A challenge to spiritual growth!

Perhaps, like me, you love the month of September! In childhood it was the invigorating beginning of a new school year. Now, I consider it a great opportunity for a general fresh start to my life. And those of you who know me well know that I am a huge fan of those.

So when, clearing up some paperwork, I came across the small poster you see in the picture above, it hit the spot perfectly. It was given to me by my dear friend Thalia who went to join the angels ten years ago. It was a lovely example of what an inspirational person she was. I have typed the contents out so you can read them easily.

On the left is the sublime bible passage from Corinthians about love. While on the right is the poem The Invitation by Orah Mountain Dreamer.

Both, in different ways, throw down the gauntlet, as they challenge us to grow spiritually.

I hope you enjoy them and are prompted to join me in that fresh start.  

Love and blessings

Teresa

First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a limb or an organ of it. Within our community God has appointed in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, thirdly teachers; then miracle–workers, then those who have gifts of healing, or the ability to help others or power to guide them, or the gift if tongues of various kinds. Are all apostles? All prophets? All teachers? Do all works miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues of ecstasy? Can all interpret them? The higher gifts are those you should prize.

But I can show you an even better way.

I may speak in tongues of men or of angels, but if I have no love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophesy and the knowledge of every hidden truth; I may have faith enough to move mountains; but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give all I possess to the needy, I may give my body to be burnt, but if I have no love, I gain nothing by it.

Love is patient and kind. Love envies no one, is never boastful, never conceited, never rude; love is never selfish, never quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs, takes no pleasure in the sins of others, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance.

Love will never come to an end. Prophecies will cease; tongues of ecstasy will fall silent; knowledge will vanish. For our knowledge and our prophecy alike are partial, and the partial vanishes when wholeness comes. When I was a child I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child; but when I grew up I finished with childish things. At present we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror, but one day we shall see face to face. My knowledge now is partial; then it will be whole, like God’s knowledge of me. There are three things that last forever: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of the three is love.

                                                                 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for

and if you dare to dream of your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool

for love

for your dream

for your adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon

I want to know if you have ever touched the centre of your own sorrow

if you have been opened by life’s betrayals

or have become shrivelled and closed

from fear of further pain

I want to know if you can sit with pain

mine or your own

without moving to hide it

or fade it

or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy

mine or your own

if you can dance with wildness

and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes

without cautioning us to

be careful

be realistic

to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true

I want to know if you can

disappoint another

to be true to yourself

If you can beat the accusation of betrayal

and not betray your own soul

If you can be faithless

and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty

even when it’s not pretty

every day,

and if you can source your own life

from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with Failure

yours and mine

and still stand on the edge of the lake

and shout to the silver of the full moon

“YES”

It doesn’t interest me

to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up

after the night of grief and despair

weary and bruised to the bone

and do what needs to be done

to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand

in the centre of the fire

with me

and not shrink back.

It doesn’t matter to me where or what or with whom

you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you

from the inside

when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone

with yourself

and truly like the company you keep

in the empty moments.

                                    Orah Mountain Dreamer, May 1994  

UPDATES!!!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback on this post.

God bless,

Teresa 

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity