Good question

Pete Greig writes in one of his latest newsletters:
I sometimes wonder what Adam and Eve talked about with God every evening in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. After all there was no sin to fight, no sickness to heal, no gospel to preach, no transformation of society required. Back then they did not pray to make stuff happen. They prayed because they enjoyed sharing their lives with God ? it was the most natural thing in the world. They knew that it was what they were made for.
I like that.

Faith and lightness

One of my favorite poets, the Persian poet Hafiz, who lived approximately 1320 - 1389 and whose poetry has an enormously lightness, joy and a deep knowledge of God.


What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?

The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God.

And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move

That the saint is now continually
Tripping Over Joy
And Bursting out in Laughter
And saying, "I Surrender!"
Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 @ 14:50

Hearing even if it is silent

A friend wrote me that he was in a sermon about the silence of God and heard the call:
Stop
and
Listen
I find that exciting. Similar thoughts are also in God on mute when I announce something and then the conversation partner is silent, I tend to talk more intensively. I repeat once again what is said in other words, putting it more intense, louder, urgent, even with a certain anxiety. What - at least for some men - sometimes leads to loud silence.
By God, I occasionally do the same. If he does not seem to respond to my prayers, I am afraid he did not hear, and I am pushing, louder, fearful ...
Maybe I should try a different strategy. If he remains silent, simply ask: "Do you tell me how I can interpret your silence?"

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, February 04, 2009 @ 10:14

If God is silent

The decision, to read at least one old book for every new book that I buy is extremely good. I recently read "God on mute". Pete Greig, Head of 24-7 Prayer, an international prayer movement, which, as he says, has spread the earth faster than Pepsi, is enthusiastic about thousands of stories to tell us how he experienced God`s answers to his prayers and the prayers of others. But he also knows the painful side - to have to experience that God didn´t hear his deepest prayers and his cry for healing for his young wife suffering from cancer... I was very touched, much like The Shack, which deals with question of suffering in the form of a story. I read it in the train on the way home from Magdeburg where I had spoken in the Baptist Church of Saxony-Anhalt. It was very moving there. Christians from 18 denominations who live their faith in their world - completely different, but with love and sincerity. I spoke about SWING. balance in your life ... and I'm always happy myself when I feel or hear of people that some thoughts were helpful for them.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Saturday, January 31, 2009 @ 19:27

Where will he blow?

A much-quoted biblical quote is "The Spirit blows where he wants!" (Jn 3, 8, slightly shorter quoted). Mostly it is used in the meaning that you anyway can not know what God wants to do, only the possibility to see what happens. Sometimes that is a deadly argument against planning and consideration.
I myself - as it was cited once again in a working meeting in this sense today - thought about if this is so. And quite cheeky thought about how it would be what you would say about me.
"Kerstin is where she wants!" People who know me, you can pretty well predict where I will act. I find myself in places that are beautiful, bright, open and inspirational. Musty, narrow, bland and cold places, however, repel me. Then I like to go to places where I am endowed - as that can be quite diverse. I am reluctant to where people keep to themselves and not look for others. Finally I'm happy for people who are open, searching, learning and encountering. I don´t like to be where the "tired" are, who already know everything and want to get bored.
Whether it is with God's spirit like this or not, perhaps similar to, that his friends are not necessarily able to predict where he will appear, but at least you can guess where he feel comfortable and happy?

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, január 28, 2009 @ 20:35

Wailing and praying- sometimes the same

The Wailing Wall
in a flash of a prayer
it crashs.

God is just
a prayer
away from you.

Nelly Sachs

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 @ 22:38

Adults Communications

Every Tuesday I meet with a small group of friends to share faith and life. At the last meeting, we talked a lot about communication. A woman said that she (and many other women) wish that men read wishes from the eyes and that they think this is an expression of true love.
Thought: Hmm. If this is the expression of true love, why does not even God do it - although he is probably the only person who will ever be in a position to be able to. But even he expected to request that we speak openly and clearly. "You have nothing, because you do not ask" James describes the results of not formulated and expressed ideas.
Perhaps, therefore, because formulating desires gives a lot of energy. Yesterday I spoke with a woman in terms of future prospects. She told me much about what she no longer wants. I asked her to formulate what she wants instead. Reaction: surprised silence - and then very powerful formulation with shining eyes: "I want that!"
Perhaps God therefore does not read our desires of the eyes, because it is an expression of his love, and to respect us as a comparison to be taken seriously.
I find it exciting. What do you think?

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Saturday, December 13, 2008 @ 09:14

Prayer

Prayer is to have secrets with God. Monika Deitenbeck-Goesberg

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, December 04, 2008 @ 14:24

Jewish humour: tears, laughter

Here is the extract of the article, which has inspired me [even the title is awesome].

You may suspect that it as an origin experience of the Jewish people: About someone to laugh, even if it is God, must not end in disaster. On the contrary: self-doubting laughter can mean self defense and can even turn in a laughter of joy.
And this story shows something else: laughter in Judaism may also be a manifestation of a ring with his Creator. The wrestling with God runs like a thread through the history of the Israelites [...] Israel is translated: "The quarrel with God." A struggle for the realization to the faith. A growing dispute culture for centuries, even carried out with humour, ultimately to get even deeper answers about God and his creation.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, November 20, 2008 @ 13:36

Interculturally prayer for Germany

There are many Christians of non-German origin who live here and who care about our country. That is why we - Gemeinsam für Berlin(Together for Berlin) - organized an intercultural Prayer for our country on 3 October. About six hours of singing and praying with Christians from probably two dozen different nations. We prayed together for social, spiritual and social concerns that affect our country. A detailed report with pictures is on the Trans-Forum blog. My favorite: the small, Tamil worshipers in nappies on the arms of his father, giving everything!

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Sunday, October 05, 2008 @ 18:23

Prayer

Inconceivably beautiful and true, but almost incomprehensible:

God does not want to hear something new when we pray to him, but he wants us to hear - over and over again. Eckstein, Hans-Joachim

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, 14th August @ 12:48

What is exactly?

As I sat in the sun, I thought: God has given me - at least in some areas - exactly what I really wanted.. Therefore some

processes were needed, which I didn´t find very comfortable (eg . The long, arduous construction of the publishing house; with

it I can enrich people easier than before). But he has obviously seen my heart and my desires .... and given me that what I am

longing for ... I am alive and help others to live - even if it sometimes has cost more than I thought.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, 6th August 2008 @ 8:00 a.m.

Being jealous of dead people and still enjoy being happy ?

Can I be jealous of dead people? I was today. Of King David, who writes in Psalm 21

You gave him exactly what he wanted;
You did not hold back. [Message Bible]


I cried when I read that, because I find that my life can not always say that my God has given exactly what I wanted. In some stages of life my prayers and that what God has (not) done, seem to be miles away from each other. I was / am jealous of David. Is he a favorite of God's children? Why is this not like that with myself?

As if God wanted to comfort me, I was overwhelmed with love and estimation today:
-- A client wrote me how much they appreciate that I am well organized, but still flexible
-- A friend wrote me that she has tears in her eyes when shes think of the days that she spent with me
-- A client called in just to tell me how much a book from my publishing house has helped hinm
-- Another friend wrote me a beautiful e-card to thank for our friendship
-- A priest used the holiday time, to write me how much he likes my books and magazines

Yes, that is exactly what I want: Endowing people (and even enjoy myself) ...
Yes, in some ways God gives me "exactly what I wanted" ... in some areas far more than I could think and expect to tears ... beautiful.

In other areas ... well, we still need to talk.

But for himself, David has brought together what he has experienced is also a mystery to me: contempt, violation, injustice, war, the rape of his daughter, death of several sons ... just some of the low lights in his life. How he came to the conclusion "God gave him exactly what he has requested" is a mystery to me. Maybe he did not write about themselves, but on the other King, Jesus


Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, 6th August 2008 @ 15:39