Jana Spicka and Women Getting Real Ministries
Posts tagged desires
Relationships Need a Real God
May 14th
It is always a challenge at first to follow God into a new teaching topic. It is not the study or the actual delivery of the spiritual download I tremble over.
It is the living it out first in private before He lets me share it in the public.
Therefore you can imagine my hesitation to teach on healthy relationships. No, more than just healthy, He is going after loving relationships with others, even the “others” that I can’t stand, can’t forgive, can’t believe will be different.
I can talk about a loving healthy relationship with that Lover Boy Jesus all day long. But when you get into other peeps or my family, ouch, this cuts a little too close to home. And yet. Isn’t this precisely the way of God? To so overwhelm us with His love and affection that we spill out and over on others? Proverbs says “the tongue of the wise brings healing.” And we need to hear Jesus speak healing into every relationship we have.
So this new seminar on June 9, is very simply a time plant a few seeds of Jesus in our lives. Most of us have been through some sort of counseling, even Bible studies. Yet most of us would say our relationships don’t change much. I find that to be so counter to the way of God.
When people in the Bible had an encounter with Jesus, their lives were changed. Some instantly, some over time, but all were changed because He put something in them that produced His life. Real Life. That is what we are going after.
Plan to come with a desire to pull weeds in your heart, and to let God plant His healing and wisdom instead.
Real Life. Real Relationship.
June 9, 9:30-Noon
Fuse Church, Midpark Drive
Open to All: women, men, couples, singles
Love Offering Event
Pre registered Childcare Only.
Yes or No, both are Good
Apr 27th
Sometimes it is good to state the obvious.
My kids still act shocked by it, but on occasion, I tell them “No.” I usually have a good reason, or insight, or hunch that they may, or may not see– or agree with. But the answer remains a no. And, I still love them. I have begun saying to them, “My No is as loving as my Yes.” I want to plant in them that I am not mad when I say no. I am not delighting to torment them, or purposely spoiling their idea of fun.
As a parent, I have to look at the big picture, the overall story of what they want and what I want, who else is involved, the long term effects, even the unforeseen consequences or rewards. Out of love, I tell them–yes. Out of love, I tell them– no. But both are love. My kids Love my yes answers. I get all kinds of gleeful responses. My no answers are not greeted with such enthusiasm.
I ask my kids to trust me even if they disagree. I ask them to trust that I am moving out of heart of love for them. Obvious, right?
Now if I do that so imperfectly, how much more trustworthy is Our Father? When the Spirit tells us ‘no, you can’t have that, do that, go there, say that,’ how much love is He showing us? He cares so much for us that He walks with us, in us. He says because of His goodness and abundance we can run full out.
God says with a smiling whisper, “Go!” When we fall, no worries, He is there. Just get back up and keep running.
But then He says—no, stop, wait. He wants us to respond with as much love and affection as we do when He says run full out. Picture His face when He says no. Is He scowling, condemning, smirking, or ridiculing? God forbid.
He is still smiling, with a secret twinkle in His eyes, and whispers, “No. But trust Me. I can only give you good.”
God does say “no.” And He still loves you. It’s obvious. But we need to translate it rightly. His no is as loving as His yes.
A Wedding, a Baby Shower and a Funeral
Apr 26th
Within a month I will have attended all three of these life events. These reality checks should be mandatory once a year for every human being. Why? Because they remind us of promises and futures. They give us perspective on our choices, and what we are sowing and reaping. And, if our hearts are beating at all, we will cry at all three.
Take weddings for example. The bride and groom’s ardent affection make me remember when love was new and the wounds not yet inflicted. I need to remember the helplessly giddy feelings—and cry. Am I still willing to give my heart to my husband with abandon? But their beaming faces also make me smile because I know, with God’s grace over time, those fresh, gushing promises of forever love and good behavior will turn into more than they could imagine. The wish for “happily ever after” will become a deep reservoir of victories and defeats, little deaths and resurrections, a history of two lives being melded into one. Love is transformed from shallow rapids in a stream into deep still waters.
Baby showers are bittersweet too. Reading the fear and panic on the faces of new moms, or moms again, remind me of just how fast time flies and just how faithful God is. You only have to be a few miles down the road to realize that the sweet cuddles are gone in a moment. Did I stop long enough to enjoy them? Did I plant the seeds of loving God in my children? The messes, questions and hopes of those beginning years will soon be whispers in our memory. God really is big enough to be God to our children, not just to us. And He will be their God even in our bad moments and failures.
Fortunately, this funeral celebrated a woman who loved God. So we did “not grieve as they who have no hope.” It was a refreshing change to celebrate a life well-walked with Jesus. It caused me to pause and reflect. Am I living in such a way that people know I love God? Not works. Just fruit. This woman had a beautiful display of fruit in the testimonies of others’ lives.
In contrast, the last several funerals I’ve attended have been for unbelievers or spiritual fence-sitters. It is amazing how we speak with gymnastic prowess around death when hell is very real. None of us can bear the thought of eternal separation from God, yet those people chose separation from Him in this life. Here is a hard question. If you don’t want to be with Jesus now, why would you want to go to heaven and be with Him forever?
When I die, I don’t want the speakers to be hanging on some tightrope that I am with Jesus based on some long forgotten church experience. I told Chuck, “If I go first, you tell the people at my funeral that there is no question about whose I am and where I am. I am with my Lover and I had just talked to Him the day I died.” Chuck laughed and shook his head. “I know honey, I know.”
Life well in Christ so you can die well Christ.
Don’t sleepwalk through your life. Examine, reflect, celebrate, change course. Plant God and harvest His life.
Don’t work more, worship more.
Apr 25th
I am reading this AMAZING book called, Compelled by Love, by Heidi Baker. She and her husband are lovers of Jesus and they pour out their lives to orphans in Mozambique, Africa. She says the poor and orphaned have taught her how to love. Talk about a paradigm shift.
Beyond her degrees, Powerpoints, and fundraising back up plans, she said that they have entered into the Life of Jesus — only. If God doesn’t show up, there is no food. If God doesn’t show up, there is no healing. If God doesn’t show up, they have no protection. So they worship… in everything. And God often responds in miracles and wonderful outpourings that many of us would have trouble believing. But her first goal, her first action, her first response is worship. She knows that the Presence of God is the only way she can live in the pressing need all around her.
Last night, I sat on my bed reading her God stories and just cried. Cried over the goodness of God. Cried over the way I get distracted and faithless. Cried over the groan and ache I have for more of Jesus, and yet –I still want my stuff, my way, my comfort.
Then I turned the page and saw a quote from Mother Teresa. She was asked how she managed to face the overwhelming needs day after day. She said:
“My secret is very simple: I pray. Through prayer I become one in love with Christ.
Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depths of our heart.”
At first I read this and was so comforted. But then I looked at the “overwhelming needs” of my day. And I wanted to throw up.
Am I feeding the poor? Caring for orphans? Am I doing something besides being distracted by the lies of my culture (more stuff, more bills, more beauty products) and seeking entertainment? (Do I even pray about my “friends” on Facebook? )
Will I invest even one honest season of worship in His presence without all the Christian trappings and just look for His face?
I would love to tell you, Yes, Yes, Yes. But I’m not so sure I can. What I can tell you is that I closed the book and began to pray. First I confessed my willingness to settle for the “pressure of the world” rather than seeking His power in my world. I thanked Him for the blessings of food, shelter, and abundance. When compared to most of the world, I live like a queen. And I can be as demanding and as ungrateful as a queen also. So I thanked Him for His grace and patience with me.
Then I began to pray for the poor and orphaned— in my life. Men and women who are poor in spirit, the people who in live life without the Father’s assurance. They (we) all need to be fed and comforted just like the abandoned ones in countries thousands of mile away. Then my heart turned to just speaking who He is, and how much I need Him and love Him, that He is the answer to all.
He is our greatest ache and groan.
Finally, I just sat in silence. And His presence came.
What did it feel like? Peace. Enveloping, warm, full of light. Peace. Peace that doesn’t always make sense or add up. “Peace that transcends understanding.” But a blanket of “I love you” just draped around me.
His Presence changes things. Our worship stirs His heart and then He stirs ours. He rights our view of our little world when we are reminded, again, it is His world. He is the loving King of all with not only the power but the desire to be God to us and for us.
Today, don’t plan a little more or work a little harder. Worship a little more. And watch God move.
Sweetly Broken Abortion Healing Retreat
Apr 24th
“I thought I was over it.”
“I’ve never told anyone.”
“I’m afraid God is punishing me.”
“How can I make this right?”
“How can I forgive…?”
We know how you feel. We have been there too.Through the fear, nightmares, denial, anger and regrets.
BUT we have passed through to a new place called peace, and true forgiveness.
We are still sad about the fact of our past, but we are no longer held captive by it.
God has shown us there is beauty in our brokenness.
We invite you to a tender, honest and safe weekend to
hear about how to walk forward in freedom.
What you can expect:
Time to process
Time to worship
Time to hear truth
Time to be honest
Time to sort out what’s next?
Teaching and materials by Jana Spicka.
2 night’s lodging at a lake house in Louisville, TN.
Check in at 5pm. First session at 7pm. Check out Sunday at 11am.
Four meals and snacks. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday morning. (Friday night dinner is on your own before first session.)
This is an intimate gathering for 9 women.