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Two Paths, One Savior: Conversations with Glory / Friendship and Connection, Week 7 by Patti Greene

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Welcome to my NEW Blog Series: Two Paths, One Savior: Conversations with Glory / Friendship and Connection, Week 7 – Final Post of 7/7

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About the Series: This new series shares the story of my friendship with Glory. She is Nigerian, and I am from the United States, yet God tied our hearts together in a beautiful way. We met at a Bible study in Lagos, Nigeria, and her love for Jesus was clear from the very first day.

Glory later moved to Canada, and during a recent visit, I interviewed her about her life and faith. I’ll be sharing one topic each week:

Week 1 – Our Connection and Story: greenepastures.org/two-paths-one-savior-week-1/

Week 2 – Early Life and Faith: greenepastures.org/two-paths-one-savior-conversations-with-glory-early-life-and-faithweek-2/

Week 3 – Journey and Calling:  Two Paths, One Savior: Conversations with Glory / Journey and Calling, Week 3 by Patti Greene | Greene Pastures by Patti Londa Greene

Week 4 – Singleness and Ministry: greenepastures.org/singleness-and-ministry/

Week 5 – Writing and Ministry Together: greenepastures.org/writing-and-minstry-together/

Week 6 – Reflection & Encouragement: greenepastures.org/reflection-and-encouragement

Week 7 – Friendship and Connection: greenepastures.org/friendship-and-connection

Q. What does our friendship mean to you personally and spiritually?

A. Personally and spiritually, our friendship means a lot to me because I see it as a gift from God that came at a time I needed it — even before I realized how much I needed it to get through the season I was facing. I’m very thankful to God for our relationship. I am encouraged. I am blessed. It has been such a gift to know that I have you in my life, and that I get to share my walk, my challenges, my fears — and share in yours.

It’s encouraging to know you have someone who truly knows you and whom you truly know. Someone who sees beyond what everyone else sees on social media. Someone who understands where you’re coming from and what you’re dealing with. Someone whose heart for God you trust so deeply that when they speak into your life, your guard is down and you receive it because you know their heart toward God is pure.

There is nothing like a relationship orchestrated by God. You can trust their heart for God and their heart for you because you know there are no selfish interests — they truly care. You can afford to be “naked and unashamed” concerning your life and your journey with this person. That is rare. It’s not something you find every day. It is a gift from God, and whoever finds such a friendship should value and honor it.

And ours is unique because it’s not just friendship — it’s also the mother‑daughter, mentor‑mentee element. It is a unique gift many people do not have and most likely need, because we all need connections that give us opportunities to serve and be served, to mentor and be mentored, to pour into others and be refilled.

I know I’ve lived through seasons when I didn’t think I needed friends. I was happy to be alone. I was okay being alone because I felt friendship was such a burden — until I learned that God didn’t create us to do life alone. We know God is always present with us, and sometimes He makes His presence known through connections and relationships — a physical voice that reminds us of what God has spoken concerning us, of what He is doing in our lives that we may not be able to see because of what we’re going through.

Most importantly, we need God. And we need God‑ordained connections and relationships — that’s how He created us. I’m so grateful that I got to share that with you, and that we will have fun doing it.

Q. How has God used our relationship in your life?

A. God has used our relationship to bless me, encourage me, and hold me together through the years. I do not feel like I must do life alone because I have this precious connection that ministers to me not just spiritually but also physically. We talk about the things I’m dealing with, and you add them to your prayer list. I know I can always reach out.

I look forward to our girl trips because they are always such a fun time — a chance to wind down, enjoy life, and enjoy the gifts God has given us. I also look forward to my birthday and Christmas gifts every year.

Being a very private person, it has been a blessing that in the absence of my biological mum, I have a solid friend and mother that I trust. Every woman needs a gift and a blessing like that — not a million followers, but trusted friends.

If you don’t have that, pray and ask God. That’s one of the things I learned as I went from a season of not having friends to a season where God began to plant people in my life — that’s how we met. God brought her into my life at the right time, and that connection has stayed solid for years.

I would encourage anyone who doesn’t have relationships like this to ask God. He made us for connection. He made us for relationship. He made us for community. Ask God to bring the right people into your life, and He will. And I pray you will be discerning enough to recognize those people when God brings them, so you do not turn them away because of past hurt.

Just posing in San Antonio!

Q. What do you think makes a Christ-centered friendship different from other friendships?

A. What makes a Christ‑centered relationship or friendship different is that Jesus is at the center — not you, not me. It’s all about Jesus. That’s what keeps our relationship different, alive, and deeply relatable despite our differences.

We share one common truth that never changes — Jesus. We share the word of God that remains the same. And that truth is stronger than biology. The blood of Jesus brings us together and keeps us together, and that is one of the things that keeps our friendship strong.

Having Jesus as the foundation means we can sit together and talk about what we have in Him forever and never get tired because we are excited about the word of God. We share common values. We love the word of God. We love our walk with God. We have so much to talk about and so much to share.

And even when we are going through difficult times, we can rely on each other. We can support each other. We can pray for one another, knowing nobody will take advantage of the other. Nobody is looking for what they can get. We are here for one another — to sharpen, support, and encourage each other.

That is friendship. And it is beautiful.

Just chatting at the Calgary Zoo

FACT by Patti

First, I want to express my deep gratefulness for the chance to interview my sweet Glory. My prayer is that through this series, you have learned more about connection, faith, your journey and calling, singleness, ministry, writing, reflection, encouragement, and friendship. I wanted people to see what it looks like to live life depending on the Lord. It isn’t always easy, and it isn’t always smooth, but we have a God who loves us, hears our prayers, and stays close while we wait for His answers and His gentle nudges.

Glory is not my only friend. God has blessed me with some close anointed friends over the years, and several have already gone home to be with Him. We are never too old to make new friends, even though it may feel harder as we age. My mother, who passed at age 94, used to tell me to always have younger friends because people come and go, and you will still need friendship when you are older. She was right.

Friendships do not just appear. They take time. We must choose to be present, to share our lives, and to open our hearts. Deep godly friendships grow when we make space for them — the kind of friendship where you can share your struggles and never fear that your secrets will be repeated. Jesus spent time with His disciples, and we should take time for our friends, even when we feel shy or unsure.

Many times, the first or second time you meet someone, you sense that this is a friendship worth pursuing. My advice is simple: follow the Spirit’s leading and see where God takes it. He knows exactly who belongs in your life.

Thank you again, Glory, for being part of “my interview.” My questions may not have been perfect, but my prayer is that between the two of us, someone has been encouraged to move closer to the presence of God — and closer to the people He has placed in their life. I hope this series helps others desire and seek out the kind of godly friendships that strengthen the heart and draw us nearer to Jesus. And Glory, I’m privileged to be called your “Mum.”

GreenePastures.org

Bible Verse:

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. — Proverbs 27:1

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for the friendships You have given me. I am truly grateful for every person You have placed in my life. As I seek fellowship with others, please lead me to people who can encourage me, pray with me, and walk with me in ministry. Help me be an encouragement to them as well.

Bless our time together. Guide us into the kind of friendships that fit the seasons You know about in each of our lives. Give me wisdom. Give me discernment. Help me live a life of faith in everything I do.

Thank You again for Your love, Your guidance, and the gift of godly friends. Amen.

For my Nigerian Friends, Life is a journey!

No Wahala

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Books by Patti

Coming Soon: Luke 2: The Christmas Story

Unstoppable: Go the Distance with God ISBN: 979-8284335017 

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer ISBN 978-1512760453

Bible Word Search Puzzles: The Gospels ISBN 979-8218070465

Bible Word Search Puzzles: Acts and Epistles ISBN 979-8218092696

Bible Word Search Puzzles: Epistles and Revelation ISBN 979-8363612046

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending ISBN 978-0692115381

Awaken Me: A Devotional Prayer Journal ISBN 978-1490893181

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Prayer and Bible Study ISBN 978-1490893174

#bgbg2, Christian Living, Friendship, Life Issues, Most Recent Post

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti

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Have you ever tried to share your Christian beliefs with someone, and feel you couldn’t get through to them—no matter what you say? They adamantly refuse to hear anything about God or religion. Their callousness might be foreign to you, and even scare you to the point of being fearful of ever talking to them again.

It happens all the time. We may be genuinely interested in a person’s spiritual well-being, and it breaks our heart when we are ignored, criticized, or made fun of for our beliefs just because we try to talk to them about God.

Many reasons abound as to why some people do not have an interest in hearing about God. Maybe it is because they don’t see us living out the Christian life. Maybe it is because they have encountered negative experiences within the church or with Christians. Or, maybe, it is because they have made a conscious decision to avoid all conversations about God or the Bible.

Many times, our mere words cannot express our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs as well as our actions can. If you find your talking gets you nowhere, God may be leading you to switch over to using actions instead of words to show your love to others.

God Uses Our Actions

God used Ezekiel in a “different way” to fulfill his calling in the beginning of his ministry.

In the first half of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, we see Ezekiel using actions solely (instead of words) to convey God’s message to the people. The Israelite exiles in Babylon became so desensitized and hard-hearted they would not listen to the word of God being proclaimed by the true prophets. So God commanded Ezekiel to take a different approach—an action approach.

God was so serious about using Ezekiel’s actions to communicate His words that He shut Ezekiel’s mouth for a period of seven years, allowing Ezekiel to speak only when and what he was commanded.

Instead of talking, Ezekiel was called to use what author Warren Wiersbe calls “action sermons”. The people had been warned verbally about their sinful behavior over and over to no avail. But now it was time for actions to take over. Many times, our actions can be what causes people to listen to us.

In Ezekiel 4, God commanded Ezekiel to: write on brick, put up an iron wall, prepare food, and to lay on both his left and right side to show what He wanted to get across to the exiles who had become isolated and distant from God.

Ezekiel sketched a map of Jerusalem on a brick and began playing soldier with the brick to show the House of Israel that the city of Jerusalem would be seized by the Babylonian army. He was then commanded by God to lie on the ground on his left side facing his brick for 390 days and then 40 days on his right side. Many commentaries use these mathematical calculations to show the years of Israel’s past sins and the years that Israel spent in the wilderness with Moses.

This kind of symbolism continues as Ezekiel continues acting out the horror and devastation of what was to come to Jerusalem. Later, the Lord asked Ezekiel to mix 3 different grains and 2 vegetables together to make bread. Scarcity of food was upcoming and Ezekiel was called to caution the people what was to come upon Jerusalem. The people had been warned of their heresy and separation from God with words before, but now God has chosen Ezekiel to use symbols and actions to show His disgust with their disobedience.

Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel. “As for you, lie down on your left side and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; you shall bear their iniquity for the number of days that you lie on it. For I have assigned you a number of days corresponding to the years of their iniquity, three hundred and ninety days; thus you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; I have assigned it to you for forty days, a day for each year. Then you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it. Now behold, I will put ropes on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege. “But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days (Ezekiel 4:1-9).

Have you ever thought maybe we have talked too much—sometimes until we are blue in our collective face—trying to get God’s message into the hearts of our friends, family or acquaintances?

Maybe it is time to try “action sermons!”

Through our actions sermons, people may see something different in us that will lead to a discussion on our faith. We may even be privileged to share in the joy of their salvation.

While God uses our actions, He is also quite capable and willing to use our speech and words to convey His intended will and plans.

Let us not forget that God can use us in many ways—both verbally and through our actions.
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God Uses Our Words

But, God also uses words. Later on in the Book of Ezekiel, God opened Ezekiel’s mouth so he could be a verbal witness in declaring the future prophecies of Jerusalem.

While God may not call us to do weird and strange “action” things like he called Ezekiel to do when he prophesized the unfortunate events awaiting Jerusalem, He may call us to show God’s love to others through a kind word, a meal, a note, or a smile. So I am not saying we should never use words to minister.

Writer Will Maule says it best in his recent article titled “22 Things Christians Need to Stop Doing…Now!”

He states, “It’s just as important to represent Jesus by how we live, but someone can’t respond to the Good News without hearing it . . . and they can’t hear it if no one opens their mouths (Matt 10:27, Romans 10:14-15).” ¹

In my life, I have come to believe that unless what we say agrees with what we do, what we say is meaningless to most people.

God Uses Our Actions and Words

In an ongoing survey, people were asked if people were known by their actions or their words. The result was that 57% believe people are known by their actions and 43% believe that actions do not speak louder than words. ²

This discrepancy leans more to the belief that actions speak louder than words. The Bible is full of verses that discuss the importance of our actions. For example:

But these verses do not overpower the fact that God also uses our speech to minister, guide, encourage, and love others. Without the powerful words of Old Testament prophets, the people would not know God’s laws and His plans. Without the convicting words from the New Testament apostles, people would not know the plan of salvation and sanctification.

Be Obedient

Be open this week to His will in all you DO and SAY. Don’t be afraid to step out and do something “different” if you feel God impressing you to do so. If your motives are right, and it ends up not what God had in mind, He will fix it and make it right. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to grow, mature, and be obedient, whether in our words or actions. Being obedient to whatever God impresses upon us to do is the key. Both words and actions are important!

Being obedient to whatever God impresses you to do is the key. Both words and actions are important!
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God Bless,

PATTIGREENE.eps-(1

Patti Greene, Member Inspirational Writers Alive

Bible Verses:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. John 10:25

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunities You give me to share my life with others. Give me wisdom and understanding regarding the best way to approach people with Your truths. You are a God I can trust to lead me in the paths of righteousness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

¹ Maule, Will. “22 Things Christians Need to Stop Doing…Now!” Hello Christian. http://hellochristian.com. Accessed 17 Feb 2017.

² “Do actions speak louder than words?” The Premier Online Debate Website. Debate.org. N.p., 21 Feb. 2017. Web. 21 Feb. 2017 <http://www.debate.org/>.

Edited by E. Johnson; Image Permission from J. Morisho 2-18-2017. Bible Verses from NASB.

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Books by Patti Greene

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 90-day devotional prayer journal for all ages; This informative and how-to book on prayer is for seekers, new believers, and mature believers. It encourages a commitment and devotion to the art of prayer. Learn how God reveals himself through Bible study and prayer. ISBN: 978-1512760453 (Paperback) $11.95 on Amazon.

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 365-day devotional prayer journal for in-depth Bible study; Fun words or phrases from the Old and New Testaments! Perfect for mature believers. ISBN: 978-1490893181 (Paperback) $27.95 on Amazon.

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer (A Devotional Prayer Journal) by Patti Greene, click here

A 181-day devotional prayer journal for growing individuals; The Bible and social issues. Perfect for new believers. Comes with a group study guide. ISBN: 978-1490893174 (Paperback) $19.95 on Amazon.

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