Christianity
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Gaza + Israel + Christian Ethics
Christian, how we let our faith shape us and how we view people is life changing. I have a few questions to hopefully, maybe, help check to see if we’re staying consistent with our beliefs: – Is every human made in the image of God? Was every human formed carefully by God? – Is a Continue reading
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I Have Found
I have looked into Your eyesand I have dared to tell Youthe truth:I’m scaredto justbeherewith You. I have found thatwhen I think I need to be moreYou are not surprised-as if You are familiar with the ways of my heart. You are patient-as if all time is at Your disposal. You remain committed-as if You Continue reading
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Idolization of Family and a Better Hope
There are seasons when my feelings on how Christians view the family are in an uproar. God said to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. He promised Abraham innumerable descendants. Jesus said to make disciples of all nations. I think it’s safe to say that God wants a big, diverse spiritual family. He Continue reading
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Walking around unfinished
“That’s … mean,” my four year old muttered at the thought of God allowing harm to come to him. I let those words hang in the air for a moment as I lay next to him in his bed. “I know. Sometimes I feel that way too, but God knows so much more than us.” Continue reading
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Living Among
“Should we be sad or angry when someone is killed?” my four year old asked me this morning. I scooped another piece of shredded wheat onto my spoon. “Probably both,” I replied as I tried to gauge where the question had come from. I swallowed my cereal and then added, “Do you remember when Jesus Continue reading
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When first things pass away
No temple; the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are it’s temple. No sun; the glory of God illuminates it and the nations. No lamp; it’s lamp is the Lamb. No night; always basking in the light of God’s glory. No uncleanliness; only pure worship. No one who does evil; only those washed by the Continue reading
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Serving a God Who Doesn’t Need Anything
It’s not a new to me, but it’s still hit me hard: God doesn’t need people to serve him. “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, Continue reading
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“One who gives me rest”
As these lyrics have run through my mind, I’ve felt the common thread running through all of them. Tonight my anxious mind wanted to stop the running, and I guess you could say “thread the needle” to see them all neatly typed side by side. It looks a bit like a patchwork quilt … one Continue reading
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Rambling Thoughts: Is the dualism of God v. evil Biblical?
“For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.” Romans 11:32 CSB God, what’s up with that? Is sin that small compared to your mercy that imprisoning us all to sin is worth it? This feels scary – like I’m a pawn in your hand. “The answer is that Continue reading
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Perception of God: Experiences + Knowledge
“This was so not worth it!” my six year old said as we walked back toward our car after our one mile hike. I was a little disappointed. “Well, you did find fun things to collect along the way,” I reminded her, “And you got to see the big river at the look out.” “Still Continue reading
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Loving Unbelievers
I was in the break room typing up my note for work. A coworker was divulging to another coworker and I their current relationship situation. Suddenly, they turned their head sharply and looked at me, “Stop judging me. Not everyone is meant to marry young and have a family.” Startled, as I had not said Continue reading
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On the Trail
The other day my six year old started out our mile hike sprinting. My husband and I looked at each other smiling as she continued to run up a hill. She was fast and determined, but we knew what was inevitably going to happen. Halfway up the hill she stopped in her tracks and lay Continue reading
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Forgiveness changed me
I changed when you forgave me. Maybe it was the way you earnestly said that you didn’t want this to become a memory I cringed at. You didn’t want it to weigh me down. To you, it wasn’t an obstacle between us anymore and you asked me not to view it that way either. I Continue reading
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Narrative Change: God Was In Christ
The old narrative that my sin and the sin of the world overwhelms God has touched nearly every aspect of my life. The belief that God’s holiness is far greater and more lasting than sin is slowly pealing away this old narrative. Like pealing wallpaper, sometimes large pieces come off quickly and smoothly and sometimes Continue reading
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Does God need to be good to us?
“God didn’t need to [send Jesus to die on the cross, give us the Holy Spirit, preserve our faith, etc.].” If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times. *cue my nervous laughter* What are we actually saying when we say “God didn’t need to ____” and is it supported by Scripture? I Continue reading
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The Fence: A Poem on Salvation and Doubt
They say you’re either for or against;There’s no room for sitting on the fence. What about when I can’t enjoy my sin,But I don’t trust God – where’s he been?When my mind is consumed with doubtI plead to God for a way out. I’m waiting on the fence. All I hear is silence. The pastor Continue reading
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God In Hell: An Unexpected Comfort
Several years ago, a non Christian told me that the belief that God can’t be in the presence of sin is unbiblical. At the time I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. What about God’s holiness? His purity? I let questions like these simmer in the back of my mind for years. Maybe God Continue reading
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In Which I Don’t Get Political
I don’t (or, rather, extremely rarely) talk or write about political things. If we’re being honest, politics never really gets to the root issues. That said, I think we work with what we got, and hold hope for what we’re not. I do occasionally write on things that people view as political. I don’t believe Continue reading
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Touched
“I Can See You” by T Swift … quite the inappropriate song, but the line “But what would you do if I went to touch you now?” got me thinking. It made me think of how inappropriate it was for Jesus to touch the leper (and miraculously heal him rather than becoming infected by the Continue reading
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Keep Me
I wonder if trusting in my faith in Jesus to save me is the reformed version of trusting in my work for Jesus to save me. Yeah … that can be a hard one to swallow. But coming to terms with this has also been one of the most freeing, wonderful things I’ve experienced. And Continue reading
The Worth Of Knowing 