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listening

12/25/2016

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I've fallen in love with a young Christian rapper who took his growing love for his sister public with his song HEAR MY HEART. Because his sister is deaf he signs as well as sings and it touched my heart very much for several reasons.

I was so interested in the combination of music and signing that I did a little research to understand more clearly the signs. And I learned something that I found profound. Although the song's lyrics are "hear my heartbeat," the sign he uses is more accurately translated "listen" which I think is a delightful plea to understand deeply what he longs to communicate.

Do we really listen? To those we love? Family? Friends? Neighbors? Church family? Most importantly, do we lean in close to listen to God?

Do we remember that God is always listening to us, whether or not we think of the musing of our hearts or the words on our lips as prayer, because God loves us even before we acknowledge God, and is attuned to us.

What are you longing to tell God? What are you longing to hear from God? What energy are you willing to commit to praying and listening?

Beloved God, give me listening ears, seeing eyes, a mercy-filled heart for those I love, for those You love, for all Your Children. AMEN

Click here to hear the Andy Mineo UTube track:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD0fhCZFjjI
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christmas in the time of terror

12/14/2016

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I recently read a book, Wild Coast by John Gimlette, about the "three Guyanas," now two small countries and one territory on the northern coast of South America, the only part of SA not of the Spanish or Portuguese Empires of the 1400s. It is one of the saddest things I have ever read with its deep, long and wide history of death, destruction, greed, selfishness and inhumanity over centuries that still bleed today. It may be one of the most amazing natural areas in the world, but for people it continues to bleed from old and new discord, betrayal, revenge.and the natural consequences of these things.

Through 360 pages I am parched and bereft from the horrors we can pour out on each other. In fact, without my faith I cannot face a world where such things are all too commonplace from the Sudan to Syria and in many other spots throughout the world.

We act as through getting more "stuff" is the way to find happiness, but it does not seem to be so as we watch "successful" people in all walks of life have lots of money, fame, skills from sports to business to entertainment to politics to TV evangelism yet who still get sucked into the vortex of sexual abuse, financial scandal, drugs and alcohol, divorce, acrimony, palimony, crime, bitterness and more. We demand that others be "happy" in just the way we think they should be and shake our heads that anyone could be happy not being like we think they should be ... even though we can't ourselves live up to the lofty expectation of "perfection" we have for others.

But just as God is bigger than the relatively minor sorrows in my life, so I believe God is bigger than the colossal messes we broken human beings can make of things. And help is just a breath away as God stands always ready to pour the Spirit over us to teach us, coach us, love us, guide us into becoming the person we were created to be, fulfilling our purpose and growing love, joy, peace and hope in our lives.

My small patch of the world seems so unimportant in the bigger picture, but I choose to plant as many seeds of hope and love and truth as I can, watering with kindness and generosity and persistence and trusting God to bring the harvest of His Kingdom where healing is available for all in even the most horrifying of circumstances.


1 Corinthians 3:6:  I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. 
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finding trustworthy friends

12/13/2016

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This morning I ran across an article published earlier this year by domesticshelters.org on how to recognize unsafe people in the dating world. Most of us at some point have had a dating relationship or friendship or even family relationship that caused us a lot of pain and suffering because the person had issues of his or her own that made it difficult to stay close to them...sometimes it was even unsafe to be close to them.  And I thought it was a shame we don't discuss this more with our children, especially our daughters, BEFORE they mistake Mr. Scary for Mr. Exciting and Wonderful.  

But it also got me to thinking: am I always a safe person for my friends and family?  I certainly want to be but sometimes my own distress or sorrow or anxiety makes me less than the person I am working to become. The authors noted problems with abandoners, critics and the irresponsibles. And I have to ask myself where I might need to do better in my own life:

Abandoner - Do I sometimes fail a friend or love-one because my own drama and wants seems more important to me than their need? Oh, I'm not talking about the person who calls at the last minute for a ride to work when their car is broken down because the don't like riding the bus or some other example of people trying to maniuplate or abuse us. But I'm talking about an aged realtive that is lonely or a new mother who is overwhelmed and we are so emtionally strung out that we have no time to help out. 

Critic - Do I sometimes jump to tell someone all the reasons they can't go back to school or leave an abusive relationshp or find a healther work environment rather than encourage them to find good ways to turn dreams into plans and to identify resources that might help? Am I willing to let them check back with me to update me so they have continued counsel that focuses on the way to solve problems rather smugly saying "I told you that this was a mistake?"

An Irresponsible - Do I behave irresponsibly in not keeping my word, not following through on volunteer commitments or making excuses when I don't meet my work deadlines? Do I buy things I want before I meet my financial responsibilities? Am I generous with family and friends and patient when things go wrong? Am I kind to folks with physical, mental or financial challenges? 

When I find myself with too little energy to be a good friend, become casually critical or fall into "me first" thinking it often means I'm not getting my own needs met and I need to deal promptly with my own issues if I am going to be the person I want to be...loving, giving mercy, encouraging, hope-filled, willing to give folks the benefit of a doubt (maybe they are not trying to do harm to me, but only are overwhemed with their own burdens) and willing to forgive (as I so often need forgiveness myself), yet wise in how to make safe choices in my most intimate relationships, selecting social friends and being responsible for my own choices and actions.

And when I work on these choices for myself, I find it is easier to attract and trust people who are also loyal, encouraging and responsible. After all, that is what I deserve in a friend!

* From the book Safe People, by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
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in everything give thanks

12/5/2016

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This giving thanks in all circumstances thing can be a puzzlement. Who would be thankful their child has cancer or their mother died or they lost their job that keeps food on the table and a roof overhead? Who would give thanks that their boyfriend dumped them or their wife abandoned them? Who would be grateful for a missing button or a lost address?

From small everyday things to life changing and family shattering things, it seems crazy to do anything but fight, and scream and stay angry, most often because we are frustrated or frightened or terrified. But that is one of the reasons my faith is so solid for me, because I have been willing to give this idea a try in some pretty sad and disheartening circumstances.

This is a bit of what I have experienced: my delightful little nephew was diagnosed with Hodgins Lymphoma and none of us felt anything but afraid and worried and upset. But I came to be deeply grateful that he had attentive and kind parents who had the personal and physical and financial resources to care for him so tenderly. And that experience has certainly informed his life these many years later as he is studying in the medical field and married to an amaziing woman who also works as a gifted RN. So, though the challenges of the experience for my nephew and his parents and brother and all the people that love him had many horrid components, none of us would have given up one minute of knowing him and loving him just to escape the icky and horrid and terrifyinig parts. And this taught me a lot about love and it being something very different than what Hollywood writers too often define in terms so very narrow and misleading.

This is just one experience out of many that have taught me that love always has the capacity to outpace all the bad stuff, if we are open to the possibilities that can follow on those things that frighten us the most. Not because they are not frightening, but because they have no capacity to define us unless we allow it; because God always stands ready to take our hand as we journey through to something infinately better.

Abba Father, today I'm facing something that is JUST TOO MUCH...you know exactly what I mean and I'm grateful because I can simply not find words to match the depth of my sorrow and fear. But I'm thanking you, Father, because I know that You are bigger even than this. I know that, however much I do not want any of this, Your commitment to the highest good of us, each and all, is perfect in wisdom, power and love. Thank you for keeping us all in Your tender care and keep whispering Your love in my ear that the noise of the world cannot define my being or my inner thoughts. Thank you for being both able and willing to fulfill for each of us Your Covenant with us. AMEN

Thessalonians 5:18  ​In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
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the empty chair at the table

12/3/2016

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This giving thanks in all circumstances thing can be a puzzlement. Who would be thankful their child has cancer or their mother died or they lost their job that keeps food on the table and a roof overhead? Who would give thanks that their boyfriend dumpted them or their wife abandoned them? Who would be grateful for a missing button or a lost address?

From small everyday things to life changing and family shattering things, it seems crazy to do anything but fight, and scream and stay angry, most often because we are frustrated or frightened or terrified. But that is one of the reasons my faith is so solid for me, because I have been willing to give this idea a try in some pretty sad and disheartening circumstances.

This is a bit of what I have experienced: my delightful little nephew was diagnosed with Hodgins Lymphoma and none of us felt anything but afraid and worried and upset. But I came to be deeply grateful that he had attentive and kind parents who had the personal and physical and financial resources to care for him so tenderly. And that experience has certainly informed his life these many years later as he is studying in the medical field and married to an amaziing woman who also works as a gifted RN. So, though the challenges of the experience for my nephew and his parents and brother and all the people that love him had many horrid components, none of us would have given up one minute of knowing him and loving him just to escape the icky and horrid and terrifyinig parts. And this taught me a lot about love and it being something very different than what Hollywood writers too often define in terms so very narrow and misleading.

This is just one experience out of many that have taught me that love always has the capacity to outpace all the bad stuff, if we are open to the possibilities that can follow on those things that frighten us the most. Not because they are not frightening, but because they have no capacity to define us unless we allow it; because God always stands ready to take our hand as we journey through to something infinately better.

Abba Father, today I'm facing something that is JUST TOO MUCH...you know exactly what I mean and I'm grateful because I can simply not find words to match the depth of my sorrow and fear. But I'm thanking you, Father, because I know that You are bigger even than this. I know that, however much I do not want any of this, Your commitment to the highest good of us, each and all, is perfect in wisdom, power and love. Thank you for keeping us all in Your tender care and keep whispering Your love in my ear that the noise of the world cannot define my being or my inner thoughts. Thank you for being both able and willing to fulfill for each of us Your Covenant with us. AMEN

Thessalonians 5:18  ​In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
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    Jann's son was incarcerated.  She longed for a community where she could connect with others dealing with similar issues.

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