Even the smallest puddle reflects the Sky
Misunderstood, Misrepresented, God Glimpses, Love
(#HarryPotterBookNight this 6 Feb, I’m reading at Expeditie-E!)
I was leaving High School when the Harry Potter phenomena struck. The hype repelled me and some Christian background flagged “witchcraft” as skip.
Sorry Harry…
Fast forward 20 years. My kids’ school sends a letter urging parents to mind “trends and hypes,” characters with magic or super powers like Elsa and Superman came under fire.
Last day of the year, and while many are feeling more carefree and hopeful, some are just trying to survive (connect people, pls).
The Christmas season can be rough, and means different things to different people,
But I keep thinking about Stars…
Lights in the street and homes, lights like hope in the dark season. A new star appeared on the horizon when Jesus was born and if I think about God’s heart, I wonder if it was more than just a flare.
Here’s my take on 6 “Christmas” gifts thanks to the Jesus story. Enjoy and take with you into the New Year.
For anyone who thought “I want nothing to do with God, or “Christians” because of what they do, say, put into policy” (read: USA, White House), or for any who had the bible used against them, for outcasts not “good enough” for “Church,” or who asked too many questions, or had too many ideas, or just didn’t fit. To all who wonder if unconditional love is real, if God cares, or if there are better things to come… This if for you. ❤
Ever been in a store and witnessed a child meltdown? The parent is either a. trying to ignore, b. negotiating/pleading, or c. hoisting kid in prem and getting out quick. (yes, I was c. person).
Parenting can mess people up.
We think we’re calm, sane people, but kids blow that up. You get a new spectrum of emotions, including fierce protector, bottomless love, anxiety, grief,… add another child to the mix and watch anger jump on the Richter when you see one hurt the other.
Yes, that was me who clapped hard, stood up and shouted STOP at my kids during Hema breakfast. Yes, the restaurant went silent.
It can feel like a sliding scale between brain mush and losing mind, but is something more profound going on?
* Continue reading “Maybe Kids aren’t a Distraction, but the Main Event?”
There’s more than enough for everyone. Really. On a planet with people starving and naked…
The core problem, imo, may be so simple that few believe it. (or we’re so far from our humanity…). Continue reading “The 1 Thing Everybody Should Know About “Abundance””
Independence Day… reminder of freedom in America from Tyranny, Oppression, Dictatorship…
“E Pluribus Unum” or, “Out of Many, One” (traditional motto of the US).
Yes, America has come a long way, but yesterday I saw tanks lined up for the Celebration??! I’ve been American my whole life and never recall this happening before.
Continue reading “Freedom from Power-Seeking & Glory on the Fourth of July”
I cry write about the rift between American “Christianity,” and God’s Heart. Before Donald Trump was elected I wrote an Open Letter to America and POTUS himself sharing what I experience as an epic, end-time battle between Love & Hate. I also mentioned some prophecies from the crazy bible book, Revelation.
“I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot someone and wouldn’t lose any votes..”
2 years later, the unwavering acceptance by some “Christians” of Trump’s behaviors, statements, actions and policies– which have been anything but Christ-like– is increasingly BANANAS, or gut-wrenching, or fire-spewing, or all of the above.
Final post in #UnashamedList series. Written especially for youth navigating issues like sexual integrity, porn addiction, (sexual) abuse, etc.
Series intro and full 10 Day list here.
Sex was a massive part of my youth. I’ve shared snapshots of how hard it is being sexualized at an early age throughout this series. I’ve come out about the insidiousness of porn, upsides of “waiting,” and consequences of just doing everything you think is right.
But everything is more complicated Today.
That’s me on my 17th Birthday. No Instagram, Twitter or Tinder back in the 90’s. No Selfies or Filters to daily challenge my self-esteem. If a party got crazy, any d* pics were probably taken with a throwaway camera. There was no Social Media to torch a reputation or courage.
And when I went through a “tomboy” phase, LGBTQ wasn’t even on the radar…
There’s so much pressure on youth today. Few places to just Be. #MadRespect for all walking through it daily…
Continue reading “10 Life & Sex Lessons Mom Never Told Me: #10. Sex = A-Bomb, for Better or Worse”
Day 9 from the #UnashamedList. Written especially to support eg youth navigating issues like sexual integrity, porn addiction, sexual abuse, etc… Series intro here.
You’ve got to do it sometime.
I’m going to be honest. I don’t know if getting tested for STD’s is so normal now that it’s trend. I heard Trevor Noah (The Daily Show) joke once about Chlamydia and how everyone has it.
Oh really?
But if you’ve never been checked out and have been sexually active–from intercourse, to just oral sex– Get. Yourself. Checked.
Continue reading “10 Life & Sex Lessons Mom Never Told Me: #9- Get Yourself Checked w/a Friend”
Day 6 from the #UnashamedList Series. Written especially for youth or young adults navigating sexual integrity, porn addiction, identity, etc. Intro here.
Each day of this series I’ve been sharing some of my X-rays to expose what can go wrong.
Today I want to share what goes right: You.
Don’t dare be ashamed of anything you saw, did, thought, or even what was done to you. Never. Continue reading “10 Life & Sex Lessons Mom Never Told Me: #6- Don’t Ever Be Ashamed, We’re all Jacked”
Imagine a city so loaded with gold and gems they become standard building materials. Add other precious metals and stones to the mix and just marvel. It’d be palatial, decadent, … God-like?
Hmmm.
“Streets of gold” is a phrase probably rooted in a bible passage on heaven: “… The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass…” (Revelation 21:21)
But I don’t care if it’s true or not. The real question for me is: What good is all that Gold??
Continue reading “God Wouldn’t Fly First-Class: 3 Surprising Reasons the Streets are Gold in Heaven”
What do you think? Is it possible for a religion claiming inspiration from a humble, foot-washing, dying-on-behalf-of-“haters”- God, to have followers preaching hate, exclusion, and oppression?
Sadly, it’s possible. Continue reading “Love, Law & Christianized Hate: One Bible Verse to Flip the Script”
The gospel can be cut so many ways. “Good news” for a woman begging is different than for a rich Westerner, or trafficked boy. But concepts like unconditional love and freedom keep me busy.
I’ve heard many Christians stress about people needing to “convert” or “be saved” to avoid hell. Was it similar thinking that sparked the convert-or-die theology of the Crusades?
Is it so simple? We were enjoying an outdoor wedding and it was like heaven touched down– the weather, the people, music, everything was amazing. So much freedom and fun, especially for the kids. We stayed all night long.
When a speaker shared about the Adam/Eve story, full heart and humor, I got hit:
If Eve was made for/from Adam so he wouldn’t be lonely, maybe God made all of us for the same reason? [-click to tweet-]
God, lonely? Ridiculous! Blasphemous!
Ok, but here’s a question: did you ever experience a great place, delicious food, or sick beat and not want to share it with someone?
Crap, another friend shared about getting kicked out of church. Arrgh. It’s painful, but sadly not rare– I have my own stories…
People can have different ideas, or giftings that don’t fit traditional parameters (e.g. gender/marital/parental status, etc.), and misunderstandings can be easy. But should talents or abilities cease the moment someone enters a church? Can we, especially those in church leadership, listen to someone if they aren’t preaching from the pulpit?
God has used a whale, worm, donkey and various plants to communicate throughout the Bible. How much more a fellow human?
Click to Tweet
Continue reading “Dear Church Leaders: The Revelation Came from the Wilderness, not the Pulpit”
