Laurie Hopkins

July 20 2020

The Way Of Community Revisitied

The Way Of Community

Hello my dear friend, welcome back to the table! It has been a few weeks since we have chatted together – the times have been unusual but I want you to know that this table is a consistent and welcoming place. This week at the table, I want to revisit an earlier blog on The Way of Community. Grab your mug and a drink and pull up your seat at the table. If this is your first time with us, do not worry, there is room for everyone here.

The Way Of Community Revisited

The whole point of this blog has been to build community- to create a kitchen table where there is room for all who are want to join us, to sit together, to chat together, to grow together. In the season we find ourselves us, in times of social distancing and periods of isolation, I believe that community is more important than ever. And because of the need I see for community, I want, once again, to take the time to encourage an understanding of the importance of community in this season.

The Why Of Community

Why this focus on community? Why do all these blogs seem to lead back to this one concept? I believe that we have lost our way. I believe our society has become self-sufficient and self-focused. Because many of us have the means to be our own support and encouragement, our focus and our peer group have become narrowed. Self-sufficiency tells us that we do not require many people with little pieces of the puzzle, to come together and help make up the bigger picture of our lives. Instead, it tells us that not only do we get to decide on what the picture looks like ourselves, but we also are able and should build it ourselves. I’m here to come against this lie of the enemy that we have taken on as the truth in our lives and has caused us to become a group of individuals “doing our own thing” together in the world, rather than a collection of communities seeking to connect with one another. We were created for relationship – we were built for community. We were never meant for a self-sufficient and self-focused life.

The What Of Community

What is a community? It is important to note that a community is not just a group of individuals that continue living life in a self-sufficient manner, together. Nor is community connecting with others, just to further our own agenda. Rather, community involves living life together, sharing our time, resources, giftings and energy with one another for the benefit, not only of ourselves, but also of those around us. Communities can be small or large. We can be a part of a few communities or many communities. Community groups can overlap with one another.

The Who Of Community

We can live in community with a variety of people, in a variety of combinations over a varied span of time. However, community is not all about similar people with the same idea and thoughts and goals, gathering together to further their own agenda. True community may begin with similar people, with the same ideas and thoughts and goals, but must not stop there. True community aims to reach out to those around us, offering up what we have, to improve the quality of life of those around us. Community flourishes when we become a group of varied people with varied ideas and interests, giftings and resources to share – while working toward a similar vision.

The When Of Community

Community is an everyday event. It is not meant just for special occasions or when we need to get something done. If we could just grasp that our everyday lives are enhanced by the connections we have with others, we would be better able to understand that community is not a question of when – real community happens all the time.

The Where Of Community

Community happens wherever people are together. It can happen in your living room, your backyard, over coffee, at work, in the large community, in the church, in schools, in the grocery store, on the street or online. Community is about connection and connection can happen anywhere you have people who are open and willing to engage with those around them.

The How Of Community

Community does not just happen. The building of community is an intentional process. Especially in a society where the concept of self-sufficiency has taken such a solid hold. We have to want to be part of a community. We have to reach out to those around us and encourage community. It is an active process; it does not just happen on its own. It requires some courage, moving outside of your own box and comfort zone and a large dose of authentic living.

Community Is The Answer

Community is a large part of the answer to the many questions we have today. If we are willing to be real with ourselves and real with those around us, we would be quick to admit that self-sufficiency is a lonely way to live. The willingness to live an authentic life is the first step to building community. When we begin to be real with one another and ourselves, when the masks come off and we begin to reach out our hand to those around us, for help and to assist, true community will begin to form. As it forms, we will need to become intentional about encouraging its growth. Building community requires some effort but the joy that comes from living/engaging in a true and flourishing community, far outweighs any effort we will ever put in.

What I Know

In this season, I have been called, with a renewed sense of urgency, to encourage the building of community. That means a new level of walking in authenticity and committing to continual growth in my own spiritual walk. In the coming weeks, I will be launching an online community – a community of those who wish to come together, to learn how to be authentic together, to grow together and to reach out and draw in others who long to be part of a community. This is not just any community. This will not be a community of bystanders, it will be a community where everyone will be encouraged to participate. A community where we commit to being intentional in our Christian walk. A community where we seek the Lord for direction and clarity around where we are and where we are headed. It will be a community that seeks not only to benefit those who are involved, but that will commit to expanding our reach to touch the lives of those around us for the glory of God. Watch this space, for more information in coming weeks – about what this community looks like and how to get involved.

Until Next Time

Well, my friend, our time at the table is over for the moment. This week I want you to begin thinking about community- what it looks like to you, what you need to be doing in our own life to prepare for participating in community and what God would have you doing in community in this season. As always, I love to hear from you – be in touch and let me know your thoughts on community!

Your Turn To Comment

You can comment directly under the blog in the blog section. We, at the table, would love to hear from you.

Be In Touch

I am at the kitchen table every day; drop by anytime for a chat! You can find me on:

Email laurie@lauriehopkins.ca

Professional Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LaurieHopkinsthisisabundantlife/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/LaurieHopkins10/

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

laurie

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June 22 2020

When Grace Is Everything And Relationship Is Even More

When Grace Is Everything and Relationship Is Even More

Hi there and welcome to the table – if you are new here, grab a hot drink in your favourite cup and pull up a chair – we are happy you have joined us! Today we are going to chat about “When Grace Is Everything And Relationship Is Even More”.

Upside Down

The world is upside down – yes, I said it! Of late, I do not really know what else to say. I asked the Lord what to do in an upside-down world and He reminded me that the Gospel turns the world “upside-down”, so if it is upside down already, it is an opportunity to turn the world “right side up”.

What Does That Look Like?

Although it sounded right, I was not sure how to get my head around it, so I asked the Lord – can you tell me what that looks like in this season? And He gave me two words: Grace and Relationship.

What Is Grace Anyway?

What is grace anyway? Simplified, grace is unmerited favour. Grace is favour we do not deserve. God’s grace gave us His Son, Jesus, when we were still estranged from Him. God’s grace sustains us in the day-to-day, allowing us the confidence to get back up and keep going every time we fall or fail. The wonderful thing about grace – it comes from a place of love, not condemnation. Grace does not say, “because you don’t know better, I will show you favour”. Rather, grace says, “because I have a heart for you because you are precious in the eyes of the Lord and therefore in my eyes, I will come alongside and not only show you favour in this instant, I will be favour for you”. See the difference?

What Does Grace Look Like?

We are living in unsettled times. Every day, it seems, there is a new crisis or chaos. People are uncertain about, not only their future but for some, even their present. And it shows. It shows in their words, their behaviours and their actions.

Grace, in this season, looks very much like coming alongside. And coming alongside is another word for building relationships.

Relationship Is

Sometimes we get a bit stuck when we think of building relationships. Our mind immediately goes to complicated, time-consuming activities with other people. And to be quite honest, many of us are in a place ourselves, where we just do not have that in us.

I am here to tell you today that it does not have to be complicated and time-consuming. Yes, relationships require time and effort, but as Christians, we were created to build relationships.

When God created Adam and Eve, He walked with them in the garden in the cool of the evening. That is relationship. When Jesus came He was surrounded by those that “followed” Him, but He took the time to choose 12 to “surround” Him. That is relationship. In Acts we read that on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given and received, they were all “in one accord, in one place (Acts 2: 1). That is relationship.

Relationship is just being consistently present with others. Not necessarily physically present, but visible in their lives. It requires doing so in a genuine manner – not to say you did, for personal gain or because you have to, but because you want to. Where does that “want to” come from? It comes from a place of love.

Practical Christianity In 2020

We are called to grace and relationship in an upside-down world. This is a season of opportunity. We can open ourselves up to the Father and allow His love to touch our hearts, that our hearts, in turn, may touch the hearts of an upside-down world.

We need to move in love, not condemnation. We need to respond rather than reacting to the words, behaviours and actions. Responding is easier when we know ahead of time where we stand and in what vein we will answer. Choosing to answer from a place of grace, in love, rather than condemnation is a solid foundation. Then coming alongside and moving in relationship will be a natural response.

This is not the time to shrink back, isolate into our own little circles and protect ourselves. This is the time to step out, reach out, build longer tables, and invite new friends to join us there.

Relationship does not have to be gathering people together in large groups, talking about touch issues and hugging everyone. It is more about checking on people, being genuine and listening and doing this in a consistent way. No jumping in and out when you get busy or do not like what you are hearing. Remember grace comes from a place of love, the love of the Father, not from a place of obligation or duty. You cannot fake it until you make it – that hour has passed. This is a new hour, where, in the midst of confusion, chaos and uncertainty, people are seeking solid, truthful, honest and consistent interactions with those that profess the name of Jesus.

What I Know

No one promised it would be easy. But we know without a shadow of a doubt that it will be worth it! We are those that profess that most precious name so let us commit to walking in grace and relationship in this season. What a wonderful opportunity we have to turn an upside-down world back right side up.

Until Next Time

Well, my friend, it is that time again. My cup is empty and it is time to go. I love our chats together. Remember, talking is two ways so take a minute and share your thoughts in the comment box. I always love to hear from you!

Your Turn To Comment

As always, there are many ways to stay in touch. I would love to hear from you! Let me know how our chats around the kitchen table are going and drop a note about what things you would like to chat about.

Email laurie@lauriehopkins.ca

Professional Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LaurieHopkinsthisisabundantlife/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/LaurieHopkins10/

Comment section at the end of each blog

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

Laurie

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June 5 2020

One Mind, One Body, One Spirit – Why Separated Does Not Have To Mean Divided

One Mind, One Body, One Spirit - Why Separated Does Not Have To Mean Divided

Hello my dear friend! How are you doing? Really doing? I know I keep asking, but I only ask because I genuinely care about each and every one of you. These are difficult times at many different levels and in many different ways for each of us. It is important for us, not only to check up on one another, but to genuinely mean it. This is me, checking up on you!

I just want to say that I see what it going on in the world around us and my heart hurts at every level for the injustice I see. I am not unaware, or unconcerned. However, I do not want to be just another voice, adding noise or divisiveness to the conversation, just to check of the “to do” list of having “made a comment”. I choose, at this point in time, to invite everyone to the table, sit back and listen to what is being said. So, when I ask, how are you doing? Really doing? I mean it. You can reach out to me directly, in a variety of ways including by email at laurie@lauriehopkins.ca or you can feel free to comment in the comment section at the end of the blog. So, let’s get started! If you are new here, grab your favourite cup with your favourite hot drink and grab a seat at the kitchen table. There is room for everyone! This week we are going to chat about One Mind, One Body, One Spirit – Why Separated Does Not Have To Mean Divided.

Kingdom Mindset, Kingdom Builder

If we were to summarize all our chats since the beginning of the year, I would have to call that collection, “Kingdom Mindset, Kingdom Builder –Practical Christianity for 2020.” We have talked about ways of thinking that need to shift and we have talked about how to put it all together in a practical everyday manner. I would love to hear some of your thoughts about the last 5 months of blogs? What has it meant to you? What really spoke to you? What have you taken away from our chats at the table so far this year?

Building Community

Much of what we talked about around the table, over the last little while, has related to building community. Not just any community, but authentic, loving community. A really great way to build community is to invite others to the table to chat. So, in the spirit of putting into action, my own words of wisdom, I’ve invited a dear friend of mine, a new friend to many of you, to the table to share with us. I’ve asked her to speak with us about what the Church, the Body of Christ, needs to be doing practically in this hour.

Let me introduce you to my dear friend, Prophetess (Mama) Que Payne

Prophetess Que, affectionately called Ms. Que, Prophetess Que, or Momma Que by those she mentors around the country and the world is a wife and mother of two sons.

Prophetess Que Payne has been teaching and instructing as well as developing dance and banner bearer teams around the greater Chicago land area and abroad for over 25 years. She has ministered in dance for over 40 years.

She is the Lead Servant of For His Glory Ministry and Glory Fire Carriers Alliance. Prophetess Que Payne has developed a curriculum designed to shift worshipers as well as to develop the Levitical gifts both in the church and the marketplace. She is an accomplished songwriter with releases on Shekinah Glory Live CD and she published her 1st book entitled, “Preparation for His Presence” in 2011.

Prophetess Que has organized and instructed many praise and worship conferences as well as praise dance workshops, throughout the country and worldwide for community service organizations, as well as the body of Christ. She has led many mission trips and outreach services locally and abroad for many years. She has taught dance and prophetic sessions all around the country and is a member of the International Dance Council CID/UNESCO a world renown and recognized organization.

Best of all, she has become my dear friend and mentor, a mighty woman of God for whom I have great love and respect!

“Distance as one”

Prophetess Que Payne

I want to put this message together from a place of sobriety while at the same time dealing with the many different shifts and changes our world is in. But I want to deal with it from the perspective of ONE mind ONE body ONE spirit. As believers, we must maintain who we are as a foundation of people that serve a God that emphasized that through it all we should stand as ONE.

In the beginning from Genesis, The Father showed us the need to be united because divided we always fall. It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter about our cultural differences, backgrounds other ethnicities it’s not even important or relevant to make note of our diversity of colour or faith. We all believe in something greater than ourselves and that is the message I want to leave today; the greatness I need is in you the greatness you seek He hid in me. The unity of faith bond according to Ephesians 4 in its entirety is the formula for our success as a human race. We are dealing with some things in our world that forced us to be separated it doesn’t mean we have to be divided.

There are several scriptures that deal with the power of unity that releases the purpose of being ONE mind ONE body ONE spirit. So I wanted to take that and break that down.

To be ONE mind it’s impossible to be divided- it makes us unstable. It was so powerful even in God’s eye that He said in Genesis chapter 11 how great they were as a people because they were in one accord; it was one language it was one purpose and there was one goal. The father did not separate them because of what they were doing, He scattered them into the earth because of the power they displayed. He did not want them to think more highly of themselves than they ought to.

God loves the power of unity. He even showed us his love for the power of unity by giving himself to us as the FATHER, as the SON, and HOLY SPIRIT.

The times and seasons that we are in now we must be as the children of Issachar, they knew the times and seasons. The Bible tells they were able to understand what was going on around them and took heed to what they needed to do collectively to overcome the thing that had presented itself as a threat to the greater good of the people. They did not have this anointing or position to boast of themselves, nor did they try to be or act superior. They realized or recognized the power of service. The anointing or ability the children of Issachar had was the ability to see and discern the times. And we must see in this season the times that we are in and that we are better together than apart. Why you may ask. Because the whole body can only be fit if we are joined together, one supplying to the other what is needed. Therefore we must be ONE body with ONE mind serving the ONE God because He is spirit and He is in each of us and we must endeavour to find the power/light of that piece to be united to really have the power.

The outer core of man is but the shell of the greater gifts hidden in it. The gift of life in the present is to learn to appreciate that no matter what colour what culture or where we live that’s not the priority, the priority is in finding “IT.” What is that “IT”? It is the Spirit of God alive in every living thing. We are weakened without that knowing and receiving.

The truth of our strength is unity, love and the bond of peace. We cannot allow the dark spirits of discord, division and ideological separations to enter into the process of life. With all that is going on in our very fragile world, the strength of that world is the people that live and have dominion. This is the time to Arise, shine and stand as ONE; not to build a tower, walls or barriers.

It’s NOT time to cause separation of land divides, cultural differences or even different levels of belief, we must endeavour to stand as ONE to believe as ONE to grow as ONE and to conquer the issues of our world as ONE no matter where we may land in the earth. Remember the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof the world and they that dwell therein.

Unity is a power the purpose of God gave us. Dominion in the earth is our strength, what we do with it is now up to us. We have been given a gift of time and reset to recalibrate and work together as ONE. United we stand against the wiles of the devil and the evils released in this world, divided we are conquered and overtaken.

WE CAN AND WILL SURVIVE, REBUILD AND RESTORE as ONE!

Prophetess Que Payne

What I Know

Ephesians 4: 14-16 tells us “That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

I love this phrase, “joined and knit together.” What a beautiful picture of what the Body of Christ needs to look like in this season! “Joined and knit together”…..”every part does its share”……unity in action…..One Mind, One Body, One spirit!

What I know, for sure, is that true unity will be achieved when we learn to love like Jesus.

1 Corinthains 13 really brings that home.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Until Next Time

Well, my friend, our time at the table is coming to an end. My tea cup is empty and it is time to go out into the world and put our conversation into action. A big thank you to our dear friend Prophetess (Mama) Que Payne for joining us at the table! Her words have been truthful and impactful – now let’s put them to work in our lives!

Your Turn To Comment

Email laurie@lauriehopkins.ca

Professional Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LaurieHopkinsthisisabundantlife/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/LaurieHopkins10/

Comment section at the end of each blog

Until next time,

From my heart to yours!

Laurie

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