hope that the only thing burning is my desire for God and that it causes flames to erupt everywhere I go! Not because of me but become of Him!
Repentance is about what God is doing, Not about Merit!
I hope that the only thing burning is my desire for God and that it causes flames to erupt everywhere I go! Not because of me but become of Him!
Repentance is about what God is doing, Not about Merit!
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
The One Where I Still Give Thirty-Five Dollars and I Don't Care
Brace yourself, here are my random thoughts that I posted on Jamie, The Very Worst Missionaries Blog regarding the World Vision controversy.
I don't care.
There I said it. Out loud. I don't care. If any kind if "sexuals" get married or are partners or aren't. I think sexuality is the least of our concerns lately (read should be). I mean has anyone seen the news lately? Jesus is coming (look busy)! ;)
What I do care about is grace and that I give it (more than ever) to those who don't deserve it, because i.so.do.not.deserve.it! And to those who do (deserve it), because i.so.do.not.deserve.it!
And I'm still giving $35.00 per month, and sending birthday cards and writing letters, and receiving them*, even if WV hires a one eyed one horned flying purple people eater, but only the ones with the stones in there hands. Ya know, the people eater would needs boundaries, otherwise it would eat the children in need, or the people who still care about the children in need. But he's purple, so there's that.... he might be discriminated against like the sexuals** and then WV would have to make an HR announcement about him too! Round and round we go!
*I thought only Paul talked like this.... "Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...." Yea, that's how my letters begin from Tushar. He likes Jesus songs and stories and wants me to pray for his family.
I'm praying Tushar. I'm praying.
I'm praying for you and for this nation to... well not this nation (and that's a whole other blog)... for this generation InterWeb of Christians; The ones where Jesus didn't apparently didn't say IT is finished. IT. All of IT. The sin, the sacrificing, the stone throwing, the waiting for grace....
The Kingdom came. Somewhere along with way it went out the window. Maybe Tushar knows where it is, particularly with his greetings! :)
**I'm using the term "sexuals" to describe all people, hetero or otherwise, because sin abounds in us all. Married, single, partnered, civil union. And guess what, I still don't care.
To continue my thoughts.... There are some times God just doesn't need that kind of mouth piece. In fact, He speaks for Himself perfectly! Have you looked around lately? Seen a sunset? A puppy? The seasons change? A life changed?
In the words of Jen Hatmaker at the IF:Gathering
When church becomes an enterprise, faith becomes something to prove and defend, people become commodities, Christianity becomes a contest and the world is bludgeoned. Stop backing up around the gospel, guns blazing, to defend it!
I don't care.
There I said it. Out loud. I don't care. If any kind if "sexuals" get married or are partners or aren't. I think sexuality is the least of our concerns lately (read should be). I mean has anyone seen the news lately? Jesus is coming (look busy)! ;)
What I do care about is grace and that I give it (more than ever) to those who don't deserve it, because i.so.do.not.deserve.it! And to those who do (deserve it), because i.so.do.not.deserve.it!
And I'm still giving $35.00 per month, and sending birthday cards and writing letters, and receiving them*, even if WV hires a one eyed one horned flying purple people eater, but only the ones with the stones in there hands. Ya know, the people eater would needs boundaries, otherwise it would eat the children in need, or the people who still care about the children in need. But he's purple, so there's that.... he might be discriminated against like the sexuals** and then WV would have to make an HR announcement about him too! Round and round we go!
*I thought only Paul talked like this.... "Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...." Yea, that's how my letters begin from Tushar. He likes Jesus songs and stories and wants me to pray for his family.
I'm praying Tushar. I'm praying.
I'm praying for you and for this nation to... well not this nation (and that's a whole other blog)... for this generation InterWeb of Christians; The ones where Jesus didn't apparently didn't say IT is finished. IT. All of IT. The sin, the sacrificing, the stone throwing, the waiting for grace....
The Kingdom came. Somewhere along with way it went out the window. Maybe Tushar knows where it is, particularly with his greetings! :)
**I'm using the term "sexuals" to describe all people, hetero or otherwise, because sin abounds in us all. Married, single, partnered, civil union. And guess what, I still don't care.
To continue my thoughts.... There are some times God just doesn't need that kind of mouth piece. In fact, He speaks for Himself perfectly! Have you looked around lately? Seen a sunset? A puppy? The seasons change? A life changed?
In the words of Jen Hatmaker at the IF:Gathering
When church becomes an enterprise, faith becomes something to prove and defend, people become commodities, Christianity becomes a contest and the world is bludgeoned. Stop backing up around the gospel, guns blazing, to defend it!
Monday, February 10, 2014
The One Where I'm #wrecked after IF:Gathering {Session 1-A}
That was the theme for me this weekend.
Wrecked
Ever since I found Jen Hatmaker through my running buddy Sarah, and found Ann Voskamp though a Jen Hatmaker's comment "I wonder what Ann Voskamp would do?" I ended up spending a lot of time on their blogs, reading their books, reading books and blogs they suggest. Friends I don't know where in the Inter-Web world I've been that I hadn't known about these ladies.
I've read She Reads Truth for a year, I started last year with Fresh Start and I read all year! I formed a bond with the ladies of SRT. Well I formed it with them…. I'm pretty sure they think I'm a stalker! Pretty Sure of that! I email them, I tweet them, I follow them, I like them. If they have a stack of books, I have a stack. Anyway.
Those ladies led me to more resources, resources that tell me You Are Normal. We All Struggle. Some Days Parenting Just Sucks.The.Life.Out.Of.You. Perfection Is Unattainable. Fix Your Eyes On Jesus. Find One Word Instead Of ANew Year To Do List, It Is All Gonna Be Okay. And not in an I'm Okay, You're Okay kind of way, but in a real and authentic way.
I say all of that to day, one day while reading a blog, we'll give Jen Hatmaker credit. I read about IF:Gathering. I see a lot of ladies I admire will be there, ladies I don't know or heard of, and one I held in my arms when she was born.
I read the blog, I longed to be in Austin. Oh don't I always. But totally wanted to be there for this. I only know one person who will be there and well she's speaking. It's too far out to make plans, who knows what will come our way by then. Hope it's really good!
I follow along more and Whaaaaaaatttttt….. A Live Stream!! A. LIVE.STREAM! Put that on my calendar. Talk to my girlfriends. Get ladies together. This will be fun!
As it got closer, I just felt this anticipation come over me. Alysa Bajenaru said it best: "There has been something stirring in me for a few years… I'm tired of comfortable Christianity, frustrated with how my faith is portrayed in social media…. I crave authenticity, messy authenticity….. Real people having real conversations. And I'm not the only one."
Indeed, she's not the only one.
A tweet from her later that day, Strip away that which usually defines me and get to the core of how I really am I have been feeling RESTLESS!! I am ready to be brave, ready to be bold, ready to run the race Jesus has marked out for me. Run the messy race of authentic faith.
DITTO! Ditto to it all!
I'll just write my notes out. Maybe later this week I'll be able to process more of it.
Day One:
Jennie Allen
I was built to run races for God, eyes fixed on Jesus, but I was missing it.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the Substance!
Jesus says two things:
Repent!
Believe!
Repent, confess, be honest, broken, throw off your sin, don't miss this moment!
We have prayed for a movement of God, that women who are afraid, scared, in bondage, would be set free! That you would run your race. Because this is our time, this is our leg of the race! By Faith!
RUN!
It's okay to be terrified, just obey! Quit with the comparisons and just do what you are called to do! Throw off all the junk and live like God is Real!
My biggest fear is that we would walk away and do a bunch of great stuff. A great movement of God isn't doing a bunch of great stuff. a great movement of God is 10,000 women all around the world on their knees depending and coming to God in brokenness.
By faith, we could be a generate that wasn't fancy, wasn't perfect, but we lived like our God was real!
Get back in the race! We are all human and we are all jacked up, just fix your eyes on Jesus!
Christine Caine:
The wilderness did not denote freedom, but deliverance. It was for freedom that Christ set us free, but many of us settle for deliverance!
It was an eleven day journey to freedom that too FORTY YEARS because of fear, doubt, murmuring, grumbling and complaining! It's time to lay aside the weight and the sins that ensnare us - the unforgivness and jealousy and bitterness and anger. If we set these aside, some of the injustices of the world would be solved overnight!
Redefine your comfort zone, because wherever you go you are with the Great Comforter! Just as he was in the wilderness! A pillar of fire at night, a cloud by day!
You came out of Egypt, but Egypt is still in you. But God want to get Egypt out of your so we can walk into the Promised Land free! Go from Deliverance To Freedom!! The wilderness is where you shake off Egypt!
A generation came out of bondage and slavery. But they died in the desert! That generation is Gone!! You have to have our own "cutting away"
LET US lay aside the weight…
A weight could be anything, it could be good, but holding you back.
An anchor.
A thought.
Culture.
Tradition.
The Weight of:
Opinion
Entitlement
The day after they ate of the promised land, the manna stopped. Because God is doing a new thing! Don't become so used to the systems of God that you don't need Him!! The manna Ceases!! Don't get stuck in the past!
You allow the past to define you like the Gospel isn't True!! When you owe it to the next generation to get free! We either believe in this Gospel or we don't!
The most potent force on the planet is not a missile or the atomic bomb! The most important force on the plant is the Blood of Christ. It sets people free!
Many of us prefer the comfort of victimhood over what it takes to be free!! Time to move on girls, get a new problem!!
God starts with impossible! A Virgin, A Stable, A Cross, A Risen Savior! It's all Crazy, so believe the impossible anyway!
If you want to see the promises of God worked out in your life, then you must believe the truth of God's word over your circumstances. Yet most of us base our lives on the facts, and that's why we never go into the Promised Land, why we never walk in freedom.
Let's build our lives on the truth of God's Word, not the facts of our circumstances.
Sue Davis and Shauna NeiQuist:
Table People
Stop
Gather
This Time Matters
Toast - raise a glass says I see you. You matter.
Prayer - every good thing we have is from God.
Where ever you are BE ALL THERE especially at the dinner table. Acts 2:46 They worshipped together, they ate meals at home, with glad and sincere hearts.
Once a Month IF:Table
6 Women from all walks of life, some you know well, some you don't (you count as 1 so you can 5 other women)
4 Questions about God (see the website….information coming soon)
2 Hours (Present not perfection)
Revival Starts At Home!
Wrecked
Ever since I found Jen Hatmaker through my running buddy Sarah, and found Ann Voskamp though a Jen Hatmaker's comment "I wonder what Ann Voskamp would do?" I ended up spending a lot of time on their blogs, reading their books, reading books and blogs they suggest. Friends I don't know where in the Inter-Web world I've been that I hadn't known about these ladies.
I've read She Reads Truth for a year, I started last year with Fresh Start and I read all year! I formed a bond with the ladies of SRT. Well I formed it with them…. I'm pretty sure they think I'm a stalker! Pretty Sure of that! I email them, I tweet them, I follow them, I like them. If they have a stack of books, I have a stack. Anyway.
Those ladies led me to more resources, resources that tell me You Are Normal. We All Struggle. Some Days Parenting Just Sucks.The.Life.Out.Of.You. Perfection Is Unattainable. Fix Your Eyes On Jesus. Find One Word Instead Of A
I say all of that to day, one day while reading a blog, we'll give Jen Hatmaker credit. I read about IF:Gathering. I see a lot of ladies I admire will be there, ladies I don't know or heard of, and one I held in my arms when she was born.
I read the blog, I longed to be in Austin. Oh don't I always. But totally wanted to be there for this. I only know one person who will be there and well she's speaking. It's too far out to make plans, who knows what will come our way by then. Hope it's really good!
I follow along more and Whaaaaaaatttttt….. A Live Stream!! A. LIVE.STREAM! Put that on my calendar. Talk to my girlfriends. Get ladies together. This will be fun!
As it got closer, I just felt this anticipation come over me. Alysa Bajenaru said it best: "There has been something stirring in me for a few years… I'm tired of comfortable Christianity, frustrated with how my faith is portrayed in social media…. I crave authenticity, messy authenticity….. Real people having real conversations. And I'm not the only one."
Indeed, she's not the only one.
A tweet from her later that day, Strip away that which usually defines me and get to the core of how I really am I have been feeling RESTLESS!! I am ready to be brave, ready to be bold, ready to run the race Jesus has marked out for me. Run the messy race of authentic faith.
DITTO! Ditto to it all!
I'll just write my notes out. Maybe later this week I'll be able to process more of it.
Day One:
Jennie Allen
I was built to run races for God, eyes fixed on Jesus, but I was missing it.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the Substance!
Jesus says two things:
Repent!
Believe!
Repent, confess, be honest, broken, throw off your sin, don't miss this moment!
We have prayed for a movement of God, that women who are afraid, scared, in bondage, would be set free! That you would run your race. Because this is our time, this is our leg of the race! By Faith!
RUN!
It's okay to be terrified, just obey! Quit with the comparisons and just do what you are called to do! Throw off all the junk and live like God is Real!
My biggest fear is that we would walk away and do a bunch of great stuff. A great movement of God isn't doing a bunch of great stuff. a great movement of God is 10,000 women all around the world on their knees depending and coming to God in brokenness.
By faith, we could be a generate that wasn't fancy, wasn't perfect, but we lived like our God was real!
Get back in the race! We are all human and we are all jacked up, just fix your eyes on Jesus!
Christine Caine:
The wilderness did not denote freedom, but deliverance. It was for freedom that Christ set us free, but many of us settle for deliverance!
It was an eleven day journey to freedom that too FORTY YEARS because of fear, doubt, murmuring, grumbling and complaining! It's time to lay aside the weight and the sins that ensnare us - the unforgivness and jealousy and bitterness and anger. If we set these aside, some of the injustices of the world would be solved overnight!
Redefine your comfort zone, because wherever you go you are with the Great Comforter! Just as he was in the wilderness! A pillar of fire at night, a cloud by day!
You came out of Egypt, but Egypt is still in you. But God want to get Egypt out of your so we can walk into the Promised Land free! Go from Deliverance To Freedom!! The wilderness is where you shake off Egypt!
A generation came out of bondage and slavery. But they died in the desert! That generation is Gone!! You have to have our own "cutting away"
LET US lay aside the weight…
A weight could be anything, it could be good, but holding you back.
An anchor.
A thought.
Culture.
Tradition.
The Weight of:
Opinion
Entitlement
The day after they ate of the promised land, the manna stopped. Because God is doing a new thing! Don't become so used to the systems of God that you don't need Him!! The manna Ceases!! Don't get stuck in the past!
You allow the past to define you like the Gospel isn't True!! When you owe it to the next generation to get free! We either believe in this Gospel or we don't!
The most potent force on the planet is not a missile or the atomic bomb! The most important force on the plant is the Blood of Christ. It sets people free!
Many of us prefer the comfort of victimhood over what it takes to be free!! Time to move on girls, get a new problem!!
God starts with impossible! A Virgin, A Stable, A Cross, A Risen Savior! It's all Crazy, so believe the impossible anyway!
If you want to see the promises of God worked out in your life, then you must believe the truth of God's word over your circumstances. Yet most of us base our lives on the facts, and that's why we never go into the Promised Land, why we never walk in freedom.
Let's build our lives on the truth of God's Word, not the facts of our circumstances.
Sue Davis and Shauna NeiQuist:
Table People
Stop
Gather
This Time Matters
Toast - raise a glass says I see you. You matter.
Prayer - every good thing we have is from God.
Where ever you are BE ALL THERE especially at the dinner table. Acts 2:46 They worshipped together, they ate meals at home, with glad and sincere hearts.
Once a Month IF:Table
6 Women from all walks of life, some you know well, some you don't (you count as 1 so you can 5 other women)
4 Questions about God (see the website….information coming soon)
2 Hours (Present not perfection)
Revival Starts At Home!
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