tag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:/blogs/blog?p=1Blog2019-12-09T10:59:10-05:00gutsychristianity.comfalsetag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977812019-12-09T10:59:10-05:002022-05-23T05:15:33-04:00When You See An Overweight Person<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{" id="js_aq"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5962f4de3f93a3e52288020">
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">People who are overweight are carrying so much more than extra pounds. They carry shame. Guilt. Embarrassment. Hurt. There is this sense of having failed in a very real sense, and it can take an immense amount of courage to even step out into the light of day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The reasons people become overweight may differ. I gained 25 lbs while counting calories and breastfeeding on top of the 45 lbs I had left over from my pregnancy. For another person, it may be that they lose weight whil<span class="text_exposed_show">e dieting, only to gain it back plus more. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show">I've heard others still who say that they don't know how to lose weight. Others have disabilities, and for them, moving around is very difficult. There are thyroid and hormonal issues, and for many of us, we put weight on very easily.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perfect strangers often feel they have the liberty to speak about a struggle that is on display for all to see, and people online can post mean comments about pictures that we post. People measure our worth as a person based on the number on the scale, even though there is a human soul at the mercy of these verbal attacks.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Not every battle we fight is this public, and most of us take pains to hide the things we are most sensitive about. Overweight people do not have this luxury. Shaming overweight people is an often socially accepted form of bullying, and it can drive a person to consider the unthinkable. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Shame has effects that go deep and that can cause people to feel worthless and unworthy of anything good.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We wouldn't think of shaming someone who overeats but whose body does not show it. When you see an overweight person, you are likely seeing someone who is in pain, both physically and emotionally. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You are seeing someone who tries more than others realize and who also needs to be accepted like everyone else. The struggle with health is no worse than the struggle with any other problem, and overweight people don't deserve the vitriol.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There are endless, unseen problems with clothing, especially pantyhose. You can go on a search for a piece of clothing and end up going online to try to find the desired item. On some websites, I'm a 2X, and on another, I'm an XXXXXL.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't make this stuff up. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't find a belt that fits.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But I'm grateful for retailers that carry attractive clothing in larger sizes. Even so, there are many times I have not wanted to appear in photos, as if I was not even part of a particular event or social. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in the world of documenting everything on social media, we, ourselves, can remain conspicuously absent. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We become the ones always behind the camera, the ones telling everyone to smile. If we're not careful, years can roll by without our ever appearing in any of our own digital memories. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many of us use profile pictures from years ago, when we were a smaller size, or we use a picture of our cat. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many people have been taught that they're not living up to their full potential as people because of their pant size, and many still are waiting to lose the weight so that their life can 'begin'. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This leads to wasted time and sitting on the sidelines, because you are not 'allowed' to participate in the theater of life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This leads to a person of size feeling they are invisible. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Unable to be seen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Unimportant.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Stupid even. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If this is you, please know you are more than your pant size. God loves you so much He sent His son to die for you, and this is not a superficial love. You are a daughter of the King and such behavior is beneath you. You are worth so much more, valued above rubies (Prov 31:10). </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many people, in the guise of caring about the overweight person's physical health, completely overlook how their emotional health will be affected with the weight of their unkind words.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Be careful.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're dealing with other people's souls.</span></p>
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<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000000;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/motherhood:_the_secret_behind_the_door/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1056fdf255d2e008b65b6462eb8692f4ad8b3e0f/original/motherhood-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When God's Calling Brings Suffering</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_gods_calling_brings_suffering/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/51e4e7c25072277ba12cab69096828504cd08a3d/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="color: #000000;">When You Are Not The #Blessed</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_are_not_the_blessed/"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="color: #000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/892a253027281080bd0e71671e5896be05c068eb/original/is-it-wrongto-meet-alonewith-someon-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span></strong></span> </a></span></p>
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</div></div>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977802019-12-09T10:59:09-05:002022-04-29T12:35:22-04:00The Biggest Surprise of Motherhood<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/a5c53f68bb2051c719b1cbf6b552063e5d9a92cc/original/untitled-design-2019-03-02t151657-381.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">Motherhood.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's a destination you can reach via the portal of pregnancy, childbirth, and a load of pain. We can also arrive there through other means that are no less painful for all those involved.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Separation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Foster care.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Adoption.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have done both, and for me, the pain was forgotten in an instant.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The term <em>Motherhood</em> is often loaded.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After months or years of waiting for courts and adoption papers to move, pregnancy sticks to turn colors, and babies to be brought forth squirming and opinionated into the world, the great, heavy door swings open and reveals the expanse privy to only those who have cared for a tiny human soul.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">That is what this post is about: the surprises of motherhood.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As I have walked down the road that mothers travel, I have encountered the unexpected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My days are a mixture of the unimaginably cute and the horrifyingly gross.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Motherhood is, at times, both the most unforgiving and also the most forgiving thing I've ever done.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's punishing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">24 hours a day and seven days a week, you are on call.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You miss meals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You do with less sleep.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You work through illness, disappointment, and frustration.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your own needs are on hold.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But at the same time, my mistakes are always forgiven. They are met with kisses and an upturned face that thinks I can do anything, and I am met with such unconditional love, I am sure I do not deserve it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She thinks I can climb mountains, when I have trouble even climbing the stairs.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> Now that I have changed from the mothered to the mothering, and my vantage point is higher, I can see this so now clearly: our children do not know us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I see that I did not and do not know my own mother, because it is so obvious that my baby does not know me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let me explain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She knows kisses and cuddles and that I would slug through deserts carrying her on my back, slowly, of course. She knows I am fraught with something that keeps me mostly sedentary a great deal of the time. She knows I would do anything to make her laugh.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She, however, knows the mommy side of me. She doesn't know the individual and the person who I am, and it astounds me that this is the state of mothers and children everywhere who can be so close physically and emotionally all day long.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She doesn't know of my songs, even though she hears them. She doesn't know of my struggles, although she sees them. She doesn't know of the love that I have for her father that survived through a divorce, through our remarriage, and through the unthinkable. She doesn't know that Daddy and Mommy waited fifteen years for their miracle.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She doesn't know I play the violin.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She doesn't know that I write, and she knows nothing of my political advocacy. She knows not of my travels to another country where I was born, and she is not aware that I speak Spanish. My child has no knowledge that I cannot eat gluten and that I have a myriad of health concerns and allergies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She doesn't know I am old.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My little one doesn't know of my hopes, dreams, and aspirations, and she does not know what motivates me. And if the truth were told, I do not know these things of my parents either.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wish I did.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It makes me see that I do not know the reasons why my parents did as they did and that I cannot judge someone whom I do not know as an equal. Because they are mythic and superhuman to me, I cannot see them as people, and I never knew I would learn about myself and my views toward the previous generation by becoming a mother.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I thought I knew everything, and I wish I had given them more grace. I wish I had not held on to such bitterness for so long. Motherhood has taught me that there is always more to what we think we see, even when it is right in front of our faces.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That we can be so intimate with something, and yet, it is just only the iceberg's tip.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am less quick to judge and more prone to forgive. I am slower with my finger-pointing, and I just want to understand. And for me, this is the most surprising thing about motherhood.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When God's Call Brings Suffering</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></span><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_gods_calling_brings_suffering/"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/51e4e7c25072277ba12cab69096828504cd08a3d/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></strong> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When Temptation is Beautiful</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_beautiful_temptation/"><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4706d595f0f868d1e72e5354d6a572b4baac642c/original/temptation11.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Need Salvation</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/"><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b39e160af010bbbd465d1d32d8a677a57cec83da/original/you-needsalvation-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span> </a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Rosa Hopkins is an exclusive member of Becky Thompson’s Writer Network. For more information on how to join, go to <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fww.BeckyThompsonCourse.com%2F&h=ATNYbSQzkwhWgge-RfCfqdAm11-NkPQKjFyb9eorUtAzrJgqt9D3tEjjQc5oG9NnRZta0_ygkFQV5WEXztfBlJaDt8FCm4IeQ8CgRVoUu_KHiTOIQUW-Kn63rJb9WE4D5YkKvdkZ3sp6ePwZKh2W&enc=AZNDwOQw6SnmHaOCxheUxF7NvPZ_NLPsY83UzXnZAlJ4ao9yjYfN7eFWrLGhpi7sxqrev1JzCJhXXbcaVabyC-HPQfzgonku65znCsqMPUm5wheSt6jMeFUtUVJ6KFXnurONVrjHkl4Ou7h22XnJmeqg5NLukhNKa09KnRXWoNCGDNW3rDPN31fk2aE8xHTeShE&s=1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ww.BeckyThompsonCourse.com</a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977792019-12-09T10:59:08-05:002019-12-09T10:59:09-05:00Let There Be Light!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTQxMHgyMjUwIl0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="2250" width="1410" /></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Depression sits like a cloak about us, obscuring the rays of sun that might come streaming through the window. We cannot see, and we are left to grope about, searching for the right direction. It saps us of our energy, stealing whatever strength that we have for its own purposes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just taking a shower can require herculean strength. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jesus does not hurt the already hurting but offers them His nail-scarred hand. He understands our human frailties. I am offering the <span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: large;">FREE</span> gift of a 78-page beautifully-designed and thoughtfully-crafted 15-day devotion, tailored to those with depression. It is intended to prove a balm for the painful condition of despondency, and it is yours when you subscribe below. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You'll also receive links to two studio-recorded and radio-released albums with scripture intertwined throughout the lyrics, a post about how Ruth didn't wait for her Boaz, and periodic posts from Gutsy Christianity. All you have to do is subscribe below, but I'll ask you for one favor. If you have a depressed friend, loved one, or neighbor, pass this post on to them, so they can be comforted as well. God bless. </span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"></div>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977782019-12-09T10:59:07-05:002023-12-10T11:54:43-05:00Can You Lose Your Salvation?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/38fa787fef37da83e525286767918445da95f753/original/canyouloseyoursalvation.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">In the wide world of Christianity, the topic of whether or not you can lose your salvation is controversial. There are those who believe that a person cannot know if they have been given eternal life, and there are others who think it must be kept through good works.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Some are of the opinion that secondary graces are needed to be born again, and other groups teach that people are elected or predestined to be of God’s chosen few. Without clarity on this issue, it is impossible to be an effective witness for Christ, as the good news of the gospel will not provide a sense of security or stability.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Firstly, you can know if you have been saved. 1 John 5:13 says: </span> <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life’.</span></span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Let’s back up one verse to 1 John 5:12 that reads thus,</span><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life’.</span></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">In John 3:16, to paraphrase, it says that those who believe on Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life. In other verses, it makes clear that He died for the remission of our sins without which we cannot enter into heaven.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Reasons You Cannot Lose Your Salvation</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">So, let’s establish that you have trusted in Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Afterward, you may have continued to struggle with wrongdoing, or you may have done things of which you are deeply ashamed. Are you still saved?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Yes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Let’s return to John 3:16 for a moment. In its entirety, it says the following: <em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life’.</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">What does everlasting mean?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Put simply, something that lasts forever. If you had this life for a brief moment but then lost it after doing something foolish, it would not have been temporary life. But we are given life eternal.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Filthy Rags</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">When you or do attempt to live good lives, the result is as written in Isaiah 64:6, </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags’. </span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">This means that no matter how hard we try, our own efforts will never be good enough.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">It’s important to understand that if there had ever been a law that could have given life, it would have been the Mosaic Law. And yet, God still saw fit for Jesus to come to earth to take away the sins of the world.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">He, alone, was the fulfillment of the commandments that we could never wholly keep, and these were as ordinances written against us. And yet, in Jesus, they are nailed to the cross, and His righteousness becomes our righteousness when we believe on Him. (2 Cor 5:21)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">1 John 17 says, <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em>‘But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’. </em></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">1 John 1:19 says, <em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’.</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">We have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ, and the blood continually cleanses us from our sin. Is this a license to do whatever we want?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?’</span></em> Romans 6:2</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Salvation is the work of God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Ephesians 2:8-9 says,<em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourself, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast’.</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">A free gift can neither be earned nor can it be unearned. It is given by faith, and even that faith is given through the strength of God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">In the Word, it talks about chastisement and discipline for those who refuse to live a godly life, as there are consequences for failing to walk worthily of the Lord.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Our security, however, is sealed until the day of redemption. Romans 8:9 says that if <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><strong>‘</strong>any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his’</em></span>. (Romans 8:9) </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Ephesians 4:30 says <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em>‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption’.</em></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">We have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and sealed by His Spirit. Our salvation isn’t going anywhere. We also cannot lose it and regain it again as Hebrews 10:19 says <em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’.</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">One sacrifice, unlike <em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘for this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship’.</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">The Bible also says that we are part of the body of Christ, meaning we are as permanently affixed as a ligament or a digit. John 10:28-29 says, <em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">‘I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.'</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Hebrews 13:5 says, ‘<em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">For He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Romans 8:33 says,</span><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> ‘Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect It is God that justifieth.’ Verse 35 ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?’ 38-40 ‘For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ </span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Once you belong to Jesus, you can rest assured you are His forever.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong></em></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
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<p><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">12 Signs You Are Saved</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/12_signs_you_are_saved/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/dac287a05e2e1bce576378b20d989930771deeff/original/12-signs-you-are-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">3 Words That Can Change Everything</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/3_words_that_can_change_everything/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9463afbb8edb9f6b7550c8f687a9beca6d50330b/original/3-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">How Churches Burn Out Their Best and Brightest</span></p>
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<p> </p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977772019-12-09T10:59:06-05:002023-12-10T11:54:43-05:0012 Signs You Are Saved<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/dac287a05e2e1bce576378b20d989930771deeff/original/12-signs-you-are-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="400" /></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">For many, asking God to forgive his or her sins is a one-time event, but because the transition from an unsaved person to a child of God is literally invisible, it is common for people to struggle with knowing if they’ve truly been saved or not.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This can create a tremendous amount of anxiety, but thankfully the Bible gives us twelve ways we can know for sure that we have been saved.</span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your Prayers Are Answered</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Psalm 34:15 says, ‘The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil’.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Put simply, before you become a Christian, your sins act as a barrier between you and God. If you can think back to a time, even if it has been a while, when you know you received an answer to your prayers, be glad, for it’s proof that you are saved.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Have Been Disciplined</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Nobody likes to be chastised, but it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Just like an earthly mother or father will correct his or her son or daughter, God does the same to us. Hebrews 12:6 says, ‘because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son’.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God may rebuke you with an unsettled lack of peace, a passage of scripture, a sermon, words from a trusted counselor, or unpleasant life circumstances. This isn’t to say that all bad things are the result of sin, but some absolutely are.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Keep God’s Commands</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus said in John 15:14, ‘you are my friends if you do what I command’. If at no time you can remember earnestly wanting to please God, you may not have actually become a Christian. You can read this post to find out how to be saved without a doubt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Though it is entirely possible for Christians to backslide, there will be a sense of nagging in your spirit, telling you to repent. You may have even ignored these signs for a time. Nevertheless, unbelievers don’t have these road signs, cautioning them to turn around.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your Desires Are Changed</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1 Peter 4:3-4 says, ‘For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you’.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Long story short: you no longer choose to be a drunkard, going to clubs, fooling around with different men, or whatever it is you used to do. If you find that absolutely nothing has changed within, you may have cause to believe you aren’t a Christian.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want to note that nobody is going to be perfect, and that we all continue, to some degree, to sin. It isn’t about perfection but about a noticeable difference before and after our conversion.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Are Hungry for God’s Word</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you find that you are never interested in reading the Bible, there may be a problem. 1 Peter 2:2 says, ‘like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation’.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1 John 2:14 indicates that there is a progression of spiritual maturity from children unto fathers, and this happens from feasting on the word. If you find yourself missing your quiet times and after some time, it does not feel right, it is likely because you are becoming spiritually malnourished, proving that you are a Christian.</span></p>
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<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Can Fellowship with Other Believers</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are commanded to not forsake the gathering of ourselves together, and the Bible says that those who hate their brothers and sisters continue to walk in darkness. If you find a common understanding and ability to, generally, fellowship with other believers, this is a sign you truly have been saved.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It does not mean that you’ll never be in disagreement with other Christians, but that as a rule, you are able to find commonality with them, as we share one faith, one Lord, and one baptism.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Can Sense Him Guiding Your Life</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Isaiah 30:21 says, ‘whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’. If at one time or another, you sensed God guiding your path, that is because you are truly one of His own.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Reasons you may not currently experience this can be the presence of sin in your life, or simply because you are not engrossed in His word, or because His still small voice is crowded out with the busyness of life. Nevertheless, as a Christian, His direction is something you have access to as a result of your position.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Can Understand the Bible</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible is God’s word to believers. It is impossible to comprehend it if you are reading it in the flesh. A great sign you have been born again is that you are able to grasp spiritual principles. This is because the Spirit dwells within you and helps you to perceive the truths nestled in the scripture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is a well-known lament from scholars versed in the Bible who are not Christians, that it is impossible to understand. The Bible will not be a light until your path unless you are one of God’s own.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Have Peace</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Since the fall of mankind when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we have been born into sin. When you believe on Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, you immediately are reconciled onto God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This means that no matter what happens in your life, you have an everlasting peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, ‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This peace is actually there whether you feel it or not, and these various evidences of your salvation can demonstrate that this approved standing is something that actually does belong to you. Oftentimes, however, you will perceive this, as the Spirit bears witness to your soul. (1 John 5:6-10)</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Spiritual Warfare</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It’s often been said that those who don’t run into the devil are walking the same way. If you can point to persecutions in your life, trials, and troubles, these are part of the life of a born-again Christian.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1 Peter 4:12 says, ‘Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you’. If this describes your experience, take heart. 1 Peter 5:10 says, ‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast’.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Can Bear Fruit</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Children of God do not strive to produce works in the flesh, but they bear fruit much in the same way a tree will, naturally and in seasons.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">These deeds come from God, himself, as Ephesians 2:10 says, ‘for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them’. if you’ve ever felt nudged to do something or are yearning to use your talents in a particular way, this is because God put these desires in you for His glory.</span></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Endure Pruning</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This part hurts, but it is all a part of the Christian process. Every tree that bears fruit must have its branches clipped to ensure more growth. This is often painful, but it means that resources won’t be wasted on nonproductive shoots.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you’ve lost friendships or have had to move away from things that you’ve loved, or had other difficulties, it can be because the husbandman wants to make sure you have sufficient energy to give to that which is most important. You can expect God to cut things back in your life so that you will be even more ready for good works, much like a tree must be pruned in order to be healthy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">These twelve signs can give you an overall picture of salvation, and it’s important that you examine each area, not for perfection, but for evidence of your conversion. As you mature as a believer, you will naturally see more growth, so there isn’t cause to worry if you lag behind in any way. God gave us these guideposts in His word so that we would be assured of our salvation and cease from worrying. The goal is that we eventually will move on to learning the deeper things of God, being sure that we are saved. </span></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977762019-12-09T10:59:05-05:002023-12-10T11:33:33-05:003 Words That Can Change Everything<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/949f36963cad2d33060f3bb5390534461d15c315/original/3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What do fat-shaming, rape culture, and <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/2017/07/165925/medicines-women-problem-doctors-female-pain-comic?bucketed=true&bucketing_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fdash.refinery29.com%2Fstories%2F196563%2Feditor">medical misdiagnoses</a> have in common? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The feedback given betwixt them is often shockingly similar. They can be subtle and can take a variety of different shapes and forms, but the meaning is loud and clear: we don't believe you. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Not being believed triggers a domino effect for many women, such as doubting herself, her own ability to judge things accurately, and her own experiences. It can lead to a loss of self confidence, and it can cause her to feel hopeless and depressed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A sense of mastery is important to one's mental health, and when a person cannot affect his or her environment, they learn that they are without a voice. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine a woman has a physical condition affecting her weight, and she is <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/2018/04/196563/womens-health-gender-bias-doing-harm-maya-dusenbery">not believed</a> when she says that she does not know why she is overweight. The real issue will now be compounded. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine a woman who has been violated and comes to people for support but is brushed aside. Her wounds will now go untreated, there will be added trauma, and a criminal will go free, possibly hurting other people. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine a woman who says she's no longer interested in the things she used to enjoy, and her words are immediately discounted. Her depression will go untreated, causing a myriad of other problems. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine a person with anxiety whose words are not heeded and the suffering she will go through, wondering if somehow her panic attacks are her own fault. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How tragic that is in each scenario, but we have the power to fix it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In each church scandal, there was a moment when it was decided not to examine the facts of an issue but to look the other way when somebody came forward claiming abuse. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">On the secular stage, it took the trending hashtag #metoo to create a snowball effect to topple the likes of Harvey Weinstein and others. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In either case, the results were devastating in terms of abuse. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 22:23, it says, </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die.</em></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This means that a woman would be listened to and believed. By this passage can also assume that there would be other evidence pointing to the commission of a crime as well. Examining, by the way, doesn't mean bullying or interrogating someone processing a painful event. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So many Christians have taken the idea that such things are handled in-house, or in-church, because Paul said that the brethren were not to be suing one another. It must be noted that this regarding civil matters and not criminal, as nowhere is criminality condoned. Paul also said in Romans 13:3, </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. </em></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in Romans 13:4b, it says:</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.</em></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The rate of false report regarding sexual assault has been found to be between <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-the-truth-about-false-accusations-of-sexual-violence-88049">2%</a> and 6%, a lower figure than other sorts of criminal behavior. The CDC also says that <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/features/sexualviolence/index.html">1 in 3</a> women will have been the victim of sexual assault and that these figures are not representative of the total because of rampant under-reporting. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Put simply, many women choose not to come forward because of the not unfounded fear that they will further accosted and not believed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We have to balance the desire to prevent false accusations with the knowledge that the least of these must also be protected. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine the kind of world this would be when young girls and women are no longer used to being disbelieved, and as a result, they learn to trust their instincts and judgments. Imagine how much time will be saved in getting a correct diagnosis and in making sure predators are no longer able to help others to hurt other people. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine confidence instead of low-self esteem and dignity instead of shame. Imagine beauty instead of ashes and justice instead of scandal. Imaging adopting a trust and then verify mindset that protects everybody. Imagine what it would look like to not play the blame game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine not harassing trauma victims who are processing unimaginable circumstances. Imagine learning about what these <a href="https://bust.com/general/10232-take-that-rape-cuture-science-explains-why-people-dont-believe-rape-victims.html">responses</a> look like to provide support. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Saying, 'I don't believe you' creates a label of shame and says that the person is unreliable and maybe even stupid. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Saying, 'I believe you' provides a sense of validation and helps him or her be seen as a person with importance and value. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We should aim to be truthful and to find out the truth, because we serve a God who already knows which side judgment is to fall on. And if you're one of the ones who wasn't believed, understand that God truly sees and will be your avenger -- whether in this life or in the net.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says we are to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and to seek justice for the oppressed. In order to do that, we must first listen, and when we hear what has been said, we must make the choice to utter the three words that can change everything: I believe you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Stay Gutsy,</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Rosa</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong><br><span style="font-size: x-large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #800080;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_christian_backlash_against_metoo/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/abf93519dd6e47e93e0f18d6edb7041425425cd3/original/christian-backlack.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Trust No One Around My Child</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_trust_no_one_around_my_child/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c3efa304c2b3056cc33c9fc40791ab34f889e8dd/original/i-trust-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Domestic Violence: An Elephant in Our Churches</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/domestic_violence:_an_elephant_in_our_churches/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5f2c8e220d030d047b426cc3b818855139d6cfc3/original/domesticviolence-an-elephantin-our-churches.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977752019-12-09T10:59:04-05:002022-05-14T02:35:32-04:00How Churches Burn Out Their Best and Brightest<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/93283555c1405504ee1a2f7bdfb16fa75467881a/original/www-gutsychristianity-com-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is often the misconception that those who are disassociated, distant, and weary of the church were flunkies or people who were never really that serious about God, but the opposite is often true: these are our best and brightest.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And we're driving them away. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is a famous case of burnout in the Bible, and though it was in the Old Testament, it serves as a wonderful model for how a person of God can be driven to the point where he or she has had enough.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The person we'll be discussing today was Moses. He represents our best and brightest. He had a good education, but he has chosen to spend his life with the people of Israel, those in the lowest position, and to forsake the pleasures of Egypt. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In a nutshell, he has given everything up to follow God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He is the epitome of our serious Christian, the ones with the highest potential. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He isn't 'playing church', and he follows God with every fibre of his being. This is serious business to him. He could have had it easy, and he may have even forsaken an inheritance that was filled with the finer things of Egypt. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And yet, it isn't appreciated. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the desert, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and accused him of making himself a prince, but this wasn't true. His true character was assailed by Korah, as the Bible actually says he was the meekest man on earth. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Today, churches sometimes oppose their best and brightest because they want the spotlight for themselves and because they are envious of what God is doing in the lives of these people. Bad blood can also develop, because the zeal of the sold-out ones makes the rest of the people look bad. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Moses became angry when, after receiving the ten commandments, the people were found dancing and worshiping a golden calf that they had made, showing they weren't really serious about their holiness. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our best and brightest often end up leaving because of the hypocrisy of church leaders and lukewarm believers, as following God was never a game for them. Our most zealous members are often broken over sin, doing their best to remove it from their lives and are grieved when sin is practiced openly in the church. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Another reason we're losing our A-game Christians is because of exhaustion. Plain and simple, we wear them out. We weigh them down with too many tasks when we refuse to help and allow them to always do everything. We take advantage of their willingness to serve by not doing what we can do ourselves. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In Numbers 11:12, Moses says, <span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><em>'Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?'</em></strong></span><br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The people wore him out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Lack of support is another major cause of driving our all-stars away. Moses' father-in-law Jethro wisely counseled him to find 70 men to divide the task of judging the people, but many of our choicest brothers and sisters do not get the chance to delegate. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Rejection chases many of these ones away as well. When Moses attempted to moderate between two Israelites, they said to him plainly, "Who made you ruler and judge over us?" The message was clear. We don't want you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This is likely why when God was calling Moses out of the bush that he was so reluctant to go back to the Israelite people. As he continued to give objections, it was clear he thought that they wouldn't believe him. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why? <br><br>Because they'd rejected him. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our best and brightest know when we do not accept the calling on their life, and very often, the hurt becomes too much to bear, and as a result, they check out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In addition, they are needlessly torn down by the criticisms of others. The world is harsh, and when the church is just as harsh, and relationships are fractured, the tasks we thrust upon our most eager members becomes thankless, and it becomes too much. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They drop out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the Bible, Moses' siblings, Miriam and Aaron, were disputing among themselves that God had also led by them, implying that Moses thought too much of himself. They also were critical of Moses' Cushite wife. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God heard this and was not pleased with them both, and He struck Miriam with leprosy. Moses pleaded on her behalf that she be cured, and after seven days, she was made clean. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is, unfortunately, not uncommon for those carrying out God's work to be criticized and to have their characters inpugned. Everything from clothing and music choices to sins they struggle with to how their work is carried out is generally fair game for online discussion. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And it can be very painful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And Moses, at many junctures, seemed burned out. He was irritable and exhausted and at times impatient with the people. He bore up under a tremendous burden, however, and showed more patience than any man likely ever would. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And, so, I propose this. Come alongside our weary warriors. Let them ask questions. Don't hold them to a standard of perfection. Love them unconditionally. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Don't turn tail when the next new hot shot springs up, as it may not be of God anyway. Raise up people who will help carry their burden, and do not grumble under your breath or murmur that this person is leading everyone straight into the abyss. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Look for God's hand in all that these people are doing. Don't accuse them falsely, and above all, show them grace. Let them take breaks as Jesus did, and let them know they are appreciated. Forsake sin, and take living the Christian life seriously. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Maybe then will we see an explosion of church growth instead of shuttering the doors. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Maybe then we won't keep losing our best and our brightest. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your Tribe is Not Who You Think</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/your_tribe_is_not_who_you_think/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/ad49944bb9af34ba18aa7e5f1a65383aea37139b/original/your-tribe-is-not-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Njd4MTAwIl0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="67" /><br></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/549ff2e613cc8a1993d9644c373745909531b651/original/www-gutsychristianity-com-6.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTB4MTUiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="15" width="10" /></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977742019-12-09T10:59:03-05:002022-02-19T17:05:07-05:00There Is No God-Shaped Hole<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/da6fbaa1ce6673e766f4e325d4c188fbc0a088c6/original/there.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Christian speakers today fill their mouths with words expounding on the God-shaped hole residing somewhere in our gut that will be satiated once we find Jesus. It sounds nice, I suppose, but the trouble is that this God-shaped hole is pure fiction. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We need someone to be honest, and so, I will go first. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The void in my soul has been chasing me, desperate to be filled my entire life. And then I got saved. And I still had an aching, a longing that nothing seemed to keep at bay.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've tried traveling, because my heart tells me it will be happy if only we visit the streets of Baltimore I used to frequent, so I get in the car and run my hands along the brick-walled alley ways, and yet still, my soul feels empty. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've sat at the dinner table, filling myself with buttered seafood and crusty bread or any other thing my palate desires, but it has only left me emptier than before I began.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've tried praying, writing, fasting, going to church services, because the preachers tell me the emptiness will leave me, drifting away like a smoke rings in the air if I only trust Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But I've already trusted Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But it didn't work to send the darkness away.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So, I ask Him to save me again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The hole keeps asking to be fed, it beckons me like a starving dog. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why don't I have Jesus, I wonder?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why can't I have Jesus?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Isn't the gospel for all who call upon the name of the Lord?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And yet, I have done that. Dozens and dozens of times, in fact. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't tell anyone. They'll tell me contentment comes with knowing Jesus. And I wander on longing for the past and yet fearing hell will come for me at any moment since I can't seem to ever get saved. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But now I know that this isn't true. And the truth is that they know it, too. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because now they're saying something like this: if nothing on earth satisfies us, it is because we are made for another world. Ahhh, changing the script, are we? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Some are catching on to the fact that you can have heaven within you and still feel like hell, itching and burning in your skin. That's why they'll put fulfillment off on the horizon for another day, another time. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perhaps we should ditch the talk about feelings altogether, and I'll tell you why. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Salvation is something we've packaged like a sales pitch. Got a void? Check! Want to feel better? Check! Get saved! Huh?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Salvation is the cure to the death sentence sin has placed around our necks. We stand convicted of crimes against God, and yet, He sent His Son as both the payment and the attorney arguing for our release. We accept the restitution He made, and we go off Scott free. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is nothing about feelings or voids or longings in the contract for your soul. And so we go on, saying a sinner's prayer but then hiding our tendency to wander away from God's throne in search of a Krispy Creme donut or pornography. And then we feel ashamed and like hypocrites, and we see, as no one around us seems to struggle, but the closer we get, the more we realize their masks are painted on better than ours will ever be. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's a facade, a game we're all playing, and I implore us to stop, please stop. Please tell the truth. You don't have a God-shaped hole. You have a need for salvation. Jesus is bigger than your feelings, and He didn't die so that you would feel better. He died so that you would live, and living is sometimes still hard. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We should talk about grace instead. Oh, how He gives grace. That when your life is exploding with troubles with no end, you have a sense of peace that everything is alright and that the equation will somehow add up. It isn't a feeling. It is peace, and there is a vital distinction. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In other words, you can have your salvation and still have depression, anxiety, and all the rest. It's because, as human beings, we are a conglomeration of neurons, firing synapses, memories, and recollections of bad jokes from old Seinfeld episodes. We are finite and made from the dust, and we. Are. Going. To Have. Troubles. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus even said as much. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're also trying to ease problems that may have their root cause in something else like trauma, bad diet, or neglect by accepting the gospel, as if getting saved is the end all to our crumbling humanity. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We may need a doctor or a shrink or an exercise program, and sometimes, we need to ignore the pestering feelings of FOMO and longing for a mirage to stop feeling so driven. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So, please, let's not sell Jesus short, and let's not turn believers into neurotics who think they cannot get saved enough to make the longing take a hike. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus is sweet, He is eternal, He is righteousness, He is our peace, our Savior, our friend, our everlasting redeemer. He is our comforter, our mighty counselor, and nothing short of the name that is above every other name. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let's be real enough to just tell the truth, and maybe, the world will want to listen.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life if she's a Christian ? Subscribe, and I'll send you my post, Ruth Didn't Wait For Her Boaz.</span></strong></span></p>
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</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977732019-12-09T10:59:02-05:002019-12-09T10:59:02-05:00Your Tribe is Not Who You Think<div class="WordSection1">
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<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Y</span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">our tribe. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's all some people can talk about these days. How we need to find our tribes, get in there and stay, snuggled up amid the glow of happy friend-talk. If only it were that simple. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have agonized over the issue of finding my tribe for some time now. Over and over again I have looked for my tribe, only to find disappointment as my constant bedfellow. The parameters of the tribe, as defined by popular culture, are the ones who 'get' you. I would still be a long time looking if God had not shown something to me. </span></p>
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<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It occurred to me that this idea of 'tribe' is something which may be a little misleading. If you're a Christian, you probably find that those with whom you spend your time are often not those who are most like you. And if those around you are similar to you, they probably still differ from you in significant ways. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For example. I am a songwriter. I only know three other songwriters. My style and substance is quite different from that of the other three. I can't write sheet music (not that anyone can follow anyway).</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> I can barely play piano and I don't know how to play a horn. I write melodies straight out of the sky, as the good Lord provides them, whereas my other three friends do not. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're different. Though we're the same. Kind of. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so it goes. Looking for those who are just like me is exhausting and has proven to be impossible. I've spent far too long envious of everyone else who, from appearances, would seem to have found their tribe. In the process I've ignored the tribe who is right in front of me. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When we look at our bodies, we see odd groupings of parts jumbled together, hanging out with each other. Two eyeballs are there with a nose, a mouth and, hopefully, a full set of teeth. There's an ear on each side and a head of hair on top. The face is a tribe of different parts, not just 50 eyeballs hanging out together. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you'll notice, even the teeth who are grouped together are all different and serve a specific function. You don't just see molars hanging with each other; they are spaced out and sit with other teeth of different sizes and shapes. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And God put them all together. In a tribe. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Look at your hands. You have a group of fingers, but each one is so different. Your pointer is shorter than your middle finger and your pinkie is even shorter still. If you really had a hand full of thumbs you'd really be in a mess, and it just wouldn't make any sense. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Each hand is a tribe. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your organs are placed together and each perform very different functions. Still, they are needed by each other and work together for a single purpose, much like us. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As far as I can see, our tribe is the group of people that God has placed together, for example, in the local church. There are people there who can build, sew, cook, bake, sing, play piano, compose music (me!), budget, plan, preach, watch children, decorate, design, draw, paint, choreograph and run sound.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If all the composers were only with the other composers, and if those who could draw only spent time with each other, who would watch the children or make mashed potatoes? </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says, 'If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.' 1 Corinthians 12:17-18</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want us all to fully give ourselves the permission to stop looking for this tribe of people who are exactly like us and to embrace our tribe as the body of Christ, those who believe in Him for salvation.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For there is no one truly like us anyway.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I think we confuse the idea of belonging with the idea of being understood. And there is a difference. You can belong in a tribe with all sorts of different sorts and be fine. You may not feel understood as you go about doing what you were created to do, but that nagging sense of being misunderstand can follow you even when you find people who are similar. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Don't miss out on amazing friendships with different odd ducks, because you're busy looking for a group to understand you. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because I am a musician, I like to travel to places musicians hang out. Most are not Christian. I feel understood in my passions for melody and chord progressions, at times, but at the end of the day, I do not feel as deeply understood as I would like, because they don't share my faith. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">While I love hanging with other musicians, I truly belong to the body of Christ even though I don't feel understood by them in many capacities. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And even when groups of people get together, like at writers' conventions and the like, even then, each has a separate calling and a separate vein to which they are called. Each one is different like the fingers on our hands.<em> Which means we don't have to be like everyone else and everyone else doesn't have to be like us. </em></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Instead we are blessed by others who fill in the gaps for where we lack and for whom we are called to do the same. I can find no better tribe than that. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p class="Textbody"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like<br>Discrimination Distorts the Soul</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/discrimination_distorts_the_soul/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e4c82a5e7194b11a0d7e1bf47651a4b054a85d1a/original/discrimination-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God Helps Those Who Can't Help Themselves</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/god_helps_those_who_cant_help_themselves/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/0c5fe98eccbe488436bcd7d9b68b9b1585f12398/original/god-helps-those-who.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is No God-Shaped Hole</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/there_is_no_god_shaped_hole/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6c3fca1d414891a099ae0597c9071008aecdb0b9/original/there-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977702019-12-09T10:59:00-05:002022-05-23T04:25:15-04:00God Helps Those Who Can't Help Themselves<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/d9a7d8384c70139bcbba549cf036d834953e57b1/original/www-gutsychristianity-com-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We love to take credit for everything in America, and we also like to blame the less fortunate for their troubles. The truth is that everything we have comes from God. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our ability to believe in Him comes from Him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our knowledge of our need for Him comes from Him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our ability to do anything comes from Him. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But that's okay, because He helps those who cannot help themselves.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Do you have a porn problem that you've tried everything to conquer? Are you lost in sin? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He can <a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/">save</a> you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Are you down and out? Could you really use a friend?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A try-hard religion will give you and only you the credit, and God doesn't want that. He gets the glory all for Himself. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So often, I have felt like a loser of the faith, because I haven't conquered over my evil ways. I have fought the cursing habit I have, and I have lost. I can't stand up on stage and tell you how I grit my teeth and became a shiny, happy person who is a good example to others. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I will not do that, because it isn't true. I cannot stand possibly hurting people with presenting a false image of Christianity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are bumpy, bruised-up messes of human flesh incapable of helping ourselves. For every person proclaiming try-hard faith, a brother or sister is out there languishing in deep, dark depression, often comparing themselves to us and feeling they will never measure up. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">On top of their pain, there is heaped shame even though the Bible says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our name-it-and-claim-it mentality puts all the emphasis on strength, and if you're not strong, well, you've messed up somehow. If you're hurting, you didn't try hard enough. You obviously did not HELP YOURSELF. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What kind of a religion is that? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want to pause and mention that God does bless diligence. He absolutely does. Even so, diligence is not doing it yourself, because. you. can't. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'd like to say I am sorry to have to be the one to say it, but really, I am not. I have a Creator who saved me and sanctifies me and helps me in every facet of my life. My failings are my own, and I am done trying harder to make a difference so others will feel I am helping the Christian cause. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Somebody wrote me a letter the other day citing the poor example of Christianity that I am giving to other people, because I won't hide my warts and pimples. A few days later, a friend of mine, desperately depressed, reached out to <em>me</em> for help. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>Me</em>. Down-in-the-dumps-terribly-depressed me. She clearly had the wrong idea, as people sometimes do. She thinks our group of friends isn't struggling and couldn't possibly understand runaway thoughts that can drive a person crazy. I disabused her of that notion and told her that we are ALL struggling in one way or another. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And quite honestly, it grieves me that I have to tell a fellow believer of the things beneath the surface plaguing the people with the perfect images. God help us, this is not what Christianity is about. We are helpless without Christ. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But so many of us think Christianity is a club where we can show off our gold stars to anybody who will listen. My friend who is sliding ever deeper into depression thinks she is all alone when nothing could be further from the truth. To be honest, I fear for her life, and I know she is not the only one who is like this.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He didn't save us because of our power. He saved us because of His power. We had to agree with Him to get saved, but it was His glory, and His might. I am so weak and prone to failure that no one else can get the credit but Him. And for that, I am glad. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you are weak, poor, broken, depressed, let Him be your Help. Let Him be your strength. Let others see that He is with you there in the valley. So many of us act like He can't be with us unless the sunshine is on full-blast, but we do not have a fair-weather God. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've sat with people in physical or emotional distress who were clearly drawing comfort from their Savior, and it gives others comfort, pointing them toward Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The question now is whether you're willing to give up your image, so He can help you. I promise you, it's worth it.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Kranky, serif; font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: Kranky, serif; font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why We Can't Make America Great Again</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/why_we_cant_make_america_great_again/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/8f60441f15966b875e6c7745b20348989c5afbb6/original/why-we-cant.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Dear Christians, Stop Mimicking Gang Signs</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/dear_christians_stop_mimimicking_gang_signs/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/73766d43d0a9a829835e9683a98457e623a68dc7/original/christians.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Discrimination Distorts the Soul</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/discrimination_distorts_the_soul/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e4c82a5e7194b11a0d7e1bf47651a4b054a85d1a/original/discrimination-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a> </span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977692019-12-09T10:58:59-05:002021-08-20T05:46:13-04:00Discrimination Distorts the Soul<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4aa2adfcebb46007ff096e881bbff98b0ff04abc/original/discrimination-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am, by nature, an eccentric person. I like to form sentences in my brain to reduce theological mole hills that have been made into mountains, I dislike schedules and structured meetings, and I like living alone out in the country. Those that know me know I dress quite differently as well. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And I have these thoughts of what others perceive and how free I really am. To be me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Being me can be dangerous. Because I am often viewed through the eyes of discrimination. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It has always been this way. From the first day I walked out of my house unto a bus with Anglo children, insults and epithets have been thrown in my face. It colored my view of white people, and if the truth were told, I often am distrustful of those with fair complexions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They haven't been kind to me. And when they haven't been hostile outright, oftentimes, they've sent subtle hints that I'm not one of their own. Even in church. Actually, there are many who won't even talk to me, and it's most often the case that I sit alone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have a distorted view of myself, white people, and they have a distorted view of me. Discrimination distorts people on the inside in the way a dry rot corrodes the walls of a home. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so when they say to be yourself, I think it a luxury only for those who don't have to be on their best behavior. After all, our inspirational stories usually contain an exceptionally talented person of a discriminated class to show us why we shouldn't be so mean. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am not allowed to fail, be different, difficult to categorize at first glance, or spend time 'experimenting'. I am tightly wound, high strung, and the question, 'what do you do for fun?' is hilarious. I don't even know what fun is. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have been followed while shopping even though I was employed by my town's 9-1-1 center as the Addressing Project Manager. I have had clerks refuse to cash my checks even though I provided all the identification they had asked me for. In fact, the female teller said, 'signatures don't match, girl' to my face, as I was wearing my business suit on my way to work in Citibank's fraud department. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My signatures on my driver's license and the check matched perfectly. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have been called dark skinned even though I am not. I have been told that my Spanish accent is thick even though I don't have a Spanish accent. I've been asked to speak 'Mexico Talk' for people. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Someone told me that many 'Hispanic' people were allowed to live in Baltimore, because the upwardly mobile needed a servant class. I was 9 months pregnant and thought I would blow a gasket. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am afraid to drive into certain states alone, and I don't feel as if my voice is as welcome in Christianity as are the voices of others. I know full well that others of a variety of races and backgrounds feel the same way, as discrimination can happen to women, older people, younger people, poor people, those of different races, and too many others to mention. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's funny, because a study done on eccentrics that found they see their doctors 20 times less than the average person and that they tend to be delightedly content, suffering less viruses and living slightly longer than the general population. Psychologists believe it is because they are comfortable with who they are and don't feel the need to hide it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How amazing that must be. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In a letter written from a Birmingham jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote of <em>'forever fighting a degenerating sense of nobodiness'</em> and how when a commercial for Funtown came on the screen, he had to tell his daughter, then a small child, that it wasn't for colored folks. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He observed the 'ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky', as it <em>'began to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people'.</em> Tears welled up in her eyes, as he struggled to formulate a response as to why she couldn't go and enjoy the theme park. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can only wonder how many opportunities have passed me by for not gaining entrance into the club. I can only wonder how my personality can possibly untwist itself from the restraints and conditions I put upon myself, knowing full well that 'being yourself' is a luxury for the privileged few. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Dr. King wrote these words that could have very well been written today. </span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not capture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust'. </span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I went downtown to the African Methodist Episcopal Church one day. I went there, because on the telephone I could the hear the singing of a soul in prison when my husband called me from work, and I had to know the source of such worship for the Lord. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The keyboard player did not play songs, he played melodies of notes strung together, bled from hard tests of his faith in an environment harsher than most of us will ever face.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And the singing. Such singing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As a gospel singer and musician, I know about much in the music world, and no recording that I have ever heard is as sincere as the joyful noise on the other end of that line. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I shushed my husband, so I could listen, mouth agape. Soul, testimony, truth, and depth dripped off the tongue of that incarcerated man, and the shouts of amen could be heard in the background.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I asked who these musicians were. They were AMEs. I had never heard of them before. Why hadn't I heard of them before? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so, I went. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I took my toddler, my skinny white husband, and my ethnically-mixed self into a large building that clearly predated any building any other edifice in the area. We were unintentionally interrupting their order of things, being newcomers, as we couldn't even figure out what door to come in. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And I saw that in the midst of generations of black people, there were white people worshiping Jesus, too. But all of them had something obviously wrong with them. A serious limp, a walker, problems seeing. Something. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And why were they there? I can only assume it was because they were looking for acceptance. Because they were different. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Their church was built in 1837 by free black men, and it continued to this day, generation after generation. And honestly, it hurt my heart that there had to be an African Methodist church and not just a Methodist church. Also, why was our town still divided by color, meeting separately, unknown to one another? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And as we approached the main sanctuary, and that gorgeous music filled the room, I saw a choir of singers, black and a few white, and a room full of black and mixed people. And during the message, the pastor said something I will never forget. He addressed his congregation and told them that if when looking around the room, they saw somebody different than them to please be kind. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He said that if when you see somebody who doesn't have the same ebony skin as you, that you treat them as you would your own people. My skin color, being white, I felt my family, for the first time, was on the other side of the spectrum, and yet, he was telling them to not reject us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wondered if the discrimination in their lives had distorted them, too. Might they see me as a potential discriminator toward them as I do other people?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But also, as acceptance was being preached, perhaps there was an awareness than when white or mixed people come through their doors, we're reeling from the pain and need desperately to be accepted. My husband was the only white man there. All the other whites were women, and all of them were older.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After all, the limping white parishoners were in such need of help that they were helped, physically, by the able-bodied black men in their midst to get to and from their seats. I saw them step up to the needs of others, knowing full well we look like those who have kept them out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in the morning, they cook breakfast for anyone who wants it, because they know people go hungry who don't have enough food to eat. And there is a bus outside that brought a good number of people in, and a barrel of donated food was in the hallway. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They know something about those who darken their door. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They invited us to their 180th celebration as a church, and we went later that week and again the following Sunday. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Discrimination distorts the souls of those discriminated against and those doing the discriminating. </span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Discrimination twists us, it creates caricatures of real life and asks us to fit into tiny little boxes that have nothing to do with reality.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">It creates vacuums in our heart that say I can never excel, because I am a woman, person of color, Hispanic, Jewish, Middle-Easterner, Asian, or any other qualifier. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It says I am somehow deficient or inferior in the way that God made me, and beneath any bitterness or anger, at its base, is an ocean of hurt. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A lifetime of slights creates a void, and anger protects us from being victimized again, but it begins to rob from us in a different way, making it hard to feel or let people get close to us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Especially hurtful is when we are judged for our anger as if it was the cause and not the effect of our troubles. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sometimes we judge others before they've had the chance to show us who they really are, and the cycle continues. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It isn't God's will to be distorted by the labels we've attached to others and that others have attached to ourselves. It is hard to trust others, but we need to try. We need to forgive lest our hearts stay disfigured. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says in Galatians 3:28: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'</strong></em><span class="p"><br></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in John 13:34, Jesus said: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."</strong></em><br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And there you have it. We are all one in Jesus, and we are to love one another. The question now remains: are we willing?</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Saw Jesus Sleeping on a Park Bench</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_saw_jesus_sleeping_on_a_park_bench/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/fb80984a895f0a3540f75e4126723922defd0991/original/jesus-church-homeless-poor-poverty-charity-caring-for-less-fortunate-christian-duty.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why We Can't Make America Great Again</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/8f60441f15966b875e6c7745b20348989c5afbb6/original/why-we-cant.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Dear Christians, Stop Mimicking Gang Signs</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/dear_christians_stop_mimimicking_gang_signs/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/73766d43d0a9a829835e9683a98457e623a68dc7/original/christians.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977682019-12-09T10:58:58-05:002022-05-13T03:30:05-04:00Dear Christians, Stop Mimimicking Gang Signs<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/da75f3e5b56e1e28ac2a06209695e222500415e7/original/stop.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Dear Christians,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As the wife of an 18-year veteran of corrections, I need to implore you to stop throwing pretend gang signs in your photos. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let me explain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It has somehow become popular for people, even those who rightly consider themselves Christian, to take pictures of themselves with silly duck faces, software-enhanced doe eyes, and animal ears, and there is no problem with any of that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't also help but notice when, otherwise well-behaved, people also find it necessary to 'throw' down gang signs in their pictures.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As an adult and as a Christian, I humbly and lovingly ask that you refrain. You cannot imagine how your actions, though innocent, reference a culture I don't think you'd want to be drawing references to.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My husband works in a prison that houses many maximum security inmates that mostly come from the 4th most violent city in our nation, Baltimore, Maryland. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many of the criminals that live in the housing facilities where he works have committed more than simple murder. Some are responsibility for atrocities that would haunt your worst imaginings, and many of these are gang members. Serial rape, pimping, and multiple homicides are the norm. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When rival gangs are at war, the prison becomes a dangerous battleground, and I pray nightly for the safety of all whose lives are caught up in the fray.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It isn't unheard of for someone to smash someone else's head in with a TV or for an inmate to bust somebody over the head with a padlock placed in a sock for leverage.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Stabbings are another way of retaliation, and men have had their necks sliced completely open. A man has had all their skin steamed off while trapped in industrial-sized dishwasher on purpose by a gang member. The soles of his feet fell off when he was let out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The violence is swift and unpredictable. Men have thrown other men off second-story balconies, and one twisted another one's head completely around. Others have, in the past, used dumbbells to beat others in the head. The injuries gang members cause are gruesome and often fatal. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The gangs are a source of problems both on the streets and off. Gang leaders often operate their outfits from inside prison walls, controlling what happens on the outside. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They operate drug rings, pulling in truckloads of money and infiltrating the cities with deadly substances for people to abuse. It isn't glamorous, and it isn't cool. Christians have no business mimicking the gang signs that they use. None, whatsoever. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It helps to normalize the proliferation of gang culture and to even establish it as something cool when it most certainly is not. When I hear that the gangs are getting antsy in the prison, it means that somebody I love or am friends with could get killed. It means that a correctional officer might not come home tonight. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's not a dance I am willing to engage in. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When my husband conducts cell searches, oftentimes he finds photos of inmates with their friends or families, and everyone will be posing as gang members. Imagine how it looks when Christian kids pose online in the same stance, and yet, I see this on a fairly regular basis. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am certain that a large amount of this is done in ignorance, and that is why I write this post in love. We are not to be conformed to the pattern of the world in any way. We can make all the duck faces we want and use software to make our eyes larger if we like, but please, I ask you to stop throwing pretend gang signs. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Purity Culture is Dangerous</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/purity_culture_is_dangerous/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/f3e873626b8d20c6aa53d0680e7db2cbf8cf9af2/original/purity-culture-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Saw Jesus Sleeping on a Park Bench</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_saw_jesus_sleeping_on_a_park_bench/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/fb80984a895f0a3540f75e4126723922defd0991/original/jesus-church-homeless-poor-poverty-charity-caring-for-less-fortunate-christian-duty.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTE5eDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="119" /></a></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why We Can't Make America Great Again</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/why_we_cant_make_america_great_again/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/8f60441f15966b875e6c7745b20348989c5afbb6/original/why-we-cant.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span></div>
</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977672019-12-09T10:58:57-05:002020-10-22T08:44:48-04:00Why We Can't Make America Great Again<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/0002089b87d0e994fd60148fe2e2a869b2c4bac4/original/why-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many Christians went to the polls last November to make America great again but have forgotten that judgment begins at the house of God. We are guilty of two great sins that will prevent us from becoming prosperous as a nation, and no single pull of the lever can fix that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our first great sin as a church is that we've completely left out one major way in which we are supposed to spend our tithes. But before we can even get to that, however, it must be mentioned that 33-50% of church members tithe <a href="https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-how-to/151049-brian-dodd-generous-church-ten-top-characteristics.html">nothing</a>, and that the church, overall only tithes at 2.5% per capita. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Now, let's move on to what happens with the money that actually does make it in. In the Bible, the tithe would be divided into sections and allocated accordingly. Some went to the Levites, some went to sacrifices, and some went to the poor. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In researching for this post, I found that we are giving virtually nothing to the less fortunate from church coffers. When reading the following verse, notice the word <em>whole</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'</span></em></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We've brought SOME of the tithe in and are giving almost nothing to the poor, therefore we won't see the floodgates of heaven opening up. Many of us don't even like that some of our taxes go to the less fortunate. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How sad.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Deuteronomy 26:12 says of the tithe:</span></p>
<p><em><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.'</span></strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That basically says to care for the immigrants, orphans, and widows, along with those tending to God's flock, and I daresay we're not faring too well on that front. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">According to Christianity Today, the breakdown in church spending looks like this: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">47% Salaries</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1% Other</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1% Travel</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1% Debt</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">2% Cash Reserves</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">3% Denomination Fees</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">3% Property Insurance</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">4% Administrative Costs</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">4% Domestic Missions</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">5% International Missions</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">5% Maintenance Cleaning</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">7% Utilities</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">7% Buildings</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">9% Ministries and Support</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is a great misconception that the tithe is only to go to church buildings, paying ministers' salaries, and to things that are only focused on preaching. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When people in our communities try to go to the churches for help, it is often a dead end. Assisting the unfortunate is often also loudly decried as a social justice gospel and is seen as not inherent to spreading the gospel, as if the poor will take us seriously when we are closed-fisted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Put simply, the church is not a hub for the poor to get bread, but Jesus offered the hungry the bread of life, Himself, and He also gave them literal bread and fishes to eat. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Maybe we should do the same. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The second area where we have failed is with regard to our littlest neighbors, the unborn. This past Friday, on the day of the March for Life, Congress had two bills on the table to decide to pass. One was HR 490, otherwise known as the Heartbeat Bill, that would prevent 95% of abortions, as it would stop a child with a beating from being aborted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It has been shown that this can occur as early as 18 days gestation. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The other bill up for consideration was the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that would keep a baby who survived an abortion from being killed as so often is the case in botched abortions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Heartbeat Bill would have made the other bill unnecessary, and the other bill is also largely a redundancy, as a similar bill was passed by George W. Bush in 2005. Once a child is out of the womb, it is already illegal to inflict further damage on them. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But still. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Heartbeat Bill had 169 co-sponsors, and yet, it was decided to pursue the other bill that will not prevent a single abortion. The marchers marched, and this year, close to a million babies will still die. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">We had a choice between Jesus and Barabas, and we chose wrong, siding with big business instead of with our precious sons and daughters. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">In Bible times, because the Israelites were guilty of sacrificing their children, they were sent into Babylonian captivity and were driven from off their land. Those that remained were suffered the sword, pestilence, and famine. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm not suggesting that that is going to happen to us here in America, but these are some things listed as signs of judgment in Deuteronomy chapter 28: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Drought, scorching heat, famine, diseases, losing in battle, confusion, invaders, theft, your money and possessions going to other people, worshiping false gods, going into debt, oppressed by other nations, anxiety, and fear. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Some of these are already happening in our land, such as debt, though I am definitely not saying that those with anxiety and depression are experiencing this because they are being judged. I am saying that we may already be seeing the beginnings of judgment in our land, and that is a fearful thing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our lack of care for the poor and our national sin of abortion are serious issues, but there is always hope. I Chronicles 7:14 says, </span></p>
<p><em><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'</span></strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's up to us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We can be humble. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We can repent. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We can seek His face. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We can pray. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says He will hear us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The questions is, will we?</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Christian Backlash Against #metoo</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Purity Culture is Dangerous</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Saw Jesus Sleeping on a Park Bench</span></div>
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</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977662019-12-09T10:58:55-05:002021-11-11T00:01:15-05:00I Saw Jesus Sleeping on a Park Bench<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/cfdee1efc677207f900836e01c85572d37a458f5/original/jesus-church-homeless-poor-poverty-charity-caring-for-less-fortunate-christian-duty-faith.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I saw Jesus on the street corner today, He was open air preaching. I find it annoying that He makes me feel guilty if I don't help out in some way. I'm not a fanatic.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I saw Jesus asking for money for a missions trip to a foreign land, and I wonder why He has to get help with His projects if He can't afford to to do them. I'd like to go to church and not be bothered with His trifles.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus asked me whether I would buy bracelets from new believers over in Africa who have been rescued from human trafficking, and I truly balked. It's too much money, I have too much stuff, and I'd rather they hocked their wares to people with more money.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus asked if I'd help Him with the homeless ministry He's running, and that is really too much. I do not want to spend time with the dirty, bedraggled shiftless population who sits around and who will not find jobs. If Jesus wants to go help out, that's fine. He doesn't have to drag me along with Him.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> Jesus asked for help with His missionary bake sales. Why don't the missionaries help people here in the U.S. instead of asking for money to go overseas? I have enough problems of my own.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The singers who came to church asked for money, and Jesus was in the band. He was playing bass, and though I liked it, I told Him He really should do it for free, you know, as a ministry. I know He practices and needs to put food on the table, but it's just too much. He should provide for Himself.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus is always trying to buy gospel tracts and wants my money. He has sometimes gone hungry because He's so zealous that others get saved, but there is the need for balance. If you want to go out preaching, you should pay for it yourself. That goes for preachers too. I don't need to support those who won't work. After all, Paul had a job.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus asked for my help in taking care of the refugees and I told Him He was out of His mind. What if Jesus brings a disease or helps bring terrorism into the country? I can't believe Jesus would be so irresponsible.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You know what really bugs me is tithing. Jesus asks me to tithe, and I tell Him that He doesn't understand how the world works these days. Besides, this is so Old Testament. I know there are expenses like electricity and taxes and all, but I'm barely scraping by. That's why only 5% of American even bother tithing.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus told me that a great deal of His missions trips are underfunded and that He spends more time than He would like to raising funds for evangelism. He told me that He works to stretch every dollar and contributes from His own earnings and that He often goes without things you or I would take for granted. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He says that He often does His work alone without help. He feels lonely and sometimes takes verbal abuse from the world that you and I never hear about.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He said that if every Christian tithed, He would have an additional $165 billion for ministry and that taking $12 billion, He could take care of illiteracy in five years, with $15 billion, He could solve world sanitation and water problems, and could fully fund missionary work overseas in its entirely for $1 billion. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">$100-$110 billion would be left for other endeavors. Jesus said that could be used to help fight against abortion and could also really help the homeless.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He says that He often sends His disciples out without provisions and that we are to see to their needs. He said that if we give a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple that we will not lose our reward. He said they often come to us hungry and naked and need our help.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus also said that when He sits alone in church that He would love it if someone took the time to sit next to Him. He mentioned that it gets lonely all the time in the nursing home, too. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He said that being a single parent is so difficult and that He rarely gets any phone calls from anyone asking how He is doing. He said sometimes He just needs a break. Jesus is hurting from His divorce and often feels like His life is just falling apart. Jesus never thought He'd be cleaning floors just to make ends meet.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When Jesus got beaten up for sharing His faith, I was kind of embarrassed for Him. He sometimes needs to just lighten up. His lip was bruised and bleeding, and I really felt bad for Him, but I was too scared to help out. Maybe He should put in some effort to try to fit in better.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I saw Jesus sleeping on a park bench today. He lost His job recently. We briefly made eye contact, but I quickly walked away. I have the room in my house to let Him stay, but it would be so awkward. He was going to our church, and we've talked before, but I wouldn't know what to say to Him now. I hope He understands. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">“Then the King will say to those on his right,</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> And everyday Jesus holds out His hand and gives us opportunities to see what we will do for Him. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody"> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy, </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Christian Backlash Against #metoo</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Purity Culture is Dangerous</span></div>
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<p class="Textbody"> </p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977652019-12-09T10:58:54-05:002021-10-21T03:48:30-04:00Purity Culture is Dangerous<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/8b7762f95b0486bac3778022fc0677f9b68db2e7/original/purity.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /></span>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Purity culture.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It sounds so nice.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It sounds noble.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The goals sound godly.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So what could be the problem?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Everything. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The rules of purity culture go like this: it is up to a woman to keep a man from stumbling because of her clothing choices, and she is not to meet with a man alone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I had thought, like any sane human being would, that these rules were espoused to protect the young from sin or wrongdoing and to keep them along the straight and narrow path. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was wrong. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have witnessed too many times to count that these supposed safeguards from impurity are used to blame victims when something untoward (read illegal) happens to them, and it goes like this.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What was she doing alone with him?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Boys only want one thing. She should have known that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Look at her clothes, she was asking for it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She participated, she's not a victim. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She seduced him. She needs to apologize and repent. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">So, all an abuser has to do is blur the lines slightly, and he or she is golden? Invite a girl to his dorm room or keep her out past her curfew? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;">This means that the system is not only set up to protect rapists, pedophiles, and molesters, but it also provides a ready excuse for them. Blame the women! It's their fault. They're not <em>real</em> victims! It becomes a veritable cry to burn the witch at the stake.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Respectable women in this system feel often it is their job to toe the line, because everything is set up to protect those with the most power. Nevertheless, these women sometimes make the choice to add to the pile-on of guilt directed at victims. The least of these are at the bottom of the heap, and as such, are left unprotected. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've watched as purity culture proponents on social media have railed against the stories now brought to light, clearly angry that women would dare speak about what had happened to them. I've read stories of churches that subjected victims to church 'discipline' and who never contacted authorities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In purity culture, the focus clearly is not on protecting women and girls and is oddly aligned with protecting rapists. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm suspicious of that, and I don't trust them around my daughter or me for that matter. I'll be blunt. I think they protest too much, because they identify in some way with these molesters. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Think that is too harsh?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I think they have some explaining to do. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When money-launderers are caught on television and sentenced to prison, I don't find an immediate defense for them, because I can't identify with that. When people are caught breaking and entering and get in trouble, I don't identity with that either. I am not vocal about blaming victims of theft and robbery, because I don't identify with robbers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">So why do some folks defend rapists?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Repeatedly.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Emphatically.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Passionately. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And why do they re-victimize people by putting them through hell after they come forward?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the news and on social media lately, we are hearing a lot about the #metoo movement and about the allegations involving men in power and sexual harassment or assault. Because of this, we are also hearing much commentary from the purveyors of all things sexually pure. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And there is cause for concern. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't trust that they want things sexually pure. I think some want an easy breeding ground for the types of abuses they're into. And God does not smile on that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And if I'm wrong and leaders are not perpetrators themselves, perpetrators are surely listening to the rhetoric and see a clear coast for them to do their work. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Either way. I'm not interested and plan to stay far, far away. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For the rest of us, our theology needs to accurately portray what scripture says: that a man who lusts has already committed adultery with a woman in his heart. There is no mention of her clothing, whether they were alone together, or any other thing that could possibly be construed to mean that it was her fault. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The responsibility for controlling one's eyes belongs to the one doing the gazing. Job recognized this when he said he made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maiden. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I even read in a book written by a large organization that Tamar's rape was her own fault for not anticipating that that could happen. Our girls deserve better than this, and purity culture is dangerous. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine for just one minute that you have been raped. Imagine being told it was your fault. Imagine that someone guilty of rape was allowed to operate in a leadership capacity in your midst. Imagine how worthless you would feel. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is not, therefore, hard to see how 70% of victims spiral into depression. 94% of victims will experience PTSD. 33% will contemplate suicide. 13% will attempt suicide. They are between three and a half to ten times more likely to use drugs than the general population. 84% experience moderate or severe distress and problem at work or at school.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But purity culture isn't concerned about that. They've sent that message loud and clear. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">One last note. Many churches are lax at reporting crimes, because they follow the admonition not to sue one another. People sue for civil matters, no? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible also says that we are to obey magistrates and have nothing to fear if we have done nothing wrong. This has to do with criminal matters. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Assault and rape doesn't fall under the first category. These are crimes and must be reported. Enough said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As it is, purity culture can only continue for so long before its rotten fruit will be obvious to all. Until then, you don't need purity culture to avoid having premarital sex. If that were the case, there wouldn't be so many leaders in the movement involving scandal.</span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why I Hate Christianese</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Christian Backlash Against #metoo</span></div>
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<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"></span></strong></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977642019-12-09T10:58:53-05:002021-08-20T05:43:40-04:00The Christian Backlash Against #metoo<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/505eb00477547caed8cd9b7a7caf91d6b549b303/original/the-christian.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">One day I decided to go on a diet and to eat healthier food. I prepared a dinner of nutritious fare and followed it up with an orange. That night, I became horrendously ill, and someone told me it was because I had followed up dinner with the orange. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">By the next morning it was apparent that I had contracted the stomach flu, and the person next to me in bed was also violently ill. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I say this to say that sometimes what we consider to be a cause and effect situation is nothing of the kind but an indication that something else is the matter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Lately Christians have been backlashing against the #metoo movement. There have been several arguments that I have witnessed floating around my Facebook page, and I wish to mention a few of them here. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Some of those around me have said that the rash of sexual harassment allegations are the rotten fruit of the sexual revolution. I scratched my head when I heard that, but as time has gone on, I have heard this sentiment repeated with more and more frequency. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The idea goes like this: if a woman can be sexual with a man when she wants to, sex, therefore, has no meaning, and thus you cannot expect not to be sexually harassed. Again, I scratched my head. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is victim shaming at its finest. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">An article that I read even had the audacity to claim that a young Harvey Weinstein would have been attending school during a period when sex was thus meaningless in a classroom with no Bible and no prayer and that this very environment would not have equipped him to know not to sexually harass women. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I, at first, saw one Christian leader post this message, and others have followed suit. This reasoning implies that if you are somebody who eschews the sexual revolution that you won't be harassed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Statistics show that women who wear modest clothing are not any less likely to be victims of assault and I wrote an entire piece that you can read <a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/modest_clothing_is_not_the_answer/">here</a> about how modest clothing is not the answer. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Another problem with this message is that it came after the Matt Lauer allegations, and it it absolutely shocking to me that we would victim blame those who were at their job trying to deliver the news. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's also implying that if a woman should choose to be in a sexual relationship with a man or to wear what she wants that she can only expect to get raped. It's to say that it's her fault, and it's giving an invitation to any predator out there, because victims will be shamed and blamed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Please note I am not advocating sex outside of marriage. What I am saying is that sex outside of marriage, to some Christians, means that you are fair game to anyone who wants to assault you. That reasoning is very, very wrong and is sick. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Another message I have heard recently is that victims are complicit if they do not quit their jobs when inappropriately propositioned. That is to say that they aren't 'real victims'. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The problem here is that we're saying that sexual harassment should be a protected set of behaviors and that it is the job of victims to stay away from the perpetrators. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We have laws in this country against sexually harassing people on the job so that women should not have to quit and give up their livelihoods in order to be protected. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When a boss exhibits these behaviors, it is bullying, because it employs intimidation, a fear of reprisal and a threat of losing her job as a repercussion for not allowing his advances. When we, as Christians, for some reason also feel the need to add to the pile on and question the motives and actions of these women, it is also a type of bullying. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The people listening to the rhetoric and the pushback may be people who have experienced sexual harassment and abuse and may now realize it isn't prudent to stand up, because they may not readily be believed. It does much to silence victims and to keep people from coming forward. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've heard people questioning the circumstances of some of the public allegations heavily, too, and this makes it harder for people to report things in the future, because victims will also question themselves and feel confusion as to whether they share blame if they perceive the circumstances to be ambiguous. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But like the stomach virus that was blamed on the orange, the issue is sexual predators not immodest dress, having sexual partners, using alcohol, going out on a date, or any other factor. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">People have also been claiming that rape allegations often ruin the lives of men. An article that you can read <a href="https://qz.com/980766/the-truth-about-false-rape-accusations/">here</a> shows that studies reveal clear patterns regarding false rape claims. They either tend to come from teenagers past their curfew who are afraid of getting in trouble, or they come from troubled people with histories of false accusations, incarceration, and severe mental illness. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It also found that 52 cases of false rape accusations led to jail time in the past 28 years but that 790 such cases existed for murder charges. It is also well-known that only six men will ever go to jail for every 1,000 rapes. Let that sink in for a moment. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The anger that I'm hearing seems to be directed at women, because women shouldn't do be successful or ambitious, or flirty, or sexual, or anything that we deem threatening. And since this anger seems to be directed at women, it appears that the #metoo movement is threatening a system that many people hold dear. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What is terribly and unbelievably sad is how unaware people are that #metoo affects men, too. Men are also sexually harassed and bullied in this manner, but usually stay silent because there is even more shame associated with it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Still, the vitriol I am hearing is directed at woman as if this is a gender war. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It might be the patriarchy at play, but it could also be a system that accords certain people power as long as everybody else knows the role that they play. If women no longer know their roles and can be afforded the same rights as everybody else, perhaps it threatens to topple a system that only benefits some. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It seems that girls are not as important in this power structure, and I daresay that people of other ethnic groups are not so either. Why else would people be so strongly against the coming forward of victims in America in every walk of life? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It makes me think long and hard about the people that I choose to fellowship with and those who will I allow to be around my daughter. I wrote <a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_trust_no_one_around_my_child/">here</a> about how I do not trust anybody around her and why. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It also seems apparent that some women are more than happy to silence and belittle their own kind in order to maintain the measure of power and influence that they have. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But there is a better way. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Proverbs 31:8 says, 'Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.'<br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We can do better than this. We don't need to uphold a system that denigrates others or that looks the other way when other people would dare to do so. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are famous for asking ourselves what would Jesus do, and the one thing I think we can be certain of is that He would tell us that those of us who are without sin can be the first to throw a stone at the women being accused. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">His words might imply that she isn't a virgin or free from sin in this life but that we who would accuse her don't really care about her sin. We have another agenda in place, in this case, diverting attention from something we're trying to protect. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In Jesus' case, the leaders wanted Him dead to protect status, power, influence, and their followings, and in our case, well, perhaps we should stop and think about who and what we're protecting. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It might make us wonder why we, the religious, are so keen on casting rocks in the direction of the victims of rape and sexual harassment and whether this is a cause that Jesus would have died for. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"></span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Santa is a Lie</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If You're Dreading the Holidays with Relatives</span></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People</span></div>
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</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977632019-12-09T10:58:52-05:002022-08-25T15:30:02-04:00Santa is a Lie<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1ae62b76bbe78d11b4e1b78e1e7ab1aeb099fec4/original/santa.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /></p>
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<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Merry Christmas Everyone!</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Santa is a lie. Before you chop off my head, let me ask you a few questions.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who is the giver of all good gifts?<span style="font-size: medium;"> <strong>'<em>Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.' James 1:17</em></strong></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who is the One whose hair is white as snow? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.' Rev 1:14</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who is the One who was a carpenter? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><em>'Isn't this the carpenter?' Mark 6:3</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who is He who rides across the sky? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.' Deut 33:26</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who are children to believe in?<em> '<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">And many in that place believed in Jesus' John 10:42 </span></strong></em></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who says, 'Ho, Ho!'?<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><em> 'Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.' Zechariah 2:6</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who loves the little children?<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> '<em>Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.' Luke 18:16</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who do you ask for the things on your heart? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.' (Luke 11:9) 'Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.' Psalm 37:4</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who knows if you've been naughty or nice?<em> <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.'(Psalm 139:3)</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who comes out of the north? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>Yet out of the north He comes, shrouded in a golden glow; awesome majesty surrounds Him.' Job 37:22</em> </span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You'd better not pout, you better not cry is teaching the fear of...Santa?<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><em> 'Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.' Psalm 34:11 </em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who are we to give an account of our choices to? Santa? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><em>'So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.' Romans 14:12</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who has a book with the deeds of mankind written therein and who issues judgement accordingly? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.' Revelation 20:12</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Who sits on a throne? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><em>"'When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne' Matthew 25:31</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But we're to have Christmas spirit, right?<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> <em>'I will pour out my Spirit on all people' Joel 2:28</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Whose garments were red? <strong><span style="font-size: medium;">'<em>Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?' Isaiah 63:2</em></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Whose feet are as if in a chimney?</span><strong><em><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> '</span><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.'</span></span></em></strong></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't wish to quote occult encyclopedias and such, but I can tell you that elves are generally regarded, throughout the world, as demonic creatures. Because they're painted as cute and fun-loving makes no difference.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is an imposter who wishes to be like God the most High. We all know who that is. Instead of bringing our kids to Santa this Christmas, why not bring them to Jesus? Share the story of the manger, the wise men, and the story of Mary and Joseph with them. Give them gifts, but most of all give them the gift of Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Merry Christmas every from Gutsy Christianity! </span><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If You're Dreading the Holidays with Relatives</span></strong></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?</span></strong></div>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><strong><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Trust No One Around My Child</span></strong></div>
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<p> </p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977622019-12-09T10:58:51-05:002021-07-19T07:41:44-04:00If You're Dreading the Holidays with Relatives<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9736f45435b75bd02ca85e913c2c6169428fdc23/original/if-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is a relative I do not particularly enjoy spending time with. My life doesn't fit the particular narrative that has been written for me, and there is usually tension. My accomplishments are met with disdain, and he seems to make it a point to disagree with every topic of discussion I try to bring up. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've tried to avoid hot-button issues, but nothing seems to work. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Since you're reading this post, it is safe to assume that you, also, are dreading spending the holidays with relatives for one reason or another. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There are a number of reasons you might dread the holidays with relatives. Your relatives might cross boundaries or treat you like a child, they may override rules you've set with your children, or they might nosily pry into your life. Some may make you feel like a failure and others may insist your life decisions are mistakes. Some may revive old sibling rivalries and competitive comparisons, making you feel as if you are twelve years old again. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's important to evaluate what is causing the dread and if it is too destructive or toxic to subject yourself to. Careful prayer and discussion with those you trust may be in order. You don't owe anyone access to you if doing so will cause harm to yourself or those you love. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If your situation is not that dire, but you still feel that you'd like some distance this holiday season, identify whether the stress of the event would negatively impact you and if you need a break. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23</span></p>
<p><em><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial.</span></strong></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If the experience is not beneficial for you, you do not have to put yourself through it. You may feel like attending every party next year, but for the time being, the best thing for everybody might be that you take a break from the festivities. Forcing yourself to do something and ignoring that whisper in your soul is not always the best idea and cause problems later down the road. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting boundaries and making space for rest or for even establishing the holidays with your own family. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If neither of these are what you plan to do, and you're still wanting to attend the holidays with the relatives, keep something in mind. Families change over time. The photos I took in 2010 have members who are no longer living. People will be born, and people will die, and holidays are a good time to connect with everyone, as our time together is finite. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But what to do about Cousin Larry or Sister Sue?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Consider this. You likely have a certain amount of confidence about yourself and your choices when you're not in the presence of these certain relatives. You've likely shed the cocoon of your childhood narratives to become a butterfly without having day-to-day contact with certain family members as you've progressed. They only have the old stories and the old expectations of you that no longer fit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your old political views, skills, talents, dreams, and desires may be things that you've outgrown, but they're still holding on to labels or ways of being that aren't you. It is also very possible you are dealing with people who don't want to validate you and who don't wish to see you as productive. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may be chaffing under labels that are assigned to you and that push your buttons. For example, this person is pushing a narrative that I am uneducated, unsuccessful, and not particularly gifted at anything. That hurts me, and it makes me want to keep my distance, but instead I've opted for friendly indifference. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I realize this person is likely insecure, easily threatened, and is set in his ways. I am not going to change his mind, and I am not going to try. I am not going to try to impress him either or get him to 'validate' me. I don't have to 'fit in' to the story, because my story is being written every day in a different realm from which he lives, and it may be the same for you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus didn't strive to please people who criticized him; His concern was pleasing the Father. He did not accept praise or criticism from human beings, and He went about His Father's business. Paul writes about his view toward people-pleasing in Gal. 1:10:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This holiday season, remember that you are valid and that you know the reasons behind why you live the way you do. Even if you have made mistakes, others don't have the right to judge you harshly. Ask God for patience and the ability to extend grace, and see it as an experience to learn from this person how not to treat others. See it is a cautionary tale of what can happen when you project insensitivity. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Ask God for strength and try to be the better person, because even though it is hard, there is a blessing in being a peacemaker. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Trust No One Around My Child</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_trust_no_one_around_my_child/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c3efa304c2b3056cc33c9fc40791ab34f889e8dd/original/i-trust-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Am My Child's Friend</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_my_childs_friend/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/fb8dfe1f95e148d3aeeebbd15a42d67216bdf19e/original/child-children-parenting-parents-parent-bible-god-jesus-devotionals-for-women-scriptures-bible-study-for-women-biblical-womanhoo.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977612019-12-09T10:58:49-05:002019-12-09T10:58:50-05:00Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/3f7e4dba8abfbc1590adebc082e2924322e9727d/original/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-bible-god-jesus-christ-church-faith-devotional-for-women-biblical-womanhood.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A friend of mine was minding her own business when a stranger violently assaulted her, leaving her for dead, unconscious, out in the freezing cold. 9 months later, she was delivered of a beautiful baby boy, but she has suffered the effects of PTSD and seizures, as well as the need for several major operations. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Money problems have followed, and a, recently, difficult surgery with a painful recovery was performed on an almost emergency basis.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Her family, by all accounts, are good people. They love the Lord. They go to church. They do good deeds, and they care about other people. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I doubt there is a person alive who has not felt the agony of terrible things, as if a lightning bolt fell from the sky, wreaking havoc on their otherwise peaceful existences. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For some, the news is more devastating than others. A cancer diagnosis. A delinquent child. A violent car crash. All sudden, unpredictable, and for seemingly no reason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My friend reached out to me before this final surgery and asked me why such bad things are happening to her. I told her this:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are, right now, all of us, standing in the middle of a battlefield, and this is a war. Darts are flying, artillery is in motion, and you, my dear friend, are the target.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Whether or not you are a good person does not factor into the equation. You have an enemy, and John 10:10 says that that enemy comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. Plain and simple, someone has it out for you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Read the book of Job. Good guy, bad life events. Not his fault. All the fault of the enemy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In this blog, I always try to tell you the truth, and that is the truth. The one that would destroy everything in your life that he possibly can is the same one who influenced the rulers to destroy all the male children under the age of 2 when Moses was born and when the Messiah had come. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Those babies had done nothing wrong and neither had their mothers, and yet, all those children died. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We see wars, pestilences, and famines, and these also are the work of the enemy. We live in a fallen world, and it is best to understand where we are and to take cover. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Here is something you always need to remember: God loves you, He is good, and He can be trusted. When bullets are flying, and all is a mess, and you don't understand it, know that God is good, that He loves you, and that He can be trusted. Put on the armor of God, and stand firm.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He is always working everything for good. Each and every single thing. Psalm 46:1 says:</span></p>
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<div class="s"><span class="st" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong><em><span class="st">'God</span> is our <span class="st">refuge</span> and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be <span class="st">be moved into the heart of the sea'.</span></em></strong><br></span></div>
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<div class="s"><span class="st" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When nothing makes sense, hold tight to His word and take refuge in Him. Draw near and trust. Just trust. You need fear no evil as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. He is always by your side, preparing a table for you in the midst of your enemies and anointing your head with oil and leading you by the still waters. </span></div>
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<div class="s"><span class="st"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He is always there even if it doesn't feel like it, and when you're <span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/"><span style="color: #0000ff;">saved</span></a></span> He dwells within you. The war, though horrible, will not last forever. The Bible says that after you have suffered a little while that He will</span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> <em><strong>'<span class="st">restore, </span><span class="st">confirm, strengthen, and establish you.' 1 Peter 5:10. </span></strong></em></span></span></div>
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<div class="s"><span class="st" style="font-size: large;"><span class="st" style="font-size: large;"><em><span class="st" style="font-size: large;">My friend who suffered horribly at the hands of a rapist and would-be murderer is now being invited to speak at events to tell of her beautiful child who is a blessing from God despite the tragedy that caused his birth. She was even invited this past week to speak at in Washington D.C. in conjunction with pro-life legislation, the Heartbeat Bill, and she recently returned from Ireland to share her story there. Because of her story, others have decided to choose life for their babies. God had a purpose for her pain, and He has one for you, too, even if you don't see it this side of heaven. You can read my article about my friend's story in the Huffington Post <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/raped-beaten-left-pregnant-and-for-dead-she_us_59f25fdee4b05f0ade1b560b">here</a>. </span></em></span></span></div>
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<div class="s"><strong><span class="st" style="font-family: Kranky, serif; font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></div>
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<div class="s"><strong><span class="st" style="font-family: Kranky, serif; font-size: xx-large; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">You'll get access to:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like: I Am A Cussing Christian</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_a_cussing_christian/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/baf76962ed9181fa5ce366f2637b6ae1fd20d6ae/original/i-am-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Am My Child's Friend</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_my_childs_friend/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/fb8dfe1f95e148d3aeeebbd15a42d67216bdf19e/original/child-children-parenting-parents-parent-bible-god-jesus-devotionals-for-women-scriptures-bible-study-for-women-biblical-womanhoo.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Trust No One Around My Child</span></div>
<div class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_my_childs_friend/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c3efa304c2b3056cc33c9fc40791ab34f889e8dd/original/i-trust-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></div>
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</div>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977602019-12-09T10:58:48-05:002021-05-11T12:32:24-04:00I Trust No One Around My Child<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/76e4cd7cad85111f86a22de9c420f84ea7120161/original/i-trust-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sometimes I give off the hippy, laid-back vibe pretty well, but when it comes to one aspect of my life, I am always paying 100% complete attention even if it seems like I am not. When it comes to my child, I do not care if others' feelings are hurt or if others think I am odd, because it is my job to keep her safe. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And the truth is, I don't trust anyone around my child. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let me explain. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I was pregnant, I began to notice headlines in the newspaper where I live of disgusting things done to infants. Call me naive, but I had never heard of such a thing. As I paid attention to stories, I picked up on a key element: these were not strangers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so I did some research.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I found that only seven percent of those who would harm a youngster are the stranger popping out of the bush. The other 93% of the time, it's somebody we know.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's that friend from school, the guy at church, or the relative who offers to babysit. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Before you think I've gone too far, all I can tell you is that the numbers do not lie and that the person responsible always seemed like somebody so 'trustworthy'. There is further evidence to suggest that family friends and such will often groom their victims so that it is more likely that it will not be believed if their actions are ever found out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so, I have some rules.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My child can only be involved in activities where there are many people present and where no one will be taken to any separate quarters. I do not leave her alone with a single relative; there has to be a group present with at least one or two people I implicitly trust. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The only exception is my husband's female cousin who practically lived with me the first year of this child's life and loves this child as if she were her own: it's likely I would appoint her my child's guardian in my will if Joe and I were to die together in an accident.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't let my guard down. If something seems fishy or weird, we simply do not have to participate. My baby's safety is more important than other people's feelings. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I visited a church where the children all have a retreat across the highway from the main building, and I told my husband we would not be sending our child there, because it is too isolated and away from the parents. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am also vigilant to make sure my child still seems happy and exhibits no strange marks or behaviors after attending events, and in her life, she has really only been left with people a handful of times not including nursery. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Even then, I won't attend church where the nursery is in the basement or far away from the sanctuary, and I have been known to make surprise visits. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We go plenty of places and are around plenty of people and go to the birthday parties and all the like. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6fc70f8b058d428bdd0daaa7f42188fa69e3cd93/original/dscn6062.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As gospel singers, my child frequents concerts and can be seen dancing and laughing and having fun with church goers and with residents of nursing homes. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4e37a50e8e7b7674637f6dda2cef0a2990204ec5/original/dscn5579.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I take her to the local bounce house playland where she can cavort with others kids and play to her heart's content, and she has attended political meetings with me and is very social. </span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/7479e62f8fbd64b373dbdadc7ab5d7284ca1389e/original/dscn5509.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I even took her to our state capitol when I went to lobby for pro-life legislation, and she said hi to every senator that she happened to meet.</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/97157b4e196bb3bc6fdaa79f20ce5499a937feb1/original/dscn4232.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This isn't about hiding my kid under a rock. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My point in all of this is that I don't feel the need to leave my child alone with other people and to needlessly expose her to risks. I rarely did sleepovers as a child, and it was pretty much for the same reason, and other people thought it was nuts then. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't claim to have understood it at the time, but I understand it now, and I don't want anything bad to happen to my daughter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">She can see her friends. She just doesn't need to spend the night. She also doesn't need to spend time alone with adults, unsupervised. If the boogeymen in the forest were the most likely to harm my child, there would be no need to safeguard against those that I know in my neighborhood, but the stats just don't bear that out. The boogeymen are those we know the best, and they can truly be anyone.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And if they looked like boogeymen, we could easily pick them out, but because we can't, I can trust no one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't trust you just because you are a church.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't trust you just because you are a relative.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't trust you just because you're a friend. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't trust you just because you're an organization.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It should not be an issue to have safeguards to keep our children safe, right? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Yesterday, a church in Texas was the target of a shooter who killed 27 people, and last night, our church discussed creating a security detail for our own building. Why? Because these are the times in which we live. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Nobody said being a parent was easy or that it would score you points with the popular crowd. I just think it would be irresponsible of me to ignore the dangers just because it may not be socially acceptable to do so. I am not paranoid, but I definitely am vigilant, and I am not accusatory, but I absolutely am watchful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's my job to keep my little one safe. I am her mother, after all. And if you're a mom, it's your job to keep your young ones safe, too.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;">I Am My Child's Friend </span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_my_childs_friend/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/fb8dfe1f95e148d3aeeebbd15a42d67216bdf19e/original/child-children-parenting-parents-parent-bible-god-jesus-devotionals-for-women-scriptures-bible-study-for-women-biblical-womanhoo.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;">I Am A Cussing Christian</span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/i_am_a_cussing_christian/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/baf76962ed9181fa5ce366f2637b6ae1fd20d6ae/original/i-am-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;">You're Not A Christian If You Celebrate Halloween</span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #ffff00;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/youre_not_a_christian_if_you_celebrate_halloween/"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bb01322bb9781456c0e190948a2a9570df50e5a1/original/youre-not-a-christianif-you-celebrate-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></span></a><br></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;"></span></strong></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977592019-12-09T10:58:46-05:002021-04-19T01:00:59-04:00I Am My Child's Friend<p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1e19b8c477255be6bb9d7d0bfec6671628857593/original/child-children-parenting-parents-parent-bible-god-jesus-devotionals-for-women-scriptures-bible-study-women-biblical-womanhood.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzM1eDExMDIiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="1102" width="735" /><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Discipline has been all the rage in Christian circles for several decades now. In response to the cultural war cry of 1960s free love, Christians have buckled down on their youth, training to abstain from sex and drugs and anything else that might taint them. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have read tragic stories of families whose desire to protect children from the culture has lead them to follow training methods from books that promote harsh discipline methods to promote obedience. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have been told of churches who have deeply divided over child-rearing methods, because one way is touted as being God's way, and I have heard of children who complied outwardly only to turn away from God and their parents when they grew up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sometimes, in our zeal to produce kids who won't turn from the kingdom, we've forgotten one crucial aspect to this parenting thing: being our kids' friend.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Warning: you're not going to find this in any of the leading Christian parenting books circulating today, but perhaps you should.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Being my child's parent and her friend are not mutually exclusive. Consider this: Abraham could be a friend of God, and yet God could still be his God. Is it not possible then that I could continue to parent and be a friend to my child?</span><br><br></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Exhibit B: in the upper room, Jesus said:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.</em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus can still consider Himself our God and our friend. Parenting is a lofty institution, but not one so high that we cannot be our child's friend. Parenting is not above being God, and God can be our friend.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may be asking, but how can we be our child's friend and still apply discipline? I'm glad you asked! Proverbs 27:6 says:</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. </span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The wounds of a friend are words that tell us what we don't want to hear but that are good for us. Instruction in other words. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I gather stories, as I am a writer, and one day, I heard a story told by a prominent speaker from within a Bible institute giving a lesson. He said that he had learned so many great Bible principles and that he had endeavored to live by them and that he sought to teach these to his children, but he noticed that they were avoiding him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He dearly loved his children and was hurt, as they would leave a room when he entered it. He asked his wife what was going on, and she said that they did this, because they felt they couldn't do anything right. Appalled, he said that he was just trying to teach them the principles of the Word not drive them away.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He knew that something had to change.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may be scratching your head wondering what I'm getting at. I'll give another example.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I had a foster daughter one time. I felt the weight of my responsibility as a heavy load that I carried on my back day in and day out. I did not realize it until the day when we were given a time frame that she would be going home. That same day when I got off of the phone, I smiled at her, and we laughed easily over some things.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It immediately hit me that that was the first time I was relaxed enough to let her enjoy my company without correction. Granted, she needed a lot of correction, but what I am saying is that there is a need for balance, especially as, over time, our role as disciplinarian will become less, and our role of trusted adviser and friend becomes greater. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want to train my girl in the way she should go so that when she is old she will not depart from it, but I don't want to provoke her to anger or be too hard on her. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I build blanket forts with her, and make sure to give belly laughs and tickles and hugs and kisses and to dress the same when possible. I give her the extra toss in the air that she wants and the trips to the bounce house when I can. She'll only be this little once, and laughter and fun are part of the way I believe I am to train her as the way she should go. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I pray that when she grows old she will not turn back from it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I also do not demand rigid behavior in the house of God, a big no-no for some. I want her to enjoy her time in God's house and to want to come here when she is no longer required to. If God delights in my presence and beckons me to spend time at His feet, I want her to feel she can do the same with Him, because He loves her.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I had my first child as an older person, and I want to enjoy these tender years with my baby, as they will pass by so quickly. A good relationship is vital to my work of guiding and protecting, as the Shepherd who holds the staff and the rod in His hands also holds us in His bosom when we need special attention. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've lived enough to know that I can be my child's parent, AND I can be her friend. After all, if she doesn't have a friend in me, how can I be trusted to discipline her? </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I Am A Cussing Christian</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/347ec5fce67e4f8a38bdeb48674bc2a6dce4a0f9/original/i-am-a.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Njd4MTAwIl0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="67" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You're Not A Christian if You Celebrate Halloween</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/youre_not_a_christian_if_you_celebrate_halloween/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bb01322bb9781456c0e190948a2a9570df50e5a1/original/youre-not-a-christianif-you-celebrate-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Haters Gonna Hate: When Others are Jealous of You</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/haters_gonna_hate:_when_others_are_jealous_of_you/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e0117d650abb40e361d9fee72c424cba85aa4f7f/original/hatersgonnahate-when-othersare-jealous-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977582019-12-09T10:58:44-05:002019-12-09T10:58:46-05:00I Am a Cussing Christian<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/347ec5fce67e4f8a38bdeb48674bc2a6dce4a0f9/original/i-am-a.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="600" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have been using profanity since I was five and maybe even before that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">By age 8, I was a pro. Compound curses and vulgarities that would make the Navy blush spewed forth from my diminutive frame, and this continued throughout my life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I would cut back from time to time and even abstain. Until I got older.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I prided myself on articulately expressing myself, reading books, and thinking things through before I spoke, and I would litter my speech with f-bombs and s-words where I deemed appropriate as a hipster way of communicating edginess and strong emotion.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">At the age of 30, I became a Christian, and I learned just how negatively other Christians would view a cussing Christian. In response, I hid my cussing as best as I could. At home, I was still full of bad words and obscenities, because it was now a habit. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A long ingrained habit. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">One day, I heard a Christian woman say that her neighbor cussed and claimed to be a Christian but that she didn't know how he could even be born again. I shuddered to think that I wasn't truly saved, so I said the sinner's prayer again. More cussing ensued. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I tossed and turned at night, not knowing if I were a Christian or not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is nothing more terrifying than to believe you might drop into hell at any given minute, but I could not stop the flow of profane words. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I determined I would stop. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But I wasn't able. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The guilt consumed me, because I was supposed to be a good Christian, and I also knew that if others knew of my hideous use of language that my ministry would lose all credibility. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was now a hypocrite. A raging two-faced, pretending fraudster unfit for service. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was in a pinch. Nobody knew I cussed....but they do now, so I guess we'll see what happens. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In 2015, I had a child. This child didn't like sleeping on her back in a crib alone through the night. After laying down and sleeping 20 minutes, I would hear it: the distinct hiccoughing baby sounds that will lead the shrieking fiercer than that of a hungry wolf pack. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My eyelids, heavy from sleep, and my body lugging all the extra baby weight struggled to get up, but I would somehow lumber over to where she was and manage to feed her the milk that oozed from my body. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The trouble was when this cycle would repeat. I would lay down again, and baby would start to whimper 20 minutes later. Jarred out of a deep sleep and aware of the need to get up yet again and latch her to my boob, I would cuss under my breath.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And then I would feel bad for having cussed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And then I would cuss some more. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Add mono to the mix and months of sleeplessness at night, and the streams of mumbled, garbled, loudly-whispered, mostly-to-myself profanity that came forth from my lips would definitely have tanked my ministry. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Now, it may seem that I am more concerned about my ministry than my cussing, but what I am saying is this: there is so much judgement on this one sin. And what I am REALLY saying is that I knew others would look down on me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am not saying people should cuss, but I think it's a habit many Christians never had in the first place, and so the condemnation is heavy regarding it, making those who do struggle with it feel they can't approach God anymore. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're kind of heavy on those sins we've never crossed paths with for some reason. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Cussing automatically makes you a pariah. A flunk-out. One to be avoided. And hiding it makes you a mask-wearing hypocrite with a double life, and this also voids your ministry. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> I volunteered my time to work with children. I worked through near-perpetual sickness, and I also tried to help ease the loneliness of those in the nursing home. I played guitar for anyone who would listen, and I sang gospel tunes to those in need of a friend. I gave to charity, I loved the least of these, and I gave my money away to help the less fortunate. I took in a foster child.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But I know that none of that would matter, because I have this habit. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Tattoos, smoking, same-sex attraction, and cussing all fall into a certain category of sin: we don't tolerate people who have these things. It's funny how these are sins most mainline Christians don't have an ongoing struggle with, or at least it's not one we'll admit to publicly. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We'll tolerate being unloving, gluttony, stinginess, pettiness, gossiping, cliquishness, anger, fear, and a host of other sins and even welcome you on the planning committee, but let an f-bomb fall from your lips, and you're out. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm not defending cussing. What I am trying to express is the sheer misery I have gone through a 3 in the morning, hating myself because I can't make myself stop. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why am I even trying to anyway? My flesh is weary. My will is weak. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This is something only God can do, and I were honest, I'd tell you that each time I slip, I'm waiting fir lightning to strike me down.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But yet, who is this God who forgives and who loves me more than my poorly-spoken swear words.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm tired of feeling defeated and like a loser Christian, and I hope we'll stop judging others so harshly for things that have been ingrained since they time that they were born. Like a tattoo, cussing requires surgical removal, a process to remove the deeply embedded toxin. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Also, like a tattoo, this struggle can be more public than others. Some life choices are right there on your sleeve for anyone to peer at. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And until this is rooted out, it makes no sense for you to judge me for my sins any more than it does for me to judge you for yours. After all, none of us can earn our way into heaven with our clean-slate no-cussing records or our tattoo-less bodies or our hetero attracted sexual desires or our lack of gluttony or interest in the latest juicy story. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">All of it is meaningless, all of nothing without the cross. You and I are dressed in the filthiest of filthy rags without Jesus. And even now, with all of our imperfections, we stand righteous, dressed in white, as if we'd never sinned. Maybe the sin of disunity and lack of love for one another are some of the greatest sins of all, because without them there would be no hatred, or coveting, or tearing each other down.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After all, being judged never helped me not utter an F-bomb. It just made me try that much harder or sink into feelings of failure when I relented.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perhaps we can be more like iron that sharpens one another and pray for each other instead of condemning. Maybe we can provide accountability instead of finger wagging and admonish each other in love, because after everything is said and done, it is only love that can cover a multitude of our sins. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Rosa<br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #ffff00; font-family: Kranky, serif; font-size: xx-large;"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You're Not A Christian if You Celebrate Halloween</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/youre_not_a_christian_if_you_celebrate_halloween/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bb01322bb9781456c0e190948a2a9570df50e5a1/original/youre-not-a-christianif-you-celebrate-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When Others Are Jealous of You</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/haters_gonna_hate:_when_others_are_jealous_of_you/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e0117d650abb40e361d9fee72c424cba85aa4f7f/original/hatersgonnahate-when-othersare-jealous-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Domestic Violence: An Epidemic in Our Churches</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/domestic_violence:_an_elephant_in_our_churches/"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5f2c8e220d030d047b426cc3b818855139d6cfc3/original/domesticviolence-an-elephantin-our-churches.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></span> </a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977572019-12-09T10:58:43-05:002022-03-24T09:19:07-04:00You're Not a Christian if You Celebrate Halloween<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6857df99e832e59e8fe57a8733ad7f544436f4df/original/youre-not-a-christianif-you-celebrate.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="600" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Halloween is complicated. To celebrate it or to not celebrate it: everybody has an opinion. You have one. I have one. Your neighbors have one. And many, many people with typing fingers also have one. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That said, many this year are claiming in capital letters, 'YOU'RE NOT A CHRISTIAN IF YOU CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN'.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You're lost.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You aren't saved.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You're going to hell. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But that's not exactly true. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A person only goes to heaven when they have been born again. Spirit filled. Forgiven of their sins. That can only happen when a person realizes their sinfulness and asks Jesus to forgive them, meaning it isn't contingent upon whether or not a person celebrates Halloween.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But isn't Halloween the occult?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Not exactly. Last year, I saw a panda costume in the 18-month size that I desperately wanted to buy but didn't. Because Halloween. Because that would be sinful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If I could time travel in my 1996 white spray-painted Chevy Lumina (because debt-free living is how I roll), I would go back to that store and buy that silly costume. Because it would make my heart sing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My child will never be 18 months old again.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That ridiculous panda outfit is an opportunity lost. It would not have invited the occult into my house to have done that. For the record, I have not celebrated Halloween in any way, shape, or form since becoming a Christian. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have a storied history with stuff like that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em>'But you said it wasn't the occult?</em>!' you say? I said it wasn't <em>exactly</em> the occult. </span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What in the world does that mean?!</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It means that motivation matters. Dressing my child up in a dumb outfit, to me, is not a celebration of anything but polyester fibers in a mock panda bear display around the chubby arms and legs of my delicious baby. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Giving out candy to establish a relationship with your neighbors instead of shutting off the lights, to others, is not a walk on the dark side. Also for the record, I don't hand out candy because of where I live, but I know many who feel called to do so but who feel judged or ashamed because of it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The motivations of the heart are many, and only you know what you are doing or why you are doing it. If it needs defending, then rethink it. If you conscience isn't clear, then, well, you know the answer. And if you can't tell...ask God. He WILL tell you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But, seriously, can we quit with the 'you're not saved if'...? That is some seriously faulty theology, and you're assuming you know what another person is doing and why they are doing it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Unless...</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You see something flagrantly sinful, and you're warning a brother or sister away from it. In that case, carry on. But even so, the declaration about who and who isn't saved rings false to me, and I'll tell you why.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is no gospel message or call to salvation in such proclamations. A simple, 'I'm better than you, so boo', won't get anybody saved. You may say that a person is backslidden, but you should get your theology straight about what and what does not make a person a Christian. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I do believe that there are many practices associated with Halloween to beware of, and I will be the first one to say it. I will also say that there are many things that people do which are not a sin. Only that person knows, and it is between him or her and God. It's a slippery slope when we begin to destroy other people's salvation based on a certain practice. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I've seen this done with regards to whether or not a person fights against abortion or believes in six literal creation days. Friends, the Bible doesn't say that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And with regards to many of the church fathers, a great deal of them didn't believe in what we consider essential doctrine today, so we'd be throwing a great deal of our favorite theologians out the window, too.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I daresay theology is the greater casualty in our wars over whether or not to celebrate Halloween. We're not winning people over to our side in most cases, and in some instances, relationships are destroyed over it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As touching salvation, it's so simple that even a child can believe. Know that you are a sinner, as you have broken God's commandments not to lie, steal, cheat, lust after others, disrespect father or mother, and that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Accept His sacrifice, as He fulfilled the law perfectly, and trust on Him for salvation. John 3:16 says that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Nuff said. No mention of Halloween or anything else. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Admonish people to beware the occult, but don't say they aren't saved. Admonish people to stay away from Halloween if you want to, but don't tell them they are going to hell. When we throw works-based religion as a pre-requisite for salvation, it's pretty safe to say we'd all be screwed whether we celebrate Halloween of not. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ffff00; font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ffff00; font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">You'll get access to:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">Other Posts You May Like: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">Haters Gonna Hate: When Others Are Jealous of You</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/haters_gonna_hate:_when_others_are_jealous_of_you/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e0117d650abb40e361d9fee72c424cba85aa4f7f/original/hatersgonnahate-when-othersare-jealous-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">Domestic Violence: An Elephant in Our Churches</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/domestic_violence:_an_elephant_in_our_churches/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5f2c8e220d030d047b426cc3b818855139d6cfc3/original/domesticviolence-an-elephantin-our-churches.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_way_we_approach_the_porn_problem_is_elitist/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/505dd57c367c122b76c2467da92ee02a203057cd/original/the-way-we-approachthe-porn-problem-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span><br></span></p>
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<p> </p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977552019-12-09T10:58:41-05:002022-03-31T03:48:59-04:00Haters Gonna Hate: When Others Are Jealous of You<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e0117d650abb40e361d9fee72c424cba85aa4f7f/original/hatersgonnahate-when-othersare-jealous-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In 2013, God placed a strong impression upon my heart to go in a particular direction. I dreaming of things to come. Big things. God things. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Also in my heart was a strong conviction that I was to tell no one of this plan. So I didn't. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Day by day, I would work diligently toward this end, trusting God to open the doors that only He could open. No one knew. To this day, very, very few of my personal contacts and associates know of the amazing things that God did through me. I was to keep it a secret. And the truth is that I didn't understand why. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I just knew I was supposed to keep mum. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When God gives you a dream or when He shows favor on your life, be prepared that not everybody is going to be happy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Some will feel threatened. Some will feel jealous. Others will respond with hatred. There are some people you would beware to ever be around alone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That was what happened to Joseph. God had given him a dream, two dreams in fact. He had a vision of future events, and his brothers hated him for it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They weren't happy, they weren't proud, and they weren't enthusiastic. They seethed with jealousy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Their family history was complex, as Jacob had had two wives and 13 children by a total of four women. Jacob had showed obvious favoritism to his son Joseph, and his older children resented it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Joseph's two dreams foretold a time when he would be in command of something and his entire family would bow down to him, and this vision was from God. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Instead of dealing with their feelings in a productive way, Joseph's brothers let their anger turn into hatred. Jesus says that to hate your brother is be a murderer. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">While out together with their brother Joseph, the older brothers threw him in a pit before selling him to a band of traveling merchants, showing that it isn't always safe to share your dreams or accomplishments with others. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you ever heard of Selena Quintanilla? She was a Tejano singer who was killed by a woman close to her who was completely eaten up with envy over the singer's looks, youth, talent, and popularity. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sometimes, there is the need to put distance between yourself and others who simply cannot be happy for you, because it absolutely can be dangerous. Envy is a bitter poison and should not be treated lightly. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Not everybody needs to know everything about you. Not everybody needs to know the plans on your heart or the great things you are believing God for. Even our Savior was hated, because the Pharisees envied Him for the following He had and for the miracles that He did. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In John 12:19, the Pharisees remarked that the whole world had gone after Him and the Bible states clearly that Pontius Pilate knew they had handed Jesus over due to envy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They were eventually willing to commit murder, because they were rotten with hatred toward our Savior. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They showed their envy by continually arguing with him, not to understand better what He was saying, but to trap Him in His words. Their hostility was always seething just below the surface. This was evident, because in Luke 4:29, when He had finished speaking, the people were so incensed that they rushed to throw Him off of a cliff. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This was no momentary burst of anger. It was there stewing like a cauldron that they had tended to with diligence. Beware of people like that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They may even say they are your friend. In Joseph's case, they were his relatives. Psalm 55:21 says, '<span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.' They may say nice things to you, but their heart is not with you. </span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><br></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I did end up having some successes that others became aware of, and it wasn't pretty. It led to some serious disappointment, as I saw the extent to which somebody was willing to negate the things that God had done.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It hurt my heart, and the truth is that I never saw it coming. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Envy is nothing new, and neither is hatred. You don't have to tell everybody your God-given dreams, and you don't need to let everybody in on the agenda. Some things can be kept private. And if it is public knowledge that God has lifted you to prominence, beware of those who seem displeased with your success. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And if you sense emotions like anger or bitterness, be extremely careful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says to be harmless like a dove but also cautious like a serpent. It is important to use your discernment, and remember that sometimes haters gonna hate. It's up to you how close you let them stay to you.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Domestic Violence: An Elephant in Our Churches</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/domestic_violence:_an_elephant_in_our_churches/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5f2c8e220d030d047b426cc3b818855139d6cfc3/original/domesticviolence-an-elephantin-our-churches.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Way We Approach the Porn Problem is Elitist</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_way_we_approach_the_porn_problem_is_elitist/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/505dd57c367c122b76c2467da92ee02a203057cd/original/the-way-we-approachthe-porn-problem-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Might John the Baptist Have Had Asperger's Syndrome?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/might_john_the_baptist_have_had_aspergers_syndrome_/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b2f46ff0967cfbce81be4187b55e85afc52b92a3/original/not-an-actual-picture-of-john-the-baptist-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977542019-12-09T10:58:41-05:002021-08-12T02:01:47-04:00Domestic Violence: An Elephant in our Churches<!-- PIN IT HOVER BUTTON START -->
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<div>by <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5f2c8e220d030d047b426cc3b818855139d6cfc3/original/domesticviolence-an-elephantin-our-churches.jpg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> <span>Ignoring domestic violence does nothing to preserve the sanctity of marriage.</span>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the United States of America, a woman is beaten every 9 seconds. In the time it will take you to read that first sentance and this one, two women will have been assaulted by somebody they love. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Forty percent of pastors surveyed by a Lifeway Research study never or rarely address domestic violence from the pulpit, and 22% do so about once a year. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There's a large elephant in our churches, and it demands our attention. The reason I believe we don't address it is because we hold marriage sacred. As we should. Our fear of saying and doing the wrong thing keeps us silent, and we end up saying nothing. Sometimes, saying nothing leaves victims with no resources and stuck in dangerous situations. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It leaves domestic abuse victims in the dark with a cloak of shame about them. It makes domestic violence seem rare, when it is anything but. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In scripture, Abigail had a husband that did something truly stupid. He denied David and his men provisions, and he basically incensed David to the point that he told his men to arm themselves and to descend upon Nabal's men. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Abigail also readied herself, went to David, and asked him to pardon their transgression and that she was making provision ready. Her actions saved lives. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A husband does not have the authority to inflict harm upon his wife or his children. Even when children are not directly targeted, the cycle of domestic abuse is perpetuated, as boys learn it is okay to disrespect women, and girls learn to look for partners like their fathers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Children who witness domestic brawls are at a greater risk for drug abuse, suffering PTSD, juvenile delinquency, and running away. Domestic violence is not a simple issue, but ignoring it will not help matters. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We hear preaching on female submission in many churches, and it's time we paid attention to the husband's laying down his life with a love that is patient, kind, bears all things, and always looks for the best in the other person. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There are, at times, within mainstream denominations, a resurgence of male roles that emphasize leadership and responsibility. The fruit born by certain of these uprisings have been hyper-masculine movements that have not left a legacy of love but one instead that pits women as creatures who cannot be trusted and that must be controlled.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's time we read our Bibles. It's time we read that the Proverbs 31 husband trusted his wife. It's time we read of Elkanah who deeply and tenderly loved Hannah. It's time we read the Song of Solomon, which was hardly a power struggle, but a beautiful and erotic story that took place between two star-crossed lovers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's time we stopped looking the other way when we suspect domestic violence has occurred. It's time we stopped counseling women to stay or submit harder or to work harder at pleasing someone who is physically violent. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And what about that passage about not involving the authorities when two brothers have a dispute? That is not meant to excuse the guilty but is written about civil disputes and not violent crime. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says the authorities can and will inflict punishment when we do wrong, and it's time we rightly divided the word of scripture. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In cases where police are not called, 41% of women will suffer physical assault in the following six months. That number drops to fifteen percent when the authorities are called. According to the CDC, 93% of female homicides are perpetrated by current or former partners.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You can find a 20-question quiz <a href="https://www.domesticshelters.org/domestic-violence-articles-information/danger-assessment-could-predict-if-an-abuser-will-kill#.WdGQD8iGPIU">here</a> to determine the level of danger you are currently in. It is also known that leaving is the most dangerous time. I don't claim to have all the answers, as I clearly don't. I know that women need support emotionally and financially, and they need people to stand in the gap.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I know that it is time to start the conversation, and we must all be willing to drag this issue into the light and put the burden where it lays: on the abusers. We must not shelter them in our doctrine, empower them in our theology, and cover for them in our dichotomies. We must be willing to educate ourselves on best practices from experts in this field. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Marriage is sacred, and abusers are the ones not treating it that way. They are using it as a tool with which to beat their wives, and their children, as many men will use it as a means to make things more difficult for a woman if she should choose to leave. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He can also use the court system as a means to endlessly create problems for his wife. Surely we have a responsibility to the little ones living under such abuse. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If Abigail and Nahum were living today, would we give Nahum a pass and ask Abigail to just submit harder? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would we condemn her for protecting those under her care, saving their lives by her wisdom? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would we eschew her or pretend there was not a crisis in our midst?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would we avert our eyes, telling her headship is absolute? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The scriptures do not condemn her, and neither should we. We need to learn the steps to take after suffering abuse, such as contacting law enforcement and documenting the evidence. We need to support families seeking refuge and give them a safe place to stay and vent their emotions without judgment. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We take in foster children who are mistreated, how is this any different?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would we help someone who was beaten up by somebody they were not married to?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> We need to do better. Ignoring the topic of domestic violence does nothing to preserve marriages. It's time we held the lives of the least of these as being as important as the broken marriages they find themselves in. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you feel you are in immediate danger, dial 9-1-1, and if you have questions, you can call the Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224. You can also visit their website <a href="http://www.thehotline.org/">here</a>. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Scary Meds, Stolen Jesus, and Too Many Cookies</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/scary_meds_stolen_jesus_and_too_many_cookies/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e22b049dc0a883432c22c9868e763ff2ec503a5d/original/scary-medsstolen-jesus.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Way We Approach the Porn Problem is Elitist</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_way_we_approach_the_porn_problem_is_elitist/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/505dd57c367c122b76c2467da92ee02a203057cd/original/the-way-we-approachthe-porn-problem-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Might John the Baptist Have Had Asperger's Syndrome?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/might_john_the_baptist_have_had_aspergers_syndrome_/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b2f46ff0967cfbce81be4187b55e85afc52b92a3/original/not-an-actual-picture-of-john-the-baptist-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p>Sources:</p>
<p>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/23/domestic-violence-statistics_n_5959776.html</p>
<p>http://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/how-often-do-you-preach-about-domestic-violence.html</p>
<p>http://www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org/effect-on-children.html</p>
<p>http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/januaryfebruary/three-views-after-domestic-violence-why-should-christian-wi.html?</p>
<p>https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/07/homicides-women/534306/start=1</p>
<p>https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/the-abusive-teachings-of-michael-and-debi-pearl</p>
<p>http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/february/how-pastors-perceive-domestic-violence-lifeway-autumn-miles.html</p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977532019-12-09T10:58:40-05:002022-02-06T07:52:49-05:00Scary Meds, Stolen Jesus, and Too Many Cookies<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e22b049dc0a883432c22c9868e763ff2ec503a5d/original/scary-medsstolen-jesus.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I snuck into Jami Amerine's launch team and ended up with a book I don't think I was supposed to get. I requested the digital version, hoping they wouldn't notice that I was a stowaway, but a shiny new cop of 'Stolen Jesus' arrived in a tan envelope at my doorstep, and I felt like the vandals Jami so often writes about. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I put it on my lowest book shelf above the couch, the only safe space in my house for the pile of notebooks, papers, and other materials I need to keep from my curious toddler. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I had bought a box of gluten-free cookies that morning, knowing full well each bite was placing me farther away from my contract with God that I shall not eat over a certain amount of cookies in a single setting. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Each morsel of expensive gluten-free chocolate chip goodness was creating an insatiable need to eat the next and the next and the next until there were 2 cookies left. I wanted to be able to tell myself I exhibited some self control, and so I stopped there.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You could practically hear the screeching sound of the brakes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After flailing for twenty minutes in her pre-nap fury, Little One finally succumbed to the deep sleep mamas everywhere wait for. Irritated with myself and feeling like a failure, I sat down with her in my arms, not daring to face God or pray. Because. All. The. Cookies. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Similar to Jami's Mormon Jesus was my Jehovah's Witness Jesus that was not really happy with me. Ever. I spent the first 26 years with this Jesus, before being kicked out of the religion (that's a thing). Don't ask. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I then had I-Just-Got-Saved Jesus who expected many things, and I was constantly falling short. This created a hungering in my soul, especially as those there were many things to give up. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This void was further compounded, because I had had family and friends not understand my salvation, resulting in an estranged relationship. I have no friends or family from before I got saved. The stress has been traumatic. When you're an ex-Jehovah's Witness, that is also a thing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The book fell off the shelf and hit me on the head. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wasn't in the mood to read, but I saw this as a sign, and began. Jami's antics are funny and remind me of me, as I also did foster care and dreaded THE VISITS. I also know what it is to lose so much sleep you literally become a crazy person. But mostly, I recognized the stress from trying and failing and trying and failing to not eat every single last chocolate chip cookie in the box. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In her book, I read this verse I have read a thousand times and even wrote a song about: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3. <br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The dam broke. I. Was. So. Very. Poor. In. Spirit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I failed. With the cookies. With the bad language. With rushing the toddler. With hating the husband (not really, but yes, really. But not. It's complicated). With my weight. With being nicer. With eschewing all the music I'm not supposed to listen to. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was stressed even though I knew about the good news of Jesus for several years. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And yet, I was blessed and did not know it. Happy in some translations. I was alright. Jesus didn't hate me. He wasn't annoyed with me. My poverty was a blessing, because the kingdom of heaven was mine. I seriously did not get it until that moment. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I sat with a baby, a book, and my ill-gotten copy of Stolen Jesus, and I wept. A boulder was lifted off of my shoulders. I ate the last two cookies. I cried some more. I was free. I knew His grace. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was having health problems in the midst of this. The disease-that-shall-not-be-named was raging in my system, amid doctors' visits and test. And tests. And more tests. It would only be several days later when I called my husband to tell him to come home, because I needed to head to the doctor. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He came home and minded the baby, and I went to the doctor. They prescribed scary meds, and told me to go for testing to the hospital. Joe bought me a bag of potato chips, because scary meds were supposed to be taken with a meal, and when you're gluten-free, you can't just eat on the go. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Scary meds could cause seizures and other problems, and so, scary meds, were, um, scary. Joe said to take scary meds. The doctor had said to take scary meds. I felt a strong sense of peace. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I knew I should take scary meds. Potato chips in belly, water in my mouth, I popped one half of the dose and then the other and gulped hard. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It was done. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have yet to see the conclusion of the tests and have more doctors appointments scheduled, and I should mention that I have had horrible allergic reactions to foods and drugs, so there's also that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As I breathed in and out those few times there at the hospital, waiting to see if an allergy would ensue, a song I used to love before I got saved came powerfully into my head, as if I could hear it on the radio. And it comforted me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I didn't feel rejected because of the song I felt comforted by or because of the fact that I had eaten half a bag of potato chips or for any other reason. I had the peace I needed in those moments to know I was accepted. I felt His grace, sweet grace. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven is mine. God loves me. And He loves you, too. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You can like Rosa's facebook page for daily content not on the blog here: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/rosahopkinswriting">www.facebook.com/rosahopkinswriting</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You can find Jami Amerine's book, Stolen Jesus at the following links: </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stolen-jesus-jami-amerine/1125416715?ean=9780736970631#/">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stolen-jesus-jami-amerine/1125416715?ean=9780736970631#/</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Jesus-Unconventional-Search-Savior/dp/0736970630">https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Jesus-Unconventional-Search-Savior/dp/0736970630</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like: </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/what_its_like_for_us/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/086f025e791a644856a30ddd20e2feac3f073c50/original/when-you-see-a-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/motherhood:_the_secret_behind_the_door/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1056fdf255d2e008b65b6462eb8692f4ad8b3e0f/original/motherhood-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You Are Not The #Blessed</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_are_not_the_blessed/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/892a253027281080bd0e71671e5896be05c068eb/original/is-it-wrongto-meet-alonewith-someon-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977522019-12-09T10:58:39-05:002021-08-27T05:08:37-04:00The Way We Approach the Porn Problem is Elitist<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/505dd57c367c122b76c2467da92ee02a203057cd/original/the-way-we-approachthe-porn-problem-is.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />Pornographic sites receive an average of 450 million visitors a month, more than Netflix, Amazon , and Twitter combined, and 64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women view porn once a month, with the majority of these doing so several times a week</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">While we bemoan our struggle with porn and the need to spend our time soul-searching to understand why we view porn, someone is being sold for sex and filmed to fill the demand created by those who view pornography. The link between sex trafficking and pornography is real and cannot be emphasized enough.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are guilty of treating the porn problem in an elitist way. There is no doubt that viewing pornographic images hurts families and relationships, but focusing on our own hurts fails to take into account the real victims of our obsession. This problem is not really just about us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Victims of sex trafficking are often coerced into working 12-hour days and taking between 12 and 30 men in a singe day. The worst part of this is that many will become pregnant as a result. When this happens, these women are often coerced, pressured, or forced to abort their babies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the sources listed, some of the women interviewed admitted to having had multiple abortions, one woman confessing to having had 17 of them. Often, the women miscarry at rates that are as shocking as they are painful to discuss, because they are beaten, punched or kicked either during sex acts or in order to force them to miscarry.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Pornography is also used to 'educate' prostitutes on the scenarios their customers want them to perform. It was found that men who view pornography are 270% more likely to solicit the services of a prostitute. And there is the rampant epidemic of underage sex trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that 50% of the 600,000-800,000 people sold annually for trafficking purposes are children.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The average age of victims is between 11-14, and the average lifespan of those who are trafficked is 7 years. This is because of disease, infection, drug use, malnutrition, suicide, and abuse.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The carnage is real. The victims are broken. The problem is ours. All of ours. We must pursue holiness, because others' lives are on the line.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Church, I firmly but lovingly implore you to realize that the burden for this lies at our feet. We cannot look the other way, because the subject matter is coarse. Speaking out, raising awareness, and educating ourselves on the signs and symptoms of human trafficking could mean the difference between life and death for a trafficked victim.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We cry because of the ways in which porn offends us, but do we ever consider how offensive that response can be? Our habits enslave others in ways we could nary even imagine. We lament that the images of illicit sex haunt our minds but do not lament that someone experienced the degrading act we were desirous of witnessing in the first place. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This is one area where we should not play the victim and where we need to ask Jesus for deliverance, as others are counting on us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Turning off that computer or cancelling that pornography subscription could end the demand for souls to be sold for public consumption. It could reduce the amount of forced abortion, because no matter where a person stands on the pro-life, pro-choice debate, for these mothers, this can hardly be considered a choice. And for those littlest neighbors, there is never a choice at all.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa </span></strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sources for this piece: <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-ft="{" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtontimes.com%2F&h=ATNyUl3DEulUqEWoPPaB2yp3GlG9o2RGFfCKjNDA2fGLJta_MhV37s0a0gA1wiDtFYGI1T0W9WD1GbfEKth5nlKTkK0WMkkhcxUI1v6kNJNNSP0GVmjDsuT9aC2yt2FoGG9khn1PIjeBFXvIJI0n5jKoGPifx-X4WMqSneenArbBbHObsu2Dm-23PQW18A1C2XN0AP17fKBZv9leL66rigsO1nVhHUdvkOAx3L27h2DNIybqhcQGnbf3PTXz32OHmWb_X9As4bYLB2eAehbv4rOEoSUnwnu0KDpz">http://www.washingtontimes.com/</a>…/more-than-half-of-christi…/ </span><br><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://www.liveaction.org/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-ft="{" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.liveaction.org%2F&h=ATPDnlmdg9Xcof_YwtlOUrHgFbOapteBXuLzPrTfU5dQyHc0HTsHpjUsW8R5oeBFj7PLmMn962g9FbmK01gATvVHJzfwLWQ2yv9wi82Rkc4fmeGz6ICm-9plYJ3T6wP21zuRBJaexxHSZuzRZblXMgK7hYpLooRLUaWufNb6NK8GYgVx6f_pv0wcMtHIBebOU2m4If3gsc-VCxfDxtMn3qyGEByPEhKxvqKoApsRUUHKyzyYw6wIaUeGg-9DZPwERt7ejXG5k6eRip1SMECs_qeGszoV948IFzNI">https://www.liveaction.org/</a>…/new-lies-planned-parenthoods-…/</span><br><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.frc.org%2F&h=ATONJsYltHAj3doRSXNXIOzevXEzAlk516IAJfm4jGryUs6xUHEt4QP1WD1nwXhBljHjfTVQknywV07Wz-CrBbk83FU-P-GH6tV9_x35-odtKNFseAf-JD9SJNsh80ptlKnNW4Jqhe_EPQ_abQUWU0e9dmloV94B8hciqPIrBgO2dXRknhoBwi0vmQx7bsdA4ZP8rTCyWJ2Dr9dTwjxA960_stkXloGbmZiVNeSlqnk-NKpIugjf4lc_wyUMObLl2wJQ6z6EGNxjLIAdoOVGyVOT70a5pQq00vaS" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-ft="{" data-lynx-mode="async">http://www.frc.org/</a>…/the-link-between-pornography-sex-traff…</span><br><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.activistpost.com%2F&h=ATMuiSWuDcyjayknUD-wvSa9sY2EKQDcIiwUZiyek3aDh_0sm3CYqSTs7kt_baZRC2JxE_O_17xdIiRR122H1yVm0I7xwBCiLeok8wUKnTaFZ5zIPRrLxXRU6TZ6j0HMM30nPd3uxlJ5a3MV8XClUjD4nEE_VV-lk3MuElfugbtn4y2ic7cnEyKVAeP_6l_AkU77Z331pwzse_7UtZYAOVgyX0LG1JqeAKr1eXZ5vRNyYU2gnnVljf8wvMbbf8irTmjwAaiT3wpOz6qPglJvlTs3RYos9v9XAaJM" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-ft="{" data-lynx-mode="async">http://www.activistpost.com/</a>…/largest-sex-trafficking-ring-…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics" rel="noopener" target="_blank" data-ft="{" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Farkofhopeforchildren.org%2Fchild-trafficking%2Fchild-trafficking-statistics&h=ATPSkSfU6F1bf941ffCpgJrgtV-zcNPVgB4z9ClaSbdsqI4EqW3TA9uwqQThq3MUryJvuGgqLyDYDeAGl6A52PkInshVb6rRMhFViWEhpn1iF2tZpZb6dy1l0bNIPfs3lgRAaDCwmYSBYDDPijGJ8lYvVBxjVpT3XT9oJgeNckbyvtSETXqc7kRe0PYmaji-6xLv1IWPJx3ga9-UUU7d7zFYGWpHSs1KqeN6ZDyOftRR0-AIaLubEOnH1r9eyXisxY8T6rphZZ53c1G8VIKaiOcYT8aBxzazWs_g">http://arkofhopeforchildren.org/…/child-trafficking-statist…</a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b2f46ff0967cfbce81be4187b55e85afc52b92a3/original/not-an-actual-picture-of-john-the-baptist-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When You Don't Feel At</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Home Anywhere</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_dont_feel_at_home_anywhere/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/f76a176f95ff84d41b5e7bd42fa8cde18f989afe/original/when-you-dont-know-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Politics of Birthday Parties</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_politics_of_birthday_parties/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c342ccc8c193dec057d6b2ebbd01afadd29b5156/original/the-politics-of.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977512019-12-09T10:58:38-05:002019-12-09T10:58:39-05:00Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Ruth did not wait for her Boaz! She popped the question. Biblical womanhood isn't always what we think. Daughters, marriage, and mothers can learn from Bible quotes and scriptures about Ruth. " height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Single women within the confines of Christianity are told to wait for their Boaz, but Ruth actually did no such thing. She walked along a path of action from the start.</span> </span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977502019-12-09T10:58:38-05:002022-05-17T16:00:43-04:00Might John the Baptist Have Had Asperger's Syndrome?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b2f46ff0967cfbce81be4187b55e85afc52b92a3/original/not-an-actual-picture-of-john-the-baptist-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><br><br></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">In God's economy, not only is different accepted, but being different is okay. Different can be used by God, and it can be used mightily. In reading the account of John the Baptist the other day, I perused several commentaries about his life and attributes, and he struck me as similar to those who have Asperger's Syndrome.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">It is not unheard of for those in the Bible to have depression and often severe spells of melancholy. Though I don't truly think John has Asperger's, it makes for some interesting parallels and shows us that God doesn't require us to all be cut from the same mold to be of service to Him. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible said he wore clothing of camels' hair with a leather belt around his waist. This was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah, but it was very unusual compared to what others at the time wore. The Bible doesn't tell us what the apostles wore, and to do so with John the Baptist is to call attention to his attire. He didn't dress according to the latest styles, and he seemed unfazed as to what others thought about it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He was eccentric, basically (and I think that is awesome!). People with Asperger's are often known for dressing according to their preferences, and this is often very distinct from the way others dress. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John was also brutally honest and did not mince words. He spoke the truth, and he plainly told Herod that his affair with his sister-in-law was wrong. He called the Pharisees a brood of vipers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">People with Asperger's syndrome are known to speak their minds without regard for social customs and the 'feelings' of others. What they say is honest, and John was the same way. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John the Baptist was also extremely focused. From the time he was born, he had a special calling from God, and, according to what we know of him from the Bible, he was not distracted the way Samson or David were. He had a laser-sharp devotion to what he was doing, and he did not deviate from his purpose. People with Asperger's are also known to have an uncanny ability to concentrate on a particular study or discipline. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John the Baptist had an unusual diet. Some historians have tried to soften the account in the scripture, saying that he did not really eat locusts but instead ate carob pods. The fact is that the man's fare was sparse and different from the norm. I have never met a person with Asperger's to dine on locusts and honey, but many are known to only eat a few familiar foods, making their dietary habits different from most.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John lived in the wilderness, and he was not exactly the life of the party. Living in the desert, it is not likely he would have had access to as much social interaction as a person who lived in the hustle and bustle of Judea. Many people with Asperger's are okay with spending long periods of time by themselves, choosing to sporadically seek out the company of others. John likely spent a great deal of his time alone.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John wasn't concerned with prestige. When Jesus came along, he ceded that Jesus must increase while his own ministry would decrease. He was attuned to the purpose for his commission, and he readily gave up the attention and the platform that he had had. People with Asperger's are often not concerned with social climbing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">John tuned out all the noise of this world in order to hear from the One who would give him the words to say, and his message was shocking. His job was to tell the people of Israel that they were not saved. As the children of Abraham, they would have assumed that they were in good standing with God, but they were not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They needed a Savior, but they did not know that. John fearlessly preached the truth, preparing the way for the Savior, for as long as God had commissioned him to. Jesus said that of all those who had been born of women that no one had been as great as John the Baptist. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And that is good news for all of us. Some of us don't fit into the box labeled 'minister'. Some of us are not ideal minister's wives or children. Some of us don't fit the perceived role that a man or woman of God is supposed to have. Some of us are bold or eccentric, shy or withdrawn, fashioned according to the Master's design. Nevertheless, God can use us if we are willing to be an instrument in His hand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't know whether John really had Asperger's Syndrome, but it is interesting to see how these differences did not matter to God. We saw when Jesus came to be baptized, how He spoke to his cousin. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus came to be baptized, and John said it should be the other way around. Jesus did not argue, but kindly said, 'suffer it to be so now'. I can imagine the Savior being just as considerate of all of us in our various ways of being, whatever they may be. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You Don't Feel At Home Anywhere</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_dont_feel_at_home_anywhere/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/f76a176f95ff84d41b5e7bd42fa8cde18f989afe/original/when-you-dont-know-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Politics of Birthday Parties</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_politics_of_birthday_parties/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c342ccc8c193dec057d6b2ebbd01afadd29b5156/original/the-politics-of.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTE5eDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="119" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I was Suicidal</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_i_was_suicidal/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9337c1ea27a481678d0811fc8914a3eef9d8e78f/original/were-not-allowedto-talk.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977492019-12-09T10:58:36-05:002022-02-25T02:08:00-05:00When You Don't Feel At Home Anywhere<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/f76a176f95ff84d41b5e7bd42fa8cde18f989afe/original/when-you-dont-know-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't feel at home anywhere anymore. I've been too many places, I've seen too many things, and I am made up of the bits and pieces of stories and experiences I've collected in a thousand unlikely places. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm too academic for this crowd, too liberal for this other group, too conservative for those ones over there, and too individualistic for those who crave the familiar and the expected. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in my head, I often travel to that far-away era, to that land tinged with nostalgia and fairy dust that if I could only reach it, I could surely feel at home, 30 years ago in 1987. I'm stuck in the past. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I hear the notes of a song from long ago, and it is as if a collage of every youthful memory is trapped therein, amid the swell of hurried notes cascading out of an electric guitar as if it were from a fountain. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I remember it all, but much better than it actually was. It's jumbled together, the swirl of summer days and the smell of sun-kissed skin, the lazy hours that went by with nothing more to do than to read my favorite novels over and over again, the bike rides down to the Magothy River, the hope that someday I'd grow up and know what it felt like to become a rock star.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I hear, ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, and for a minute, I believe. I long to go back to the past, but really there is nothing in that place for me anymore. I feel as though I left something under the oak tree with the undulating tire swing that I must retrieve in order to be whole.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My brain conjures up a desire so strong that it feels as if surely I must have a time machine somewhere hidden whereby I could access that sacred spot in time, somewhere between 1986 and 1989, as my heart longs for it so.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Of lusty days when boys and girls wore their hair as high as they could make it and created hair-spray cemented towers, and we listened to men wearing leather pants, as they screamed the lyrics to 'Cold Blood' and 'Welcome to the Jungle'. Of riding past my brother’s best’s friend’s house, and his older brother sponge-washing a cherry red 1968 something or other, me hoping he would notice me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This was my youth, and how I miss it so. I remember carnival lights amid the sticky smell of cotton candy and the innuendo between my classmate and me, as we rode the ride that spins you so fast that you stick to the walls by the sheer force of centrifugality.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I used all my strength to turn my neck to face a boy I hoped maybe that night might sneak in a kiss but never did. His dirty blonde hair had the 'look of California' I told myself, and the strains of 'Black Dog' could be heard in the air, as we spun faster and faster, the lights blurring in and out of focus.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I long for the days of Mustangs and Iroc Zs, of Camaros and Corvettes and all the sounds that accompanied them. I reach out for something that doesn't exist, that thing that promises it would make me happy if only I could grasp it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It tugs at me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It lies to me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It beckons me to come when there is no possible way to arrive at its dusky door.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I didn't feel at home then, dodging my schoolwork and finding my refuge near a neighborhood pond with the lily pads and crickets. I wasn't enjoying life, warily watching my back because of bullies and other problems. The longing for home is one that stays with me.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't feel at home where I am, and I don't feel at home when I visit the town where I used to live. My hometown on the coast of Maryland near Baltimore feels foreign to me, except in those memories that feel so strong they sometimes crowd out my present reality. I'm looking for my home, and I've wearied from trying to find it in other people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Home is in heaven, a place I haven't been to yet. I'm not looking to die, I'm looking to live here on earth as long as I can. I'm looking to raise up my progeny into somebody worthwhile. I want to see blue skies each morning for as long as I'm able.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I just think that when I get there, I will not see sleeveless boys in tank tops riding in Trans Ams but that I will see Jesus, and I will be complete. There will be no more suffering or rock stars, or a hole in my heart the size of the Grand Canyon. There will God and His love, and I will need nothing more.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Politics of Birthday Parties</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c342ccc8c193dec057d6b2ebbd01afadd29b5156/original/the-politics-of.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDg0Il0%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="84" width="100" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I Was Suicidal</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Can't Be Sad, You Have Jesus</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e12f1d0e832ddebdddb3116d2cc8846ce143ccfe/original/you-cant-be-sad-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977482019-12-09T10:58:35-05:002021-08-20T05:45:38-04:00The Politics of Birthday Parties<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c342ccc8c193dec057d6b2ebbd01afadd29b5156/original/the-politics-of.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In this time of social media, we more than ever can know where we stand with others. If we have a child, and especially one with special needs, we acutely feel the pricks and the hurting over whether or not our child is included. Particularly poignant are the posts of children with autism whose parties were ignored by everyone except for close relatives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I can't imagine their pain.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our birthday parties are like a social bar graph of where we stand in the scheme of things. It<span class="text_exposed_show"> shows how liked we are. How included we've become. Or not. It can hurt. We see the festivities our children were not invited to.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Our little children are not playing the games we as adults are playing. I realize that at a certain point they will and that they do because I once was young. I do know, however, that often it is the parents' decision not to include those who are on the 'out' list. And our little ones suffer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Unnecessarily.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We play games, deciding who is in and who is out and who would be of most benefit to us socially. We set up a system where the have and have-nots are determined nigh from the cradle to great beyond. And what are we gaining? Is the Father pleased with our actions?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When a little one extends his or her hand, asking you to join her for a celebration of the day she was born, consider this:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Father once prepared a feast. He sent out the invitations, but one by one, people made excuses. One person said they just bought a pair of oxen and could not go, and another said he could not because he had just married a wife. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Father was angry, and sent His servants to gather the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. There was still room, and He compelled those in the highways and byway to come in and said that none who were invited would taste of His banquet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus loves the little ones. Their angels are always before Him in heaven. Be careful how you treat them. And if you're throwing a feast, consider this: Then Jesus said to his host,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">"When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. </span><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."</span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's simple. Invite them. Bring the little ones, the ones that others forget, and go when you are invited to their festive parties. Show kindness and inclusivity to this next generation, and maybe in the future, we will not have to worry so much about the politics of birthday parties.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I Was Suicidal</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/modest_clothing_is_not_the_answer/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9337c1ea27a481678d0811fc8914a3eef9d8e78f/original/were-not-allowedto-talk.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/modest_clothing_is_not_the_answer/"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest Clothing is Not the Answer</span></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You See A Fat Person</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977472019-12-09T10:58:33-05:002019-12-09T10:58:35-05:00When I Was Suicidal<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9337c1ea27a481678d0811fc8914a3eef9d8e78f/original/were-not-allowedto-talk.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />Depression lies to us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Depression tells us things that sound romantic but aren't true. It isn't helping you. It's not your friend. If you listen to its falsehoods, it will take everything until there's nothing left, and it will leave barren and hollow those who you love the most. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's also not a way to pay others back. You won't end up on top. You will lose so much more than I can tell you. Love. Sweet love. Life. A chance to see the rising sun. A chance to make things brighter. Better. Anything. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And I don't say this to make you feel guilty. Not at all. I'm not saying that it's up to you to hold it all together to keep everybody else happy. I am saying that it's one thing to feel depressed, but it is another thing to listen to the slanted logic that depression will present you with. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I didn't talk about my depression. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And I want to say upfront that I'm not a clinical psychologist, and this isn't a substitute for a doctor's advice. Go get help. I strongly advise that. I also realize that we're not allowed to talk about feeling suicidal, I mean not as a society, and because of that, we don't mention it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so, you feel alone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But you're not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Don't be afraid to speak out and get help. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your life depends upon it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was in a difficult situation, and I had a double whammy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After the birth of my firstborn child, I experienced a blackness so thick, it was palpable. It actually struck me at first when I was pregnant. It was there, ever looming in the background, like a darkness that ever threatened to engulf me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wanted to die. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was carrying my child, and I believe that she saved my life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A boredom so pervasive invaded my every moment. I was bored while doing things, and time seemed to slow down to a crawl. I know firsthand that depression hurts. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Believe me, I understand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am typically a very busy person, and that did not stop. I just felt unsettled no matter what I did. After the pregnancy, the dip in hormonal levels sometimes hit me like a wave, violent and formidable, a terrible foe that I could neither vanquish nor do anything against. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was just surviving. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was drowning in the day to day. My child was a terrible sleeper, and I was breastfeeding her. I tried to do too much. I am a rule-follower to a T, though I don't look that way in appearance. The truth is that I wanted to do everything right, and I wanted to do everything that people asked of me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I usually ended up doing nothing but working so hard at doing the nothing that it felt like I climbed Mt. Everest. And yet, somehow I still felt like a disappointment. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am the worst people-pleaser, though I ended up failing at that, too. I have since had to be true to myself and drop a lot of the plates I was spinning. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It turns out I don't need to follow the rules that constrict and that bind me. Sometimes people will act as if I do, and I just remind myself that I need to take care of myself. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I felt like I HAD to be the parent who stayed up at night with her. I felt like I HAD to do everything. No one had any idea how much I tried or how hard I worked even while sitting perfectly still. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I took care of that baby. I stayed up at night with her. I sacrificed, and I bled internally, metaphorically speaking.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And then I got sick.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> I came down with mono. And the sun, it seemed, went down on my life until it was just a tiny speck far away on the horizon that I could barely see. I needed more help than I was getting. I needed more sleep than I was getting. I cried out from desperation, and it seemed no one could hear me. It seemed nobody was listening. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I didn't think I would get well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The days stretched into weeks that stretched into months that turned into an entire year. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">No help, no phone calls, no 'how are you doing?' from those I expected it from. To say I felt abandoned is a vast understatement. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I loved everyone, but I felt I was doing them no good. This is when depression whispered into my ear. It told me how happy my husband would be without me. It told me that he would be relieved and that he would go off and find a young blonde wife who could hike and cook and do plenty of things with the baby. It told me that she would have plenty of kids and would pop them out easily, one by one, every year. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It told me my baby would be better off. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It lied to me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It said my child would be happier with a different mom and that she would forget all about me. Hell, I believed that she wouldn't be interested to learn anything about me, as she would be so happy with Better Mom. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My husband wouldn't have to deal with my burdensome ways. He and my baby could get back to being a happy family together with Better Wife. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Without me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Lies. All stinking lies. Lies from the putrid depths of the pit called hell. Lies from the enemy himself. Understand this: the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but Jesus comes that you might have life and more abundantly. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You say you're in pain? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Of course you're in pain. It doesn't mean Jesus can't fix you. I don't know what the fix is for you. It might be a therapist or a doctor, medication, or a change in diet or scenery. It might be getting some rest. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I don't know. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But what I do know is that you cannot believe a word that depression would tell you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For example, I did not realize that if I ended my life that it would cause others pain. I thought my husband would have a celebration. I realize that this may be a no-brainer to you or to another depressed person, but I guarantee you that your views are distorted if you are that depressed. It might just be that you are deceived in a different area than I was. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As a radio show host, people often send books for me to review. I received one such book in late 2016. It was called 'Bloom in the Dark'. The stories in the book are written by survivors of trauma and abuse, so, naturally, I was drawn to it. Late one night, I was reading it while my husband was asleep. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My eyes were soon flooded with tears. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It included a real letter written by a real person who was married to someone who had killed himself.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was devastated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The love, the pain, and the suffering were obvious in this person who was left behind, and I had missed it. I realized that my husband and child would be hurt and not helped if I had died. Depression had so clouded my thinking that I could not see this. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I didn't believe anybody could love a loser like me. I had been unemployed since 2009, and this also contributed greatly to my sense of worthlessness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your lie could be different. Only you know what the whispers of shame are telling you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For me, just realizing that my major belief was untrue was enough to shatter the bubble. I no longer considered suicide, and I no longer listened to whatever depression would tell me. I realized my thinking had been distorted, and I was able to accept help.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I told my husband about Better Wife and Better Mom, and he just looked at me, incredulous. He didn't have a desire for Better Wife, and he said he wanted me. I was his wife and not because of what I could do. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want to pause here and say that our worth doesn't come from another human being, and that if your spouse or kids don't love you that you still are more valuable than you know. You are LOVED by a God in heaven who gave Himself for you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What woke me up wasn't having worth in my husband's eyes. It was that I realized how distorted my thinking was. It frankly scared me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Since then, God has blessed me with a job I can do from home. I did recover from mono, and God has brought new friends into my life. My point here is that things can change and not that friends, a job or any other thing should become your hope in life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I'm not promising rainbows shooting out of your back end, but I am saying that suicide is permanent. I saw no way around mono (because of my compromised immune system), and I had taken on too many emotional responsibilities. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If I had it to do over, I wouldn't try to be all things to everybody, and I'd let people do some things for themselves. I would have stopped it with the people pleasing. I would have dropped all the rules. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I know depression is overwhelming, and I know how overwhelming the blackness is. That's why I'm saying to get help and to not listen to its lies. I am also saying that you're not alone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Most of us don't talk about it because of the stigma attached to it and because we're not licensed clinical psychologists. There is this idea that you're not allowed to talk about it, and what happens is that nobody talks about it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It means that we think we're all alone when we're really not. It means we take on more than we ought to on our own, thinking we have to be strong and that nobody else is suffering this way. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They are. I am trying to start the conversation. Talk to someone. Get some help. We're all rooting for you. </span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28</span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><br></span></em><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You can call the suicide prevention hotline 24 hours a day <span>1-800-273-8255</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Need Salvation</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b39e160af010bbbd465d1d32d8a677a57cec83da/original/you-needsalvation-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You're Not The #blessed</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_are_not_the_blessed/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/892a253027281080bd0e71671e5896be05c068eb/original/is-it-wrongto-meet-alonewith-someon-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Letting Go of What is Killing You</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/letting_go_of_what_is_killing_you/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/7ad1a42397d29baed77bd0b5554780f856f1570a/original/letting-go.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
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<p> </p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977462019-12-09T10:58:32-05:002022-05-25T13:16:50-04:00You Can't Be Sad, You Have Jesus!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/e12f1d0e832ddebdddb3116d2cc8846ce143ccfe/original/you-cant-be-sad-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is important to make sure that our ideas come from the Bible, and one prevailing attitude is that you should not or will not be sad if you have Jesus. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">False.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus wept twice in scripture. 'And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!' Luke 19:41-42</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God was sad over the fact that the city would be destroyed and that the Jews would turn away from Him. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And there is another example in John chapter 11. Jesus visits the tomb of His friend Lazarus, and the Bible says poignantly, 'Jesus wept'. John 11:35</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible also says that there is a time to every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:4 says there is, 'a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;'</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sadness is a normal human emotion, and sometimes depression is a response to adverse circumstances, hormonal imbalance or faulty brain chemistry. It doesn't mean we don't love Jesus. It doesn't mean we don't have enough faith. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It means we are human.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We often come under the false assumption that life will be rainbows and that we will be immune to life's hurts, because we have trusted in Jesus, but Jesus does not remove our humanity. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many of the prophets endured extreme sadness. There was Jonah, Elijah, and David, to name a few. Elijah would have likely been diagnosed with clinical depression today. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And while there is a time for mourning and weeping, there is no shame in getting help for depression, in fact, it is a very good step to take toward one's mental health. Praying harder does not always cut it, and sometimes God wants us to put action to our prayers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I was very sick and bedridden, I prayed that God would heal me, and I wondered why He didn't. I was a brand new Christian and didn't know why He required that I go to the doctor so that He would heal me. Couldn't He do it without a doctor? Yes, but He will also send you to the doctor to get your healing. It doesn't mean He didn't heal you. All healing does come from God. It's just that the methods will differ. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Well-meaning Christians will often add extra pressure that we measure up or give off a certain appearance to show we are good Christians, but the Bible does not require that of us. Jesus knows we are dust and that we are fragile. He doesn't ask us to pretend. We are actually to beware hypocrisy. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is no added shame, because we are sad or even because we are depressed. God does not add to our burden; His burden is light, and His yoke is easy. He is not sitting up there judging us for 'failing'. It doesn't work like that. He doesn't put a premium on being upbeat. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He may seek us to get help in the form of medical attention, in fact, He will often implore us to do so. Like the prophet Elijah, He may invite us to remember to eat and to take our rest for a time, but He does not leave us. He desires us to have life and to have it more abundantly. He is telling us to be of good cheer, because He is right here with us no matter what. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa </span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other Posts You May Like:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">5 Essential Principles About Money From The Scriptures</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/5_essential_principles_about_money_from_the_scriptures/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/88fc7281572d85137cbc277014973044c64f51a7/original/stop-looking-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest Clothing is Not the Answer</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/modest_clothing_is_not_the_answer/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6f6ab515fe1470d3df168ff975790452edfd7073/original/modest-clothing.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You See An Overweight Person</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/what_its_like_for_us/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/086f025e791a644856a30ddd20e2feac3f073c50/original/when-you-see-a-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977452019-12-09T10:58:31-05:002019-12-09T10:58:31-05:005 Essential Principles About Money From the Scriptures<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/c51e6e80fae9ffebcadfdfd9974fa39b7675bd62/original/stop-looking-5.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God gives us principles for dealing with money, and we will cover ten of them in this post. *</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Tithe</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts'. Malachi 3:11</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This verse is preceded by the verse on tithing. The tithe was to be brought into the house of God to provide meat in His house, and God says you will be blessed more than you can recover. These blessings will often be spiritual, and we discussed this in the previous principle. The devourer, however, refers to the here and now, and it speaks to your material things.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The devourer in Malachi 3:11 is that thing that causes you to be broke when you do not tithe. Unexpected car repairs, house repairs, doctors' visits can be the devourer. A broken computer, washing machine or dryer can be the devourer. It can be anything that is troublesome and eats into your resources. About the time the Israelites spent in the desert, God said, <em><strong>'Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years'.</strong></em> God can make your things last when you trust Him with your tithes.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>You Are the Manager of God's Things</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When Joseph was in Egypt, he managed the house of Potiphar. Potiphar saw that he did well when Joseph was in charge, and he put him in charge of more things until the entire household was under his care. The Bible also tells us that when we are faithful in what is least that we will be faithful in what is much.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This means that God will oftentimes increase our responsibilities when we have shown that we can be trusted in the things He has given us. The Bible says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, meaning the cattle or the things that we have really aren't ours. They are His, and He allows us to manage them for Him. Manage it well, and God will often increase what you have.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Seek Your God</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>2 Chronicles 31:21 says, 'In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Seek God. Follow His instructions for your life and for your money. God isn't going to prosper you if you have one hand in evil practices, and in case you're thinking of the people you know who are doing well but who are wicked, I have news for you. The Bible addresses this too. <em><strong>Psalm 73:19 says, 'How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!' Proverbs 10:22 says, 'The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it'.</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">On the other hand, when God does give a person their desires when they are living in sin, the Bible says this: <em><strong>'So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them'. Psalm 106:15.</strong></em> Some translations say, instead, that they received leanness of soul. Has God ever let you have your way, but you felt sick inside? That is what this is talking about. It is better to avoid it. I can personally attest to how awesome it is when God blesses me, and I can enjoy it knowing I have His approval.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Take Risks for God</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money'. Matthew 25:18</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the parable of the talents, the master gives five talents to one servant, two to another, and one to another still. The master goes on a long journey and inspects the results when He returns. The servant to whom five talents were entrusted now has ten talents, and the servant who initially had two, now has four. These two are rewarded and are appointed to manage many things.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The last servant returned the money the master had given, as he had buried it in the ground and did nothing with it. The master was incensed. The servant says that he was fearful and distrustful of his master, and this is why he hid the money, and many of us live our lives the same way. Our talents can refer to our money, certainly, and it also expands to include our other abilities and resources as well. We need to invest these in the kingdom of God, doing things for those who need help.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Diversify</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land'. Ecclesiastes 11:2</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Proverbs 31 lady ran several businesses. <em><strong>'She considers a field and buys it; out of her earning she plants a vineyard'. Proverbs 31:16</strong></em> This means that she used money from another venture to invest in land. She then tends to that land, possibly with the help of workers, to plant a vineyard that can be profitable.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong><em>Verse 18 says 'she sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night'.</em></strong> This means that she sells her wares in the market, putting her business acumen to use. Verse 19 says, <em><strong>'in her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers',</strong></em> and verse 24 says, <em><strong>'She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes'.</strong></em> If you have various abilities, by all means, use them!</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">David was at one time a shepherd and was also a songwriter and psalmist, and he later became king of Israel. Most of us are endowed with more than one gift, and if that is you, put it to good use and diversify! If you invest in several things, you have something to fall back on if something fails. The verse in Ecclesiastes may have been referring to crops or animals, basically saying, don't put all your eggs in one basket. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Be Diligent</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense' Proverbs 12:11</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich'. Proverbs 13:4</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God blesses diligence. In Proverbs 6:6-8, it says to observe the ant who is hard at work preparing her food in summer and her harvest in the fall. This isn't a bludgeon to batter those who have experienced hard times, and it is not a license to judge those who are poor or to beat yourself up if you lack financial means.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is an admonition to be diligent in whatever you have, whether it is setting some money aside, working to earn a living, or building a business. It also means taking care of what God has given you.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Being diligent means learning to persevere when it is hard to keep going, and it means doing the same things consistently. It also means eschewing laziness. Proverbs 24:33 says, <em><strong>'A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man'.</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Be Generous</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God doesn't give us material possessions so that we can hoard them away all for ourselves – He wants us to be generous. <em><strong>Proverbs 11:25 says, 'The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed'.</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In bible times, the people were not allowed to gather all of their harvest but were to leave behind some crop for the poor to come and collect, or glean, in order to have something to eat.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Many times, people will neglect to be generous, because they are afraid that the remaining bank balance will be bleak. <em><strong>Proverbs 11:24 says, 'One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty'.</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Being generous requires faith that there is a God in heaven who sees your actions and take care of you. Pray and seek God's guidance before giving, and know He will provide you with what you need.I love this verse: <strong><em>'Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.' Luke 6:38 </em></strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Don't Take Detours</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Before Joshua entered the Promised Land, God had some instructions for him. He said this, <em><strong>'Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest'. Joshua 1:7</strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When you're stewarding God's money, be sure to follow His instructions in life. If you are breaking God's commandments, very often, this will cost you money. This is not to say that bad things won't happen to good people, as it can and does happen, but it is to say that leaving His pathway can hurt our finances. Ask me how I know!</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">One such example of sin and monetary loss is found in Proverbs 6:26. It says, <em><strong>'</strong></em><em><strong>For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread; And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.'</strong></em> Adultery and divorce cost money as does gambling, smoking, and being an alcoholic. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Get out of Debt</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'The borrower is slave to the lender' Proverbs 22:7 </strong></em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I want to make it clear that I am not using these verses to beat anyone over the head as with a hammer. I was about $26,000 in debt, living on one income, as I wasn't able to work.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The debt was crushing. It would keep me awake at night. It felt like I could not breathe. I cried out for Him to help me, because it was strangling me slowly. God, by His mighty hand, helped me to get out of debt.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Getting out of debt has freed my husband to not have to work six day work weeks and to be able to take six weeks off when I had my baby in 2015. He has been able to take time off to help with the baby, and we eat much better than we used to.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Getting out of debt was a process that took us several years, and it has freed us up to do things we could not afford in the past. I also sleep better at night than I used to. I am not saying debt is a sin, but I am saying that it constrains us in ways that are very uncomfortable.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong>Being Faithful with Money Leads to the Real Blessing</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><strong><em>'So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?' Luke 16:11</em></strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I used to balk at the idea of spiritual blessings: I wanted money. I had no idea how blessed it truly was that God gave me spiritual blessings in the form of gospel songs, blog posts, and devotional writings.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">To date, I have written over 1,000 songs that have been played on the radio and hundreds of blog posts that have blessed people all over the world. He has given me ideas for things to share in the ministry that He has led me to start.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This principle is found in the parable of the unjust steward who could not be trusted with his master's money, and it demonstrates that God will trust those who are faithful with money as being more capable of handling his true riches.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Spiritual blessings are the true riches, because God says so, though it took me a long time to appreciate that fact. It isn't about getting a good feeling, as feelings are fickle, but it is about a lasting peace that comes about with God-given wisdom for living this life and into the next, as these blessings have trickled over into the lives of others.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Stay Gutsy,</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Rosa</strong></span></p>
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</form>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977442019-12-09T10:58:30-05:002022-03-11T14:57:21-05:00Modest Clothing is not the Answer<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6f6ab515fe1470d3df168ff975790452edfd7073/original/modest-clothing.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing is not the answer if people are trying to maintain a culture that is free from sin. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing is not the answer for why women are sexually assaulted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing is not the answer for problems that originate the heart. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing is not a remedy for controlling the actions of men. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing is not a surefire way to make sure nothing bad ever happens. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Modest clothing, however, is an answer for people who want to respectfully adorn themselves in Christlike manner and who do not want to sin with their bodies. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Cloistered religious groups are not free from the <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/142999/silence-lambs-protestants-concealing-catholic-size-sexual-abuse-scandal">blight</a> of sexual predators, and the layering of clothing does not do away with this phenomenon. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/04/13/why-dress-codes-cant-stop-sexual-assault/">evidence</a> to suggest that in society it is a small percentage of men committing most of the sex crimes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/sexual-assault-survivors-answer-the-question-what-were-you-w?utm_term=.cvZB8q82V#.rg7m656al">Rape</a> victims are often wearing an array of clothing choices from what could be considered revealing to frumpy sweatpants and t-shirts. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When I was 15, I was sexually assaulted while wearing a gray t-shirt, red flannel shirt, (it was the 90s) and a pair of sweatpants. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Countries in the Middle East where women are covered more excessively than most people here in the United States do not see a decrease in the occurrence of rape. The numbers are actually <a href="http://www.themedialine.org/featured/rates-rape-sexual-violence-high-middle-east/">higher.</a> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am not saying to dress scantily, and go hang out at the bar. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I am not saying to not dress modestly. I am saying that there are other factors at play regarding sexual assault, and it is good to be educated as to what these are. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A Federal Commission on Crime Violence Study has <a href="https://www.change.org/p/tell-jillian-michaels-and-the-doctors-that-clothing-doesnt-cause-rape-rapists-cause-rape">shown</a> that in only 4.4% of cases, was there provocative behavior on the part of the victim. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Research has shown that rapists target submissive women and that most do not remember what their victim was wearing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Other studies show that women in body-covering clothing, long sleeves, layers, and high neck lines, make an attractive target, because they don't believe they will be difficult to overpower -- due to their personalities. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Rapists have also <a href="https://www.change.org/p/tell-jillian-michaels-and-the-doctors-that-clothing-doesnt-cause-rape-rapists-cause-rape">targeted</a> females that are between infancy and their 90s. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A certain <a href="https://thinkprogress.org/1-in-3-college-men-in-survey-say-they-would-rape-a-woman-if-they-could-get-away-with-it-ffa7406b9778">percentage </a>of college men polled have stated that they would rape someone if they could get away with it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Rape is about <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200901/marked-mayhem">power</a>, and a modesty culture that exists to deter the sinful thoughts of men can run into trouble in various ways. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can lead rape victims to blame themselves for not being modest enough, and it can create feelings of undue pride in those who dress modestly. It can excuse the behavior of perpetrators, because people believe that they were 'enticed' by a woman. It can lead communities to look down on women who are victimized as being somehow deserving of it or even asking for it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can lead a person to feel ashamed and at fault for something beyond their control.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The intention of not causing brothers in Christ to stumble is a noble one that has some merit, but in the Bible, responsibility for lustful thoughts is put on the shoulders of the one doing the lusting. Young men need to understand that it is not someone else's job to control their thoughts or actions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How can men who are are in Christians circles expect to possibly train as pastors or teachers and lead one day when they are told that their lust is out of their hands and that women control that aspect of their life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Are they to passively hope no woman tempts them? Where is this found in scripture?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Do we teach the same things about theft? That you can take what you want, and it is the other person's fault? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Potiphar's wife was not responsible for Joseph's actions. Joseph himself was. In Potiphar's wife, we have an extreme example of a woman who actually is trying to entice Joseph to touch her, and yet, he does not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because he is control of his own actions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the book of Proverbs chapter 8, a woman is trying to seduce a passerby, and he is told to stay far away from her house. Job is quoted as saying that he made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maiden. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Why?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because these men were responsible for their own actions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would it not be dangerous to ask women to submit to husbands who are not capable of controlling their own impulses?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">David had a son named Absalom and a daughter named Tamar.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Tamar was beautiful, yes, but she was undoubtedly a chaste woman. Her brother, Absalom, was obsessed with her. He told his friend, who, in turn, devised a plot whereby he would feign sickness and lure her into his bedroom. When she came to him per his request, he raped her. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It was his lust, his obsession, and his action. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It was not her fault. Nowhere does the Bible say that her clothing choice caused his action. Nowhere is the fault placed on her. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Please understand that I say all of this to set the captives free and not to bash anyone because of what they do or don't choose to wear. People are hurting, because they believe they are at fault for bad things that happened to them, and people believe, falsely, that something like this could never happen to them. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We need to be vigilant, and know the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200901/marked-mayhem">signs</a> (these include a stranger talking to us, especially in an isolated spot, something feeling off or not right. Rapists are also likely to target those who have used drugs or alcohol, though this still does not mean that rape in these cases are a victim's fault.)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We need to understand the nature of the problem, and stop assigning fault to young girls whose only crime is wanting to look attractive. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We need to be careful for the predators in our midst, and do something about it when they strike. We need to stop looking the other way while assigning blame to the victim. We're teaching everyone that this sort of behavior is alright. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is understandable that we seek to have control over issues that scare us and that I pray never come near our doors. But, dear, friends, we've given modest clothing choices more power than they possess.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We are to show respect for our bodies in dressing in a way that God will approve of, and it must come from a heart that wants to serve Him. It is when we use it as a formula and catch-all for life's problems that modest clothing is not and will never be the answer.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> Other Posts You May Like</span></p>
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<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;">When God's Calling Brings Suffering</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_gods_calling_brings_suffering/"><span style="font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/51e4e7c25072277ba12cab69096828504cd08a3d/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977432019-12-09T10:58:29-05:002019-12-09T10:58:29-05:00When God's Calling Brings Suffering<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/433243c715fb1134e1d3f894822812b730836f83/original/untitled-design-4.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">Mary was distraught.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Her first-born son lay in a tomb after He had been publically humiliated, spat upon, beaten, bruised, falsely accused, and mocked. He had been crucified with sinners and was so reviled that the crowd favored releasing the criminal Barabas in His stead.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How did she get here?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What sin had she committed that everything had turned out so badly?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Would she have had an easier time if only she had followed God more closely?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How could so much suffering be a part of God's plan?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you ever wondered how in the world you got to where you are when you know in your heart of hearts that all you did was follow Jesus?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you ever looked on as others were happy and healthy while you languished with problem after problem?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you ever had friends turn on you or abandon you as if you were somehow untouchable?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The angel had come to Mary when she was a girl, perhaps a teenager, and had told her the wonderful news. She was to conceive the Son of God. And He was to reign forever and His kingdom would never end.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But now this.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He lay in a tomb lifeless.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Remember back when your calling was fresh and when you had the vision of what God was going to do with your life. Remember how exhilarating it felt to have the Most High God look upon you with favor. Remember the mission that was put before you. Remember how it thrilled your heart.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You didn't know where this was headed, but you knew that God had a plan. And now you've seen the other side. That His plan included suffering. More suffering than you had banked on. But you are in the middle of your story. We have to look to the Bible to see where this will end up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If your life is miserable with suffering, know that the Psalmist felt the same way when he said these words:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.'</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Psalmist also says that the arrogant have good health and no troubles. The wicked are doing well, and they go around swelled up with pride. Their riches only increase while he has nothing but problems.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And he envies them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I feel the same way. Do you?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But then he goes into God's sanctuary and understands the ending to this story.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The wicked will end like this:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How they are brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">As for his end, and his end and yours, it says:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou has holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.'</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He states that God is his portion forever and that those who wander far from God will perish. He understands how this story will end.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible doesn't say that God's calling won't be hard and that there won't be suffering. It doesn't say that your friends won't abandon you or that you won't suffer financial loss.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">What it does say is that surpassing glory is waiting for you if you wait for the end of the story, although for some of us, it will not happen until we reach our heavenly home.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Lazarus died, but he also was raised from the dead.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus was crucified, but He was resurrected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Mary suffered, but her Son went on to sit at the right hand of God.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There may be mourning tonight, but there will be joy in the morning</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God's calling is worth it despite the turmoil, but don't take my word for it. Take God's.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the meantime, this story isn't over. You just need to keep turning the pages.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ffff00; font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy, </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ffff00; font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> </span> <span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Need Salvation</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When Temptation is Beautiful</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></p>
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</div>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977422019-12-09T10:58:28-05:002019-02-28T03:34:53-05:00Are Female Bible Teachers More Prone To Error?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/f46e507681a6748fac6ba5f446ed1f227978d212/original/untitled-design-5.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">There are female bible teachers today who are no doubt leading the charge into error and deep sin. Their teachings are dubious, dangerous, and deficient. I am certain that some of them are causing great harm to the body of Christ, and it is troubling that there is a great lack of discernment regarding these false teachers.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That said, many writers and teachers put forth the assertion that the problem with these teachers, speakers, and writers is that they are women. They put forth the claim that these women are damning others with their heresy, because there are no men in the fray to oversee their work. A tad condescending, but this is what I have read.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The implication is that women are more prone to error, more easily deceived, and that they have no business writing, speaking, or teaching. We women need men to instruct us on the books we ought to read, didn't you know?</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In their zeal to throw out bad doctrine, they throw out all the female teachers with the bathwater.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There's good news, and there's bad news.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The good news is that the Bible does <em>not</em> say that women are more easily deceived than men.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The bad news is that we are living in a time of deep apostasy. Error is rampant, and it is coming from BOTH men and women.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There is a need for discernment for women and for men who pick up a book, tune into a podcast, or attend a sermon series. The times are late, and the impulse to deceive has never been stronger.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says continually to beware of people who preach a different gospel, add to the gospel, twist the scriptures, are greedy for gain, and who are wolves in sheep's clothing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong><span class="text 1Tim-2-14">Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Men will be out to fleece the flock for all they are worth, and there will be ravenous pretenders who are really wolves in sheep's clothing.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">There will also be those with the Jezebel spirit who are out to seduce the flock of God into committing fornication and eating those things that have been sacrificed to idols.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Not a pretty picture.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the Bible it says that people will claim their dreams are from God when they are not and that people will say everything is okay when it is not.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible nowhere says that women are more prone to spreading heresy. With an exception or two, the warnings are actually to avoid men who spread false teaching.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But what about Eve and the fact that she was deceived, and Adam was not? Isn't that grounds to believe that women can't handle the word of God?</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The text says simply this:</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.<span class="text 1Tim-2-14"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14"> </span></span>For Adam was formed first, then Eve. </span> <span class="text 1Tim-2-14">And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.'</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Where does it say that women are easily deceived or that they can't be trusted? It says that Adam was formed first and that Eve was deceived.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Women are not to be pastors.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Enough said.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Insulting women's intelligence or claiming that they are easily deceived is simply not necessary. From stating women that are more emotional to suggesting that they're just not that smart, I've heard it all.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It's nonsense, it's hurtful, and it's speculative at best. You don't need to add to the Bible to follow what it says, and you don't have to condescend to half the world population in order to do it.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Okay?</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible admonishes the older women to teach the younger ones, and it was by the teaching of his mother and grandmother and God's will that Timothy became a man of God. The Bible also mentions the army of women that go forth speaking the gospel.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The motivation of heretics, according to the Bible, is to draw followers after themselves and to profit financially. And there is a lot of that going on. Anyone with eyes can see it.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because of this, we need to use discernment when choosing biblical material to study or to listen to. Open your ears, open your eyes, and use your judgment. Read your Bible, and regularly sit under sound biblical teaching.</span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Do this, and you won't be fooled by the wolvish women in ministry. Use discernment, and better yet, you will be able to identify all the wolvish males in sheep's clothing as well.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You Are Not The #Blessed</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_are_not_the_blessed/"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/892a253027281080bd0e71671e5896be05c068eb/original/is-it-wrongto-meet-alonewith-someon-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span></a></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Hateful People We Admire</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_hateful_people_we_admire/"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bbcdec5a6c0324c09ee222a3afbb12745fb7dcc3/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span></a></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Are Female Bible Teachers More Prone to Error?</span></span></p>
<p><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/are_female_bible_teachers_more_prone_to_error_/"><span class="text 1Tim-2-14" style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/406c1fa4b3659678c0b9babe214f5c49687da623/original/error.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></a><br></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977412019-12-09T10:58:27-05:002019-12-09T10:58:27-05:00Do Women Belong in Ministry?<p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/ce02439d1d58138c4325b94d9cb0315d970cd873/original/untitled-design-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">A surprising number of people are suspicious of women's ministries. They say they're prone to error, lacking the covering of male headship, and that their position in Christianity is dubious. The implication is that women in ministry should be approached with caution.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The year was between 26 and 30 C.E. Jesus was well into His ministry, and there were women who followed Him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Traveling.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Ministering.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They paid for things pertaining to His ministry out of their own pockets. The scriptures do not record Jesus having a problem with it. Luke 8:1-3 says:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.</strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> <span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></em></span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine if a well-known preacher had a throng of women following him and playing a supporting role. Imagine for a minute what a scandal would erupt. Perhaps it did in Jesus's time.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine the role of the modern-day woman at the well. She hears the gospel, and she goes and tells the men, and they believe. She isn't afraid to have a conversation with them. They aren't afraid to have a conversation with her. She isn't trying to seduce them. She is trying to save their souls. And she succeeds. Imagine if that happened today.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Ministry can take on different roles. It can look like the Samaritan woman who preaches the gospel. It can look like the women supporting Jesus's ministry. It can look like Priscilla who, with Aquila, explains more fully the scriptures to Apollo the Jew. This same Priscilla is described as a fellow worker in the Lord.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like the woman with the alabaster box who broke it and poured the expensive ointment, pure Nard, on Jesus to prepare Him for His burial.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like Martha who served the Lord when He stayed in her home.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like the women who went to the grave to anoint Jesus after He had been buried.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like those same women running and telling the men that He had risen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like the women following the admonition in Titus 2 to be teachers of the younger women.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can be those using their gifts of hospitality and encouragement.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can be those who, in Psalm 68:11, are described as a great army of women telling the good news.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can be those with musical gifts like Miriam with her tambourine and singing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can be those like Dorcas who made things for other people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can be like Mary who ministered to the Son of God through motherhood.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">All this is not to say that a woman in ministry should not be subject to accountability or that she should be a pastor or a deacon (1 Tim 2:12, Titus 1:6). It is to say that the Bible is rife with women who prayed, preached, and were deeply involved in ministry.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">These women rightly divided the word of truth, as we should do today. To imply that women in ministry somehow don't belong, are disobedient, or are meddlesome is, if nothing, insulting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">A world with women in ministry is not scary. To the contrary, I propose that it would be frightening if they were not.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Stay Gutsy, </span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333399; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Subscribe below</strong>, and I'll send you <strong>3 free gifts</strong>! </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">You'll get access to:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Ruth Did Not Wait for Her Boaz'</strong>, + 2 free albums. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Letting Go of what is Killing You</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/letting_go_of_what_is_killing_you/"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/7ad1a42397d29baed77bd0b5554780f856f1570a/original/letting-go.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Hateful People We Admire</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_hateful_people_we_admire/"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><span style="color: #ffff00;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bbcdec5a6c0324c09ee222a3afbb12745fb7dcc3/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_no_longer_trust_church_people/"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4bbb4a336685850cfb15a3c33a5a7e0735fcc44b/original/when-you-no-longer-trust.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977402019-12-09T10:58:26-05:002022-04-14T07:35:58-04:00When You Are Not The #Blessed<p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/3af801a014c5bbec4ed54b6fd728adc7334e615f/original/untitled-design-2019-02-26t003105-165.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;" data-mce-mark="1">We see the #blessed hashtag everywhere. The status updates read something like this:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">New car today! #blessed</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Got my promotion at work! #blessed</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Ran a marathon! #blessings</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But when you're driving a beat-up jalopy, are struggling with bills, and are dealing with chronic illness and you see these posts, some strange thoughts can go through your mind.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Does this mean I am not #blessed?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And if not, why is God blessing them but not me?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Even more troubling, it can make us wonder if it's a sign that God is somehow disappointed with us. Or it can make us think that perhaps God is being unfair. #iwantaswimmingpool #blessmetoogod</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For some believers, this leads them to quietly withdraw, and much like a person who is drowning, they will sink below the surface without anybody noticing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you ever looked at the perfectly curated images of your fellow believers and made a mental note that that will never be you?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I have. And if you're like me, you've come to several conclusions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're not the #blessed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're not the rock stars of the faith.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're not even one of their backup singers wearing leather pants with teased out hair.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're standing at the back of the room at the door wondering whether this whole thing even really is for us. Should we try harder or just check out?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Should we go somewhere else or just stay home?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Or could it be that we don't know what it means to be #blessed?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Could it be that we only see God's blessings as an inground swimming pool or the latest Lexus?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Could it be we've forgotten Jesus's version of what it means to be blessed?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He says in the Sermon on the Mount: (you knew this was coming)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Are you poor in spirit? Do you desperately need Jesus? If so, you are blessed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.' I know that's you. God sees the hurt in your spirit, and He says you will be comforted and that you are blessed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.' Another translation says, 'Blessed are the gentle', and another one translates it as being humble. Basically, those who are kind to others and who are not puffed up with pride.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' When righteousness is your priority, the Bible says you are blessed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.' Come on now, this is getting good. This is where the waterworks starts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' You have God's favor, and He sees Jesus's righteousness when you've trusted in Him for your salvation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.' We don't need to avenge ourselves, and God loves a peacemaker.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed <em>are</em> they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Here is where the rubber meets the road. When you are unfriended, insulted, criticized, bullied, harassed, left out, and disowned for His sake, the Bible says you are blessed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.' Some of us are very blessed indeed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Your position is great if others exclude you and when your way is difficult because of your faith. In fact, the Bible says to beware when everybody speaks well of you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." Luke 6:26</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Many of His ways go completely contrary to our own ways. In the Bible it also says that, "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." Matthew 19:30</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This is not to say that a swimming pool is not a blessing from God. It is. Every perfect and good gift is from God. I love to go swimming, and I desperately want a swimming pool (can you tell?), but still, I am more blessed than I know.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And so are you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The things that hurt us, the things we endure for our faith, they are also are our blessings. And if it were common knowledge or common sense, God would not have to tell us these things.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But He does tell us, because He loves us and wants us to know how things work in His economy. What we see and how we evaluate a situation isn't always accurate. We can assume our God doesn't love us as much as He loves someone else, when in fact that isn't true at all.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We're headed for another place and we're storing up treasure there. It may be like working a difficult job to put yourself through school and thinking your life is miserable when in reality at the end there is a diploma and (this is theoretical, work with me here) a great job with much better pay at the end of the line.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The hard work, no sleep, and backbreaking labor are just what is happening at a certain part of the story. But wait till the end, because this gets real good.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This isn't all there is. There is so much more to the story.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the meantime, just know that Jesus loves you and that you are the #blessed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Stay Gutsy,</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Rosa</strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">Do Women Belong in Ministry?</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/do_women_belong_in_ministry_/"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1ee2c82b5cf5d1dd217d4b05c016f6834488a4ee/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">My Trip to the Gay Bar</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/my_trip_to_the_gay_bar/"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6747b4debc261d8dcd7f09bf502c45209ffe13d4/original/my-trip-to-the-gay-bar-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;">When They Ignore You</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_they_ignore_you/"><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1e1bfdfc3b2a81a14d0a26c9a6d0c020ce2cf88c/original/when-theyignore-you.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977392019-12-09T10:58:24-05:002019-12-09T10:58:25-05:00Letting Go of What is Killing You<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/5870cb5d7f3ee5cbf56537b5e7662cd7ec34aed1/original/untitled-design-2019-02-25t093301-484.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><br><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I noticed the subtle put-downs and dismissive comments.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">'I wouldn't want to eat that', referring to the food I made for the baby.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Blogging isn't real writing'. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">'Your car is just a regular car, except for that turbo and tail fin. It's nothing special'. For the record, my car was a Subaru Impreza WRX.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I noticed the glowing reviews of other people this same person gave, praising their career choices and habits, and I wanted that.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I felt passed over. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfairly criticized.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I noticed the unwillingness to get something simple for me and suggesting instead that I go to the Dollar Store when it would be out of my way and might trigger a fraud alert on my debit card. (Small charges made in succession can do that, and I had already put a few small charges on the card that day).</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I sensed the unwillingness when I asked to possibly ride with or follow to a destination I had no idea how to get to on my own. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Comment after comment, and I began to get the hint.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The problem isn't the comments or the apparent lack of approval for my writing, baby food, or car. It is the hanging on to hurtful things.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I am sure you do it too.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You know what's coming, but you hold out hope for something different as if you are dependent on it. Like a drug or something.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well stop it. It's killing you.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I came to this realization the other day.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reeling from rejection after rejection and feeling hurt, I had to go to the hospital to have blood work done to figure out why I get sick all the time, and why it takes so long for me to get better.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whenever I have blood work done, it is scary. I realize there is the possibility that some hidden, unseen thing will come to light like a monster emerging from the shadows. I was beyond stressed as I waited for the results.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This pressure made me realize something: I had to let go of all the things that are killing me.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Them not liking me. Them insulting me. Them not including me. Them withholding support. All of the things.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There have been some recent articles about the connection between childhood trauma and chronic illness, and medical science is beginning to realize the connection between stress, inflammation, and disease. I'll leave a link <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-jackson-nakazawa/childhood-trauma-leads-to_b_11154082.html">here</a></span></span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">and promptly move on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The Bible says this:</span></p>
<p><strong><em><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">'A crushed spirit dries up the <span class="st">bones</span>.' Proverbs 17:22</span></em></strong></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The test showed low platelets, and if you know anything about blood, you know that it is produced in the marrow. As in bone marrow.</span></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I have a problem in my bones, and I have a crushed spirit.</span></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The slights, the looks, and the looking away, it hurts me. Be assured of that. It cuts me. Deeply. I feel things, I understand things, and I perceive things, though you might not hear me say it. </span></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I am aware of every unfriending on facebook. I notice your absence, and I wonder why you've chosen to cut me out of your life. </span></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I am stricken in spirit. I am crushed. And I feel it in my bones. </span></p>
<p><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">And before I get any older, and before you get any older, we have to stop. We need to stop doing this to ourselves. We need to let go of what is killing us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I am not saying to necessarily let go of the relationship. I do not believe it would be wise to do that in some of these cases, however, I have realized something.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The slights, the looks, and the insults ARE NOT IMPORTANT. That blood test is important. My child is important. My spouse is important. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">My ministry is important. My relationship with Jesus is important. Paying our bills is important. Driving safely is important. Being there for my husband and child is important. Following God's call on my life is important.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The fickle words and choices of frail humanity are NOT IMPORTANT. Not important, not important, not important, not important. Not important any more.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I have shifted my priorities. And it's funny, because overnight, the pain in my soul has gone away. I recognize those who are my friends, and those who are not...don't matter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">And I want that for you. I don't want you to be so stricken in spirit that you end up crushing your own bones. Instead, I want this for you:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;">'A joyful heart is good medicine' Proverbs 17:22</span></em></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong><span class="st" style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;">'Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.' Prov 3:8</span></strong></em></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif;">'Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.' Galatians 1:10</span></em></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">The health of your body and soul are important. If that means disregarding the importance of hurtful stares or mean comments, then so be it. You can wear yourself out until there is nothing left, and some people still won't like you or support you. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">And if you expend yourself thus, what will you have left? And why are you giving it all away in the first place? Usually to fill a void that the person cannot and does not want to fill.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">Don't let yourself get to a point where you're looking at being too sick to bear the negativity before you decide it is no longer worth considering. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I am not saying that other people are why I am sick, but I am saying that I can't bear the load of all of this heartache anymore on top of all I am going through.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">That there is a possible connection between grief and physical suffering makes me all the more determined to shelve disparaging actions as not important.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">After all what happens when someone says something mean? Nothing. If I am unfriended on facebook, what happens? Nothing. If people think I make stupid decisions, what happens? You get the picture. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: large;">I love them and pray for them and haven't cut them off (although many have cut themselves purposely off). I just know what's important now, and I hope you do too.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Kranky',serif; font-size: xx-large;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Kranky',serif; font-size: xx-large;">Rosa</span></strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif; color: #000000;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span> <span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: medium;">The Beautiful Temptation</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_beautiful_temptation/"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: medium;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4706d595f0f868d1e72e5354d6a572b4baac642c/original/temptation11.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: medium;">My Trip to the Gay Bar</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/my_trip_to_the_gay_bar/"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: medium;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6747b4debc261d8dcd7f09bf502c45209ffe13d4/original/my-trip-to-the-gay-bar-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: medium;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_no_longer_trust_church_people/"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Vollkorn',serif; font-size: medium;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4bbb4a336685850cfb15a3c33a5a7e0735fcc44b/original/when-you-no-longer-trust.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></span> </a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977382019-12-09T10:58:23-05:002022-05-31T02:48:47-04:00When They Ignore You<p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/697c7c4d7e43b1a6f8c67b5c2c8359bc51d2a6d9/original/untitled-design-2019-02-23t191443-952.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sometimes the study of trees (aboriculture) is interesting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My tree has been plucked as of late, and boy am I sore. Twigs have been hacked and branches sawed off. In short, relationships have been lost.</span></p>
<p><span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/9cc5c4063feabd5a2e106f9b3cad6a76df4a2170/original/pexels-photo-203553.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI2NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="267" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/92d23cef6567455d6421238ba23e87acfbcac9c8/original/pexels-photo-52678.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI2NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="267" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you been ignored?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Have you been unfriended?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Were you left out of something important and your soul was crushed?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you're getting ignored, it may just be that your tree is getting trimmed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Pruned.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Either way, it hurts.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
<p> </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Divert your energy into the remaining branches, and let the old be lopped off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let them die.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Refuse to give them any further resources. Nutrition takes away from your purpose and your branches that are still alive. They may droop a little if you divert energy, time, and emotion into things that dead or nearly dying. </span></p>
<p><span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/816ea3be84a12694f4d5487d6cc5256f77241525/original/nature-sky-twilight-grass-9198.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI2NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="265" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/057057be2ab9f3f606b506af41b8a203d6240b2a/original/pexels-photo-92997.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="250" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Imagine you were pregnant and needing to deliver your baby and that there was nowhere for you to do that. Imagine how left out you would feel when everyone was safe in their beds and you were outside in a stable giving birth. I'm guessing you already know what it's like to be on the outside looking in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus knew what it was to be disregarded.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Mocked.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Rejected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perhaps you've been the one who wasn't invited to the birthday party.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perhaps your kids weren't invited, and it hurt you just as badly, if not more.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Perhaps you are always the last one to know about what is going on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Maybe you know that people talk about you behind your back.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The good news is that how things are on heaven is different than how things are on earth.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">While Mary was giving birth to the Savior in a dusty stable with just Joseph and the animals, a great stir was taking place out in a pasture. The angel of the Lord announced to some shepherds that the Savior had just been born, and a host of angels began to praise and give glory unto God.</span></p>
<p><span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1f93a52d93bde085504786e2a0ab7ccb890ac325/original/man-agriculture-farm-farmer.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDIyNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="224" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/08d7443838e67a67ca34dad75dc29806c53d23e1/original/pexels-photo-236306.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDI2NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="267" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In heaven there was a great outpouring of praise over the lowly couple that couldn't even get a hotel room. In Luke chapter 1, the angel who approached Mary referred to her as 'highly favored', and he said 'blessed art thou among women'.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the book of Daniel, after Daniel was approached by the angel, the angel said unto him: 'O man greatly beloved' Dan 10:19</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">1 Samuel 16:7 says: "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Matthew 19:30 says, 'But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is true that among people you may be left out and rejected. It may be true that you are ignored and counted of little esteem. Your eyes may burn and your heart may hurt, but take courage in the fact that things are different in the heavenly economy than they are down here on earth.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Take courage in the fact that God sees your heart and that He knows who you are. It may just be that you are His beloved and that you are highly favored in His eyes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Seek His face and pray to Him, focusing on your relationship with Him. It could be that He uses you to carry His comfort to someone else, because you know what it is like to feel alone. Trust in His plan that He will work everything for good and that He will put the pain of people ignoring you to good use. It says so in His word.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">After your pruning, you may actually be healthier. Pour your energies into those things which are living or are just about to blossom forth. Let go of the old when a thing has run its course.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Cry if you need to, and remember that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you and that he always works all things for the good of those who love Him.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Need Salvation</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b39e160af010bbbd465d1d32d8a677a57cec83da/original/you-needsalvation-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Beautiful Temptation</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_beautiful_temptation/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4706d595f0f868d1e72e5354d6a572b4baac642c/original/temptation11.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My Trip to the Gay Bar</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/my_trip_to_the_gay_bar/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6747b4debc261d8dcd7f09bf502c45209ffe13d4/original/my-trip-to-the-gay-bar-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977372019-12-09T10:58:21-05:002019-02-23T09:12:07-05:00You Need Salvation<p><span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/48d428c503dc5ab5f89e85bf022439b8875013ed/original/untitled-design-2019-02-23t165612-441.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><br></span>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Everyone is a sinner.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Including me.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Including you.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">All of us have broken God's commandments.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And that is a problem, because God is holy and cannot look upon sin.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We've all told lies, have stolen something that did not belong to us and in other ways committed sins. Think of the ten commandments. Have you ever put anything before God? Disrespected your parents? Committed adultery? That's sin.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And the Bible says that:</span></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><em><strong>'the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 6:23.</strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Put simply, a person who dies in their sin will burn forever in a literal place called hell. God, however, does not desire that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9)</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Here is what God did so that you could be saved.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus, who is the Son of God and God, came to this earth, born as a baby in a manager, and He fulfilled the law that you or I never could. He dotted every I and crossed every t. He was perfect, and He never sinned.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He willingly went to the cross for you and me to pay for the sins that we would commit. The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. (Heb 9:22)</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Jesus died and willingly took on our punishment. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When you acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you cannot save yourself, pray this prayer, believing in His sacrifice:</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Jesus, I am a sinner. I repent, and I ask you to forgive me of my sins and be my Savior. I believe that you died and rose again for pay for my sins. In Jesus's name. Amen'.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Bible says that when you call upon the name of the Lord you shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You don't have to guess or worry about your salvation. Believe on Him, and the Bible says you shall be saved. That's a promise.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That salvation is also eternal. John 3:16 says:</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That life is eternal. You can be at peace. Today right now. It is my hope that you will say yes to Jesus and say yes to salvation.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_no_longer_trust_church_people/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4bbb4a336685850cfb15a3c33a5a7e0735fcc44b/original/when-you-no-longer-trust.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">My Trip to the Gay Bar</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/my_trip_to_the_gay_bar/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6747b4debc261d8dcd7f09bf502c45209ffe13d4/original/my-trip-to-the-gay-bar-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Beautiful Temptation</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_beautiful_temptation/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/a3d5eeb0597a811966300386a0d48c1a626d40a8/original/the-beautiful.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a><br></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977362019-12-09T10:58:19-05:002019-12-09T10:58:21-05:00The Beautiful Temptation<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70e567e706340fc2ccb1363b2d0dc97fb14f1ee2/original/untitled-design-2019-02-22t001352-444.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It happens in the desert when you're in a season of dry, barren landscapes parched for just a taste of something succulent.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Or it happens in the land of plenty when you're more than satisfied but maybe a little bit bored.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Either way, it is beautiful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It looks like the shape of a lovely lady bathing on a rooftop (not that what happened was her fault).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like a moment of convenience, like when the spouse is away, and you just happen to be laying down on a bed, like Potiphar's wife did.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Vollkorn, serif; font-size: large;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/41948224ff927b3a66aa7aaac27b97f4bfdfd03d/original/let-there-be-light-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDYzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="638" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It can look like a handsome co-worker who says all the things that you're dying to hear. The one that sports those bulging biceps or the charming witticisms that make you think about him well past the hours when work is done.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That one who is so easy to get along with, unlike your husband.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And you fell in love.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">How do I know?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Because most people aren't trying to screw over their spouse, nor are they trying to wreck their own lives. The bait is always mouth-watering, finger-licking good, and you're positively screaming for just one little, harmless little bite. You find yourself on slippery ground before you know it, and you're not sure you even want to turn around at this point.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?' Proverbs 6:27</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The odds are good that the other person is just seducing you. Look at Samson with Delilah. She teased him, but she didn't love him. Look at Potiphar's wife and how quickly she turned on Joseph. She had him thrown in prison.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In Proverbs 9, there is a flirtatious woman who tries to seduce passersby, but in verse 18, it says this:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.'</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may think you're in love, but the chances are that the other person is playing a game. A game of bait and switch. And the results are disastrous.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And even if they do think they love you, the end is still bitter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">'But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.' Proverbs 6:32</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">If you're a man, the bait is likely that she gets you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That she has respect for you, unlike your wife.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That she doesn't make you jump through hoops to get her smiles and her affection.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It may be that her clothes are just a little too tight and that her jeans fit her just right. She may think you're the funniest guy on earth, and she may laugh heartily at all of your jokes (a pretty good sign she's faking it, as nobody will find everything you do to be amazing. Just keeping it real).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Girls, if he just has all the time in the world for you, and he is intense and knows how you feel, if he seems inordinately interested in the minutiae of your life and cares about your feelings, even while sporting tense muscles and the cool facial hair of your preference, stay far away.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Far, far away. (He's also faking it.)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Your heart can be taken in by a beautiful temptation, a gorgeous sin, a deadly trap, a luscious piece of flesh wrapped up in a swirl of heady seduction. He may drive you crazy, dangling the forbidden fruit just an inch out of your grasp. She may show you enough so that you can easily imagine all the rest. You're salivating and chomping at the bit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">But don't fall for it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">That fruit has a worm with a deadly bite.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">In the garden, the devil used a piece of fruit that looked good for eating.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It didn't look disgusting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It didn't have the sins of the world etched on it, nor did it belie the screams of those in agony that would one day rot in hell because of the effects of sin. It wasn't covered in maggots, nor was it stained with the blood of mankind.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It was inviting, cool, and something new, although forbidden.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sin is enjoyable. Don't let anyone tell you it is not, but it lasts just for a season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">His warm friendship will not warn you of an impending divorce certificate, nor of the selling off of all your things. The desire for his lips will not prepare you to inform your spouse of this betrayal. Your playful banter will not include the words: joint custody. Everything will be fun and games until the sting of this poisoned dart is felt in your flesh.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And then there will be regret.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Tears.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Confessions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Anger.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Questions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Silence.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The end of sin is death.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Repent if you have gone too far, and ask His forgiveness. If you've yet to take the plunge, my best advice is that you stay far, far away. (Prov. 5:8)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Stay Gutsy,</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong>Rosa</strong></span> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;">My Trip to the Gay Bar</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/my_trip_to_the_gay_bar/"><span><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/6747b4debc261d8dcd7f09bf502c45209ffe13d4/original/my-trip-to-the-gay-bar-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></strong></span> </a></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_no_longer_trust_church_people/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4bbb4a336685850cfb15a3c33a5a7e0735fcc44b/original/when-you-no-longer-trust.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The Hateful People We Admire</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_hateful_people_we_admire/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bbcdec5a6c0324c09ee222a3afbb12745fb7dcc3/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /> </a><br></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></strong></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977352019-12-09T10:58:18-05:002022-01-21T13:46:01-05:00My Trip to the Gay Bar<p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/d1ffa1d08f8a19b8c8de1cc009f6e8e8619daaaa/original/untitled-design-2019-02-20t221610-991.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_gray_20.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> </a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was depressed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wanted to sing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Singing cheers me up when all else is lost. I was in the middle of a divorce, and I was on vacation in Florida. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">With my ex husband. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I was walking down the street in the vacation town, and I saw a sign that read: karaoke. The sign above the marquis was lit up in pastel neon colors, and it made me feel hopeful. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When the evening came, I ventured inside: I did not realize this was a gay bar. What attracted me was the welcome atmosphere and the sense of fun. I was not a Christian at the time, so it wasn't out of the ordinary to order a drink of rum and coke. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wanted to loosen up so I could sing a song of heartbreak and woe. I took my turn at the mic. The song I selected was 'Crazy' by Patsy Cline. In the midst of my turmoil, the song provided an emotional release I desperately needed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The crowd knew. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">They seemed to understand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The rest of the night was filled with me singing one sad song after another. And yet, I somehow felt surrounded by family. By people who understood alienation, grief, and loss. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">No one seemed to judge me. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The bartender took his turn singing songs the regulars all knew and the people exchanged knowing looks. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Another person chose a song to sing that wasn't on the official list of songs. It was about chasing everything and missing the one important thing that mattered: the love of their life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This same person sang this same song night after night. I know this, because I came back night after night. In between the sad songs and the knowing songs were the songs about celebration and having fun. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The range of emotion and open communication shared in a bar with strangers was not like that of an ordinary bar setting. There was a thread of shared alienation and hardship and an unwillingness to alienate others. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I felt accepted and could easily tell that most of the people there on any given night were not visitors. Much like I was becoming. Although I was really just a visitor myself. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When the fast songs came on and everybody danced and reveled in the enjoyment of living, it was than a random dance floor anthem. It was a release. These were people of deep feeling, just as I was then. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I wore my heart on my sleeve, because it was too heavy to conceal. I shared laughs and hoorahs with people who were attracted to those of the same sex. No one was mean to me or suggested that I hogged up the singing slots with sad songs of heartbreak. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">No one was upset that I was using this as a venue to vent all my troubles. It seemed expected and like a place that welcomed that very thing. And that was the overall tome of my experience: I felt welcomed. Which is why I came back night after night like a soldier returning to old friends. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When it was time to go home, I did not regard this as my foray into forbidden territory or like I had done something scandalous. I had been attracted by the element of fun and the opportunity to sing, but I found something so unexpected: friends instead of strangers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The pastel neon sign still beckoned me even as it was time to go, and I knew I would miss the community that presented a space be kind and simply to be human. I knew the reason people returned again and again. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It was the same reason I did. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">T</span><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">o be accepted.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">To not have to pretend. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Some people think the message of Jesus and of grace is hiding what we really are. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It isn't. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">God knows who and what we really are. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We need grace because of who we are. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Sinners. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">All of us. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You Need Salvation</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/you_need_salvation/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/b39e160af010bbbd465d1d32d8a677a57cec83da/original/you-needsalvation-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When You No Longer Trust Church People</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/when_you_no_longer_trust_church_people/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/4bbb4a336685850cfb15a3c33a5a7e0735fcc44b/original/when-you-no-longer-trust.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">When They Ignore You</span></p>
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<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; font-family: times,serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong></span></p>gutsychristianity.comtag:gutsychristianity.com,2005:Post/59977342019-12-09T10:58:17-05:002019-12-09T10:58:17-05:00When You No Longer Trust Church People<p><span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/89bc141b9103577edb165b76f941790434b9cc59/original/make-two-lists-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDMzNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="335" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /><br> </span>
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<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You used to trust church people. Until you got burned. And now you no longer trust people who represent religion.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I understand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I knew of the mockery that existed within Christianity before even coming into the church. I remember the money hungry, ridiculous men and women on television with their greedy hands outstretched to grab ahold of the wallets of the poor and disaffected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">I remember it was like it was yesterday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;"> I would watch the television on Sundays and watch scripturally devoid messages, and I would later hear of people whose 'ministries' had erupted into scandal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The church attracts wolves sometimes, and Jesus even said as much.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And it attracts legalists. These were the people who crucified Jesus. These were the ones for whom rules and prestige were more important than the truth.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is true that some people inside the church have sinned grievously. Depending on your experience, some of these sins may have been overlooked by the church you attended.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It is also true that the church is rife with hypocrites. These are people who say they believe one thing, and yet they do another. It is exasperating.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may have gotten sick of the cliquish way in which church behaves like a social club for spoiled sorority members more than it does a welcoming place for the broken.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may be exhausted with the never-ending list of rules, and you may be tired of the worship wars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may resent the fact that some members gossip and backbite one another.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may be tired of people judging you for things they do not understand.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You may have been deeply hurt or even betrayed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">The list of possibilities is endless, because we live in a broken world, and because church is the place we go where we're truly vulnerable.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We come expecting something, needing something, and instead, we get hurt and pain we were not expecting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">We let down our guard and were zealous, and we got a stab in the back in return.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">This doesn't represent Jesus. And this doesn't represent all churches. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And in response, some may say that they can do church all alone or at home, but that really isn't true.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Even if we have to find a new church, we need to be faithful to the teachings of the Bible.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And we also need to guard against bitterness and unforgiveness. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Forgiveness isn't saying that what was done is or was okay, it is simply means that because we follow God we do what He tells us to do. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">And He tells us to forgive. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He also tells us that we need to love. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Everyone. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">From those who love us to those who hate us and everyone in between.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It doesn't mean we have to return to the fellowship that hurt us. It just means we are to love. Even if is from a distance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">It also says in God's word that we are not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together. So, find a church, and get plugged in. Love the people you meet, and understand that God will deal with those who hurt you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">He knows why they did what they did, and He, alone, is their judge. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">You are set free from the matter completely. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: Vollkorn, serif;">Let God heal your hurts, and don't give up on church. And by all means, don't give up on Him, because He is the only One who will never give up on you. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Stay Gutsy,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;">Rosa</span></strong> <span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><br><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;"></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-family: Kranky, serif; color: #ffff00;"><strong><span style="color: #993366; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;">Think a woman can't take an active role in her own life and pop the question? Think again!</span><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/70482caeb698dc7ade75d9b82302280e2f6558fc/original/ruth-didntwaitfor-her-3.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Give Me a Song to Sing'</strong> - a folky country happy extravaganza (played on the radio!) and </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;"><strong>'Salvation Songs'</strong> - a roots rock-inspired call to live for Jesus daily (also played on the radio!). </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large; color: #000080;">All 3 are yours when you subscribe by adding your email address to the prompt below....aaaand you'll get weekly updates from Gutsy Christianity. What are you waiting for?!? <strong>Subscribe today!</strong></span></span></p>
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<p><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial black', gadget, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Do Women Belong in Ministry?</span></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/do_women_belong_in_ministry_/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/1ee2c82b5cf5d1dd217d4b05c016f6834488a4ee/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hateful People We Admire</span></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.gutsychristianity.com/blog/the_hateful_people_we_admire/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398967/bbcdec5a6c0324c09ee222a3afbb12745fb7dcc3/original/do-women-belong-in-ministry-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="100" width="100" /></a></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Are Female Bible Teachers More Prone to Error?</span></strong></p>
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