Crossroads: The Winds of Grace

Jamee's husband, Jim, has just published his first book: Crossroads: The Winds of Grace.

Also, if you're on Facebook, join his Book Group.

G3 Spiritual Disciplines Webinar

Our first Webinar on November 11 went very well. Technically it was a Teleconference as we didn't have our web cameras up and running. But we will next time.

We kicked off our series of Webinars by briefly discussing the Spiritual Disciplines:

The Disciplines :
Inward: Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, Study
Outward: Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, Service
Corporate: Confession, Worship, Guidance, Celebration

We then focused in on the Discipline of Study. Email me if you would like the notes from this first session. We'll come together again on Tuesday, December 8, 7:30pm Central / 8:30pm Eastern.

G3 SUMMIT 2009 RESCHEDULED (yet again)

Okay gals...by the time I got to Cathy with the January dates...they were already booked. So, now we're scheduled for March 12-14, 2010.

I'm sorry I jumped the gun. These dates are now official.

The Rollar Coaster

Well, I don't know about you all, but I've been on a rollar coaster ride of emotions the last few days. Since last Thursday morning when I decided to postpone the Summit it has been a weird ride.

I was good and well bummed for 24-hours. Kept feeling guilty about it and asked God for forgiveness . I'm totally convinced that I made the right decision. I was so hyped up about the weekend, so it was a long fall off that "rocky mountain high." LOL.

Did you all feel the same? I know a couple of you expressed your real disappointment and were looking forward to "getting away" as you all put it. I agree...the weekend is so fulfilling to each of our needs on so many different levels.

Now, Miss Jamee...don't want you to read this and feel totally guilty about not coming. I have no doubt I made the right decision and have been assured by the Holy Spirit of His control in this whole thing...so get over yourself. You were meant to be home caring for your husband who, let us not forget, was horrifically ill!

Who knows at this point the whole level of reasons why the Lord chose to postpone the Summit. I'm confident they are good and Holy reasons, so we need to just "get in the river of God" and go with the current. I've given Cathy the date of January 15-17, 2010 for our rescheduled weekend.

I'm kind of freakin' that it's so far away from now...wanted to keep the momentum going here, but ever since Friday I've been praying that the Lord will "keep" all that has been studied, arranged, prayed for, committed, etc. I will continue to pray for each one of you, that the Lord will keep you and hold your comings and goings until such a time that we meet together in January.

So, down at the bottom of this posting there is a little word "Comment." If any of you would like to share your feelings ... please comment.

2009 SUMMIT UPDATE

Girlfriends, can't tell you how the Holy Spirit has been moving in these weeks leading up to the Summit! Jamee said yesterday that the Holy Spirit literally laid in her lap the outline and study notes for the weekend...praise God.

Of course, we always tell you every year that Jamee and I make all these grand plans and then the Holy Spirit takes the weekend and runs with it as He sees fit. Which is so splendid. What a ride, right? What a joyous ride.

Can't believe we don't have dozens of women beating down the doors to come to this weekend. Besides the obvious spiritual advantages...the mental and physical oasis it provides is beyond measure. Can anyone testify to how much laughter there is during these three days? Yes?

We're back in the Hacienda this year (and will be next year as well)...and so we're back to having our own little place to ourselves with comfy rooms and a wonderful gathering place for our sessions.

Sign up today for this great opportunity to rest, relax, laugh, study and make new girlfriends.
$125 gives you everything (food, accommodations, workshop materials, snacks). The one exception is lunch on Saturday at the Dove's Nest in Waxahachie.

Send me your $125 by October 1. Make checks payable to Cindy Quandt-Guerra.

See you all in a few weeks!

Praying for you,
Cindy

G3 Summit 2009

Growing Deeper
Celebration of Discipline

October 9-11, 2009 is the date for this year's G3 Summit. Jamee and I can't put into appropriate words the clarity in which God spoke to us regarding the direction and theme for this year's Summit.

The last three years have been wonderful, spirit-filled weekends that have been loving, healing and restorative in nature. This year God is going to take us deeper. It is time to grow your spiritual roots deeper into the soil and become a "tree firmly planted by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season;" where your "leaves shall not fade or wither;" and everything you do "shall prosper and come to maturity." (Psalm 1:3).

In fact, this Scripture is part of our focused Scriptures for the weekend.

Psalm 1:1-3

"Blessed is the woman who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands (submissive & inactive) in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down (to relax & rest) where the scornful gather. But her delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (instructions/teachings) she habitually meditates (ponders/studies) by day and by night. And, she shall be like a tree firmly planted (and tended) by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything she does shall proper and come to maturity."

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

"Most blessed is the woman who believes in, trust in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For she shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the water; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit."

Colossians 2:7

"Have the roots of your being firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed and founded in Him, being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving."

Jamee and I firmly believe this is YOUR season and it is time for you to bring forth you fruit. The Lord has chosen you, each one, for a special task.

We look forward to seeing you...and together we will "grow deeper."

Friday-Sunday

October 9-11

Camp Hoblitzelle, Midlothian Texas

William Booth Hacienda

$125 (includes two nights, all retreat materials, all snack & all meals - except Sat lunch at the Dove's Nest in Waxahachie)

What to bring:

Bible

G3 Summit Journal (will be provided for those who are new)

Pillow (if you want to use your own)

Camping Chair (for campfire)

Sleeping Bag (for star gazing)

Check $125 (made out to Cindy Quandt-Guerra)

G3 SUMMIT 2009

October 9-11, 2009

Camp Hoblitzelle

Midlothian, Texas

_________________________

Looking forward to our 4th year of the G3 Summit

~~~~~~~God, Girlfriends, Grace~~~~~~~~

Mark your calendars and reserve this weekend for

spiritual and physical

rest

recharging

renewal

Weeds Gone Wild

Once there was a girl who really felt she was “in the zone” w/ God. Her faith was the strongest it had ever been. She belonged to two Bible study groups. Though not every day, she was praying more than she used to. She was proud that at least she was acknowledging God at some point every day even though more often than not it may only be a long sigh and whispered “Oh Lord” before dropping off to sleep at night.

Though she was feeling pretty good about her relationship with God, sadly she did recognize that her passionate desire to be in God’s presence every day had waned. It came easily back when that one crisis hit in her life. She was eager to fall at the Lord’s feet and just stay there, in His Word and in His presence.

Hmmm…funny how there’s a parallel between “crisis” and “spiritual growth.” That is, if you allow it to happened that way (that’s another blog).

Anyway, but now the crisis is over and life has evolved back to a new normal. The busyness and monotony of life spring up around you…kind of like weeds.

Then the girl had a bizarrely downer of a day. Oh, it started out okay…just like any other day. Stopped by the Starbucks for her usual, grabbed the Wall Street Journal from the security guard at the office. Checked her emails. Made a few calls. Then it was if someone “out there” began to chip away at her faith and peace.

In a matter of hours, the “shoe-in” job all of a sudden had the potential of being lost; the marketing momentum gained turned sour; the landlord began playing hardball with the lease renewal; and the pitch to a very promising client never materialized work.

The poor girl. She was feeling frustrated, angry and totally depressed.

“Why can’t it be easy,” she said to herself? “Why does it always have to be a struggle?”

Her response?

She left work at the end of the day and had a great dinner comprised of loads of comfort food and a drink. When she got home she was embarrassed to realize that her knee-jerk reaction was totally out of whack. Why didn’t she drop to her knees? How is it that her inner peace and faith got choked off so easily? Why was she so immediate in her anger?


In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seeds. So, about those seeds that fell among thorns…

…the seeds grew alright. These are redeemed seeds (lives) that heard and responded to the Word. They grew up and became sturdy. But, then the weeds of the “cares of the world” and the “deceitfulness of riches” came up around them and choked them down.

These Christians allowed themselves to grow up in the midst of all their cares and anxieties. And these concerns shaded them from the Son of God, and the lack of Light was preventing them from growing into maturity. Furthermore, the weeds around them were sucking the water out of the ground making it less available for them. The worries, riches and pleasures in life can suck the Christian life right out of us, leaving us drained, lacking inner peace and unwavering faith, and incapable of producing mature fruit.

The girl suddenly understood that the weeds around her were suffocating the Word within her and leaving her angry, bitter and depressed. God taught her that day that if she doesn’t draw from the water of Life on a daily basis Hell will have a field day with her spiritual confidence and choke her faith right out of her before she even realized it.

Safari Life

"Winter is the dry season in Africa, the time of safaris. We can learn from the dry seasons in life, and from life on safaris.

A safari of the self and Spirit is at times lonely. But we know we are never alone. It is a comfort to realize that this sense of isolation is necssary if we are to encounter Mystery and mystery is very much a part of a safari. Each day in the whildreness brings with it the struggle to survive and a heightened awareness of how wonderful it is just to see the sun set and rise again in the morning. Each day on safari is lived to the fullest because it is all that is guaranteed. If only we could learn this lesson as well in our everyday life.

Today, expect many things as you sit around the campfire of your heart. Someone is listening. Someone is talking to you, encouraging you to take that next step as you embrace the Mystery of the wilderness within.

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wonderous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again."

Simple Abundance
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Isaiah 43:19
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

A Safari of Self and Spirit

Sarah Ban Breathnach wrote in her book, "Simple Abundance,"

"In the summer of 1893, an English woman named Mary Kingsley traveled to the wildest and most dangerous part of the French Congo in search of herself. Both her parents had recently died, and suddenly, at the age of 31, Miss Kingsley found herself "not only desolute with grief but bereft of purpose." Her adventures in West Africa changed all that. Several years later her writings and naturalist discoveries, including the documenting of unknown species of fish and animals, were applauded by the Victorian scientific community.

Mary Kinslgey was a hunter of a dream: the knowledge of who she really was and her place in the world. So are you. Yet even without encountering the daily dangers she faced--wild animals, menacng spears, and deadly diseases--you have embarked on an adventure as exciting as that of any explorer. Uncovering the source of the Nile or charting the course of the Amazon are outward parallels to the inner journey you are on today--a safari of the self and the spirit.

In Africa, to go on safari--the Swahili word for journey--is to leave the comfort and safey of civilization to venture into the wilderness. Each time you listen to the woman within--your authentic self--you do the same. Remind yourself of this often. "You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition," Alan Alda advises the inner explorer in you. "What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself.""

From Small Straws in a Soft Wind:

May 4, 2009:
When you do not feel up to the task remember who you are in Me. I will give you the grace to meet and overcome every challenge and gain the victory. Simply trust and obey.
Observe. Do you see that you have come up? Your spiritual atmosphere is quite different than it was eight months ago. Rejoice in the new life and new opportunities that challenge you to spiritual maturity. The temptation now will be to go back to an old place of easy, lazy comfort.
See beyond the mundane and ordinary routine of every day existence to see the exceptional work that I am performing. You are a catalyst in a rich and dynamic move of My Spirit. Look beyond the natural to realize your potential.

You have been in a period of transition, which is not over yet. It has been and will continue to be very unsettling for a while, but your best use of this time is to grow up spiritually, exercise your faith, and trust that I will bring you through. Then, your feeling of impotence will give way to My power and dominion. 1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Even when your life appears to be static, in reality you have been on a steep learning curve. Take a quick glance back to see yourself in this process of exponential spiritual growth.

So, the new plateau isn’t what you expected? Out of your comfort zone? This level of discomfort will be the impetus that will move you into defining moments that will stabilize you in your kingdom position and destiny. Do not despise the day of small beginnings.

I am bringing you to a place of stability and maturity by imparting wisdom that will direct your steps and establish your heart in My kingdom. You will go from strength to strength as you use the victory of past challenges as stepping stones for advancement.

You have entered a time of historic proportions and significance. What you do with the choices that present themselves to you will yield extraordinary fruit and consequences. Choose wisely.

I am Afraid

There once was a girl who woke up one night at 2:30am. Insomnia took hold. So on went the television to try to numb her brain enough to become sleepy. Not so this night.

The next day she tried to figure out the cause of her sleepless night. Nothing came to mind immediately. She certainly was busy at work...juggling lots of balls in the air...but she felt confident in her ability to complete her projects. So, why no sleep?

After much thought, she was a bit surprise to admit to herself that she was afraid. Though God had given her much work to do, still she was afraid of the future. Afraid of how the economy was going affect her work. Afraid of how her 401k was going to survive. Afraid that her savings wouldn't last. Afraid that she was listening properly to the Lord for direction. Afraid that she was going to drop some of the balls. Afraid that the Lord may take her in a different direction than where she's headed now.

She remembered talking to a friend the weekend before, a strong Christian woman, and the girl heard the fear in her friend's voice about her own future.

Afraid, afraid, afraid.

Being afraid is not of God.
Fear is certainly one of Satan's strongest weapons.

It is after the lights go out, in the darkness of night, that fear and doubt come to you at full strength. The enemy seems so much closer and overwhelming in the dark.

So, the girl thought, "Why do we Christians struggle so with fear? Sure, a baby Christian grows in faith and trust, which takes time. But, you would think mature Christ-followers would not be afraid. And yet we struggle with it at times and revert back to being babies of faith."

Take the Israelites. The signs and wonders they saw with their own eyes in Eygpt. The parting of the Red Sea. Manna in the morning and Quail in the evening. God's presence manifested both as a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He showed them in so many ways that He was Jehovah-Shamma (The Lord is present). And, STILL, they were afraid and did not trust Him.

Well, the girl realized her fear was dishonoring the Lord. Dishonoring His power and desire to be her El Shaddai (Caregiver) and Jehovah-Jireh (Jehovah will provide).

"Really," she thought, "sometimes the fear that comes in the night speaks louder than my faith that exists in the daylight. My fear says that my God does not know or care enough about me to take care of me and be my provider."

She found, though, in Hebrews 13:5 that God Himself "will not relax His hold on her."

"Let your character be free from love of money, greed, lust, and craving of earthly possessions and be satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have; for God Himself has said, 'I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down or relax My hold on you! Assuredly not!'" Amplified Bible

No, that wasn't a typo...there are, in fact, three negatives written in the original text of this verse. The girl thinks that perhaps God is trying to make a point through the writer to the Hebrews!

With this the girl realizes that she has learned a valuable lesson through her insomnia. Smiling, she remembers a quote from Beth Moore: "Isn't it interesting that God often seizes a backdrop of darkness to accentuate the light of his presence?"

Ahhhh...she feels sleepy now.

Song of Songs

"Thy songs are wafted o'er the surging sea
And on the winds through every leafy tree,
Where'er the praise of Jesus name is sung
In every distant land on every tongue,
I would that all my life might ever be
A grand refrain ascending up to Thee."

Catherine Baird

1st Quarter G3 Potluck

Cindy's deck...great evening of laughter & love.
(l to r) Carrie, Anita, Billie, Carolyn, Sharon, Cindy.

G3 Summit TEXAS

Girlfriends,
I have discovered that I published the wrong date for our Fall Summit in a previous blog.

The correct date is :
October 9-11, 2009
Camp Hoblitzelle
Midlothian, Texas

Sorry for the confusion.

FIRST QUARTER G3 POTLUCK

Our next G3 Potluck is Saturday, March 21, 5:00pm-9:00pm. Eunice Harwell has been gracious enough to host our evening together.

The purpose of these quarterly potlucks is to provide you with a few hours oasis away from work, chores, husbands, children and just the general stresses of life. Please don't pass up the opportunity to "put yourself on your list" by stealing away 3-4 hours for yourself.

The girls that have attended in the past can testify to a great evening of laughter...the great stress reliever!

Joanne Senft is providing the turkey...everyone else bring a side dish to pass. I'll be sending out an Evite, where you can RSVP.

Hope to see you all there.

The House at the End of the Lane

I visited the house at the end of the lane this past weekend. It was sweet and cozy, generous and loving.

This is Jamee and Jim's new home at the end of Freeman Street. It has a wrap-around porch with a swing on it. There are big old trees all around the house. In fact, you look out any window in their home and all you see is a meadow out front and trees, trees, trees.

Jamee is in the midst of launching her executive coaching business. Check out http://www.thejsagroup.com/

We worked on preparing her database for the publication of her first e-newsletter issue. This newsletter will be announcing "the working partnership that has been formed between The JSA Group and OMM Prodeuctions to bring leadership training to your desk. Two trusted names with over 80 combined experience telling the story of the Red Shield." How about that?!

We also spent some time talking about our desire to hold a G3 Summit EAST this spring. We believe God is opening the door for us to procede with the scheduling and planning of this weekend. At the moment the we're looking at April 17-19 or April 24-26.

Jamee has a list of women from North Carolina who she feels would benefit from a G3 Summit. Ideally, we would love to sit out on her porch for our sessions. I want to invite each one of you to attend. I'm hoping those of us in the DFW Metroplex and beyond will be able to secure an airfare that won't break you and you will be able to attend.

Having said that the original G3 Summit in Texas will still take place this fall at The Salvation Army's Camp Hoblitzelle,

October 9-11.

Write these dates on your calendar and, even if you can not attend the G3 Summit EAST, keep this Summit in prayer. We are praying that the way will be cleared and the path be made straight for those God wants to attend both Summits.

Can I just say PRAISE GOD right now?

I sit here and really can't believe I'm talking about a G3 Summit EAST! God is doing wonderful things. It is all a mystery and wonderous.

Listening in All Directions

You and I both know God speaks to us in a variety of ways. Actually, not just through sound, but also sight, smell, touch. But, today let’s talk about our hearing.

Microphones have different pick-up patterns...so it is, I believe, with our heart hearing.

Omnidirectional Microphone

Cardioid Microphone

Shotgun Microphone

Bi-Directional Microphone

For most of us, I think we struggle with our heart hearing. In the din of this modern world, we become very selective in our hearing. Sometimes our hearts only pick-up certain voices, messages, truths.

My father is hard of hearing. He wears hearing aids...it helps. But, we find that he hears best when we are facing him and looking at him directly when we speak. In other words, his hearing is very directional.

Is that the case with you sometimes? Is your hearing very directional? Does it sometimes take a friend or loved one to be looking you straight in the eye when speaking to you for you to truly hear?

As you know, many times God speaks to us through another human being...like a Shotgun Mic...receiving a truth from friend or loved one. Those times, when we actually do hear them, causes us to pause abruptly, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we stop and regard that profound moment of hearing God voice (although it may sounds like your friend’s voice).

Then there’s the voice of the Holy Spirit. Kind of like the Cardioid microphone, His voice is often a still small voice coming from within. In a quiet moment of reflection or in the midst of worship, we hear His voice in the depths of our souls.

These two voices we tend to hear most easily. Our hearts are usually attuned to these expressions of and from God.

But, what about the voice of that small child in the Sunday school class, daycare or homeless shelter? Maybe it’s the voice of a woman in the grocery store or dry cleaner. Or the neighbor who’s rather abrupt or reclusive. What was it that that guy said that other day waiting in line at the Post Office? Something about running out of unemployment benefits? Or what about the young woman at Starbucks talking about what a promising day it was and oh did you see the way the sun broke through the clouds that early morning.

God is speaking to us from so many different directions...from within...from outside of us...in front of us and even from behind us—within our past. He is speaking need, speaking hope, speaking encouragement and speaking His presence into our lives. At the vary least we should acknowledge His voice.

From there, I think, should come action.

A pat on the back and a word of encouragement to the man in the Post Office. A friendly wave or a batch of cookies to the self-absorbed neighbor. A smile and voiced gratitude to the woman in Starbucks because she reminded you to experience God’s creation and His presence as it unfolds around you.

And all should be followed up with prayer and worship. As we begin to acknowledge the creative approaches God takes in His communication with us, our hearing becomes keener, sharpened and Omnidirectional in scope.

Here’s the kicker: Being ever present in spirit in order to hear from whence the voice or Word comes. To be disciplined in that. Now that is some resolution!