Sharing on Sunday

Hi!

For those who weren't there today, I shared at church on how I came to be studying and learning the stuff that I am studying and learning, and though it's long, I figure it will give you guys a good summary of a few things I have been thinking through over the last year or so.

Happy reading! I should send everyone a prize for those who are actually interested enough to read all the way through! I promise I will if you let me know who you are...:) And if you do- wow I'm impressed, and Thanks!!!

Last year was a big year! As is every year, so it seems! But this was big! It was full of people, activity, new things, a saying that has been mentioned recently, has been the phrase "it was bigger than Ben Hur!", and that was what last year felt like.

One of the main aspects of my job is to support people, to help them get their jobs done, and help to make each of their days easier.
I watch things go by my desk at work, people conversations, events being planned, people coming and going, life lived to the full, however, throughout it all I slowly became aware of something new.

As the year reached towards the end and Christmas approached, I started to think back on the year, of all the events, surprises, people from all over the world, age, and circumstance, each with their own needs and expectations. It seemed as though my eyes were slowly being opened to something I hadn't seen before, in myself, in others.

I became much more aware of our own brokenness, in whatever form that was, through living in a fallen world, in our body, spirit or circumstance.

I saw people, but I also saw more of their deeper needs inside of their brokenness, pain, longing for approval. Some of the words that came to mind that I wrote in my journal included: support, nurture, the need for a reset button when things go wrong and complete forgiveness is needed, of praise, calm, servant hood of looking after each other. There was the person standing a my desk needing something to be done, but also the person behind the job had needs too.

None of what I was thinking really made any sense to me at the time, it was jut a random growing awareness that God was working and had something planned, though I didn’t' know what it might be.

It was sometime later, on November 20, the service was about sharing about how the Church as a body looked after each other and took care of others when there were deep needs of depression, sickness, walking alongside and bringing each other through these challenges. I sat and listened in amazement at what God did through others, and how he sought to share his love, and could work through his body. Each were such powerful testimonies of how God works, of his love, faithfulness, and the promises that he makes, that he never breaks, should we choose to accept them.


It was during the time when one person in particular was sharing when it seemed that the still small voice spoke clearly to me, saying "now is the time to start training in this area, of not just supporting others on a work level, but it's time to start learning how to supporting others from a deeper level, by looking at the person within, and supporting them on a much deeper life giving level".

It was clear, challenge and there was no doubt where that voice had come from!

But where to start looking, and how does one get that kind of training from, here in Hong Kong? With no way of studying full time, and no available funds to really take part in on line courses. Where were there courses in Christian Pastoral care that clearly and specifically train others to reach out and support those around them to live as Christ intended. Where would I find the direction and forward movement to go where God has early spoken to me?

What has taken place since then has been a lot of prayer, investigation, talking to people who I know are involved in pastoral care, or counselling, of buying any good book I could get my hands on, of lots of reading of the bible to find out what God says about the brokenness of his people in different contexts, of his love for them, and the wholeness that can only be found only in him.

I have been so privileged take part in the Greifshare course that Michele ran last Spring. It was an amazing testimony to hear each person’s story, to grieve for and pray with each person who attended, to see strength return to each person as they walked through each day without the person they had lost.

I have continued to talk to people, read, and investigate different courses to study and generally find out as much as I can, and am now taking part in training for Stephen's ministers, to learn how to better listen to and encourage others in their walk.

So far, since that day I was first told to go and start training, it has been an uphill climb, but with a clarity of call that I haven't often had in my life, and through it all there has been the firm and steady conviction that this is clearly where God is leading me, no matter what distractions or pressures have come along- so far!

And while I don't understand much of what God has in mind at all, where I don't know what I have got to offer others in terms of care, support, or ability to listen to others, I know clearly that I need to keep pursuing the training, and learning of how better support others on this level.

I would love to leave you with a few verses that really blessed me when I first started this journey.


Romans9 25-26

I'll call nobodies and make them somebodies;
I'll call the unloved and make them beloved.
In the place where they yelled out, "You're nobody!"
they're calling you "God's living children."


Isaiah 9:6

For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He'll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.