Spiritual Springtime

It was so much fun to be spiritually stretched along with the rest of our leaders at our monthly meeting last week. Let me describe the exercise I led us through:

After a time of worshiping together, I broke everyone into their Cluster groups (six groups with 10-20 leaders in each). After some encouragement, specific points of instruction, and some groundrules that would help everyone feel safe and secure as we moved forward, I invited everyone to speak out prophetically within their group what the Lord put on their heart.

It was so beautiful to see so many leaders launching out in new-found courage and faith. Although scripture repeatedly encourages us to step forward God's ambassadors, to fill our mouths with His words, and promises that we all can prophesy (1 Cor. 14:31), it is still so nervy when we're first learning how to do it (especially in front of others). But our Cluster leaders (who I had met with before the meeting) did a fantastic job giving encouragement and instruction within their groups so that we could all move forward together.

After 20+ minutes, I pulled everyone back together and invited the Cluster leaders to come forward and share with our entire leadership team what common themes came out of the various prophetic words that were shared. As six different clusters shared these themes that came through what the Spirit was speaking to 100+ leaders' hearts, it was incredible to see how God was speaking so clearly. Each theme built upon and reinforced the previous one. We experienced exactly what's described in 1 Cor. 14.

While it might be easy to reason away a theme that comes in one group (i.e. a person within the group hears what's just been prophesied, and then basically repeats it in their own words), this could not have been manipulated across six groups. There's only one Person who is smart enough and powerful enough to speak so clearly to so many hearts at one time.

Tune in later this week to read more about what God is speaking to us...

The Snake that Swallowed a Frog

For those of you who were in services at The Coastlands this past weekend, you heard me tell a little story about this moment...

For those of you who missed it, the quick summary is that this little snake swallowed a frog that it snatched right out my hand! The kids were elated to watch the frog-lump make its way down the snake's throat... Ah, the moments that make boyhood come alive.

He Redeems My Life from the Pit

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless, the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit.
Psalm 103:1-4

I had a moment last week where I felt the Lord tell me to stop worrying about the pit. Like a car stuck in the sand, I could feel my wheels spinning, the sand flying, and the smell of a smoke begin to fill my soul.

When I feel stuck, sometimes I'm in such a hurry to figure out how to get out, that I forget that these are moments God wants to use to teach me, lead me, and refine me. Like Elimelech in the first chapter of Ruth, I'm in a hurry to leave when the famine comes. And so I waste my energy and emotion trying to figure out how to escape the problem rather than humbly coming to the Lord and asking what He wants to teach me.

I'm not sure what your pit is. But don't try to escape it. Just as the Lord led David out of the cave and into the palace at the right time, trust that He will lead you out once He's accomplished what He wants to do in you.

BTW, if money is your pit, I'd recommend this article as being particularly helpful and hopeful.