Tag Archives: self discovery

Stopped in My Tracks…

Things to ponder...., , , , ,

The following two sentences are in the middle of a book I’m reading, the last paragraph on the left side of the page. I had to stop and just think about these thoughts. In fact, I’ve been thinking about them for four days.

This is why a defining mark of revival is that as the Spirit increases, divisions decrease. Gender divisions, race divisions, socio-economic divisions fade away as everyone encounters God together.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I’ve been working through thoughts related to Revival this year. Looks like I’m still thinking about it.

I still believe ‘refining’ is a critical component of ‘revival’. Yet after reading the above sentences I have to wonder, besides the obvious refining we each need to submit to daily, does this refining need a common focus? As Christians do we each need to take a good look at ourselves, our churches and our communities and then determine where we as individuals, might be able to help bridge some of the divisions that exist in our families, our churches and our communities? If you’re a leader, or following a leader, should you be looking for this?

No one needs to look far, to see the affects of divisions caused by:

  • Ego or power struggles
  • Desire for control and recognition
  • Financial disparity that abound around us
  • Women hampered by the glass ceiling
  • Relationships severed due to hurt feelings or harsh words

This list is unending. I’m sure you could add many more things to it, but you get the idea.

As we pray for Revival, perhaps we should be asking to be refined in a true spirit of unity.

Excuse me! This is my seat!

Things to ponder...., , , ,

This last weekend I attended a Heroine’s Journey writing program. The program is designed for women, to help them identify where they have come from, what they have overcome and who they have become. All the while you accomplish this, you learn skills to improve your writing. It was an amazing, intense and crazy wonderful weekend.

The following is one of the writing prompts used during the weekend. Some of you may already recognize me in some of these chairs and some of you may learn new things about me.

Thank you to all the beautiful ladies who made the weekend so special! You know who you are….

Excuse me!  This is my seat.

Excuse me! This is my seat. This seat is reserved for one who has endured hardship inflicted by others and recognized that to stop the abuse, you have to take the control away from the other person. Sometimes that is accomplished by putting space between you and the other person and sometimes it is accomplished when you recognize you only THOUGHT they had control. This person has learned forgiveness, both for themselves and for others.

Excuse me! This is my seat. This seat is for one who has learned you must determine for yourself the things that are important in your life and live for those things. Not to spend your life just collecting things others say are important. This seat is for someone who sees the beauty of the world around them without thinking they have to own it.

Excuse me! This is my seat. This seat is for one who has struggled against the control of others trying to hold them down and recognizes that only happens if you allow it. This seat is for one who has learned that sometimes you have to shut a door to find freedom, and remembers God never closes a door without opening a window.

Excuse me! I believe this is my seat. This seat is for one who has worked for another. Has spent much time and effort developing and creating things for another’s benefit. This person has learned to work with different people in different situations to accomplish the goal or task at hand.  This person has learned to plan, both for the benefit of their employer and for themselves. This person can also determine what is important to self.

Excuse me! This is my seat. This is for one who has been given the gift of love and recognizes it is not something that just comes along any day. This person has learned to cherish the gift, accept the freedom and responsibility that comes with receiving and giving this type of love.

Excuse me! I believe this is my seat.  This seat is for one who has learned to treat herself with gentleness and forgiveness. One who accepts her weaknesses and knows her strengths. One who knows what things will bring healing to her soul and who wants to help others find that healing also.

Excuse me! This is my seat. I am a woman. That does not mean I know everything, it means I’m okay with me.