Saturday, February 22, 2014

The Beautiful Lie

“He deceived his fans, yet it’s also fair to say they were willing to be fooled. So many people from cancer survivors to reporters to sponsors to myself loved the beautiful lie more than the ugly truth.”

                                                      -from The Armstrong Lie

Just finished watching this film. This story resonates with me.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

I Know You Stay True

I gardened yesterday. It’s where I do my best thinking and where I most keenly feel the presence of my Creator. As I worked, my mind slowly unraveled the events of the last 2 years which came to a stinging end last week…which is another post for another day.

This journey has been painful and chaotic. Many of the things I believed to be true before it began were yanked from under me as we journeyed. I’ve been honest about my questions and doubt.

Here’s one thing I know now that I didn’t know 2 years ago:

We need to relax. God has a hand on those who doubt. He makes His presence known to those that are hurting. We don’t have to be so uptight when we see people who are not attending church and try to convince them with our words, entice them with our programs or guilt-trip them into physically walking their body into a church building. We’d be better off to acknowledge the doubting and be present to witness it, love them while they’re struggling…but remember our place. We are not responsible for making sure every person checks the “present” box on the Sunday School attendance sheet. We aren’t responsible for the choices of others. We can be confident that if we are present (which means we don’t avoid when we feel uncomfortable) for those we love in the darkest hours, God is dealing with their heart. And He’s much better at it than we are, so it’s better to leave that job to Him. I believe He’s not surprised, threatened or put off by our doubting. We’re the ones who have a problem with doubting.

For me, admitting the doubt gave God an opportunity to rise above the chaos and show me that He stays true. Apparently, Mutemath had already learned this lesson. I’m slow, but I’m learning.


“I know you stay true when my world is false
Everything around's breaking down to chaos
I always see you when my sight is lost
Everything around's breaking down to chaos

It's hard to trust anyone again
After all the letdowns I've been through
Haunted by what I've been through
Best to try while I still can breathe
And I'm screaming out, "give me help somehow"
And I know, yeah, I know, yeah
I know you stay true when my world is false
Everything around's breaking down to chaos
I always see you when my sight is lost
Everything around's breaking down to chaos”

                                        -Mutemath

 

Listen here.

013

Friday, February 7, 2014

Can’t Go Back

“Please don't wait for me
I lost my way again
I lost my house and my good name
When I found the road of my king
When I was young I dreamed
Of a life that had beauty that had joy
But now I lost my life
For the one I dreamt of as a boy

Please don't wait for me
I ain't coming back again
I cannot turn around
From the place I'm going to where I've been” –Josh Garrels

Hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQKhD5j3mU0