​It is possible for us to delight Jesus! He feels how much we love Him. He is highly aware of our choices to respond to situations in faith and obedience, and He sees each sacrifice we make to care for others. To Him, these expressions of love are like an alabaster jar full of fragrant perfume. When I discovered the “alabaster jar principle” years ago, it became a major metaphor of my life and has transformed my trials and challenges into noble and beautiful opportunities.
​
Do you remember Mary’s story? Her family in Bethany was holding a dinner party to celebrate Jesus raising her brother Lazarus from the dead. While Martha lovingly served, Mary walked into the room holding her very costly treasure. She knelt beside Jesus, and with a loud crack, shattered her exquisitely carved, shimmering alabaster flask. Then she poured out on Jesus’ head and feet its entire contents of extremely expensive spikenard ointment.

The nard had been carried overland from India, thousands of miles through treacherous mountains and deserts. Upon reaching Israel, it was cultivated into spikenard, the most elite of perfumes. In today’s currency, Mary’s dazzling jar and its prized contents would be worth about $40,000. This was Mary’s treasure. She lavished it all on Jesus, and it gave Him great pleasure! He exclaimed, “She has done a beautiful thing to me!”

We have an alabaster jar to give Jesus, too. It isn’t something tangible, but it is an expression of something valuable to us. Giving it to Him in faith and love costs us a lot. To give you an example, I will share about the alabaster jar I gave Him years ago and what I am giving today. I was married to an evangelist who was involved in fraud and immorality. Standing true to Jesus through the whole thing was a severe fiery trial, but I loved Jesus so much I couldn’t compromise with evil. During that agonizing period, I wrote the following song:

Years ago, in preparation for our church's annual Resurrection Week drama depictions, I was asked to paint a four-foot-tall solid iron crucifix found in an abandoned cemetery on church grounds. I spent the week meditating upon the graphically portrayed "body" of our Savior nailed to the cross, which was lying on our kitchen floor, while reading familiar passages of scripture and pondering what the Bible says happened the week leading up to and including our Lord's crucifixion.

As I began carefully applying paint to each perceived bruise, each laceration, each puncture, my soul was carried to a place and time in human history unlike any other.

Jesus, prostrate before his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, travailed so intensely in prayer that blood oozed from his pores and dripped to the ground. Knowing what he was to face, yet He was willing because only He could provide the sinless sacrifice.

Upon rejoining his disciples on Mount Olivet, an incited mob crests the hill to arrest Jesus. The blood-thirsty crowd grabs Him, binds his hands, and marches him first to Annas, and then to Caiaphas⏤his son-in-law and current high priest. Still tied, the ropes rub his wrists raw. Only one disciple, John, remains with him. In the courtyard, one of the two disciples who have not run in fear crouches before the fire; and at this moment, even he denies that he ever knew Him.

An officer, furious with the answer Jesus gives Caiaphas, rears back and slaps His face.

​Taking Jesus from Caiaphas' house to Pilate in the Praetorium, they hope for a judgment against Him. Pilate instead determines Jesus has done nothing wrong but has Him whipped to placate the Jews.

​The soldiers⏤mocking him⏤plait a crown of acacia that they cram upon his head. The toxic thorns pierce his scalp to the skull; blood runs down his forehead into his eyes. A purple robe is thrown across His beaten bloody shoulders. They hit His head with reeds, spit in His face, beat Him, and rip out His beard with bloody hands, while bowing in mock reverence and jeering, "Hail, King of the Jews."

Afterward, He is presented to Pilate, who in turn presents Him⏤still with crown, robe, and blood⏤to His accusers⏤the chief priests and officers.

"I find no fault in him," Pilate insists.

But they shout, "He has blasphemed God and broken our Mosaic law. He claims he is the Son of God!"

Pilate returns inside and asks Jesus, "Who are you?"

Jesus remains silent.

Pilate snarls, "Don't you know I have the power to crucify you, and I have the power to release you?"

Jesus answers, "You have no power at all over me unless God gives it to you."

Pilate negotiates with the Jews to no avail. They choose instead to release a murderer and to crucify Jesus. Pilate absolves himself of the guilt and allows the crucifixion.

Along the Via Dolorosa⏤the way of the cross⏤the sleepless Lord Jesus⏤beaten, shamed, and bloody⏤carries the weight of our cross upon his shredded back to Golgotha⏤the place of the skull. The people scorn him, wagging their heads with his every tenuous step.

There they impale His hands and feet to the cross. His crimson blood runs down the center beam as they raise Him high upon that cross, then drop it with a thud into the hole between two thieves also being crucified. Pilot orders a sign that reads, "King of the Jews" to be nailed over His head. It is the third hour of the day.

Jesus hangs on that tree of cursing for three long, excruciating hours as endless mocking voices crow below. An eerily thick darkness descends upon and covers the earth.

At the ninth hour, Jesus cries loudly, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

Below, they think He calls for Elijah. Someone raises a sponged reed with sour wine to drink, but He refuses it.

​Jesus cries out once more and dies.

The earth trembles with a mighty earthquake. The tapestry between the people's sanctuary and the Most Holy Place in the temple where the ark of God and His Presence abide rips in two from the top to the bottom.

​The centurion at the foot of His cross exclaims, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

With Passover soon approaching at sunset, the centurions work quickly breaking the legs of the thieves and thrusting a sword upward through their sides into their hearts, to insure instant death.

When they come to Him, Jesus is already dead. The centurion thrusts the sword into His side anyway. Out gush blood and water. He has died of a broken heart.

​Jesus is taken down from the cross and buried.

On the third day He rises from the dead! He walks, eats, and talks with people, showing them the scars in His hands and His feet. In fact, over five hundred people witness that He is indeed alive before His disciples watch Him ascend to take His place on the heavenly throne at His Father's right hand.

Wow! What powerful words, what an impactful life! As each detail of those scriptures came alive in my heart and in my mind, I experienced such intimacy with Jesus, and gained a keen awareness of what He has done out of His great love for me, and for each of us. 

​Since then, meditating upon God’s Word has become my daily exercise. May He capture your imagination and enrich your life too, as the days of our Savior’s passion, death, and glorious resurrection approach, and as you ponder and savor every word of His miraculous story for yourself.
 
*Created originally for Calvary Christian Assembly of God Facebook page video 4-2020

“We’re closed!” is what I wanted to say. At 5:05PM–one hour and five minutes after closing–the church office doorbell rang just as I slung my computer bag over my shoulder to go home. In my head, I was already on the road. In my head, I was already at home, hoping the chicken was sufficiently thawed for the Savory Spiced Chicken recipe I had in store for our family dinner. Both of my kids and my husband would be home to join me around the table; I could hardly wait to hear about an oral Spanish test and progress on an important project. Snapping me back to the present, the doorbell rang again.
​
Relinquishing my computer bag with a heavy sigh and not a very Jesus-hearted attitude, I went to the door and saw a young woman new to our church family. This precious single mom had recently made a commitment to Jesus, and we had been helping her with all kinds of messy life situations. (I hail from messy life situations and have been eternally blessed by many Godly women alongside me in my journey, so it is truly an honor to come alongside others.) All of that flashed through my mind, along with the realization that this was going to take time and I was weary. My family and the spiced chicken were calling my name. I also sensed God’s prompting and knew that the Spirit would give me strength. As Jesus’ heart warmed mine, I opened the door and said, “Come on in!”

Instead of the agenda I had in mind for the next hour, I knew from the first word and embrace that this was a much-needed time of sharing, showing, and telling of God’s love to my struggling sister in Christ. It was God’s Word coming to life in that moment: So, we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us. (Ephesians 1:6-8a NLT)

In reminding my sister of God’s love and grace for her and of her belonging to Jesus and His family, God showered me with His kindness and grace for me. We need God’s grace straight from His throne. We also need His grace straight from one another through a patient listening ear, gentle words of encouragement, and time sitting together sharing our struggles. This is grace. God’s grace. His grace flowing to us, in us, and through us.

It could go without saying, but I want to go ahead and say it: I need and am so grateful for God’s grace to me. I am so thankful for the grace of others to me. How I need all that grace! How God’s grace is needed in our world, our country, our communities, and our churches. I am humbled when God shows His grace through me. Through the simple interaction that day, God profoundly imparted His kindness and grace. Words of love and grace may not have been on the tip of my tongue and what I wanted to say when the doorbell rang but thank the Lord they are what He wanted to say!

In the words of the late Paul Harvey: And now for the rest of the story…
I am a firm believer in healthy boundaries, and I do not always open the door whatever time of day or night. But I knew that day the Holy Spirit had an appointment for me that was not on my calendar. So instead of Savory Spiced Chicken, which waited another day, our family gathered around the table for a later dinner of “Take 2” (that’s what we call leftovers at our house). The oral Spanish test went better than expected, and the important project was on schedule.

I wish I could report that the young single mom I sat alongside that evening is now more healed and whole-heartedly serving Jesus. That is not the case; however, it is what I pray in faith believing for her. In light of that, I do not wish I had said what I wanted to say: “We’re closed!” I am so grateful for God’s continual invitation to abide in and experience His presence. It is what He says every time: “Come on in!”

Ingredients:
​3 tsp. ground dried thyme
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. garlic salt
1 ½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional depending upon your spice preference)
2/3 cup (11 Tbsp.) butter, melted
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
4-6 chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless/skinless)
 
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the first 6 (or 7) dry spice ingredients.
Place the chicken breasts onto a sheet pan.
(Line with parchment for easier clean-up.)
Sprinkle the spice combination onto both sides of the chicken.
Whisk lemon juice and mustard into the melted butter.
Pour or brush the butter mixture over the chicken.
Roast the chicken until cooked through.
(bone-in: 60-75 minutes; boneless: 45-60 minutes)
 
Enjoy!

​Jill St. John, once a high school English teacher, is an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God. She serves as Co-Pastor alongside her husband, Jason. For the last 23 years, they have served at Evangel Church in Kansas City: 6 years as youth pastors, 17 years as lead pastors. Jill has a passion for Jesus and a zeal for teaching God’s Word – helping others walk in God’s love and purpose. As a 4-time cancer survivor, she knows the goodness of God through the highs and lows of life and ministry. Jill is an authentic, enthusiastic messenger of God’s joy and hope. Teaching, cooking, laughing and hanging out with her husband and two children are the delights of her life!

Way back in the Fall of 2018, we introduced one of our "sister" ministry video resources featuring Debbie Cole at the Northwest Ministry Network (NWMN).  Just like reminders on our phones or calendars, we're sending a little loving notification to encourage you to take advantage of this great content. This particular video focuses on our behaviors in communication.  Although the context is marriage, there are some gems for any relationship as Debbie engages in conversation with Dr. Renee Bourdeaux.

Is there something that really struck a chord with you in this presentation? What's one tip or some advice that you have found helpful in your own relationships?  Please share it in the comments!

Off Script With Debbie is now in Season 4!  You can check out her channel here.

Is it a new season? Have you pulled out the clearly marked totes, tasted a spiced-up cappuccino at the local coffee shop, perused a clearance rack or two due to the new inventory coming into the stores?
 
Is it a new season? Have you welcomed a baby into your home, or said goodbye to one as she left for college? Have you recently separated from a spouse, or perhaps just tied the knot? Has someone dear to you left this world?
 
Is it a new season? Have you just changed jobs, on purpose or unexpectedly? Maybe you're currently "exploring your options." Have you been recently diagnosed with a chronic disease or heard the news of cancer in your own body or that of a loved one? Did you just "ring the bell"?
 
Is it a new season?
 
Seasons change. Sometimes it's exciting, fresh, new. Then again, it may feel like Narnia under the rule of the White Witch—always Winter and never Christmas.

​You are probably familiar with the song by The Byrds with the line "to everything there is a season." Those lyrics and several that follow are found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. God has set in motion this concept of seasons from the beginning of time (Genesis 1:14). Knowing that truth gives me hope in the difficult seasons and challenges me to grow as I enjoy the exciting ones, understanding that one season gives way to the next. So, relish the exhilarating flavors of that pumpkin spice chai latte, pour your heart out to God during that long winter night, let hope arise in your heart as the first crocus appears or when you see the robin, and take in that vitamin D from the rays of the sun until it gets too hot and you need a refreshing dip in the lake! Whatever the season, let God be your Evergreen—never changing, always faithful—through it all.

Personally, I love giving, particularly at Christmas, so much so, that purchasing generally begins in August. I put away in a special place little things I find for my family and friends. By October, I have a list of charities and ministries to which I would like to give a special year-end gift.
  
Our church presents us with yet another opportunity to give. Wednesday evenings in December have been designated December Ministry Nights—a time when church classes are suspended and the congregation reaches beyond church walls to bless others.
  
As I peruse our choices from the three sign-up sheets laying prepared ready for signatures on a foyer table, I see the first alternative is to serve a traditional Christmas meal and share warm fellowship with those who have no place to call home. In the past, I have found this to be a particularly fulfilling experience, yet admittedly, a bit uncomfortable one.
  
My eyes move to the second option: singing carols for elderly residents in a nursing home. I have always enjoyed visiting with people in their later years, and since I love to sing, this has been a natural fit repeatedly enjoyed.
​  
The final sign-up sheet is for those who would like to help paint the restrooms of a nearby rural school our church has adopted. I used to paint a great deal, but not so much anymore. It's too hard to get up and down these days. Even so, I did volunteer last winter to help paint the classrooms, carefully cutting in paint around the woodwork and trim. It was fun, especially with all the chatter between volunteers. I felt a nudge in my heart, picked up the pen, and signed my name. Paint the restrooms it is! ​

Within only a few minutes, my sense of anticipation quickly faded as the man who supervised the project informed me my job would once again be cutting in...around the toilets and stalls!
 
"Seriously? This isn't what I signed up for!"
 
I envisioned myself kneeling on a nasty urine-soaked floor, crunched up between a dirty elementary school bathroom stool and probably just as germy stall wall. I could visualize myself with my head leaning against a nasty toilet rim, my body twisting to reach behind the stool to paint wall instead of porcelain.
 
Suddenly, shaken from my thoughts, I remembered something I have said to the Lord…actually many times over the years. "Lord, I will go anywhere and do anything you want me to do. I will clean toilets, if that is what you ask of me."
  
Wow! There it is...in just an instant, my heart is exposed!
 
I heard myself breathe a deep sigh of sad recognition. My shoulders slumped in resigned surrender. I clearly saw my stinking attitude and shallow motives. How did I swerve off course? Yet in just a brief encounter with the Way, the Truth, and the Life, my heart was recalibrated.
  
Giving has never been about me, but rather, about the Lord and how He chooses to show His love and grace to people through me, a vessel.
 
"Lord," I cried, "please forgive me. I do want to do whatever you call me to do and do it with all the love and grace You have given me."
 
Immediately, my thoughts were of the school lacking in funds and teachers, although not paid nearly enough for the great job they do with our kids, using their own resources to provide supplies for the students. I could see the clean bright restrooms they would soon have because of people who give of themselves so they and their teachers can live out their school days in pleasant surroundings.
  
Joy and the true love of giving filled my heart.
 
Amazingly, when I arrived at the school to paint, I was given a new assignment--to cut in the baseboards and around sinks. The floors and toilets were sparkling clean. The wall behind the stools? The supervisor had already painted them.
  
In no time at all, we had two restrooms shining with fresh new paint awaiting the beginning of a new school day.
​  
Isn't God good?! ​

As you look at the above photo of a penny, what does it represent to you? The answer I am searching for today is: ONE. This is a word that seems to have lost its value. There are so many voices and so many choices, so many distractions and so many priorities, that focusing on just one thing seems impossible. Yet David, who is credited for being a man after God’s heart, penned this important truth. ​

This passage provides us with sound instruction for the unprecedented times we are currently living in. When we seek the ONE true God first, our priorities can come into alignment, and His voice can resonate above all the noise.
  
While I do not believe God sent our current world crisis, I do believe He is using it to help us remember the Power of One--the importance of His voice and instruction over all other; the significance of making Him our number one priority.
 
We are unable to possibly decipher the many conflicting reports, agendas, and opinions that bombard us each day. Many of our former priorities which competed for our time with God, no longer exist. Could it be that God is reminding us to seek Him first? Is He asking us to make Him number one yet again? In our seeking, we can find many benefits.
 
First, we can access the promise of the second part of the Scripture above. It doesn’t say, “If trouble comes,” it says, “When trouble comes,” we can be hidden in the secret place of the Most High. As a Christian, I am not promised a life with no storms. However, I am promised I will be sheltered and God will never leave or forsake me. I have the assurance He will calm the storm or He will cross with me through it to the other side.
 
Secondly, if we, the Body of Christ, would all focus on one thing and one voice, we will see a spirit of unity prevail as it did in the New Testament Church. This group of believers was known for having one heart, one mind, and operating in one accord. They turned their world upside down!
 
What if the Body of Christ would do that today? What would happen if collectively we all united with His agenda and focused on His priorities instead of our own? Now is the time for today’s Church to arise with a spirit of unity and in one accord, to ask our one true God to have mercy on the United States of America and restore her to be “One Nation Under God” once again.
​  
I do not believe God is finished with His church on this earth; I believe her best days are in front of us if we will remember the value of One. We are given the key on the face of the coin: “In God We Trust”! ​

Rhonda Barnes is author, speaker, Christian blogger, and gifted teacher of God’s Word. Credentialed as an Assemblies of God minister in 2002, Rhonda currently serves as Associate Pastor at Grace Community Church in Salem, Missouri. Her first book, Road to Transformation, Journey to God’s Glory, was released in 2014. Since then, she launched the Christian teaching blog Secret Place Revelation, inspired by Psalm 91:1. In 2017 two additional books, Keys to the Kingdom, and It is Written were released. Rhonda is passionate about sharing the truths of God’s Word and enjoys writing, speaking in many settings, and teaching small groups.
​
To contact Rhonda, please visit www.secretplacerevelation.com or email rhondabarnes@embarqmail.com

If I were to be honest, I would admit that during this pandemic, I have experienced some really strong emotions. I have had moments of sorrow, loss, anxiety, loneliness, frustration, anger, and, yes, even love. This last week, I have felt especially small in what feels like a giant, tumultuous storm swirling around me, out of my control. Nothing is “normal” or seems to be of sure footing. I have prayed for my family, the sick, their families, healthcare workers, our country, our leaders, the church, and for the rest of the world suffering from this crisis. With all of that, it has felt too selfish to pray for my own heart, even though my heart has taken a beating. 

​We, as human beings, are funny. In the middle of all this drama, I found myself, on Memorial Day, scrolling through the internet to learn how to grow a lemon tree from lemon seeds. You see, my back porch is a place of refuge and peace for me. It has always brought me joy to fill it with beautiful, life-giving plants. To add to my lavender, sweet mint, and cilantro, I’ve wanted a porch-sized lemon tree. Seeds seemed like an affordable, although time-consuming, way to get one.  Hang with me here, as I’m to the last part and point of my story.

Around noon on Tuesday, I received a call from some very dear friends asking me to meet them in town. We agreed on a time and meeting place. I grabbed my mask and off I went. I pulled into the parking lot to find my friends standing in the middle of the lane holding a gift for me. You could have knocked me over with a feather at what I saw. . . . It was a lemon tree!!!  Tears streamed down my face as I heard the gentle voice of my Savior say, “Melissa, I see you.  Your heart is important to me.  I know you and I love you.  Here is your lemon tree.”
 
You may wonder why this random friend is sharing this seemingly insignificant story in the middle of this very significant time in history. It’s because that lemon tree meant more to me than this article could ever portray and I want my precious friends, who listened to Jesus’ voice, to know just how thankful I am for it and for them. But, more importantly, because I wanted you to know that your heart matters to Jesus too!
​
Your lemon tree may be a sunset that simply takes your breath away, a bird’s song that calms your heart, a warm gentle breeze that causes you to turn your face into the wind, a friend who texts just to say they are thinking about you, or a Facebook post that causes you to remember who you are to God. Whatever your lemon tree is, see it for what it is. It’s a loving reminder that you are SEEN, you are KNOWN, your heart MATTERS to God, and you are LOVED!

​Melissa’s love of people and her passion for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ has opened doors for her to minister in eighteen different countries on three continents in all types of ministry. She has held positions of youth pastor, children’s pastor, worship pastor, evangelist, and missionary. Her unique testimony has given her the opportunity to minister to people from all walks of life and of all ages.

by Sarah Highfill

“Ouch! That hurts!” I remember thinking to myself as I felt my muscles stretched beyond their current capacity. I had just started CrossFit in North Africa and we were only in the warmup, which was workout enough for me at that point. We were supposed to be stretching our legs as far apart as they could go with both hands on the ground in the middle. The problem: my partner was supposed to be pushing me deeper into the stretch with each count. “One”—a little push that wasn’t too bad. “Two”--another push. “Three. . .Four.” Now we were at “Five” and it was starting to be very uncomfortable. “Six” Why did we needed someone pushing us? When it was just me, I could control how far I was comfortable going.
  
I didn’t realize I was resisting the stretch until my partner flat out told me—“Stop resisting.” I had gotten to the end of my comfort zone and was starting to feel some pain. However, once I stopped resisting, my partner pushed me deeper than I would have ever gone on my own.
​  
The Lord used this to speak to me. I was in a season of being stretched spiritually so I could grow and go deeper in my faith and in my relationships. I was being strengthened and didn’t realize it. My spiritual muscles were being stretched and I was becoming stronger. I felt the Lord whisper to my spirit, “Stop resisting what I have for you.” I couldn’t go deeper in my walk without the stretching and the strengthening.  ​

I was reminded of this lesson recently at the conclusion of my time with my connect group. When we are being stretched and refined through the fire, it hurts, and the fire is very hot. But, it is worth it! The growth, maturity, steadfastness, and perseverance that comes out of these uncomfortable times is worth it all! James 1:2-4 ESV says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The Living Bible in verse four says “So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems.”
  
When I was being pushed into that deep stretch, believe me, I was squirming and ready to push my partner off me. In that moment I didn’t see it as a growth opportunity because I was feeling the pain and ready to squirm my way out of it. Sometimes we might be uncomfortable because previously we have never faced this particular kind of trial. But we don’t have to give into fear, and we are empowered to count it all joy.
  
Are we willing to be temporarily uncomfortable so our faith can grow? Are we resisting something God intended to produce growth because it may be painful, awkward, or uncharted territory? Do we unintentionally resist God because it is a troubling situation we’ve never faced before? Are we counting it…all of it…joy? I think it’s interesting that in several of the translations I looked, it doesn’t say to count it AS joy, meaning similar to joy or to the extent that it is likened to joy. But. . .it IS joy!
​  
There will be growing pains, awkwardness, and uncomfortable stretching, but guess what? We can be joyful and confident that God is working something wonderful in us by growing, stretching, and refining us to be more like Him. With the help of the Holy Spirit as our partner, we can relax and be taken deeper than we ever could go on our own or have ever been before. ​

Sarah Highfill serves as a missionary to North Africa. She enjoys doing and coaching CrossFit. When she is state side she enjoys taking her Schnorkie, Shadow, for walks and being involved in the ministry of Stained Glass Theatre.

​“CANNOT UPDATE. CREATE SPACE.”

The flashing message on my computer was not unexpected, but today required my full attention. The hard drive on my aged Toshiba, was simply too full to support the latest Windows update.

But the message to “create space” spoke more deeply.

Before the Coronavirus, our life in ministry was exceptionally full and pre-packed with expectations. Our culture applauds high productivity and, without realizing it, our ministry can begin to reflect these same values.

Months before the shelter-at-home order, God had prodded me to slow down. These weeks of working from home, Zoom meetings, and recording Sunday services have become a “severe mercy,” forcing us to clear our calendar and quiet ourselves, seeking God’s direction.

In her book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Ruth Haley Barton captures this tension:
​
God is infinitely patient, and knows the greatest thing he has given us is our freedom. If we want to habitually, even exclusively, operate from the level of our own reason, he will respectfully keep silent. We can fill ourselves with our own thoughts, ideas, images, and feelings. He will not interfere.

But, if we invite him with attention, opening the inner spaces with silence, he will speak to our souls, not in words or concepts, but in the mysterious way that love expresses itself—by presence.1
 
Isn’t this the essence of “being still and knowing” God, (Ps 46:10) by “creating space for God’s activity rather than filling every minute with our own?”2 Through silence, we consciously withdraw from the demands of life, the noise of our own thoughts, and our desire to control, to hear a truer Voice.
​
To explore this further, Barton offers three strategies for creating space.

1. CREATE A SACRED SPACE
Place has a particular stronghold in our memory. We are creatures of habit and creating an environment that is set apart for meeting with God—away from our responsibilities—can position us to hear His heart. Sacred space can be a comfy chair in a quiet room, a walk on a trail, even a prayer closet.

As a young, stay-at-home mom, our piano was situated near an east-facing window. And each morning, the sun would stream in upon the piano bench, calling me to come sit, play, and worship. In that home, it became a sacred space where I met with God and learned to allow His creativity to flow through me. This was not productive practice for Sunday worship, but rather an intimate exploration, a gift offered back to God.
​
Today, almost three decades later, others play on the platform, and that aging piano no longer sits in sunlight. But that bench still calls me to come and sit, to explore and improvise—to enjoy His presence.
For me, it has become a sacred space.

2. CREATE SPACE IN TIME
Because time is limited, it has value.
Creating space in time is to give God our undivided attention, set apart from preparing for Bible study, Sunday’s message, or even praying for needs. It is the discipline to refuse temptations and simply show up before God, letting Him do the rest.
​
“Over time,” writes Barton, “our body and soul respond to established rhythms, so eventually the very act of entering this set-apart time and place ushers us into our own inner sanctuary.3
​
This is the principle of Sabbath, where time for God is written into the very rhythm of life. Creating time requires saying no—to expectations, digital devices, distractions—even to worthwhile things. It is to consciously turn away from the temporal to focus on the eternal.
​
When Mother Teresa trained her young Sisters of Charity to live among the poor of Calcutta, India, she wrote time with God into the daily cadence of their lives. Each morning and afternoon, everything stopped for an hour of silence, prayer, and meditation on the scriptures. Why?

We “need silence to hear God speak. . . . Silence of the eyes, the ears, the mouth. Who can underestimate it’s importance?”4

These words are true for us today, as we carve out space in time for God.
​
3. CREATE SPACE IN OUR SOUL
In ministry, because we share our lives with so many people, it can be hard to maintain privacy with God. But “sacred space,” writes Barton, “is also a place in our soul that is set apart for God and God alone.”5
She encourages “pondering the things that take place during solitude in our heart, as Mary did, rather than too quickly using them as tools for ministry. This is a way of keeping some things precious and sacred, rather than allowing them to be commandeered for utilitarian purposes.”6

For Mary, the events surrounding Jesus’ birth were unprecedented. But she pondered these things in her heart, storing them away like precious treasures. Thirty-three years later, as Jesus went to the cross, those treasures were there to sustain her. Each memory vividly underscoring God’s plan, bringing purpose to the pain of the cross.

Recording our own moments with God has great value. Seasons will come when we may question our ministry, our direction, our purpose—perhaps even our faith. But reviewing those private moments with the Father can anchor us to our calling. They build a framework for our faith, acting as mileposts of God’s presence to reinvigorate our sense of mission and supply courage for the path ahead.

At the time of this writing, we have no clear date for returning to ministry as we knew it. But it is evident that God has “created space” for us and given us a brief window to “invite Him with intention. And as we silence our eyes, our ears, our hearts to listen, He’ll give us wisdom and His strategy for moving forward.

1.     Barton, Ruthy Haley. Invitation to Solitude and Silence (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 35.
2.     Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, 35.
3.     Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, 38.
4.     Wellman, Sam. Mother Teresa: Missionary of Charity (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 1997), 107.
5.     Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, 38.
6.     Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, 38.

Alongside her husband John, Mary Ann has served in full-time ministry for 30+ years.  A lead pastor’s wife at 23, she has experienced almost every role in the church, including teaching, leading worship, creating ministries, writing and directing productions, and developing projects. She looks for God’s truth and glory in unexpected places, and loves to explore through reading, hiking, snorkeling, and traveling adventures with her husband.  They  are passionate about missions, and have led teams to South Africa, Cuba, Vanuatu, Sri Lanka and Alaska. With two married children, they are savoring a new stage of life as grandparents. Mary Ann received her ministry credentials in 2014, and she and John have pastored Blue Springs Assembly for 22 years. They reside in the Kansas City area.  ​