From an article originally posted February 28, 2014…
I have avoided this post for a long time. If talking about female anatomy makes you uncomfortable, I invite you not to read this post. I want to be sensitive not to offend, but I feel compelled to tell the true story of this part of my treatment and recovery.
Question: What do you do when your church has a popular crowd and the rest of us feel excluded?
Answered by Blythe Hunt
I wish I knew who submitted this question so I could personally thank them and give them a big, fat hug. I love this question, I love the heart behind it, and I love the insight! It brings to mind a brief period of time in my adolescence that I was invited to be a part of the “in” crowd at school; I hung out with them, not really fitting in, but curious about how to fit in. At the end of the day, I decided it wasn’t for me—the cool kids were neato, but I missed my friends, with whom I felt comfortable, more myself. It was a good experience for me to learn that not all of us will be part of the popular crowd, and that is okay. As I grew in my faith, I realized that God created me with a heart for the other uncool kids, and that is where I personally thrive and love to build relationships.
From an article originally posted February 10, 2014…
I am so excited to share with you the title of my October releasing book. We are still working on the cover, the subtitle, and endless amounts of exciting details, but the title is set. Without further ado: The Hardest Peace is going to be the book that will bear my name with the content holding my heart, my story, my journey, and the invitation to join me, look at your own story.
I recently went to a local auction, prompted by my friend, Heather (of the grace dress). I love garage sales and thrift stores, but this was my first foray into an auction. A few days before the auction was scheduled to start, I spotted this beauty…
And was torn about going back to bid on it. I mean, what were the odds it would be affordable? And on top of that, it’s massive. I knew it wouldn’t fit in my house, but I do have a covered back patio area I’d considered putting a table like this under. Sort of an outside dining area.
I couldn’t resist going on the day of the auction. I was so nervous! I didn’t know if I’d be able to understand the auctioneer, and I wasn’t sure how to do any of it. When the time came to bid, I realized I could understand the auctioneer—he looked right at me when he said the price—and the bids went quickly. All of a sudden, I was the only one left at far less of a price than I’d been willing to pay. Heather and I squealed and high fived, as do all adults at auctions, and I called my husband to tell him we’d won a prize. When we got it home, we tried it inside, and despite its massive length, decided to keep it indoors. Let’s be honest—it wasn’t even a dilemma. This girl is perfect in all of her scuffed glory and she deserves the best place in the house. A few cans of spray paint later, my old chairs were ready for their new partner.
Lately I’ve been meditating on God’s love for us and how it is never thrifty or short changed. I’m not sure where I get my jaded idea of how God loves us, but I am sure it’s a tenth—or less—than what he actually feels for me. I tend to equate God’s love on a human level since that’s the only understanding that I have. But that doesn’t work for our heavenly father. He loves us with crazy abandon. And maybe that’s why we can’t understand it—because it doesn’t make sense to us. How can he love us like that? Doesn’t he know we’re petty and jealous and insecure and wanting to claim revenge when we should be leaving our hurts in his hands? He knows. That’s why we don’t believe he can love us like he does.
“God is love. He didn’t need us. But he wanted us.
And that is the most amazing thing.”
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need a reminder. A slap in the face, I guess. A big sign screaming, HE LOVES ME. HE LOVES YOU. Even in my mess, he finds me adorable. He adores us. That adoration—that’s a big word. Dictionary.com definition is as follows:
the act of paying honor, as to a divine being; worship.
reverent homage.
fervent and devoted love.
Fervent, reverent, divine. These are not words to be easily dismissed. They speak of love that isn’t fickle or easily swayed. These are cementing words. Today, I want to be awash in God’s love, to know it so intimately that I cannot and will not doubt.
What is holding you back from believing he loves you deeply and with abandon? Tell him. Tell a friend. Don’t stay in that untruth, because there’s beauty to be found, and I don’t want you to miss it.
“God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures.
It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love,
nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love,
and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.”
~ Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts
Jill Lynn Buteyn is a co-author of Just Show Up with Kara Tippetts, which received the 2016 Selah Award for Non-Fiction General and Book of the Year. She also writes Christian fiction with themes of love, humor, and grace as Jill Lynn. She guest blogs at MundaneFaithfulness.com and can also be found on the interwebs at Jill-Lynn.com. Jill loves to connect with readers on Facebook & Instagram.
From an article originally posted February 7, 2014…
Author and speaker Ruthie Delk came to Village 7 last Monday evening to speak to the women. Her words were a much needed reminder of grace. Ruthie is kind, transparent, and very honest about living in hard-living in the tension of today. Her book Craving Grace is a study on the understanding of the simplicity and complexity of grace. If understanding grace is something you struggle with, I would highly recommend her book for study. Goodness—I would recommend this book even if you don’t struggle understanding. Ruthie has been given a gift in her understanding of grace.
