More Ponderings

It's encouraging to realize when we see growth in our lives.  It was neat that I was able to use what I learned from the lesson God taught me on Monday for my class today.  That supports what God has been showing me about how important it is for teachers to be walking closely enough with God to be learning from HIM directly.

I was also encouraged when a person in my class said that she really loved my prayer in class today, for she said she could see my heart behind it.   That's neat, because prayer really is not my strength; but, it is the my area of focus this year.   So, I hope that this is just an indication that I am learning and growing in the area of PRAYER.

Similar to what I blogged about a couple of weeks ago about being a person of prayer and not just doing it, my Assistant Pastor said, in relation to the song "Breathe" which we sang in worship today, that when worship is part of who we are rather than just something we do, then, worship is like breathing.   The senior pastor's wife said something along the same lines when she spoke at the women's event on Monday as well - that we should BE the Church, and not just "do" church.

Also, from what the Assistant Pastor shared today during the worship team devotional prayer time, it showed me so much about dealing with criticism.   He said that he often receives comments about worship, but, one particular email said that because of something he said that person claimed that their worship was disrupted.  To know the right perspective, the Assistant Pastor went to Scripture to see what God would say about that.   And the passage he came to was in Daniel, when his enemies tried to get the King to make a decree to stop any worship other than to himself, Daniel responded by continuing to worship God.   So, the Assistant Pastor said that when worship is all about God alone, then no one else should have the ability to take that away nor disrupt it.  He also made a statement that when we are speaking God's truth, there will be times when we "offend", for God's Truth is contrary to the World's lies; so, we should just be BOLD and CONFIDENT in His Truth.

On the radio today, Laura Story was talking about her song "Blessings"; and she said something that I thought was really interesting - it was along the lines that Blessings aren't what the world usually considers blessings.  She said that Blessings are being able to see what God is doing and Who He is through it.

This verse just stood out for me today:  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  (Romans 15:13)   What a beautiful verse.