How God spoke this morning
I ran eight miles this morning. When I go on the longer runs, generally there is space and quiet enough that God speaks to me. This morning, as is often the case, it was in the form of ideas. I believe that they are God-generated ideas that he has made me a steward of.
Here they are:
1. Start…
By Seth Barnes
I ran eight miles this morning. When I go on the longer runs, generally there is space and quiet enough that God speaks to me. This morning, as is often the case, it was in the form of ideas. I believe that they are God-generated ideas that he has made me a steward of.
Here they are:
1. Start a special needs kids foundations for daughters like my own. God showed me how to fund it.2. Start a foundation to honor the memory of kids who have died while serving on the mission field. I’ll be speaking to two families in the next several days.3. Organize this blog into three caring sub-communities. This has been in process for a couple of weeks and I’ll be finishing it up this weekend and rolling it out to you at the beginning of next week. To me it’s a model of the activist church that Jesus had in mind. It starts in virtual space, but flows into real time and produces life change.4. Turbo-charge a business I’m part owner of through one small but crucial decision that will produce millions of dollars, many of which will go to missions.5. He reminded me he has invested me with authority and spoke about a few specific people in whose lives I need to exercise it to help them reach their destinies. They can’t lead others unless they more effectively lead themselves by demonstrating humility as Brennan Manning and Henri Nouwen have.
The point I want to make has nothing to do with me – my life is just an illustration. God is interested in speaking to us and partnering with us to bring his kingdom to earth. Our job is to create the space and the listening ear – to posture ourselves to hear him.
Are you doing that? Are you creating space so that he can speak to you?
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Nice! Clear. Necessary. I just jotted down three things God has placed in me to steward as I read your blog. May God prosper what He has caused you to conceive. And I will be very careful to only send you e-mails that are precise and to the point, b/c all the things you wrote about above neeeeeeeeed to be given ample priority space to grow. I’m learning a lot as I’m watching your interactions and getting a sense for this kind of “load” in ministry.
Peace,
monika
Awesome!
Oh, Seth,
You and God are definitely onto something…when I read your first “God-idea” my heart resonated with yours…I have a daughter who has a child with Asperger’s Syndrome and wasn’t diagnosed until she was 21. Years of taking her to specialists who gave multiple diagnosis but none who could really help….I have seen the heartache, the frustration, the expense, the lonliness…but more importantly the lack of “community” who would understand….Press on, Seth….I love your heart because it desires to be in tune with God’s heart….
Im having the exact same response as above… “Awesome!” and “Press on, Seth….I love your heart because it desires to be in tune with God’s heart….”
God is speaking to you and through you. He’s telling me to find the place (Please God! Not running!) where I can hear Him too.
Hi Seth,
Thanks for sharing your heart here and the “inspiration” from your “perspiration” as you trudged down your exercise path this morning.
Let’s get time togethersoon. May we?
I’d like to encourage you to come this way to Lenoir, NC as I have a sense that some puzzle pieces for your life may be discovered in our enclave tucked away in the trees and sloping hills and mountains. I have a bed, food, fellowship and some “spiritual adrenaline”. It’s a four hour drive from Atlanta. Bring someone you are mentoring if you like.
In the meantime, I am looking forward to seeing your “spiritual daughter” today @ 2:30.
She’ll have my ear, Rolodex, heart and expertise.
That’s because I love you friend and that in part motivates the passion to help.
I’m breathing again,
Butch
PS: Jeremiah 29:11
Seth, I particularly like your point about recognizing and putting to use the authority that God has given you. I’ve often mistakenly confused humility with denying the authority and influence that I have. But I’m understanding more and more that this is poor stewardship. Authority and influence are just one more resource God has entrusted us with to use for His glory, and that humility is found in how we use it… not in burying it.
Seth,
My wife DA is a special ed. teacher, I teach in a Christian H.S. and we both have a heart for special needs kids. My school superintendent who is also a very good friend and fellow coach, and who is on my Board for Wipe Every Tear also has a huge heart for wanting to further develop a ministry in our high school to meet the special needs of kids in our community.
Traditionally, Christian schools in the country have no programs for special needs kids. WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT! We are in the process of trying to figure out how to fund it. I would love to hear what you have going on in your mind. I believe God’s heart is especially soft for our kids with special needs.
I have cried out to him to bring a “Radio” to my classroom (ever seen the movie “Radio”? If not, you need to.) I beleive there are parents out there who are crying out for their own children to be able to be in a school where Jesus is priority, where the Holy Spirit is called to come, and where the Father’s heart is demonstrated in love for our kids. “Lord, please bring me a ‘Radio’ to my classroom…”
We are trying to think outside the “box” when it comes to funding. We are exploring the idea of developing businesses that we can use to educate and mentor our high school kids in and produce a profit to help fund ministries that are on God’s heart. Again, this doesn’t happen much out there. We want to be different and in line with what God is up to.
Seth, so much of what you write in your blog is what God is doing in me! I’d love to comment on all the other God stuff above, but I’d go on forever!
You will never know here on earth what a blessing you have been for me. God uses you to keep the “juice” flowing.
Bless you man.
Kenny in Boise
Hey!
Wow, God is good! Thanks for sharing His constant voice in your life! I want to hear it too and really relate to the long runs that ends up being sweaty prayer and worship times for me. Alas, running here in Nicaragua has its challenges…maybe something else can work out where I can “run” with Him.
Thanks again Seth!