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From Intentions to Reality

3/11/2015

1 Comment

 
We all have grand intentions. Unfortunately, our intentions don't always translate into reality. We intend to spend more time in the presence of God. We intend to listen to the voice of God. Then the rush of life overtakes our intentions washing away the hoped for results.

Ruth Haley Barton in her book, Pursuing God's Will Together, describes the process of developing within your leadership group a community of transformation. Those values include the importance of discerning together God's leading for the group. However, she observes that without specific individual and group practices our values remain as good intentions. But when we choose to engage in practices that open us up to listening to the Spirit of God and listening to one another we can begin to develop of culture of transforming discernment.

Our leadership group at the church is on its way to develop practices so we will regularly listen to God and one another.

Over the next several blogs I will describe some of my personal practices designed to help me stay in God's presence with an open ear. I will share these with you to hopefully encourage you to think about how you can move your intentions to listen to God into reality.
1 Comment
William Robertson link
7/2/2023 02:37:31 am

Good reading your post

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    These blogs posts were written by our recently retired pastor Ed Owens. Ed now serves as an interim consultant for American Baptist Churches of Michigan and National Chair of Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries.

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