First off Lord, I want to thank You for yet another wonderful Small Group gathering at the house last night. We’re three weeks into the “Treasures of the Transformed Life” study, and so far it’s been an encouraging and inspiring series. And while the course material has certainly been an excellent starting point for our discussions, the tangential conversation topics that have evolved from that syllabus have been even more of a Blessing to the group.
This week’s section was called “Jumping in With Both Feet”, and focused primarily on the role of our church family in our Walk with Christ, and also how important our presence is for that family to thrive.
Without going into a great deal of detail, the chapters this past week were dedicated to helping us understand how significant a commitment to our church membership truly is. The author draws a very distinct line between our “attendance” and our “presence” at church, making the differentiation that when we’re “plugged in” to the other members of the congregation, we open ourselves to listening, caring and aiding them when they’re in need. In addition, when we joyfully share the unique combinations of Spiritual Gifts that we’ve each been Blessed with, we strengthen and expand the Body of Christ, which in turn aids us in growing our faith, and in showing Your light to others. The Apostle Paul wrote of this relationship in his Epistle to the Romans:
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:4-8 (ESV)
Our group last night was an excellent example of what Paul described; coming together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and sharing the encouragement, support and perspective that Your intimate presence in our lives brings about.
Heavenly Father,
All-in-all Lord, last night was another wonderful, inspired gathering, and I thank You for bringing us together once again to dig deeper into our relationships with You. Please continue to guide us in Your will, that we may grow both as Your Blessed Children, and as members of the Body of Christ.
Well Father, once again we come to another Meditations Monday here at PhatherPhil.org. This past weekend saw days filled with Your abundant Blessings, and quiet evenings curled up under warm blankets watching movies with the kids. We managed to get our Christmas crafting projects off to a healthy jump-start, enjoyed an inspiring church service Sunday morning, and then while Aidan and Shannon attended a birthday party for one of his classmates, Jonathan and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went out to Port Mahon and Woodland Beach for a photowalk. I truly love these times of connection with my family and the “extended family” that You’ve placed in my life Father, and I thank You for Blessing me by granting a weekend filled with their company.
In recent weeks Father, my thoughts have often drifted to the connections You’ve placed in my life; my loving family, the wonderful variety of friends I’ve made, and most recently the warm and inviting church family You led me to at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC. I know without question that You’ve placed each and every one of them into my life for a reason Lord, and by doing so have Blessed me with one of the components essential to growing in Your presence…
Fellowship.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV)
Your path for our lives includes a complex (to us anyways) intertwining of souls. You bring us together for many reasons; to encourage us, to teach us, to comfort us, and to share our spiritual gifts with one another. The Holy Spirit draws us together, creating those vital allegiances that nourish our soul as we journey along the path to Your Kingdom.
Heavenly Father,
As we begin the week, I lift thanks and praise to You for all the wonderful relationships You’ve brought into my life. Through these Blessed connections I’ve seen countless signs of Your gracious love, and they continue to inspire me to reach out and share that love with others.
Last night Lord, we held the second of six meetings for the Small Group Study “Treasures of the Transformed Life” at the house. Like first gathering, it was well attended and everyone brought fresh perspective and insight to the discussion. We even had a couple younger participants this time, and they jumped right in with both feet. It was a productive and inspiring evening, and I felt truly Blessed to be a part of it.
This week’s focus was called “Drawing the Water”. Continuing with the metaphor used in last week’s discussion : “Priming the Pump”, once we’ve prepared ourselves to receive Christ into our hearts by fully committing to Him, we can then begin to draw from that inexhaustible supply of Living Water that You make available to us. The primary way we accomplish this is through the practice of prayer.
The study material discussed a number of types of prayers, methodologies for focusing our prayers and the different ways that You respond to those conversations when we do so. Our group latched onto this topic wholeheartedly, and we had a wonderful exchange discussing the different ways we pray, things we’ve prayed for, and the myriad of ways in which You’ve answered those prayers in our lives. It was a lively, refreshing dialogue, and I believe that everyone who attended came away with some new perspective on making our conversations with You a deeper part of our lives.
As I’m sure You can tell Father, I’m very much enjoying leading this group of people through the study. It’s a warm, inviting, friendly gathering each week, and I think all of us have learned a great deal so far; both from the study itself, and from the wonderful input each member brings to the discussion. I’m thankful for being a part of this endeavor, and look forward to continuing it next week.
Heavenly Father,
I come to You today Lord, with arms open wide and a heart committed to Your presence in my life. Through Your gift of prayer, You grant us a personal audience and an open invitation to deepen our relationship by seeking You. For that heavenly connection, and all of the other ways You come into our lives, I give thanks.
Well Father, I couldn’t have asked for a lovelier weekend. Coming off of a tiring and complicated week, Shannon, the boys and I were all well-worn by the time Friday evening rolled around. With that being the case, we made the decision to spend a good bit of our “down time” as the description implies… down. Friday evening we curled up on the couch together and watch movies until bedtime. Saturday morning we lounged around the house in the morning, and then headed outside to do our “Fall clean up” of the planting beds along the house. The rest of the day was split between miscellaneous housework, and more movie-time with the kids. Sunday morning began with an uplifting service at church, then back to the house for a tasty, fun breakfast of Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Thanks for pointing me to the recipe Alida :-)). Jonathan, Aidan and I then gave Mommy some quiet time and headed out to Blackbird State Forest for a long walk in the beauty and abundance of Your Creation. The rest of the day was spent finishing up some odds-and-ends around the house, and then yet another quiet evening on the couch with the boys. This was the first weekend in quite some time where we didn’t have a packed schedule of activities, and it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. Thank You so much for that much-needed respite Lord!
This week’s Meditations Monday Scripture is actually inspired by something John Waller talked about at the worship concert we attended last Thursday. One of the songs he played discussed his desire to be used to bring Your light into other people’s lives. The song is appropriately titled “Somebody Else’s Story”:
Out of all the wonderful music he shared with us that night Lord, this is the one that really hit home with me. As a Christian, I can think of no greater joy than bringing Your message to the hearts of those around me; to show them the true wonder of Your love for us, and to share the gifts You’ve Blessed me with in Your service.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” – Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
I take that Commission very seriously Father, and when I get the opportunity to be a part of someone else’s “Story”, It’s a Blessing beyond words for me. Mr. Waller’s song captures that desire beautifully, and I thank You for placing it in his heart to share with us.
Heavenly Father,
As we begin the week Lord, please help guide our choices and actions to best reflect Your desire for our lives. Inspire us to reach out and share Your message of love and redemption with those we encounter each day, and to faithfully serve Your will.
To begin our week’s conversations Father, I want to start by thanking You for yet another wonderful weekend spent in the company of my family and some dear friends. We were Blessed to have a couple of our “extended family” (our kids call them Uncle Robert and Aunt Katie, although there’s no blood relationship) visiting with us for the weekend, and we enjoyed their our time with them immensely. We also managed to host a “Mexican Feast” themed dinner party Saturday evening, and cooked up a Fellowship brunch after church on Sunday as well. We feel very thankful for the people You bring into our lives Lord, and it seems only fitting that we should celebrate those relationships whenever we’re able to. So for the friends, the family, the food and the fellowship Father (wow, that’s a lot of F’s… 🙂 ), thank You!
This weekend held one other significant event for me as well Father.
Last week was rough. It seemed as if each new day brought with it another list of problems to solve, and headaches to endure. By the time Friday evening rolled around I was tired; emotionally, physically and yes… spiritually. Saturday morning I vowed to put all those nagging, earthly worries and concerns behind me and enjoy the festivities we’d planned, but through all my attempts to refocus on You, those unsettling whispers still haunted me.
Saturday was a beautiful day weather-wise, with temperatures in the low 70s and a very comfortable fall breeze in the air. I got my lists for the day prepared, and headed out to pick up groceries and supplies for the evening’s event. As I pulled up to the traffic light in front of my destination, I felt the warmth of the sunlight radiate on my face through the open sunroof…
And suddenly, tears began to stream down my face.
In that perfect moment Father, I felt Your overwhelming presence all about me. It was an amazingly peaceful, joyous feeling; quite difficult to describe actually. But as I was able to pull the truck into the shop parking lot, I remember feeling wonderfully relieved. It was if all the weight in my heart was in that moment, lifted away from me. The sensation itself was short-lived unfortunately, but the after-effects remain vivid. My problems certainly haven’t gone away, but I was afforded a powerful reminder that I’m not dealing with them by myself; You’re here with me, and You care.
Therefore Father, with that experience still fresh in my heart I chose today’s Meditations Monday Scripture to align with Your wonderful message to me:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (ESV)
One of my favorite inspirational verses Lord, and a very powerful promise as well.
Heavenly Father,
As we go into this week’s activities Lord, please fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit that we may draw strength from Your presence within us. Lead us to make decisions that best justify Your will for our lives, and guide our actions that we may share Your bountiful glory with all those around us.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
