Week 10/ 52week challenge! Crazy stuff.....

MEDITATION/MESSAGE
No one ever makes it alone. Hands praying are a symbol for the sacrifice of one man, for another. It is an awareness that someone is lifting you and your struggles up to Our Father. Often we may picture this as Jesus'. It is said He is our intercessor and therefore we imagine all of those paintings of hands praying to be His hands. But as we come to know Abba God, we come to see we too are intercessors for our family; the children of our loving God. This simple exchange of words or groans for and about our brothers and sisters is seen as an offering by God; one that He comes and drinks deeply of, at our sides. This pose is about a confident gesture that you are making to the world behind you, to everyone you have come in passing with throughout your day, week, month or year. That you are giving of your time and your gifts in order to lift them up in conversation before the King of Kings. You are saying I will pray and asking simultaneously will you pray for me. Not out of responsibility but out of ease and with simple pleasure to commune with the Father about one of His children. It is a thoughtful act, filled with humility and uncertainty. It is also an act of sacrifice and surrender. It is a risk and  reward.  A time of willingness to be led into what to pray and sometimes even how to pray. May we never cease to recognize the value of this act and confidently enter this gesture with the awareness no one ever makes it alone; we need each other and we need the sacrifice of prayer....


REVERSE PRAYER POSE DESCRIPTION
~You may enter this pose through mountain(standing pose) or simple cross leg(seated pose)
~ warm up your shoulders with some circles and shrugs, using your breath to deliver you into an awareness of His presence
~As you breath and enter conversation draw you arms behind you first just trying to touch fingertips
~If you have it available begin to draw the whole hands together into prayer
~ the beauty of this is that whatever you have to offer is enough.....the Holy Spirit will fill in the rest....so wherever your hands meet know that your prayers are being heard and transformed as He is working within that space. 
~Rest here in prayer for whomever the Spirit leads you to pray for, allowing for God to direct the conversation and yourself to be receptive to the exchange. Breath.....stay as long as you wish!!!


SONG SUGGESTIONS
One Thirst(live feat Jeremy Riddle) by Bethel Live
Peace Be Still by Rush of Fools
To The Only God by David Crowder & Shane and Shane





MEDITATION/MESSAGE

Grab a hold of the Truths of God

In times of sorrow we may feel lost, like God is not with us, and not know where to turn to. In times such as these it is vital to grab a hold of the truths of God. On earth we have the chance to worship through our tears, leaning into the pain, and become closer to Him! A few things to remember in hard times:

1. When we are hurting, hurt with God
2. He knows what it’s like to suffer! He will understand our pain
3. Get honest with God; tell him how we are really feeling; if you feel like he isn’t with you….tell him. He wants to be in relationship with us in the good, bad, and the ugly!
4. Realize that what you feel IS what you feel, but just because you feel a certain way doesn’t make it the ultimate truth
5. It’s ok to feel a certain way, like God isn’t with you, heartbroken, lonely, etc. BUT do not become obsessed in those feelings and make them the center of your world. Those feelings are NOT the ultimate truth of God!

When we are hurting and experiencing pain and maybe not able to rest in God’s peace and joy, below are a few tips:

1. Trust in God’s steadfast love
2. Romans 5:8, God shows us his love, Christ died for us
3. Preach the gospel to yourself
4. Rejoice in his salvation
5. Sing and worship to the Lord

SUPPORTED SHOULDER STAND POSE DESCRIPTION

~Shoulder stands are designed to help people with every aspect of their physical and mental well-being, said Jillian Moriarty

1. Lying flat on your back, lift your legs up and over your head until your toes come as close to the floor as possible
2. Then reach your legs up toward the sky, supporting and balancing your body by placing your hands on your lower back

There are three important connection lines of the body to pay close attention to in the Shoulder Stand:

■ the upper back should be inward and upward direction 

■ the chest pushing in an upward direction 

■ the sacrum pushing toward the pelvis

Check these connections as you build up strength in the position. Never force yourself and never lose sight of the element of relaxation during your efforts.