Sacred Smallness, Real Life is Now Love lets us be persons. We are made in God’s image, with minds brilliant and hearts containing eternity. Christ patterned us after himself. And while the laws of Life require consequence for turning away from God – consequences we experience both now and eternally – the laws of Life also require free […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
Ashes, Ashes, Body and Blood
The ashes in my mouth taste like talc and powder. I swallow, move the tongue, wipe between teeth. It’s always like this, always a material experience that solidifies the visceral into something I understand. It’s candles to facilitate prayer, it’s arms raised to worship, it’s dancing on a cliff’s ledge to break before the Spirit. It’s […]
Mourn With Those Who Mourn (survivor songs #33)
Mourn With Those Who Mourn by Ramone Romero “Remember those who are imprisoned, as if you are imprisoned with them. Call those to mind who are afflicted, as if you are the people who wear their bodies.“ Hebrews 13:3 Harmony asked me to share five paintings for this series Survivor Songs, the theme of which has […]
“Where Do We Go From Here? God Have Mercy” – a Marriage Startup Podcast with Leslie and Laura Camacho (survivor songs #27)
Today Laura Camacho joins up with her husband Leslie to offer a follow up to yesterday’s post (When Does Comfort Come, survivor songs #26). Leslie and Laura host a weekly broadcast called The Marriage Startup Podcast and today they are sharing a special edition of the podcast put together specifically for Survivor Songs. It is such an honor to host […]
Experiencing God In Ugly Places – a guest post by Austin Way (survivor songs #25)
We’ve reached the final week of this series, and I really can’t believe it. I’m starting to mourn the month being over! The past few posts have been a little intense and I’m very, very thankful you’re hanging with me. Here’s what the week ahead will hold: 6 guest posters are lined up and their posts will be interspersed with […]
Boz Tchividjian on How Christians Should Respond To Abuse
Relevant Magazine has published and excellent interview with Boz Tchividjian, the founder and executive director of GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) titled “How Should Christians Respond To Abuse Situations Like The Duggars’?” Please read it. GRACE is a non-profit ministry/organization which works to educate churches on Godly and appropriate responses to abuse situations within their own congregations, […]