Special: Invite and encouragement

Hey BCU family,

As usual, you may enjoy the blog post in it’s condensed version by clicking on the icon below, read through the notes, or both! Be encouraged and hope to “see” you soon.

So allow me to explain what’s going on outside of BlenCouragesU.com. Due to the urging and encouragement of a few of my dear family and friends,  last month we started an online Bible study in real time! Yes, indeed!! And all of you under the sound of my voice (and any of your friends and family who are not currently listening) are invited to participate! Yes, the study is open to ANYONE who wants to study the Word of God, as our goal at BCU.com is to help encourage all the people of God to stay on the wall!

For all interested in the study, you’ll need a mobile device (telephone, tablet, etc.) and to download an free app called “Periscope”, then follow BlenCouragesU. When the study starts, you will get a notification–just click the “ok” or affirmative answer and voila, you’ll see and hear the study live! If you’d like to communicate with me, you’d type your question/comment on your screen and I’ll respond verbally with God’s help. Right now, we are meeting on Thursday evenings at 8:00pm EST, and the study runs until 9pm or so. Again all are welcome!

Our current study the Lord blessed us with is entitled “The called according to His purpose” and is based from Romans 8 and I Peter 2. For the last couple of weeks (February 4 & 11, 2016) , we’ve talked about who GOD SAYS we are. For example, we are no longer condemned, HIS children,  we are loved by Him, we suffer, but we are more than conquerors. It is important to KNOW in our hearts WHO GOD says we are, so when the winds of suffering blow, we can stay rooted in the what GOD says and continue to what? Yes..stay on the wall for whatever God has called us to do.

That brings us to the poem and the verse that inspired it. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  This verse is sometimes easier to quote when things are going well in our lives, and harder to remember and walk in when the dark days (and Romans 8:18 assures us we will have some) come and stay for a while.  My very wise cousin, Tanyel once explained once that the individual ingredients of a let’s say a cookie–the  eggs, flour, salt, sugar, oatmeal, etc., do not taste good separately at all. But putting the ingredients all together and baking them, the final outcome is delicious!  We need to have some of the mountain highs, valley lows, joy, sadness, trials and triumph all mixed together and baked or tried in the fiery furnace, for the purpose that God choses in His infinite wisdom for His beloved “The called”.  We may find out the purpose right away, later on, or maybe never, but we trust God know what He is doing and in spite of whatever is going on, He is with and loves us.  Here is the introduction and the poem courtesy of *Southwood Presbyterian Church’s site:

The Weaving

One of my favorite pictures of God’s working in our lives, especially during hard times, is the picture of God weaving a beautiful tapestry together with both light and dark colors (joyful and sorrowful times). On this side of heaven, though, we stand behind the tapestry and usually see only the knotted ends and frayed edges of what God is doing. If we could get “on the other side” of the tapestry, we could see God doing something beautiful, but we live on the underside with painful circumstances and God’s purposes unclear.

This image comes from a poem of unknown origin that was popularized by Corrie Ten Boom (author of The Hiding Place). 

My life is but a weaving
between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily.

Oft times He weaveth sorrow
And I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper,
And I the under side.

Not til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares, nothing this truth can dim. He gives His very best to those who leave the choice with Him.

Beautifully said, right BCU Family? Yes indeed. I pray this blessed your heart and encourages you through the storm you may be facing or, may offer some “explanation” if you are wondering why you went through rough times in the past. God is a present help and will bring you through it or  if your trial has finished Hw brought your through it–victoriously. After all, God said we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us (Romans 8:31).

As we get ready to close out this post, Lord will, our next Periscope Bible study is on February 18th, 2016, so please follow the above directions, set a reminder on your devices and join us if you can!  Also, look for “The Called” study notes and possible video/more than likely podcast to come out here on BlenCouragesU.com over the next few weeks!

In the meantime thank you for tuning in, sharing, commenting and praying for us!  God bless you and until we are together again #StayOnTheWall.

Love you all!

BCU

*Source:

http://www.southwood.org/smallgroups/read/god-weaving-a-tapestry-in-your-life

Photo credit: http://www.baildonmethodists.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/WEAVINGS.jpg