Today was a really good day of worship at my church. Bishop John G. Innis of The United Methodist Church in Liberia was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to hear about the ministry of the church in Liberia and how God is working through the people there.
We also heard a report from the Awaken the City mission program that is sponsored by my church. It brings church groups from the region and other parts of the country to Cincinnati for a week at a time. The groups volunteer at inner city soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, and churches.
We also had an impromptu prayer for one of our pastors who has been receiving treatment for cancer. According to the doctors, his cancer is now in remission. Several congregation members came forward to lay hands on the pastor and his wife and pray for them.
On my way home after worship, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for my congregation and its many ministries. I really feel like I need to get more involved and I felt like this morning was just another sign from God that I need to move forward in taking a more active role in using my gifts to build up the Body of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Feeling Nudged
I've been feeling nudged lately. I think the nudging is coming from God but I'm not quite sure yet. I know that I have been feeling a bit restless and that usually means that God is at work some way in my heart and life. I think I need to pay attention to this nudge. If I don't, it will drive me crazy.
I think this nudge has something to do with a sense of calling to be more involved in my church's ministry in some way. There are a lot of really cool things going on with my church and I guess I have kind of been sitting back and not really participating as much as I could. I know God has ministry for me to do through my church and I need to put my spiritual gifts to work.
The other part of this is that I need to expand my circle of friends. I think my visit with my friends Vickie and Patty last weekend brought this to light for me. They have been such wonderful friends who have loved me and journeyed with me through some challenging times. They have prayed for and with me. They have been sounding boards and signs of God's grace in my life. I also know that there are these kinds of spiritual friends for me here in the Cincinnati area. However, I can't meet them if I stay home and watch Netflix all the time. So, I guess I've got to get off the couch and out in the community.
Of course, I could be totally off about this nudging going on in my life and heart. That's why I also need to spend some time in prayer. My prayer time needs to be more about me listening rather than talking. I long to do God's will with my whole life and the only way that's going to happen is for me to pay attention to times like this when I feel nudged.
I would appreciate your prayers during this time of discernment. Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!
I think this nudge has something to do with a sense of calling to be more involved in my church's ministry in some way. There are a lot of really cool things going on with my church and I guess I have kind of been sitting back and not really participating as much as I could. I know God has ministry for me to do through my church and I need to put my spiritual gifts to work.
The other part of this is that I need to expand my circle of friends. I think my visit with my friends Vickie and Patty last weekend brought this to light for me. They have been such wonderful friends who have loved me and journeyed with me through some challenging times. They have prayed for and with me. They have been sounding boards and signs of God's grace in my life. I also know that there are these kinds of spiritual friends for me here in the Cincinnati area. However, I can't meet them if I stay home and watch Netflix all the time. So, I guess I've got to get off the couch and out in the community.
Of course, I could be totally off about this nudging going on in my life and heart. That's why I also need to spend some time in prayer. My prayer time needs to be more about me listening rather than talking. I long to do God's will with my whole life and the only way that's going to happen is for me to pay attention to times like this when I feel nudged.
I would appreciate your prayers during this time of discernment. Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
SYTYCD
With the arrival of summer comes one of my favorite summer guilty pleasures: So You Think You Can Dance. I don't have cable. I rarely watch local television. However, now that So You Think You Can Dance is back, I will be tuning in every Wednesday and Thursday evening to watch.
I have shared with you on this blog in the past that I love to watch dancers. I love the grace, skill, and athletic ability that they bring to their art. I love it when a dancer can tell a story through movement. I love it when I am taken away for just a brief moment to a different time or a more graceful place by watching people dance.
I don't really like the audition episodes as much as the actual competition but it's still fun to watch. I like seeing people who share their talents with great energy and joy. I am glad to know that there are people in the world who move with grace and help to express the human experience in deeply profound ways.
So, the television is fired up and write this and I am ready to see some dancing. I know it's going to be a good summer.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
I have shared with you on this blog in the past that I love to watch dancers. I love the grace, skill, and athletic ability that they bring to their art. I love it when a dancer can tell a story through movement. I love it when I am taken away for just a brief moment to a different time or a more graceful place by watching people dance.
I don't really like the audition episodes as much as the actual competition but it's still fun to watch. I like seeing people who share their talents with great energy and joy. I am glad to know that there are people in the world who move with grace and help to express the human experience in deeply profound ways.
So, the television is fired up and write this and I am ready to see some dancing. I know it's going to be a good summer.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Turning Points
I have been watching today a History Channel series on the American Revolution through my Netflix subscription. I always enjoy learning more about the history of our country and this series is well done. I am learning new things about the events that led up to the start of the Revolution and the Revolution itself.
One of the things that has struck me so far is that how many times the cause of American Independence hung by a thread. If events had unfolded in a slightly different way, the United States might never have come into being.
For example, in the Battle of Long Island, New York, the Continental Army was able to resist capture and defeat because of heavy fog that allowed troops to escape from the British who were charging after them. But for the camouflage of the fog, all might have been lost early on for the Americans. Also, when Washington and his troops made their famous crossing of the Delaware River to attack in Trenton, New Jersey, they might have been overwhelmed by Hessian troops but for the fact that reinforcements had not yet arrived because the commander of these troops stopped in Mount Holly, New Jersey to be entertained by a widow whose affection he wanted to win. Along with this, many Continental soldiers' commissions were up at the end of 1776 and most planned to go back to their homes. However, Washington promised them a $10 raise (the equivalent of one month's pay) and many decided to stay. The interesting thing is that Washington never had Congressional approval for this raise. He made it up on the fly with the hope of enticing soldiers to continue fighting. What if Congress had not gone along with this or what if the majority of soldiers would have not thought $10 extra was enough? Again, history would have been very different.
What this helps me to see is that the decisions we make both small and large and the actions that we take both small and large impact the future in ways that we may never realize. While not all of us are going to be leaders like George Washington, we still have the power to influence people and make a difference in our world. For example, I once read that if every member of the United Methodist Church tithed (gave ten percent of their income to the church), all budgets would be met locally, nationally, and globally and there would be enough money left over to end hunger in the entire world. And that's only United Methodists. Think what could be possible if Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Catholics, and all other Christians would tithe. The entire world might be transformed in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that would really be something.
I invite you to join me in praying about how together we can make a difference in the world with the resources with which God has blessed us. It all starts with us. We have the power to change the world if only we will step out in faith.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!
One of the things that has struck me so far is that how many times the cause of American Independence hung by a thread. If events had unfolded in a slightly different way, the United States might never have come into being.
For example, in the Battle of Long Island, New York, the Continental Army was able to resist capture and defeat because of heavy fog that allowed troops to escape from the British who were charging after them. But for the camouflage of the fog, all might have been lost early on for the Americans. Also, when Washington and his troops made their famous crossing of the Delaware River to attack in Trenton, New Jersey, they might have been overwhelmed by Hessian troops but for the fact that reinforcements had not yet arrived because the commander of these troops stopped in Mount Holly, New Jersey to be entertained by a widow whose affection he wanted to win. Along with this, many Continental soldiers' commissions were up at the end of 1776 and most planned to go back to their homes. However, Washington promised them a $10 raise (the equivalent of one month's pay) and many decided to stay. The interesting thing is that Washington never had Congressional approval for this raise. He made it up on the fly with the hope of enticing soldiers to continue fighting. What if Congress had not gone along with this or what if the majority of soldiers would have not thought $10 extra was enough? Again, history would have been very different.
What this helps me to see is that the decisions we make both small and large and the actions that we take both small and large impact the future in ways that we may never realize. While not all of us are going to be leaders like George Washington, we still have the power to influence people and make a difference in our world. For example, I once read that if every member of the United Methodist Church tithed (gave ten percent of their income to the church), all budgets would be met locally, nationally, and globally and there would be enough money left over to end hunger in the entire world. And that's only United Methodists. Think what could be possible if Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Catholics, and all other Christians would tithe. The entire world might be transformed in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that would really be something.
I invite you to join me in praying about how together we can make a difference in the world with the resources with which God has blessed us. It all starts with us. We have the power to change the world if only we will step out in faith.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!