I was listening to a preach today while I took down and stowed away the remnants of Christmas at our house (yeah...I know...long overdue) and the came upon a provocative statement:

"Now listen to me, I believe that you are really far down the road to spiritual maturity when you can really know yourself, know your strengths, know your weaknesses, be able to admit them to yourself and to the people you're in relationship with, and even let them help you keep yourself in line without being offended when they do that. " Joyce Meyer

That was probably a run-on sentence, but if you can get past that, wowee eh? What a zinger.

Now, your first time reading it through, you might think "meh...makes sense, but really Heather, it's nothing to get all excited, over is it?"
Well, I think so.
It's one of those 'easier read than done' statements. Let me unpack that a bit.
Yesterday I met with my new accountability partner. It really was a top drawer meeting. We went all out - at least I know I did. I was able to share a lot of stuff that has been steeping on my inside for quite some time. She is really easy to talk to. Until I arrived at my last item. It was a toughie...
I've gotten to the place with myself where I can admit where I am weak, yet acknowledge my potential if I just hunker down and do the discipline. I was able to share what the issue was, but balked at the "please help me" part. The answerability. Letting her in so that she can help me to keep myself in line. That's touchy!
I've gone down this accountability road before, where I have chosen to become offended by people doing just the very thing that I asked them to do, by choosing to get caught up on 'how' they do it, or their tone of voice, or their level of smirkiness (as I sensitively perceive it).

It's not easy to give up the right to become offended...it's like surrendering an instant defense mechanism, a faithful old friend, a tried and true way of ensuring that I get to stay the same, stale me and everybody else has to back off...

And yet, all sulkiness and storminess aside, it feels like it may be a new season. How refreshing and lovely!

"My beloved speaks and says to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing has come..." Solomon's Song 2:10-12

posted by:
HD

So...how's your church life?

I was browsing the online community tonight and I came across this testimony from a brother who has started attending a cell group/small group after years in 'the church'. He lists the impact it is having on him and I think it is useful to post it for you to read.
How's your church life?

For the first time with a group (of Christian people), there are 2 things I don't feel.

# 1 ~ I don't feel like a project that the group is determed to "Fix". I don't feel that any pressure to fit into a mold that is the group's idea of what a Christian should be.

# 2 ~ I don't feel like an outsider. The group doesn't treat me like I'm an inconvenience or someone to be tolerated.

Now for what I do feel....

# 1 ~ Loved. My churchmates love me. I know this. They smile when they see me. They include me in vertually everything. We share our joys, sorrows. Basically we share everything.

# 2 ~ Valued. i feel like my opinions matter and what I have to say has merit. Not only that but I am valued as a person, a friend and a brother.

# 3 ~ appreciated. I don't feel pressure to do or say anything. But when I do contribute (I cook occassionally) the group appreciates it and tend to eat like hungry truckers. This brings joy to my heart.

As I pondered the experience later, I could only think that that is what the early church was like. True fellowship, true love, true faith in action. Bonds were strengthened and community was fortified. Praise the Lord.

excerpted from www.brotherdavyd.blogspot.com

posted by:
HD

Quotable & Noteable

" I'm in love ... That's why I'm unstoppable."

Heidi Baker

www.irismin.org

I've just finished reading the book "The Heavenly Man - the remarkable story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun" I was deeply provoked by it, in a godly way.One portion that I found especially encouraging is found on page 290. Brother Yun outlines their training style. There are vast differences between what we do, and what they do. The best part - in my opinion - is that they aren't even trying to be sensational, or extreme (just for the sake of it), but practical:

Every Back to Jerusalem missionary receives training in several main subjects.
These include:
1.) How to suffer and die for the Lord. We examine what the Bible says about suffering, and look at how the Lord's people have laid down their lives for the advance of the Gospel throughout history.

2.) How to witness for the Lord. We teach how to witness for the Lord under any circumstance, on trains or buses, or even in the back of a police van on our way to the execution ground.

3.) How to escape for the Lord. We know that sometimes it is the Lord who sends us to prison to witness for Him, but we also believe the devil sometimes wants us to go to prison to stop the ministry God has called us to do. We teach the missionaries
special skills such as how to free themselves from handcuffs, and how to jump
from second-storey windows without injuring themselves.

This is not a 'normal' seminary or Bible College!If you ever visit one of the places where we are training our Back to Jerusalem missionaries, you will see how serious we are to fulfill our destiny in God. You may see people with their hands handcuffed behind their back, leaping from second-storey windows!

Nothing less is required if we are to break down the walls that separate Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists from knowing the sweet presence of Jesus."

Wow. How practical are we at training our soldiers and missionaries?

HD