A little comparison (Left To Tell)

Tuesday has come and gone, and I miss you all so very much! I hope your summer has been relaxing and full of life. hugs.

So, this week I decided to go back and read some of the old posts written during the Forgiveness, Healing, Transformation study. I was truly blown away at how one of Kathy N's posts were SO fitting to this discussion about Immaculee's journey. I have listed some of them here again, along with some questions she asked us to think about. Look at how I have compared Kathy's posts to some of Immaculee's story. If you can think of other excerpts from the book that relate to her posts, please add them. Kathy's posts are in purple, Immaculee's story in red.

Kathy's post - "After transformation, you seldom have the feeling you have found anything. It feels much more like Someone found you! You find yourself having been grabbed, held, and being Someone's beloved. . . "

pg. 84 from Left to Tell - "The mental anguish was even more intense. I was trapped alone with my thoughts, and the dark fears and doubts that had haunted me since my arrival became relentless - they wormed into my heart and undermined the foundation of my faith. When the killers were out of earshot, my thoughts drifted away from God, and the negative energy rushed in. Yet whenever I prayed, I immediately felt His love around me, and the anxiety eased."

Kathy's post - "Two paths to transformation are great love and great suffering. . ."

There are so many examples of Immaculee's immense suffering, I dare not try to quote them. If you read the book, you know how immense her suffering was and probably still is. But, I did choose an excerpt that I think really describes her Great love. Page 79 Left To Tell - "My head was burning, but I did hear the killers in the hall, screaming, 'Kill them! Kill them all!' No! God is love, I told the voice. He loves me and wouldn't fill me with fear. He will not abandon me. He will not let me die cowering on a bathroom floor. He will not let me die in shame!"

Kathy's post - "A simple definition of suffering = whenever you are not in control."

I don't have to list examples of how Immaculee was not in control...her ENTIRE story is about how much was out of her control and how deeply she depended on God (faith). Which is what brought be to Kathy's questions...

Kathy's post - "And a question to think about: What is faith? How do YOU define it? What does it mean to you?"

Forgiveness (Left To Tell)

Another thought that is running through my mind as I think about our study about forgiveness: How in the world could Immaculee possibly find in her heart to forgive the murderers who killed her family and sought after her as well? And here is what blows my mind the most...Not only did she forgive them, she forgave them before, during, and again after they killed her family!

Isn't this so much like the God, the Father, the Jesus we love and know??? To forgive us before we even sin....wow. She so knows God. I want to know Him like she does.

Just had to get that written down.

I don't know where to begin (Left To Tell)

I don't even know where to begin....

When I was thinking about how to begin this discussion, I thought I'd discuss it in the three parts it was written. Then it hit me this morning that Immaculee's story is so all-encompassing, I think I would only be sort of "trivializing" this story by trying to discuss it in sections. I don't want to try too hard...I want the Spirit to move. It's real, not fiction. This is someones life. This REALLY happened. Wow....THIS really happened. So, let's just go wherever God takes us.

After I finished reading this book, I was left with awe. Awe - the only way I can describe my state. Not only because of Immaculee's story, but also because of how many stories there are like hers. I could barely wrap my mind around the fact that this really happened to one person. And I knew it happened to hundreds of thousands. The thought made me weep.

I read the book what seems like a long time ago now. I read it during our forgiveness, healing, transformation study. But, I can still remember something very poignant and profound that Immaculee said in her Introduction, "I believe that God had spared my life, but I'd learn during the 91 days I spent trembling in fear with seven others in a closet-sized bathroom that being spared is much different from being saved...and this lesson forever changed me."

This statement has my wheels spinning.

Thoughts, anyone?

A opening prayer before our discussion.

Father,

First and foremost, thank you for this dynamic group of women who bring their open hearts to our gatherings. I am so grateful for all You have placed before us, within us, and after us. I am so grateful for all the outpourings of love, authenticity and honesty each woman brings to this group. I am so grateful to be part of this group.

Lord, please continue to plant seeds within our hearts, broaden our eyes, lengthen our persepectives as we move to the next discussion. I ask you to give Life to this avenue of communication via the blog, and that You help each of us to find the courage to contribute.

I love you.
In Jesus name I pray all of this...

Amen.

Sharing....

I wrote this today, inspired by this book I read:

What if there was no building?
No pews. No Altar.

He still IS.

What if the programs ended?
No songs. No worship.

He still IS.

What if the exterior were removed
and our core exposed?

What if it were only about Him
and not them?

He still IS....

Without the bricks,
without the pews,
without you.

He still IS.

What makes you come alive? From Richard Rohr

Click on the image to increase the size. This is from Kathy N. Much love....

You're home, Melissa! Hope your trip was good and uneventful. Miss you!! Can't wait until next summer!!
Kathy

Justice and forgiveness

I am already reading Immaculee's sequel to "Left to Tell"...it's aptly called "Led by Faith". It is a collection of her experiences following the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda. A question came to mind tonight as I was reading and I wanted to leave it open for discussion...

Is it possible to forgive someone and still be concerned with seeking justice for the wrongdoing at the same time?

Left to Tell, Starting some discussion

I am only 79 pages into this book and I have felt so many emotions toward every page I have read.

On page 79 I read the same sentence 3 times....it spoke to me.

After 2 days in the bathroom and hearing the rallying of the killers outside the window, " In all my years of praying, I'd never focused so completely on God, or been so keenly aware of the presence of darkness."

How does this statement Immaculee made speak to you? Have you ever felt this way before?

(I surely will be back to write more about this, but wanted to throw it out to you, my dear friends, first)