Hope From Your Mama!

Another Mega-church minister is being arrested for sexual misconduct. I have a feeling that you may read that first sentence and say... "And t his is new... HOW??"  That's pretty sad isn't it? Bec ause you'd be right. Here are the details if you're interested , but that is not re ally the point of m e writing this . http://www.christianpost.com/news/jack-schaap-facing-10-years-in-teen-sex-case-as-troubling-details-unfold-91897/   Jack Schaap was the S enior Pasto r of a fifteen THOUSAND mem ber church in Indiana. A church th at forcefully po unds the fist at "sinners".  Prid ing the mselves on their ability to know the RIGHT way to live. Here is a small sample of J ac k's fine preaching on women and their "place" when he was questioned by a "worldly" reporter from CBS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqN9Oan3YnU Pretty insanely dogmatic wou ldn't you think ? Fifteen THOUSAND people listen to this sort of thing. We ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG1CDec4qkg&feature=youtu.be A link for the promotional vid eo for this book Rob Bell's n ew book is coming out and already t he criticism begins in "Internet World" . Here are just some of the things I've heard so far. * He's a False Teacher * He's a wolf in sheep's clothing * He doesn't believe in 2 Timoth y 3:16,17 "All scri pture is God b reathed...etc" * I will NOT compromise on "Truth" * He's a Universalist * He doesn't preach "repentance" * He doesn't promote "obeying God" * "I'm saying all this, bec ause I LO VE you." I'm sure, like me, people have alr eady taken to blogging about it. Most people, like me, have alre ady made up their mind on his writings and teachings . Most, probably will not change their opinion on that, and guess what? That is FINE. This really isn't meant to be a "book review". Obviously, because I have...

Sometimes when I post spiritual thoughts on my Facebook it really encourages people. I like that, esp ecially because I have always felt my spiritual giftedness leans toward en cour aging others and that is sure the way I would l ike to encourage the most . But other times, for whatever reason, it will offend people or make them take a shot at me via a FB post.  I guess when you put your soul out there, you can expect it to get kicked around a couple of times. I realize I take that r isk. I guess I just feel it's worth it.   I don't mind a good debate or d iscussion. I understand that there are over 30,000 Christian denominations out there and not every one is going to agree with my journey and findings along the way. That is OKAY.  I have LOTS of friends that I don't agree with on many issues and it's very good to discuss those things.  Geeze, if I only hung out with people I agree with, I'd be a dork. What does bother me about when this happens, is ...

It feels to me that I've been working on trying to heal over the las t couple of years . Things that just don't seem to want to work themselves out in my head continu e to haunt me on occasion and cause me to wrestle with feelings of despair and doubt. I wish to God that I could just "get over it!" I keep waiting for this resolution to magically happen or that I will finally find the key to work toward peace. But there are no magic formulas. Perhaps if I had been born with a glass-half-full personality , I woul d see things differently. But I was born me. I don't feel that I'm a major downer. I TRY not to be. But I can't pretend that I feel good on days that I just don't. I don't believe in sugar coating things.  One of my favorit e lines from the book/movie The Princess Bride is, "Life is hard Princess, anyone who tells you differently is trying to se ll you something!" I have nothing to sell. Then there are the times where ...

I've recently been listening to the New Testament on audio and in the version of The Message . It's a paraphrase of the bible written by a man named, Eugene Peterson to try to give a modern day translation of scripture.   I've read the bible many times. Read the whole thing through twice and have studied and memorized multiple passages through the years. I don't say this to brag. It's just that I've actually been having a hard time reading it lately. It's not the fault of the bible; it's just the way that I've seen it used more and more as a weapon or a political point or a fear tactic in many circles of Christianity. Eugene Peterson's version has been a really refreshing way to listen to it and has helped me fall in love with things of the bible that I fell in love with long, long ago. Things that showed me the Love of God. Sometimes I think we really need to take a deep breath, let go of perceived notions and allow the Spirit to breathe ...

A blind beggar realizes Jesus is passing by.  He shouts, "JESUS, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!"  Instantly the crowd shouts at the man to be quiet. Everyone around the man tries to keep him from making a scene... to keep him from annoying Jesus. But the man just wants to SEE!  He, was a Tro ublemaker!! It is the nature of human beings to want to silence those who interrupt our routine activities and understandings. We don't like those who speak up, who go against the status-quo, who refuse to keep quiet , w ho reject compliance as a way of life. We would much rather shut people down than have them speak up and see.  Jesus gives this man his sight by the way. There are a new group of Christian thinkers rising up that many conservative , traditional thinkers are very fearful of.  They have categorized these thinkers as "Emergent".    I'm not really all that interested in the labels and putting things into categories.  It's not the point of t...