Friday, September 07, 2007

7 Questions

Please answer anonymously and honestly. (Don't worry, I'm not geeky enough to know how to find out who "anonymous" is or where they live. I'm simply trying to get a pulse on where people are inside these days. I'd rather spend more time encouraging you if I can.)

1. Are you content where you are?
2. When's the last time you gave encouragement? Received it?
3. When was the last time you got away by yourself to pray and hear from God?
4. What was the last sermon that stuck with you?
5. What changes would you most like to see in yourself?
6. " " your church (if you go).
7. " " your home life?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. Are you content where you are?
The majority of the time yes, although there are temporary trials that occur that "surprise" me and I enter into a season of being discontent for a week or two until I can "snap out of it" and find my contentment in the Lord again.

2. When's the last time you gave encouragement? Received it?
I try to do this regularly / daily/ I did this twice yesterday. Anytime I have a meaningful conversation with someone. Life is so hard, people need a lot of encouragement regularly. Last time I received it- yesterday as well.

3. When was the last time you got away by yourself to pray and hear from God?
I pray all the time, but don’t take time to listen. I need to do this more regularly. Last time - a week ago, but not for very long.

4. What was the last sermon that stuck with you?
A sermon on suffering.

5. What changes would you most like to see in yourself?
Grow in being more disciplined.

6. " " your church (if you go).
None at this time- I really respect the church leadership and all that they are doing. As for the church membership - we have grown very close and are growing together closer to the Lord and I believe we are right were the Lord wants us.

7. " " your home life?
Again... discipline.

Anonymous said...

1. Its a battle against the flesh to remain content. Knowing that this is God's best for me and that His best is better than I could imagine seems to beat up against comparing my life to the world's standard and finding myself wishing things were different.

2. I feel like encouragement is a natural part of conversation with my friends....both ways...giving and receiving. So last time I talked to someone was today and we both left encouraged.

3. This morning

4. Fear of God - it was a message I heard online

5. I would like to grow in selflessness

6. I wish our church did more community outreaches

7. Grow in selflessness!

Anonymous said...

1. Definitely not content; one of my biggetst fears at the moment is that I will be stuck in my situation forever.
2. Gave - probably yesterday; received today
3.Got away? Probably somewhere like several weeks to months ago. (My prayer life is usually like a running conversation, but I am far overdue to get away to have FOCUSED listening time. Just seems like an impossibility.
4.Just heard a few minutes of a sermon on tv, but hit so hard - about how the Israelites couldn't enter the promised land until a generation had passed b/c of grumbling and complaining.
5.More discipline.
6.More outreach.
7.More consistency resulting in a peaceful family; less 'snippiness' among ALL of us!!

Anonymous said...

1. I am very content and blessed with my life. God has been so good to me. Even in times of suffering He has poured out grace and mercy.
2. Encouragement is a natural part of my life. Chesapeake Comm Church has been the greatest source of encouragement and provides me with opportunity to extend encouragement as recently as this morning.
3. A few months ago I had a personal retreat,thanks to my wonderful husband.
4. This morning. I love the book of Phillipians and our pastors do a great job. We are being saturated with the gospel so we can be Gospel centered, Gospel rejoicing and Gospel advancing.
5. Discipline would be my choice also. I need accountibility. Thank the Lord for my small group.
6. I wouldn't change anything. We have lots of opportunity for outreach with Alpha, Fall Family night, Christmas breakfast, Ladies Bible Study etc...
I love the series we are in (Phil) on Sunday morning because the focus is on the gospel and there is opportunities every week to bring guest and they will hear the gospel. I guess you can tell I love my local Church!
7. Changes in my home life? More communication between everyone.

Anonymous said...

1. I am content with where I am right now in light of the gospel which helps me to see what I deserve verses what I receive. Because Jesus Christ came to earth to live the perfect life and die on the cross taking on HImself the wrath that my sins deserve, I find it hard to be discontent when this is my perspective...keeping that perspective is the hard part!
2. Today. It is the blessing of being part of acommunity of believers that is so committed to one another. (shout out to Chesapeake Community Church!!!)
3. Yesterday morning. Unless you mean a personal retreat - then about a month ago.
4. The one I heard this morning, by the grace of God.
5. I would like to have a deeper understanding of the Cross.
6. I love my church and consider it an honor and a privilege to be part of Chesapeake Community Church. My church is one of the most profound means of grace in my life. From the sound teaching, outreach opportunities, fellowship in caregroup, and thriving ladies ministry I am overwhelmed by all that God has provided me to grow in grace through my church.
7. If I could change anything in my home life it would be that I would be less selfish and more oriented to my husband.

Zoanna, thanks for the questions. It was so good to take time to think about how blessed I am that I receive encouragement, hear meaningful sermons that stick, and have fresh appreciation for the wonderful church I am part of. You were looking to encourage, and indeed you have. thank you friend.

Anonymous said...

1. Sometimes, I'm content, sometimes not. Probably not more often than I'd like to admit.

2. I usually give everyday, atb the very least to my hubby. i usually get every day from him and from 1 friend in particular. In fact she just prayed for me over the phone.

3. I can't remember, other than church retreats.

4. ???? My brain is usually do foggy on Sundays. Sadly, nothing is coming to mind. Wait, I do remember a message about Abraham recently. One major point was to seek God's will for our situations before moving forward.

5. Lose weight, spend more time with the Lord

6. ?

7. More organized and peacful environment.

Anonymous said...

1. Are you content where you are? Pretty much. I would say that I'm not a very content person all of the time, so no matter my situation, it wouldn't matter because the answer would always be the same!
2. When's the last time you gave encouragement? Yesterday to my husband. Two days ago from my husband.
3. When was the last time you got away by yourself to pray and hear from God? It's been a week.
4. What was the last sermon that stuck with you? Jimmy Cannon on Suffering.
5. What changes would you most like to see in yourself? A deeper more meaningful relationship with the Lord. Faith that he really died on the cross for me -- and not everyone else but me.
6. " " your church (if you go). I don't know. I think I'd change a lot, but wouldn't that be at any church? I won't blog about changing things at church...but I could! Then I'd be a jerk who just wanted attention.
7. "" your home life. I'm really happy with home life. I'd rather be organized better, but that's life.

Anonymous said...

1. content? no.
2. gave encouragement? um, within the last couple of days--can't remember exactly. received it? yesterday
3. got away by myself with God? a real "getaway" (several hours alone) was about 5-6 weeks ago. had some quiet/alone time at home the other day.
4. the two that come to mind are Mark Lauterbach's "Gospel Centrality: So What?" series and CJ Mahaney's "Cravings and Conflict." both I heard maybe close to a year ago
5. changes in myself? joy. consistency. selflessness. eagerness to work hard.
6. changes in church? outreach--pretty much nonexistent. deeper relationships/structured small group time. women's ministry that goes beyond brunches and hobby night (mentoring, more depth). gospel-centered preaching, not just dry intellectual expositional. (gospel-centeredness in general.) passionate worship music.
7. changes in home life? husband to take the lead. Christ-centered marriage, pray together more, talk more about spiritual matters. be involved in ministry/outreach together.

Zoanna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

1. Are you content where you are?
Oh yes. So very much. So much more than one, two years ago. I used to dwell too much on what I wanted but didn't have. Now I focus on counting my blessings. I am perfectly content with my life.

2. When's the last time you gave encouragement? Received it?
Yesterday morning (to my husband). Yesterday evening (from my husband).

3. When was the last time you got away by yourself to pray and hear from God?
Last night. Not by sheer act of will, but because I couldn't sleep. One of my mottoes: when you can't sleep, think of those you love; think of God.

4. What was the last sermon that stuck with you?
A couple of weeks ago, from the newly-arrived priest in our parish. On gratuitousness.

5. What changes would you most like to see in yourself?
Be less anxious. Be always more attentive and loving and selfless with my husband.

6. " " your church (if you go).
That the assembly be more active.

7. " " your home life?
Nothing that doesn't relate to n°5.