Forgotten
Joseph walked slowly down the stone steps toward the barracks. The straw mattress he had been assigned was more comfortable than the rugs the other prisoners slept on, but it was just another reminder that he was still in prison. He thought about the luxurious accommodations he had in Potiphar’s house and for a moment, he wished he were back there. But he knew this was where God wanted him. He just wasn’t sure why.
Let's Talk About Deconstruction
Many Christians do not understand deconstruction. They hear the word and immediately become judgmental, believing that anyone who claims to be in deconstruction is angry, negative, and blaming God for things He didn’t do. "Deconstruction" is equated with "destruction" and those who have rejected man-made aspects of Christianity are labeled as wicked backsliders who have rejected God Himself. A lot of mistakes are made when we judge something with which we have no personal experience.
Healing Takes Time
They say time heals all wounds, but without taking the steps to heal, time just fills the hole in your heart with numbness and isolation. If you’re healing is slow, it’s okay and even normal. You cannot expect the pain that was years in the making to be gone overnight. Just keep walking, keep moving in the direction of healing and freedom and you’ll get there eventually. It is not a race. Your healing is unique to you, and it will not look like anyone else’s path, but that’s okay. In the meantime, here are some things that may help.
Justice
We ended in a mistrial, and justice was not served. What grieves me the most is the church leaders who took the stand to defend a man against accusations from a woman whom they have never taken the time to hear. Do they believe the claims they made? Perhaps. Or, more likely, it is another in a long list of church coverups that involve sacrificing women and children on the altars they built in their own images - altars where so-called “men of God” stand on pedestals that Jesus Himself would knock down if He were here in the flesh.
A New Direction
Until we start doing everything we can to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:1-9) and to rescue the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17), the world will continue to see Christianity as a religion that uses clubs to clear specks of dust from the eyes of the wounded while preaching about “truth” with 2x4's in their own eyes (Matthew 7:5).
Ten Years or a Million Dollars
I consider all of the things that I would do differently if I knew then what I know now. But then I think, how would I know what I know now if I had never had those painful experiences? My stomach knots up and I get teary, depressed, and anxious when I think about those things. But I would not go back and change them. The simple truth is that there is so much I would have never learned without the difficult times.
Trusting God With Our Emotions
In Psalm 62:8, David implores us to trust God enough to pour out our hearts to Him and to run to Him as a refuge in difficult times. This is one of my favorite verses. It makes me think of sitting and crying and talking things out with a close friend - someone who is listening, not in judgment waiting to criticize me, but with love and compassion because that friend loves me, knows my heart, and understands what I am going through.
Sila Lott’s Really Bad Advice for Finding a Husband That’s Definitely Not in the Bible: Part 1
It is far too common for Christians in America to view the Bible through a modern, western lens, to read our own lives and opinions into the stories of the Bible, and to try to get advice for every question we have from scripture. This is a mistake, and it has had devastating consequences throughout history. Since the article I mentioned contains advice that is common in Christian churches and that is harmful to women, I would like to spend some time investigating the claims made by the writer and addressing the inaccuracies as well as the harmful messages she shares.