He runs to us ........

When he was still a long way off, his father 

saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, 

embraced him, and kissed him.  

Luke 15:20  (The Message)

Yes I have read this story, The Prodigal Son in Scripture many times.  I had heard it since I was a child.  But it was like so many other things I heard ....I heard it, but I didn't own it, personally it didn't mean anything to me.  

One morning during a singing worship time when I was doing my masters, this particular part of the story went deep into my very being.  Do you know what I mean when I say that?  Something inside of me received these words in a way I never had before.  I could always see me running after Him.  I guess I was always running toward Him, but it was more from trying to be what I thought He wanted me to be.  

But for some reason that morning as I was singing and focusing on Jesus, I saw God, Father run toward me .....actually run to me.  I couldn't believe it, the God of the universe would run toward me .....why!?  Just like this son, who didn't think he was good enough to be the son any longer, he would be the servant ....I too didn't feel good enough - for different reasons, but the thoughts were similar.  

Seeing this picture, focusing on this scripture, reading it over and over - something changed in me.  Hard to explain, but I had a different way of thinking.  I didn't have to keeping running, striving, trying to measure up, or do the right thing .....the Father ran to me, He came to me - He hugged me, laughed with me, cared about me!  I saw relationship with Him differently, my heart was no longer filled with fear, shame or guilt when I thought about Him.  Oh I had learned and come a long way on my journey with God, I didn't know shame, guilt and fear was still there - but it was and I was still reacting to it.  

As I continued focusing and seeing that picture I saw in worship that morning, I continued to be transformed, I understood a word I had used all my life in a different way - that word - love.  My motivation for spending time with God, for wanting to read Scripture, loving other people was no longer about if I didn't somehow I wouldn't be a good Christian; but it was a motivation of love for God.

You know meeting with God, whether it be in a singing worship time, listening to a teaching/sermon, laughing with friends, taking a long walk... and asking Him to empower you to be aware of His presence, to hear His voice and to show you truth, really works.  He promises to show you Himself if we want to know.  I want to encourage you today to ask Him.  I only do that because I know it works, I know He wants to see you and He wants to show you who you are and who He is ..........

We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for 

dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they 

began to have a wonderful time.  

Luke 15:24  (The Message) 

If you would like, you can purchase my book from Amazon in the US or Amazon in the UK.  The links are at the side of the blog, will take you right to the place to order!

Thank you, my prayer is that everyone who reads the book will encounter God, grow in Him and be everything He created them to be.

'My pub ladies'

In 'Pages From Her Story' I talked about different topics and how God met me in them.  For example purpose, forgiveness, suffering, shame, growing in Him, participation and living life with Jesus.  

I met a group of ladies in a village pub/restaurant when I was doing masters in Christian Formation and Discipleship.  I got to know them, heard their stories and eventually heard their pain, frustrations, fears, at times hopelessness and despair.  

When it was time for me to do my capstone project at the end of the course, I asked them if they would be willing to assist me.

They knew I was a Christian and what my masters was about.  But I had never preached at them or ever talked about Jesus from a place of fear.  I often talked about who He was and who we are because of Him.  

I was very excited when they agreed to help me by coming together every week after reading one of the stories and talk.  I told them they could be completely real and even tell me if they didn't like the story.

We met every week for three months.  We laughed. cried, at times some of them got mad at me, told me what I said was stupid (they did use the word often) and we grew together.  

That was a little over two years ago.  Several of these women have received Jesus, allowed Him His place in their life and become who they are in Him.  I continued to meet with them and now there is another group of women I am meeting with that was recommended by the original group.  I call them 'my pub ladies!"  I have encouraged the ladies that became Christians they too can bring a group together and lead them.  

Matthew 28:19 says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit."  As Jesus taught and trained, He then told them to go and do the same - to continue to participate with Him in His mission in the world through the unique way He created us.  He sent us a comforter, helper - Holy Spirit who empowers us to do this.  

Maybe you could do something like this with 'Pages From Her Story'  or with your own story.  

Pages From Her Story is a collection of stories about the transformation of a woman whose heart was broken but brought back to life when she met God. It is about the story God tells us in all our lives. It is about humanity and the world and how an awareness of God changes and infuses everything, making a difference in our everyday life. It is the snapshots of a woman learning to be everything she was created to be and participating with God in His mission in this world.

These stories are about love, redemption, hope, forgiveness, trust, and reconciliation. As you read—the broken parts, the secret parts, and the beautiful parts—the gospel will come to life. That’s the transforming story of what God does in a human heart. It can come alive, and that story can change your life.


  

Encouraging/Inspiring, growing and being 

everything He created you to be.

     
     I have learned that the only safe place I can pour out my complaints is to God.  It is the only place where I can process my  emotions, not bypass them.  I can be honest and say - 'I don’t feel you right now God, but I need you'.  

     If you don’t start from where you really are, how can you get to where you need to go?  David did it in the Psalms, as a matter of fact I have heard it said that David was the greatest rapper there ever was!  If he did it, I can do it.  David said I cried aloud to the Lord.  I always tried to fight what was going on in my mind; thinking I had to get things straight before I could talk to God. 

     Now I fight my mind with my mouth; I pray out loud. I open your mouth and I am strategic.

     I remember when I first had the realization that I could run to the Father – that He wanted me to, I didn’t have to be scared, fearful….. or afraid I didn’t measure up in some way. When I realised He wasn’t angry with me – I was overwhelmed.  I was so relieved and had a peace I had never known.

     I share this with you, because it was so freeing for me and I want you to know it is possible, real and He can redeem/restore you too.  If you are afraid of God .....look back at how or what you have believed about Him ....study Him.  I never understood when the Bible said that when you see Jesus, you see God.  How could God be so angry with us, but Jesus entered into our world and met us where we were.  He cared, why didn't God just say, 'Ok that experiment (of humanity) didn't work, let's start again."

     God loved us, He cared.  When you see God for who He is, you are encouraged, inspired to learn, grow and be everything you were created to be.

My reason for writing this book and sharing such intimate details from my own life was to encouraged and inspire; hoping you can encounter God and know you can be everything He created you to be.  

I didn't know that at age 24 when what I knew as life itself walked out on me.  But a very special lady met me where I was and showed me truth.  I want to do that with others now.

If you would like to have a copy of the book you can go to Amazon both in the US and the UK - the site is on the sidebar of this blog.  It is available in Kindle.