Comments on: Preview and Input http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preview-and-input-3 learning to love people incredibly well. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:25:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Bonnie http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-432 Bonnie Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:20:33 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-432 Do I know any other transformation movies? You're asking the right girl: The Matrix, Dances with wolves, Good Will Hunting, Miss Congeniality, Garden State, Sound of Music, Sister Act, any underdog sports movie, Somethings gotta give,... to name a few. Hopefully thats well rounded enough to name at least One Movie any random reader has seen. What does God Most want from/for me? This question has come up a lot recently. Or maybe I am just more aware of it. (Interesting book you mentioned Mark) I think its to show us what in our lives, mind, or heart is Most blocking us from experiencing real Love. I believe God's presence is in Real Love. So what is keeping us from that would be a great place to start.   Do I know any other transformation movies? You're asking the right girl: The Matrix, Dances with wolves, Good Will Hunting, Miss Congeniality, Garden State, Sound of Music, Sister Act, any underdog sports movie, Somethings gotta give,… to name a few. Hopefully thats well rounded enough to name at least One Movie any random reader has seen.
What does God Most want from/for me? This question has come up a lot recently. Or maybe I am just more aware of it. (Interesting book you mentioned Mark) I think its to show us what in our lives, mind, or heart is Most blocking us from experiencing real Love. I believe God's presence is in Real Love. So what is keeping us from that would be a great place to start.
 

]]> By: Faith Bogdan http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-429 Faith Bogdan Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:26:31 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-429 What do we most need to know about ourselves? That we are loved by Someone, completely, without condition. It's the fundamental need of every human heart, and only One Person can fulfill it. When we finally grasp that (in our heart, not just in our head), the possibilities of who we can be and what we can do are limitless. What do we most need to know about ourselves?
That we are loved by Someone, completely, without condition.
It's the fundamental need of every human heart, and only One Person can fulfill it. When we finally grasp that (in our heart, not just in our head), the possibilities of who we can be and what we can do are limitless.

]]> By: Mark Acuff http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-428 Mark Acuff Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:19:14 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-428 Sky, I really appreciate your comment. It forces some clarity and helps us interact with some things that we would have missed. Thanks. Just a couple of thoughts: “Do you think you should think about what god wants from you? “ When I bring God into it, I’m not thinking about what God wants ‘from’ me, but what God wants ‘for’ me. And, I’m not trying to get God’s approval, but God’s wisdom, guidance, honesty and grace. The pressure comes from my own distorted awareness, which I’m counting on God to relieve and transform. And, I think that we live with God as much as we live with humans, and even though religion has been often used to not live well with other humans, God’s presence, purpose and power can help me to have the most honest and hopeful self-awareness. Sky, I really appreciate your comment. It forces some clarity and helps us interact with some things that we would have missed. Thanks. Just a couple of thoughts: “Do you think you should think about what god wants from you? “ When I bring God into it, I’m not thinking about what God wants ‘from’ me, but what God wants ‘for’ me. And, I’m not trying to get God’s approval, but God’s wisdom, guidance, honesty and grace. The pressure comes from my own distorted awareness, which I’m counting on God to relieve and transform.

And, I think that we live with God as much as we live with humans, and even though religion has been often used to not live well with other humans, God’s presence, purpose and power can help me to have the most honest and hopeful self-awareness.

]]> By: John Jay http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-427 John Jay Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:06:48 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-427 Mark, Your question forces me into that knee-jerk reaction of self-deprivation. It is like having to talk about your good qualities in a job interview. This is the part where I say something nondescript like my amazing ability to show up for work on time. Yet, our self-understanding is deeply interwoven with our theology. How are we as creatures related to the Creator? The Bible talks about image-bearing and being animated by the breath of God. That sounds like a decently positive description. This is how the story starts, with dust and Divine breath. We are stamped with the image of God.  And yet if I am honest with myself, I do not feel like God's spirit animates me. I have all but lost the image of God. Only hints remain, like through a dim, foggy mirror. My working assumption is that Jesus restores this Divine image. Illumination. We are set free for our true purpose, which is not endless struggle. Mark,
Your question forces me into that knee-jerk reaction of self-deprivation. It is like having to talk about your good qualities in a job interview. This is the part where I say something nondescript like my amazing ability to show up for work on time.
Yet, our self-understanding is deeply interwoven with our theology. How are we as creatures related to the Creator? The Bible talks about image-bearing and being animated by the breath of God. That sounds like a decently positive description. This is how the story starts, with dust and Divine breath. We are stamped with the image of God. 
And yet if I am honest with myself, I do not feel like God's spirit animates me. I have all but lost the image of God. Only hints remain, like through a dim, foggy mirror.
My working assumption is that Jesus restores this Divine image. Illumination. We are set free for our true purpose, which is not endless struggle.

]]> By: Sky http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-426 Sky Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:25:40 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-426 Ok, now more seriously, you raised some good questions about self awareness, but then you put god into it. Do you think you should think about what god wants from you? Or more about what YOU want for yourself? Life is short, and in the end, it's you who are living it. Is it such a good idea to be around wondering how to gain aproval from an entity that may well not even exist at all?   Humans live with humans, and in the end, for humans. It's the interaction that we call "social life" that creates this self awareness in the end, so the mere point of improving this interaction, and be a better individual for ourselfs is much more fullfiling and ultimately much more complete, than just trying to find answers where only questions can arise. Ok, now more seriously, you raised some good questions about self awareness, but then you put god into it. Do you think you should think about what god wants from you? Or more about what YOU want for yourself? Life is short, and in the end, it's you who are living it. Is it such a good idea to be around wondering how to gain aproval from an entity that may well not even exist at all?
 
Humans live with humans, and in the end, for humans. It's the interaction that we call "social life" that creates this self awareness in the end, so the mere point of improving this interaction, and be a better individual for ourselfs is much more fullfiling and ultimately much more complete, than just trying to find answers where only questions can arise.

]]> By: Sky http://www.allgather.org/2010/01/26/preview-and-input-3/#comment-425 Sky Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:18:42 +0000 http://www.allgather.org/?p=1391#comment-425 Don't stress about it, there is no god anyways, so you can go on with your life. Don't stress about it, there is no god anyways, so you can go on with your life.

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