Started the day the best way - Papa Ken time :o) And then breakfast... and then awesome “God time” by myself at the lake! Our morning meeting was with Matt Peterson today, who is the pastor of the church we’ve been visiting (Awake Church). He was speaking about how important it is to understand how God sees me – the VALUE of me! Psalm 139 – Every one of my days has already been written down. My story started 6000 years ago, with Adam. Ever since then, God has invested SO much in getting me here – my seed has been protected generation to generation. Think about all the plagues, diseases, disasters that have happened over the centuries – but we have made it through. Even the fact that the specific sperm that made me reached the egg before the others!!! You have already won a really important race in your life, HA HA! God has invested so much into me, that He WILL provide everything I need to walk out what remains.
· Jealousy will keep you from filling the spot that God has created for you especially. Allow the Holy Spirit to make the adjustments to you – don’t try to fix yourself. My job is to go for it, to live life to the fullest – and listen out to the Holy spirit who will make adjustments along the way. Let him come and gently correct you, gently point out where you’ve gone wrong. When it comes to other people – always be generous with kindness and affection, and let God do the convicting.
· Often the things we fear the most (or feel the least equipped for) are actually the things we are called to. Never back down on the face of fear – it is just a facade! Anything you own, you can get rid of. Own your fears, recognise them; and then hand them over to God. Make a plan to do the opposite of whatever fear wants you to do – not in your own strength, but in the strength of the One who has given us the power to overcome fear.
· Say yes to the invitations of the Lord. The Lord leads, the devil drives. If you’re feeling forced into something – that’s not Love, that’s not how God works. What are the things that burn in my heart? How can I get going with them? Ask the Holy Spirit for ideas, then marinade them in thought and prayer. Chat them through with people who have faith! People without faith will crush those ideas. God invites us to step forward, and then He’ll bring along other people who have similar dreams in their hearts. Sometimes I have to take a risk and step out, so that dreams in other people’s hearts can be awakened. I must not do this from my own wounds. Don’t form your ministry out of reaction to something! We should RESPOND to God’s invitation, not REACT to our wounds/disappointments etc.
· Be ready to constantly exchange – all my worry, anxiety, disbelief, burdens etc for all He has – grace, peace, rest etc. we need to live with the same knowledge Jesus lived with – I am a son/daughter. I am loved. I am pleasing to my Father. Worry should NOT be a part of my family – it is a sin. God wants to take care of us, He delights in it – we need to let him! We are to “abide in Him” – this means we are part of His life now, His “juice” flows through us, and bearing fruit becomes effortless.
· Sometimes when we’re in a place where it seems like God is silent, it is actually confirmation that we are in the right place! You are exactly where you are meant to be – keep going flat out! He will direct you if you go wrong. Don’t allow doubt to come in. Think of Jesus on the cross, alone, dying – he could’ve allowed doubt to come in: Does the Father really love me? Does He care? Why is He not speaking? But He didn’t once doubt that He was loved, and that the Father’s heart was for him. There is a time to wait for direction, but often, it is time to just start navigating in silence. God can steer us better once we’re actually moving :o)
· Practical things to do: write down all your fears, and then hand them over to God. Next, write down all your dreams. Let them be BIG!
After lunch we had a moment in the art room with our history books. We had to think of a moment we wanted to remember, and then capture that memory. This gives significance to those moments, and allows us to look back on them and remember what God did and said in those times. I chose the evening with the luminaries out on the field :o) After that I got a chance to do some playing away on the piano, which was great! We had pizza for supper because we (the students – staff were having an evening together) headed out soon after to a “dollar theatre” for a movie (Rio). Was great to have some chilled time together! We visited a restaurant called Cookout afterwards... American restaurants are crazy, ha ha! But it was fun being with everyone :o) I love the rhythms here – we can allow God to do deep stuff in our heart, and then immediately afterwards laugh our heads off with friends! It doesn’t have to be all serious all the time, because that’s just not who God is! Phew! :o)
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