Notes to My Siblings

I haven’t read Job since college. Since when the biggest struggle I had was finding “the perfect” job, deciding where I wanted to live. Since life was easy breezy. I’m reading through the Bible chronologically (July 21st is the new January 1st FYI), and today I hit Job. I’m only five chapters in, but I GET it this time. I get how Job is feeling. I see the common ways not to comfort a grieving person in how his friends address him.  I see all this because I’ve lived more life and experienced hard things. I know grief and loss and health afflictions and financial setbacks. If you’ve read the Bible once, you’ve read it once. Read it again. And again. And again. You will never run out of “aha” moments.

I'm a go-er and a do-er. I want to fix things. I want to solve problems. I want to get in the thick of it, come out bruised and bleeding, brush off and go back and do it again. But I've been benched from all the things I'd love to be doing. For now at least. For a long time, I moped on the sidelines (I occasionally still do). But the bench is not a waste. For instance, you know all those flowery Bible passages that we use to pretend to comfort ourselves and others when life sucks? Sometimes, in the dark places, they sound rote. Fake. Made up. (And sometimes grossly pulled out of context, but that's another topic) " 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 " For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to ...

There are a lot of heated articles going around on the internets these days. Most of them have to do with controversial and emotionally charged moral issues. A new trend is to use scripture to prove points. Now, I'm all about scripture, and I completely agree that it makes your arguments bulletproof...  provided you use it correctly.  Which is where the problem comes in. Context. Context. Context. The Bible doesn't just say any old thing that you conveniently want it to at the moment. It says something specific, and most of the time it's really not all that gray. I promise. For examples, below are a couple verses I've seen thrown around lately to prove points. Underneath each verse I'll summarize what the user used the verse to say, and then under that I'll tell you what the verse is talking about taking context into account. Ready? You'd laugh if it wasn't so dang sad. John 10:16- And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring t...

"I'm so thankful for the Word of God that continues to, day by day, guide my steps and give me just enough light for the step I'm on." -Abby Hickey of Little Birdie Blessings I'm so thankful for my friend Abby and her encouragement. She has consistently texted me a scripture verse at least 4 times a week since last October. I can't begin to count the times when the verse she has sent has been exactly what I needed at the exact moment I needed it.  The day I was annoyed with EVERYONE on the road and EVERYONE that called in to work: "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience." Colossians 3:12b The day I was agonizing over decisions affecting the future: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans." Proverbs 16:3 The day I was going have a second interview and would possibly have to make a decision and I had no idea what way to go: "Whether you turn to the right or th...

God has been silent lately. Scratch that. I've been deaf lately. I've been thoroughly discontent with where I am in life, and have been (nearly frantically) searching for a new place, a new job, the next thing, a new adventure... anything, really, so long as it's different. I didn't have peace about where I am, but I also didn't have peace about anything that I looked into. And quite frankly, I didn't find much to actually look into if I wanted to like, eat and stuff. After several months of frustration and stress, I'm finally getting it. I'm supposed to be here for another indefinite amount of time. For what reason, I'm not sure yet. But I have peace. While I've been saying "HELLOOOOOO, GOD, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING? WHY AREN'T YOU TALKING TO ME? REMEMBER ME???", He's been saying "keep doing what you're doing". I just don't pay attention. Hint #1: Not finding anything that looked interesting or be...