Wanna talk? You need to listen...

Today I was preparing myself for my morning prayers (I use Pray As You Go as then basis of this time as well as some reflective Bible journaling). I was impressed immediately that the Holy Spirit was telling me to listen: listen very carefully.

So I did. While scripture was being read I listened. In the space following the scripture I listened and the two themes of 'mercy' and 'grace' came strongly to me. 

I prayed that I would now and show these qualities in the same measure as I have experienced them - which is massively.

Then I turned to @40acts to see what today task is and what the teaching is and there, in black and white, is the story of prayer working and the challenge to pray for others, to let them know, to seek out specific prayer subjects. 

When I meet with my work colleagues at around 9am we will be praying for each other and for several other people and situations in the absolute knowledge that we are doing the best thing in bringing them to God - anything we can do after that is simply being used by Him. 

Money, money, money!

The greatest thing about #40acts to me is that it has caused me to think very intentionally about how generous I am. As a husband, father, son, brother, leader, pastor and so on. This journey of three years lasts beyond Lent. It has stopped some of my bad spending habits and started new ones.

As I am prompted to think about how I spend my money by the folks at Stewardship I am also being nudged by the Ignatian Reflection for today that Jesus is everything I will ever need.

All the rest is just stuff.

The prompting is so strong for me that when I turn on my banking app I have set is so the welcome message says 'be generous'!

Initially I thought this was principally about money but gradually I rediscover (for I think I have known this before) that generosity is about being available, open, accepting, giving.

Do I support numerous charities as a result of this? Not on a regular basis but when possible I like to Sipport Open Doors (persecuted Christians), Bible Society and Habitat for Humanity as well as my own church at The Salvation Army in Cumbernauld.

Do I ever feel I am being generous enough? Honestly, no, but I also know that I am on the way to being more generous with my money, which for some of the causes that resonate with me makes a difference of a few pounds.

And on the way I have healthier spending habits and am more available to others.

Be generous because you already have all you need.

I'm listening...

Today's task for #40acts is about active listening and perhaps initiating a conversation with someone who I have not spoken to for a while and chatting (but mostly listening!) to them.

I have a famous ear - in fact probably everyone who reads this blog in the UK (and I don't know whether that is many or few) will have seen a picture of my ear on a Salvation Army Clothing Bin. 

Maybe as a result of that I have been told I am a good listener, good eye contact and empathic responses. But I know the truth. Yes, eye contact is something I ensure I do, I know how to make the right sounds in answer to statements and questions, I can even think of things to say when there is a lull in the conversation. In truth, however, I am very often already thinking about what I will say as my next point, or how I can shoehorn a funny one liner, or, sadly, how I can draw the conversation to a close.

Today will be different, I will clearly listen, I won't be thinking of me I will be focusing on YOU - whoever you may be.

As an addition I will deliberately seek out people on the edge of my friendship and influence groups, people I spend very little time with and listen to them. They will have wisdom that I have yet to encounter because I have not taken time to really listen to them.

Rubbish Actor

With Lent 2016 barely out of infancy I feel I have let it down. Especially in the context of participating in #40acts. This thing developed by @stewardship to help pilgrims in life live a more generous way by challenging them through thought, scripture and challenges.

The acts I am supposed to have done so far include:

Draw my friendship circles - fail

Do chores for someone - fail

Cook a meal - fail

Honestly I've become rubbing at acting - no BAFTA for me!

But importantly I won't be judged by anyone for not doing these things except myself. The folks at #40acts don't send a condemning email, my friends don't know I didn't do a doodle about them, the people who I should have been generous too are not aware - and that's a generosity in itself: not condemning, not judging.

So I have received great generosity from people who don't even know they are giving which makes me so very thankful that so many of them know the God who is most generous of all - the end of the Lent Road shows that above anything else.

Fresh start today then...

Keep it clean!

Unfortunately I am away from home for another few days so to follow through on today's task from #40acts will have to happen 'on the hoof'!

I tend to want to keep things clean and tidy and some of that comes from a spiritual root of care for the creation that I am a very small part of.

I have become increasingly aware over recent years of the need to take care of the world not because I am an Eco-freak but because it's where I keep my stuff - and where God keeps a lot of His stuff as well! So I like to and need to look after what He has given me - it's a good place to start!

Welcome back #40acts

It's Lent and therefore the whole #40acts thing kicks off again. Excellent!

The last two years I have blogged throughout the days of Lent, reflecting on the challenges and tasks and seeking God to make me more generous: with my time, my skills and even my money.

Today I'm thinking (and acting) with all the other #40actsers about my circles of influence - and I happen to be spending a couple of days right in the middle of one of those circles along with about 40 Salvation Army Divisional Leaders.

As we have already talked I have had to acknowledge that many have had a profound influence upon me - and it transpires I on them.

My circles of influence overlap and interweave to the point of being elipses of influence but today I thank God for them, praying for a generous spirit amongst each of them - and that I will be generous to them and with them.

It's been a few days - but hey...

Yes, it's been a few days since is posted on here. Three are all sorts of reasons (not excuses - although for some they would sound like that). Principally it has been about just finding the headspace to get together a coherent thought that is both helpful (hopefully) and reflective of #40acts. Because, if you are just getting here now, that's what this latest series of posts has been about. A Lent season full of hope, help and generosity.

Another reason writing a post has been a challenge is that this years tasks have frequently been things I do as a matter of course. Nothing wrong in that but it's a bit boring to write 'did what I normally did today'! Not really helpful and not really in the spirit of the season either.

So I have spent quite a bit of time over the last weeks trying to think through, prayer and work through my relationships with other people. I don't mean those I necessarily have a relationship with but with humankind. What is my relationship with humankind really like?

Wow, that's a BIG question!

No real answers yet but a couple of reflections that, unsurprisingly, are echoed in today's task and particularly the short video posted on the website for #40acts

I have tried to focus on others not self.

I have tried to give rather than gain.

I have tried to respond rather than react. (There is a difference - think about it)

I have tried to listen rather than speak.

And none of these is easy for me as an activist / pragmatist.

Something else you need to know: the last few weeks have been incredibly demanding in terms of ministry, leadership and personal life. Things have occurred that I could not have foreseen, I have been under both attack and scrutiny and yet I find myself reflecting on this relationship with others that helps me to focus on God - seeing Him in them. And I do.

It may have been a while - but, from my point of view, it was probably necessary.

http://www.40acts.org.uk/the-challenge/heavy-lifting?utm_source=Stewardship&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5351630_Heavy+lifting+-+01%2f04+-+Act+%2337&utm_content=http%3a%2f%2fwww.40acts.org.uk%2fthe-challenge%2fheavy-lifting&dm_i=P3Z,36PCE,F1LYQY,BEVJM,1