She Speaks: His Word
On Saturday 14 July, LCC is hosting ‘She Speaks His Word’ women’s event. This is a special once-a-year morning for Life Centre women and anyone they wish to invite. As one of the organisers, apart from the stress of organising and praying people actually turn up, putting this morning together affords us a wonderful and heaven sent opportunity. Teaching His Word, building up His body, loving and encouraging one another, laughing, eating, sipping great coffee together - is there any better thing on earth? ...Not even joking!
Every time you sit down with another human and bring the conversation around to the beauty of Christ - Who He is, what He’s doing, what He’s done; every time you listen to another with your whole heart and mind; every time you offer to pray for them there and after; every time you speak words of wisdom and strength that come from Him alone; every time you weep with a sister; remember another in their hour of need; dig into your community of faith, week in and week out; every time you see another year tick over where you have given a little more of yourself, your time, your resources and your heart to that small group of people, eternity smiles.
To be connected to the only thing that will stand and outlive the test of time, that is a miraculous, wonderful and humbling truth. That He would consider and draw us to come be part of his family in whatever corner of the world we find ourselves in are the stories that will be told for eons to come. Yes it’s challenging, yes it’s tiring, yes we get hurt and overlooked and misunderstood and...you know the drill. And it’s precisely during times like these that we need this uncompromising reminder.
The wonder of this story, His story, seen throughout the world in small and large communities of faith everywhere, who open their doors each week to the broken and the lost and the hurting; who faithfully proclaim his Word week in and week out; who feed and tend and give....this is what we were born to do friends - this is why we were created - to link arms with brothers and sisters and to lay our lives down, a little bit at a time, year in and year out.
So be encouraged, these seemingly “small” things are the stuff of greatness in the Master’s eyes - and really, as Christians, we know His are the only eyes that matter. So dig in. Link arm to arm with His body, His family, His heart. Keep your mind centred on the significance and power and beauty of the local church. Look not to how much we wish it would grow, or who we want to come join, or what the next series will be or...what is here for me. Look instead to the beauty of a fallen, fractured people who are made whole and righteous because of the life and work of Jesus Christ. Look to the way we can be part of Christ himself, living together, growing together, serving one another in his most precious of creations - the Church.
So what does this have to do with our women’s event?? For us, this event is kinda like the Ron Burgandy of the anchorman world...our once a year, “big deal around here” type of shindig. All of us know what it takes to put something like this together - a small team of people, many hours on a laptop, some emails, shopping, problem-solving, decision making and...the odd coffee order or 3! But really, the plans and the extras pale in comparison to the opportunity to open God’s Word, proclaim His gospel message and simply be family (or friends of family) together. We won’t change the world or solve world poverty. We’re just a small group of women who belong to a small local church - serving and loving and giving our meagre talents to the glory of His name. Doing what women of this church, and churches all over this planet have always done - gathered, ate, laughed, worshiped, prayed and listened to the preaching of the Word.
So come be a part of it. Invite a friend or two. Sip the best coffee on the northside. Sit and chat with someone who may have come alone. Make mental notes of who and what to pray for in the week to come. Revel in the joy of a Saturday morning spent in the company of sinners and saints. And finally, listen intently as She Speaks His Word - the word of our Heavenly Father, the best word of all.