Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Slow Down

Thanks for waking up early to go on our first Slow Down, friends! Indeed, we all needed a morning to spend entirely and exclusively with the Lord. For those of you unable to join us, please enjoy some pics:

[BJ, Darla, and my head]

[the infamous Monrovia Canyon Falls]


[ our company at the end of the trail
note youth stretching on the right!]


[fallen leaves, running water]

[God's beauty even in things that scare us]

The best time for me was our time on our own after the hike. I had an opportunity to sit down and speak with God, and say things that I normally wouldn't say in the mishmash and hodgepodge of the everyday. It felt good. I left feeling at peace and refreshed.
Will you be joining us on our next Slow Down? Maybe in the fall, after the back-to-school rush? Maybe by the beach?

Just a few thoughts on prayer...


You know how you go to the web to look for something and an hour later you wonder why it was you went to the web in the first place? I'm having one of those afternoons. I've been thinking about prayer a lot lately as I spend evenings praying for the friends that Warehouse has Sent.


You know how you turn off the TV, go into a dark quiet room and just pray as it comes? Praising, singing, battling, crying, laughing, proclaiming, dancing and a lot of just sitting in the stillness, in silence? Ok, well maybe that's just me. In which case I've shared too much and I need to explore this more in counseling. :) What I mean is, just spending time in His presence as you would a friend who has come to visit.

I guess my point is, no matter what you do when praying, isn't it awesome when you come back and realize that two or more hours have passed? And you think, this was so much better than watching TV. (Or doing the Sudoku puzzles I'm addicted to.)

I wonder why I don't do that as a practice. Why do I only do it when there's a missionary traveling, or a friend or relative who is very sick? And why, each time I do this, and have these very same thoughts and conviction, do I go right back to pursuing distractions rather than spending time with Jesus?

So I've been crawling for thoughts on prayer. Prayer insights. Prayer ministries. Prayer communities. I want to know - how do people do this? What's the key? What's the trick? How do you make focused, extended, intimate prayer a lifestyle?

Of course I could say - well, two hours of prayer every day isn't for everyone, just the people who are spiritually gifted to pray. But I know that's not true. I know it's a matter of just getting the fact that you are spending time with Someone you love and who loves you.

Watching TV for two hours is easy. Surfing iTunes is easy. I wouldn't say that I have the spiritual gift of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, or the gift of paying 99 cents a song to bring grunge back. So why do I think that a person needs to be especially gifted to spend that same amount of time praying?

I don't have any answers, really. I expect I will always do this prayer thing imperfectly. I found a few quotes I thought I'd share anyway. ~Aida

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Prayer itself is an art which only the Holy Spirit can teach us. Pray for prayer. Pray until you can really pray. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

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"Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men (and women) is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them." ~ John Calvin

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“…the man on his knees has a leverage underneath the mountain which can cast it into the sea, if necessary, and can force all earth and heaven to recognize the power there is in His name.” ~ M.E. Andross

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“Depend upon it, if you are bent on prayer, the devil will not leave you alone. He will molest you, tantalize you, block you, and will surely find some hindrances, big or little or both. And we sometimes fail because we are ignorant of his devices…I do not think he minds our praying about things if we leave it at that. What he minds, and opposes steadily, is the prayer that prays on until it is prayed through, assured of the answer.” ~ Mary Warburton Booth

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"The true spirit of prayer does not consist in asking for blessings, but in receiving Him who is the giver of all blessings, and in living a life of fellowship with Him." ~ Sadhu Sundar Singh

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Saturday, July 11, 2009

Bring a Book | Buy a Book Sale & Silent Auction

To Benefit Warehouse's Thailand & Cambodia workers ~ with a Special Presentation from Rachel Snodderly of Compasio

Bring your old books to Warehouse THIS SUNDAY, JULY 19th.

Drop off your books before WHS, then stick around after WHS for the used book sale & silent auction.


USED BOOK SALE

Support Warehouse’s workers in Thailand & Cambodia by donating your old books and while you’re at it, pick up a few “new” ones! Donations may be left at the book donation table in the back of Warehouse before service on July 19th.

SILENT AUCTION

Need a new website? A resume that opens doors? Framed original artwork or photography? Having a party? Get your bid in for a live jazz band (one of Warehouse's own!) who will perform for an hour at any event of your choosing! How about a gourmet meal prepared just for you and a friend or two? Need a ghostwriter - a poem for a friend, or even a marriage proposal? :) How about a hat or mittens (ok, gloves for the guys) custom knitted just for you?

These and other services and products will be up for auction on the 19th! There's something for everyone.

Get your bid in! Then browse the used book tables. Eat. Hear from Rachel (see below). Make sure you stick around to hear the winners of the auction. One of them could be you!

SPECIAL PRESENTATION FROM RACHEL SNODDERLY
Stories from Thailand

Rachel currently serves with COMPASIO (http://www.compasio.org/) and has PHENOMENAL photographs and cool stories to share which will leave you on the edge of your seat and praising God for His provision and His unshakable love. We also have a very cool opportunity to support Rachel as she serves widows and orphans, street children and "Prison Babies," on behalf of our Warehouse community.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Slow Down -- this Saturday!

Whatup Peeps,

Here's the lowdown on our first (of many?!) Slow Down this Saturday, July 11th.

Meeting point: LAC parking lot (near Maple Street entrance), 8:30 a.m; (you can do it); carpool to nearby Monrovia Canyon Park (to save $5 parking/car).

From there we choose a trail -- I'm thinkin' either the 2-mile or 1.5-mile one -- and hike to the waterfall, where we'll break up for about an hour of individual prayer time.

If you've done an hour at the 24-hour prayer room or signed up for an hour during Operation Rolling Thunder, this should seem short! If not, you may be thinking, "How am I gonna pray for an hour, and by myself?!?!?!" No fear! Prayer helps will be provided!

Since we're going through the David series on Sundays, I thought it'd be relevant to read some of the psalms written by David -- his own prayers. In preparation, how about listening to some of the messages we've heard recently? For guys, maybe listen again to Albert's message on Fathers Day...or whatabout the message about not just dealing with vengeance, but overcoming it? We've seen just a glimpse of David's life, but already there is a range of activity and emotion. Lots of good stuff! Catch the messages online by clicking here.

I'll bring printouts of the pslams, but bringing your Bible will definitely be useful. If you want to be adventurous, you may open up to any page and see what the Lord has to say to you then and there! Also optional, but useful: a journal (and pen). Your solitude time is not limited to speaking aloud or to God in your head. Consider writing your prayer out, or try composing your own Psalm!

After the prayer time, we'll regroup and, depending on how we feel, may talk a bit about what God has said or revealed to us during that time. Then we'll head over to one of the picnic areas for lunch (bring your own!), and head on home.

Sounds good?

Now for some logistics --
  • Dress appropriately! We'll be starting about 9:00, so it'll already be warming up. Layering is your friend. So are hiking boots or sturdy sneaks. Also: sunblock, sunhat, sunglasses... you get the picture.
  • Don't forget the water.
  • Perhaps a small backpack to put everything in! But remember: whatever you bring, you will be carrying for at least a couple of miles...
  • Be advised that we will be out in the midst of nature! Catch Page 3 of the Monrovia Canyon Park page to see what to watch out for...
  • Bring a watch, too, so you know when to come back to the group!

We should be back at the LAC parking lot between noon and 12:30 p.m.

See you Saturday, bright and (not that) early!