I keep expecting Edie to tell me she’s had enough of me, but she keeps letting me invade her corner of the internet on the first Thursday of the month!
Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on a great e-book by Jeff Goins – You Are A Writer.
I’d love for you to swing on over to The Write Conversation and chime in!
And don’t forget, next week begins the new schedule for Out of the Boat. I’ll be kicking things off on Tuesday with a post on what it means to be Living Where Fear and Faith Collide. You won’t want to miss it!
We spent last week talking about what it means to me to be Out of the Boat. (If you missed it, you can read about it here).
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to someone who got out of the boat, or in her case, out of the country, and followed the call of God to a remote village in Guatemala. My dear friend Marcia Moston’s book, Call of a Coward – The God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife, will be released on August 7th. I want you to meet Marcia, but first…a little backstory.
If you’ve followed this blog for over a year, you may recall that I reviewed Call of a Coward in July of 2011. What happened next is the kind of thing that should be impossible…unless you happen to believe in a God who does all sorts of impossible things.
Marcia’s story, Call of a Coward, won the 2010 Women of Faith contest that included a self-publishing package with Westbow Press. The book went to print, Marcia began the not-so-fun but oh-so-necessary process of promoting her book, and then things got…well…the impossible happened.
One month after the book came out, Thomas Nelson offered her a contract (and if you don’t follow publishing, let me just say that this is HUGE). It’s been a roller-coaster kind of year for Marcia as everything went on hold while Thomas Nelson worked their magic. (I personally think she should write a book on the adventure of following God through the crazy world of publication).
And now, a year later, the book is going to show up on store shelves all over the country and I’m so excited to see what God is going to do … if it’s anything like what He’s already done, it’s going to be awesome!
So now, let’s meet Marcia and read a few excerpts from Call of a Coward – the God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife.
Q: Tell us
about yourself.
A: Although
I hold degrees in sociology and Christian education, most of what
I’ve learned has been by the proverbial seat of my pants. I’ve
taught English in a Christian high school, worked with orphans in a
Mayan village, led mission teams to Central America, delivered
Yellowbooks, stuffed vending machines, and lived in everything from
tepees to parsonages.
I love to share the stories and lessons I’ve learned along the way
about what a very real God can do with the smallest of our offerings.
My first and most dear word from the Lord is Be still and know
that I am God—Psalm 46:10.
Q: What do you
hope readers will glean from your story, Call of a
Coward-the God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife?
A: A
fresh confidence in the Living One Who Sees Them. A sense of
expectancy in encountering him. Both the story and its path to
publication are examples of the possibilities of an ordinary life in
the hands of an extraordinary God. I hope readers will be inspired
and encouraged that whether they travel a thousand miles or a
thousand feet, God can do exceedingly more than they imagine.
Q: Tell
us about Call of a
Coward-the God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife.
A: It’s
about laying aside your hopes, dreams, and fears to follow God even
though where He’s leading seems to require credentials you lack and
courage you don’t think you have. And about discovering just how
personal and gracious He is. Here’s my opening:
The
problem with promising God you’ll follow Him wherever He leads is
that you just might have to go.
I suspect it would be easier if you were certain of His calling—like
stepping out the door and seeing the lilac bush on fire and
hearing a voice commanding you. But when it’s your husband who is
delivering the message—well, that leaves a little room for wonder.
At
least that’s how I felt when my husband rocked my comfortable
middle-class afternoon with his belief God was calling us to
pack up and move to a Mayan village in Guatemala.
Permission link: Excerpted from
Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the Middle Class
House-Wife. Thomas Nelson ©2012. Used by permission of Thomas
Nelson, Inc.
www.thomasnelson.com.
(Lynn here: I’ve added in another excerpt because one is not enough and because this gives you a feel for how beautifully Marcia writes…I dare you to read this and not squeeze the arms of whatever chair you’re sitting in…)
The
road exceeded my worst expectations. Cliffs rose straight up on one
side and plunged
straight down on the other. The dusty, rutted trail between the two
was wide enough
for one vehicle. It was one thing to ride a scary road with a husband
you could yell
at; it was another to ride a scarier road with a stranger who said
with the same equanimity,
“There’s a good view from the overlook up ahead,” and “The
brakes are bad,
that’s why I have to pump them.”
Hernando
downshifted, pumped the screeching brakes and entered the river. I
couldn’t decide
whether to look ahead at the slippery rocks on the steep bank, look
behind from where
we had safely come, or simply bury my head in my lap. If I needed a
sign from God,
this was it. I decided there was no way I could ride this road to go
shopping, to get our
mail, to find a doctor, to do anything─
ever. When, and if, I met up with Bob in the village,
I was going to have to tell him so.
Permission link: Excerpted from
Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the Middle Class House-Wife. Thomas Nelson ©2012. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
www.thomasnelson.com.
Q: Is
there anything else you would like readers to know?
A: It
was with fear and trembling that I put my name on the same line as
Moses’, but the story is not about me or Moses; it’s about the
God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
***********
Your turn: If your husband (or wife…I know there are some guys who read this!) came home and said “I think God’s calling us to….” how would you respond? Or how would you hope you would respond?
As I mentioned on
Monday, this week I’m taking some time to answer a frequently asked question.
Why did you name the blog Out of
the Boat?
I’m going to answer by revisiting a
couple of blog posts that were written in April of 2010 when this blog was just
a baby, and when I couldn’t say “I’m a writer” without turning red and
stammering over the words. (If you missed Monday’s post, you might want to read it here first).
Some things have changed in the past two years, but
one thing hasn’t.
I’m still
Out of the Boat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out of the Boat – Part 2 (from April 2010)
I have a very active
imagination.
I know what you’re thinking . . . “Yeah, we sorta
figured that out ever since you admitted that you’ve been walking around with
detailed, novel length stories in your head. You’re a
loon.”
True. I take full responsibility for my own
weirdness.
But, I find having a very active imagination to be a
gift. When I read verses like Eph. 3:20 where it says that God is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine . . . well, I
think . . . whoohoo! Bring it! ‘Cause this girl can imagine some pretty amazing
scenarios!!
So I started wondering about the other disciples in the boat.
There they are, the twelve, thinking this might be their last night because they
are losing the fight. Jesus shows up, walking across the rolling seas.
And
Peter. I do love Peter. Talk about a man with an imagination. I mean, really!
Where did he come up with this? “If you are who you say you are, ask me to come
to you on the water.” What kind of question is that? But that’s not really the
point of this post – that’s a freebie!
Sometimes I find the things
Scripture doesn’t tell us as interesting as what it does. We have no idea what
the eleven guys in the boat did while Peter was tiptoeing over the waves. But
our own experience gives us some good ideas.
So picture it.
Imagine it was you in the boat. And your buddy starts climbing out. What would
you do?
“Peter! Don’t!” Frightened hands reaching to
restrain him.
“I always knew he’d do something stupid and get himself
killed. He just doesn’t think.” Deep sigh.
“Show off.” Eyes
rolling.
“Who does he think he is? He can’t walk on water. He’s
always been a bit arrogant but really, this is taking it to extremes. When he
goes down, we’re all going to get wet trying to save his sorry self.”
Righteous indignation.
I find it interesting that while the account of
Jesus walking on the water is found in Matthew, Mark, and John, only Matthew
records Peter’s part in the drama. I wonder if John was embarrassed that he
didn’t think of it first. I know . . . I know . . . Scripture is inspired and
clearly God wanted Matthew to tell the story. I get it. Just work with me
here!
Maybe Matthew was the one who was most jealous. Or most impressed.
Keep in mind, they all heard Jesus. They knew Jesus had called Peter to come.
They didn’t just have to take his word for it. But still . . . he got out of a
boat. In the middle of a storm.
I have some friends who are “out
of the boat” – and in far more spectacular ways than me.
An
acquaintance at church who, even though she has young children at home, has
opened up her home and heart to foster children in need. I am blown away by
that! I’m not sure I could do it.
A dear friend who, even though it makes
absolutely no sense to most people, has put her home on the market. Why? They
are downsizing their lives so they can be better positioned to go on short term
missions trips. To Africa! With the whole family! I’ve known this girl for
years. She’s been a faithful and dear friend, but it was only a few months ago
when she said “I’ve always had a heart for Africa.” Really? I had NO IDEA.
I could go on. I know of two others who are serving on foreign fields.
Single. No real hope of ever marrying. But they felt the call and they answered
it.
And the biggest question they hear is “Why?” And sadly, when they
say, “Because I felt called to do it” people often look at them like they’ve
lost their minds.
I’ve wondered about my own reactions. When I hear of
someone who is living their life, totally and completely sold out to Christ.
Willing to take whatever steps they feel him calling them to take. Even if it
seems nuts. Have I looked down my nose? “Don’t they know what this will do
to their children?” Questioned the timing? “Maybe that would be fine in
a few years, but now?” Wondered what their decision might cost me?
“They are so selfish – I’ll have to pick up the slack.”
No, we
don’t have the benefit of hearing the call ourselves. But maybe we should
remember that for the one who is called, there is only one
option.
Getting out of the boat made NO SENSE!
But
getting out of the boat was the ONLY thing that made sense.
Because Jesus said, “Come.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next week, I’ll be sharing with you the new schedule for Out of the Boat, and the rationale behind my new tagline, “Living Where Fear and Faith Collide.” I hope you’ll join me on the journey.
In honor of my 200th blog post, I’ve been fiddling with the blog. If you’re reading this in a reader or on a mobile device you may not see anything different, but I’m trying to spruce things up around here. I’m also in the process of renewing my focus for Out of the Boat and revamping the schedule, but we’ll talk more about that in August.
For this week, I want to answer a question that I get asked with some frequency.
Why did you name the blog Out of the Boat?
I’m going to answer by revisiting a couple of blog posts that were written in April of 2010 when this blog was just a baby, and when I couldn’t say “I’m a writer” without turning red and stammering over the words. Some things have changed in the past two years, but one thing hasn’t.
I’m still Out of the Boat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out of the Boat – Part 1
Matthew
14: 27-30 – But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do
not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come
to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked
on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and
beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Lynn’s
synopsis: Peter jumped out. Peter freaked out. Peter called
out.
I am so out of the boat.
I guess I
didn’t exactly jump out of the boat. It was more like a tumble (I’m not known
for being graceful). But regardless, I’m out of the boat.
And I
am freaking out about it.
Bless Peter. I’m so glad he’s in the
Bible. I love him. I love that he had a big mouth and a big temper and that he
blew it – frequently and spectacularly. And I’m thrilled that God used Peter and
we all can smile when we read about Peter’s antics in the gospels, because we
know how the story turns out. How Peter became a bold and courageous apostle.
How he lived – and died – for Christ.
But today, I’m thinking
about how Peter freaked out.
The man got out of the boat. Of his
own free will, he stepped out of a perfectly good boat and onto water. Water!
And he walked on it. We don’t know how far he walked before he realized what he
had done. Maybe it was a few steps. Maybe 50 yards. But regardless, Jesus called
him and he obeyed. And then he totally lost it.
For the past week or so,
I’ve been freaking out quite a bit, once a
day, OK fine. A lot. We’ll leave it at that.
For me, getting
out of the boat has more to do with telling people I’m a writer than the actual
writing. Because now that people know . . . what do they expect? Will I be
explaining to people five years from now, ten years from now, that ‘yes, I’m
still writing but no, I haven’t been published’?
Was there any
reason for Peter to get out of the boat, other than to be obedient to the
call?
Does it matter if I’m ever published? Maybe to my pride.
But otherwise, no. What matters is that I’m taking the next step, in obedience
to my Father.
So why am I freaking out? Because I’m a perfectionist.
Because I care way too much about what people think about me. Because I’m afraid
of going to this conference and being embarrassed by my naivety. Because I’ve
gotten my eyes off of my Father and on myself. Because I’m trying to do “this”
myself when I’m not even sure what “this” is. Because I’m thinking about me – me
– me.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning
to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand
and took hold of him saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
-Matthew 14: 30-31
I have no idea why Jesus wanted Peter to
get out of the boat and I have no idea why God wants me to write. But it’s not
just about me. God is up to something. God is always up to something. He’s that
kind of God!
And when I call out to Him, He takes hold of me and says,
“Baby, why are you doubting?”
Ps. 138:8 The LORD will fulfill
his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake
the work of your hands.
****
Credits: A friend of mine posted about how Jesus is always there for us when we’ve jumped, or been pushed, or went kicking and screaming, out of the boat. I’ve been thinking about it ever since. You can read her comments here. Thanks for the encouragement Kim!
http://lovegracepeace.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/always-there/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wrote these words over two years ago and I’m amazed how true they still are today. I’m living life at the place where fear and faith collide. How about you? Have you stepped out in faith and now are freaking out? Tell us where you are in the journey!
“You have the tickets, right?”
Yeah. Those are not the words you want to hear twenty minutes before the final performance of The Lion King.
But there we were, four people standing across the street from the
Peace Center.
Four people.
Two tickets.
I tried not to panic as I race-walked to the ticket booth, prepared to beg the woman behind the counter.
“May I help you?”
She was so kind. But could she help?
“I don’t know. We have a serious problem. We bought four tickets, but we only have two.”
She smiled. No panic. No fear. “This is not a serious problem. We’ll have this taken care of in no time.”
As I watched her peck away at the computer in front of her, I had to ask. “Why is this not a problem?” She nodded at the screen. “Because I have all the information right here.”
In less than two minutes, my serious problem was no problem.
As relief flooded through me, I asked the angel in the ticket booth, “What’s your name?”
“Faith.”
I almost laughed out loud.
Because if you think God wasn’t chuckling in that moment, then you’ve forgotten that we are created in God’s image and He has a sense of humor.
I’ve had a lot on my plate lately. Some minor annoyances. Some serious problems. So I do what any good Christian would do.
I fall before Him and I say, “This is a serious problem.”
Of course, there’s something I don’t say (because good Christian’s know better), but it is at the heart of my fear.
I never add, “And I think it might be too big for you to fix.”
(If you need to run for cover, I’ll understand. It’s a little cloudy right now and that lightening strike may be imminent).
I’ve noticed that God never seems to be as wigged out about a situation as I am. But then, He has all the information.
He sees the entire circle of our lives.
He has the past, present, and future held securely in His hands.
I thought I was just going to The Lion King, but God used it to remind me about who He is, and what He can do.
With just a little faith.
Luke 17:5-6 ~ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. (ESV)
I love it when God shows up in unexpected ways, don’t you? Has God revealed Himself in an unusual way in your life lately? I’d love to hear about it!
Can you believe it’s July? How did that happen?!
I hope you are in the midst of a fun and fabulous summer.
Here at Out of the Boat, I’m scaling back a little for July. I’ll be posting once a week this month so I can spend some time focusing on my fiction writing (yeah, I’m still working on that!) and making plans for the future of Out of the Boat.
Believe it or not, today marks my 200th blog post! I love blogging far more than I ever imagined I would. Thanks to all of you who’ve jumped Out of the Boat and come on this crazy journey with me!
If you’re a regular here, I would so appreciate it if you could take a moment and answer this question (either in the comments, on Facebook, or via email).
What would you like to see more (or less) of on Out of the Boat? Is there something I don’t cover that you wish I would?
Currently, Monday posts are about Faith and/or Family. Thursday posts are about Writing and/or Reading.
Thanks!
And since it is the first Thursday of July, I’m over at The Write Conversation talking about Riveting Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. I’d love it if you stopped by to say Hi!
Grace & peace!
Lynn
If you’ve followed this blog for very long, you may have read previous posts where I’ve talked about some of my favorite books on prayer (A Praying Life and Praying God’s Word for Your Husband). You also may have picked up on my love of the Psalms.
So you can imagine how delighted I was when a recent challenge from 40 Ways to Grow Closer to God involved praying a Psalm.
I love the idea of praying God’s Word back to Him. There’s something powerful about repeating inspired words back to our Holy God. I can’t help but believe that it makes Him smile.
If praying God’s Word is a new concept for you, I think Psalms is a perfect place to start. In most cases, the psalms are prayers that were sung. And some of them are so very personal, you almost don’t need to change the words.
I’ll give you an example from a familiar Psalm….Psalm 23. If you wanted to pray Psalm 23, you might say something like this.
Father, you are my shepherd. With you as my shepherd, I know I have everything I need. Thank you for providing ways for me to rest and for restoring my soul. Please continue to lead me in paths of righteousness for Your fame and glory.
Get the idea?
Now, the above example assumes that you are in a pretty good place when you start your prayer. But we all know…well…here’s another version.
Father, I know you are my shepherd, but there are so many things we need right now. Please provide. I am so tired, Lord. If I have another day like yesterday, I won’t make it past breakfast. Please lead me to places of rest. A few green pastures and quiet streams would be such a blessing after the roller coaster ride I’ve been on lately. My soul is wrung out. I cannot fix it on my own. Abba, you’re the only one who can restore my soul. Right now, I don’t know what to do, or where to turn. Please lead me. Show me the right path, not so I can boast, but so you will be glorified.
See the difference?
Regardless of whether you’re relaxing by a cool stream in a soft, grassy field, or fighting for each step through a dark valley, try praying a few Psalms today. You might even consider getting really bold and journaling your version.
We’re not going for literary genius here! There’s not a right or wrong way to do this. When you first start praying God’s Word, it’s okay to “cut & paste” – just pray the words exactly as you read them. Over time, you’ll naturally get more creative with the method.
The idea is to communicate with God. Prayer isn’t talking (or shouting) at Him. It’s opening ourselves up to what He wants to do. It’s being still long enough to hear His soft voice. It’s paying attention long enough to notice when He responds.
When you do, would you mind coming back here and sharing your experience with all of us? You could share the Psalm, or you could share why you chose it, the actual words you prayed, or how God has answered.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! (That’s from Philippians 4:23)
I have a PhD in faking it.
I can’t blame it on my upbringing, although being raised in the fishbowl of the Pastor’s family did help me hone my skills.
No. I think it’s more my nature. Regardless of the drama unfolding in my life, when it’s time to go to church, I paste on a smile and go about my business like nothing is wrong.
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to help someone who won’t even admit that there’s a problem?
I wonder if God watches me and rolls His eyes as I square my shoulders and face whatever comes—on my own. I wonder if He wishes I would just open up a little bit more. I wonder if He wants to comfort and encourage me, but I won’t let Him.
I think He got fed up with me recently and staged an intervention.
As I walked into church, a friend caught my eye. I nodded and said “Hi” and kept moving. (I was late after all). But as I turned away from signing a child into class, there she stood.
“You look like you need a hug.”
That’s all she said. She put her arm around me and squeezed. Then walked away.
It took me several seconds to recover. I needed a hug in the worst way, but goodness knows I wouldn’t have admitted to it.
I have no idea what she saw in my face that triggered her concern. My guess is that she saw exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted her to see. And then she responded to the nudge He sent her way.
And when she gave me that hug, it was as if the God of the Universe whispered in my ear, “I know this is hard. I see your pain. I’m still right here, and I’m still in control.”
As a general rule, playing God is a bad idea.
But this is the exception.
The next time you sense God saying, “Give her hug,” “Ask her if she’s OK,” “Tell her she looks nice in that dress,” “Say something kind about her kids” – do it!
Whether it’s directed at your neighbor, your sister, an acquaintance, or the cashier behind the register, God may want to use you to play Him in someone’s life. To be His arms. His voice. His messenger to one of His struggling children.
I have two challenges for you this week.
First, pay attention to the people around you. You don’t know the burdens someone is carrying. But God does. If the Holy Spirit gives you a nudge, say “Yes” to whatever it is.
The second challenge is this…if you’re struggling, ask God to put someone in your life who can help you carry the load. And if you find yourself on the receiving end of an unexpected hug, recognize it for what it is.
A little love note from your Father.
2 Chronicles 16:9a ~ For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.
I have a few pet peeves. Well, probably more than a few. And if I tried to list them, there is one that would make the top five. Maybe the top three.
Man bashing.
I’m not talking about good natured teasing. I’m talking about the tendency for women to gather for lunch or an evening out and spend a significant portion of their time airing their husband’s faults and weaknesses, usually to a receptive and appreciative audience who can’t wait for their turn to do the same.
It’s like fingernails on the chalkboard.
Or talking during a movie.
Or book reviews that give away the entire plot making it pointless for me to read the book.
I’m not implying that women should never say anything negative about their spouse. Relationships are hard work. And sometimes, a little advice from a carefully chosen person can help you see things in a new light.
But it shouldn’t be in a group of twenty in the middle of a crowded restaurant at full volume.
We live in a society that heaps pressure on men and then mocks them in movies and television commercials. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, they can’t win.
So what’s a wife, friend, sister, mom, to do?
Sure, we can affirm them. We can try to love them the way they want to be loved. We can make their favorite meal and be sensitive to pressures at work. We can encourage them to develop and maintain friendships, get enough exercise, and eat right.
But there is something else.
Something so much better that it could revolutionize our relationships and revitalize the men we love. Something so simple, we often overlook or minimize its importance.
We could pray for them.
I’m sure many of you do. But what if there was a resource that could help you pray for your husbands using the Word of God, tailored to specific seasons in their lives?
Praying God’s Word for Your Husband by Kathi Lipp is just such a book. She spends the first few chapters talking about why this type of prayer is so effective, gives tips for establishing a routine, and shares suggestions for ways to partner with other women who also have a desire to pray faithfully for their husbands.
In the remainder of the book, each chapter focuses on a particular topic (Employment, Finances, His Relationship with Others, His Relationship with You, Parenting, Health, etc.) and while there is a little bit of narrative, the bulk of the chapters is made up of specific Scriptures, followed by sample prayers based on those verses.
It is a fabulous resource. You can pray through the different topics on a rotation, or use it to specifically address areas where your husband is struggling at the moment.
While this book is written for wives praying for their husbands, I think it’s also a great resource for moms who want to pray for their adults sons, sisters who want to pray for their brothers, and daughters who want to pray for their fathers.
This book has earned a permanent spot in my “quiet time” stack (along with my Bible, my gratitude journal, and my copy of Jesus Calling).
I
I highly recommend Praying God’s Word for Your Husband.
Available June 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
The fine print: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review. Opinions are my own.
So many things are messed up. So many people I love are hurting. So many friends are broken.
And while I’m a lifetime member of the “I can fix this” club, there are some things I cannot fix. Some hurts I cannot heal. Some wrongs I cannot right. Some hearts wearing scars I cannot fade.
But I know Someone who can. So I pray.
And I pray.
And I pray.
When God answers, I rejoice.
When he doesn’t? I beat my head against the back of my chair and I look at my husband with tears streaming and I say, “I’ve prayed so hard. So hard. And it hasn’t done any good.”
I am broken.
And I cannot fix myself.
I have so much in common with Eve.
I think I know best. In fact, I think—although I never say this out loud because good Christian girls know better—that maybe God hasn’t thought this out as well as I have. Because if He had, He would agree with me. 100%.
I want my way.
And when God’s way makes no sense to me?
My faith cracks. Sometimes it’s a tiny fissure. Sometimes a gaping cavern.
Always it’s a wound. A wound that will not—cannot—heal without Him.
It’s at this point that I have a choice. We all have a choice.
We can stay broken, wounded, bleeding. Live out our lives miserable and bitter.
We can try to fix ourselves. Patch up the wound with whatever feels good. Cover up the scars with laughter and a heavy layer of denial.
Or we can let Him fix us.
We lay it all out there. Our hurt, our confusion, our anger, our desperation. We hold back nothing from Him.
We believe with the shards of faith we have left and we beg Him to help our unbelief.
And He does.
When He takes our broken pieces and puts them back together, the craziest things happens.
Our faith grows back . . . stronger than before.
But how do you do it? When faith stumbles? When belief wavers? When you don’t know where to start?
For me, it’s music. Songs that give voice to my pain and confusion. Songs that remind me of what I believe. Songs that help me worship when I don’t feel like it.
Here is my playlist for the broken. If you’re hurting today, I invite you to listen. Just listen. Let Him put you back together again. Stronger than before.
Abba – It hurts. So much. Nothing will ever be the same. It feels like nothing will ever be right again. We don’t understand. But we choose You. Over getting our way. Over what we think is best. Over having what we want. We choose You. We choose to believe that You are God and that there is no one like you. You are worthy of our praise. Father, we believe. Help our unbelief.
Stay up to date
Get Lynn’s Newsletter
Special treat! Sign up and get a free novella
Subscribe
