This month we decided to move the date for Breathing Space a week earlier to allow some of our regulars to be a part of it, given that one of them is about to leave for a two year posting to Dubai with her husband. To facilitate that, I asked one our regulars, Pauline Loughhead, to lead the morning and midday prayers because I needed to be on-air at Sydney’s 1032 until midday. I was one of the "extras" that arrived in the afternoon, along with my 11 year old daughter who wanted time alone with God.
I hope you enjoy Pauline’s impressions of another excellent time in the presence of God …
Breathing space was a different place for me in May, as I had a part in leading Morning Prayer and the Eucharist and saw things from a totally different perspective. How blessed we are to have Kerry who facilitates with such aplomb while we sit and enjoy God’s presence!
We were seven this month (nine during and after lunch), but for most of the day there were two for me .. just me and my heavenly father.
Having come to a new place in the realisation of the indestructibility of my assurance of God’s love for me during the difficult week in the lead up to Breathing Space, I was in a special place and slipped easily into that place where God speaks into my inner being.
Someone asked me, "how do you hear God speaking to you, is it with words, is it audible?"
My honest answer has to be "Sometimes, yes, but mostly He speaks into that ‘knowing place’". He speaks, I know that it is Him and I know that I am hearing. With the knowing there is an indescribable peace. The more I take the time to be in His presence and listening, the … well I was going to say ‘the easier’ it is to hear, but that is not quite right.
Perhaps Jesus said it best in John chapter ten – "… the sheep listen to his voice, he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. . . and his sheep follow him because they know his voice … I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me." As I spend more time with the shepherd his voice becomes more familiar.
Bless you, Kerry, for making this possible. I am so looking forward to next month. Of course I can take time to be with God at home as well, and I do, but the surrounding at Winbourne are so conducive to peace, to quiet listening and to hearing.
Thank you,
Pauline