Post-Mother's Day Post

So for those of you that attended Soul on Sunday you would have heard my little bit of sharing. Thanks for the little cheer by the way. You made my day.

I know we have all had different life experiences and there wasn't enough time to hear everyone on Sunday. We'll do our own version of the 'Gerri show' blog-style! How high-tech : ) I am interested to hear how you would have responded to the questions asked on Sunday.

Here are a few of the questions asked on Sunday, as well as a few of my own. Pick one (or two)to answer. If there was one on Sunday that you'd prefer to tackle then go for it.

- How has your own mother impacted your life?
- How do you honor your mother?
- Do you see your mother in you? It what way(s)?
- Are there other women that have had influence in your life?
- How have you honored these women?

A Safe Place

So last night at Deomorph we talked about the ways to personally become a safe place for relationships. “When you create a safe environment, relationships flourish”. I thought it would be a good idea to have the points up so we can continue the conversation. I’ve pulled them from Dr. Gary Smalley’s book “The DNA of relationships”.

1. Respect the wall. When people are threatened, they build a wall. Instead of trying to knock down the wall with a sledgehammer, respect the wall. Create a safe environment in which the other person can gradually take down the wall.

2. Honor others. When we honor others, we see them as valuable. We see others as God sees them. Honor creates a safe environment in which people can come together.

3. Suspend judgment. When we express genuine interest in people rather than judge them, relationships have a better chance of growing.

4. Value differences. When we value our differences rather than make them the focus of our conflict, we create safety.

5. Be trustworthy. When we are trustworthy with others, we dedicate ourselves to treating them as the valuable and vulnerable people that they are. When we are trustworthy with ourselves, we act in ways consistent with our own value and vulnerability.

I have struggled with most of these things at different times in my relational development and personal maturity. Are there points here that you disagree with? Which of these have you mastered? Which are a work in progress?

Unlikely Friends

Have you ever had an unlikely friendship? I'd love to hear about it! There have been people in my life that I never thought I'd be friends. These are relationships that are incredibly special to me. One was with someone I met at a prenatal class. She and her boyfriend were expecting twins. Her twin boys were born too early and they died. They were due at the same time Rachel was due. Looking back I wonder how she could have been friends with me. All I cared about was fixing her life. I learned to just care about her and let God worry about the rest. I'm thankful that God loved me so much that He would help me to pull my head out of my butt.

Maybe that wouldn't be an unlikely friendship for you, but for me (eight years ago) it was.

Let's hear it gang. Fill me in on some of the unlikely relationships you're in or have been in.

Audience or Church?

In Michael Frost's book, "Exiles - Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture", he states that uses the following exercise in his seminars. He has the participants take a piece of paper and with a line down the middle title the columns 'Audience' and 'Church'. Here is what this list most often looks like:










So what are your thoughts on this? How do you see yourself?

What do I NEED to know?

Brad has asked to have a new thread started on the topic you discussed last night with Pastor Gerry. I'm really interested on hearing your perspectives, having not been able to attend.

So what Brad really wants to know is your answer to the question of a non-believer 'What do I NEED to know?" Here is his post, so you don't have to go back to look for it. . . .

Brad said...
I'm going to hijack this thread to start a discussion on something from last night (perhaps whomever is organizing this blogature would be so kind as to start a seperate topic on it?).Last night we watched a clip from the National in which a reporter went around to a bunch of churches exploring and asking questions. It was in no way confrontational or deceiving...he was asking legitimate questions that any non-believer would have. The one question he asked everyone but was never answered was "What do I NEED to know?"Ie. What do I, as a non-believer, NEED to know from you that would make me change my beliefs or at least consider Jesus' message?So what I want to know is how people would answer that question if it was asked to them by a non-believer.
April 13, 2007 10:38 AM

Luke 6

I thought last night was fantastic. Good food and great conversation. We looked at Luke 6:24-38 from the message version. I shared about how God was working in my life and setting off little mini-bombs of truth. I have so much to learn!!

"But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get

And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long.

And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.

There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests - look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular"

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatement. Don't condemn those who are down, that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people, you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life, you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

I've read this passage before, but this week I read it again and felt so very convicted. Has that ever happened to you? Some shared last night which of these verses (the ones included above and all the way through to v 38) hit them.

It's a very healthy thing to look at and evaluate your life in relation to God's word. Allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal things in your life that need to change can be painful, but brings you into deeper relationship/communion with God. I don't think I do it often enough.

Some didn't share last night and some weren't there last night. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'd love to hear what God is teaching you!!