SAHM I Am

We had a great small group meeting last night. Our message on Sunday was about boldness. Our leader presented us with several questions that challenged us and asked us to do something in the coming week. I like that our leader prompts us to come up with and share an action step. Especially since we know we will have to report back the following week.

What keeps me from being bold in evangelizing? What am I afraid of?
>Uncomfortableness/awkward situations, difficult questions, feeling stupid.

Do people look at me and say, "I want that"? Filled with the Holy Spirit, what character of who I am will I let shine this week?
>Contentment and confidence with who I am and where I am right now.

This topic of boldness is very timely for me. A couple of days ago I was talking to another woman who is also a SAHM (Stay at Home Mom) and I got the impression that she felt a little guilty for her status. As a SAHM, I do sometimes feel like others think I'm not contributing or doing enough with my time. However, I am confident that being at home with Kaitlyn is where God wants me to be right now. I am contributing a great deal to her growth, development and well being. Who else is going to love my child like I do?

Yesterday I felt the Holy Spirit's prompting to write a note to the woman. I was a little nervous about it as she didn't say she felt guilty but I am trusting the Spirit's leading that the little bit of encouragement and camaraderie is what was needed. So last night's assignment was confirmation that I am doing what I ought to be and encourages me to continue. Eventually the awkward feelings will fade.

What about you? What keeps you from being bold? What part of your character will you allow to shine through you this week?

Finding Ears to Hear

This past week was our second Soul Revolution message (quick note - there are only 8 weeks of messages instead of the 9 I mentioned last week. My bad.). Below are my notes. I REALLY would encourage you to listen to the message if you ever struggle with wanting to know God's will for your life and feeling like you don't hear him "speak" in your life.

Reminder: 60-60 experiment - It's not about perfection, it's about progress.

We don't just talk to God, we also need to listen to his voice.

1 Samuel 3 (v1: was God really not speaking or were the people just not listening?)

There are a number of things that can keep us from hearing God's voice. One of the biggest is sin. If you haven't heard God's "voice" in a long time, you should examine yourself to see if there is anything in your life blocking you from God.

v10: "Speak, [Lord], for your servant is listening."

It is possible for God to speak to us and us not realize it's him.

How God Speaks: through Scripture/the Bible, other people, circumstances, the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 - the Holy Spirit helps us to know the will of God

Things to Consider:
1. The promptings of God will never be contradictory to scripture.
2. The promptings of the Holy Spirit are always in line with the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
3. The promptings of the Holy Spirit are generally in line with the gifts of the Spirit.

We have to get still to better hear God's voice (schedule times of stillness).
>Do you ever get rid of distractions and formally invite God to speak to you?
>Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God."

We need to respond with obedience when we hear God's voice if we want to continue to hear him.
>Sometimes it's not that we don't hear God, but that we don't like what he's saying so we ignore him.
John 14:20-21

The more you respond in obedience, the more you will hear God's voice; and the more you put God off, the harder it will be to hear him.


This was such a good message! I was excited when Jeff opened with asking about desiring to hear God's voice more. Because I definitely do. I know that responding will draw me closer to God and help me to live in line with his will. From time to time, I will feel the leading to write to someone or do something little like that. Often I follow through and sometimes I even receive positive feedback. Other times I don't hear anything so I don't know what was the result of my efforts. Still other times I don't respond and usually end up realizing it was a missed opportunity. As of late, I am really desiring to follow what I think are the leadings of the Holy Spirit. I know I am still missing some promptings, but hopefully I am improving in my level of response. What I want to continue to do is to have an obedient and responsive heart.

I also want to purposefully sit down and spend some time in quiet where I allow God the opportunity to speak. When I pray, I am often in the habit of pouring out my requests for God and then ending the prayer time. Relationships are supposed to be two-sided. I know how frustrating it can be to listen patiently to someone as they share and then not be asked how I'm doing. I don't want to do that to God. It feels like using him, which is not my intent. I do struggle with pushing everything out of my mind in order to listen. I often find my mind wandering to what needs to be done or things I am dealing with. However, I believe that if I sit quietly often enough, then the time will really be valuable and I will be able to hear God.

What about you? Are you good at waiting patiently and allowing God to speak to you? Do you feel like you are obedient to the Holy Spirit's promptings in your life?

Abiding

I hear and read a lot about the importance of abiding in Christ. What I don't understand is how you know that you are truly abiding. I've seen formulas (Prayer + the Word + Time = Abiding) but if it's ritual then it's not authentic, right? Obviously, these are good things that we should be doing, but one can do all the right things and not have the mind and heart needed to truly abide.

Jesus says, "Remain [abide] in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5).

Okay, so this means that if there is fruit in my life then I am abiding. But what kind of fruit? Am I receiving insights through the Word? Am I having positive, encouraging relationships with others? Am I sharing Christ with receptive people? If God seems silent, does that mean I'm not abiding?

I really do want to comprehend this because I desperately want to be near to God and to be useful to him. I want him to be able to say, "Well, done, good and faithful one." (Matt. 25:21)

There are some days when I really feel like I am in tune with God through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture yields "aha" moments. I am humbled by my brokenness and truly see my need for God in my life. My prayers seem powerful and pleasing to God. God reveals his love to me in a personal way. But those days are not the majority of my days and I want them to be.

Does anybody have any thoughts?