Thoughts while Traveling
6.12.2004
So I have gotten some very good news and an answer to prayer this week. I have been accepted to Regent University in the School of Communication and the Arts for the fall semester! Praise the Lord!If anybody is reading this and doesn't know me, you wouldn't understand what a big deal this is to me...that I have been struggling for a few years after graduating college about what path to take. The Lord has closed many doors, and I was at peace with that. Finally a door has been opened!I believe this is going to be a huge step in figuring out(or rather following) what I am specifically called to do. I have many passions. I also have many gifts. However, "to whom much is given, much is required.." I believe this to be the truth, and lately it has been weighing on my heart. God and I have been battling this one out. Well, (as usual) it's probably been more ME fighting and God being steadfast. He always is. I want be used. I have gone through a season of my life this past year where I have been brought face to face with my flesh and my humanness. It has been a rough year, but God has been putting me back together from a million torn and broken pieces. I am almost ready again for battle. Thank, you, my Father, for giving me this past year to rest and to be healed by you. Continue to pour your grace upon my life, for I am so unworthy to be your servant. Show me your way, Lord.
My husband was in New Jersey last weekend and I went with Caroline and Dusty to a new church. We are praying that the Lord will lead us to a God-honoring church. We were given a word from a Spiritual mentor before we moved from Charlotte that I believe was straight from God. He told us not to necessarily follow a denomination, but to just let the Lord lead us to a God-honoring church where we will grow and be used. I know He will. He may already have done it.
I was blessed in this church last Sunday. God really spoke to me through the powerful message and testimonies. The pastor and his wife are Australian, and I must say hearing that beautiful accent again made me miss my friend Sarah a lot. Alot. I need to call her.
Anyways, my notes from the message are all over this paper I am looking at. I will try to
put them into a logical format so somebody else can get it besides me. :
JOHN 8:1-11
CAN YOU READ THE WRITING ON THE SAND?
Remember, this is the story of the accused woman caught in the act of adultry and about to be stoned by the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They used this situation to trap Jesus to have a basis to accuse him, because the "law" said to stone such sinner.
vs 6:
"...but Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger..."
What was he writing? Nobody knows. Whatever it was, it must have been powerful enough to make them pause. Perhaps it was words such as MERCY AND GRACE, perhaps it was their OWN names that committed the same act of adultery...???
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs.7:
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs. 8
"Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs.10
"Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir", she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
There are three kinds of people in this story:
1. THE LAW BREAKER (woman---all of humanity)
*guilty
*caught in the act
***we are all guilty. Remember Barrabus? We are all like him. Guilty and yet set free.
2. THE LIFE TAKER (religious spirits, pharisees)
*blind to their own sins
*judging others
*trying to institutionalize accountability-a manmade effort to measure out grace
3. THE LIFE GIVER (Jesus)
*wholeness
*opportunity
*healing
*grace
*mercy
*freedom!
*forgiveness
~Life givers will often be accused of compromising
~Life givers see past the sin and see the person
~Life givers attract others
~Life Takers repel others
~Life givers will ALWAYS enrage and upset life-takers.
WHICH ONE AM I?
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
My husband was in New Jersey last weekend and I went with Caroline and Dusty to a new church. We are praying that the Lord will lead us to a God-honoring church. We were given a word from a Spiritual mentor before we moved from Charlotte that I believe was straight from God. He told us not to necessarily follow a denomination, but to just let the Lord lead us to a God-honoring church where we will grow and be used. I know He will. He may already have done it.
I was blessed in this church last Sunday. God really spoke to me through the powerful message and testimonies. The pastor and his wife are Australian, and I must say hearing that beautiful accent again made me miss my friend Sarah a lot. Alot. I need to call her.
Anyways, my notes from the message are all over this paper I am looking at. I will try to
put them into a logical format so somebody else can get it besides me. :
JOHN 8:1-11
CAN YOU READ THE WRITING ON THE SAND?
Remember, this is the story of the accused woman caught in the act of adultry and about to be stoned by the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They used this situation to trap Jesus to have a basis to accuse him, because the "law" said to stone such sinner.
vs 6:
"...but Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger..."
What was he writing? Nobody knows. Whatever it was, it must have been powerful enough to make them pause. Perhaps it was words such as MERCY AND GRACE, perhaps it was their OWN names that committed the same act of adultery...???
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs.7:
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs. 8
"Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."
NO ONE THREW THEIR STONES.
vs.10
"Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir", she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
There are three kinds of people in this story:
1. THE LAW BREAKER (woman---all of humanity)
*guilty
*caught in the act
***we are all guilty. Remember Barrabus? We are all like him. Guilty and yet set free.
2. THE LIFE TAKER (religious spirits, pharisees)
*blind to their own sins
*judging others
*trying to institutionalize accountability-a manmade effort to measure out grace
3. THE LIFE GIVER (Jesus)
*wholeness
*opportunity
*healing
*grace
*mercy
*freedom!
*forgiveness
~Life givers will often be accused of compromising
~Life givers see past the sin and see the person
~Life givers attract others
~Life Takers repel others
~Life givers will ALWAYS enrage and upset life-takers.
WHICH ONE AM I?
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
2 Comments:
Anna, You told me about this spot a long time ago and I am just now logging on to see your thoughts (which is a little weird but cool) and I feel like I am intruding into a beautiful land of peacefulness that should never be disturbed. You are now in VA and you are now officially a grad student at REGENT!!! That's so wonderful! Congratulations! I want to apologize for not being good at communication lately but I thought you'd like to know that you were thought of today as you continue to walk forward and grasp onto what the Lord is doing in you and Justin's life. I think maybe I'd like to start a blog - we'll see.
I hope I get to talk to you soon.
Love you,
Joy
congratulations!!!!!!! you rock.
do you have a phone number?
how are things going up there?
email me and tell me about it all. i miss you!
have i mentioned that i have the best boyfriend EVER??
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