Resurrexi
Plain day,
fog tries to hide the east:
sun/SON.
life opens shrouded eyes, early.
Easter Day, one more time.
Life roared through,
Death was stung itself.
A plain day made the biggest promise.
Soon.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
In the Midst of the Chaos I Almost Forgot Imagine's Big News!
I realized many years ago when illness or injury would overtake our family that normal routines would have to stop, or at very the least adjusted to make room for helping. Care-giving and recuperating necessarily took center stage in the household. When a family member lies stricken, family life just has to re-orient, at least for a bit.
Well wouldn't you know, Tricia's surprise illness came in with such a roar I paid little attention to getting out imagine/Northampton's big news - I know, you are probably thinking: "well, duuh!" I agree.
But while things are settling down some, here is what I was going to tell you:
Imagine/Northampton will soon have a new home right on Main Street. We are relocating our offices from 16 Armory Street, just around the corner to 70 Main Street where we live. We are moving into the offices on the second floor below us!
A number of reasons influenced our decision. First, we want to have a presence as a church right on Main Street as we prayed years ago. God opened the way to live on Main Street, now we can work there as well.
The offices give us more space. We have been worshiping at our crib for 5 weeks, but when we get near 20 in our living room, people have to climb over each other to find a seat - not good. We have no room to grow and it already is uncomfortably crowded. With downstairs not only will we have office space for counseling, and spiritual direction, but we also have a reception area, small kitchenette and bathroom.
The coolest feature is the front room overlooking Main Street. It has gallery lighting and enough space to house the imagine/Band and 35-40 people. We can do worship there as well as art showings, or teaching on other nights during the week. The kids can be in the reception area, and we can even use our apartment upstairs for teens when we have them.
We will not have to schlep equipment or set up and take down the room every time like we did at the Northampton Center for the Arts. We will not have to pay for a separate worship space, which became prohibitive when we went weekly.We will be located and contained in one space. Imagine/Northampton will have its own identity and we will get our crib back on Sundays.
Most importantly, we think that as a church we will have a place. Yea., I know the building is not the church. I have gotten that for a long time, But a location just creates a sense of permanence and identity. Also, in the original vision God gave we have a very distinctive place which captures what we are about in serving the city.
Not having a space has given us the curious feel of being displaced and impermanent, as if we are not really an actual church. We are something, but not a church. Funny thing is, other people have not been able to see us as a church either. That will change with this space. We will still do what we do to serve the city, but from a central location part of the time.
I need to add we are taking somewhat of a risk to move. The space is more expensive, but when you factor in having to rent to worship space and also keep our offices on Armory Street, the increase is doable. This will especially be the case as we grow.
Our lease ends at the Armory Street offices on April 15th, so we will need to hustle in the next two weeks.
So here is what we ask you to do:
1. Pray God would bless and show us favor in this move, that he would grow our redemptive influence in Northampton because of it and grow our numbers.
2. Consider sending $35/month for a year to help offset the increased costs. You can use PayPal on our website: www.imaginenorthampton.org, or send us a check: c/o imagine/Northampton, P.O. Box 268, Northampton, MA. Your gifts are fully tax deductible.
3. Help us with our move on or about April 15th.
4. Ask what we need to furnish the space, especially the worship space. Consider donating that stuff.
5. Come to one of our worships after we move in.
Needless to say, we are excited by what God has opened to us. May it be the beginning of the next leg of our missional journey here. We all feel hopeful it will mark a substantial move forward.
It feels right to us and the Holy Spirit.
May such a simple move make a huge difference in the lives of many here.
May God establish his Kingdom work through our hands and be glorified.
Well wouldn't you know, Tricia's surprise illness came in with such a roar I paid little attention to getting out imagine/Northampton's big news - I know, you are probably thinking: "well, duuh!" I agree.
But while things are settling down some, here is what I was going to tell you:
Imagine/Northampton will soon have a new home right on Main Street. We are relocating our offices from 16 Armory Street, just around the corner to 70 Main Street where we live. We are moving into the offices on the second floor below us!
A number of reasons influenced our decision. First, we want to have a presence as a church right on Main Street as we prayed years ago. God opened the way to live on Main Street, now we can work there as well.
The offices give us more space. We have been worshiping at our crib for 5 weeks, but when we get near 20 in our living room, people have to climb over each other to find a seat - not good. We have no room to grow and it already is uncomfortably crowded. With downstairs not only will we have office space for counseling, and spiritual direction, but we also have a reception area, small kitchenette and bathroom.
The coolest feature is the front room overlooking Main Street. It has gallery lighting and enough space to house the imagine/Band and 35-40 people. We can do worship there as well as art showings, or teaching on other nights during the week. The kids can be in the reception area, and we can even use our apartment upstairs for teens when we have them.
We will not have to schlep equipment or set up and take down the room every time like we did at the Northampton Center for the Arts. We will not have to pay for a separate worship space, which became prohibitive when we went weekly.We will be located and contained in one space. Imagine/Northampton will have its own identity and we will get our crib back on Sundays.
Most importantly, we think that as a church we will have a place. Yea., I know the building is not the church. I have gotten that for a long time, But a location just creates a sense of permanence and identity. Also, in the original vision God gave we have a very distinctive place which captures what we are about in serving the city.
Not having a space has given us the curious feel of being displaced and impermanent, as if we are not really an actual church. We are something, but not a church. Funny thing is, other people have not been able to see us as a church either. That will change with this space. We will still do what we do to serve the city, but from a central location part of the time.
I need to add we are taking somewhat of a risk to move. The space is more expensive, but when you factor in having to rent to worship space and also keep our offices on Armory Street, the increase is doable. This will especially be the case as we grow.
Our lease ends at the Armory Street offices on April 15th, so we will need to hustle in the next two weeks.
So here is what we ask you to do:
1. Pray God would bless and show us favor in this move, that he would grow our redemptive influence in Northampton because of it and grow our numbers.
2. Consider sending $35/month for a year to help offset the increased costs. You can use PayPal on our website: www.imaginenorthampton.org, or send us a check: c/o imagine/Northampton, P.O. Box 268, Northampton, MA. Your gifts are fully tax deductible.
3. Help us with our move on or about April 15th.
4. Ask what we need to furnish the space, especially the worship space. Consider donating that stuff.
5. Come to one of our worships after we move in.
Needless to say, we are excited by what God has opened to us. May it be the beginning of the next leg of our missional journey here. We all feel hopeful it will mark a substantial move forward.
It feels right to us and the Holy Spirit.
May such a simple move make a huge difference in the lives of many here.
May God establish his Kingdom work through our hands and be glorified.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
When Unexpected Illness Intrudes.
Last Saturday when I took my wife Tricia to the ER, Jesus gave me the following verse early in the morning:
The entire week prior I was texting Scriptures on trusting God to Tricia, my kids, and a few others I have committed to. Here was another one one:
Tricia and I have been interrupted by illness many times in our life together, whether it was with our kids, our parents, or ourselves. We commented on the number of hospital stays we have had over the years. Each time it happens I'm always reminded of how intrusive they are. Normal life radically interrupts. The focus switches from getting on with things to stopping and getting better.
Here are some patterns I notice:
1. Because we have been self-employed for most of our lives together, when illness interrupts, work is interrupted and we experience financial stress sometimes lasting well beyond the actual illness. Chaos intrudes.
2. Fear always tries to settle in and make things worse. Worry wants to take hold and drag us into despair or doubting God's attention, power to deliver, and goodness toward us.
3. I really hate watching those I love suffer. I passionately death in all its forms. I wish I could take their suffering and bear it for them.
4. The rhythms of illness, care-giving and recuperation take center stage until healing is complete. There's no getting around it. You just have to get through. Waiting seems to be a common feature with illness: waiting for news of what is happening and what needs to be done to get better. Waiting for test results. Waiting for docs to weigh-in. Waiting for healing and recovery to take place.
5. The depth of my love for the people God grants me to share life with is manifested in ways different from other seasons and activities of life. It reminds me how much I love and appreciate them.
6. Illness brings out the best in people who interrupt their daily lives to pray, show up at the hospital, take care of needs and offer all sorts of support. Church happens.
7. God demonstrates his faithfulness in ways distinct from ordinary life. It seems his Presence manifests in remarkably revealing a creativity and breadth of resourcefulness I don't often notice in other areas of my life. I always have stories to tell of what God did in our weakest moments. Sometimes they are breath-taking.
Illness will always feel an enemy to me. It steals time, money and strength from us. But God shows up to confront this enemy on our behalf. Illness and injury cause life to take unexpected turns which we must endure as God walks us through them. He has the way forward.
In the end, I have seen healing and care. I've also seen death result. All of it can beckon us to see the need for fundamental change whether it's slowing down, taking better care of ourselves, or appreciating our seasons of "normalcy."
I would rather not go through these intrusions, but I have and will again. May they keep me nearer Jesus and those who are gifts to me beyond understanding.
Now its back to the hospital and my beloved.
"He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD."Little did I know bad news was fixin' to show up at my doorstep in a few hours. God gave me a heads-up. Hindsight let me realize it. I'm grateful.
The entire week prior I was texting Scriptures on trusting God to Tricia, my kids, and a few others I have committed to. Here was another one one:
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever for the LORD God is an everlasting rock."It seems God was laying spiritual groundwork for what we are going through now. He was saying illness was about to forcefully intrude and I must stay focused on trusting him period. He would get us through no matter the outcome.
Tricia and I have been interrupted by illness many times in our life together, whether it was with our kids, our parents, or ourselves. We commented on the number of hospital stays we have had over the years. Each time it happens I'm always reminded of how intrusive they are. Normal life radically interrupts. The focus switches from getting on with things to stopping and getting better.
Here are some patterns I notice:
1. Because we have been self-employed for most of our lives together, when illness interrupts, work is interrupted and we experience financial stress sometimes lasting well beyond the actual illness. Chaos intrudes.
2. Fear always tries to settle in and make things worse. Worry wants to take hold and drag us into despair or doubting God's attention, power to deliver, and goodness toward us.
3. I really hate watching those I love suffer. I passionately death in all its forms. I wish I could take their suffering and bear it for them.
4. The rhythms of illness, care-giving and recuperation take center stage until healing is complete. There's no getting around it. You just have to get through. Waiting seems to be a common feature with illness: waiting for news of what is happening and what needs to be done to get better. Waiting for test results. Waiting for docs to weigh-in. Waiting for healing and recovery to take place.
5. The depth of my love for the people God grants me to share life with is manifested in ways different from other seasons and activities of life. It reminds me how much I love and appreciate them.
6. Illness brings out the best in people who interrupt their daily lives to pray, show up at the hospital, take care of needs and offer all sorts of support. Church happens.
7. God demonstrates his faithfulness in ways distinct from ordinary life. It seems his Presence manifests in remarkably revealing a creativity and breadth of resourcefulness I don't often notice in other areas of my life. I always have stories to tell of what God did in our weakest moments. Sometimes they are breath-taking.
Illness will always feel an enemy to me. It steals time, money and strength from us. But God shows up to confront this enemy on our behalf. Illness and injury cause life to take unexpected turns which we must endure as God walks us through them. He has the way forward.
In the end, I have seen healing and care. I've also seen death result. All of it can beckon us to see the need for fundamental change whether it's slowing down, taking better care of ourselves, or appreciating our seasons of "normalcy."
I would rather not go through these intrusions, but I have and will again. May they keep me nearer Jesus and those who are gifts to me beyond understanding.
Now its back to the hospital and my beloved.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
I'm Pretty Sure We Don't Have REDEMPTIVE TRACTION Just Yet.
traction, n 1. the adhesive friction of a body on some surface, as a wheel on a rail or a tire on a road. 2. the state of being drawn or pulled.
adhesive, adj 1. clinging; tenacious; sticking fast.
friction, n 1. Mech., Physics. the resistance of a surface to the relative motion, as sliding or rolling of a body moving a long a given surface.
Been thinking of late about what if any Kingdom effect we actually have on the people of Northampton, especially those who disdain calling themselves Jesus-followers.
Another way to put it: Do we have any discernible REDEMPTIVE TRACTION?
Not just yet . . . if you measure it by adhesive friction which enables gaining forward movement because we are sticking fast in the consciousness of the city, i.e, we are becoming known and accepted as Jesus-followers. And because of that, people are opening to the One we follow.
Case in point: yesterday after a brief breakfast at Sylvester's with Tricia, I stopped by the Chamber of Commerce to inquire as to how to become a member. I was right there, so I popped in. I introduced myself to the Member Services Manager. She asked who I was with. I told her imagine/Northampton, a new church in town. She said, "Oh, I have not heard of you." We've been here 2 years in July.
I've heard the same response a number of times. Our advertising budget has been a pittance at best so we've not used the usual channels to get the word out. We've not had a familiar presence to most people in town. Our presence is better recognized by the Christian community here, but they're not the people we are most trying to serve.
To be fair, I should note we're recognized by a small number of street musicians and homeless folks because we talk to them often and serve them at the Interfaith Shelter monthly. There are few others in town as well. But that constitutes little traction in my estimation.
So what do I think redemptive traction would look like? Before I tell you, I'm aware much redemptive traction is more than likely developing beyond our sight where the Holy Spirit is putting necessary pieces in place before the observable manifests. I know the Kingdom works that way.
Here are a few markers:
1. We become familiar and safe enough that people talk of their spirituality with us. They see us as people like them with weaknesses, hopes, passions, convictions, losses and sorrows.
2. They invite us into their worlds. We work together on voluntary efforts serving the people of the city or help them do something they need doing.
3. We have more conversations about why we're convinced Christianity is true. Our relationships with people in town evolve to that level of discourse.
4. Some of them become intrigued enough to come to worship. They see us as authentic and humble, so trust grows into real relationship and they want to discover our world because we've taken their world seriously.
5. They come to know Jesus and learn to follow him with us. Slowly, they are inspired to invite people they know to open to Christ and follow him because of how he changed their story.
6. They grow to develop and use their gifts in Kingdom loving and serving with us.
7. They embrace being a follower of Jesus in Northampton as their Primary Identity.
8. Over time, imagine/Northampton grows in numbers to the point where we have a physical space on Main Street, a "third place" for students, artists, intellectuals, business people, musicians, young families, street people and older folks to find refreshing, conversation, and, oh yeah, a church happens to meet there too.
So there's a little of what I mean by redemptive traction. We would be making a substantial difference in the lives of people who Jesus loves and desires for them to know him. In addition, we'd be characterized as a group of people who love and serve "the least of these," Christ's brethren whether they chose to follow him or not. He is the one opening people's eyes and convicting them of a need to change. We just live focused on loving and serving.
We are here for this.
And I realize we are on the way. Even though, sometimes spiritual friction seems to nullify the traction needed to move forward, in reality, it doesn't. I know the Holy Spirit eventually overcomes all that stands in the way of establishing his mission in Northampton - on our watch or later.
He is the ultimate REDEMPTIVE TRACTION.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sitting with Old Men of God The Other Day.
All my life I've had the blessing of being near men and women well in years who were full of life even though they were sometimes in their late 80's. Beyond the expected limitations of getting older, they lived with vigor. They still had deep fascination for being alive and were constantly about pursuits reflecting what they cared for most. If they could think straight and get out of bed in the morning, they were getting important stuff done.
This week, I had the privilege to sit in the company of men in their 70's, 80's and 90's who have followed Christ for decades.
I was taken by their presence, passion and praying.
Just being near men who served Jesus for many years and faced life's storms whether infirmity, financial or professional stresses, family problems, seasons of questioning and doubt, struggles with sin, church craziness or the loss of spouses, opened my eyes to what godly aging could look like. I recognized a certain weathered grace in them.They had a bearing forged by years of walking with Jesus. Years of service to the Gospel sculpted deep lines in them, lines of godly meaning easy to see and hear.
Equally ingratiating was the passion still flowing from them as they talked of the primacy of Jesus, their fascination with the mission of the Gospel, and the need for unity in the Church around him and his mission. They spoke as men still running hard for the prize, fueled by their longing to see his Kingdom come in this generation. While their fire was encased in old mens' bodies, their hearts were as a younger man's. In fact, they seemed as much dedicated to the cause of Christ as they had ever been, perhaps even more.
Then there was the way they prayed. Their voices had the physical tenor and tone of an old man, but their words had the quiet fire of warriors. They prayed for the things of God to be made manifest in this sorry world. You could hear the desire and conviction. These men are closer to the end of their races than maybe I am, but their fervency remains vibrant and virile. They prayed in earnest.
I hope to be like them if God grants me fullness of years. I tell people these days I want to be running harder for the laurel crown at the end of my days than when I began. By God's grace and my cooperation there will be no sauntering or jogging into the finish line for me. While life's injuries and scars may require me to limp or even crawl in, I want to be moving forward as hard as I can.
I hope someday my life will reflect what I saw in these white-haired men. May my loyalty to Jesus and his way show the same grace and winsome dignity to younger men and women as did theirs to me.
Not for my honor, but for his.
Make me able, Jesus.
This week, I had the privilege to sit in the company of men in their 70's, 80's and 90's who have followed Christ for decades.
I was taken by their presence, passion and praying.
Just being near men who served Jesus for many years and faced life's storms whether infirmity, financial or professional stresses, family problems, seasons of questioning and doubt, struggles with sin, church craziness or the loss of spouses, opened my eyes to what godly aging could look like. I recognized a certain weathered grace in them.They had a bearing forged by years of walking with Jesus. Years of service to the Gospel sculpted deep lines in them, lines of godly meaning easy to see and hear.
Equally ingratiating was the passion still flowing from them as they talked of the primacy of Jesus, their fascination with the mission of the Gospel, and the need for unity in the Church around him and his mission. They spoke as men still running hard for the prize, fueled by their longing to see his Kingdom come in this generation. While their fire was encased in old mens' bodies, their hearts were as a younger man's. In fact, they seemed as much dedicated to the cause of Christ as they had ever been, perhaps even more.
Then there was the way they prayed. Their voices had the physical tenor and tone of an old man, but their words had the quiet fire of warriors. They prayed for the things of God to be made manifest in this sorry world. You could hear the desire and conviction. These men are closer to the end of their races than maybe I am, but their fervency remains vibrant and virile. They prayed in earnest.
I hope to be like them if God grants me fullness of years. I tell people these days I want to be running harder for the laurel crown at the end of my days than when I began. By God's grace and my cooperation there will be no sauntering or jogging into the finish line for me. While life's injuries and scars may require me to limp or even crawl in, I want to be moving forward as hard as I can.
I hope someday my life will reflect what I saw in these white-haired men. May my loyalty to Jesus and his way show the same grace and winsome dignity to younger men and women as did theirs to me.
Not for my honor, but for his.
Make me able, Jesus.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A Surprising Realization in Northampton.
What are you up to Jesus?
Some of you who have been close to the adventure we are on know that Tricia and I prayed in Simsbury a year before we came to the Pioneer Valley he would put imagine/Northampton smack dab in the center of Northampton. And, we wanted to be right on Main Street; right in the center of it all.
When we moved in the summer of 2008, we moved into Rev. James Taylor's house in Sunderland, 20 minutes north of Northampton. It was a necessary detour I have realized in hindsight. He also gave us offices just off Main Street, and only 90 seconds from where he would give us to live next. So in the summer of 2009 he opened 70 Main Street to us. The apartment, what I call our "crib," (homage to mny being a jazz musician in the late 60's and through the 70's), is right in the center of town where Main Street intersects with Pleasant and King Streets. The building is on the southeaster corner of a crossroads in the center of town, on Main Street! God answered our prayer and then some!
When we first moved in, more than one Jesus-follower noted the "strategic" significance of God putting us right in the middle of the city. They saw it as the beginning of something profound God was up to. Not only are we living on Main Street at a crossroads, but we are just across the street from where Jonathan Edwards served as Pastor in the early 18th Century. The building he served in burned down centuries ago, but we are just across the street just the same.
While I am not equating anything we are up too as being equivalent to the First Great Awakening, I am noting something seems to be percolating. There are hints
And that is just the half of it.
Yesterday, Tricia, Jim and I met with David Pesuit, the landlord of the building where imagine/Northampton has its offices, as well as the building where we live. He owns them both. A few months ago the tenants in the office space on the second floor of 70 Main Street moved out. We have been meeting for a month at our crib for worship. We are outgrowing it already. If we have 20+ people it gets cramped. So we met David to see the second floor office as a potential next space for imagine/Northampton. As he was telling us about the space and some of the history of the building he mentioned: "Oh yeah," it also sits on the site of the very first church in Northampton. It was on this very spot in the 1600's. What?
It took a minute for me to realize we were gathering where the first Christians in Northampton gathered-at the very same crossroads. When I let the realization take hold, I was moved by the mysterious way God seems to be pulling our mission together. There hints of Kingdom design we never suspected:
1. Joseph Hawley was Jonathan Edwards cousin. Tricia's maiden name is Hawley. hawleys help settle Northampton.
2. We prayed to live in the center of the city on Main Street and here we are.
3. We live across the street from the site of meeting house where Jonathan Edwards preached, and the First Great Awakening sprung (at least one the key places in America).
4. We are meeting as a church on the very site where the first church in Northampton was gathered.
Something Kingdom wonderful seems afoot.
Lest you think I have delusions of grandeur, I don't. All of this is not just a little intimidating if I am reading the signs correctly and not coming to false conclusions. There are responsibilities that come with it, heavy responsibilities to be faithful and and diligent with our part of the deal. We need to persevere no matter the trial or testing.
What we realized yesterday also added significance to a vision Tricia saw this summer after we moved. God opened her eyes to the fact the crossroads where we live and are meeting as a church, is protected by huge warrior angels. They are stationed on the roofs of each building on each corner. In the fall, someone confirmed independently without knowing it what Tricia saw.
God is creating something and we seem to be strategically placed to play our part.
Wow! We are continuing to discover this God who is far more than we can imagine. We are experiencing what we are calling others to. I love it!
So my simple prayer is we will be faithful and obedient to what God has summoned us to at 70 Main Street. May we not miss anything he has assigned us to fulfill.
Lord Jesus, fully establish the Kingdom work of our hands entrusted to us and be glorified on our watch!
Some of you who have been close to the adventure we are on know that Tricia and I prayed in Simsbury a year before we came to the Pioneer Valley he would put imagine/Northampton smack dab in the center of Northampton. And, we wanted to be right on Main Street; right in the center of it all.
When we moved in the summer of 2008, we moved into Rev. James Taylor's house in Sunderland, 20 minutes north of Northampton. It was a necessary detour I have realized in hindsight. He also gave us offices just off Main Street, and only 90 seconds from where he would give us to live next. So in the summer of 2009 he opened 70 Main Street to us. The apartment, what I call our "crib," (homage to mny being a jazz musician in the late 60's and through the 70's), is right in the center of town where Main Street intersects with Pleasant and King Streets. The building is on the southeaster corner of a crossroads in the center of town, on Main Street! God answered our prayer and then some!
When we first moved in, more than one Jesus-follower noted the "strategic" significance of God putting us right in the middle of the city. They saw it as the beginning of something profound God was up to. Not only are we living on Main Street at a crossroads, but we are just across the street from where Jonathan Edwards served as Pastor in the early 18th Century. The building he served in burned down centuries ago, but we are just across the street just the same.
While I am not equating anything we are up too as being equivalent to the First Great Awakening, I am noting something seems to be percolating. There are hints
And that is just the half of it.
Yesterday, Tricia, Jim and I met with David Pesuit, the landlord of the building where imagine/Northampton has its offices, as well as the building where we live. He owns them both. A few months ago the tenants in the office space on the second floor of 70 Main Street moved out. We have been meeting for a month at our crib for worship. We are outgrowing it already. If we have 20+ people it gets cramped. So we met David to see the second floor office as a potential next space for imagine/Northampton. As he was telling us about the space and some of the history of the building he mentioned: "Oh yeah," it also sits on the site of the very first church in Northampton. It was on this very spot in the 1600's. What?
It took a minute for me to realize we were gathering where the first Christians in Northampton gathered-at the very same crossroads. When I let the realization take hold, I was moved by the mysterious way God seems to be pulling our mission together. There hints of Kingdom design we never suspected:
1. Joseph Hawley was Jonathan Edwards cousin. Tricia's maiden name is Hawley. hawleys help settle Northampton.
2. We prayed to live in the center of the city on Main Street and here we are.
3. We live across the street from the site of meeting house where Jonathan Edwards preached, and the First Great Awakening sprung (at least one the key places in America).
4. We are meeting as a church on the very site where the first church in Northampton was gathered.
Something Kingdom wonderful seems afoot.
Lest you think I have delusions of grandeur, I don't. All of this is not just a little intimidating if I am reading the signs correctly and not coming to false conclusions. There are responsibilities that come with it, heavy responsibilities to be faithful and and diligent with our part of the deal. We need to persevere no matter the trial or testing.
What we realized yesterday also added significance to a vision Tricia saw this summer after we moved. God opened her eyes to the fact the crossroads where we live and are meeting as a church, is protected by huge warrior angels. They are stationed on the roofs of each building on each corner. In the fall, someone confirmed independently without knowing it what Tricia saw.
God is creating something and we seem to be strategically placed to play our part.
Wow! We are continuing to discover this God who is far more than we can imagine. We are experiencing what we are calling others to. I love it!
So my simple prayer is we will be faithful and obedient to what God has summoned us to at 70 Main Street. May we not miss anything he has assigned us to fulfill.
Lord Jesus, fully establish the Kingdom work of our hands entrusted to us and be glorified on our watch!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Encountering Walter
I've been praying all the time lately, (in fact, I am praying as I write this). It comes lately in five forms
1. My variation of the Jesus Prayer:
2. Praying in tongues under my breath. I received the gift many years ago. I was not looking for it. God gave it to me at the beginning of our turn toward a life of ministry. It came in my mid-30's just after going through intense inner healing counseling for a year, and learning the spiritual discipline of listening prayer.
3. Praying the Shema (with added Great Commandment) and the Lord's Prayer.
4. General Intercession.
5. Confession.
Praying like this is having an tangible effect on me and what I am doing. For instance:
On Monday, I needed to make a bank deposit. I went to our offices on Armory Street to drop off a bag of garbage from our apartment on Main Street, just around the corner from the office. From there, I decided to walk through Thorne's Market to get to the bank.
Standing just outside the back door on the lower level of Thorne's was Walter, a tall, handsome black man who can be found most days on Main Street in Northampton playing his old guitar and singing for money even in the bitter cold. Walter knows me by name and vice versa. We have talked many times as I have been out and about on errands or heading out to meet people.
He has the gift of gab. Walter loves to talk about being a musician, about learning songs, practicing and wanting to get better. He talks a lot about that. He did on Monday too. He also showed me a milk carton he had cut in half with words he had written about being a master musician and in need of prayer - interesting combination. He seemed pleased by what he'd written. He also mentioned he had written the words to hundreds of songs, and just needed someone to help him put the music to them.
In reality, he isn't very good, but not for lack of desire.
So we struck up a brief conversation. As it took its usual turns regarding music, Walter mentioned he has stage fright. He said he could really get a song down and be singing with abandon until someone would stop and listen. He would then get very distracted and nervous. He didn't like it at all. He looked truly bewildered by it.
God prompted me to tell him to ask God to help him when that happened. I did and he began to talk about the Lord and how he prayed to him all the time. In the process, he also started to talk vaguely about getting involved at an early age in stuff he was not proud of and made things hard. He hinted at serious drug use and needing to be away from "that crowd." He let on a bit that it might still be a problem.
I had been told previously he is an addict and not a good man.
I interjected he needed to work on that stuff in the company of people who had the same struggle and were striving to follow Jesus. I said he needed to let go and surrender his heart to Jesus completely. I added the Scripture from the Gospel of John that "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." He made me repeat it 3-4 times. I told him he could not do it alone. I told Him Jesus is the point of everything and I am praying for him.
The point of the story is I think God gave me more boldness in this encounter with Walter because I have been praying constantly. I had never talked to him that way before. Praying continually seems to change the spiritual atmosphere creating openness and more freedom in me to be available to his work, I think. I am experiencing similar openness every day. I like it and want more.
It's what I have been wanting since moving up here.
If you feel the tug of God to live more in the missionary mindset ask him to help you pray all the time. From our side of the table I think the Kingdom is established through fervent prayer and the freedom created in us because of it. It seems to help us be more "present" to opportunities all around us.
1. My variation of the Jesus Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Show me favor and establish the Kingdom work of my hands that you might be glorified.
2. Praying in tongues under my breath. I received the gift many years ago. I was not looking for it. God gave it to me at the beginning of our turn toward a life of ministry. It came in my mid-30's just after going through intense inner healing counseling for a year, and learning the spiritual discipline of listening prayer.
3. Praying the Shema (with added Great Commandment) and the Lord's Prayer.
4. General Intercession.
5. Confession.
Praying like this is having an tangible effect on me and what I am doing. For instance:
On Monday, I needed to make a bank deposit. I went to our offices on Armory Street to drop off a bag of garbage from our apartment on Main Street, just around the corner from the office. From there, I decided to walk through Thorne's Market to get to the bank.
Standing just outside the back door on the lower level of Thorne's was Walter, a tall, handsome black man who can be found most days on Main Street in Northampton playing his old guitar and singing for money even in the bitter cold. Walter knows me by name and vice versa. We have talked many times as I have been out and about on errands or heading out to meet people.
He has the gift of gab. Walter loves to talk about being a musician, about learning songs, practicing and wanting to get better. He talks a lot about that. He did on Monday too. He also showed me a milk carton he had cut in half with words he had written about being a master musician and in need of prayer - interesting combination. He seemed pleased by what he'd written. He also mentioned he had written the words to hundreds of songs, and just needed someone to help him put the music to them.
In reality, he isn't very good, but not for lack of desire.
So we struck up a brief conversation. As it took its usual turns regarding music, Walter mentioned he has stage fright. He said he could really get a song down and be singing with abandon until someone would stop and listen. He would then get very distracted and nervous. He didn't like it at all. He looked truly bewildered by it.
God prompted me to tell him to ask God to help him when that happened. I did and he began to talk about the Lord and how he prayed to him all the time. In the process, he also started to talk vaguely about getting involved at an early age in stuff he was not proud of and made things hard. He hinted at serious drug use and needing to be away from "that crowd." He let on a bit that it might still be a problem.
I had been told previously he is an addict and not a good man.
I interjected he needed to work on that stuff in the company of people who had the same struggle and were striving to follow Jesus. I said he needed to let go and surrender his heart to Jesus completely. I added the Scripture from the Gospel of John that "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." He made me repeat it 3-4 times. I told him he could not do it alone. I told Him Jesus is the point of everything and I am praying for him.
The point of the story is I think God gave me more boldness in this encounter with Walter because I have been praying constantly. I had never talked to him that way before. Praying continually seems to change the spiritual atmosphere creating openness and more freedom in me to be available to his work, I think. I am experiencing similar openness every day. I like it and want more.
It's what I have been wanting since moving up here.
_______________________________________________
If you feel the tug of God to live more in the missionary mindset ask him to help you pray all the time. From our side of the table I think the Kingdom is established through fervent prayer and the freedom created in us because of it. It seems to help us be more "present" to opportunities all around us.
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