God's Direction in the Life of Summit, Part 2 of 3
Psalm 70:4-5, “Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation continually say, “God is great!” I am oppressed and needy; hurry to me, God. You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.”
“I am needy and needed.” That is a statement I hope you have heard now numerous times if you have been a part of Summit Ridge over the past few years. It is an important reminder for the life of our church – each of us is “needy and needed”.
This statement emerged from my time away three years ago on sabbatical. That has been an important reminder for me as I have been reflecting on how the Lord is leading us as a church.
In the last newsletter I shared how the Lord nudged me toward “increasing the pain” for us to not build walls with one another but rather to care for one another. In this newsletter I want to focus on our being needy and needed.
Three years ago I was introduced by my son to Paul Miller’s, “A Praying Life” and it was the tool God used to begin to transform my prayer life. At the same time period I was introduced to CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Foundation). I was seeing a need in my life and the church for knowing better how to care for one another, how to better offer Biblical counseling – which is just another way of saying, “problem focused discipleship” to one another.
So three years ago Angela and I began our first Biblical counseling course to learn how to better help people. It started in a way I was not expecting – by focusing on me! I was brought to a place of my own needs – my neediness. And oh how the Lord met me there! You see, I discovered afresh in my journey that it is in the very darkest places of my heart – the places where I want to hide, where shame runs deep – that this is Jesus’ favorite place to meet me.
It was during this time that God began to deepen me in prayer. Prayer became more alive. I was inviting Him into every area of my life. Psalms became more real to me. Jesus became more real – I slowed down and began looking at Jesus all the more. I was getting to not just learn about Him; but knowing Him.
I am needy and needed. And this is true of every one of us.
Jesus meets me (us) in the hardest of places. And He sustains me. I was discovering afresh that He doesn’t think of me and shake His head in (frustration, disappointment, disgust, [fill in the ___]). But He loves me and wants to touch all the places of my life. (As He does yours!) It is in my neediness that I have discovered that He is truly a refuge to me.
As He has been refining my life over the last three years I have been slowing down – I have become less efficient. As Jesus cares for me He has been changing how I see others and care for them too. This has been stirring in me to be more and more dependent on Him. I want to walk in the Spirit as Romans 8 talks about. All because of God’s grace awakening me to my neediness. It is true, we are all needy and needed!
I truly love where the Lord has led us and where He is currently leading. It is a joy to walk with you church!
In His Grip,
“I am needy and needed.” That is a statement I hope you have heard now numerous times if you have been a part of Summit Ridge over the past few years. It is an important reminder for the life of our church – each of us is “needy and needed”.
This statement emerged from my time away three years ago on sabbatical. That has been an important reminder for me as I have been reflecting on how the Lord is leading us as a church.
In the last newsletter I shared how the Lord nudged me toward “increasing the pain” for us to not build walls with one another but rather to care for one another. In this newsletter I want to focus on our being needy and needed.
Three years ago I was introduced by my son to Paul Miller’s, “A Praying Life” and it was the tool God used to begin to transform my prayer life. At the same time period I was introduced to CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Foundation). I was seeing a need in my life and the church for knowing better how to care for one another, how to better offer Biblical counseling – which is just another way of saying, “problem focused discipleship” to one another.
So three years ago Angela and I began our first Biblical counseling course to learn how to better help people. It started in a way I was not expecting – by focusing on me! I was brought to a place of my own needs – my neediness. And oh how the Lord met me there! You see, I discovered afresh in my journey that it is in the very darkest places of my heart – the places where I want to hide, where shame runs deep – that this is Jesus’ favorite place to meet me.
It was during this time that God began to deepen me in prayer. Prayer became more alive. I was inviting Him into every area of my life. Psalms became more real to me. Jesus became more real – I slowed down and began looking at Jesus all the more. I was getting to not just learn about Him; but knowing Him.
I am needy and needed. And this is true of every one of us.
Jesus meets me (us) in the hardest of places. And He sustains me. I was discovering afresh that He doesn’t think of me and shake His head in (frustration, disappointment, disgust, [fill in the ___]). But He loves me and wants to touch all the places of my life. (As He does yours!) It is in my neediness that I have discovered that He is truly a refuge to me.
As He has been refining my life over the last three years I have been slowing down – I have become less efficient. As Jesus cares for me He has been changing how I see others and care for them too. This has been stirring in me to be more and more dependent on Him. I want to walk in the Spirit as Romans 8 talks about. All because of God’s grace awakening me to my neediness. It is true, we are all needy and needed!
I truly love where the Lord has led us and where He is currently leading. It is a joy to walk with you church!
In His Grip,
Recent
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December 9th, 2023
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November 25th, 2023
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November 11th, 2023
Prayers Answered We Have a New Associate Pastor Coming
October 28th, 2023
Pray with Us About Summit Henderson
October 22nd, 2023
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