The Book: The 6 Seasons of Calling: Discovering Your Purpose in Each Stage of Life, by Brian Sanders Back Cover Description: “Let’s be honest: for most of us, our calling isn’t revealed in a singular moment of divine purpose. That’s not how God usually works. We grow, shift, and change over the course of our …
I’m reflecting on several different causes of shame this week. We’ve talked about: When people make us feel bad about ourselves because of how we are/who we are/what we look like. Shame that comes from unrepented sin. Shame that stays with us even after our Father has forgiven us. We sometimes think that we cannot …
I’ve asked God for forgiveness for several “big” sins throughout my life. Afterward, I felt His grace upon me, yet continued to beat myself up over the sin. I couldn’t forgive myself for the thing that God forgave me for. I had trouble letting go of the shame. This is problematic on several levels: It …
When I think of shame, I think of Adam and Eve hiding from God in their nakedness, their measly fig leaf coverings (Genesis 3:7b) unable to cover their sin. As a child, I remember whenever I did something “wrong,” my mother would say, “Wait until your father gets home.” That waiting, that impending doom was …
How many of you avoid going to the doctor because he/she will body shame you? How many of you have had nearly every illness or malady blamed on your weight? You don’t have to answer of course, but I’m raising my hand to the first one. As to the second, my doctor blamed everything on …
If you’ve ever read Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, you know how often the Pilgrims are led astray by the words of others. I just finished the section where Vain-Confidence told Christian and Hopeful that the path on the meadow side of the fence led to the Celestial Gate. Christian convinced Hopeful to cross over …
“…relationships are the only real wealth we ever acquire.” Brian Sanders Sanders, Brian. (2022). The 6 Seasons of Calling, Discovering Your Purpose in Each Stage of Life. Page 109. Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL. One of God’s purposes for us here is to form relationships. We’re to form relationships, emulate His characteristics, bring others to know …
I had a landlady who was a very devout Christian, (in her opinion). She and my (first) husband didn’t get along at all. It was basically a power struggle, but words were often exchanged. When she was at the end of her rope, she sent him a letter with the following story–Nails in the Fence: …
When I was a child and someone said something hurtful, I learned to respond with, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” We said that to ease the pain, but it’s so wrong. Names, words, sticks, stones all hurt. Sometimes the words haunt us for decades. It’s so important …
How well do you communicate? Are you a good listener? Some people are eloquent with their words but they don’t listen to what others are saying. Others fumble with their words but are great listeners. Then there are those who fail miserably in both areas and others who excel. Effective communication is vital to our …
