The following are words given by participants at the streamed meeting. 1 Corinthians 14:29 says that "Two or three prophets should speak, and the others weigh carefully what is said." 1 Thess 5:19-21 tells us not to despise prophecies, but to test everything and retain what is good.
Vision - I saw Jesus' feet and he was wearing golden sandals. And I also saw all these people walking, kind of like in a circle, but they were in a neighborhood walking on a sidewalk that formed a circle, and there was just hundreds of them.
Scripture Reading Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in times of need."
Scripture Reading Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Scripture Reading Psalm 33:18 - "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope for his lovingkindness, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in you."
Confirmation of Proverbs 3 - I had that word today: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart."
Joan's talk was entitled, "Is God's grace enough?" Is God's grace enough to get us through hardships in our life? Story of Abraham in Genesis: Asked to sacrifice his only son but he trusted God to somehow save his son. It must have hurt Abraham when his son asked where is the sacrifice? Story of Joseph in Genesis: Joseph kept his eyes on God and trusted him. He told his brothers who had caused him to be taken from his family, to not be distressed; that it wasn't really they who had him come to Egypt but that God had brought him there for a purpose. Yet we know that he suffered during all the years he was away from his family because he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 Cor 12:7-10 - "A thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan to beat me to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness in order that the power of Christ will dwell with me.'" What do we do when we don't get the answer we want? Jesus went through much human suffering. Ps 35:19-20 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirits are crushed. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them from all." Psalm 46:2-3 - "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and the mountains quake to the depth of the sea." Pope St. John Paul II developed Parkinson's disease in his later years. He was pressed to retire but he didn't. He showed the world the suffering Christ in suffering humanity. What do we do when we get overwhelmed with sorrow or pain? Run to Jesus, run into his arms. Let him know how you feel and wait for his love and his grace to fill you. Isaiah 40:31 - "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Read God's promises; that he will never abandon you. Ask others for prayers. Try to surrender everything to the Lord, over and over. Your feelings may say one thing, but God's promises say another. Cling to his word and then look for what he is doing even in the midst of trials. Joni Eareckson, a quadriplegic, wanted to be healed but it didn't happen. But she became an artist, an author. She runs a camp for families and children with disabilities, etc. When she contracted Covid in 2020, she thought it was a death sentence. When she gave it all to Jesus, she felt the Lord take gentle, firm possession of her heart. She struggled to breathe. She felt the Lord ask her if she believed that he would never forsake her, that he was her ever-present help. Did she believe that his grace was sufficient for her no matter what happened and did she trust him? Joni cried, "Where else do I go? You have the words of life." In the ensuing hours, she felt an odd calmness, almost an indifference. This was a gift from the Lord because of what she was to face in the future. She lived, but because of Covid her lung capacity is very low, every night she's put on a respirator to give her lungs a break. St. Paul says that God's power is made perfect in weakness. In our weakness, we grow closer to Jesus. Bishop Fulton Sheen: "You are not just praying for yourself, you have the world to pray for. You are continuing his redemptive work with the little trials you have to bear. Christ says, 'I am suffering through you and we are redeeming souls. And every soul in the world has a price tag on it.'" We are all on a mission, to save souls with Jesus in whatever way we can offer the challenges of our day and our life. And as we do, we become more like him. Printed on a card: "Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today, that you and I can't handle."
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