I try to always keep it real and here’s the deal. This blog hasn’t exactly been what I would consider a slam-dunk. Women’s Ministries started it about a year ago and our current stats indicate that a very small percentage of the population of women at Grace are tapping in. So we’re going to sign off for a few months and prayerfully evaluate the vision and our product. We definitely believe that social media is here to stay and we want to learn how to employ it to honor God and make His love known.

That said, we’d love to hear from you. If you have suggestions/comments about this blog or social media in general (facebook, Twitter, etc.) – what you’d like to see more of or less of or whatever– we want to know. 

You can leave your feedback here or email me: kemptonmeg@aol.com  or Penny Blum: pblum@gracewired.com 

Thanks so much for checking in and thanks for your comments. And a very special thank you to the amazing guest writers who have contributed the Feature Posts.

Signing off for now. Blessings, Meg

False images of God

Problem Eliminator – If I choose God all my problems go away

Angry Judge – Bad things happen because I deserve it

Score Keeper-Places the good on one side of the scale and the bad on the other

Cares only about religious people – I have to clean myself up before I come to God

Whatever I want him to be – All roads lead to heaven Inaccessible Cosmic Force – Just playing around with my life

Task Master – The harder I work, the more God is pleased with me

Do you lean toward holding any of these false images of who God is? I think I thought of God as my Score Keeper for about 30 of my 46 years! It was exhausting! Thankfully, as I’ve gotten to know Him more, I’ve discovered that image is completely contrary to His character.

To recognize Jesus we need to know Him. And according to Jesus (John 8:20b) if we know Him, we know the Father also.

Are you getting to know Him more? Sunday’s homework assignment is to read through the Gospel of John. Each time you start to read, pray “Lord, help me to know you more.”

I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of Amy Grant’s music but when I saw her in concert in January she introduced this song and I loved it! I’ve been waiting for it to be released so I could hear it again. This YouTube video is a little cheesy, but who cares? The song is great and the lyrics are beautiful. (You have to click twice, once on the arrow and a second time on Watch on YouTube.) Enjoy!

“The authorities are excellent at amassing facts, though they do not always use them to advantage. What a lovely thing a rose is!” 

He walked past the couch to the open window and held up the drooping stalk of a moss-rose, looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show any keen interest in natural objects. 

“There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion,” said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. “It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”

Percy Phelps and his nurse looked at Holmes during this demonstration with surprise and a good deal of disappointment written upon their faces. He had fallen into a reverie, with the moss-rose between his fingers. It had lasted some minutes before the young lady broke in upon it. 

I love that smack-dab in the middle of a Sherlock Holmes story, read by thousands, if not millions since the late 1800s, a fictional character takes time to meditate on the prospect of the care and goodness of God.

I can’t help but wonder how many people over the years paused, reread and thoughtfully considered the words of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the detective series; it certainly made an impression on my son. I’m sure there have been readers who blew right by without taking any notice. But it’s cool to think that there could have been fans of Holmes (and fans to be) that felt inspired to learn more about God based on the example of the world’s most famous detective. I love that!

It’s a reminder to me, a person who loves surprises, that God displays the beauty of His goodness and extends invitations to seek Him out, by popping up in ways and in places beyond my expectations. Have you seen God’s goodness pop up in an unexpected way lately?

By Martha Cimmarrusti

Meg’s blog post last week got me thinking about how I perceive Christians. The study findings she cited basically made Christians out to be judgmental, hypocritical homophobes. It got me thinking about the way I draw conclusions about others based on their behavior.

Interestingly, I had just returned from my friend, Cindy Halsted’s fortieth birthday party, where I met many people for the first time. Like a fly on the wall, I spent the weekend drawing conclusions about those I met based on their actions. In stark contrast to the points of skepticism held by young Outsiders that Meg shared, were the three men in their early twenties I encountered at the party.

The first thing I noticed about Ryan, Charlie and Curtis was how quick they were to pray for those around them. When I arrived at Cindy’s house, her home was filled with young people sharing stories about how Cindy had impacted their lives. For the last several years she’s been hosting a prayer and praise night for teenagers, so the first segment of the party was devoted to the younger generation.

Most of the students in attendance came to faith through the Halsted’s hospitality. Few could name exactly what it was that caused them to put their trust in Jesus, but they referenced conversations, prayers and encouragement they’d received spending time in Cindy’s home. What struck me when these college men got up to share was the emotion they freely displayed in front of the group of teenagers. Ryan’s eyes watered and his voice trembled as he shared the story of how Cindy led him to the Lord over Skype. 

Although the story of Ryan walking into his dorm room and interrupting a conversation Cindy was having with his roommate was an interesting introduction to the faith, what was most remarkable was the courage and boldness Ryan displayed in his interactions following his testimony. Almost immediately after Ryan finished sharing, he was praying with the kids in the room. Charlie and Curtis joined him, forming prayer huddles as needs were expressed and the question was asked over and over, “How can we pray for you?”

My first impression watching them pray, was that they were incredibly loving, compassionate and merciful. Over the course of the evening and following day, I must have seen them pray for twenty individuals, starting with a fifty year-old woman who was concerned about the health of her mother, and ending with a teenager struggling to live out her faith. It was as if everywhere they turned, a prayer meeting broke out. I had the distinct impression that this is what Jesus had in mind when he sent his disciples, to the confused, hurting, sick people in their neighborhoods with instructions to heal them and give them hope. 

I don’t know who the Fermi Project surveyed for their research, but it wasn’t anyone like Ryan, Charlie or Curtis. It’s very difficult to draw negative conclusions about someone who listens intently to others and then immediately prays for them.

That same kind of prayer happened Friday night, at the Prayer Night, led by Melissa Gray, at Grace Community Church. Women were healed, reconciled and encouraged as they heard the voice of the Father say, “I’ve missed you,” “I love you so much,” and “Come to me, and I will give you rest.” Perhaps prayer is the antidote for the negative images we sometimes portray.

If you are interested in learning more about prayer, I highly recommend The Prayer that Heals, by Francis McNutt. I have a few extra copies that I’d love to share with anyone who would like to read it. Just shoot me an email at Mcimma@mac.com, and I’d be happy to give you a copy.

When Jesus encountered Thomas’ doubt following his resurrection, he did not lash out in anger. He responded with grace (John 20:27). Judgment, criticism, guilt, or shame can produce short-term change, but meaningful, long-term, inside-out change is nurtured by grace. Creating an environment where an individual experiences acceptance in spite of failure allows personal transformation to take root.”

Jim Herrington, Robert Creech & Trisha Taylor

Just so you know, Outsiders is defined as those looking at the Christian faith from the outside, which includes agnostics, atheists, those affiliated with a faith other than Christianity (such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Mormonism, and so on) and other unchurched young adults.

The research results indicate that this group of young people places a very high value on being loyal to their friends and possess a strong need to belong, to be a part of something. Yet, they also fiercely pursue individualism. 

In addition, findings show that even though they esteem fair-mindedness and diversity, they are known to be irreverent and blunt. They don’t trust things that seem too perfect, accepting that life comes with its share of messiness and off-the-wall experiences and people. Plus, being skeptical of leadership, products and institutions is part of their generational coding. 

According to the study, here are the most common points of skepticism toward Christianity raised by Outsiders aged 16 – 29:

Hypocritical. Outsiders consider Christians hypocritical and they are skeptical of our morally superior attitudes. They say Christians pretend to be something unreal, conveying a polished image that isn’t accurate. Christians think the church is only a place for virtuous and morally pure people.

Too focused on getting converts. Outsiders wonder if we genuinely care about them. They feel like targets more than people. They question our motives when we try to help them “get saved,” despite the fact that many of them have already “tried” Jesus and experienced church before. 

Antihomosexual. Outsiders say that Christians are bigoted and show disdain for gays and lesbians. They say Christians are fixated on curing homosexuals and on leveraging political solutions against them. 

Sheltered. Christians are thought of as old-fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality. Outsiders say we do not respond to reality in appropriately complex ways, preferring simplistic solutions and answers. We are not willing to deal with the grit and grime of people’s lives.

Too political. Another common perception of Christians is that we are overly motivated by a political agenda and that we promote and represent politically conservative interests and issues. Conservative Christians are often thought of as right-wingers. 

Judgmental. Outsiders think of Christians as quick to judge others. They say we are not honest about our attitudes and perspectives about other people. They doubt that we really love people as we say we do. 

Let that sink in for a good, long minute (or more).

These points of skepticism wreck me. I mean three of my four kids fall within the age range of the subjects of this research.  They’re my kids’ peers. This group also includes the sweet couple that lives across the street from me. Based on this research these young people are not being drawn to Jesus by the Christian examples they’re encountering. 

While it’s important to remember that the Outsiders’ points of skepticism are based on perceptions and not necessarily reality, it’s vital for us to pay attention to the mindset of Outsiders and to respond in a Christlike manner.

The good thing is negative perceptions can be reversed one person at a time – and that’s up to us Christ followers. 

Want to take a more in-depth look at the six critical perceptions mentioned above, and even more importantly, explore a biblical vision for how Christians should be known? Want to engage Outsiders with the life-changing Jesus instead of an unattractive version of Him? Then a good place to start is to read UnChristian by David Kinnaman with a listening heart. I’m reading it right now.

In his book, The Walk, Michael Card writes about developing a lifestyle of listening. He notes that God speaks to us through His Word, through the silence of prayer and through the poem of our life.

According to Card, if God is speaking the only thing that matters is listening. (Check out Luke 9:35)

I’m thinking that those are words to live by!

Here’s my summarization of his points:

When it comes to the Word, God’s clearest and most authoritative voice, we must learn to allow the other Person to speak. Have you ever found yourself finishing someone else’s sentences? We can actually do that very thing when we’re reading the Bible. Particularly if a passage is familiar to us.

Plus, we often miss out on hearing God when we read the Word only for proof texts. For example, Jesus’ crucifixion becomes a necessary piece of the puzzle for redemption instead of a heartbreaking moment of transformation. And parables become codes to break and leave behind instead of stories in which we can imaginatively participate.

Developing a listening lifestyle means keeping your mind as quiet as possible when you’re reading the Bible and letting Scripture say what it has to say. We need to allow God to finish His own sentences and tell His own stories!

When it comes to prayer, we must learn to allow the Other to speak. When we pray do we dominate the conversation? Think about it. Who has the more worthwhile things to say? We must become thoughtful and faithful listeners, positioning ourselves quietly before God, the One who speaks in the silence of our heart.

If you usually approach your prayer life with a list, instead try starting your prayer time by simply praying the Lord’s prayer and spend the rest of the time listening and allowing God to guide your thoughts and the conversation.

When it comes to the poem of our life, (Ephesians 2:10 tells us we’re God’s masterpieces or in other words His poetry.) listening to the parables of Jesus is a great way to learn to listen to God through our life. In His parables, Jesus draws us in and invites us to identify with one or more of its characters, giving us opportunity to experience more of Him and gain a greater understanding of how he’s writing our own story (our poem).

Thing is, like parables, our lives often lack closure – but not to worry. This is an invitation to listen closely to Jesus and follow His lead, day by day, as He creates our poem.

Do you have a friend who dominates the conversation? Are you that friend to God?

The author of this article took an angle that surprised me. She encouraged her readers to embrace jealousy; to employ it as a motivator to gain the possessions you desire, achieve the results you want and even secure the relationships you long for. 

According to the author, if you’re jealous of or green with envy over your sister’s new house, your colleague’s promotion or your friend’s fiancé, for example, you should lock in on those emotions and use them as inspiration to propel you to acquire or accomplish your personal ambitions.

The article also cites various experts as credible sources who profess the benefits, both physiological and emotional, of jealousy as a driving force for motivation.

I’ve got to tell you, as I read the article I felt an inner tension in my spirit. Part of me wanted to rationalize the merits of the approach the article suggested. I mean, being motivated is good and admirable, right?

Yet another part of me wanted to resist its argument in favor of jealousy. I mean, being jealous of others isn’t good and admirable, right?

I’m curious, how does this sit with you? Do you think it’s a good thing to embrace jealousy as a means for motivation?

Some of the stories are familiar and some are new to me. In either case they stir something in my heart and compel me to take an honest look within at the prejudices, racial or otherwise, that I have.

I remember ever so clearly the first time I bumped into the prejudices in my heart.

I was five and I was walking home from kindergarten. I heard someone behind me call my name and when I turned around James Butler planted a kiss smack dab on my lips. I was shocked and embarrassed and I ran the two blocks home as fast as I could.

I didn’t tell my parents, any of my six siblings or anyone else about that kiss. I never spoke another word to James Butler and after kindergarten I transferred to a parochial school and our paths never again crossed.

Here’s the thing.  James Butler is African American. 

Here’s the sad thing. As a young, white girl I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was wrong for me to be kissed by someone black.

Looking back, it grieves me immensely that my five year old heart would have formed such ugly judgments.

Growing up in the 60s and 70s in Muskegon MI, a racially divided community at the time, I brushed up against racial injustice and its fallout on various levels – including in my Christian schools. How sad.

Keeping it real, I still bump into prejudices, judgments, preconceived notions and the like, concerning people and circumstances, that linger unwanted and unwelcome in my heart. And I’m so grateful that God keeps giving me opportunities to take an honest look within and to rely on Him to change me from the inside out.

Over the years I’ve often wondered about James Butler. (I did a facebook search but didn’t find him.) I don’t know if he would even remember me or that he kissed me. But one thing’s for certain, I will never forget him.

Do you ever bump into the prejudices in your heart?