Twists and Turns - Part 3

In the journey of twists and turns on the road of life we find ourselves a part of the history of God. The thought came to mind the other day: boy, history would look a whole lot different without God in it.

I see God in the history of my life.

* being a christian from the age of 6 years old
* living a prophetic life
* going to Bible College
* becoming a teacher at the Bible College
* working at Day & Ross

God has been in the midst of it all.

I can't deny that God has led me every step of the journey. No, the journey hasn't been easy. There has been alot of change that has happened over the years and yet God has been in the midst of Change. God is Change.

I look back on my life and understand that God has opened my heart and poured it out. I hope that my life has somehow influenced someone else's history. I would like to think that somehow my history and story has influenced someone else's history and story.

I pray that my life is an open book and will help others with their twists and turns in their own journey.

My journey and history has been influenced by someone else's journey and history.

So on my journey, the question I have is this: When I move on to the next step of the journey will anyone notice?

Not that this really matters.

It's not like I'm leaving on bad terms. Far from that. I need to move forward in the journey. It's not like I won't return back to where I came from.

So the journey continues....

I find that in the midst of the twists and turns on the journey intriguing to be a part of. There is a word that has been on my mind the past few days. When I looked up the definition of it I thought it was very interesting and possibly prophetic for as to where I am right now in my journey. The word is proceed:

Proceed: Move forward, esp. after reaching a certain point

It is imperative for us to pay attention to the proceeding Word that comes from the heart and mind of the World where we came from. This is the way Jesus lived His life on earth. This was the whole reason as to why He came in the first place: to show us the way Adam was meant to live before he took a detour and ended up outside of where he was to live.

In the temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness, Jesus made a statement that I admire. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that PROCEEDS from the mouth of God."

As long as I rely on that which I can see, I am missing the whole point. The proceeding word governs our lives. Or at least it should.

I'm taking the turn in the road cause if I don't I might end up in a river and drown. The journey is meant to be lived knowing the Voice, following the Voice, being led by the Voice. Listen to the ever proceeding word that comes from His Heart.

We have been taught to be led by the Spirit. We need to take the opportunity when the Spirit leads. Life rarely looks the way we think it should. That's okay. As long as He's leading and speaking, follow the Voice.

Jesus said, "My sheep KNOW the Voice of the Shepherd. They know My Voice." If you know His Voice, then it be best to follow the Voice. It may not be understood by others but as long as you know in your heart that the Voice has spoke and is ever leading, that is what matters.

The Turn in the Road - Part II

Change is a good thing. If we don't change then we're not growing. We need to grow and mature. I am not the same person I was 16 years ago. I don't even remotely want to be that same person. I look back and wonder, "Who was that guy?"

Over the course of those 16 years, the road was not straight. There have been many turns that have presented themselves. Some I took with great trepidation, while others I whipped around cause I knew that I knew where I'd end up.

I wish I could say that I have always gracefully handled every twist and turn that has come my way....but I haven't always done that. Sometimes rather than take the turn, I have kept going straight and ended up in the ditch for a while. Thankfully God has been there for me. That's the amazing thing about God. He is there when I take the turn as well as when I end up in the ditch.

That's what is amazing about love.

The only way to learn is to actually get out there and be a part of life. The only way to learn is actually get your hands dirty. Most people actually have to do the job themselves in order to grasp the concept.

I can be shown how to do it but it's not until I actually do it that I learn. I don't learn by someone telling me what to do. We learn by experience.

So as difficult change is to our minds, take the turn in the road. Be where God wants you to be. Listen to His Voice. Follow His leading. Look into His eyes and let His eyes do the talking.

The Journey - The Turns in the Road

The journey has many twists and turns which is important to understand. It is so easy to become so well acquainted with the familiar that when change comes knocking on the door we're not willing to embrace that change and follow our heart within that change. I've learned the road in the journey is not straight nor is it always black and white. There are alot of grey areas. We say we want change but in order for change to take place we have to allow that change to change us. Isn't that a lot of change?

It may seem unfortunate but it seems to be the case: the people who had the most influence in your life in the last season of your life more than likely won't be the ones to influence you in the next step of the journey. It's not that you don't put into practice what you've learned from them. They were your teachers of yesterday and those teachers of yesterday will be in place for the next group of people who need them in that season. I think this is God's wisdom in the journey.

As much as I would love for them to be a part of the next phase of life, it would be unrealistic for me to think that they will be.

In the natural, if I see a turn in a road, I won't keep driving straight because that would become a hazard. I could drive off into the river or cause someone else to be in an accident. I must follow the turns in the road.

I know this sounds so practical but it can be applied to every area of our lives. Don't become derailed because of misunderstanding. Trust the road. Trust the journey. Trust God as He leads.

Communal Intercession: A Call to the Field

Think for a moment of where you live? Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where do you live now? Where has the journey taken you?

These are very important questions that make up our history...our story of life.

Life sure has been a journey...one that I'm thankful to be a part.

I grew up in Nackawic. I lived there for around 22 years. When I left there for college, I embarked a new journey. I remember the last day of college before summer break, I felt God leading me to walk on every street in Nackawic and pray. So I did. It was my summer project. I will never forget that experience.

Looking back on that experience I realize now that I was seeding into the earth Word. I was taking what I heard from the world inwhich I came from and speaking it out into the airwaves. I haven't seen the results of those prayer walks but that doesn't mean that results haven't happened.

After 1997, when I left Nackawic for good, I moved to Florenceville/Oakland. I spent a good many year there. I would go for long walks and pray. Sometimes I would feel like I was in Europe speaking to churches. Sometimes I would feel like I was talking to one person. Sometimes I would get my next course to teach. Other times I would be praying and interceding over the community.

Over a year and a half ago, I moved to Woodstock. I have found myself once again walking and praying. Alot of times it has been for certain people while other times it has been for the community as a whole.

I share all of this to say this: wherever God has placed you be open and available to pray. There is a reason as to why you live where you do. God is anointing and calling His intercessors to the field. The time has come.

I really believe we are in a time where God is birthing an ache deep within. I really sense there is a season where tears are going to be shed. There is work ahead. There is sowing in tears in order to reap in joy. Be open. Let Him lead you through your communities. Wherever God has placed you be present there. Let Him lead you in communal intercession.

What's so Great About Christianity?

I know...this may seem like a strange question....especially coming from someone who grew up in this thing all my life. My thought this past weekend has been how big the community is within Christianity. So many times we tend to think that we've got a corner on God. God can move in our church setting. God can have His way in our church setting but what if God chooses to move in another church setting other than our own? Will we support it? Will we judge it? Will we look down on it?

I've come to realize that there is a global community that is so much greater than just our small groups here and there. I love the thought that there are groups of people gathering everywhere serving, loving, reaching out, evangelizing, ministering, blessing and any other adjective that one could ever imagine.

Church should be THE place where community is nurtured and encouraged. Church should be THE place where people can be open and vulnerable and be loved and accepted. Church should be THE place where fellowship is sweet. Church should be THE place where we fall in love with God and each other every time we get together.

This next statement may seem critical and judgemental but please hear my heart in this. I don't mean it to be. However; what I am finding is that the Modern Day Church is very far removed from the original. We have become a club, a clique. We don't embrace others. When new people come in, do they feel welcomed and loved?

Now I realize that there are churches and assemblies who are moving and loving and accepting of people. So this is just a general statement and not a condenmation or a lumping together of everyone.

The Bible says that they will know that we are His disciples because we have love for one another. My challenge is this: Pentecostals: don't just love Pentecostal people. Don't just love people within your assembly. Reach beyond.

Baptists: Don't just love Baptist people. Reach Beyond.

Weslyans: Don't just love Weslyan people. Reach Beyond.

There is a global community of believers who need loved. There is a global community of believers-to-be that need loved. Reach beyond.

So to answer the question posed here: What makes Christianity great SHOULD BE love. Where am I on the love meter?

You may say, Clay, I don't see Christianity as being great because I don't see love. I see in-fighting, people who hurt people, politics, etc.

I know.

And what about history? Alot of wars were fought on religious grounds? Is that love?

No.

So where is the love?

Why do people stop going to church? It's because they don't feel loved, appreciated, accepted, heard. So how can I say Christianity is great?

What's great about christianity is that we have the opportunity to change history. We have the opportunity to do something about it. It's up to this generation to change things. It's up to us to operate out of a love that is greater than our own. It's up to us to make people feel loved, accepted, appreciated and heard. It's up to us to be open and vulnerable and to allow each other the same privilege.

That's what's going to make Christianity great again. Taht's what is going to make church the Haven it was meant to be. I want to return to the original plan. The original purpose. We have love one for another.

This is a long blog. I hope I gave you something to think about. :)

The Quest of Friendship - part of my story

Life is a gift. Relationship is a powerful thing. It's taken a number of years to come into the realization.

I grew up alone. My sister is ten years older than I am. She was married when I was 12 years old. So I spent alot of time alone. I had a few friends but for the most part I was alone. I could relate to senior citizens and younger kids but people my own age I couldn't understand at all. I grew up in church and enjoyed it very much. I hated to miss.

I had a strong faith relationship with God and my church.

Where I struggled was at school. I didn't really have alot of people to hang out with. I was shy. I was a bit eccentric. I felt...alone.

It's a terrible feeling. Yet sometimes it has been a comforting feeling in a strange way. Why do I say it was comforting? Sometimes I'm afraid of people. I'm afraid to be ridiculed and persecuted. People have been the best thing to happen to me and they've been the worst thing at some points in life.

We are strange creatures. We want friendship and relationship yet sometimes that which we want becomes the very thing we fear and resist the most. Sometimes it's easier to be alone.

I grew to the point for a long season where I didn't trust people. I shut people out of my world. Sure I was functioning in the church with a gift of prophecy. I was able to operate in that gifting but at the same time I had control as to how close people could come. The times I allowed people in was wonderful and dreadful at the same time. I loved the thought of having people around but I also had this need to pull away and be alone.

I craved relationship but because I had spent so much time alone I didn't know how to have relationship. I didn't know how to be a friend. I didn't know how to just be me. It was easier to be Clayton with the gift of prophecy.

Sometimes people would only want me for the gifting which became frustrating cause I wanted people to know me for more than my gifting yet at the same time I only portrayed that. It was easier to prophecy or share my gifting rather than to share the real me.

A lot of times it's easier to be Clayton, the teacher. I get my teacher hat on and share the deep things that I've been studying or analyzing.

It's been easier for me to be Clayton, the counselor. I love to help people with their problems.

There's nothing wrong with any of these things but these things are just that. Things. Giftings. Nouns.

So I'm on a journey of coming out of the cave of being alone and venture into the bright world of relationship...of friendship. In the last little while, I've come to embrace the light of friendship. It's been my quest for most of my life. I hope you'll join me on the same quest.