A Gift from God

“A Gift From God”

I have to wait just a few minutes for it to be light enough for ma e to put my boat into the water. I stand on the small dock all ready to begin my early morning row. As I look out across the lake, I feel  like a young child all set for an exciting adventure.  I find myself taking in a deep breath trying to  capture as much of the delicious quiet and beauty as I can. 

The water is so smooth, so still that when a fish jumps out and does a quick exquisite ballet, the water ripples, and I can hear the small splash.  I put both oars in my left hand, gently step into my boat, sit down, and then slip my feet under the Velcro straps.  I lean over just a little to push away from the dock, and then dip my oars in and begin to (skull) row.  I know that my first few strokes will be a bit uneven, but within a few minutes the rhythm and touch returns, and my long oars are making full efficient strokes enabling me to glide over the water and watch the dock disappear.

I named my boat, a 23 foot Shell, “Olivette.”   I have her name in large, bright red letters on the bow . Olivette was a woman I met through my church and our Prayer Shawl Ministry. Some of you may know of this wonderful ministry, but if you don’t, I invite you to check out a web site, www.shawlministry.com.  We knit or crochet prayer shawls that are given not only to people who are going through some type of loss, illness, transition, but also at times of celebration.  We usually have around ten to fifteen women who meet each month at our church, and there are several other women who may not attend our meetings, but contribute handmade shawls for this valuable ministry.

At the monthly gatherings, we have the opportunity to learn from each other as we share patterns, yarn, stories, and of course laughter and even tears.  We begin our meetings with the lighting of a small candle and a prayer.  Later during our meeting we drape the completed shawls we each have brought in, and often some unfinished shawls, over a stand.  We gather around the shawls with each of us placing one hand on a shawl, and our other hand on someone’s shoulder, as we say a prayer together.  Before a shawl is given to someone, we include a prayer tucked inside.

One prayer, I especially like is:

May God’s grace be upon this shawl…warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.

May this mantle be a safe haven...
a sacred place of security and well-being,     
sustaining and embracing in good times as well
as difficult ones.

May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.     

                              Blessed be!                                      

                                                                    Author:  Janet Bristow             
                                                                                    2008 All rights reserved.

I so value this display of faith and friendship. I believe that it is a visible sign of what God’s love and caring is all about.  To me, it is an example of “Faith in Action.”  While I work on a prayer shawl, even though I am not a master knitter, I feel good, content, and centered as I knit and pray.  I feel fortunate to be a small part of a group that is serving and sharing. 

My friend, Olivette, crocheted, and we teased her that she was the most prolific of our group as she would bring in at least five shawls she had made during the month.  She would reply in her zesty voice telling us that, being in her 90s, she had more time to sit and crochet than most of us.  I had the privilege of interviewing Olivette about her life.  Our group wanted to have her story be part of the contents we were planning for our women’s time capsule at the church.  I didn’t know Olivette very well before the several weeks I spent with her obtaining information about her life history.  After we had completed her story, I continued my visits with her.  She allowed me to bring her new yarn, and I marveled at the beautiful shawls she made.  Olivette was a kind and attentive listener.   I always felt she took in every word I said, and that she cared. 

She was an unexpected gift to me for the few years I knew her before she died.  A surprise gift from God, Olivette was an outstanding woman who had a wonderful sense of humor, a deep value of  learning,  and  continued giving to others until the day she died at 93 years of age.

I was given one of Olivette’s shawls, and it is one of my favorite possessions.  One day when I was talking with Olivette, I brought up the subject of my wanting to get my own boat, but thought I might be a bit too old to move forward with this wish.  She looked at me, paused, and then said, “Connie, get your boat.”

As I row my boat I find myself always saying out loud, “Good morning, Olivette, let’s go have some fun.”

Yes, friendships and being out in God’s beautiful world is like being cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love.

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

THE RACE IS NOT ALWAYS TO THE SWIFT”

  

My husband and I attended a San Jose Giants baseball game last week. Its always an exciting time. While I'm not an avid sports fan per se, I do love the atmosphere and general experience of attending a game once or twice during the summer months. Being outdoors on a warm evening, singing the National Anthem and “Take Me out to the Ball Game,” hearing the “crack of the baseball bats, ” and the roar of the cheering crowds, all make for a fun and refreshing event.

We always request seats right behind the baseball scouts. They sit up close to the playing field facing home plate. Scouts use velocity speed guns to track the speed at which a ball is pitched. They also look for clean and smooth deliveries, aggressiveness, and control when sizing up pitchers. Catchers, fielders, and hitters are judged by other attributes. One quality which is a must for all players is a passion for the game.

As I was watching the scouts I was reminded that the Lord is also observing us, seeing our potential, and thinking of ways in which He can use us in His Kingdom. While professional scouts are competitive in their mindset, our Lord is always gracious, loving, and understanding. He many times chooses those people who are considered weak by the world's standards, and turns them into his greatest team players. Many of the disciples, for instance, were lowly, unrefined, and obscure among their countrymen.

However, Jesus, looks not at the outward man but rather on the the heart

The apostle Paul was actually on the wrong team, persecuting the Lord and his people, when God touched and recruited him. Although deceived and misguided, Paul was passionate and zealous for that which he believed to be true. The Lord discerned Paul's fervor and knew what he would accomplish for the Kingdom once he “saw the light.”

God is not necessarily searching for the most talented or gifted, but rather for those believers who have humble, compassionate, and willing hearts. He will use those who seek Him, love Him, and have a heart to serve.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. 

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7 

(NIV)

“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen 

those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 

2 Chronicles 16:9 

(NLT)

By Cathy Friberg 

Coincidence or God Acting Anonymously?

Coincidence or God Acting Anonymously?

What do you call it when something occurs in your life, and you wonder how or why did that happen? Like seeing someone unexpectedly you had been thinking about, or receiving telephone call or text message from someone you had  been wanting to talk with; or seeing a certain saying or something along the street or in your home that especially resonates with you, bringing back good memories, and perhaps even motivating you to some meaningful action.  Perhaps the experience gives you a feeling of being connected, excited, or  inspired with a feeling that something bigger is happening out there than what we can see or logically explain.

 We may call our meaningful events a coincidence, chance, synchronicity, or God acting anonymously, and perhaps feel  intrigued with the feeling of magic, mystery, and surprise when life hands us something we can’t explain.

 About three years ago I attended a lecture by Carol Lynn Pearson .  She talked about her new book, “Embracing Coincidence”  She tells us when we experience meaningful coincidences that get our attention, they help us contact the magical, spiritual side of our lives, and she encourages us to be open, to pay attention and to have gratitude for each day.

Whenever my sister and I see a coin, especially a penny, on the ground, we always pick it up and say a big hello to our mom.  Our mother died a few years ago, but when she was alive whenever she saw a coin on the ground, she picked it up,  and reminded us in an excited voice, that it was good luck and it was a reminder to “Keep smiling.”

When our mom’s mind was kidnapped by Alzheimer Disease, she would still get a kick out of finding a coin on the ground, and the smile on her face as she bent over to pick up her treasure, was a treat to my sister and me.

It has been a fun and rewarding to me many times over the  past few years when I have been at a place in my life when I felt overwhelmed, sad, and even vulnerable, to  find a coin on the ground. As I pick it up , the magic works.  I say, “Hi Mom thank you!”

Talking with friends and family about their experiences with chance, coincidence, or whatever term you choose to label special happenings, is an interesting topic.  A few weeks ago a friend of mine, Greg,  told me a story about an experience he had recently.  He was on a road trip with a couple of friends, and they drove through a small seaside town, and a church with a tall steeple stood out from the other buildings.  Greg’s  father had died a few months ago, and   he had been dealing with the normal feelings of life review and loss, so when he saw the church  he wanted to go inside and say a prayer.  One of the other people with Greg is going through chemotherapy, and she was more than happy with the idea of taking time to visit the church.  They were pleased to find the front door open.  Inside,  they saw a  small altar with an arrangement of votive candles for the offering of prayers.  Greg lit a candle and then sat down to say a prayer.  As he was praying, he became aware of a patch of sunlight streaming in through the tall narrow stain glass windows.  He looked up towards the sunlight, and read the donor’s name at the bottom of the colorful window.  The first two names,  Thomas Robert , are Greg’s father’s first and middle name.

Greg said he felt like he received a message telling him everything was fine with his dad, and he felt  a sense of calmness and love.  I asked him if he told his mother about his experience, and he said, “Oh yes, I called her that evening.”

Carol Lynn Pearson believes that we need to be open and alert for those special coincidences in our lives.  I think the season of Advent is a perfect time for us to be reminded to have gratitude and be more aware of everyday events ,  to be in the moment,  and to nurture the spiritual side of our lives, living our faith. 

If a meaningful coincidence happens to me, and I can’t explain how it happened, that’s fine with me.  I say, take the moment, and wrap your heart around it . 

Terry Tempest Williams states,

“Faith is the centerpiece of a connected life.  It allows us to live by the grace of invisible strands.  It is a belief in a wisdom superior to our own.  Faith becomes a teacher in the absence of fact.”

Blessings,
Connie I. Clark

Shattered Glass

 "Put your trust in the light 

while you have it, so that you may 

become sons and daughters of light." 

-John 12:36

One Saturday morning while picking up the patio, it was after a late night bonfire my daughter shared with her friends on her birthday the night before, I realized I had tried to hold way too much when a glass seemed to jump out of my hands. There was shattered glass everywhere! I first thought, great, just what I need, more mess to clean up! I went inside to unload my arms and grab a whisk broom, bag and dustpan. Dreading the mess I had to face, as I got down on my knees, all of a sudden peace came over me. I looked and discovered that when sunlight struck the shattered glass, brilliant, colorful rays scattered everywhere. Shattered glass is full of a thousand different angles, each one picking up a ray of light and shooting it off in a thousand different directions. I stared for a long time before I could bring myself to clean it up. It was beautiful and something to be thankful for!

What's true of shattered glass is true of a broken life. Shattered dreams. A heart full of shards. Hopes that are splintered. A life broken into pieces. But given time and prayer, such a person's life can shine more brightly than if the brokenness had never happened. When the light of the Lord Jesus falls upon a shattered life, that believer's hopes will be brightened.

It's the nature of things that catch the light: The color and dazzle of light sparkles best through things that are shattered.

Only our great God can reach down into what otherwise would be brokenness and produce something beautiful. With Him, nothing is wasted. Every broken dream and every fear can be redeemed by His loving, warm touch. Your life may appear shattered, but God has in mind a kaleidoscope through which His light can shine more brilliantly.

Light of the world, may You shine today in dark places all over the earth. May broken people, hurt and disappointed, respond to Your loving touch. And may Christians become true children of light as You brighten their hearts and enlighten those around them. I present to You the parts of my life that are shattered. Shine, Jesus, shine!

Written by 

Terri Baker

The Baker’s touch........................

 

I want to describe to you 

    what I think each part 

of the ingredients 

     of a cupcake would say 

         as it is being prepared by 

                  the Baker......

The egg

...wait....I don’t want to be cracked....the salt....I don’t want to be poured out.....the oil...I like it here in my bottle...the sugar, ah, the sugar, I am sweet, pour me out, use me....

the oil and the water
...wait, we don’t mix together very well, the flour, you know I can really make a mess, watch the way you scoop me out OK?....Now wait a minute...You are going to

mix all of us together and then pour us all out

....what...the oven

...no..not the oven....it’s hot in there.....I don’t want to go in there...please not the oven....but the Baker, He knows what

He is doing...He was so gentle in mixing us together....so patient...so careful in pouring us out...OK.....I don’t understand why we have to go into the oven...but the Baker is holding me

and carrying me into the oven.......wait......He is stepping into the oven with me...He’s right here...something is happening to me.....I’m changing.....I’m rising, there is a sweet aroma

it’s filling the room

...it’s time to come out now....see how careful He is putting me in a resting place...don’t touch me yet...I’m too hot.....I need some time to cool down.....wait...wait..

now.....

you can pick me up and unwrap the paper and take a bite...I’m ready.......   

Now it makes sense, 

before I didn't understand...why the cracking, the breaking, the mixing and the baking.............

    That’s how life is...we don’t understand some of the things that happen in our lives....God knows, He see’s the big picture...He just wants us to trust Him, to lean on Him and not

try to figure it all out....

     He’s changing me for His glory............

Written by 

Geri Lonnberg 

Keep This List on Hand

Personal Foundations of A Christian Life

The life of a Christian can be like an iceberg, the visible part receives the most attention and is often used to measure success or failure. Yet, its the par that is hidden from view that is of greatest concern to God. Oswald Chambers, who wrote My Utmost for His Highest, said My worth to God in public is what I am in private. The time that I invest in my private time with God has greatly affected my public life and leadership.
If we apply these six practices in our lives they will help to form the foundation of who we are. We need to have a good foundation (Matt. 7:24-27) whether we are alone or in front of a crowd, or these ideas are new or old, they are a worthy reminder to us who have the desire to walk worthy of the call or position God has for us.

Journaling 
Its hard to journal everyday, and dont feel guilty if you dont. I carry a small notebook in my purse at all times. The book is mainly for sermon notes from Sunday or other sessions/classes I am attending. But I use the back to write thoughts, quotes, or words that God places in my heart. It is a great help.

Time with God

We should try to follow the example of Jesus in Matt. 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Find a quiet, secluded place so you wont be distracted, and the focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his presence. He is then able to encourage, rebuke, admonish and speak words of wisdom into our lives. 

Monthly Assessment

Since the unexamined life is not worth living, we should try to ask ourselves these questions below at the end of each month. For each question rate your current condition. (1 = never, 3 = sometimes, 5 = always)

• Did I pursue regular spiritual disciplines?
• Did I listen to God throughout the  day?
• Did I have consistent Bible study time?
• Did I rely more on resource material than on scripture?
• Did I spend quiet time, so I could hear God speaking to me?
• Did I spend time in prayer everyday?
• 
  

Quarterly Review

I read through my journal (book) to remind me of thoughts or words that God has given me. Significant spiritual insights are often gained from this simple practice. It also reminds me of what God is going to do in my life, and how he wants to use me. It is a great encouragement to be reminded of Gods faithfulness to us.

Fasting

It is helpful to set aside regular time to fast. It may be for just a single meal or for several days to a month, depending on how God directs you. This practice develops focus and personal discipline, and much more.

                                                      

                                                      Accountability

Find someone to be your spiritual mentor. Accountability that grows out of genuine relationship will strengthen you personally as a leader.

If we don't take time to slow down in order to be with God, then He usually catches our attention through a life event that brings us to a standstill. He often unfolds His plan over a space of time while we learn not to rush ahead of Him by applying foundational principals, like these, into our lives. God is more concerned with my relationship with Him than my ministry for Him.

A faulty Christian life, like icebergs, can cause shipwrecks that dishonor God and undermine leadership. Giving due diligence to the hidden parts of our lives will one day conclude with the words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Written by
Rhonda Ihrig

TO MY SISTERS IN CHRIST 

  

This little reminder of our willingness to intercede with our Lord came to mind so I’m passing it on. Sometimes I get stuff like this and now am stepping out boldly, sharing my heart with you.  I’m so grateful that you sacrifice your time to stand, kneel, or bow your head, with our Brother & Intercessor, Jesus, and  with your sisters when the prayer requests come.  

OUR BROTHER’S VOICE

“SISTERS!  Come quickly to the Throne Room with me!

Let us come before our Father’s Throne of Amazing Grace.

This is the work we love to do, my sisters,

Interceding before our Father’s face.

A family member has called for help,

Our ear and heart has heard the plea,

We welcome the opportunity to help shoulder the load,

“I the High Priest, and you the Priesthood of Believers, are we.”

  

  Hebrews: 5:1-5  

          Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 2 And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. 3 That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. 4 And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. 5 That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,

“You are my Son.
 Today I have become your Father.”      

Hebrews: 13:15-16 

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Rev. 1:5-6

            5 .... He (Jesus Christ) is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Shared by

Sandy Schott