In life, everyone has a story. Some people have stories that are shared and open to the entire world, like celebrities, Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Mother Theresa, etc. Then there are the people whose stories aren't shared so publicly, but could have just as much impact as the shared ones.
I have gone to prisons and jails to speak with prisoners and I have sat to listen to their stories of drug use, stealing, abuse and even murder. I have heard their stories of coming to God, or have heard the yearning in their voice for more to life than life behind bars. I have gone to a church in the dark areas of town and heard stories of hunger, violence, terror and sadness. I have heard their voice break as the tears began to roll down their face. I have seen them break beneath the weight of how much they've been through and never having a friend or loved one to care enough to listen to their story. I have passed bars and seen stripper girls going in, or coming out with a look of absolute despair written all over their faces.
Over the past few weeks, we have seen this world break out into fighting all over. The race war in Missouri, the ISIS battle going down in the middle east and children being beheaded in front of their families, women being enslaved, beaten and raped, and men being forced to watch. We have seen children and teens take guns into schools and shoot people. We have seen young people kill their parents. We have seen celebrities commit suicide from depression. We have seen people shoot others because of road rage and all sorts of other horrible atrocities and debauchery.
My heart breaks. I can't even write this stuff down without feeling a deep ache in my heart and a yearning in my soul to reach out and help heal the wounds that are open and bleeding.
Then I look at the church and see the hurt and pain within it's own four walls. I've seen pastors fall to the temptation of pornography, or cheating on their wives with other women. I've seen wives fall into sin with other men. I've seen children leaving because "religion" was just "cliche" and had become full of hypocritical people. I've seen people leave the church because of all sorts of things.
Behind each of these struggles that each person faces (big and small), there is a story; one that is of tragedy, beauty, victory, sadness, depression, hope, faith and all the many numerous things a person in this world can experience and feel. And each story has purpose, and if we can take the time to listen, our hearts could be so touched by each story. Not only would we be bringing hope to someones life by just listening but it could bring the turning point for them to have a miraculous change. I have had many a person say to me, "No one has ever took the time to listen to my story," or "No one has ever cared to hear me out," or "I've never shared my story, because it's just so depressing" etc, etc. But when the time was taken to listen to them, their hearts were renewed, strengthened and brought hope that there was someone who actually cared. Someone wanted to take time for them; to pay attention to them and be interested in their story.
There is beauty behind each hidden story. No matter how crazy, or outrageous, or ridiculous or stupendous their story might be, there is beauty. Jesus brings beauty out of ashes. He raises people up out of their torn and broken world. He cares. He listens. He loves.
He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and heaven laden and I will give you rest" (Matt. 8:28.)
He sent His Son to earth, to teach us His ways, His thoughts, His words and His actions. He brought hope and life. He sat and listened to the children and blessed them. Each one (I'm imagining) had a story to tell him. You know how children are! He called them blessed! And he wants us to be like them. Jesus is interested in our stories and since He is, we need to be interested too, in every one's stories too. Every time I have taken the time to listen, I find myself going away, encouraged, awed and inspired to be a better person. Life stories are our testimonies. They are what makes us who we are.
Revelations 12:11 says "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of
their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from
death." The word testimony stands out here to me, because our testimonies are our stories! They explain where we've been and where we are going. They explain the struggles and the victories we've had. They explain us. Sometimes (I can say this by having experience) when someone takes time to listen to where I've been and where I am going, it gives me even more strength to go on and continue in my journey. Especially when I'm going through something (which is apart of my "story," my testimony) it makes it easier to share my heart, my struggle, or even my victories! It brings me closer to the ones I am in relationship with. It exposes my heart to others and gives them a glimpse into the beauty of my "hidden life."
I read this morning on the "Women of Faith" page on FB this, "We want God to fix all our problems. God says instead, 'I want to use your problems to change you and to reveal My grace and power to the world.' That is truth-- and the truth will set you free...." If God wants to reveal His grace and power to the world, then He will use us to share our problems, and victories. He will use our testimonies and stories to change us, and those around us, if we will allow it. He sees something beautiful about us and our lives. He orchestrates it into a beautiful song. Let's learn to sing it!
To reach the world and to reach others, we don't have to be celebrities with our lives displayed on a pedestal for all to see, although God may call some of us to be the Mother Teresa's of this day and age, or the Christine Caine's, or the Kari Jobes where our lives on on display for everyone. But many of us are called to live the hidden life, where not many know our stories. But we should be willing to stand up and share our testimonies to those close around us. The beauty of our hidden lives will touch others and give others hope. It will give them strength to share their stories and encourage us, or gain help to continue on. Be brave! Your story counts! You have purpose. You have a goal. You have something that is beautiful that people need to hear. Go! change the world with the beauty of your hidden life. Sing it! Shout it! Don't be ashamed of it. It's beautiful and it is a powerful testimony!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
Stop The Cycle!
It's 12:35 am and I'm sitting here, struggling to put my thoughts into words. It's hard to put them into words, because I'm afraid of being misunderstood, or offending someone. But I think is something that needs to be addressed, because I don't think people understand people like me; and there are probably thousands like me.
A lot of people grow up in "The Church" and are raised to be spiritual, holy and "good people." But when the real needy people come in, broken, hurt and needing friends, the "good and holy" people end up pushing them out by (probably) unintentional actions and words. The words, "acceptance" and "unconditional love" becomes cliche and old hat.
When a young, unwed pregnant mama comes waddling into a church service, she slinks into the back row, hoping to not be noticed because she's worried about the judgement that will be cast her way. She keeps her eyes cast down, because she's worried she'll see the sneaked peaks at her and the behind-the-hand whispers that people do.
A young couple comes in, newly married, yet they carry a 1 year old baby on their arm, and they share their story of leaving God, and having a baby out of wedlock, but they've given their lives to God again. Yet the story gets around like wild fire and the young woman is called a "whore" and "horrible woman." The man is crushed into the ground for having sex before marriage and is smeared with phrases like, "lack of respect for women" and "ridiculously immature." So they keep their heads down, listen to the sermon and sneak out as fast as they can, afraid someone will catch up with them and run them into the ground with their words and actions, again.
Young people come out of controlling environments (like cults, abusive parents, bullied at school, etc) and they reach out for friends. But they have a past. They're hurt. They're broken. They need friends. But they're rejected over and over, because they're "different" and people don't feel they "fit" with them. They get told things about themselves and others opinions on why they are the way they are, yet deep down inside, these people are broken, bleeding and hurting deep within. The person speaking to them has no clue the wounds they're inflicting upon a hurt and dying soul. They have no clue they're speaking words of death and destruction to them. They're absorbed into their own world of "religion" and how they feel they're helping, when in fact, it's just pushing them further away.
Where are the true Christians? Where are the ones who are like Jesus? Why do so many judge and not care about the deep wounds that surround them in their daily life?
Why do Christians "avoid" places like Starbucks (heaven forbid! they don't support the troops, or they support the President, etc) thinking that will help people see just how righteous they are? Why do they go on and on about which places they will go and which places they won't? Why do they spend time with this person, but not that person?
Jesus never singled anyone out to make them feel special, or unwanted. He never told anyone to go away, or that they couldn't spend time with Him. He spent time with a woman who had slept around with 5 different men. He ate dinner with people who were "unclean" and weren't "Christians." He spent time with the hurt, the broken, the needy. He didn't have clicks and established groups. He didn't tell someone to go somewhere else because they would be a better fit over there, or tell them that they weren't welcome because he already had his own set of friends.
I see this over and over, not only in my own life, but in the lives of many others. Christians need to rise up and stop this "click" thing!! They need to rise up and realize that people actually need help who are in those Starbuck's and are in those places that are "unclean" and "evil." We aren't to be apart of the world, but we aren't to reject it either. Push aside the religion of hypocrisy. Don't say that everyone is welcome, and then push aside the person you "don't like" or don't "feel good about" etc. Look at Jesus' example that He left behind and follow that. So often we pray with blindfolds over our eyes, because we "sense" something or we believe our own perceptions about people. We can't get beyond our thoughts or feelings. We can't see the need before us, because we are so focused on how we feel.
Reach out! be the life giving hand that gives a breath of refreshment and acceptance to the one who needs you. When you see the unwed pregnant mama, smile, give a hug, invite her over. When you hear a story of abuse and rejection, call, invite them over, be a friend. When you see a couple who is struggling to make friends, be there.
Stop the cycle of rejection. Stop the cycle of judgment. Meet them where they're at. Don't allow current friendships and relationships and "clicks" get in the way of ministering to the needy. Rise above religion and hypocrisy. Don't say one thing and do another. Be there for them. Just be. Love. Help bring peace and forgiveness to their troubled hearts. Accept. Show them the power of love. Show them who the Real Jesus is.
In my own personal life, I have face rejection over and over. I have been told that "I'm not rejecting you." But what they don't know is that their words and actions are hurting and reopening wounds that I keep working at healing. I have left all my family and friends because of the leading of Jesus. I have left God and returned to God. I was one of those moms who had a baby before I was married. I am one of those who was rejected and shunned because of that. I have been told I am worth nothing. I have been told God could never use a sinner like me. I have been told that sex outside of marriage was hell worthy and God would never forgive me. I have been told that I am unwelcome. I have been told to go somewhere else. I have been told that I don't deserve family or friends. I have been pushed around, forgotten about, unwanted, unneeded and ultimately, crushed. Rejection is something that everyone faces in life, at some point. I am not playing the "oh whoa as me, pity me" card here. I am stating facts. I am rising above it all. I am choosing to love those who reject me and push me out of their lives. But it doesn't lessen the hurt.
And I know that many others have faced the same type of things I have. There is a world of hurting people out there! Yet "The Church" doesn't seem to care! They're focused on doing all these good deeds that the actions of reaching out to hurt and dying (whether figuratively or physically) are completely forgotten about. The Church has become a place of clicks and hypocrisy and rejection of those who need it most. Jesus is more interested in our hearts, not our outward appearances. He is more interested in acceptance, than how comfortable everyone feels.
A lot of people grow up in "The Church" and are raised to be spiritual, holy and "good people." But when the real needy people come in, broken, hurt and needing friends, the "good and holy" people end up pushing them out by (probably) unintentional actions and words. The words, "acceptance" and "unconditional love" becomes cliche and old hat.
When a young, unwed pregnant mama comes waddling into a church service, she slinks into the back row, hoping to not be noticed because she's worried about the judgement that will be cast her way. She keeps her eyes cast down, because she's worried she'll see the sneaked peaks at her and the behind-the-hand whispers that people do.
A young couple comes in, newly married, yet they carry a 1 year old baby on their arm, and they share their story of leaving God, and having a baby out of wedlock, but they've given their lives to God again. Yet the story gets around like wild fire and the young woman is called a "whore" and "horrible woman." The man is crushed into the ground for having sex before marriage and is smeared with phrases like, "lack of respect for women" and "ridiculously immature." So they keep their heads down, listen to the sermon and sneak out as fast as they can, afraid someone will catch up with them and run them into the ground with their words and actions, again.
Young people come out of controlling environments (like cults, abusive parents, bullied at school, etc) and they reach out for friends. But they have a past. They're hurt. They're broken. They need friends. But they're rejected over and over, because they're "different" and people don't feel they "fit" with them. They get told things about themselves and others opinions on why they are the way they are, yet deep down inside, these people are broken, bleeding and hurting deep within. The person speaking to them has no clue the wounds they're inflicting upon a hurt and dying soul. They have no clue they're speaking words of death and destruction to them. They're absorbed into their own world of "religion" and how they feel they're helping, when in fact, it's just pushing them further away.
Where are the true Christians? Where are the ones who are like Jesus? Why do so many judge and not care about the deep wounds that surround them in their daily life?
Why do Christians "avoid" places like Starbucks (heaven forbid! they don't support the troops, or they support the President, etc) thinking that will help people see just how righteous they are? Why do they go on and on about which places they will go and which places they won't? Why do they spend time with this person, but not that person?
Jesus never singled anyone out to make them feel special, or unwanted. He never told anyone to go away, or that they couldn't spend time with Him. He spent time with a woman who had slept around with 5 different men. He ate dinner with people who were "unclean" and weren't "Christians." He spent time with the hurt, the broken, the needy. He didn't have clicks and established groups. He didn't tell someone to go somewhere else because they would be a better fit over there, or tell them that they weren't welcome because he already had his own set of friends.
I see this over and over, not only in my own life, but in the lives of many others. Christians need to rise up and stop this "click" thing!! They need to rise up and realize that people actually need help who are in those Starbuck's and are in those places that are "unclean" and "evil." We aren't to be apart of the world, but we aren't to reject it either. Push aside the religion of hypocrisy. Don't say that everyone is welcome, and then push aside the person you "don't like" or don't "feel good about" etc. Look at Jesus' example that He left behind and follow that. So often we pray with blindfolds over our eyes, because we "sense" something or we believe our own perceptions about people. We can't get beyond our thoughts or feelings. We can't see the need before us, because we are so focused on how we feel.
Reach out! be the life giving hand that gives a breath of refreshment and acceptance to the one who needs you. When you see the unwed pregnant mama, smile, give a hug, invite her over. When you hear a story of abuse and rejection, call, invite them over, be a friend. When you see a couple who is struggling to make friends, be there.
Stop the cycle of rejection. Stop the cycle of judgment. Meet them where they're at. Don't allow current friendships and relationships and "clicks" get in the way of ministering to the needy. Rise above religion and hypocrisy. Don't say one thing and do another. Be there for them. Just be. Love. Help bring peace and forgiveness to their troubled hearts. Accept. Show them the power of love. Show them who the Real Jesus is.
In my own personal life, I have face rejection over and over. I have been told that "I'm not rejecting you." But what they don't know is that their words and actions are hurting and reopening wounds that I keep working at healing. I have left all my family and friends because of the leading of Jesus. I have left God and returned to God. I was one of those moms who had a baby before I was married. I am one of those who was rejected and shunned because of that. I have been told I am worth nothing. I have been told God could never use a sinner like me. I have been told that sex outside of marriage was hell worthy and God would never forgive me. I have been told that I am unwelcome. I have been told to go somewhere else. I have been told that I don't deserve family or friends. I have been pushed around, forgotten about, unwanted, unneeded and ultimately, crushed. Rejection is something that everyone faces in life, at some point. I am not playing the "oh whoa as me, pity me" card here. I am stating facts. I am rising above it all. I am choosing to love those who reject me and push me out of their lives. But it doesn't lessen the hurt.
And I know that many others have faced the same type of things I have. There is a world of hurting people out there! Yet "The Church" doesn't seem to care! They're focused on doing all these good deeds that the actions of reaching out to hurt and dying (whether figuratively or physically) are completely forgotten about. The Church has become a place of clicks and hypocrisy and rejection of those who need it most. Jesus is more interested in our hearts, not our outward appearances. He is more interested in acceptance, than how comfortable everyone feels.
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