Quest Ministries: March 2011

Sunday, March 20, 2011

The Significance of March 25

I'll simply mention that we're coming up on March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation: the announcement of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary.

March 25 is also an important date for readers of The Lord of the Rings. It's the date of the destruction of the Ring of Power. No doubt J. R. R. Tolkien purposefully chose March 25 for the destruction of the Ring as the date we celebrate the conception of our Lord Jesus--when God took on humanity.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Stand at the Crossroads and Look

"This is what the LORD says:

'Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16

That is my theme for this season of Lent. I'll be standing at the crossroads and looking. I'll ask for the ancient paths to find the good way in which to walk. There I will find rest for my soul.

I invite others to come along.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

A Psalm

Of Stan when he was at Toah Nippi: March 1, 2011.

I longed for the light of a single candle,
__to center on your presence, O Lord.

Why? To put life’s strands in order:
__Contemplation, Devotion
__Profession
__Family
__Church

It was difficult to focus;
__so I sat before the fireplace asking for the light of your glory.
My prayers were answered when Jeff stepped forward.
I was able to be attentive to you
__through the majesty of a flame, the light of a thousand candles.

But what about those strands?
__John asked how I experience God.
____“Through Beauty!”
____“Then pursue Beauty all the days of your life!”

This morning, in solitude and silence, I saw a measure of Beauty in Isaiah 53:4-5.
__The words Surely, Yet and But pointed the way.

O Lord, I am able to gaze upon Your Beauty as I am attentive to you.
__Solitude and Silence turn to Contemplation.
____Contemplation creates a space to behold your Beauty.
______It’s saying, “Yes!” to you—the One making a tapestry of life's strands.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Little Dorrit's Room

"A garret, and a Marshalsea garret without compromise, was Little Dorrit's room. Beautifully kept, it was ugly in itself, and had little but cleanliness and air to set it off; for what embellishments she had ever been able to buy, had gone to her father's room. Howbeit, for this poor place she showed an increasing love; and to sit in it alone became her favorite rest." (Page 310 in the Penguin Classics edition)

This is simply beautiful writing; but it also gives us a glimpse of Amy Dorrit's character and preferences as well as her love for her father.

PROFILE

Contact Information:

Experience:

For over forty years Stan has developed people and organizations through preaching, teaching, organizing, writing, motivating, and listening. He especially enjoys interacting with people in one-to-one and group settings.

Stan has a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell. In 2012, he completed a certificate program in spiritual direction from Selah (http://leadershiptransformations.org/selah.htm).

Stan also loves to help people navigate life’s challenges by discussing popular stories. Fiction written by C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, and a host of others help us understand how God’s Story interacts with our own.

Specialty Skills:

Organizing people, events, and projects

Analyzing challenges, and proposing and implementing solutions

Creative writing

Conversant with computer software and the Internet

Video-conferencing via Skype and other software

Accomplishments:

Stan led an organization that was on the brink of disbanding. Through his leadership it became a more vibrant cohesive group, optimistic about its future. He led its members in group activities. He also worked with its leaders to evaluate and update the organization's purpose, financial health, and organizational structure. As a result, the group became healthier, larger, and more outward focused and welcoming.

He led a group in a ten-week discussion of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The majority of the participants read 100 pages per week to prepare for their sessions. He met with the group for two hours each week to discuss the contents, truths, and applications of this beautiful piece of literature.

For several years Stan led a multi-week training course for an organization. The purpose of the training was to help members understand and communicate the organization's core values with potential members. He recruited people to be part of the training, taught them how to clearly express the principles, and provided the means for them to be in touch with potential members. Leaders emerged from this training program, confident in their ability to communicate.