Aglow SPC November Letter

Greetings!

My how time flies! Last month at this time, we were all looking forward to conference in San Jose'. Today, we see it in the rear view mirror. Literally. I say literally because my husband and I decided not to do the "conventional" thing and fly, but to drive every inch of the way to San Jose'. Some were of the opinion that we were crazy to be in a vehicle with each other for such a long time. Our view was that it would be a time of closeness, (literally) not just physically, but spiritually as well. The nay-sayers were wrong, and we were right. What a gift to have all of that time with each other without benefit of TV, computers, telephone, jobs, chores and pets vying for our time. It was truly "Our time". We could talk, or not, and be totally comfortable doing either. We did take all of our CD's, just in case, but listened to less than five on the entire trip!
God has been speaking to me as of late, about His vastness, and His ability to balance it all. The changes we witnessed from state to state, even within states, bore testimony to His vastness. From the bluffs and trees of the Mississippi River Valley, to the rolling hills of Iowa's prairie land to the flatness of Nebraska to the foothills of the Rockies. From the rocky crags and Quaking Aspens in Colorado to the Loneliest Road in America, Highway 50 reaching ahead for miles and miles with only sand and dry lake beds between you and the mountain range far, far ahead of you. To the miles and miles of road in Utah with towering red rocks, tossed there with abandon, by our Father God. To the thin, curvy roads on the western edge of Nevada and eastern edge of California, where the roads are close and endless, with homes tucked tightly into nooks and crannies, to the Pacific Ocean where they are separated by jagged shoreline. That was just on the way there! I was reminded repeatedly of a question that God has begun asking me recently, "Now Daughter, what was that that you were worried about?" (I've also become aware that when He calls me Daughter, I better listen!)
On to the conference. Aptly called "The Sound". Aglow has been in transition for as long as I have been a part of it. I foolishly thought that after one transition, we'd be there (?) where God wanted. Not. Although God never changes, He is always revealing Himself in new ways to us. A "New Sound" is coming from heaven. Although not new to Him, it is new to us. It is the sound of unity, brought about by holy worhsip, holy relationship with Him, and intimacy that we have up until now, only had a whisper of. It is time to give voice to it, a new voice, a loud voice, a triumphant voice and yet, and intimate voice, a voice with holy reverence. Intimacy and reverence. Complete in the knowledge that God has everything under His constant care.
Father God gave us so much at conference, and I would encourage you to listen to the CD's or DVD's as they are made available to you.
Saturday last, was the Iowa Leadership meeting in Ankeny, with the West Area Board hosting, and Barb Skoff was our speaker. What a sweet time of worship. Words from Jane to Barb to us. If you're going on a journey, you have to have gas. On Barb's trip here there were many signs that said "No Services". Be prepared for your journey so you are not caught unaware. Knowledge of God without encounters with God, make us toothless! Intimacy encounters, combined with knowledge of the word, fill our tanks so that we can go as far as God would have us go. We cannot be distracted, even by GOOD things. The sound coming from heaven is a redemptive sound. We must ask our Father what that sound is. When we find out what it is, we must SPEAK IT, or SING it! Our worship.....should shake us up! Intimacy takes time, but it makes us powerful. Fair trade off!
So much was said at conference and in our Iowa meeting, that it will take some time to process it all. The loose ends are being cinched up as we seek His face, ask His will, and obey what we hear. Barb shared with us that Peter didn't even know he had something to give. My thought is that his time with the Master filled his tank to the top and overflowing, so that when he opened his mouth, the gift of God's "Sound" was brought forth.
My prayer is that you will seek and hear and know His great "Sound" for YOUR life, and that you will go forth mightily and proclaim it.

Deborah

Gatekeepers

Calvary Church

Iowa State Prayer Coordinator

Aglow International