Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Women Walking Boldly in Christ Conference
Since the Women's Conference last weekend, I have just felt this strange feeling of serenity that there were no words to describe. Here is the only way I know how.
Friday night, we were all exhausted, I had a migraine, it was almost 10pm and I was going back to the conference room to lock it up for the night. When I got there, the outside door was still propped open, the main house lights were off already so it felt peaceful to my pounding head, but the stage lights were on. I sat down on the back row, leaned back against the wall, propped my feet up...unladylike as it may be, and just sat there for a few minutes of quiet and prayer of reflection. As I sat there, the Lord allowed me to hear the most beautiful sound. The sound of women's voices. Coming softly in from all over the conference center. Some were just talking, some laughing in joy, some in prayer, some lifting up songs of worship and praise. I can not tell you what a beautiful sound it was. Just for an instant I realized that it must be just a tiny speck of the beauty God hears from us as we gather in worship, prayer, and joy in His presence. It was incredible. At that moment, the love He poured into me for those ladies was overwhelming. How much more love was He desirous of pouring out on us...and DID!
All I know is this...God was pleased that we had been obedient to His call. He was overjoyed at what He heard. He needs and desires for us to keep on loving these ladies. In all the group and individual efforts that went into this conference, He was pleased. In all the ways we got out of our comfort zones and allowed Him to use us, He was pleased. In all the ways we loved on each other instead of allowing the "tooth marks" to distract and divide us, He was pleased. "We" did not put on a perfect conference, but the Lord directed the one of His choosing, and we were faithful to follow after Him as closely and obediently as we could. That is the conference I will remember. That is how we are to judge the success of our labor... did we do as God directed? Were we faithful to our Lord? Did we honor Him and bring glory to His name? ...I believe the answer is absolutely YES.
I can never explain my gratitude for His allowing me to be a part of such an amazing assembly of walk-walking BOLD Christian women.
I love you all, but He Loves you so much more! We serve a faithful Savior. Glory to His Name!
Hebrews 4:16..."Let us therefore come before the throne of grace with BOLDNESS, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Friday night, we were all exhausted, I had a migraine, it was almost 10pm and I was going back to the conference room to lock it up for the night. When I got there, the outside door was still propped open, the main house lights were off already so it felt peaceful to my pounding head, but the stage lights were on. I sat down on the back row, leaned back against the wall, propped my feet up...unladylike as it may be, and just sat there for a few minutes of quiet and prayer of reflection. As I sat there, the Lord allowed me to hear the most beautiful sound. The sound of women's voices. Coming softly in from all over the conference center. Some were just talking, some laughing in joy, some in prayer, some lifting up songs of worship and praise. I can not tell you what a beautiful sound it was. Just for an instant I realized that it must be just a tiny speck of the beauty God hears from us as we gather in worship, prayer, and joy in His presence. It was incredible. At that moment, the love He poured into me for those ladies was overwhelming. How much more love was He desirous of pouring out on us...and DID!
All I know is this...God was pleased that we had been obedient to His call. He was overjoyed at what He heard. He needs and desires for us to keep on loving these ladies. In all the group and individual efforts that went into this conference, He was pleased. In all the ways we got out of our comfort zones and allowed Him to use us, He was pleased. In all the ways we loved on each other instead of allowing the "tooth marks" to distract and divide us, He was pleased. "We" did not put on a perfect conference, but the Lord directed the one of His choosing, and we were faithful to follow after Him as closely and obediently as we could. That is the conference I will remember. That is how we are to judge the success of our labor... did we do as God directed? Were we faithful to our Lord? Did we honor Him and bring glory to His name? ...I believe the answer is absolutely YES.
I can never explain my gratitude for His allowing me to be a part of such an amazing assembly of walk-walking BOLD Christian women.
I love you all, but He Loves you so much more! We serve a faithful Savior. Glory to His Name!
Hebrews 4:16..."Let us therefore come before the throne of grace with BOLDNESS, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Breath of God
Romans 1:12 "that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me."
How true this is.
If you have ever received bad news… you know… the kind that takes your breath away. Not the kind that completely devastates you, but rather just takes a few minutes to get your conscious mind around it. In my case, today, it is an event that is on one hand an answer to prayer, so I do not want to go to God ungrateful, and on the other hand, NOT the way I had wanted Him to answer. I am not quite sure how to handle it; how to manage my way through the season ahead; how to handle it with grace, bringing honor to our Lord, while my heart breaks at the same time. How do I give Him the glory He so richly deserves… and yet question why this is how He would answer our prayers.
How do we do it? We can do it because in those times in life, when our breath is not readily available, our Lord breathes for us. He breathes into us through His Word. He breathes into us through His grace. He breathes into us through our faith. He breathes into us through His love, and sometimes, He makes His love manifest to us through those around us.
My Godly, gracious, caring, sisters, who are filled with the Spirit, consumed by the Word, and acting under the Holy guidance of Christ. Sharing what God has done in their lives. Calling because God led them to. Sending emails that pricked their hearts and so they were compelled to share them with others. In all these ways, God helps those who have momentarily gasped for breath to breathe easy as His presence is found when they cry out to Him. Found, “as iron sharpens iron” and our faith encourages each other to stand firm in the faith of Jesus Christ, His love, His goodness, and His perfect Will.
Thank you for allowing God to breathe for me through you.
Connie
How true this is.
If you have ever received bad news… you know… the kind that takes your breath away. Not the kind that completely devastates you, but rather just takes a few minutes to get your conscious mind around it. In my case, today, it is an event that is on one hand an answer to prayer, so I do not want to go to God ungrateful, and on the other hand, NOT the way I had wanted Him to answer. I am not quite sure how to handle it; how to manage my way through the season ahead; how to handle it with grace, bringing honor to our Lord, while my heart breaks at the same time. How do I give Him the glory He so richly deserves… and yet question why this is how He would answer our prayers.
How do we do it? We can do it because in those times in life, when our breath is not readily available, our Lord breathes for us. He breathes into us through His Word. He breathes into us through His grace. He breathes into us through our faith. He breathes into us through His love, and sometimes, He makes His love manifest to us through those around us.
My Godly, gracious, caring, sisters, who are filled with the Spirit, consumed by the Word, and acting under the Holy guidance of Christ. Sharing what God has done in their lives. Calling because God led them to. Sending emails that pricked their hearts and so they were compelled to share them with others. In all these ways, God helps those who have momentarily gasped for breath to breathe easy as His presence is found when they cry out to Him. Found, “as iron sharpens iron” and our faith encourages each other to stand firm in the faith of Jesus Christ, His love, His goodness, and His perfect Will.
Thank you for allowing God to breathe for me through you.
Connie
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