The God Who Speaks - Dec. 25, 2005

Merry Christmas!

It's just me, Brad, checking in to say thanks for your part in my life this year. You may or may not recognize how your life ripples out in blessings to others,but I felt that the Lord Jesus wanted to speak some good tidings of great joy:

"YOU MATTER."

Go ahead and ask Him why! Feel free to argue with Him. But in the end, you make hear something that gives you a "gratitude attack."

For those who've prayed as I write "Kissing the Leper," thanks so much. I am nearly done the first draft... though I confess that it feels (to me AND to some of my intercessors) that there's a key piece yet to come. I would dearly love to send it to my editor before leaving for Thailand on Jan. 4th. We'll see.

Now for a real rarity. I'll leave you with a poem that I wrote (yeah, seriously) inspired by a journey I took up "Lookout Mountain Lookout" in the Cascade Mountains in Washington. It's a bit of a prayerful reflection on the past year.

THE GREAT CLIMB

Flowers and flies
Blossoming and buzzing
Preening and provoking
Along the way.

The great climb
Through valley forest and meadow,
Lessons learned along the way,
Long before the moon-bleached night
Or the glory-drenched heights of the peak.
To see with wonder the brilliant flowers
And endure the madness of swarms of flies.
These are the beauties and beasts along the way
Of the great climb.

Have a blessed New Year... be sure to let me know what God has up His sleeve for next year if you hear anything!

Brad

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The God Who Speaks - Dec. 1, 2005

Hi all,

I'm hoping to rebuild my mailing list, so if you know of folks who used to get my newsletter, please let them know that they need to re-register at www.bradjersak.com.

I've been working through some inner healing issues in myself lately... "orphan spirit" stuff that you hear about from teachers like Jack Frost. For me, the big question of my Sonship (ladies, that's Daughterhood to you) is about how and when I have closed my heart to the Father's love. Often this happens at some point when we shut the doors of our heart to the love of parents, spouse, or children. We throw up our hands emotionally and say, "FINE!" The horrid reality is that when we shut our hearts to others, we somehow damage our capacity to experience the inheritance of God's love that is ours. Keeping your heart open, especially when others have disappointed us, is hard but necessary work if we're to receive and give away the kingdom. Can I suggest that we ask God the following inner healing questions together?

1. Lord, would you show me any point in my life where I deliberately or accidentally shut my heart to love (giving or receiving)?

2. Lord, I bring those involved to your Cross. What judgements did I make against them? Against love? Against you?

3. Lord, what decisions did I make that shut my heart? Please forgive me. I renounce those decisions and open my heart afresh to the great commandment ("Love the Lord your God with ALL of you; and love ALL people too (including your neighbour, brother and sister, and even your enemies.").

Thanks everyone. I do have a prayer request: I have finally had a breakthrough that's allowed me to begin writing my next book. The title is "Kissing the Leper: Seeing and Being Jesus among the least." It's about seeing Christ in others and was inspired by the story of St. Francis, who met Christ in a Leper as he reached out to embrace him. Please pray for God's word to flow in and through me as I write. Blessings to you!

Brad Jersak

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