As much as it might be needed I doubt I will ever see this small group happening in my congregation. There are many important things we never talk about.
Thanks for writing this article about prayer. It is so good to pray the words of scripture, to remind us Who God is and what He says. It is also good to pray to Him as our Friend Who cares about us and loves us and wants to hear from us and talk back. You are both learning from each other. Praise God.
Thank-you for the courage to share this heart breaking story. If we pay attention we can gain understanding of something that is so very painful and difficult.
Inspired by Rachel Held Evans What made Jesus Mad by Tim Harlow A Gentle Answer by Scott Sauls Prayer, Does It Make any Difference. by Philip Yancy Jasmin by Jan Truss Whispers From The Camps by Kathy Kacer & Shron E.McKay Watching The Tree Limbs & Wishing on Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth
Thanks for posting about this Bonnie. It is a very sad that Rep. Yoho would say what he said about Rep Ocasio-Cortez. It is absolutely not ok. I am so proud of her for speaking up and speaking the truth to him. I am thankful that Bread For The world requested and accepted his resignation. If only more organizations would stand up like this for all who are mistreated. Also extremely sad was Rep. Yoho's none apology. I wonder how his wife and daughter feel about his words. I remember growing up how I was treated as less important because I was considered not as intelligent as others. My sisters and I were bullied at school because we were from a different country. And that different country was England as our family had immigrated to Canada! How much harder it was/is for immigrants of other colors and cultures. In my church women are still treated as less than. I remember a man looking me up and down and commenting on my looks in front of other men. No one questioned it. Apart from physical/sexual comments there is the assumption that women are not as capable or as intelligent or that they are less than before God and cannot be in leadership. Much of this is not spoken of, it is hidden, part of the culture, hard to expose, one is patted on the head and told "of course you are important in this church." Thank-you again for speaking out for us all.
How sad that you assume from this article that Bonnie would reject you and call you uncivil, disrespectful and abusive. She is not saying that all white men are like this -just that it is a normalized issue among white men. If you are not these things then please don't assume she meant you. You say that you pass on offering any thoughts but you didn't. You made it clear that you question Bonnie's choice of using Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to make her point about how many men treat women. No matter what Rep. Cortez has or has not said prior to this speech, it is still entirely inappropriate that Rep. Ted Yoho spoke these words to her and about her. I was wondering if you think that if sometimes it would be okay for someone to use words like Rep. Yoho used depending on how much one approves or disapproves of the women they are spoken to or about?
Thank-you for writing this well thought out article. So very sad that well intentioned people can make these mistakes because they care. Definitely a good example of why we need planning, expectations, boundaries and accountability
You have done a good job of expressing the difficulties of this struggle yet you are not sounding angry or whining. I whine sometimes and I have been angry about my own chronic illness and struggles.
All you have said it true. I too dislike that I am unpredictable. I sometimes cannot carry out commitments. I have invisible pain and none functioning that only those who know me very well can see. I too am led to a much deeper place with God because of the suffering. This is a huge Gift. I am grateful that He uses me to encourage others . Currently I am able to work 3 days a week, for the first time in several years. When I started working again, my value went up in my own eyes. I proudly used the phrases 'at my work' or 'I had to work today'. It took a few months to realize my real worth had not changed. It was not even that I judged other people but I definitely had judged myself. Of course it is ok to be pleased and thankful and grateful that one is able to do more - but if my health deteriorates again God says I will be just as valuable as I am now.
Thank-you again for sharing and teaching. It is good to talk.
I appreciate this article. I would like to go to such a training as you went to with other people from church and see if we could learn to work together better. I have difficulty with the words "Restorative Practices". This is a really good use for them but the words are also used when people want to help when someone has sexually abused someone. I hesitate because too often this 'restorative' practice has been used to further victimize the survivor and to let the abuser off the hook.... after all we have to forgive don't we..... Perhaps there are times when it has worked well in abuse cases but I don't know where.
So the R.P. words are a negative trigger but the hope in the article is good. I want to be able to talk things out and put the relationship first. I do like the image you included.
Posted in: Why Your Church Needs to Talk About the Human Sexuality Report (and How to Start)
As much as it might be needed I doubt I will ever see this small group happening in my congregation.
There are many important things we never talk about.
Posted in: How Do You Pray?
Thanks for writing this article about prayer.
It is so good to pray the words of scripture, to remind us Who God is and what He says.
It is also good to pray to Him as our Friend Who cares about us and loves us and wants to hear from us and talk back.
You are both learning from each other.
Praise God.
Posted in: My Cousin Élise
Thank-you for the courage to share this heart breaking story.
If we pay attention we can gain understanding of something that is so very painful and difficult.
I weep with you
Posted in: What Books Are You Reading This Fall?
Inspired by Rachel Held Evans
What made Jesus Mad by Tim Harlow
A Gentle Answer by Scott Sauls
Prayer, Does It Make any Difference. by Philip Yancy
Jasmin by Jan Truss
Whispers From The Camps by Kathy Kacer & Shron E.McKay
Watching The Tree Limbs & Wishing on Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth
Posted in: A Reflection: Is This OK?
Thanks for posting about this Bonnie.
It is a very sad that Rep. Yoho would say what he said about Rep Ocasio-Cortez. It is absolutely not ok. I am so proud of her for speaking up and speaking the truth to him.
I am thankful that Bread For The world requested and accepted his resignation. If only more organizations would stand up like this for all who are mistreated.
Also extremely sad was Rep. Yoho's none apology. I wonder how his wife and daughter feel about his words.
I remember growing up how I was treated as less important because I was considered not as intelligent as others. My sisters and I were bullied at school because we were from a different country. And that different country was England as our family had immigrated to Canada! How much harder it was/is for immigrants of other colors and cultures.
In my church women are still treated as less than. I remember a man looking me up and down and commenting on my looks in front of other men. No one questioned it. Apart from physical/sexual comments there is the assumption that women are not as capable or as intelligent or that they are less than before God and cannot be in leadership. Much of this is not spoken of, it is hidden, part of the culture, hard to expose, one is patted on the head and told "of course you are important in this church."
Thank-you again for speaking out for us all.
Posted in: What Will We (You) Do With the Unnecessary Deaths of God’s Precious People?
Yes, yes, yes, we must keep on.
Thank-you for posting.
Posted in: A Reflection: Is This OK?
How sad that you assume from this article that Bonnie would reject you and call you uncivil, disrespectful and abusive. She is not saying that all white men are like this -just that it is a normalized issue among white men. If you are not these things then please don't assume she meant you.
You say that you pass on offering any thoughts but you didn't.
You made it clear that you question Bonnie's choice of using Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to make her point about how many men treat women.
No matter what Rep. Cortez has or has not said prior to this speech, it is still entirely inappropriate that Rep. Ted Yoho spoke these words to her and about her.
I was wondering if you think that if sometimes it would be okay for someone to use words like Rep. Yoho used depending on how much one approves or disapproves of the women they are spoken to or about?
Posted in: Why Accountability Is So Important in Our Churches
Thank-you for writing this well thought out article.
So very sad that well intentioned people can make these mistakes because they care.
Definitely a good example of why we need planning, expectations, boundaries and accountability
Posted in: Changes for Safe Church Ministry as Director Plans to Retire
Thank-you so much for all you have given to us.
I admire your truthfulness, perseverance, gentleness and reverence.
I will miss you.
Posted in: The Reality of Chronic Illness and Worth
Thank-you for your words Sonja.
You have done a good job of expressing the difficulties of this struggle yet you are not sounding angry or whining.
I whine sometimes and I have been angry about my own chronic illness and struggles.
All you have said it true.
I too dislike that I am unpredictable. I sometimes cannot carry out commitments. I have invisible pain and none functioning that only those who know me very well can see.
I too am led to a much deeper place with God because of the suffering. This is a huge Gift.
I am grateful that He uses me to encourage others .
Currently I am able to work 3 days a week, for the first time in several years. When I started working again, my value went up in my own eyes. I proudly used the phrases 'at my work' or 'I had to work today'. It took a few months to realize my real worth had not changed. It was not even that I judged other people but I definitely had judged myself. Of course it is ok to be pleased and thankful and grateful that one is able to do more - but if my health deteriorates again God says I will be just as valuable as I am now.
Thank-you again for sharing and teaching.
It is good to talk.
Posted in: A Post-Christmas Reflection
Thank-you
Posted in: Restorative Practices: Choosing Relationship Over Being Right
I appreciate this article.
I would like to go to such a training as you went to with other people from church and see if we could learn to work together better.
I have difficulty with the words "Restorative Practices". This is a really good use for them but the words are also used when people want to help when someone has sexually abused someone. I hesitate because too often this 'restorative' practice has been used to further victimize the survivor and to let the abuser off the hook.... after all we have to forgive don't we..... Perhaps there are times when it has worked well in abuse cases but I don't know where.
So the R.P. words are a negative trigger but the hope in the article is good. I want to be able to talk things out and put the relationship first.
I do like the image you included.