32.Partnership = empowerment = growth

‘Crikey we’re now entering our 6 month of all this’ were the first rambling thoughts of a mind starting to whirl. As a do-er, that’s a long time in my book, which took me to the next question – it’s  so typical of how I roll; ‘what have I got to show for it?’. I can’t help it. It’s hard wired into me - always wanting to progress, develop, see change and make an impact in whatever small way I can. Without my wonderful clients and a reduced role in most interactions of daily life to channel that energy into, it leaves me grappling with this big question. So momentarily I reflect and think about the things of great worth this whole journey has done so far. Really big, important things;

 

  • Friendships, family ties, relationships - rekindled, repositioned, bringing greater understanding, depth, connections and love
  • The deep personal times of spiritual intimacy and encounter that have stretched and blessed me in equal measure, often leaving me awestruck in wonder, frequently leaving me in tears of joy to know such grace. The changes in me I can already see through His patient, gentle parenting.
  • The body of work that’s now included in the blog @www.fruitministries.com, the videos on youtube under Kathryn Brook-Simpson and the tweets at KathrynBrook_S. – with feedback these are reaching untold people across the world and tangibly impacting lives
  • And of course, the privilege and treasure from more precious time at home with my boys, being a more focussed mum and wife. This has been so good in so many different ways.

 

All these things are incredible outcomes of such worth – the unexpected God breathed silver linings.  The things that make me want to worship through such a thankful heart of gratitude. Yes, we’ve all known tough times, but these virtues do make it worth it.

And yet, despite those heart filling reflections, I can’t help but sense there’s more to come. I find my heart yearning for God to use this. To not waste any opportunity to highlight the things I need to address, improve, do, learn and most of all become through this process. I’m determined to press in. And that’s all it takes –  my commitment to persevere and engage with what God will reveal and then enable through His Spirit. We make the choice to connect in this way – God does the rest. It’s called a partnering relationship. Cultivating this takes focus, investing in it requires conscious pursuit. It won’t just fall in our lap – we need to take the responsibility to go and access everything God has already put inside us, just waiting to be discovered.  It takes allowing ourselves to be seen by God, in all our mixed-up vulnerability. But it doesn’t always have to be in some sacred, intensive, time-consuming way. It can also be developed in the minute-by-minute moments of life.

This matures us, creating the spiritual resilience we will need for all God has in store. God knows His intended destiny for us. He knows exactly where we are now in relation to that.  Over time, God can use every experience, every gifting and every opportunity to manoeuvre us forward towards that intended destination.

As for me, with investment in this through reading, study,  prayer, worship and the small acts of service possible, I know that my understanding of God, who I am to Him and the position that gives me will be taken to new depths – it always but always does whenever we press in. What I’m talking about is taking accountability to not be a passenger in this whole process. Diligence is a decision. And my mind is set. I’m excited, apprehensive but so ready to see what comes out of that pursuit.

 

'So do not throw away your confidence ; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised'                                                                                                                                                                             Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV

 

 

Excerpts taken from The Promise – How to live a Spirit-led life by Kathryn Brook-Simpson. As yet unpublished, but fully copywritten.

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Wheat field at sunset