A New Kind of Comfort

Shortly after the first of the year, I was asked by a dear woman if I would consider working the upcoming Kairos weekend. Kairos is a Prison Ministry and has two specific formats: Kairos Inside - to minister to the currently incarcerated and Kairos Outside - to minister to women (specifically) who have been impacted by incarceration. I was unsure, but told her I would pray about it. You see, I had such an awful time last year on my own Kairos weekend, I just wasn't sure how I could even minister to anyone. So I began to pray about it.

Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time lapse, a moment of indeterminate time in which everything happens. What is happening when referring to kairos depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative, permanent nature. Kairos also means weather in both ancient and modern Greek. The plural, καιροί (kairoi (Ancient Gk. and Mod. Gk.)) means the times.

Yes, an opportune moment, indeed. For such a time as this... (Esther 4:14) An appointed time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). So I prayed... and I prayed... and I prayed. When the woman again asked if I had considered the weekend, I was prepared to decline but before I could, I looked this dear woman in the eye (read heart here) and agreed! God sure has a way of surprising me sometimes.

Last year when I attended the Kairos weekend, I had an awful time. I didn't know it then, but I was ill. The kidney stones were beginning to make their emergence. I just felt awful and didn't feel like being around anyone. I was on the verge of tears the entire weekend. 

Prior to the first full team meeting, the leadership had been meeting and praying over the positions, praying over the team members by name and discerning who would be assigned what task. 

On June 7th we had our first full "Team Meeting" and received our assignments. What would mine be? Assisting in the kitchen? Helping with the Agape gifts? Being a "runner"? Keeping the fellowship room full of snacks and drinks? Nope! It wasn't any of these! I was asked to deliver a talk - to tell the story of my own prison experience. Oh, and the subject is anger! WOW! The discernment process is accurate to a fault when God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are involved! 

So now I begin to draft what I want to share. To tell my story. To tell  His - story. To tell Her - story. All within the time frame allotted and covering five specific points. 

Looking upon all of this, I am in awe and amazed at the hand of God. I shouldn't be, but I am. For the record, I just love it when that happens.

I will keep you posted on the developments... and we have some time as the weekend isn't until September.

 Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara

Genesis 50:20 (NASB)
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result…"   Even so, Amen!