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Are we open to the Possibilities?

When we began to think about our house move, one of the things that Tracey said that she was going to miss was the island in the kitchen (you may have seen it in various EBA videos such as this one). The kitchen in our new manse is considerably smaller and so Tracey began to consider an island, rather than a table for our new dining room. After some research we found that the sort of thing that we wanted would be unreasonably expensive and so Tracey decided to make one. Using two pine units that we weren’t going to be able to fit into our new house and some new worktop and some help from her dad, they created the beautiful island that you can see in this picture. This project was only possible because Tracey was able to see the possibilities and because she was also willing to ask for help from someone who had more experience and the tools that were needed. They were able to work together to get the job done!

The rest of the Regional team will tell you that I love putting together things like Thought for the Week. I love sharing the many and varied creative thoughts in my mind, but today I have really struggled. As I paused to pray and ask God for clarity, I remembered Tracey’s Island and as I considered this, I was able to lay aside all the other things I felt were important to say and instead to use my final Thought for the Week to encourage you to:

See the possibilities: Don’t be limited just to what you have known or done before. Don’t be put off because you can’t afford it. Spend time seeking God’s heart and vision and then get in line with it. My prayer is that God would give the EBA an even greater sense of the creative and varied ways that together, you can be ‘Growing Healthy Churches in Relationship for God’s Mission’. At this time of great fragility in our Baptist family, there is a great temptation to circle the wagons and to go with what appears safe and sensible. May God remind us that the only way through difficulties, stress and strife is to let Him lead us into all that He has for us. May God give us eyes to see the possibilities and to experience the fulness of life that He has promised.

Get behind the vision that God has for us: Honestly, I’m not too fussed about having an Island in our house but I am caught up in Tracey’s creativity, vision and enthusiasm. You may be someone who doesn’t easily see the possibilities beyond the obvious and normal. Perhaps, you are a planner an encourager, an enabler or someone who will provides for projects. Just because you didn’t receive the vision doesn’t mean that you can’t get behind it if you discern that it is of God.

We need to work together: As we seek to fulfil our ultimate calling to make disciples, we need to learn what it is to cooperate better and to look beyond or own local congregations. Together we can achieve so much more as we pool our gifts, strengths and resources. Is it time to reprioritize, putting ‘our desire to build our church’ behind working towards seeing the Kingdom of God advanced?

My heart is to see Jesus build His Church and that He would continue to transform us into the people who He has created us to be.

When our minds are full, may we also remember to pause and to seek God’s clarity and renewed perspective.

This Thought for the Week was written by Graeme Ross.

For those of you who are interested, here is another photo to show a little more of the Island’s construction.

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