Who I Am & Who God Is

written by Graham Monroe

This semester, during our Monday morning discipleship hour, each Fellow is taking turns leading. This past Monday, Graham invited the Fellows into an exercise that he has been using recently in his quiet times - writing out who God says you are, and who God is. Identity, purpose and guidance can then flow more freely out of that knowledge and encouragement. Here are some of his writings:

Who God Is:
God is a good and trustworthy Father. My guide and protector. A lamp to my feet. God is always near, and never changing. God is the ultimate source of satisfaction. God is kind and victorious, holy, greater and mysterious.

• gracious, loving
• judge
• sustainer
• fountain of blessing
• omnipresent
• healer
• everlasting
• gracious
• merciful
• beautiful
• Abba/daddy
• king of kings
• shelter
• jealous
• infinite
• persister
• consistent

Who God says I am:

I am a child. A son of a royal priest. A son to the King. I am expensive, bought with the highest price of heaven. I am a saint. I am one with Christ Jesus and made new. I have favor with the royal family of heaven for I am a citizen of heaven. I am adopted, redeemed, forgiven, justified and being sanctified. I am loved. I am cared for. I am a friend to Jesus. I am pure, holy and blameless. I am a temple to where Christ's spirit that overcame the grave dwells. I am a branch.

• co-laborer
• ambassador
• reflector of glory
• his bride
• disciple
• sheep
• fearfully and wonderfully made
• adopted
• beloved
• servant
• leader
• teacher
• chosen people

A Pretty Good Place

Written by Stacey Greene

The month of January seemed to fly by and with it came new dreams, two birthdays and an overwhelming sense of His goodness and love. 

Stacey at her birthday celebration this month. 

Yesterday I had the incredible blessing to just sit and be still. A few of the other fellows and I went and had a picnic and it would seem it was just what each of us needed. My heart needed the opportunity to just be still underneath the sunshine, reflect, and be with people whom I have come to love so dearly. 

A few weeks ago the Fellows took a trip to the Wolfe’s cabin and each of us shared our testimonies. If you asked me at the beginning of our time together I would have said it was my least favorite time of the year. I come from a very small family and sharing my feelings and life experiences has never come easy to me. However, as I listened to my brothers and sisters share how God has intricately placed His hand in their lives, I wept not only of joy, but this new idea of family.

Months ago, Kyle asked me what I believed God has been preparing me for. I said to him then, I believe God is preparing my heart and mind to understand family outside of my family in Florida. We are, together, brothers and sisters in a family of the greatest kingdom on Earth. As I listened to the continuous suffering of the other fellows, I realized my heart was breaking for loved ones, for family. I hated the idea they underwent grief and misery and I wasn’t there to offer words of encouragement or even a gentle embrace of love. In my time of reflection yesterday I began to grasp the idea of how much love I have and how little I give. 

Every time a trial comes to me or my family, I think of the words from the Bible in Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” and I am often comforted. Sometimes, though, I wonder just what it means to be still and what exactly I need to do to make that happen. I’m sure more days like yesterday would be ideal, but how do you find stillness in the day-to-day, chaotic, messy adventure of life? Unfortunately, I am nowhere near to having a semblance of an answer, but one thing I am sure of, family is all around me. You can go wherever you want. See whatever you want to but a place is only as good as the people you know in it. I think this is a pretty good place.