I'm not sure where you all live, but I live in southeastern Oklahoma, and where I am from, when you pass people you know, or even people who you might know, or really anyone, you say, "Hi! How are you?" The socially acceptable response is, "I'm fine! (or good, or most synonyms) How are you?" The final exchange is the same as the first, "I'm good!" Then you move on about your business.
I say the socially acceptable response because in the south we're friendly. We say things like sir and ma'am, and for the most part we are taught to be courteous, especially to children an our elders. But we are also very busy and we all have things we are trying to do, so most of the time we want your response to our question, "how are you?", to be a short and sweet, "I'm good. Thank you." We really don't want to end up in an in depth conversation with you.
Here's the deal, we all need to be able to voice how we are. We all have stuff. We all have mess, but we don't all have a safe place to dump our mess so we can begin to sort through it. I, like most of you, still have a tendency to keep my response to an "I'm fine." and move on. We all need to be reminded and given permission to dump our mess and sort through it!
So here is your invitation, here is your safe place. If you don't feel comfortable commenting, send me an email! brennadawnnstanford@gmail.com
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Our job is to look out for one another. Jesus says that the world will know that we are his disciples by the way we love each other. (John 13:35) A local missions ministry shared with us a testimony about the tribe they work with. This tribe is located in a predominantly Muslim society. Children are being sent to school and taught how to love. They testify to the difference it is making in that community, not because the Christians are more numerous that the Muslims, but because the Christians are loving everyone in a community that has know hate.
So here's my dump.
Life isn't what I expected. Some days I think it's so much more and others I don't. I'm not a perfect Christian. There's no such thing. Jesus, he is the only perfect one. But I mess up, I struggle, I have break downs, I still try to figure things out, I still doubt certain things, I still don't obey right away... the list can go on an on!
A few important things to remember:
1) It's a true blessing to have valuable, quality friends.
2) We all need a safe. I had some people dumping out their issues today, then one asked me to please not repeat what was said. Before I could reassure them, another person said, "You don't have to worry. She's like a safe."
3) We can all be a quality friend and a safe for another person.
4) Serving people serves you.
5) Like a magnet, God's strength attracts our weakness and creates a powerful force.
6) We are always only one choice away from getting closer to God.
7) Love truly casts out all fear.
