As for me, Sometimes I feel like my wineskin needs to be replaced with a new one just about every day! I need new mercy, fresh grace, a second (or eighty-second) chance, and novel ideas all of the time. And when I allow my container, or the receptacle of my heart to be renewed by Him often, I definitely find that my actions, attitudes, and thoughts are experiencing revival too.

Another thought I had about new wineskins was actually about new believers, or actually pre-believers. If you think back to when you first became a follower of Christ, can you pinpoint some period of time before your decision when God was giving you a new wineskin, so that when you accepted Him, He could actually fill you without ruining you? And perhaps you can observe the same wineskin renewal process in the lives of outsiders around you, maybe even those to whom you are witnessing. Sometimes I call it "plowing up the soil of a heart to make it ready for the seed" or "drawing a heart by His lovingkindness." I've found recently that these are some of my most common prayers, because this process is one of which I'm extremely aware as I share my faith. So much of this wineskin changing/heart soil plowing/heart wooing is performed by God, but I wonder if Christ followers have a part in it too. Be it in the way we conduct our lives, the way we portray a favorable image of Christ, or simply the way we love and pray for the lost, we can work with Him if we choose.

Okay, so I know it's been a long time since I blogged, and I was aiming to write at least once a week. I think I just got discouraged because I think I was the only one reading it, and, well, my journal can suffice for that. Anyway, I'm going to try again and hope you all will be able to read along and participate. If all of the life group leaders would occasionally (once or twice a week) visit this site to get caught up on Life Group "stuff", as well as to read the postings and comment on them, I do think it would be a way for us to have "virtual meetings," so to speak. I'm NOT aiming to replace our once-a-month trainings, per-se, because I do believe we need some time to build authentic, non-cyber relationships with one another, but this would actually be a great way to stay in touch, especially since there are some of you who have previous commitments during our scheduled meeting times. I, of all people, do understand the busy lives we all lead. I'm going to put myself on the line here at this blog, and I hope you ALL will join me. As far as I know, 100% of us are online, so, frankly, I see no reason why this couldn't work. (But please let me know if I've overlooked something.)

So, here's a trial run:

Read the following entry and answer the question (in bold) below. To do so, simply click on the # comments button at the bottom right of this blog entry, type your answer in the box, and sign in under "name." You can choose to leave you e-mail or not, it's up to you, then click on publish comment. Since this is technically a public blog (though I haven't told anyone about it, other than Life Group Leaders) you should leave out people's names other than your own, and try not to disclose personal information. What I'm looking for here is a general discussion, not a personal airing of dirty laundry or a gossip column.

Topic: Jesus is so radically different from anything this world naturally knows, that often He has to prepare us before He can fill us.

"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." -Mark 2:22

How can you relate this verse to what you've seen in our culture, your own personal life, or even better, to what you've seen or done in your Life Group? (In other words, so what?)

I'll be posting my own comment soon, but I'll wait for your responses first.

Next item of "virtual discussion/meeting": How are we creating a sense of community/connectedness/belonging within our groups?

I truly love you all, value your voices, and do what I do in order to serve Him and serve you. My goal is that Life Groups at Crossroads are the best they can be, and that our Life Group Leaders are the most equipped, prayed-over, knowledgeable, accountable, passionate, loving, and nurtured leaders in the world.

Have a wonderful day, and alter your world!