Recently Kim was a guest on Sounding The Light, a podcast hosted by Terah Tucker.
http://soundingthelight.com/our-guests/stl-50-kim-stanley/
Joe and Kim Stanley Ministries
Leading Worship in Spirit and in Truth
Recently Kim was a guest on Sounding The Light, a podcast hosted by Terah Tucker.
http://soundingthelight.com/our-guests/stl-50-kim-stanley/
Love chose to be born in a dirty stable Love grew up in a normal Jewish home Love was baptized to fulfill all righteousness Love was led by the Spirit into the wilderness Love picked 12 workaday men to hang out with Love gave sight to the blind, fed the hungry, healed the sick and raised the dead Love went after the woman at the well Love danced at a wedding Love restored the unclean and the broken Love ate with, slept with, did life with those same 12 workaday men for 3 years Love always said yes to his Father Love was completely misunderstood by the mainstream religious of his day Love was spat upon, slapped, and beaten Love was bruised for our transgressions Love was crucified - a criminal’s brutal death Love was forsaken by God the Father Love gave up his spirit Love went into the ground and down to hades to proclaim his finished work Love arose victoriously, having the Father’s seal of approval for his supreme sacrifice Love breathes new life into all who call upon his name Love is alive Love lives in you and me
The weekend services are over, all hardboiled eggs accounted for, friends and family here and gone; and here we are – the week after Easter. Well, really our celebration of Easter. It is just a day after all. Right?
I admit to getting pretty worked up over the worship services at my church, my women’s bible study, and planning our family’s meal for Sunday afternoon. And I’m not sorry. Not one bit. If there was ever a day to go all out crazy for, it should be Easter Sunday. I mean, it is the game changer, the crux of the entire Christian faith. Jesus is ALIVE!! For heaven’s sake!
And I want that to change my week after Holy Week. I want that to change me.
And it does. He does. He changes me. Because it is His very alive life in me that works this out.
So when your kids go back to school, when you go back to work, to the busy, messy life you were in before you celebrated Easter, rest assured that Christ in you will live His very alive life in you wherever you are. And that life in you is the light that will help bring many sons to glory. That love in you, the God’s love that has been poured into our hearts through Holy Spirit love, will love others around you, even, and especially the hard to love ones.
Our part is to trust. Abide. Believe. Surrender.
We are an Easter people.
Our year started off with great trips to Arkansas and Mississippi! We were invited to lead worship for revival services at FBC Batesville, AR, and witnessed God at work to bring renewal to His people there. Sweet times of prayer and worship and listening to God’s Word together, in spite of instances of sickness among the Pastor and visiting preacher. Our God reigns! Kim led the women in a One Thing Worship Retreat for 2 days leading up to the revival services, and experienced an amazing time of prayer and listening to God with the ladies. One woman said she was not looking forward to putting herself in “time out” with God for a whole hour, but as she stilled herself before Him, she heard Him speak through His Word to her Spirit. She shared with the group, through tears, how beautiful it was to hear God speak to her! Glorious!
We came home for one day, then Kim led in another One Thing Worship Retreat in Williamson, GA. This was a group of Moms who homeschool their children (such a talented, creative group of women – my heroes!) and planned this time to get away to hear from God and enjoy time together. Beautiful!
One Thing Worship Retreats are keeping Kim busy, and she is loving it! Her first one of the year was in North GA at Camp Pinnacle with FBC Social Circle. These ladies entered right in to God’s Presence and many shared of their experience as they heard from the Spirit of God! All praise to God!
Then it was off to Mississippi to FBC of Van Cleave. We watched the Spirit at work to bring several to Christ and many more to pray at the altar every night. It was beautiful to see the church gather around their leaders to pray for them and encourage them! We loved spending time with the entire staff!
We are humbled and grateful to go any and everywhere God sends us. His praise will ever be on our lips!
God’s idea. Gen. 2:15 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Adam was created for fellowship with God. In Eden he perfectly understood and carried out his purpose: worship.
Worship is relational. As Adam enjoyed personal communion with God he also understood his purpose. They were intertwined. He worked in the garden and kept it. First act of lifestyle worship. And there was joy unspeakable.
After the fall, after Eve was deceived and Adam disobeyed, they were driven from the garden. Intimacy with God changed. He would never leave them, but because of their sin, there was separation and death. And labor and toil and struggle and murdered and banished children, and grief.
But God….
promised that One would come from Adam’s offspring who would bruise the serpent’s heel; who would bring many sons to glory and redeem intimate fellowship with the Father. Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, dwelt among us.”But to all who did receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
As we are brought from death to life, our relationship to God is restored and we now “worship in spirit and in truth.” While we are not in Eden anymore, we can live our lives here on this planet purposefully through lifestyle worship.
Work is holy as it is done unto the Lord. Whether you work on Wall street, in a classroom, or swish toilets, all is worship. “I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
God’s idea.
Our first ever One Thing Worship Retreat was a beautiful day spent in the Presence of the Lord with some very special women!
I’m so grateful to Martha Wilson and Touching Hearts Ministries for hosting this event for us and for every person who accepted the invitation to come away for this One Thing.
Our Father never disappoints and his beckoning to come away with Him for the sheer purpose of being in His Presence was water for our thirsty souls.
Below are some comments and pictures of our day together with Jesus.
Thank you Lord for inviting us to dwell in the house of the Lord and to gaze upon your beauty. We are transformed in Your Presence!
Comments:
“I came with a list that I didn’t need because He wanted to visit and talk to me, not listen to my petitions.” Penny B.
“Stilling myself in the presence of God helped me to hear Him more clearly.”
“Loved the time to really seek the Lord! Loved the worship times! Had a true encounter with the Lord!”
“Renewing, rejuvenating, life-giving, reordering – something I want to incorporate into my life on a regular basis.” Toni H.
“a beautiful and refreshing gift of time, just to spend soaking in His Word and in His love!” Juanita S.
“Beautiful day, taking a day to be in the presence of the Lord away from distractions. Blessed.” Chris
January 11th – Touching Hearts Women’s Ministries (new season begins) – Kim
January 7th – Orchard Hills Church
January 14th – Orchard Hills Church
January 21 – New Rocky Creek Baptist Church – Joe
February 10th – West Metro Church of God, Douglasville, GA