My Hope

I wrote the first part over of this post over the summer but never actually posted it. At the time I'd posted a few back to back and didn't want to flood everyone's e-mails with one more thing. Today though I experienced the same humbling grace from my kids so I thought I'd share both experiences. "Recently I was humbled by the grace of my children. GFM always has group gatherings to pray for people as they head out and also to hear about what’s happened on mission or vision trips. I love going and hearing and praying, but they aren’t the most child-friendly, particularly for children that have a hard time sitting for any length of time. I feel like there are times my children have to learn there are times they have to be quiet and times for play- a time for everything under heaven. Unfortunately, I told the girls we were going to a party. It really was a going away party of sorts… but not party in the sense that a 6 & 4 year old automatically pictur...

How often do we allow ourselves to be vulnerable? To bear our souls and admit when we don’t have it all together or all the answers? Our society doesn’t encourage it, instead we arm ourselves and put up fronts both individually and as a country. There are times I understand it. What is the purpose of showing your weaknesses to someone who may turn and use it against you? 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast [a]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with [b]insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Last night I had the privilege of talking to someone who allowed himself to open up and be vulnerable at the risk of disappointing others. He didn’t grow up in a Christian home, but got to know Christians and ...

We grew up in an innocence/guilt society but we’re now living and working around people who primarily grew up in honor/shame societies. There is no right or wrong, all three structures are addressed in the Bible, but it takes some adjusting. I’ve had some social and cultural blunders in our short time here. First and foremost, what’s the difference? What motivates you to do what is right? Do you get a ‘guilty conscience’ if you’re breaking the rules? Tommy always laughs at me for seeing the world in black and white- it’s right or it’s wrong, there isn’t much grey. I’m a work in progress- what can I say. I’m a rule follower and feel guilty if I break a rule- even if no one else knows (or cares for that matter). Our justice system centers around the idea that people are innocent until proven guilty. American churches focus the gospel message on the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood- bringing innocence and washing us white as snow (which in itself is humorous as this w...