Saturday, April 21, 2007

My dear God,

The manifestations of your presence go beyond the thinkable. I have seen miracles. A life without direction now knows exactly where she is headed. Another with a bitter past of abuse now stands clean and powerful, the chains broken forever. One without a sense of creative talent now dreams dreams.

A holy place, the site of God's own leading, can become home to miracles anytime. On this ground once stood a girls' school. Teenage girls walked these grounds and found God. They became nurses, teachers, leaders. And now spiritual pilgrims gather searching for clues to life's greatest questions. On the way they stumble into God.

A calling to lead a national workshop, a calling to publish, a calling to tell the story of God in her life happened here. Women seated firmly in God's hands have said yes to the call. Literally "mine eyes have seen the glory of the Lord."

On this retreat we've been weaving a spiritual web of unfinished lives looking to God for the rest of their story. One woman weaver wove a painful experience into the web, capturing for always a life undone by suffering. Another selected a sacred thread of those least likely to feel the sacred hand of God upon them. She asked me to weave for her, a variegated thread representing a tormented family. I wove them into the arm bars of a solid brown cross I had woven earlier. At rest in the arms of God, finally.

Today I came to realize more fully the power of ministry. Servants of God working together to cleanse, guide, lead, enable, empower persons to find God, following His footprints, etching their own place in history. The sacred sounds of joyous hope ring through the halls. I selected a beautiful golden thread to weave ministry into our tapestry.

My life has made a difference. By your faithful guidance I have opened doors to the sacred. Many have walked through, found their own way. They have allowed me to walk beside them, witnessing the majesty of God's intervention, God's incredible love, God's peace. Strong, resilient, determined they walk into the light ready to bring change into the world.

At age 60 I know I am fulfilling your purpose for my life.

Thank you
for allowing me to partner
with you.
The glories of your power
are visible
to those whose eyes
are open.
I am humbled
by your trust
in me.
As I walk
in this autumn time
of my life,
I pray your will
will be done in my life.
Make my heart,
my soul, spirit and mind
ready to praise
any day, all day.

Love, Andrea