Regional Fellowships » Northland Tai Tokerau » February 2010

February 2010

Pam Boundy was the speaker for our first meeting of the year - what an amazing start.

 

As a backdrop to her talk, Pam brought an awesome banner (made by a member of her Church), depicting the scripture Isaiah 9v2 : “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”.

 

 

This blended with the vision received at the end of last year of a figure in the distance, mounted on a big white horse and holding the Lord’s Standard aloft.  Coming down from the hills and folds were many people, making their way down to the valley to join the main body.  These people were the injured, the  blind, the crippled, the brokenhearted ....  all trying to reach the figure waiting in the distance.   Moving amongst them were other people,  offering the weary travellers water to drink.   Team member Bernice painted this vision onto canvas to help bring the vision alive for all the women.

 

Pam began by sharing a little of her personal testimony - very powerfully, then encouraged the women to break into small groups to consider the question “What defines you as a person - what do you see when you look in the mirror?".... and how does that line up with our theme, the beautiful scripture  Jeremiah-31:3:4  :  “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.  Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt...”

 

 

Rich food for discussion, but in her gentle, perceptive style, Pam prepared the way with humourous anecdotes from her own experiences    This encouraged the women to relax and interact comfortably which was especially helpful to our many “new faces” attending their first Dove meeting.

 

Following this personal sharing segment, we were uplifted into the Presence of God through a very anointed and beautiful time of Praise and Worship. 

Pam resumed her talk by delivering a very personal challenge to set aside our self-perceptions (whatever they are) and come into that deeper love that Jesus has for each of us.   For some it was allowing Jesus to heal the "holes in our souls".   We tend to try and darn them as with a pair of work socks, but at the first sign of tension the ragged edges pull apart again, reopening the hole in our souls which Jesus alone is able – and longing -  to heal.  
Then there are those of us who have become so comfortable, so used to the way things are, that we no longer respond to the Shepherd's call.    Pam likened this to the picture of a sheep-dog so used to lying tied to his kennel, he doesn’t realise when he has been released from his collar and is free to respond to the call of the Master.

To finish,  Pam blessed us greatly with her gift of music,  playing and singing, along with the Praise and Worship group,  a beautiful song she had composed especially for this occasion  entitled:

 

"God’s Desire Is That We Know Him Intimately”  :

 

God’s desire is that we know Him intimately

God’s desire is that we know

All the beauty of His love

And grace and mercy

God’s desire is that we know.

 

All of us have holes

Within our souls that

Jesus Christ alone can fill

All of us have holes

Within our souls that

Jesus Christ alone can fill.

 

God’s desire is that we know Him intimately

God’s desire is that we know

All the beauty of His love

And grace and mercy

God’s desire is that we know.

 

I have loved you with an everlasting love

I have drawn you with loving kindness

I will build you up again.