Let the overflow of your grace-giftings splatter onto those nearest your hearts, those on the fringes of your hearts, as well as on those currently not at all on your hearts. Be liberal in sharing this new thing your lives have become, are becoming. Openly express your delighted surprise, inviting others to join you in the ‘flow.’ This response is most highly desired by the Father and by the Son and by the Spirit. And the included guarantee is that there will never ever come a day when this ‘flow’ will end.
As you have likely surmised, the above is a PD’ed version of a familiar passage of Scripture. It’s not a translation, but rather what may have been ‘between the lines,’ what further prompting may have been ‘in there.’ There is a key word tucked away in the middle, too. I’ll leave it to you to sleuth out the passage and the ‘word’ referred to (please ‘respond to all’ with your answers/guesses and, if you’re feeling inspired, include your own imagined version. Here’s an additional suggestion: take some time to sit undisturbed as you read the top paragraph slowly a few times, then wait for the bubbling up of unique ideas the Holy Spirit gives you. (This won’t be heresy. It’s simply making a personal, heartfelt application. Scripture will always remain ‘as is.’ The God of the Angel Armies won’t feel threatened. In fact, I think He’ll be thrilled at our efforts, at the attention He’s getting.)
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ps Thank you for your prayers while I’ve been away in Arizona this week for the Spiritual Directors’ Retreat. The theme for the retreat was “Developing a lifestyle of discernment.’ It was a rich time of teaching, thinking, praying, listening, waiting, sharing, doing deep dives into our own hearts, and waiting for the Holy Spirit to ‘speak.’ I’m filled to the brim, eager, as always, to be sharing this amazing journey with you. See y’all tomorrow at 10 AM, 3 PM, 4 PM. PD
Don graduated from Regent University in 1988 and moved to France for seven years, coming back to the US briefly to marry Sue in 1990. The work in France included working in a Christian School and helping plant a church before returning in 1995. He’s been pastor of Peninsula Vineyard since 1999. He enjoys counseling, especially married couples, traveling back to France (with Sue), reading, doing Sudoku puzzles and sleuthing out good, dark chocolate. Don serves as the senior pastor of the Vineyard Church Peninsula, in Newport News, Virginia.