by Elizabeth | May 27, 2011 | Learning Story
Take up and Read
If you’ve never read, don’t own, Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago’s (amazing illustrator)’ The Jesus Storybook Bible, read this, then click to buy. You don’t need children. She writes and he illustrates with the purpose of showing how every story of the Bible “whispers his name.” Still thinking about speaking into brokenness, I read this portion this morning. No more intro, read it. You’ll see why.
“As soon as the snake saw his chance, he slithered silently up to Eve. ‘Does God really love you?’ the serpent whispered. ‘If he does, why won’t he let you eat the nice, juicy, delicious fruit? Poor you, perhaps God doesn’t want you to be happy.”
The snake’s words hissed into her ears and sunk down deep into her heart, like poison. Does God love me? Eve wondered. Suddenly she didn’t know anymore.
“just trust me,’ the serpent whispered. ‘You don’t need God. One small taste, that’s all, and you’ll be happier than you could ever dream…’
Eve picked the fruit and ate some. And Adam ate some, too.
And a terrible lie came into the world. It would never leave. It would live on in every human heart, whispering to every one of God’s children: ‘God doesn’t love me.’
The Jesus Storybook Bible
by Elizabeth | May 26, 2011 | Learning Story
Widows and widowers, orphans and homeless…in one short month, we’ve witnessed the loss and brokenness of weather gone wild. Many of us have not lost homes and families, but we still know brokenness. Inescapable loneliness. Searing shame. Ripping divorce. Trapping illness. It’s enough to make you want to give up on hope some days.
And yet…this morning my heart resonates with a rich conversation held with 3 other women yesterday — a kingdom conversation about how to bring hope to the broken-hearted. Two moms who have known and prayed for the other’s daughters since before they were born. Two daughters who are thinking hard about how to bring hope to a hurting world. The occasion was my friend’s daughter’s invitation to support her as she works on the campus, ministering to broken-hearted girls who ache to belong, to know they are loved.
Good girls. Bad girls. Girls who had never heard of Jesus. All girls with an ache. Here I turn the writing over to my daughter, who recorded a story she had as an intern with World Harvest last summer. The church she worked with opened an old church through the wee hours of the night and held an arts festival and offered food. Two lost girls happened along and began to talk with my daughter and her friend about their broken-hearts. Here is what Jackie wrote:
“As we were talking about brokenness in the world and the crazy thought that there is a good and loving Father in the midst of it, E— started telling me some REALLY heavy stuff about her life that has completely turned her off to God. She didn’t seem to be hoping for pity but seemed like she rarely talked about these things. It was really really hard and burdensome to hear what she was saying, but what was interesting was that she realized her story has isolated her and it’s caused her to hurt other people in her life because she doesn’t want to let them in. And she recognizes that she’s still hurting and that she shouldn’t have had to experience that pain. Yet, sorrowfully, she’s living in the lie that she will be trapped by that her whole life, that success or moving to America or something will maybe give her temporary escape but she will never be free from her burdens. And I think it’s this absence of hope that really breaks my heart.
But here’s why somehow this conversation was beautiful to me. Somehow, these girls we talked with for over an hour recognized that this world is deeply broken, and they were crying out for some freedom or some hope. And for THAT, I’m pretty hopeful, only because I know God knows their EVERY thoughts and he knows their pain, in fact, he experienced it himself on the cross, and he wants them to come into his comfort and healing. SO. PUHLEEEEEASE pray for these girls. Hey, maybe even pray this for them (and all the hurting people in Camden):
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for all those who grieve in Zion
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
(Isaiah 61)
Jackie Turnage blogged last summer about her internship in London at Life across the Pond
For reflection and action: What hopelessness do you see nearby you right this very minute? What hopelessness are you struggling with? How can you minister to others with the hope of the gospel? How can you invite others to minister to you?
by Elizabeth | May 23, 2011 | Learning Story
But you'll have to wait to find out who these characters are...:)
“Each of us is called to be a character in and a carrier of this amazing story. Indeed, the gospel runs to us and through us, to the glory of God.” Scotty Smith, in the Foreword of Learning God’s Story of Grace
Pastor Scotty Smith has taught me and many much about God’s story. One of my favorite expressions he uses is the phrasee: “character in and carrier of this amazing story.” We don’t live this life in a vacuum. I love to think about the characters and carriers God has used in my story to reveal his transforming grace. If you’ve ever been to a Living Story conference, you’ve probably heard me ask the basic question:
“Why are you here?”
This question reveals so much about our stories in so many ways. One of the great joys of writing Learning God’s Story was acknowledging the characters and carriers of grace in my life. Try it:
If you were writing a book about your life, whom would you want to acknowledge as playing some crucial role? How did God use this person (even if, as Joseph said about the brothers who harmed him, “they meant it for evil” Genesis 50:19-20).
by Elizabeth | May 20, 2011 | Learning Story
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It’s HERE! The FIRST of hopefully many Living Story podcasts.
- Something short enough to listen to on a drive/walk to the grocery store.
- Something to make you think.
- Something to make you hope.
- Something to make you pray.
- Something to help you learn, live, and love in the gospel story.
If all goes well, you should be able to right-click on the link and download to your I-tunes. If it doesn’t, stay tuned — all of life is a work in progress:)!
Living Story 1_ Luke 7_36-50
by Elizabeth | May 18, 2011 | Learning Story
It’s coming. Learning God’s Story of Grace. Probably about two weeks past due date (originally May 15) just like my four human children. Waiting expectantly reminds me of an important question: what do we do while we wait for the culmination of weeks, months, years, of hard work?
One really good thing to do is to remember. Remember the stories of
- “How it all began.”
- “The day we were assigned the task/given the job/discovered we were pregnant.”
- “When we thought we weren’t going to make it.”
- “God’s provision along the way.”
One of the great things about Learning God’s Story of Grace is that it gets you thinking in terms of story. And as one woman who tested the “beta” version in manuscript form said, “My eyes are retrained so that now I see God working in every story of daily life.”
For Reflection: What about you? What are some of your stories of dreams conceived and completed? What stories do the above questions lead you to? I’d love to know them. Really. Use the contact form if you want to share a story.
For You: Win a copy of Learning God’s Story of Grace. Use the contact form and write, “Contest” in the subject line. I will enter you in a weekly drawing for a signed copy of the Bible study. Entries must be made by May 20 for this week’s drawing. Good luck!
If you are reading this on the Facebook Living Story page, message me with your name and email to enter.
by Elizabeth | May 17, 2011 | Learning Story
Jimmy and Christine (not pictured -- their three precious children:)
“We must endure — and by grace we can and will endure — whatever means God may choose in order to do us good through discipline. Part of the wonder of our salvation is that for each of us there is a unique and fore-ordained plan (the farthest possible thing from a series of random or pointless circumstances) by which God is committed to seeing us live a cross-shaped life (Hebrews 12:3-7a).” Jimmy Davis, Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life
Jimmy and Christine Davis are the real deal. I first observed their authenticity, courage, and deep faith when they were yet a young couple, dreaming of having a baby, and ministering to our church’s youth while they waited. Even though my kids weren’t youth pastor age, we knew Jimmy and Christine, because they recognized that all of the church’s children would be theirs someday.
And then they underwent a tragedy that could have floored a couple seasoned in many years of walking with Christ. That’s where I first witnessed that their love for Jesus was real, their faith in him was true, and their hope in him indestructible. With their kind permission, I include my perspective on part of their story in Learning God’s Story of Grace.
But, better yet, Jimmy has now written a book. I love this book, because it’s about what I am passionate about —LIVING THE CROSS-SHAPED LIFE. Even if I didn’t know Jimmy and Christine I would love this book, but knowing their story (which they tell in part of the book) makes me love it even more because I know it’s true. As Jimmy tells us that we were created and redeemed to be cruciform, shows us how that plays out in being sons and servants of God, and encourages us to take in and take up our crosses, I know this is something he truly believes.
6.45. 103 short pages. An afternoon read. A forever blessing. I am biased, yes, but you should read it. Today.
