On being sent

'As the Father has sent Me, I also send you' (John 20:21). The idea of being sent is an important one. A representative is sent on behalf of her company, an ambassador is sent on behalf of his country. Those who are sent have authority but only as they represent the sender. A police officer's authority is different when she is in uniform on duty to when she is out of uniform and off duty. The setting of conditions and the giving of abilities to carry out and enforce the task is not the responsibilty of the sent but of the Sender. We as Christians have been enpowered, and our power comes from the one that sent us. Our authority as Christians comes from being the 'sent' we represent Christ, but only as long as we function in His authority.

Thankful Thursday No 4

I've been going through one of those reflective, melancholic periods. A time when I just want to tell God everything, to unburden myself. So much is going on in the world and I don't know about you but the anxiety is almost tangible. I understand how frustrated Solomon must have felt when you look at the way things are, some things just aren't fair - there are things I will definately want to ask the Lord about when I see Him, but until then I'll just trust Him. I heard today that someone who I must admit I didn't know very well but who was part of a wide circle of church friends growing up in the UK, died of cancer. She must be have been in her late thirties, my heart goes out to her husband and I feel sad. I am reminded of my own mortality and that everyday is not a right but a blessing.

On this Thankful Thursday I thank God for the blessing of life And I thank God that this life with all its problems and issues is not the be all and end all or else we would be men most miserable. Possibly this is what Solomon missed, But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1Cor 2:9(NKJ)

I thank God for people who love me and go out of the way to show me, with a phone call or a gift, with a email forward.

Remember! Pray one for another. We need it

Thanks to Iris By Grace Alone for the Thankful Thursday Inspiration.

Call her Woman

Gen 2:18-23
18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh;
22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
(RSV)

Like it or not this is God’s word. It wasn’t easy getting it to us, getting men to have the Sprit to hear it, then to write it, then to preserve it, no only God could have made that happened. This word has come through fire, war, heresy, just to get to us, right here, right now! It cost lives. So what was so important? What is God saying?

Call her Woman, is a paraphrase of the above ‘her name is Woman’. It’s easy to forget who you are, not your birth name but who you are, and whose you are. It easy because others forget who you are, they overlook you in promotion, they don’t introduce you at gatherings, they don’t recognise your talents and abilities, but God in this narrative wants to remind you you are ‘woman’. God himself took time to create and fashion you. Your make up is such that you are the only companion that is suitable for man. Yes, there are particular aspects that a dog or a cat can imitate, but as a woman you are the only one who is 100% spot on in everyway. You can’t be replaced, you can’t be substituted. Adam found that out in the garden. God presented Adam with every animal imaginable with all their qualities and abilities but both Adam and God knew none was acceptable for the task of being with man. Only you!

You are unique in all creation, specially brought into being for the qualities, abilities, persona and traits that you alone have. You’re a living, thinking soul who God wants to have relationship with.

Pray one for another. We need it

Thankful Thursday No 3

"This is the day the Lord has made..." Psalm 118:24

He made it and isn't it just a wonderful day! Yes it is. It's Thursday and I have had my exam and I feel a lot better about it than I felt this time last week.

So I am thankful to God for getting me through this exam without losing my senses.

I am thankful to God for my mum - she is well....... words are not enough - anyway she is seventy next birthday and had a physical and has no diabetes, no cholesterol, no blood pressure and she is enjoying life. She needs to lose some weight though so she's bought herself an exercise bike!!

She is a woman who believes in the ability of God to do all things and she has passed that on to me. She had to bring up five of us on her own and things weren't easy but she made it so that we were never aware of hard things were. She was and is faithful to her God and I believe that God rewards faithfulness in different ways and I believe her health is just one of those ways.

I am thankful for my husband who I love coming home to, sharing things with, laughing with and being with.

Thankful for my beautiful children, who bring real joy - and challenge - to my life. I learn so much from them. 'Just chill' is good advice sometimes.

I am thankful to God for His grace, for loving someone like me.

Thanks to Iris By Grace Alone for the Thankful Thursday Inspiration.



Pray one for another. We need it

Amazing Love!

As we begin to think about going to service and all the things that that means. Let us pray for those in,
Iran (have a look at this article about two Christians just freed from prison) Pakistan, China and many other places in the world for whom even speaking the name of Jesus could mean death. As these brothers and sisters meet together to worship and fellowship let's pray for their protection and for strength to continue despite the every day opposition. What amazing love!

Lets pray for men and women who have chosen to leave their countries of safety to share the great joy that they have found in Jesus with those who are unreached. Pray that God will provide for them, strengthen them and give them a smile. Pray that God will cause His face to shine on them and give them peace. They have amazing love.

And as we go to our various places of worship let us shout, sing, lift our hands, bow our heads, kneel, read, sing, quietly meditate, what ever we do, do it to show our love and gratefulness to God. Do it with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our soul.

I am so thankful today not only for the freedom I have in Christ but also the freedom to worship and talk about His goodness freely and to bask in His Amazing Love. Have a blessed Sunday.

Pray one for another. We need it

Thankful Thursday No.2

I did a Hebrew test and it did not go as well as it should for lots of reasons - one being that it was online and I just could read the script, the other my mind went blank. Have you ever had that you know you know it but its as if nothing's there.
I had some good advice last week that I have taken on 'just don't worry' . I give that advice so much and most of the time I don't stress but there are times when.... well you know. But in the scheme of things a lot of things aren't that big a deal, next week will come and there is another test - well an exam! It will be OK And so today I'm thankful because its going to be OK. Someone said 'today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday, and all is well'. "Be thankful unto Him and bless is His Name" Psalm 100:4

Thanks to Iris By Grace Alone for the Thankful Thursday Inspiration.

Pray one for another. We need it.

Bill, Bills, and more Bills

Its that time of the month again!! Trying to fit the money with the bills and realising that there are more bills than money. What's possibly comforting -I said possibly-is knowing that most people are in the same position. Listening to the news this week there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the bailout isn't going to happen - at least not yet. It makes me think that this is why Jesus said 'Seek first the Kingdom', He is sooo clever! Change your focus. Put your efforts into those things that are eternal and unchanging. To my mind it doesn't mean we should just pretend that the economic situation isn't important. Too many people are being adverseley affected by it. But if we concentrate on it too much it will 'do your head in' - to use a Britsh phrase. The book of Judges tells of a time when Samson came across a lion and as lions do he roared - Samson was about to be dinner. Samson however kills the lion and days later finds honey in the carcass .... a carcass - something that was dead and depleted. The source was not the carcass but God. That same God will provide for us from things that are dead and depleted from the last place we would think of, because He can. Don't look at the circumstance look to the Source. He will provide.

Pray one for another. We need it

Thankful Thursday No.1

I am now officially starting 'Thankful Thursdays' at 'Call Her Woman'.  As you know this blog in essence gives God thanks for being who I am. If for nothing else ladies (and gentlemen) give God thanks for making you you.  Unique in everyway. I think the orginiator of this idea is a lady called Iris (Sting to my Heart)and I thank God for her, I hope I'm not misunderstanding her but she would really like to live somewhere else, but is finding reasons to praise God anyhow! There is an old song that says 'count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done' Maaaan, it can take an effort to name those blessings as it's much easier to count all the the things that are working against us.  I for one know that if it were not for the grace of my Father who loved me, well this blog would not be as it is.  I travelled from my home to Alexandria, Virginia a three hour journey, and I am still here, so I'm thankful.  I know I have things still to do, lives still to touch, things to say  so I am thankful for the opportunity.  "Thank you Lord for one more Thursday". Thank the Lord just for one thing right now.

Pray one for another. We need it

I am wonderfully made

Ps 139:14-17
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous-- and how well I know it.15 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion!16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!17 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can't even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me! (The Living Bible)


I get annoyed when people abuse their bodies, and christians need to realise that this body is not only the carrier of great treasure but it is the only means by which the gospel is going to reach the rest of the world. We often forget what a work of creative genius we are. Science is the most powerful tool that we have for studying the natural world, including ourselves. But science has a huge failing (well at least one), it doesn't necessarily help us to understand God. In fact, rather than having a PhD in science all that we need is a tiniest amount of faith. Where science stops faith takes over. A case in point is the study of genes or genome. This aspect of science can tell us a lot about our biological nature, the ‘mechanical’ parts but what it can't tell us is why there is in almost every human being an inherent longing for God. DNA does not answer where we get our sense of right and wrong from, neither our urge to –for the most part anyway- do the right thing, even to the extent of risking our own life to save another. This is the exact opposite of evolution. Evolution advocates survival of the fittest, dog eat dog. It is these and other aspects of humanity that let us know that we are more than chemicals and DNA, there is a spiritual part to our nature.* The writer in the Genesis passage lets us know the source of this spiritual nature, it is the life of our Creator.





So as far as is possible lets look after ourselves because you and I are so wonderfully made.


Pray one for another. We need it!





*www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/October1/2.42

Enough is enough.

Have you got fed up enough of the state of things in your marriage, in your family, at your work place, in your body, in your community, even dare I say it in your church, to say "that's it, that's enough, this means war!" Have you found that as gifted and anointed as we are as Christians those things that we have tried to fix through good counsel, through medicine, through trying to be better those things "rather grow worse". You see what we're going through may not be physical! There's a war going on beyond Iraq, beyond Russia, it is the war for our personal peace. And when we get fed up enough we'll ask God for the whole armour so that we will be protected from those things that come to capture our peace and destroy us . The words of this song sung by CeCe Winans says 'anoint my hands anoint my feet' to do war to take back what the enemy has stolen from us.

Living with Differences

(the above picture is my friend who waited many years for this day)

21 years [and one day] I can't believe it. Looking back I didn't think too much about married life and definitely not 21 years of it. The first three years I think were hardest because both of us came to realize that we were so different. We shared the same interests, love for God, church , ministry, education, traveling, reading but you don't live in church, you aren't continually traveling or reading. The majority of the time it was us - together - a lot of the time. Our emphases and priorities were often dissimilar.We had to deal with our disparities .These of course were points of tension. It is precisely these points of tension that the enemy highlights in our minds, he plays them over and over - I don't know if it is the same for men, it would be interesting to find out. He did the same to Eve, he allowed her to concentrate on what she didn't have thereby losing focus on what she did. I know now that it was the grace of God that kept us together at those times. It was then and is now the enemy's desire to 'sift us like wheat' and if Jesus doesn't make intercession for us we wont make it, left to our own devices we will bite that apple and then be forced to live with the consequences.
That said making the dissimilar and the similar mould together until you can't see where the dissimilarities and the similarities are is a mystery - and an on going process. The creation of marriage is a Godly one, it's not mass produced by robots but one that involves not only the Creator but also the creation. I guess the best anology is not really clay but wood. A good carpenter can look at the grain and the markings on a piece of wood and know how to craft it in order to bring out its inner beauty but some quite harsh tools are used to bring about that final work.

Pray one for another. We need it!

21 today, 21 today

Today I am celebrating my 21st wedding anniversary - yea I know life sentences are shorter :). No, it's not because I'm married to the perfect man (though he did give me a dozen roses and a card first thing this morning, that played 'How sweet it is to be loved by you'- no hatin' now) and it's not that I'm the perfect wife - [Even though after making us God said everything that was made was now very good...not perfect-close though :)].

There were many occasions when I felt I wanted out and I'm sure my husband felt the same way but we are still here and I am celebrating it, reflecting on the past years and thanking God for today - I don't take it for granted.

Question for you. Is deciding to part company the easy way out? (I'm not talking out of abusive relationships thats a no brainer!)



Pray one for another! We need it.

marriage
anniversary
divorce

Try Something New

I've just come from a 'Point of Grace' concert. I'm a gospel music lover, there I admit it. My mum owned a Mahalia Jackson vinyl record which I listened to over and over - oh and she did own a Charlie Pride record as well, I forgot about that. I learned every word and nuance of Mahalia's recording. I attended a 'black church' as a child which caused my love of gospel music grow even more.

About six years ago I bought a 3CD set of Darlene Zschech and I was smitten. My love of gospel didn't wane, it broadened. But I remember a time when I wouldn't have given that genre a hearing - to me gospel was the only music that moved you, it was music that could take you into 'His Presence' but now I wondered how much of this had I missed out on. Point of Grace sang 'On Gods Green Earth' and 'How You Live', fabulous songs! I kept thinking why had I not paid more attention to this group before I comforted myself with one of my well used adages 'nothing happens before the time' and its what I do now that matters. How many times do we close ourselves off to all things new, things that broaden our horizons, things that may possibly open a door that we should really walk through. We can miss out on so many opportunities because we are set in our ways. 'Can't teach an old dog new tricks' and all that... When my children were small they didn't like the taste of cream, and avacado and hummos but I kept letting them try it and as they got older their tastes developed and things that they once disliked now they enjoy - at least some of them. Is it time to try something different? To meet someone from outside of your 'everyday'? To learn a new skill? To develop that talent? Don't leave it one more day make a move. Pray one for another - we need it!

Point of Grace gospel music new beginnings

I need a word

I am doing a Biblical Hebrew course at the moment which is extremely intense. But one of the wonderful thing about doing a course like this is the way that God makes himself known. Every week we have to learn the meanings of and how to say 40 Hebrew words. It takes a lot of time and there always seem to be two words that won't stick in your mind. One of the words I learnt this week was "ne-um" which means revelation, utterance, announcement.

There are times we need a revelation, an announcement not from journatlists, politicians, life coaches or therapists, we just want one announcement from our Source. Something that will give us encouragement to take just one more step, to get through just one more day. It is comforting to know that He speaks through his word, but there are times we need the Holy Spirit to burn in our hearts. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus we want to not only hear the word but to feel. As we share out desire with God ask that He will respond with an utterance. Pray one for another.

hearing from God

I Will Finish

We all need to keep fit, no matter what size we are. Hezekiah challenged God, he told him that the grave could not praise Him, in other words 'I'm no use to you dead God, so don't allow me to die right now.' The same goes for if we don't keep our bodies active. God can't use a body that just can't go. I know that there are some ailments and disabilites that are outside our control but there are some that are well in our control, you know I'm right. Walk 20 minutes a day - 10 minutes away from the house and 10 minutes back home. Over the days and weeks increase the pace and as you get more comfortable increase the time. It is also a time when the Holy Spirit can speak to you. I was on a walk which turned into a run and I was determined to run for twenty minutes, five minutes went by and I was out of breath I felt I couldn't go on. I told myself just another 5 minutes, still our of breath I continued and as the time passed I told my self 'you've only got ten minutes to go,just try to go another five minutes....' I ran for the full twenty minutes. I thought how many times the enemy makes us think we can't go a step further, its too much now, I can't take anymore rejection, I can't take one more dissappointment, no more bad news. At that moment it feels that we can't, but we can and we can because in our weakness our God shows how strong He is. He is strong enough to carry us through those dissapointments. And you know, there is an added bonus. When I was running I was increasing my endurance, so the next time I can may be able to run for 25 minutes. When we overcome we are stronger, wiser, better. You see how you start is not questioned it is not even how you finish but if you finish. Speak to yourself I will finish! Pray one for another......
Labels: pray, women

What great women these Christians have.....

Time has gone so fast it was over a year ago that I wrote anything on my blog and so much has happened. As I go on I'll share things that have happened over past year, but now I have to deal with the now. Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama and now Sarah Palin have been thrust into our psyche and regardless of your politics its great to see women overcoming barriers and being agents of change and challenging women to think about what they can do. I remember when Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of England, living in Britain at the time I am ashamed to say I was a little uncertain about a women leading the country, but I grew to admire this woman for her determination and grit. She was and is known as the 'Iron Lady'. She was tough but she was still a lady. I've been in the States a few months now and I see that God is calling women at such an incredible rate and these women are doing great things for God. I have just recieved an article in 'Gospel Today' about female pastors, Sheryl Brady, Tamara Bennett, Kimberley Ray to name a few. These women are leading churches yea with all the joys and acolade that that brings but also with the pressure, stress and opposition that come with being not only in leadership but a woman in leadership. I applaud these women and every woman who leads a Sunday School class, a bible study, a prayer group. God has called you and me into the Kingdom for this present time. Its the best of times and yet it is the worst of times let us continue to pray one for another.