FACILITATING FAITH, wk 4 & a Giveaway Link

Cindy over at Letters from Midlife is having a greeting card giveaway...go check it out...

(apologies for not being able to provide a devotion for week 3)

LEADING WHILE LEARNING

While presenting the Bible in a study environment, sometimes participants remember time spent in previous learning situations, such as college, high school or Sunday School.  It is not uncommon for someone to ask, “Do you want my ‘Sunday School answer’ or my feelings? 

Bible studies may have times when feelings outnumber certain facts that should have been gleaned during home study.   Yes, it is important to understand the context of particular passages.  But many times there are nudgings of individuals’ consciences by the Holy Spirit that should be shared. 
 
Sharing these ‘glistenings of understanding’ or ‘redirections of conscience’ help build the relationships between the class members and the facilitator.  Each facilitator works to make the learning easier for their classmates, and should remind self and their class of their being a ‘learner among learners’.

Listen for God’s Counselor…

He will sharpen your ear to hear and teach you when to share during your class as well as help manage your time.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

DARK-CAR PRAYING...

HALF PAST KISSIN' is hosting...
Here's my latest challenge:

Loved having an evening cafe' with my 'sisters in Christ'...

finished a little later than normal...

(long day of cleaning house, washing clothes and cooking)

 

enjoyed some little pumpkin-spiced mini cupcakes...

drank a blackberry-mocha latte

had about half-a-cup leftover (not going to waste that yumminess) so I took it with me in the car...

got in the car (in the dark)

placed the remaining cafe' in the drink holder ...

a little ways down the road, I needed another sip...

(we all KNOW to keep eyes on the road, don't we?)

(having dated a 'fighter-jet' pilot who taught me to fly two-seater planes...

who also taught me:  NEVER look at the radio/cup holder/or floorboard; lest one WILL veer off the road, stray from horizon, no longer be on target.)

I obediently FELT for my left-over latte...

took a quick sip ...

 

 

aaacccckkkk...

 

didn't take long to realize I picked up the

 

2-day-old-WRONG cup

 

from the cupholder...

ICK!

 

#Gaggin'   #goneSour  #NeedToSpit

 

What did I learn?  

(parents ALWAYS ask that question after any BAD moments or situations)

1.  I need some of my own 'learning'

2.  ALWAYS remove coffee cups from vehicle

 

(or else you, too, can pray yourself home without BARFing in the car.)
 

Jump on over before Midnight and join us!

Blessings,

KNITTING WITH SANDRA...wishing really

Sandra is having a GIVEAWAY...

would love to win her LEAF BY LEAF pattern below:

CLICK TO SEE LARGER VIEW

John 8:31 "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

Facilitating Faith, Week 2

Having studied the 9/17 (THE UPPER ROOM) devotional:  NEW FOUND STRENGTH 
Psalm 42:1,7,8   "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God,for the living God....Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— prayer to the God of my life."



Eating healthy foods is something our parents teach us, so we stay healthy with needed vitamins and minerals; yet, does that also fill our soul's need?

We can easily evaluate our body's requirements: stomachs become empty and growl; sleepiness brings on yawns, and sweat cools the brow after we retreat to the shade.  However, how does the soul 'wake' us to its need? 

We might even be unaware it has a need, like Charles Wesley.

Were you aware "at the time of his conversion, Charles Wesley had been a pastor in his church for over three years? His soul awakened to the understanding of Christ pouring his blood to save him, individually, and it changed him and he wrote this hymn; he was 'reborn'.  

AND CAN IT BE THAT I SHOULD GAIN by Charles Wesley (portion) He left His Father’s throne above…So free, so infinite His grace…Emptied Himself of all but love…And bled for Adam’s helpless race…’Tis mercy all, immense and free…For O my God, it found out me!
 

Prayerfully consider your own soul's need.
 
Ask Jesus for His compassion when hearing others' needs this week in class. 

FLATTERING VIDEO STILL ... not.

Why...

Just Why do videos ALWAYS choose the MOST flattering still shot as the thumbnail?

 

Several women who inspire me thru laughter, God-given talents, eternally teaching, Holy-Spirit inspiration, memories from the 60s and sharing patterns in yarn and life)

 

...wishing I had a pair of 'Sisterhood' blue jeans heading their way to make a dream come true:

1. Chatty Crone (a Christian middle aged mother of two, grandmother of two - one eleven years old and one almost two, and wife. I'm a hopeless romantic. I try very hard to see the world with rose colored glasses on.)
2. Carol MY Painting Room (a watercolorist, 'nuff said)
3. Kelle @ ENJOYING THE SMALL THINGS (lives Donna Markova's quote, "...choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit)
4. Elaine @ PEACE FOR THE JOURNEY (boasting only of Him thru her voice and pen)
5. Joyce @ FROM THIS SIDE OF THE POND (world traveler, 2-girl mother, An empty nester trying to figure out who she is in this season of life)
6. Pearl @ Pearl, WHY YOU LITTLE...(wanting to share with us what so many "Wanted" posters have failed to encapsulate)
7. Debi @ DIY HOOKS & YARNS (a 30-year crocheter who teaches us to put on our big girl panties and deal with it)

John 8:31 "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Blessings,

FACILITATING FAITH, WEEK 1

Even though I’m not facilitating a class this year at our church, I want to support them in prayer and actions.  My first thought was ‘writing’ a weekly devotion to send to the group of facilitators and administrators; lifting them up to God in their sacrifice of service.
 
Since I use the little UPPER ROOM devotions for my own quiet times, why not jump from those Scripture references each week?  I can seek God’s architecting of what to share. 
September 10th’s reference is:

Romans 5:5  “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” 

Notice God makes the first step…he pours love into us…our hearts. 
As He pours, we must be listening.  Paying attention to the love and Who it is originating it. 
Once it has been poured, where do we store the love?  Is it put in the middle of the table, or emblazoned on our faces, emitting His love Spirit?

Do we read the Words of His love and quickly tuck them away in a drawer?  Do you think some may even  hide the love under layers of past hurts, entwined in the soured towels of selfishness.  (We know yeast takes over batter, and soured towels can’t become clean if left in the dark.)

Preparing our hearts to lead others in Bible Study is a blessing (and love sent from above) as long as we keep His Holy Spirit in the middle of the table and not in the drawer. 
He has a plan for the Bible-study seekers…we must allow Him to speak to their hearts.

Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.~ Mother Theresa

May His Spirit walk ahead of you this week, pouring His love into your hearts through His Word. 

Don't  tuck Him away,…have Him sit in the middle of each table.
How has He shown himself to you this week?

ME & MY DUST...

My UPPER ROOM devotion today pondered this scripture

(actually it was for 4:20-27; however, I want to concentrate on 20-23)

 

Proverbs 4:20-23  My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 

For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. 

 

Is there anything more precious than the innocence of little children with wide eyes?Eyes eagerly widened, taking in anything new without judgment, without expectations...yet.

Having a clean slate of life, children are smooth surfaces without scribbles all over...yet. 

 

 

We are 4ever learners :)
I borrowed this pic from THE HOME SCHOOL VILLAGE
 

God's Word guides us if we READ it...yes, it's intentional so you have to intend to do it.

He'll redirect us...to remember we are His CHILDREN. 

Even if we are grown, He reminds us to approach Him as a little child, His child. 

Once I was listening early in life because I didn't know things yet, gradually understanding how to safely live this life...absorbing lessons, storing glimpses of life in years of layered memories along the way.

Yet, He calls me to daily wipe my slate clean... renewing my mind in His Word.

 He has 'cleaned my soul slate forever'!  Thank you, Jesus.

Why do I like to wallow in my chalk dust?

I'm slapping those erasers together as hard as I can, covering me and anyone around me with that dusty sin.

Continuing to slap my erasers gets dust in my ears...I must make my ears more sensitive to things drawing me away from Him...continue cleaning out garbage that I let settle into my life.

As I'm continually ripping and tearing at my dirty clothes of sin, I'm remembering Jesus asking the cripple, "Do you want to be healed?" 



Was he just wanting to be content with his neediness? Am I wanting to roll around in my chalk, continuing to be dirty?

Walking to the cleansing Water will bring His Glory into focus, even washing out my ears...and take me 'out' of the focus. 

This life isn't about me even though I constantly want it to be about me.

He continually woos me come spend time with Him...for He is about freeing me from unkind moments within myself (when the evil one is trying to convince me to turn away from Jesus Christ).

Come with me, let's go to Christ and get our erasers cleaned so we'll truly have a clean slate.

 

 

John 8:31 "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,