So, chapter 2 asks what we do when the past and fears make it hard to desire again.
I am so comforted by God's promise; no matter what life has done to our hearts, to our desires
Ezekiel 36: 26 "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. "
I am convinced that, as Peter quotes David saying, the secret to continuing to live in hope, is looking to God and recounting his past blessings in my life and in the lives of others around me.
Acts 2:25-27 ..."'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave"...
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
If you dont have the a copy of the book/guidebook....
Feel free to download Chapter 2 and 3:
Chapter 2 Journey of Desire Searching for the Life We Have Only Dreamed Of
Chapter 2 Journey of Desire Guidebook and Journal
Chapter 3 Journey of Desire Searching for the Life We Have Only Dreamed Of
Chapter 3 Journey of Desire Guidebook and Journal
See you next week!
Chapter 2 Journey of Desire Searching for the Life We Have Only Dreamed Of
Chapter 2 Journey of Desire Guidebook and Journal
Chapter 3 Journey of Desire Searching for the Life We Have Only Dreamed Of
Chapter 3 Journey of Desire Guidebook and Journal
See you next week!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Now, here is some desire!
Ladies, thoroughly enjoyed your input and our discussion last night. Thank you for investing so much and being so engaged in this study-- I am confident all of our effort will bear much fruit!
I just wanted to share a glimpse into what David desired...
Psalm 63: 1-8
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me....
Look it up, David wrote this when he was in the Desert of Judah... I am challenged to have my thoughts align more with his...
I have found that this daily devotional is a great tool: http://www.268generation.com/thirsty/thirsty_journal_frameset.htm
I just wanted to share a glimpse into what David desired...
Psalm 63: 1-8
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me....
Look it up, David wrote this when he was in the Desert of Judah... I am challenged to have my thoughts align more with his...
I have found that this daily devotional is a great tool: http://www.268generation.com/thirsty/thirsty_journal_frameset.htm
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Desire
Hey guys-
Well I finished the first chapter/journal study. It was pretty challenging for me to answer the questions. Did you guys learn anything new about yourself? Or something you knew about yourself but it was just now brought again to your attention?
I learned that I still have never gotten over the pain of my past. My father was an alcoholic, and and my homelife was pretty hard. My mother was always busy trying to meet all my father's needs, and my brother and I were left to teach ourselves about life and grow up on our own with no direction or love. I look back on my life not with nostalgia, but with resentment. I need to learn to let the past go. I wish I had had a family who had loved and nurtured me. At least I can take away something good from the exprience: I know the kind of parent I will never let myself become.
I also learned I have a lot of unrealized desires, many of which are Godly and pure, but I am scared they will never be realized (such as doing humanitarian work abroad, knowing God intimately, knowing MYSELF intimately, finding the peace that God has promised His children, etc).
I also learned that I am the kind of person who, if things are not right, I want to fix them right away and if I can't, I get very upset. I am a very proactive person, and it's hard for me just to be like well this is the way things are, do the best you can. I am unable to settle, I am always striving to make things better. For example, it's hard living in DC, I can't find a sense of community, it's loud, dirty (just like any other city), and I wish I could move to a small town out west. But I can't. I am here, and think that God brought me here for a reason, but it's hard to be like well God, you brought me here but I don't want to be here, please take me away! :) It's like, I want God to challenge me and I want to grow and be content no matter what my circumstances are, but my DESIRE to live elsewhere, to have a more meaningful job, to establish a small core group of friends, is ALWAYS there. So what do I do then?
Just some thoughts. :) I am looking forward to seeing everyone again tomorrow night!
Jennifer
Well I finished the first chapter/journal study. It was pretty challenging for me to answer the questions. Did you guys learn anything new about yourself? Or something you knew about yourself but it was just now brought again to your attention?
I learned that I still have never gotten over the pain of my past. My father was an alcoholic, and and my homelife was pretty hard. My mother was always busy trying to meet all my father's needs, and my brother and I were left to teach ourselves about life and grow up on our own with no direction or love. I look back on my life not with nostalgia, but with resentment. I need to learn to let the past go. I wish I had had a family who had loved and nurtured me. At least I can take away something good from the exprience: I know the kind of parent I will never let myself become.
I also learned I have a lot of unrealized desires, many of which are Godly and pure, but I am scared they will never be realized (such as doing humanitarian work abroad, knowing God intimately, knowing MYSELF intimately, finding the peace that God has promised His children, etc).
I also learned that I am the kind of person who, if things are not right, I want to fix them right away and if I can't, I get very upset. I am a very proactive person, and it's hard for me just to be like well this is the way things are, do the best you can. I am unable to settle, I am always striving to make things better. For example, it's hard living in DC, I can't find a sense of community, it's loud, dirty (just like any other city), and I wish I could move to a small town out west. But I can't. I am here, and think that God brought me here for a reason, but it's hard to be like well God, you brought me here but I don't want to be here, please take me away! :) It's like, I want God to challenge me and I want to grow and be content no matter what my circumstances are, but my DESIRE to live elsewhere, to have a more meaningful job, to establish a small core group of friends, is ALWAYS there. So what do I do then?
Just some thoughts. :) I am looking forward to seeing everyone again tomorrow night!
Jennifer
Friday, February 09, 2007
Seats in a theater...
If you were at Union Station last Sunday, you noticed we had a little seating problem. There are great new snazzy seats in the Union theaters, but there are 75 fewer of them!
We knew we were going to lose some seats, but weren’t told it would be that many. Dozens of people were standing, and about 50 people were turned away from each service.
So– here’s what we are asking. For next week (and maybe the next couple weeks), please consider coming to our 7:07 Ebenezers service or 10:30 Ballston service.
The church is working very hard on a solution to this, and will be surveying the congregation this weekend to determine when/where to add a new service. But in the meantime, we would really appreciate any sacrifices you could make to attend one of these other services.
We knew we were going to lose some seats, but weren’t told it would be that many. Dozens of people were standing, and about 50 people were turned away from each service.
So– here’s what we are asking. For next week (and maybe the next couple weeks), please consider coming to our 7:07 Ebenezers service or 10:30 Ballston service.
The church is working very hard on a solution to this, and will be surveying the congregation this weekend to determine when/where to add a new service. But in the meantime, we would really appreciate any sacrifices you could make to attend one of these other services.
DEsiRE, dEsIrE, DeSiRe
Monday night was great; thank you all for participating and sharing so openly. We spent the night talking about different kinds of desire, what desire, passion and longing mean to us, what Godly desire is... and Justin Timberlake! For those who weren't able to make it (we missed you) and as a recap, I've posted some of the verses we discussed:
Psalm 103: 2, 5 "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Luke 6:21 "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied"
Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Isaiah 26: 8 "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts"
Hebrews 12:3 "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
James 1:14 "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."
I think I left some verses out so if you remember your verse from Monday and want to share it here, post it as a comment.
Psalm 103: 2, 5 "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Luke 6:21 "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied"
Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Isaiah 26: 8 "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts"
Hebrews 12:3 "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
James 1:14 "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."
I think I left some verses out so if you remember your verse from Monday and want to share it here, post it as a comment.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
It Was Great Meeting You All!
I just wanted to say I enjoyed meeting all of you last night. I am looking forward to getting to know you this semester, and growing in Christ-likeness.
Jennifer
Jennifer
Sunday, February 04, 2007
NEVER MIND! BACK ON TRACK FOR THIS MONDAY
I apologize for flooding your mailboxes this weekend. It turns out I will be back for small group on Monday. If you are all still willing and able, let's go ahead and meet this week after all. Daphne's place, 7pm. Monday February 5, 2007. Call me on my cellphone with questions or concerns: (517) 214-6535. Bring your books on Monday evening if you have them... looking forward to meeting the new people and seeing old faces!
Saturday, February 03, 2007
SMALL GROUP ON MONDAY CANCELLED
Unfortunately, Lisa and I have to cancel group this Monday. Lisa is out of town and I have to be in Baltimore for a family emergency. We are really sorry about this-- and have been looking forward to seeing you all again for so long... Please start reading chapter 1 in the book and do the first chapter in the guidebook, also. We'll pick it all up next Monday, February 12, 2007- same place, same time.
If your books have not been delivered to you yet, please contact Lisa or I during the week and hopefully we can get the extra photocopies of the chapter that we have to you.
Again, we apologize for the inconvenience... Have a wonderful week, all! Can't wait to see you!
-L&L
If your books have not been delivered to you yet, please contact Lisa or I during the week and hopefully we can get the extra photocopies of the chapter that we have to you.
Again, we apologize for the inconvenience... Have a wonderful week, all! Can't wait to see you!
-L&L
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