Spiritually supercharged after the first day of GIC

What a day!  I have spent the day at our church's Global Impact Celebration Prayer and Missions Conference.  This is a time when Asbury UMC in Madison, AL invites all of our missionary partners to come to Madison and speak at a variety of workshops on prayer and missions and they also invite at least two keynote speakers.  The morning started off for me listening to Thom Ewing and Karen Spain of WAY-FM/Huntsville share about the mission of this contemporary Christian music station as well as how they are connecting and acting as missionaries in today's world of social networking.  Then after lunch listened as Leonard Sweet a well known author and speaker talked about how the church needs to move into what he called today's TGIF world.  TGIF = Twitter, Google, IPhone/IPad, and Facebook.  He lectured about how this is no longer a world of words but a world of images and storytelling.  This was followed for me by listening to Marcos Wittig talk about intercessory prayer for missions and shared about his work in Medellin Columbia.  The day was topped off by Marilee Pierce Dunker who shared some about her father the founder of World Vision and his prayer to God to break his heart for the things that break God's heart.  She shared also about some things that today should break the church's heart as it breaks God's.  Tomorrow will bring even more and I know by the time the GIC ends on Sunday I will be spiritually supercharged for some time.  I will spend some Sunday in prayer to determine just what God wants me to do with what I've heard.

The Principle of Walking and Talking

In this chapter Carol Kent tells us about how important it is that we not only talk the talk to those arounds but also walk the walk.  She gives several examples of people who influenced other believers by allowing them to see just how they lived out their Christian faith.  She also points out, through scriptures, how Jesus did exactly the same thing.  She reminded me that there are times when I could have been a much better example to other people than what I was.  One story she shared that really impressed me was the story of 76 year old Miss Elizabeth who acted as a quiet encourager, mentor, witness, and friend to women in her church.  Also how she did not complain, gossip, or criticize.  Yes I could do well to emulate Miss Elizabeth.  Through the entire chapter there are other stories of the influence of various people, male and female, who not only shared their beliefs with other but also were a living example of these beliefs.  Another point that Ms. Kent makes is that they were not always perfect.  In fact she shares a story about herself and the comment she got from a young woman when she shared how she had once been overly invested in presenting such a perfect image that she often was angry at her husband and son. She told the young woman that she had been a screaming monster, a silent martyr, and a skillful pretender when trying to impress others.  The young woman's response is what I really enjoyed and the point she was trying to make.  "I always thought you had a perfect marriqage and that you were an ideal mother.  It made me think I could never be good enough to get close to you.  But now, I think we could b friends."
I believe that Ms. Kent is telling us that we need to live our faith and exemplify Jesus' teachings to the best of our abilities in all of our daily living activities.  We need to not leave the lessons of the Bible in church or at home once we finish our time of study and prayer.  We become God's messengers only when we carry it out into the world we live in day in and day out.  I can think of several women that I have encountered in recent years who do just that and the alway impress me with their quiet humility.  They are not flashy or showy in their service to God, they don't hit people over the head with their Bibles but I am certain that everyone they meet know their Christian beliefs because they live them.

Chapter Three: The Principle of Time Alone with God

For the remainder of the book Carol Kent devotes a chapter to each of the principles that she listed in the previous chapter.  I believe that this first principle is one of the most important but also one that I really struggle with.  The fact that I struggle even scheduling time alone with God has more to do with my priorities that actual life events.  As I read this chapter I was again reminded of the fact that I have more than enough time to spend time alone with God if I will but get my priorities straight.  I have no children at home, I have a very helpful and undemanding husband to takes care of many of the household chores. 
Carol first lists the various ways that Jesus (our perfect role model) applied this principle to his life.

1. He made it a priority.
2. Use talking with his Father to help him clarify his mission.
3. His time in prayer produced results.
4. He often went to a solitary place to be alone with God. 

A comment she made in this section on the four way that struck a chord with me was "A 'solitude of the heart' can be maintained when our focus is on Him and our activities are monitored by an awareness of His presence. . . . When the phone rang, I prayed for the person I was about to talk to, even before I kne who it was.  When the woman in front of me at the supermarket had her credit card rejected, instead of being impatient becaue of the delay, I prayed for her."  This reminded me of all the ways in which I could be praying for other people instead of always being focused on myself.
Next she list the ways Jesus told us how to spend time alone with God.

1. Don't put on airs and try to impress God.
2. Find a secluded place to pray, keep your prayers simple and honest.
3. Talk to God as your loving Father, don't follow the formulas and techniques of others.
4. When you fast don't do it to impress people.
5. Remember there is a time for celebration and a time for fasting.

Of this list the one that I struggle with is the discipline of fasting.  I have managed a few hours like from sunup to sundown but never longer than that except for the one day prior to a colonoscopy when I could not eat and then I had a liquid diet.  That is another thing that I hope I will be better able to do once I have my bariatric surgery.  Plus for a while before and after the surgery I will be on a clear liquid diet anyway.  Not certain that is exactly the way God would want me to begin learning how to fast but I will take it.

She then goes into a portion on the Lord's Prayer which is the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples.  The next section is entitled "Personal and Direct" and she begins by saying "With God, prayer is not a 'cat-and-mouse game'; it is personal and it is powerful."  She then shares and example from the life of Jesus and one from the life of a struggling pastor of what was then a dying church.  Both are powerful examples of how God faithfully answers prayer but not necessarily in the manner we were expecting. 
Next Carol Kent tells us how to influence others to spend time with God.

1. Tell others what God is teaching you in your time with Him.
2. Pray out loud together.
3. Sing praise and worship songs together.
4. Discuss the books and articles you are reading and suggest reading material.
5. Lastly--practice! practice! practice!

This is where I am sorely lacking in my walk with God and I have been praying that He will help me improve in this area.  So I think I will take her advice and begin to Practice! Practice! Practice! praying all the while that He will continue to show me ways to improve in my influence of others for His glory and purpose.