Hello Ladies!!
After last night's Ignite meeting, several of you talked to me about the incredible discussions going on at your tables, and this morning I have received several e-mails filled with some awesome things that God is doing. This gave me an idea! I thought it would be great to have a testimony sharing opportunity on the blog! If God is doing something in your life or in the life of someone you know and you want to give Him some glory, now is your chance! I can't wait to hear how God is moving this semester!!
I love you girls!
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Paulette – Thank you so much for last night! The table discussion was awesome . . . we were led by you (and God) to think where we perhaps have not thought before! And this morning, as I was re-reading the scripture from last night, I was struck anew by something else that happened in those verses. “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
ReplyDeleteImmediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, ‘why did you doubt?”
A couple of things come to mind:
1. Even when our faith weakens, Jesus is there for us!
2. I hear His words “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” like a mother might say to a child who fearfully tries to ride a bike for the first time, “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
3. Which reminds me that I was afraid to ride a bike and did not do it until my younger sister did it! So those of you who are stepping out, please know that we are watching, waiting, and encouraging, so we may do the same! Thank you – for in your following, you are leading!
And speaking of following . . . go to www.aholyexperience.com TODAY and after you read today’s post (Feb. 23, 2010) ‘The One Word That Can Help Keep Everyone Alive Today’ - under the grey box that has an address by Karl Paulnack, there is a listing titled “When you don’t know what the answer should be” – click on it and read it! You’ll be blessed! (You need to do it today because I don’t know how to access past posts on this website) That post is from Dec. 30, 2009.
As I reflect back on Monday night’s Ignite meeting and the lesson concerning Peter walking on water, one question our table discussion centered around was “how is our worship different when in the midst of the storm versus when life is good and why do you think that is?”. It was definitely a consensus of the ladies at my table that our worship should NOT be different; however, our worship is different because when we are in the midst of the storm, our total focus is on Jesus and we put all of our faith in Him that He will see us through. When we come out of the storm and life is good, we tend to get lackadaisical in our worship and we allow ourselves to focus more on other things than on God.
ReplyDeleteWhat we agreed upon is that our worship should always be focused on Jesus at all times so then when the storms of life arise, we are better prepared to handle them and with much more ease because we’ve had our eyes on Jesus the whole time.
DEAR PAULETTE,
ReplyDeleteHI,
On my way to work i heard a new song by Brit Nicole, Walk on Water. Air one plays God Rock, and it really gets me pumped up to do my job as a Registered Nurse.
In the song, "what are you waiting for?" Made me think of you, and the Peter the Rock. You are making me think.
God puts wonder people in my life, that minister to me. I thank God for the bold, strong women of Ignite.
In the first service of the last time choir sang for worship I had another deliverance. We were singing "... Hear Your bride, to You we sing... come thou fount of our blessing..." (now you'll be singing that all day... it's a good one!) and I was so broken over the failure I am as a bride. The devastation of divorce is an echo that won't break down. Day in, day out it is an emotional and spiritual scar that never knits back to wholeness. We learn to cope with the brokenness, but it is always there... under the surface... waiting to reopen and remind you of your failure and on and on...
ReplyDeleteSo I was singing and praying... "How can you hear a failed bride? I can't even claim this 'bride' status... I've failed at this three times... What do I make an offering of... I have nothing to give You but my broken, failed attempts... nothing but...... me, just what's left of me..."
With tears streaming into my ears I turned my face up, as He directed me to do so many years ago when I prayed, "I'm tired of crying... I'm tired of feeling shame..." He told me to stop hanging my head in front of Him. He told me to turn my face to Him when I talk to Him... I felt two fingers tip my head up toward the light and have spoken this way ever since...
So three Sundays ago I'm crying into my own ears at the lack of anything to bring Him... the one worthy of all there is... I got nothin'.
That's when He said, "Complete Confidence! That's what I want from you..."
Meaning as in I need to look to Him in Complete Confidence. It is not me being a bride, but Him being THE BRIDEGROOM that make me a bride... It is not affected by my failure but is directly dependent on His Faithfulness as a Husband... as MY husband... I need to speak out in complete confidence that my husband will be faithful to me as He has always been. As usual I had it backward. It's not about my offering, it's about His provision. Not about my failure, but all about His faithfulness. What an amazing things to say, "My Husband is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11)" How blessed am I to know in complete confidence that to quote PC&D ..."the hands that flung the stars in space, lifted my face and I heard Him say..." Speak of Me in complete confidence... no room for shadows of doubt or second thoughts... no wonderings of motive or intent. Just completely knowing, believing, speaking and LIVING as though He really is who He says He is and that He makes me into who He says I am... in Him, through Him and by Him... None of that, Thank G-D, Christ and The Holy Spirit... depends on me, therefore it is foolproof... because, to use the vernacular, this fool ain't involved
Amen! So very true! Thank you for sharing that! And doesn't that make all of us even more confident to leave our boats behind? I have been re-thinking comment #3 in the top posted comment - We can be unafraid, because the one we are truly following will not fail us! And the invitation is for each of us!
ReplyDelete