Sorry Friends, I know it's been a while. We are getting settled into our new house, new church and city. I often struggle with the fact that there is so much I want to be doing, more ministry, more writing, reaching out.......but this just isn't that season. My season right now is raising precious "used to be toddlers," relishing these last few years, before school and life demand more of them. My season right now is to be a wife, a pastor's wife, and take every opportunity to explore this new and expanded territory we have been called to. So friends, my writing will be sporadic I'm afraid, until the Lord tells me to do any differently. But, I am carving out time for this one. I hope you think it a story worth sharing.
Blessings to you in your season, may it undoubtedly be scattered with seeds of hope.
Sara
I have wanted for so long to share the story of Terese with you, and with many of you I have. In fact if you've received a gift from me in the last year, been struggling, lost someone.......perhaps better said, if you are someone who has blessed me or I have wanted to bless or encourage you in a profound way, I have either given you this book or shared with you, from this book. I have become somewhat of a nut about it. I order it by the case, right this minute I'm carrying 8 in my car, just waiting for the person the Lord leads me to encourage with it. And, anytime I give it out, I always want to share the full history behind it, which makes me seem even nuttier. I don't know why I feel like that's necessary........no, wait, I do. This book has such significance to me personally, and is so anointed, I want whomever I share it with to understand that it is not to be discarded or put on a shelf, and never opened again. It's to be read everyday, and then shared with whomever you encounter.......and then you become a nut who orders cases........and the circle of life is complete!
Enter sermonette.
In ministry, I often find myself wanting so badly to be the giver of good gifts....now when I say good gifts, I don't mean trinkets, or crafty things, not even expensive things. I want to give "gifts" that change someones day or heart, "gifts" that melt burdens or bring healing or much needed joy. I try to give "gifts" that others might hesitate with, and that's usually.....words. It seems so silly, but people often withhold the most desired gift of all, when they don't speak the things people are needing to hear from someone, needing someone to say aloud. I have found, and granted I may be way off base, but when I am really sincerely wanting to bless someone, it is usually through words...........praying over them out loud, extolling or exhorting, encouraging, speaking favor over someone, telling them what they mean to me - what they mean to God, acknowledging, appreciating..........call it whatever you want, but I don't just think it, I do it, I say it. And, I don't fake it. Nothing is worse than lying, insincere, flattering lips. The point of this is not to be flowery and make yourself look good, it's to bless someone, in the Spirit, in their spirit.
How do you do you do that? Pray about how the Lord sees them, pray about what the Lord would have you say to them, pray about wisdom to ease someones pain, or the words that the Lord would use to bring peace or hope to someone, and then say just those things!
This has not always been easy for me, but it's something I understand the value of and something I am willing to seem foolish and awkward doing, until I get better. This is something you practice, the easiest and safest place to practice it is in your prayer life, how you talk to God, who is worthy of every word. Practice it by looking for opportunities to bless someone, by looking for someone who needs a touch from the Lord and then humbly pray He would use you to be it. If you've ever been around someone who has this skill, you probably know it. In my life, there have been a handful of people who are so gifted, that I just treasure every encounter with them. They fully understand how much weight their words carry with me, and they use every one to minister to me. Whether teachers, speakers, preachers, authors or poets.............I am amazed by people who are gifted communicators, people who truly recognize that their words can bring life or depth to someone and are not shared to fill voids or exalt themselves. This is why I am amazed by Seeds of Hope.
Why am I telling you this? Because, words are power. Words spoken or written, shared with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, are POWER. Lots of people are educated, smart, verbose and eloquent and yet, bless almost no one. But, someone who is a willing instrument for the Lord to bless people through them, through their gifts? Oh, my word! There are no limits, no boundaries that cannot be surpassed by one person operating under the anointing and motivation of the Holy Spirit. There is no number or measure to the lives God can touch through one person, with no agenda other than, "Lord, how can I serve you? Lord, how can I use my gifts to bring glory to you?" This is where part of my affection for Seeds of Hope comes from, not all, but part. I am in awe of a work that is produced purely by one person waking up everyday, for hundreds of days, and saying "Lord, I know someone, somewhere is going to need a word from you today. Someone I don't know and may never meet, will be hurting on this day or searching on this day, not searching for me - but you, Lord, and they will pick up this book.........what would you have me tell them?"
How do I know this was how it was written? Because, I know the author and she is my friend, my mentor. And, now you know the "why," or actually the "who," of the why I love sharing about this book. As much as I love this book, and I do love this book.........the real treasure is it's author, Terese Holloway. "Who shared it with me?" you cleverly ask?
If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.
But, what the heck? Risk it!! I'll tell you anyway!
God did. God shared this experience with me. You see, in the middle of my journey, God graciously allowed my path to intersect with the paths of some of His most beautiful creations. God was working out a plan for months, years even, weaving the most brilliant tapestry- a tapestry woven through extraordinary circumstances and extraordinary people, including one former President (of the USA!!!! not a quilting club!) one world-famous bible-study teacher/author, two new life-long friends-a poet, and a prophet- a couple of dreams, one car wreck, one miracle, two full circle moments........... and my local grocery store.
Only God.
More to come.......
