CONVERSATIONS

I'm an active listener by nature. Much more so than a talker. (My husband might disagree as he is always ready to lend an ear for me when I need it!) I express my love for others by my gift of time in listening, contemplating the words given, asking questions of interest and giving words of wisdom if the situation requires it.

A little more than five years ago, I was asked to join in my first experience with conversation prayer. Hmmmm....  I'm thinking to myself, "You mean you want me to talk out loud while I pray in front of all these people!?" "You want me to converse with my heavenly Father where everyone can hear me?!" A tough hurtle for someone who listens more than speaks. My throat begin to tighten, my mouth became dry, and my palms began to sweat. Uncomfortable! I enjoyed my prayer time with my Creator, one on one, but this format was definitely outside of my comfort zone.

The first few sessions, I listened. Just listened. (I am a good listener, remember?) I got the rhythm, the cadence of our group prayer time.  Okay. I will try it. I said something short and sweet.  During the next few meetings, I listened more than I contributed but did have a burning in my heart to share something more. There is power in the name of Jesus. Especially when two or more are gathered in His name. I felt empowered by His Spirit.

Once again, He humbled me.  He reminded me that this time was not about me but about Him.  He also reminded me that this conversation was to be Spirit-led rather than Me-led! So, I let go and let the Lord guide and the Spirit do the talking. I discovered:

• The beauty of fellowship in prayer led by the Spirit.

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." 

Acts 2:42

•  The blessing of humility in service through prayer as the body of Christ. 

 “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve Him with one accord." 

Zephaniah 3:9

• The power behind prayer as we gather in His name in full accord and of one mind. For our comfort and joy!

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." 

Philippians 2:1

Conversations. Two way conversations. Such a blessing and such a rarity. These days, meaningful conversation is truly a form of art, a skill learned and much needed to develop quality relationships among ourselves. And, with our Maker. Alone with Him or  together in one accord.

Listening is instrumental to a meaningful conversation. In prayer and with each other in conversation. Listen for His still small voice, His Holy Spirit to impart wisdom and discernment, to speak His will, to utter His love. He is ALIVE and speaks to those who humble themselves and are willing to listen.

He is always ready, available and such a good listener! I have grown to love conversational prayer and I still cherish my personal conversations with God! That face-to-face time is truly where I talk my heart and He speaks to it.  The blessings and benefits of collective prayer are amazing. As we pray, our desires and our wills become aligned with His and each other. Truly, we become of one mind in Christ.

And, believe it or not, I led a Conversational Prayer group as part of a weekly women's bible study as Prayer Chairman. Imagine that! If I hadn't stepped out of the comfort zone and into the 'unknown', He wouldn't have been able to use and bless me in so many ways!

Praising Him for the gift and power of prayer and a community that prays together! Praying that you find treasure, blessing and power in prayer in His name........

The Promise

Promise.

The promise of love. Never faltering. Unfailing. Forever.

The promise of life. Then. Now. Later.

The promise of safety. Strong tower. Shelter. Shade.

The promise of purpose. In Spirit. In Truth. In Love.

The promise of hope. Seen. Unseen. Eternal.

The promise of tomorrow. Here. There. Beyond.

The promise of blessing. Imagined. Unimagined. Impossible.

The promise of accomplishment. Purpose. Plan. Empowered.

The promise of forgiveness. Certain. Faithful. Done.

The promise of faithfulness. In the good. In the dark. In the storm.

The promise of wisdom. Ask. Receive. Impart.

The promise of friendship. Brothers. Sisters. Family.

The promise of compassion. Grace. Love. Life.

The promise of freedom. Healing. Spirit. Die to live.

The promise of rest. Freed. Restored. Redeemed.

The promise of joy. Fire. Anointed. Salvation. 

The promise of victory. Overcomer. Greater. Lord.

The Christ.

Jesus.

Son of Man, Son of God.

Beauty unfolded; Love Divine.

THE Promise.

THE Gift of God.

For you. For me. For love.........

Forever!

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,  receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:6-9

HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?

The world shouts at you from all angles! "You're not smart enough, tall enough, skinny enough, strong enough, beautiful enough, rich enough." The list goes on and on and on....The advertisements and magazine covers are filled with image boosting suggestions.  So how DO you measure up? Do you find yourself questioning your value and self worth?  Do you find yourself in 'competition' with others trying to do what they do, be who they are, look like they look, or have what they have?

I found myself pondering some of these questions about myself as my family and I went on a cruise vacation recently. There I sat poolside watching as people frolicked about the ship's deck in their various styles of bathing attire. I found my eye settling on one particularly attractive young woman who did not appear to possess a single flaw in her outward appearance. She was petite with perfect proportions and had flawless skin.  Not a dimple of cellulite nor a wrinkle or pimple to be seen. Her skin seemed as silk. Her thick dark hair framed her attractive face with almond-shaped eyes and puckering lips just beautifully. No freckles, no veins, no sunburn. And her swimsuit seemed as though it were tailor-made for her. A "Wow" moment!

-

Then my mind wandered reluctantly to my aging frame. Yes, time is slowly leaving its mark in one way or another.  I started to feel depressed, to feel sad for the youth I had squandered and the beauty I had taken for granted.  Then I truly heard a still, small voice amongst the swimmers' hoopla whispering to me....  "Your body tells a story. You have truly lived and experienced life while learning along the way. Your history shows in lessons learned in many ways. After all, I measure your worth from your inward beauty and how that beauty manifests itself to others for My glory."  Another "Wow" moment!


We've all heard that beauty is fading and fleeting. Physical, outward beauty, that is. And, the statement is so very true. We are on the fast track when it comes to aging as our time here is so very short. So how do we evaluate beauty?  Our pop culture has defined beauty as being young and thin with flawless skin. Fashion models have become role models and extreme dieting and exercise has taken the place of overall health and fitness.

Matthew 6:19-22
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

It really comes down to whether or not we are focused on the outward self vs. the inward self and two things: fruit or fear.  Are you bearing good fruit for Him, acknowledging Him as Lord of your life and surrendering to His perfect will for you or are you seeking approval and acceptance from a world with a warped view of what you should look like, who you should be and how you should spend your time?  It's about measuring your worth in terms of:

• my figure in Inches v. my moral Integrity;
• the amount of Creases I possess v. the godly Character I am cultivating;
• the number of Wrinkles I can count v. my daily Walk with Christ;
• how much time I need to spend upon Toning v. the amount of Time spent with MY Creator, my reason for existence;
• how Smooth my skin appears v. the Sacrifices I am making daily for His glory;
• how Firm my thighs are and how Flat my stomach is v. how much has my Faith increased this month; and
• the spider Veins from carrying children or experiencing injury v. the Victory that I have in Christ that will last through all eternity.

You could make a list such as the above for any scenario whether it be time, money, social status, possessions or career.

So those creeping crows' feet around my eyes tell a story about emotions--happiness, sadness, stress--with smiles, laughter, frowns, grimaces, and winks in times of joy and sorrow.  Those slowly appearing sun spots  and wrinkles remind me of the idol I spent too much of my teenage years worshiping--the sun--and how overindulgence (sometimes in the pursuit of outward beauty) has its consequences. Those tiny, broken veins and new figure remind me of the joy I experienced in conceiving and carrying my children, and bringing them into this world. Truly the most precious gifts ever received. The scars on my knee remind of God's deliverance in an accident where the car could have just as easily run me over but instead hit my bike and sent me flying through the air to a soft landing with a few scrapes and one tiny broken bone. My slowly greying hair is a reflection of wisdom from a life lived and a crown of glory in living for Him. You get the picture. Outwardly, my body tells a story and it is His story as He has been with me every step of the way.  The outward story is a reflection of the work that He is doing inwardly in me to make me His in every way.

 Romans 8:10  
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Romans 8:23
And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption


Should you take care of your fleshly body? Absolutely!  As it is the temple of His Holy Spirit, we are instructed to guard it watching what we put in and do with this temporary tabernacle of God.  But, how far do we go?  What is your personal definition of beauty?  What is God's definition of beauty? Beauty, too, can become an idol.

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 

This skin I'm wearing now is only temporary. My spirit, in Christ, will last for all time. I take true comfort in that fact. I do eagerly await my spiritual body that will be incorruptible and accompany me through eternity and free me from these fleshly chains.  However, until the return of Jesus Christ our King, I will find joy in the reassurance that He loves and sees beauty in the person I'm becoming while abiding in Him. The inward person. I will find approval and acceptance in the arms of a loving God whose unconditional love abounds despite my physical, emotional and spiritual flaws.  He is making me truly, eternally beautiful through His wisdom and guidance using life's experiences along the way.  A pure beauty.  An eternal beauty.  He is telling a story through me.  What more could I possibly ask for....?!

A Prayer

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.
Job 19:25

My life is filled with many blessings--physical, material, spiritual--that I thank Him for on a daily basis. I enjoy watching my children blossom, visiting with my friends, traveling, and experiencing everything this life has to offer.

It is a difficult thing, living this life and waiting for Him. To be in the world but not of the world. Temptations are plentiful and constant. There are many 'gods' to place our trust in--wealth, body image, fame--that are so much more tangible. How easy it would be to step over the line, compromise, and take the easy way out.

Yet, I have to choose, on a daily basis, to take that road less traveled. Why? Because my heart truly longs for the day I can see Him as He truly is and be like Him. My spirit cries out for His reign upon the earth putting an end to all the suffering, sorrow, and sin. If I stay on this road less traveled, my future with Him is secured; if I deviate from it, my future is truly uncertain.

Things of the here and now take our focus and energy for today. They often distract us or tempt us away from our true purpose and what is truly important. It often seems like the 'right thing' at the time. But to focus on things unseen means life eternal in ways beyond our imagination. My prayer for us lies in His power and strength and His hope for tomorrow....

I pray for you as you struggle and stand strong and stay steadfast with me today!