May2017–TheInvitation
Topic:SpiritualFormation–CreatingSpaceforGod
May11,2017
JoinYWAMersaroundtheglobeinprayingandhearingfromGod.Heisinvitingyou!
Creating Space for God (Photo credit: Carol Jacobs Carre, Flickr)
Sincethebeginningoftheyearthefocusofourmonthlyprayertimeshasbeengrowth.Last
monthweprayedaboutthepossibleparallelincreaseinpersecution.Asweexperiencebothof
theserealities–anincreaseinnumbersandanincreaseintrials–itiscrucialthatweputour
rootseverdeeperintoGod.
Silencecanbeagifttousinthisregard.Silenceoffersusanopportunitytobecomemoreaware
ofGodandmoreawareofthetruthofourownhearts.Whenthingsaregoingwell,aswhen
ournumbersincrease,wearetemptedtorelyonourownstrength.Silencecansafeguardus
fromthepitfallofself-sufficiencybykeepingusintouchwithourgreatneedforGod.Andwhen
thingsaredifficult,aswhenwefacetrialsandpersecution,wearetemptedtopanicandtryto
saveourselvesinourownway.Insilenceweareremindedofthegreatnessandnearnessof
God.
Inanycase,asYWAMersweareoftenapeopleofactionanditiseasytofindbothfulfillment
anddistractioninouractivity.Whenwepracticesilence,wemakespaceforGodtomeetus
beyondallpossibledistractions.GodinvitesustoknowHimand,inknowingHim,toknow
ourselvesandtobecometheGod-imaging,God-empoweredpeopleHemadeustobe.
Toremaininsilenceformorethanafewminutescanbeuncomfortableforus.Weareusedto
noiseandchatterandinthequietweoftenfindourmindsbuzzingwithallsortsofthoughts.In
ordertomakespaceforGod,weencourageyoutojoinusinthismonth’spracticeofsilence–
whetherasacommunity,orindividually–trustingthatthisdeeplisteningwillleadtoafresh
springingupamongusofGod’sabundantlife.
Photocredit:NickKenrick,Flickr
PreparetoSpendTimeinSilence(fortheprayertimefacilitatorifbeingfacilitatedasagroup):
TheInvitationforMay,andtheprayerdayonMay11,willfocusonmakingspacetohearGod’s
voice,listening,andbeingattentiveinsilence.Herearesomepracticaltipstohelpthose
facilitatingtheprayertime.
1.
Decideaheadoftimeifyouwantthegrouptostaytogether,doingthesameactivity,or
ifyouwillletindividualschooseforthemselveswhichactivityinwhichtoengage.Thisis
importantinordertosavetime.Ifyouwanttoletpeoplechoosewhichactivitytodo
youmaywanttohavethethreeoptionswrittenout,eitherasaPowerPointslide
displayedonascreenoronahandout.Iftheinstructionsareonlyverbalyoumayhave
toclarifyandexplainafewtimes,whichwouldtakeawayfromtheamountoftimeyou
couldspendinsilence.
2.
Asafacilitatorpleasehelpsetthetoneofthetimebyexplainingtheexpectationstothe
groupasyoubegin.Youmaywanttoemphasizetheexpectationofsilenceintheroom
(ifyouarestayinginthesameroom)orofnottalkingtoeachotherifthegroupisgoing
outside.Thismaybechallengingforsome.
3.
Pleasebesuretogivealltheinstructionsatthebeginningofthetimeofsilenceinorder
toavoidinterruptingthegroupwithfurtherinstructions.Includeintheinstructionsa
specifictimetogatherbacktogetheragain.
4.
Consideraheadoftimehowyouaregoingtoprocessandreceivefeedbackfromthe
group.Wehaveincludedsomepossibleprocessingquestions.Decidewhowillfacilitate
theprocessingtimeandhowyouwillrecordthefeedback.
SpendTimeinSilence–ThePracticeofSilence
ChooseanActivityOption:
Aspartofyourtimeofsilence,youareinvitedtoconsideroneofthefollowingthreeactivities
asawaytopractice“makingspaceforGod.”Ifyouareparticipatingwithagroup,we
recommendyoualldothesameactivitysothatafterwardsyoucansharetogetheraboutyour
experienceofGodthroughthatactivity.
OptionA:Takeawalkoutside,insilence.
Beginbysimplynoticinghowyouarefeelingphysicallyandbeingpresenttotheworld
aroundyou.Practicecuriosityandadeeplisteningtoyourintuition.Letthistimebea
journeyoftheheart,noticingwhereyouarebeinginvitedtowalkandwheretostayfora
while.Trytoletgoofanygoalsyouhaveforthistime(suchastoreachacertain
destination).Evenifyouwalkonlyafewstepsandsimplynoticewhatyousee,thatis
enough.
Afterspendingtimeslowingdownandbeingpresenttowhatisaroundyou,becomeaware
ofanyquestionsorreflectionsthatcometoyourmind.Eachseasonhasitsownparticular
questionstoask:forexample,springmightcauseyoutoreflectonthefullnessoflifeand
timeforplay.Whatdrawsyourattentionandwhatquestionsdoesyourtimeoutsideinvite
youtoaskatthisparticulartimeofyourlife?
Finally,onceyouhaveenjoyedthistimeofreflection,askyourselfhowareyoumovingin
thisjourneyoflifewithGod?Youmightchoosetomirroryourresponseintheactual
movementofyourlegsandfeetasyouwalk(ifyoufeelhurt,youmightwalkwithalimp;if
youareexcited,youmightbounce;ifyouareuncertain,youmightmirrorthatintheway
youwalk).Thenask,howdoyouwanttobemovingthroughlifeinthisseason?Youcould
moveinthatwayforashortwhile.HowmightGodbespeakingtoyouthroughwhatthis
bringstoyourmind?
OptionB.Getcomfortableandkeepsilencewhereveryouare.
Besureyouhaveyourjournalandapenorpencil.Youmaywanttolightacandleasa
symbolofGod’spresence.Getcomfortableinyourchair,oronthefloor.Takeafew
momentstosettleintothistimeandnoticehowyouarefeeling.Payattentiontothepartof
youthatfindssilencedifficult,andtothepartofyouthatlooksforwardtobeingwithGod
inthisway.
AfterspendingtimeslowingdownandbecomingpresenttoyourselfandtoGod,begin
payingattentiontowhatcomestoyourmind.Areyouawareofquestionsyouwanttoask
theLord?Istheresomethinggoingoninyourlifethatthesilenceoffersyouanopportunity
tothinkabout?YoumightreflectonhowyouhavebeenturningtowardsGodinrecent
times,andhowyouhavebeenturningawayfromHim.SpeakwithHimaboutthis.
Inthequiet,youmaywellfindthatmanyrandomthoughtsjumparoundinyourmind,
distractingyou.Ifithelps,writedownthingsyouneedtoremembersoyoucanstay
focusedduringthistime.Thensimplyreturntoanattitudeofopennessandlisteningto
God.HowmightHebespeakingtoyouthroughthethingsthatcometomind?Youcould
journalaboutthis.
OptionC.Reflectiononapainting.
Finally,youmaychoosetospendyourtimeinsilenceconsideringapaintingsuchasthis
one,basedonthestoryofJesusandhisdisciplesintheboatduringastorm(Mark4:35-41).
[https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2016/06/rembrandt-top.jpg]
Considerprojectingthisimagesoeveryoneinyourgroupcanseeit,thensettlingintoa
silenttimeofreflection.
Asyoufirstlookatthepainting,askyourselfthesequestions:
Whatgrabsmyattentionrightaway?
Howdoesthescenechangeforme,asIlookatthepainting?
Whatissurprisingtomeaboutthepainting?Whatquestionsdoesitraiseforme?
WhichofthecharactersdoImostidentifywith,andwhy?
Whatwoulditbeliketobeintheboatinsuchastorm?
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Youcouldalsoconsiderreflectingonthefollowingquestions:
• Whatarethestormsinmyliferightnow?
• InwhatwayshaveIoverlooked-orbeenawareof-Jesus’presencewithme?
• WhatisHisinvitationtomeinthosestormyplaces?Andwhatismyresponse?
ConcludeYourSilenceActivity:
Inconclusion:Whicheveractivityyouchoose,attheendofyourtimesimplyexpressgratitude
toGodforyourawarenessofHispresence,forwhatHehasrevealedtoyou,andforthegrace
tomovetowardHim.
ProcessQuestionsasaGroup:
Onceyourtimeofsilencehasconcluded,herearesomequestionstohelpyourgroupto
process:
• Howwasthetimeofsilenceandlisteningdifferentfromhavingaspecifictopictoprayfor?
• Whatchallengesdidyouexperienceinthetimeofsilenceandlistening?
• Whatinsightsdidyougainfromthistimeofsilence?
• Howdoyouthinkatimeofcorporate,worldwidesilenceandlisteninglikethiscould
impactthemission?
• WhatdoyouthinkGodthoughtandfeltaswetooktimearoundtheworldtobesilent
beforeHim?
ClosetheTimeofSilence:
Youmayliketousethisasaclosingprayer:
“Lord,thankyouthatyouarenotasilentGod.Thankyouforyourdesiretocommunicatewith
yourchildren.Pleasegiveuspatiencetowaitinsilenceandtheabilitytoquietourhearts
beforeyou.Pleasetrainourearstohearyourvoice.Helpustobeawareofthenoisesand
distractionsinourlifethatmaykeepusfrombeingclosetoyou,andgiveusthegracetobestill
andknowthatyouareGod.”
TakeAction:
• FindoutmoreaboutspiritualformationfromYWAMers:
https://ywammontana.org/spiritual-formation-for-extraverts/;
http://www.ywamsalem.org/tag/spiritual-formation/
• Attendtrainingonspiritualformation:http://www.ywamseamill.org/spiritual-deepening/
• Plananotherspiritualformationeventforyourlocation.
• Shareonfacebook.com/youthwithamission,postapictureandaddacommentabouthow
youprayed.
• Gototwitter.com;searchfor#praywithywamandtweetaboutyourprayertime/posta
picture.
• [email protected]
revealedtoyou.
HowWePrayed
ChristiansPersecutedinEgyptonPalmSunday
April2017–Growth–Persecution
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YWAMMelbourneprayedforourEgyptianbrothersandsistersfromtheCoptic
ChurchafterbombsexplodedinmultiplechurchesonPalmSunday.
YWAMMadisonandYWAMMelbourneprayedandinvitedotherstojointhem
throughFacebook.YWAMersfromHomer,Alaskaalsopostedthattheyprayed.
OtherspostedonFacebookthattheyprayedspecificallyforChristiansinNigeria,
theMiddleEastandfortheHazarapeoplegroupinCentralAfghanistan.
YWAMersatYWAMEuropeconferenceprayedforthenations.
TheYWAMEuropemeetinginAlbania
FutureTopics:
June8,2017BacktoJerusalem
July13,2017Two-Thirds-WorldWorkers,FinancialSupport
August10,2017Family,Singles,Marriages
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[email protected].