Let God out of your box!!

I have been ignorant to believe that God could only speak in certain ways and in certain traditions or practises!

Oh I know that He can and does speak through creation, His word and through people but I still placed Him in a small box! How ignorant of me to think that my journey with God was the right way!!!

I have had the privilege this weekend to be away on a residential course with a group of wonderful Godly people who like me are exploring whether they should become spiritual directors.

I talked to and listened to catholic sisters, catholic priests, baptists, Church of England vicars etc!
I was overwhelmed by the richness of their journeys with God.
I felt accepted loved and part of an extended family, we laughed and cried together as we heard how God has been their constant, their solid foundation throughout their lives.

At the end of the weekend I wrote in my journal the following:
There is a richness in different  practices,baptist, catholic, etc.
God speaks in any and every which way, He cannot and does not stay on one practise,
He cannot be beholden to one,
He breaks through traditions rules and regulations to reach into the soul of His children.
As His children we need to be hospitable to one another, listen to each other hold each other's vulnerable souls and walk along side one another, not try to change the other to be like ourselves but always 'See Christ in the Other'
I never want to stop learning how big God is!!!!

Keep saying " Yes"

"Yes"
"I do"
"I agree"
" Amen"

I have been thinking about words and how powerful they can be!
A child asks his parent for something and they expect the answer to be "No" but instead they get a "Yes" their face lights up, they are amazed!
A man bends his knee and asks his sweetheart for her hand in marriage and his heart bursts when she squeals "Yes". Later on they share vows as they both say " I do! "

I say " Amen" to many of my own heart felt prayers and to other peoples prayers I agree in faith for them.

Saying " Yes " doesn't always mean a once for all 'Yes' it is a constant daily decision to say "Yes"

My own walk with God has to be a constant "Yes I choose to live for you God" " Yes I will have faith even when you are silent." " Yes I will continue to serve even when I don't feel like it!!

Brian D. Mclaren says it beautifully in his book 'Naked spirituality'
Whatever our tradition, we eventually realise that our yes must become, 
not simply an event, but a practise.
each of us must learn to open our yes to the spirit on a moment by moment basis.
Jesus used an image for this practise a branch abiding in a grapevine.
The branch can't bear fruit on its own, but if it abides in the vine it will naturally 
bear fruit season after season.
Yes pruning will come and pruning may be painful, but again, if the branch just abides, just stays
Just says ' yes' season after season, that pruning will result in ever more faithfulness .

Saying " Yes " can often be a sacrifice,in Parenthood, in marriage, in bad health I. Difficult work circumstances praying we all will rely and abide on the one who said " Yes" for us.
Praying God's best for you all in 2014
Keep saying Yes!