True Worship

I read The Gift of the Red Bird by Paula D’Arcy last week. What a beautiful snapshot of a deepening spiritual journey. I’ve had a lot of ongoing reflections from the small, poetic testimony.
D'Arcy makes a comment about taking communion with a friend. She writes: "I was fully present in the moment, and so it is truly worship." As I've walked through my days this week, being "fully present" in various moments, it has been a delight to see all the ways I've worshiped the Lord. I was fully present with delight in watching the dogs frolic in the waves on the beach: I truly worshiped.
I was fully present in listening to a friend: I truly worshiped.
I was fully present in enjoying each bite of a chile relleno: I truly worshiped.
I was fully present writing in my journal: I truly worshiped.
I was fully present in listening to the sky crackle and thunder last night: I truly worshiped.
These acts of worship - simple, ordinary events made holy because God gifted me with the ability to be present.
Would that I would, in church, be fully present in song, sermon and fellowship.

www.paulagamble.com

How would you like to hang out with God here?

The third Refresh day retreat took place on June 24th - above is one of the spots that one of the participants hung out in.
Do you want to come hang out with God here too?
Check out www.paulagamble.com/refreshretreat.html for more info!

What does it take to be a poet?

A friend in my prayer class shared this about poetry and "musing" and I really loved it - so I'm sharing it with all of you:

"What does it take to be a poet?

"I remember being in grade school and the teacher trying to get us to write poems. At that age, we were all about rhyming…most of us were good at it because children are endlessly creative when it comes to making up rhyming nicknames for each other. But, after studying more in high school and college, I came to realize true poetry is a labor of love. It takes a deep love of something to make a person willing to spend the time necessary to ponder the depths or intricacies of that object – not just describing the “outsides” of that object, but getting to the core – the essence – that is loved. The greatest amount of work in poetry is not in the writing, but in the pondering/musing (otherwise we’re just trying to make words rhyme). I’m wondering how many of the early great poets were scolded by their parents for “daydreaming” or “wasting time” or “never getting anything important accomplished?”

And then the Lord says we are His poema - His poetry. How much pondering and musing went into the creating of me? Oh, it is lovely not being mere matter that was formed randomly by a large explosion!

www.paulagamble.com

Definition: Amusement

Muse: (verb) to reflect deeply on a subject; to ponder
Musement: The process of musing
A-muse-ment: the process of not reflecting

How much is the US's affection and addiction to amusement impacting our depth coming from the benefit of soulful reflection.

I'm just musing.

www.paulagamble.com

Centering Prayer Primer

I have been reading a lot of Father Thomas Keating's writings lately - he is a great advocate for the power of what has been traditionally called, "Contemplative" prayer - which, in his paradigm, is the only thing that fully heals us from our imposter selves which usually act and react to the world in defensive and striving postures. It is the only thing because in our "being still" we connect to the Trinity within us - the Trinity that has knit our innermost being and that loves us with expectancy. In the richness of this love alone, are we freed from the woundedness that has obscured our true vision of our true selves and of the True God (vs. who we imagine, fear or want Him to be.)

One of the disciplines to move toward this, which I prefer to call "abiding," is centering prayer. So - listen to Father Thomas Keating himself - and how he describes Centering prayer. He is delightful to listen to!



Let me know what you think.

www.paulagamble.com

Spiritual utilitarians

Seeking God experiences or insights turns us into spiritual utilitarians – we use and exploit disciplines and sermons and songs to gain a treasure – most likely one we will try to impart to others through our methodologies and marketing. If God chooses to give an insight or consolation – it can only be received, not gained. And in my undeserved state, He opens my heart to believe that I am loved, I do belong, which also gives me permission to appreciate and enjoy the gifts for themselves – not as something to mass produce. God is capable of wooing all 6 billion people on this planet without my help, though He may gift me with the privilege to do so. I dwarf my life when I meet God merely to get insight for my upcoming ministry tasks and responsibilities: O Lord have mercy on me – unmask my illusion that I am indispensible.

Eavesdropping like Matt

My friend Matt (of burning hearts revolution fame) and WSN director of the third (or is that 4th) epoch - likes to share his eavesdropping on his blog.

Today at Palio's I heard a guy say he had a miraculously bad night last night - it was a bit of an oxymoron to me, but he seemed all to eager to share the details of why it was a 3 shot morning of espresso: It turns out he got toasted and his date hooked up with a co-worker...I'm not sure which is miraculous and which is bad...you make the call.

Hope the 3 shots of espresso helped!

What will you do with your water?

No this isn't an environmental posting about clean water - A friend in class shared the following youtube video with me - thought it was beautiful and thought-provoking.



Have a blessed day

Unmasking the illusion of indispensability

I was talking with a young woman this week who was asking for my help in consulting her ministry leadership team. On and on I went - touting my experience and how I could help. What I really felt was that I needed to learn from her - she and her young contemporaries are starting a non-profit ministry to prostitutes. Now that is far more impressive than my blah, blah, blah.

Nouwen writes about how our abiding with Christ in wordless adoration helps “unmask the illusion of busyness, usefulness, and indispensability. It is a way of being empty and useless in the presence of God and of proclaiming our basic belief that all is grace and nothing is simply the result of hard work." Similarly, Evelyn Underhill says that adoration does a "disentangling" work. I have so much disentangling and unmasking to receive.

I have been taught to be indispensable because the sound of being dispensable (unnecessary, not needed, can be done away with) isn’t so appealing to my flesh. But it is not mine to choose – this being dispensable or indispensable. It is mine to choose to be obedient and the fruit of obedience is not even mine to choose (John 15:8, 16). This unselfing is good – it is what I long for. Here’s to the ongoing disentangling of my "self."

Whose Invitation?

Recently I was pondering the phrase, "I invited Christ into my life." I imagine Him contorting His body to come into such a limited and finite space. It feel arrogant to say this and I'm beginning to realize that it is not so much that I have invited Christ into my life, as He has invited me into His - which is far more abundant and thrilling!

Today I bought a basketball - hoops anyone?

In my journey to "recover" some fun and play in my life, I wrote down about 20 things that I have fun doing. As a kid I would spend hours in my driveway shooting baskets: Free throws, layups, reverse layups, working on equalizing ability with both hands. It's been years since I've done that. So today, I bought a basketball. Yup - a bonafide and official NCAA ball. I plan on taking it down to the covered baskets at the elementary school. I know it feels like it might snow today (where is spring?) but I am going to go imagine myself winning the final four with a buzzer shot! Care to join me?

Refresh - facilitated Day Retreats - coming soon!

I've been working to develop some day retreats for people.
Check it out @ my website
Refresh Retreats

Thanks!
~paula

www.paulagamble.com

Fearless Space

Henri Nouwen - he seems to have been given deep insight into the mystery of Christ:

“God alone is free enough from wounds to offer us a fearless space.”

...perfect love casts out all fear....

CRM Communitas - check out this video

What is God doing in Church Resource Ministries - here is one example ina 4 minute clip about the new ministry I'm a part of.

A Blessed Beggar

Enjoying Margaret Becker's "Just Come In" CD...
My favorite line that makes me worship:

"Like a beggar blessed, I stumble into grace….
reaching out my hand for what awaits…"

He is good

www.paulagamble.com

NEW Paula CD - almost here!!!

That's right - I just finished recording 11 songs...and am in the final process of preparing them for distribution. For sound samples go to my website www.paulagamble.com

And please let me know what you think!

Over the next month or so I'll post blogs on the stories/thoughts behind the songs...just in case you're interested.

Blessings & Joy!
~pg

First Magazine article published

I am laughing...laughing...laughing. It is fitting that this world traveler's very first in print ,published magazine article is in a language that I cannot read... German. A new and wonderful friend, Elizabeth Mittelstaedt, the editor of the Christian Women's magazine asked me to write about my adoption. For those of you who want to freshen up on your German skills, you can view part of it online at http://www.lydia.net/aktuelle_ausgabe/artikel3.html

Where I've been lately

Trapped in my music room - trying to crank out some new tunes! I love creating...maybe i'll post a blip somewhere soon...
back to my hermit hole.

www.paulagamble.com

Revival Coming to PDX?

This week a church in B’ton named, Solid Rock Fellowship, has held a week of fasting and prayer for revival. Each morning, about 100-150 people have shown up from 6:30 to 7:30 to pray…I joined them on 2 different mornings and it was really wonderful. On Sat, May 12th, they prayed together from 9-10 a.m. on top of Council Crest – there is a plaque a top the hill that shares how 30 Christian ministers took a 2 hour six horse carriage ride from Portland atop the hill in 1898 to pray over the city. History reveals that in 1905 - there was a revival in Portland. (Click here to read more about the 1905 revival.)

I joined with Solid Rock Fellowship’s prayer (day 6) atop Council Crest on Sat morning – once again over 150 people (mostly in their 20's) praying for revival for the Portland area. During the time a Chinese evangelist named Brother Yun (You can read his amazing story in the book, “The Heavenly Man”) shared that he believed revival was coming to Portland…

Then a gal named Brooke shared that a year ago she was living in Texas and asked God to send her to be a part of a revival in America. He told her to move to Portland.

On Friday night my friend Kathryn and I met another young gal (19) who said that she prayed and asked God for where to go to have impact in his kingdom – he sent her here…she’s from South Africa.

After the prayer time on Sat morning, some of the gals went downtown for coffee and to pray some more. They passed a group of African American men singing about Jesus on 10th and Yamhill and stopped to inquire about who they were, if they could pray for/with them, and why they were there. The men said that God put on their heart that he was starting a revival…and so in obedience they went to the street corners to pave the way with singing.

Dear brothers and sisters – something is afoot – let’s not miss it!



Love to you all

~paula

A New Hero

One of the greatest privileges I had in India was meeting a woman named "A". She is the only female pastor (out of about 25 pastors) who oversee about 3000 believers in the Minjur area of India. It was a privilege to be able to meet her and to be able to preach in her church on Sunday morning.

As the story unfolded, I found out from others that "A" has been arrested before...and no doubt she has had a difficult time being a woman pastor in a society that, as another male pastor jokingly said to me, "has only two castes: Male and Female."

I asked "A" what made her step out 7 years ago to start some churches?

"It was on my heart to do and I could not not do it. I had to do what God had put on my heart."

A didn't tell me this, but my translator interjected, "Yes, Pastor A, has about 600 believers in her church. They meet in multiple locations because there is no place large enough for them all to gather."

Quickly in my mind, I'm doing the math. "There's only 3000 believers among a population of 500,000 - and A pastors 600. That means 1/5 of them are under her shepherding. Wow! Seven years ago she started her church by sharing Jesus - seven years later, she has 600 people - 99% new converts!

Being a woman in ministry myself, and knowing that it is sometimes difficult to navigate and operate in a "married man's" world, I asked A, "How do you keep going in the midst of a culture that doesn't really accept female leadership?"

If she would have asked me this question, I would have given her a piece of my mind - how I'd been wounded, what I'd do differently, etc.

But A only had 2 words for me. She looked up heavenward, raised her right hand and pointed up, "Jesus leads!"

That's it.

Sermon over...two words that if all of us would take to heart and live by day to day would most likely revolutionize our lives, our ministries and the world.