Today we begin a wall of living stones representing the many who God is bringing together to secure and complete His plan.  The cornerstones are key because Christ is the only One who could build such a household.  The large boulders are those who invested their lives and funds to help make this happen - from the beginning…they are the foundation stones. 
 
Each of these stones represents someone who decided to help make sure this spiritual household will continue  to be a blessing into the future generations.  The house is built of wood and stone in the physical realm, but it is also a spiritual household in which everyone can experience peace, calm, inspiration, expansion of mind and spirit, love and safety, generosity and welcome.  It is a home of prayer, study, worship, music, laughter and celebration….community, friendship, and belonging. 
 
By your monthly financial commitment, we are encouraged and excited to know that God is providing through many hearts so that He can bless many more times both those who give and those who receive.  Blessing is never one way….it is an eternal circle of provision. 
 
I can attest that whatever I have given, I have received back a 100 fold of extraordinary life.  It will be a source of joy to everyone who watches this beautiful wall grow and will know how many blessings have been poured into the work of “the brotherly love of the stranger”
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It will be a source of satisfaction knowing that your monthly contribution ensures the work and ministry of the Blessing House. 

“Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life:  gracious uncertainty, is the mark of the spiritual life.  We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.  Immediately we abandon to God and do the duty that lies nearest – He packs our life with surprises all the time.”
My Utmost For His Highest by O. Chambers, my life companion for the last 30 years.
 
This is an apt description of daily life at the Blessing House.  No two days are alike and there are surprises in every day making mincemeat of  “well ordered certainty”.  Over the years, I have learned to practice the art of “living in the day” as the only way to navigate the Lord’s plan.  Staying in “the day” allows me to be present and available whatever the day brings, but it also challenges me to trust God with the responsibility of the future.   
 
Living  “BIG” & “BOLD" used to entice me into great plans – all of which collapsed under the weight of my enthusiasm and life’s surprises.  I do love to hear the voices of large ideas and lofty goals about the BH and me, but such vision leaves me stunned.  As I grow older I have lost an inch in height physically, but spiritually I have lost the nature of the bantam rooster and have become a mother hen who loves her home and all who come to visit.   Content in the day, uncertain about what is coming next, I sit in wonder at how God continually provides exceptional people who make things happen without me.  This kind of life offers authenticity, community and hospitality into your life and allows you to experience  fullness and satisfaction.
 
I invite you to expand into your day and experience a life of peace and joy leaving the heavy work of worry, cares, of being responsible for everything to the Lord’s leading.  This is very counter-cultural and is difficult to learn unless you entrust yourself to the God who has gifted you life.  He is a NOW God and as long as I stay in the NOW of gracious uncertainty, all my needs are met and promise and provision are at hand because of a Certain and Sure God. 

I began memorizing the book of Colosians this year because of this verse.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.”  Col 3:2-3
 
Practice confessing that several times a day….it is shocking to the system!
 
Memorizing  focuses your mind on words and thoughts in a way reading can’t….and I found myself stopped in my tracks as I realized that these words are actually true for me!!!!!  This is my story…
 
Over the years, the Lord has taken me though deep valleys and desert experiences which have proven that  life is fragile and death certain.   I actually named my autobiography for seminary, “Days of Pain and Nights of Prayer”!  My journey has been a testimony to the faithfulness of God to bring me back to the true and greater reality of life in the kingdom of God.   Each time I surrendered my life back to Him , I became more aware of this singular kingdom of Christ Jesus in which I existed…and came alive with new energy, excitement and creativity from above.
 
I, Gail, a steward of Christ Jesus, by the will of God…” reflects Paul’s introduction of himself as an apostle in Col. 1.  I realized that my identity as a steward was given to me as a gift…..an identity I would not have recognized by myself.  This is who I have become because of my life experiences in the will of God.  I now operate in this world no longer as an owner of anything….but a steward responsible to the King for all He has given me.  This change happened when He asked, ,”Would you give back to Me everything I have given you?”  I could only answer a “yes” because I learned to release my life to Him over the years.  Releasing all I owned in the earth was a simple step.  Because of The Father of Glory and Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit of love, this Blessing House exists and I get to be the steward of this great treasure……only by the will of God. 
 
My question to you is how would you fill in the blanks…
 
I,______________, an/a________________________of Christ Jesus, by the will of God…

Who are you in the Kingdom of God living your life in the earth? 
 

One of Jesus’ significant directives in my life is “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God….and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:30.  I have discovered the truth of this verse over my 73  years.  When life didn’t make sense I went immediately to the Word of the King and realigned my thoughts and actions with that which governs the  universe.  The Word of God always settled things for me and gave me a way to go and a way to think.  I learned that I could not be defeated.
 
Now, I seek to live out the kingdom through Word and principles in everyday life at the Blessing House.  The first principle was to give everything I owned into the hands of the King trusting Him with the rest of my life as a steward and not an owner.  This one single act freed up a new life “in the kingdom” as I greet with joy everyone He brings  through the front doors He desires to bless. 
 
The BH desires to be an experience of Kingdom life.  The Board of Directors, the office staff and I seek to operate on Kingdom principles in our decisions, our relationships, our personal lives so we can truly bless our world through the actual presence of the BH.   Our goal is to be a place where Jesus loves to hang out waiting to meet whoever opens the door.  Our desire is to help people ( children – adults) taste the delights of the kingdom as they enter a place of beauty, harmony, and comforting.  The language of the kingdom includes the joy of word and deed The heart of the kingdom allows for silence, weeping, laughter and honest conversation.    The gift of the kingdom is space for God to touch lives in a personal way
 
We seek to be a touch point of the kingdom….an embassy, an outpost, resting place, a home wherein dwells tranquility, thought, friendship, belonging, creativity, art and music, It is the front porch , the living room, the sleeping quarters and the kingdom kitchen. 

You are always welcome here, the coffee is always on and the door open.

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I miss the rhythms of the Christian life I experienced the first 50 years of my life in the Lutheran Church. We had set seasons that were honored with colors on the altar, hymns and choir numbers to match,  readings, banners, candles and flower arrangements on the altars dressed for each season.
 
Especially the Lenten season.
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 Wednesday night soup suppers before the service weeks before Holy Week when Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the day of preparation for the Resurrection.  All was done with familiar music, rituals, sounds of bells and solemn processionals.
 
We knew it was a time of reflection, prayer and fasting, self examination, and solemn readings of the meaning of the cross.  Sin was recognized and repentance a way of life.
 
In my experience the “evangelical churches” rarely observe and prepare for the week that changed the world in the same way.  Life and teachings as usual and nothing changes in the service.  All at once Good Friday appears followed by resurrection celebrated with music and sweet smelling flower gardens…..and it is over.  It surprises me….o yeah, it’s Easter. 
 
Good Friday at the BH has been set aside the last 3 years for reflection, prayer and solemnity in the light of the ghastly cost of sin.  Places of prayer prepared, communion in remembrance, music, movies of the passion in the library,  places to journal and to sit with the enormity of God’s love…..all these spaces dedicated to bring us into the realities of life in the light of the gospel.  The doors are open and you are welcome to enter any time into Good Friday.

A few weeks ago we sent out a request for feedback on how we communicate with you, and how often we send out emails. We got lots of great feedback about what people are looking for and what you like to hear about what we are doing.

​This blog post is to explain a few of the changes we'll be making based on your feedback!

When we asked for feedback we were looking to find out a few pieces of information. The first was what you wanted to see from our weekly email. The second was how frequently you read it.

From that we learnt a few important things;

• The majority of people who responded would prefer a less frequent email, with 40% asking for a single, monthly roundup.
• 90% of people use our email to get information about upcoming events, and 75% say that this email if their main form of information, ahead of the website, face-to-face communication and social media.
• There was an even split between those who would like more information about classes and events, and those who want more general information about Christian life (something we've already started to do in our blogs)!

So, what happens next? Well, we're going to be making a few changes based on this information. We're going to switch to a biweekly email. This will allow us to communicate less frequently, like people wanted, while still keeping in contact with those who want more information. We're also going to be including more details about classes and events, including costs and who can attend. Finally, we're going to start to include a prayer request each time - something that we would love for you to include in your prayer time, to widen the reach of the blessings we offer.

Ultimately, these changes should help us communicate more effectively with you, the friends of The Blessing House. Please do continue to give feedback, and let us know what you think about what you would like to see, and look out for further developments as we continue to make communicating with you a higher priority.

​“Do you not know you are living stones built into a spiritual household?”  1 Peter 2:5
 
The Corner Stone is the owner of the Blessing House and belongs to Him lock stock and barrel.   It exists for and by Him to meet and bless anyone whom He brings to the door.
 
The Foundation Stones are called together by His Spirit to complete and establish the Blessing House as a ministry of sacred space that draws in the community.
 
The Living Stones, however, will be the way the ministry of the spiritual household will prosper because monthly, these stones give their financial support securing all the previous work of building.  Living Stones come in all sizes and are placed by the Lord into a wall of protection from the storms
 
Living Stones give monthly support  which anchors the BH in the winds of change.  Of the 2500 people who use the Blessing House, only 25 have committed this year to helping us secure and stablize the spiritual household by intentional giving through the financial tools of automatic withdrawals.  Even small gifts given regularly make a big difference.  Think of how 50, 100,200 Living Stones could both create a wall of protection and enable the spiritual household to flourish.  
 
I am a living stone to several ministries because I easily forget the needs of the kingdom in my everyday life.  But once arranged with my bank, I never miss the opportunities to be blessed in the giving.  The amazing thing is that my bank account rarely empties.  How does God do that?  O yeah…that’s right….”whatever is given is returned 10, 20, 100 fold” says Jesus.

Why do I believe what so many I know and love reject?
 
In the writings of the New Testament story-tellers, there is an unfolding reality of who Jesus is.  Yet, an onslaught of miracles, healings, teachings, undeniable power over demons and nature was never enough to fully convince most people that God was standing before them in human flesh.  They touched, handled, and ate with Yahweh, and walked away – astonished, maybe … but unchanged. 
 
What questions and confessions they entertained, disintegrated into fear and unbelief when the government moved in and hung him on high to prove who had the power.  It took a resurrection and a visible ascension into the heavens before the truth became solid in their minds and hearts that this could be true.  Then the strange visitation of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost secured them body, soul and spirit in the truth so they became martyrs rather than renounce the Truth.  And not just a few, but millions!  And it is still expanding!
 
I never got to see Him in the flesh, but I grew up in the stories and was surrounded by believers.  All on my own, I totally rebelled against it all and wanted to live like my friends who cared little for such “religious crap” as they called it.  But, all that glittered like gold, disintegrated like shards of glass as I experienced the love and forgiveness of my parents who had sold themselves out to the reality of Jesus.
 
I still haven’t seen Him, but I know Him through others whose lives are deep and true in the His reality.  And I have experienced Him myself as this curious “weight of glory” fills my soul and stabilizes me through all the storms  past, present or future.  And I have this Word that never runs dry, which is as deep as eternity, and which expands me to live large in its truths. 
 
No one else can offer such treasure. No other religion, no other lifestyle, no other belief can come close to  the consuming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you know this “weight of glory” for yourself? 

Want to talk?

​“If one advances confidently in the direction of her dreams and endeavors to live the life she has imagined she will meet with success unexpected in common hours.”  Henry Thoreau ,“Walden”
 
I was so enchanted with this quote the year I turned 50 that every journal for the next 20 years had it recorded.  That was the year my first husband died and life changed dramatically.  All at once “dreams and endeavors” became possible  and I wasted little time redesigning life on my own terms.  Seminary, reconstruction of a 50’s rambler into the first Blessing House, becoming an apologist with Dr. Don Bierle, and discovering the joy of gardening were seed ideas that had lain dormant in my imagination. 
 
Little did I know those dreams were only the stepping stones into a totally unexpected life here in Victoria.   My dreams were as big as I could imagine and those 13 years on Lakeview Terrace on Lake Waconia brought enormous satisfaction and joy as people flowed through the doors into the common hours of my imagined life.
 
But, God’s dream for me was beyond my imagination – an impossible reality that I am now sitting in as I write this blog.  I am surprised every day with the enormity of His plan for me that far exceeded anything I could possibly have thought of.  I wrote about the “what if” question that roamed through my mind last week as He asked me to give up everything I had ever imagined -  everything I had accomplished, for am impossible journey into His imagination that only He could orchestrate.   I am still stunned that He would entrust His dream to me as I was entering my 70s!
 
Could it be that I risked  ”advancing confidently in the direction of my small dreams and a life imagined”?  Was that all a set up to train me for this Blessing House?  When did He dream this up?   Was it truly before the foundation of the world according to Eph 2:10  “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God created in advance for us to do.”?
 
I encourage you to dream and endeavor to live a life imagined.  Stop trying to figure out what God wants you to do… His dreams are too big to even conceive.  I believe that He has put dreams within us that are the seeds of His greater dreams .  Don’t just sit there wishing and praying something would change.  Start where you are, journal your ideas and dreams, and risk advancing confidently in that direction.