Glennon Doyle spoke once of "loving out loud". I've been thinking about that this week as I wrestle my anger and bitterness back down to size. God made me a truth speaker. I want to be quiet like a turtle right now, but God did not make me a quiet turtle. I want to hold a grudge and feel justified and tell those around me they are wrong, wrong, wrong, but God did not call me to be a judge. I want to escape, abandon the ship, find safety, but God did not make me to fear.
Maybe the first step then is to listen. Not in a way that validates, normalizes and upholds what is evil, but to figure out how to protect what God loves. Where is creation truly threatened, and where is the devil trying to trick us into spending our time and energy so we don't do the real and necessary work.
On Tuesday I thought I was changed forever. But I am first and foremost a blessed child of God, made in his image, gifted and called. So I am putting my fear away.
Thank you, Jen. I am also seeking to listen. I grew up in a rural community and while my understanding of the world has grown and changed, I understand that the needs of that community can be very different from the needs of people in more urban settings. We will naturally prioritize what is occurring in our own lives or the lives of those around us. Which of people's needs are not being met? How can we find the common humanity to see every person as worthy of dignity and respect no matter their income/education/location/orientation/ethnicity/etc, as God made us each in his image? I've got my own work to do here. Thanks for the encouragement.
I love this, Jen. Perfect love casts out fear and we need to keep speaking out--lovingly but directly. I'm so glad you are choosing courage in this moment. We need more and more of that.
A moving, beautiful write. It is a quiet act of rebellion, in the most wonderful sense, to have faith, and to keep love in one's heart in the face of evil and darkness.
I choose to stay true to who I am. And I am unapologetically a person of faith, with deep compassion (though firm boundaries). I will not yield to despair, for it robs life of its vitality. I will find quiet joy in the small wonders each day.
Glennon Doyle spoke once of "loving out loud". I've been thinking about that this week as I wrestle my anger and bitterness back down to size. God made me a truth speaker. I want to be quiet like a turtle right now, but God did not make me a quiet turtle. I want to hold a grudge and feel justified and tell those around me they are wrong, wrong, wrong, but God did not call me to be a judge. I want to escape, abandon the ship, find safety, but God did not make me to fear.
Maybe the first step then is to listen. Not in a way that validates, normalizes and upholds what is evil, but to figure out how to protect what God loves. Where is creation truly threatened, and where is the devil trying to trick us into spending our time and energy so we don't do the real and necessary work.
On Tuesday I thought I was changed forever. But I am first and foremost a blessed child of God, made in his image, gifted and called. So I am putting my fear away.
Thank you, Jen. I am also seeking to listen. I grew up in a rural community and while my understanding of the world has grown and changed, I understand that the needs of that community can be very different from the needs of people in more urban settings. We will naturally prioritize what is occurring in our own lives or the lives of those around us. Which of people's needs are not being met? How can we find the common humanity to see every person as worthy of dignity and respect no matter their income/education/location/orientation/ethnicity/etc, as God made us each in his image? I've got my own work to do here. Thanks for the encouragement.
I love this, Jen. Perfect love casts out fear and we need to keep speaking out--lovingly but directly. I'm so glad you are choosing courage in this moment. We need more and more of that.
A moving, beautiful write. It is a quiet act of rebellion, in the most wonderful sense, to have faith, and to keep love in one's heart in the face of evil and darkness.
I choose to stay true to who I am. And I am unapologetically a person of faith, with deep compassion (though firm boundaries). I will not yield to despair, for it robs life of its vitality. I will find quiet joy in the small wonders each day.
This, my quiet rebellion shall continue.
I needed this today. What a helpful, healthy perspective.
Thanks for your kind feedback. May you be blessed with moments of authentic joy, today and every day. Namasté 🫶
This is so beautifully written, Jo. Quiet acts of rebellion are vitally important right now.
Thank you for inspiring me to write this morning. Your post moved me deeply. 🫶
💞 the greatest of these is love
💙
Thank you for this. It felt reassuring..