…love always trusts, always hopes… The first evidence of God acting with self-constraint in relationship to us is in the second chapter of Genesis. The story of the Fall teaches us – among many lessons – that God treats us with respect, and does not force or coerce us to come into relationship with him. “All of […]
The Self-Restraint of God: Spiritual Boundaries Part 4
At the end of the last post I wrote: It makes me feel deeply safe to know that God does not force his love upon me, to know he does not force himself upon me. This is the deepest of all our theologies, to me, this one that says, quite simply, God is love. Love […]
Love Is A Respecter of Persons: Spiritual Boundaries, part 3
(post #13 for the Write 31 Day Challenge) see all posts here Two mornings ago, on the last morning of our retreat, my sister and mama and I were watching the waves. “The ocean waves always make me think of Jesus’ unrelenting love for us,” my mom said. “No matter what, his love just keeps coming, pursuing us, […]
Spiritual Boundaries, Part 2: Real Life is Now
(post #12) writing for a month within the sacred smallness of this very real life: see all posts here Note: this is the second part to a short series-within-a-series on spiritual boundaries. Read introductory story here. I love my charismatic upbringing. The confidence afforded me in my relationship with Christ, the foundational assurance that I am loved, and wanted, and […]
Spiritual Boundaries, Part 1: Sacred Smallness, Real Life is Now.
(post #11) see list of all posts here Picture this, I’m 17 years old, and my tiny youth group has joined all the other Assemblies of God churches for a youth convention. The AG liturgy is followed perfectly. It’s an unspoken liturgy, because we consider it to be “the movement of the Holy Spirit” even […]
Contrite and Lowly: Sacred Smallness, Real Life Is Now
(post #9) see list of all posts here What does it mean to be contrite and lowly? How can a God who inhabits eternity also inhabit my heart? About 9 months ago I did a word study on Isaiah 57:15, because I was so struck by the description of a God who dwells in “a high and […]
Things Reset: Sacred Smallness, Real Life Is Now
(post #7) I’ve just returned from a women’s retreat where I had the privilege of listening to my Mama speak. Two of my aunts, my sister and my sister-in-law also attended, so we all had our own mini-retreat within the retreat, if you know what I’m saying. Girl-talk around a fire, cheesecake at midnight, massages, chocolate, […]
Sacred Smallness: A 31 Day Series
“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Posts in This Series Boundaries in Marriage Boundaries in Parenting Shake Out and Play, Mama (a poem) Grace Applied: More Thoughts on Boundaries Still The Loneliness Reeks (a poem) Things Reset Weaning Contrite and Lowly: Thoughts on Isaiah 57 The Gift Of You (a […]
What is it you want? Don’t take the easy way out.
“Don’t focus on your fear of burnout; remember to stay open and receptive so that you are filled up with love and energy from God, and from that you can pour out onto everyone around you. Don’t withhold. If you feel yourself drying up, it is because you aren’t connecting with God as your Source as well […]
The Ways God Works
“What’s your last name?” He asked it abruptly, somewhere in between his story of revival in the South Pacific during the last years of The War, and his story of planting a church in Salem in 1957. “Hey now, wait a second. I think…I think I feel a nudge to ask you this. What’s your […]
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