Yesterday I took some extra time to seek a quiet place where I could read, think and spend some time with God. It was refreshing once again. Margaret Feinberg's book, The Organic God, continues to encourage my socks off. (We still have a few copies of the book for sale at church for a HUGE discount price.)
She shared how a special professor at her college taught her class an unforgettable lesson. The professor was Maya Angelou, and for the first three weeks of class she had her students memorize the name everyone in the class. Feinberg wrote:
"More than a decade later, the greatest lesson I learned from Maya Angelou is from those first three weeks. She did more than teach about human dignity - she allowed me to experience and partake of it firsthand. I don't remember the names of my classmates, but I still remember the sense of empowerment I felt when I called on someone's name and when mine was called upon..." (page 67)
Luke 12:7 (nlt) --- And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
John 10:3 (nlt) --- The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
You are important to God. He not only knows your name, but He knows and loves everything about you. The old phrase "God doesn't make junk" is so very true. He created you. He loves you. He cares for you.
Fact is, we can let others know this truth as we care for them. It is that simple. Remember and call them by name. Give a hug when needed or offer to pray for someone at a specific time. People are not only important to God, they are important to God's children...you and me.
One of the things that I LOVE about The Community Fellowship is that when new friends come visit they tell us that they were made to feel special (that is no accident, and we are going to get better at this). It is not a gimmick but our calling to let others know how much God loves them and how important they are to God. Does that make sense? It ought to.
1 John 4:16 (nlt) --- We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
Call someone by name, pay extra attention to a person, do something to let someone know how important they are to you and how important they are to God. As Margaret Feinberg said...it is empowering!
She shared how a special professor at her college taught her class an unforgettable lesson. The professor was Maya Angelou, and for the first three weeks of class she had her students memorize the name everyone in the class. Feinberg wrote:
"More than a decade later, the greatest lesson I learned from Maya Angelou is from those first three weeks. She did more than teach about human dignity - she allowed me to experience and partake of it firsthand. I don't remember the names of my classmates, but I still remember the sense of empowerment I felt when I called on someone's name and when mine was called upon..." (page 67)
Luke 12:7 (nlt) --- And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
John 10:3 (nlt) --- The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
You are important to God. He not only knows your name, but He knows and loves everything about you. The old phrase "God doesn't make junk" is so very true. He created you. He loves you. He cares for you.
Fact is, we can let others know this truth as we care for them. It is that simple. Remember and call them by name. Give a hug when needed or offer to pray for someone at a specific time. People are not only important to God, they are important to God's children...you and me.
One of the things that I LOVE about The Community Fellowship is that when new friends come visit they tell us that they were made to feel special (that is no accident, and we are going to get better at this). It is not a gimmick but our calling to let others know how much God loves them and how important they are to God. Does that make sense? It ought to.
1 John 4:16 (nlt) --- We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
Call someone by name, pay extra attention to a person, do something to let someone know how important they are to you and how important they are to God. As Margaret Feinberg said...it is empowering!
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