BF2013: The Well...

On Thursday night just gone, I attended The Well at the Hope Haven, which is a drop-in centre run by the Hope Foundation. I am a supporter of the Foundation, which operates as "a national charity, based in Brisbane, that comes alongside women wanting life change from addictions and/or the sex industry."  I have made many friends among the ladies involved with the Foundation, and am thankful for their friendship and example.

The Well is a once a month evening of worship and prayer, where I am able to relax, listen to worship songs (and sing if I feel like it), pray and soak in His presence. At Thursday night's Well I was able to do all these things (except sing thanks to the pain from the gaping big hole in my gum!). While soaking in the peace that comes from such an evening I wrote down some jottings, which were inspired by not only the songs but by the prayers that the Hope Foundation Founder and CEO, Bronwen Healy, prayed to our Lord.

His love never fades. Never fails. Never runs out.
          He will never leave me.

We exalt His holy name.
We glorify His name.
          "We glorify Your name in all the earth."
We giveHim the highest praise.
We worship no-one above Him.

He deserves ALL of us, not just when we can fit Him in.
Our schedule should be set around Him, not the other way around.

"Reveal who you are - through everything we say and do. Even eye contact with others matters." - Bronwen Healy

Rest for my soul is the presence of Jesus.
          Immerse yourself!
Rest in Him. Be willing to let yourself get lost in His presence.

He is our Living Hope.
Become more aware of His presence.
Let us experience the glory of His goodness.
          Need to allow Him to come into our presence.
Don't let our activities block Him out.
Quet time. Rest. Soak in His presence. Don't block Him out.

My reality. God can and will strengthen me to face mine.
Whatever our reality is, He can strengthen us to deal with it and live through it.
          He can do it.

What life has He choseen for me, and you, to live?
          Ask Him.

Song, thoughts, prayers, words from the Holy Spirit. Such a beautiful expression of His love for us. It's not us, it's Him. All Him. He provides for us at The Well.

Praise His glorious name.

 PS: If you would like to support the Hope Foundation, please go to the web-site and read about the amazing work that is being done to help women be free of drug addication and/or the sex industry.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday...

I'm a day early due to the time difference, but I've just discovered that my church band, Citipointe Live, has posted new videos to their YouTube page from their live concert/album recording from back in June. (I'll do a link back to Amy's page once she posts). I had been waiting and waiting for weeks to attend the concert but on the weekend I was stuck in bed. I'd had influenza a month earlier, and my body was running out of steam again. I've never had the 'flu before, and I have to say that I thought childbirth was nicer!

Anyway, the video below is of Citipointe Live's song "Name of Jesus" and it is a special song for me. Last Sunday at church was "Saturate Sunday", which is the name for worship Sunday, where we spend extra time in worship and prayer to God. The band were singing this song, along with the church, eyes were closed, people were up the front being prayed over, and arms were raised heavenward seeking Jesus.

I sought Jesus, and I'm honoured to say that He came and found me. As the band was singing His name over and over, I had prayed that I could be forgiven for not being, and for help to be, the mother I should be. I felt lost in the moment, praying to my God, when all of a sudden, eyes still closed, I saw a serene and bearded face, surrounded by a gold/yellow light, appear to my left. His face was so close that I could have moved forward a little and placed my cheek next to His. Jesus looked right into my eyes and said, "it's alright Paula."

With that, the band stepped up the tempo, my eyes opened, and He was gone from my sight, but not from my heart. My heart is racing now just thinking about it, and tears are welling up in my eyes. Our Jesus, my Jesus, the man who suffered and died on the cross for me, had just appeared to me and told me that it was alright.

Please enjoy this video and take a moment to close your eyes and seek our Lord as you do. He IS waiting for us to seek Him. He's always there. We just need to, as the Pastor said later during his preach, allow Him to be able to get through all the busyness of our lives. That is what worship is for; an avenue for God and our Wonderful Saviour to get through to us.

PS: Amy has posted, so please check out her TSMSS blog post at Signs, Miracles and Wonders.