Tag: journey_together

Posted on

An Invitation to the Unknown…

As I write this 1 January 2020 is approaching quickly. Why does this matter? I don’t know, but I believe it does. You see, God is inviting me to an adventure into the unknown this coming year and I want to invite you to come along and see what God has planned for us. This will be a virtual pilgrimage shaped by the story of Elijah as found in 1 Kings 16 – 2 Kings 2.

This invitation is pulling me out of an extended time of desolation which has gripped me most of the fall. In my time of desolation, I felt distant from God and alone in the world. This sense of desolation was amplified by my ongoing struggles with depression. This is my “starting point.” Your starting point is most like something very different.

The exciting thing is that each of us will add to the wonderment of how God will working in us individually and together as a group (however big our group might be). I know there will be two of us and probably a handful more. The only requirement to participate is an openness to what God is inviting you to this coming year.

My part of this adventure is to provide you with some online resources — blog postings and podcasts (1 or 2 per month) — focused on the story of Elijah and the things that I am discovering. Your part will be to engage with the resources I post, comment on them as you feel led, and journal about what God is inviting you to do. I hope to have in place before the first podcast a virtual place where we can gather and discuss things that will be available only to those who choose to sign-up for the adventure. You can click here to sign up.

If you have any questions you can comment below, email me at thesojournersgarden@gmail.com, or message me on Instagram @thesojournersgarden, Twitter @thesojournersgarden, or on Facebook from The Sojourner’s Garden page.

www.thesojournersgarden.org

Posted on

Coming Alongside

Verse
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 MSG)

My Word or Phrase
he (God) brings us alongside someone else

My Image
Though I don’t remember the specifics I recall seeing more than once at the end of a long race (marathon, triathlon) where a competitor falls short of the finish line and another competitor comes along or comes back to help them across the finish line. They know the pain the fallen one is in and come alongside to help.

My Invitation
I need to be open and willing to respond to the prompting of God when he puts another in my path who needs someone to walk with them awhile.

What does it look like to come alongside another? Sometimes it means sitting and listening to their story. Other times it might be a simple word of encouragement. Listen for God’s prompt and respond as best you can. The smallest thing can make a great impact in another’s life.

So who is God prompting you to come alongside?