Final thought of the day: Given the presence of a female judge, a female prophet, & a female apostle in Scripture—in addition to the first person charged with preaching the gospel being a woman—I’d say we can disagree on women in ministry without making bad faith accusations.

A woman mentor texted today to say happy Mother’s Day, because she is grateful for “young spiritual mothers.” I cried! That’s what I want from the church: not just “celebrating all the women so no one feels left out,” but recognizing the way the gospel changes motherhood.

Dorothy Lee: "Women’s sense of calling in the contemporary church is not primarily a product of Western feminism ... but largely a re-calling of the church to its evangelical roots, not only in the New Testament, but also in the early centuries of the church’s life”

A younger woman in ministry said, “I’m doing this to see people set free.” Because what draws us into ministry is Jesus. . the Gospel has captured our imaginations. christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/may-we…

One of the best strategies we could find to actually identify future leaders is for me not to be in the room. Danielle Strickland careynieuwhof.com/10-leadership-… via Carey Nieuwhof

One sign you’ve encountered God is you walk with a limp, not a strut.

“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God in His absolute power chose not to use power absolutely -Matt Shetler #parablesofthekingdom #nocoercion #sacrificialLove

For my friends who are pastors (in particular). I read recently where Thomas Merton is telling a story about someone of high esteem and societal “worth” writing to him and said, “You are wasting your life!” Merton’s reply: “I am here because God has called me to be here.”

“Silence is not the absence of noise but the absence of resistance to God. God is always present. We’re the ones who are absent. The yearning you feel for God is actually God’s yearning for you.” — Thomas Keating

This is a good thread.

“He who attempts to act without deepening his own self-understanding, freedom, integrity, and…love…will communicate to them only the contagion of his own obsessions, his aggressiveness, his ego-centered ambitions…his doctrinaire prejudices and ideas.” ~Thomas Merton

The gift of life is a terribly wonderful privilege, grounded in suffering, each heart broken open before our belonging to the larger whole. Blessed are we when we love, for we receive a share in God’s own burning heart.

"A good leader develops followers. A great leader develops leaders." Rev. Edmund Chan #atsdminprogram

Authentic Humility: "You have to own ALL that God has given you....then submit it back to His control!" Martin Sanders #atsdmin

If we had no will but God's our peace would never be disturbed, and our intimate connection never broken

"Any time you envy, you question the goodness of God." Robert Reimer #atsdmin

"The Father never calls you beyond your limits, people do." Robert Reimer #jesusonlydidwhattheFathercalledhimtodo

What I love about the Pentecostal tradition is the belief that if we create space in our gatherings God will meet us in power. What I love about the Contemplative tradition is the belief that if we create space (esp interior space) God will meet us in love.