Hey my friends!
I am, as you read this, at Jumping Tandem spending time with some (off the charts) amazing people... and God, too! I am pretty sure He is there as well! So this post may be shorter than usual because when you live way out West getting almost anywhere is a full day of travel, which cut in to my web-searching, post-devouring ways!
Still... I found some gems...
Featured today are posts by Tonya Salomons, John Blase, Donald Miller, Crystal Stine, Deidra Riggs, a post from right here... and - of course - a video to wrap it all up!
I am, as you read this, at Jumping Tandem spending time with some (off the charts) amazing people... and God, too! I am pretty sure He is there as well! So this post may be shorter than usual because when you live way out West getting almost anywhere is a full day of travel, which cut in to my web-searching, post-devouring ways!
Still... I found some gems...
* This one by Tonya Salomons with 10 Things About Making Friends on Purpose {Even If You’re Scared}...
"I spend a lot of time talking about it, writing about it; how we are meant for community. I’m always saying that God intended for us to do life to the very edges, together.
Truth be told? I spend a lot of time sometimes blowing hot air. I know I need community, I know I love community but…
I’m not very good at it. Also I am kind of afraid of being a friend. A friend on purpose."
* This post from John Blase with What The Beloved Heard...
If you have not yet read anything by John Blase... well then, you're welcome! This is a poem and I can't take out just one line - you have to read all of it. And try not to be jealous that I am with him right now at Jumping Tandem. I know... #SorryNotSorry
* This post by Crystal Stine over at God Sized Dreams with We’re Stronger, Together...
"Today, I’m cheering for you. For the ones who chase dreams bravely even when you don’t have all the answers. For the ones who seek God, flat out and down on your face before the throne because you’ve had a glimpse of His dream for your life and you don’t know how to take the first step. I’m cheering for you, sister – you who wake up, take care of your family, put in a long day of work and carve out time in the margins to pursue your dreams.
Today, I’m praying for you. For the ones who think that their time to dream has passed. For the ones who think that there isn’t enough time in the day to add a God-sized dream, for the ones who feel like they aren’t good enough to be given a dream to chase. I’m praying for you, sister – you who watch from the sidelines and wonder if…when…how…
In this sisterhood of dream chasers we stand together."
* This post from Deidra Riggs with I Went For a Walk, Instead...
"There is nothing new under the sun, you know. The news anchors and the status updates would have me believe this brokenness we’re getting to know so very well is unprecedented and unusual, and they almost had me. But I went for a walk, instead.
I didn’t know what I was looking for. Just a walk. That’s what I thought. But there was that golden haze and the air around my shoulders. And, there was grace. There always is."
* This one from right HERE with When God Removes Your Comfort Zones...
"Yeah. Some days it is hard.
Life comes at us and can seem unfair (It is.)
And unjust (Again, it is.)
And brutal (...)
It can feel like it would just be easier to escape with Netflix... to turn your back... (to turn off the t.v. --which is really not bad advice, btw!)
It can feel like we miss the days when we were sleeping in ignorant bliss...
But for the love of God... we don't.
We must remind ourselves that we don't miss those days.
Those days were only nice for us.
They did no good, for way too long.
And I'm not just talking about race and riots, but also natural disasters and warnings and bills adding up and insurance not coming through... I'm talking about All. The. Things. and not having time to just stop the madness and process any of it.
And pretty soon that frantic noise is not just external but coming from internal churning as well and the call to just take a nap pulls hard. Pull the covers up and allow yourself to numb.
But we know that is not the answer.
Praise God, we know this now.
We may not know what the answer is, but we know what it isn't... "
Truth be told? I spend a lot of time sometimes blowing hot air. I know I need community, I know I love community but…
I’m not very good at it. Also I am kind of afraid of being a friend. A friend on purpose."
* This post from John Blase with What The Beloved Heard...
If you have not yet read anything by John Blase... well then, you're welcome! This is a poem and I can't take out just one line - you have to read all of it. And try not to be jealous that I am with him right now at Jumping Tandem. I know... #SorryNotSorry
* This post by Donald Miller over at Storyline with How and Why I Stay in the Dysfunctional Family of God...
"Real families are messy.
The harder family members to deal with are the emotionally and psychologically narrow uncles and cousins. I’m talking about the twenty-year old guys in Bible college who just read John Calvin and think they know everything.
Or the forty-year old guys with the personalities of bitter old men who are always ranting about how much they hate the President.
I don’t like the Christian leaders who go around like territorial dogs, peeing circles around everything.
To me, that just makes everything smell like pee.
Have you ever wondered if some of the people who are bringing the most people to Jesus are the same people who are pushing the most people away from Him?
I’ve wondered that sometimes. Somebody ought to do a study about that.
Nevertheless, this is our absurd Christian family."
The harder family members to deal with are the emotionally and psychologically narrow uncles and cousins. I’m talking about the twenty-year old guys in Bible college who just read John Calvin and think they know everything.
Or the forty-year old guys with the personalities of bitter old men who are always ranting about how much they hate the President.
I don’t like the Christian leaders who go around like territorial dogs, peeing circles around everything.
To me, that just makes everything smell like pee.
Have you ever wondered if some of the people who are bringing the most people to Jesus are the same people who are pushing the most people away from Him?
I’ve wondered that sometimes. Somebody ought to do a study about that.
Nevertheless, this is our absurd Christian family."
"Today, I’m cheering for you. For the ones who chase dreams bravely even when you don’t have all the answers. For the ones who seek God, flat out and down on your face before the throne because you’ve had a glimpse of His dream for your life and you don’t know how to take the first step. I’m cheering for you, sister – you who wake up, take care of your family, put in a long day of work and carve out time in the margins to pursue your dreams.
Today, I’m praying for you. For the ones who think that their time to dream has passed. For the ones who think that there isn’t enough time in the day to add a God-sized dream, for the ones who feel like they aren’t good enough to be given a dream to chase. I’m praying for you, sister – you who watch from the sidelines and wonder if…when…how…
In this sisterhood of dream chasers we stand together."
* This post from Deidra Riggs with I Went For a Walk, Instead...
"There is nothing new under the sun, you know. The news anchors and the status updates would have me believe this brokenness we’re getting to know so very well is unprecedented and unusual, and they almost had me. But I went for a walk, instead.
I didn’t know what I was looking for. Just a walk. That’s what I thought. But there was that golden haze and the air around my shoulders. And, there was grace. There always is."
* This one from right HERE with When God Removes Your Comfort Zones...
"Yeah. Some days it is hard.
Life comes at us and can seem unfair (It is.)
And unjust (Again, it is.)
And brutal (...)
It can feel like it would just be easier to escape with Netflix... to turn your back... (to turn off the t.v. --which is really not bad advice, btw!)
It can feel like we miss the days when we were sleeping in ignorant bliss...
But for the love of God... we don't.
We must remind ourselves that we don't miss those days.
Those days were only nice for us.
They did no good, for way too long.
And I'm not just talking about race and riots, but also natural disasters and warnings and bills adding up and insurance not coming through... I'm talking about All. The. Things. and not having time to just stop the madness and process any of it.
And pretty soon that frantic noise is not just external but coming from internal churning as well and the call to just take a nap pulls hard. Pull the covers up and allow yourself to numb.
But we know that is not the answer.
Praise God, we know this now.
We may not know what the answer is, but we know what it isn't... "
Lastly, we close This Thing up with a video each week and in honor of the fact that I am hanging out with Amena Brown this weekend, here you go... enjoy!
Happy Weekend!
I have never read anything of John Blase's until this morning. Thank you friend! And that Crystal Stine post...awesome, oh so good. I need to read the rest! Wishing I was at JT with you and all those awesome amazing people! Totally living vicariously!! Love Ya friend!
ReplyDeleteOh man... well, truly then - you are welcome! John's poetry is a gift to slow and sip, instead of gulping down words recklessly, without thought. I wish you were with us as well - it was such a powerful, restful, lovely weekend! Love you right back, my friend!
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