"There is an old Christian tradition that
God sends each person into this world
with a special message to deliver,
with a special song to sing for others,
with a special act of love to bestow.
No one else can speak my message,
or sing my song, or offer my act of love.
These have been entrusted only to me.
According to tradition,the message may be spoken, the song sung,the act of love delivered only to a few,or to all the people of a small town,or to all the people of a large city,or even to all the people in the whole world.It all depends on God’s unique planfor each unique person.
So today, from my heart, I want to say this to you:Please believe thatyou have your important message to deliver,you have a beautiful song to sing,and a unique act of loveto warm the world and to brighten its darkness.
And when the final history of this world is written,your message, your song, and your lovewill be recorded gratefully and forever."
Anonymous
“The real "work" of prayer is to become silent and listen to the voice that says good things about me. To gently push aside and silence the many voices that question my goodness and to trust that I will hear the voice of blessing-- that demands real effort.” -Henri JM Nouwen
I was leading a worship lately as part of a diversity themed retreat and chose as its starting point the command to Love ourselves, to understand that by virtue of our inherent humanity, and by virtue of our individual and unique gifts and personalities, that we are worthy of love and respect. I asked the others present to listen to the voice that says good things, the voice of blessing and write one of those good things or blessings down on a paper leaf/petal. Leaves and petals were then added to a scripture vine which included quotes related to us each being made special and having been given gifts and blessings.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
He put his own light in their hearts to show them the magnificence of his work (Sirach 17:8)
For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14)
So God created mankind in his own image... God blessed them (Genesis 1:27-28)
I would welcome other references from the blogging community :)
