This Is Where The Healing Begins
First, I have to make an announcement. This is unfortunately my last contribution to Fractured Saints. I have tons of other projects I’m working on, so it’s hard for me to keep up. If you still want to read about my wacky adventures, check out my personal blog. Now, on to today’s blog post. A few days ago I was at Panera Bread writing about spiritual abuse in my journal. I wrote about how some of my friends who grew up in abusive environments felt like God was abusive, too. Before I knew it, though, I suddenly started writing about being bullied in school, and how that gave me the impression that God was full of wrath and hatred when I was younger. When I finished writing, I realized that I still had this fear deep down inside me that God...
How We View God
Ever notice how everyone picks up something different from the Bible? I mean, most of us agree on the basics, but I think there are certain attributes of God that different people pick up on more than others. For example, when I started reading the Bible years ago, one thing that I really picked up on was the idea of God as the “father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). My dad wasn’t around when I was growing up, so the idea that God is the father I never had really gave me hope. Another thing that I immediately picked up on was the fact that Jesus’ disciples weren’t the righteous religious types who had their crap together–they were outcasts. Jesus passed by the temples of the high and mighty, and instead went to the...
The Wedding in Cana: Foreshadowing Good Friday and Easter?
If I can be honest, sometimes I get lazy about reading the Bible. I figure I’ve read the stories so many times that I already know what God’s trying to tell me, so why bother? That’s usually when God points out things I hadn’t noticed before. For example, this morning I was reading the story of the wedding in Cana. Most people remember this as Jesus performing a magic trick to keep the party going (in David Cross’ version, the disciples also ask Jesus to turn sage into pot). But as I read the passage, some things stood out to me: “On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’...
Hope Exists
For a while I’ve felt God call me to do something to reach out to people who are feel alone, unloved, lost, and completely broken. I’ve pushed it aside for months, but with the recent death of Tyler Clementi I feel like God is telling me, “Do it now!” So I’ve created Hope Exists, which is a place where people can come, tell their stories, and have hope. It’s broken people supporting other broken people. I know that with my trials and tribulations, I would not be here if it wasn’t for people supporting me. So I’ve decided it’s time to return the favor. The blog can be found here. The community Facebook page (which includes a message board) can be found here. And you can follow Hope Exists on Twitter...
What Is Impossible With Men
The other day I was reading my Bible and came across the story of the rich young ruler. It’s a popular story among my emerging Christian friends: Jesus tells a rich young ruler that unless he sells his possessions and gives to the poor, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. In the light of the Prosperity Gospel and theocapitalism (which is when the free market system is worshiped like a god), this account serves as a reminder that we, as Christians, cannot serve both God and money. But then a few verses down I noticed this: “Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’”–Luke 18:26-27 (NIV) Even though I’m not rich by any stretch of the...