Stewart 5

Drew this with pastels on Tuesday to capture a bit of what God has been teaching me about listening, how God is changing me as a listener, and what God is leading me toward…

A lot of it has to do with exploring my own heart with God.  So, the flames, heart connectors going vertically.  And then the connecting to other hearts is because I believe that as I listen more to my own heart and what is going on, I will be able to listen to others better as well. I will be able to hear with compassion. My heart will become a place of invitation to others.  I need that connection.  I need to ask/listen to others more, to ask for advice, to know what’s going on inside others.  I want to connect with other hearts, not just for what I have to offer, but what I have to gain.

Around are odd shapes and colors.  And a bunch of black.  This represents the noise and distraction I am surrounded with, bombarded with.  One thing I have learned for sure is that I must be selective and intentional to hear the right and important things.  If these heart connections are what is important to me, then I have to make time and space.

These word don’t really capture all that is in that picture.  But maybe just enough to give the idea.

From my heart.

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yes, i know, strange…

but isn’t it great when people come together and minds and hearts connect, often producing something amazing?  throw God’s Spirit into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for the miraculous.

some people don’t like meetings - doesn’t matter who is there or what it’s about.  shame.

btw, i have a staff meeting tonight.

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We’ve returned to reading the last chapters of Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy as we wrap up this year’s apprenticeship. His chapters are on being a disciple/student of Jesus and how to go about training more disciples. Seems like a good fit for our “Entrusting” posture…

He starts his chapter “on being a disciple, or student, of Jesus” with these questions:

Who teaches you?
Whose disciple are you?

“Honestly, one thing is sure: you are somebody’s disciple. You learned how to live from somebody else. There are no exceptions to this rule, for human beings are just the kind of creatures that have to learn and keep learning from others how to live” (p. 297).

Willard goes on to say that although we in the west like to think that we are our own persons who make up our own minds, this is really only because those who have taught us have taught us that! We’ve all been disciples of many - parents, teachers, playmates, peers, public figures. We may not recognize it, but what we think and do is shaped by all of these.

Then, the kicker:
“It is one of the major transitions of life to recognize who has taught us, mastered us, and then to evaluate the results in us of their teaching. This is a harrowing task, and sometimes we just can’t face it. But it can also open the door to choose other masters, possibly better masters, and one Master above all” (p. 299)

What about you? Are you/have you asked these questions? (Cori has)
Who has taught/shaped you? How?
Who do you WANT to teach/shape you? How?

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