Author: Rachael

Leaving the safety of what is known requires risk. Step out into the unknown. Here is what will be experienced in a life of adventure…

My husband and I had many adventures the first several years of our marriage. There was the move to Atlanta, hang-gliding, backpacking in the Appalachians, backpacking in the Rockies, the move to Chicago, starting a coffee shop, and then having a baby. After that our adventures took on a different form. Still adventures, but a little closer to home.

So for my husband’s fortieth birthday this year, I felt an adventure was due. I took him to a high ropes course, complete with zip lines. What in the world was I thinking? This adventure-loving gal, apparently does not like adventure high up! My husband was so patient with me as I shakily took each scary step a mile up in the sky (not really, but you get the point, and I’m awful at estimating distance).

There were five stations. At all times, throughout each station, we were attached to a cable with our safety harness. Each one began with climbing up a ladder that was just wood rods on rope. This was the part I most hated, having to leave the safe comfortable ground below; the pulling of the safety cable thing-y climbing up, figuring out how to get off the ladder and onto the platform. And this is before ever facing an obstacle!

Then came the obstacles. Some were just walking across boards that were spaced out. Sometimes the boards were not fixed, and would swing. There were cargo nets, tight rope walking, and tree hugging. The craziest obstacle was the Tarzan swing. After hooking my safety harness safely into a super safe rope, I stepped off the platform into… nothingness. There was NOTHING below me. We were told to bounce once against the net, then grab onto it once we swung back. On the first bounce the net grabbed my shoe! It was hanging on only by my toes. Frantically, I used my other foot to push it back on and was able to grab on as I swung back.

I was screaming like a banshee when I stepped off that platform (never in my life has someone referred to me as quiet). After completing that obstacle, my husband reveals to me that the Tarzan swing was the difficult option, and I actually could have skipped it. I acted like I was mad, but I wasn’t.

The final obstacle had two additional ladders to climb, taking us even further from the safety of the ground. Each station ended with a zip line. But of course the biggest zip line was last. There was a reason I needed to climb up those two additional ladders. I needed to be higher so I could go further, faster.

The Unknown

All of our lives are full of adventure, of stepping out into the unknown. Perhaps it is moving, or going to school – again, becoming a missionary, having a baby, writing a book, facing a health crisis, or opening up your heart and home to new friends.

The pull…

When we are leaving the comfort and safety of the known (even if it is a situation we don’t like), we feel the pull on us to return to safety. Those first decisions can weigh us down with anticipation, dread, fear, or waiting.

Unsure…

Then we arrive at the place where we need to take a step. Our footing is unsure. We are shaky, and beginning to question our decisions. It seems too big, too overwhelming.

Trust…

There will come a point when we will begin to trust, not our footing, but the One who holds us. We will end up slipping, falling, feeling that we are about to meet our demise, but knowing that we are held safe.

Risks…

Because of the trust being built, we begin to take greater risks. We know that it is not our strength that makes what we are doing possible. It is His strength, and we can have exuberant joy as we trust in it.

Un-expectations…

We will be able to readjust as unexpected circumstances arise. We gain a new perspective, and do not worry about doing everything the “right way.”

Pressing on…

But just because we have already left the safety of the known, does not mean that we won’t continue to fight the pull to go back. The pull is not as great, and it is honestly too late to back out anyway, so we continue to press on.

Perspective…

After pressing on we gain a different perspective. Sure, we are more exposed, more vulnerable, but the view is worth it. And so is the feeling of letting go and having the wind rush against us. We know we need to go higher so we can go further, faster.

Go…

We also know to not get too comfortable, because there is always more life to explore. After all, we are not called to arrive. We are called to go.

Stepping Out

What adventures are you having? Where are you on this never-ending cycle of adventure? I leave us now with this confirmation, this promise…

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:9-10, NIV

We know to not get too comfortable, because there is always more life to explore. After all, we are not called to arrive. We are called to go. Click To Tweet

Will Swann

We are instructed to love our enemy. But who is our enemy? Am I able to show Christ’s love to those who are difficult to love?

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” These are the words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:44. I grew up hearing, and being taught these words. They’ve always sounded good, something that all people should strive for, but not something that was ever put into tangible daily practice. Perhaps it should have been.

Showing love…

A tragedy occurred back in July of 2015 that perfectly demonstrates what this means. After the shootings in Charleston, SC there were no riots in response to the evil that occurred. Instead, people came together and loved each other. I believe this is mainly due to how the family of the victims responded to the young man that forever changed their lives. They forgave him. They showed love to him.

I came across the story of a teen who, back in 1996, was willing to sacrifice herself to stop a mob beating of a man they believed to be a part of the KKK. Instead of joining in, or even standing by, she protected him. She showed love to him. (I urge you to go and read about this girl, and to see the pictures of love fighting hate.)

But what is LOVE? And who is our ENEMY? And what does this look like day to day?

What love is…

Love defined:

• attraction based on sexual desire
• strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties
• unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

The bible describes love as:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV

How to love…

There is a problem with “love” though, because it means something different to different people at different times. It is only understood in certain ways within certain relationships. I’m not going to show love to a jerk at the grocery store the same way I need to show love to my three year old (who can also act like a jerk). I’m also not going to show love to the friend I just made the same way I show love to my hubby (that would be awkward).

In the case of the Charleston shootings, the families showed love by forgiving. The teen showed love by sacrificing. As a mother (especially those first couple of months) love is giving all with receiving nothing in return. In a relationship with a spouse, it’s not uncommon to show love by being confrontational with a truth they don’t want to hear. And sometimes (like with strangers and social media) we can show love by simply keeping our mouths shut.

This is where it gets even stickier. In a society where our closest “friend” is Facebook, we feel like we need to be honest and confrontational with “truth” claiming it is with the desire to show “love” (the definition of truth is a whole different topic). But that’s kinda like being confronted with how to parent your children by the clerk at Target. This actually happened to me, and you know what? It TICKED ME OFF!!! And now I avoid her line at all cost. It shouldn’t be surprising if people start avoiding us because we are “lovingly” telling them that they are wrong.

Love is only understood in certain ways within certain relationships. Click To Tweet

Who our enemy is…

Next, we ask the question, who is our ENEMY?

Is it an abuser? A religious leader or organization? Rednecks? Conservatives? Liberals? The clerk at Target?

Back to the dictionary:

• someone who hates another
• someone who attacks or tries to harm another
• something that harms or threaten someone or something
• a group of people (such as a nation) against whom another group is fighting a war

To “love your enemy” does not mean that you agree with or condone the act that is offensive. It may, however, mean that you have to forgive them (and possibly sever ties with them), or put aside your own wishes and sacrifice for them. Perhaps it means you confront them, or maybe you simply need to bite your tongue and not say anything.

But one thing that is perfectly clear, we must pray for them. Pray more than you speak. Or type.

This post was originally published July 2015 after the Charleston, SC shootings.

We wonder if people are proud of us and our accomplishments. Are we doing enough? We CAN live with this confidence of approval…

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Romans 4:5, NLT

As I have mentioned before, my little girl is the sunshine in my life; but she is also my thunderstorm. Some of this is her age, some of it is her personality, and some of it is that she is just like me. One night, after an emotionally exhausting day of parenting, we were having a much needed time of snuggling. Snuggling always seems to redeem the day’s shortcomings. While snuggling I prayed this over her…

Lord, Thank you for Lena, for the joy she is in my life. Give me wisdom on how to best guide her and direct her. I pray she comes to know you at an early age. I pray she knows the strengths you have given her and wisdom to know how to use them confidently. And I pray she is aware of the weaknesses she has so that she will be dependent on you.

As we continued to embrace and rock in the rocking chair, I began to reflect on my relationship with my mom. My mom was determined, and passionate, and fought hard for those she loved. The older I get, and the older my children get, my admiration for her – and for the mother she was – continues to swell.

However, I had seasons of life where I felt I needed more from her. Mainly, I was never quite sure if she was proud of me. She seemed to always compliment my siblings, but never me. My sister was so smart and beautiful (she was and is). My brother was so giving and generous (he was and is). And my other brother was such a hard worker with strong character (he was and is). So who was I?

Being the youngest, and wanting so badly to have the approval of my family, I was constantly striving to prove myself. I want to be all those traits of my siblings. Keeping up with them and their accomplishments pushed me to work hard. And I loved (and still love) working hard. But I never heard the words.

Proud…

When my mom died, my husband and I were living in Atlanta, and we did not make it home in time to say goodbye. We drove back to Kentucky with heavy, sorrow-filled hearts. Pulling up to my parents home, with all my siblings and my dad there, my mind couldn’t grasp the reality that she was gone. I fell into my dad’s embrace, and the first words he said to me was, “Your mom was so proud of you.”

He has no idea what impact those words have had on me. After talking about this with my siblings, it turns out that this was just how mom operated. Turns out, she was complimenting me, but not to me. And she was complimenting them, but not to them. I really do not know why this was the case, but I know she had her own set of issues to work through with her own parents.

Not to sound completely pessimistic, but no one escapes childhood without some sort of issue. Yes, some are more extreme than others, but we were all raised by imperfect parents and all have had to deal with their shortcomings. I know mine will. Setting up a fund for them so they can pay for counseling later in life is not such a bad idea.

After reflecting on my childhood, I said to my little girl…

You will do mighty things. I hope I can embrace the roller coaster journey of your life. You will be fun to watch, and emotionally exhausting. Know that I will always be proud of you, but also know that that will not be enough for you. My approval of you will never be enough. You will only find that in Jesus. He is the only thing that will fulfill you.

Three Keys…

This journey to finding and truly accepting that our approval comes from the Lord, is a long one. So many weeds of doubt, and deception, and despair have to be pulled out. We try to get away with simply cutting them down, and this can be a fix for the short-term, but they will just keep coming back.

Recognize the doubt. Life has all of us so busy, that we rarely take the time to stop and think. Or perhaps it is because it is just too painful to think, so we live life reacting to the circumstances around us. If we can pinpoint what the source is, then we can see the enemy we are fighting is most likely not the person we are in “combat” with.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12, ESV

Fight the deception. Positive affirmations can help, but only God’s word will truly dig out the root. With our culture of quick fixes, it is tempting to give up when we don’t see progress immediately. We want to go back to the temporary fix. Consistently learning who God is, and who He says we are, will give us true confidence.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NIV

Replace the despair. Rejoice in who God created each of us to be! We are all unique, with our unique gifts. God is so creative. We do not need to strive to be like someone else, we are free to be ourselves! And He absolutely approves of us.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8, NLT

Where are you on the journey? Do you ever wonder if the Lord approves of you?

This journey to finding and truly accepting that our approval comes from the Lord, is a long one. So many weeds of doubt, and deception, and despair have to be pulled out. Click To Tweet

Miguel Bruna

What is our motivation for repentance? Are we trying to manipulate God in order to receive a blessing? Stop manipulating. Instead, embrace the struggle.

Earlier this year, I was asking the Lord to come through with an answer to a prayer I truly believed was within His will. We were going to be hosting our first group gathering for Oh Lord Help Us. Our heart was to meet with women in our community and share, in person, this message of being who we are created to be. Instead what I got was silence. I was beginning to sweat. If He didn’t come through, I would once again learn that painful lesson on humility. So I began asking myself if He was withholding blessings because of unaddressed sin?

This is not a bad question to ask, the Lord did reveal to me areas in my life I was holding onto too tightly. But He also revealed to me that my motivation for asking was wrong. The question I then found myself asking was, “Am I trying to rid myself of the sin to have communion with God or to get a blessing?” In other words, was I trying to manipulate God to get what I want, or do I want Him. I am so wretched that I cannot even accomplish remorse; I cannot rid myself of selfishness.

Manipulator…

I’m not the only one to attempt manipulation in order to receive a blessing. Jacob is an excellent example of someone who was conniving. He was developing a bit of a reputation, in fact. He dressed up in goat skins in order to fool his father into believing he was his older brother. His father, Isaac, was quite blind and fell for the ploy, giving him this blessing…

May God give you heaven’s dew
and earth’s richness—
an abundance of grain and new wine.
May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.

Genesis 27:28-29, NIV

Overcomer…

Later in Jacob’s life, he receives another blessing, but this one came straight from God. And as is the case with God, He changed the story of Jacob’s life. He changed his name…

“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Genesis 32:28, NIV

He went from a manipulator to an overcomer.

I want to want Him, but I don’t always want Him. Ahh, yes, this is where I need to be. No more pretending, but being truly honest with the Lord and acknowledging how wretched I truly am. Now I am ready to receive grace. Now I am ready to receive blessing. This is where I remove the goat skin from my arms, and begin to wrestle and struggle with the God who gives blessings.

Motivation…

Daily I find it necessary to reflect on my sinful humanness, the wretchedness that consumes me. But I can’t stay here. This is not the full story, after all! The rest of the story involves justification. That’s a fancy word meaning I’ve been made right with God.

So with my motivation correct, I pray, “Lord show me areas of sin that needs to be acknowledged, and repented of.” And here I find the blessing of communion with God. Here I am free to worship Him fully, and without fear because I have been covered by the blood of Jesus. The Lord is kind to reveal areas that need forgiveness. And in His kindness, He invites me to ask for anything. Including a blessing. Including provision. With correct motivation, the blessing we ask for will be one that is glorifying to the Lord.

Daily I find it necessary to reflect on my sinful humanness, the wretchedness that consumes me. But I can't stay here. This is not the full story, after all! Click To Tweet

(By the way, I was willing to look the fool at the gathering earlier this year. I was willing to go and talk to one other person if that was what the Lord brought. The event, however, ended up being full; almost as full as my heart was.)

Annie Spratt