Reflections On Community - By Faith

This past weekend InSpero hosted our first ever Nourish Retreat.

The intent of the retreat was to pull away...slow down...and just be Nourished.

We wanted to give the gift of rest and replenishing to some of our creatives who give so generously of themselves.

Over the weekend we spent a good bit of time in the quiet...allowing the world to fall away...just listening.

I believe there is great value in a community that slows down together to "just be" and to remember the true source of Beauty AND to remember our own identities do not flow from the gifts we give.

It is good to stop, to be small, to just BE the Beloved.

One of the meditations throughout the weekend that still has me pondering is the story of the hemorrhaging Woman (Mark 5: 24-34) ....as i thought about her i was struck by the POWER of FAITH:

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Reaching out in FAITH and courage to touch Jesus is risky because it is the beginning of healing, of vulnerability, of intimacy...

Reaching out is an open expression of our need and dependency ...  an outward expression of an inward FAITH.

Reaching out.... is the beginning of community.

FAITH without works is dead.

FAITH without "reaching out" is dead.

Humility is allowing selves to be seen-  which in turn also calls others out into the light-

and, be seen...to walk together BY FAITH.

When WE confess our own brokenness there comes with it the reality of the "weight of glory" we bear, BY FAITH,

and then flesh out by faith in community-

We begin to bear up under that weight we find is actually "BY FAITH" lighter than we could have imagined- no weight at all....in submission the "weight" gives way to delight as we stumble into the light.

THIS is how we bring the Kingdom of God to bear on this earth...in community BY FAITH.

Courage begets courage.

Hope begets Hope.

For InSpero-  we hold a real belief that stirring HOPE in others thru beauty

(song/ hospitality/ feasts/texture/color/ paint/ words/ creative expression)

is our small way of offering Foretastes of the kingdom of God to a hurting world now...

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I Believe there is great power in doing this BY FAITH in community.

As we bring beauty to the world in small ways (In Community) death is working backwards.

FAITH IS PERCEIVING AS REAL FACT WHAT HAS NOT YET BEEN REVEALED TO THE SENSES (Heb 11:1).

Beauty is made to stir deep longings in all of us for what they were truly made for...

Beauty should heal...but ALSO wound in kind ways...creating a hunger for Jesus. For HOME.

This past weekend was just such a kindness for me....

I am reminded to be slow.  

I am reminded that my identity and value come only from one source which can NEVER be taken away.

I am reminded to "Never give up!" (Jesus)

I am reminded that by stepping into the light to reach for Jesus...I become a part of something bigger- BY FAITH.

I am reminded of the WHOLE big story of redemption that started in the beginning when the Spirit hovered over the Waters...and still continues today as all of creation is groaning- waiting for the Redemption of all things.

I am reminded again that "Artists" have a very real place in the story of Redemption...

I am reminded to savor this "BY FAITH" community who is bringing the Kingdom to bear by reaching out to touch the hem of his garment together by faith.

Just as the power went out from HIM when the woman touched HIS garment BY FAITH in the story...bringing healing to her and stirring wonder, curiosity, worship, and life to those in her community-may that SAME LIFE-GIVING POWER FLOW through this COMMUNITY by FAITH as we have reached out together to touch HIM-  BY FAITH.