Essential to Master
August 7th, 2008
“Contemplative practices are basic grammar to our discipleship to Jesus”. As in, you have to have them in order to develop a beautifully written story of faith with your life. Our good friend, Dave Nixon has some amazing thoughts about the contemplative life. (Just play around over on the sustainable faith site. Read away, it will do you good.)
Over the past 9 years, Mike and I have been becoming fluent in contemplative traditions and how they relate to our discipleship to Jesus. It is still stunning to me how few people really want to dig into this. We don’t understand how such a deceivingly simple practice can bring a deeper level of healing within. Few people want to sit still and be quiet. I was sitting quietly before the Lord the other night with a friend and she asked me, “Do you do this a lot?”. I thought, well yes, I do, and you know what, I could stand to do it a bit more for longer periods, like days to be precise but I digress.
Being rooted in the Vineyard tradition, gave us great experience in kingdom theology, power ministry, flowing in the Holy Spirit, worship and ministry to the poor in spirit. Upon being sent from our dear sweet church in Gainesville, we began to realize that we only had half of what would be important in helping people recover their whole life in discipleship to Jesus. We needed to understand about contemplative exercises and how they help the inward journey, not just for those who God would call to travel with us, but for our own life in Him. I guess you can think of the last 7 years as gathering tools to put in our bag. Valuable tools, that will keep us moving forward in ministry for a lifetime. There is no duality in our lives. We are who we are everywhere, ministering as Jesus leads, hopefully stewarding well everything He has given us from the environment to our monetary resources. Our whole life is ministry, is holy, redeemed and valuable.
So now, 7 years out, I have a dream of taking all the amazing and wonderful practical knowledge we have from the Vineyard, season it with a good does of Celtic contemplative practices, set in a deep narrative of social justice all wrapped up in a bow of people who are hungry to worship the true and living God. I don’t think that is too much to ask…do you? As a matter of fact, that is my prayer for the next 7 years.
Let it be so Lord.
Entry Filed under: Simple Faith
4 Comments
Add your own1. emily c | August 7th, 2008 at 11:01 am
you know, I’ve been trying to put my finger lately on what seems to be missing from some of my relationships and I think you really hit it with our “vineyard training”. There really is a sense and awareness of operating daily under the spirit…and it helps me to just be so thankful for the training, formal and not, that I received.
Btw, excited to see you soon and have a worship CD that I think you may enjoy (produced by our churchs worship band) that I will bring with us
2. Amber(Homeschool Diva) | August 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Yes Em I know. What we received in Gainesville was peculiar and priceless in so many ways. At times, I ache knowing that those with us here have no concept of what we had in Gainesville, or who we were. I would love to give them a little taste.The other day Arty called and we spoke for a few moments and after we hung up, I just wept for the rest of the day. I couldn’t really explain why. Now I can put it into words, but those words aren’t for this little blog. Just words between Mike and I and the one who called us.
God called us here, and asked us to lay everything down. There were days, when I didn’t think I could let go of anything else, and then He would say just a bit more. I have cried so many tears, and wondered so many days about our calling and our ordination and being sent out to pioneer something here.
Now I see a bit of what He has been up to. We did lay it all down, and He gave us so much we would of never had if we didn’t obey. Now we are coming back full circle and gathering up previous tools. It is an interesting feeling and few get what I really mean. That is ok. God has given Mike and I several prophetic words and visions over the past few months both individually and from others around us that are leading us deeper into this thing.So much to say, and there isn’t enough room or time here. I can fill you in on Monday.
Drive safe.
3. Pat | August 7th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Amber, this is good stuff. I too am finding that a blend of the old Vineyard training, plus contemplative prayer and the Celtic monks, mixed together with issues of justice and hospitality, provide me with some serious growth opportuity.
Keep writing, I want to keep reading!
4. Amber(Homeschool Diva) | August 7th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
You are too kind Pat:-) Love your flickr stream by the way.
I guess with all these words, God moves me along in my process. The good the bad and the ugly.
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