beloved-not-broken

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Coming at you with a long & in-depth post today.

I just finished a seminary class on Paul's letters, and I realized that a) I think the second half of Acts is about as boring as Numbers, and b) we can't know all there is to know about Paul's missionary work just by reading the New Testament.

Anyway, here are some fun things I found out while studying Paul's missionary work for class:

the church in Corinth was a dumpster fire 😬

Paul likely saw 3 of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Paul's letters aren't in chronological order in the (Protestant) Bible

#what's on my mind #theology thoughts #seminary adventures

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I wrote this as a devotional for my church's Discord a while back, and it's now on our leadership blog. It's about how community is important to our spiritual growth. Hope you find it helpful!

God Needs Us to Rely on Others

At the time I wrote this post, I had gone to urgent care the day before. But I wouldn’t have thought to go if Lee Ann hadn’t suggested it. And I would’ve gone alone if Nik hadn’t asked if I needed company. My experiences with doctors aside, I didn’t really think that anyone could do anything to help me. Thankfully, I was wrong. Many of us grew up with the understanding that we can’t rely on…

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#community #devotional #sanctuary international fellowship tabernacle (sift)

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Happy Sunday y'all! Wanted to share the topic I taught about for Sunday school at Sanctuary today. Hope you're doing well 💜

#what's on my mind #resurrection #easter #christianity #sanctuary international fellowship tabernacle (sift)

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im not particularly religious but i think it’s very cute that Trans Day of Visibility and Easter are on the same day this year :)

its no question that something like this could be triggering or upsetting to a number of queer ppl given the current sociopolitical climate, so i want everyone to remember that u are loved! Regardless of what u or others believe, there are ppl who will love and support you always. Give yourself patience and treat yourself with care!!!

happy and peaceful TDOV everyone!! And Easter to those who celebrate :D

#easter #trans day of visibility

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it was for hagar

I never understood why God would tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It always seemed cruel - but isn’t God supposed to be a loving father and a just ruler? How could telling a righteous man to kill his own child be fair? 

And then you go back and read the story. Abraham, a righteous follower of God, had failed. He and Sarah couldn’t tolerate the presence of their slave Hagar since Isaac had been born. They hated her child Ishmael. (Abraham’s child too, remember. Just as much as Isaac was.) Abraham gave Hagar a death sentence - he sent her out into the desert with her son and left her to die there. To die of thirst, of heat, of exhaustion, of hunger, of fear. 

Yet God saw Hagar. A slave, a foreigner, a mother to an illegitimate child, an imposter - those were human words for her. God looked down and said My Daughter, My Beloved, You Brave and Selfless Mother - I see you. He overturned the sentence Abraham had set and not only provided water to save the lives of Hagar and Ishmael but whispered the same promise in Hagar’s ear that He had whispered in Abraham’s. Maybe He took her to a hill and showed her the stars too. Maybe He sent a soft breeze across the desert to stir the sand and say to Hagar - your children will outnumber these. The God of living water has seen you. 

And then God turned to Abraham and said your turn. Take your son, your beloved son, Abraham, the promise for your future, and take the life from his lungs. You had no remorse to do the same thing to Ishmael - Ishmael, your son. And Abraham felt the sun burning his face and his body faint from thirst and walking through the wilderness, and he felt the pain in his heart at the fear of losing his child. For a moment, he sees through Hagar’s eyes, squinting from the sun and sting of sand. And this time Abraham listens. This time he obeys God - and obedience comes in the form of the sun glinting off a knife, of Isaac’s terrified sobs. God does not need to say this act is justice. No words could make Abraham understand deeper than the terror and grief in his chest. 

Mercy comes for Abraham as it came for Hagar first.       

Ishmael and Isaac are both spared, both protected, both children of the same promise. 

The sacrifice was never just a test. It was not some story to confuse or contradict the character of God.

It was justice for Hagar, justice from the God who sees.                                   

#yoooo i've never thought about that story this way #thank you OP for sharing! #scripture #who god is #justice #mercy

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Jesus needed accommodations too

Again, Jesus began to teach beside the lake. Such a massive crowd gathered that he climbed into a boat there on the lake. He sat in the boat while the whole crowd was nearby on the shore. - Mark 4:1

The Gospels — particularly Mark — frequently show Jesus to be sensitive to touch.

As an Autistic person for whom physical contact can be quite literally painful, I am encouraged by how, when crowds press in — teeming with reaching hands, loud with pleas for healing — Jesus doesn’t give in to the pressure to sacrifice his own needs for theirs; he finds ways to honor both.

At extreme moments, that looks like leaving the crowd behind entirely (e.g. Matthew 14:13). More often, Jesus prioritizes the people’s needs all day, then tends to himself in night’s stillness (e.g. Mark 1:35).

Other times, like here, he finds creative ways to serve the crowds and himself at the same time!

With the boat as an accommodation, the shoreline as a boundary, Jesus can teach all day without being exhausted — and even has energy left over for deeper conversation with his closest friends.

How can the knowledge that, in Jesus, God experienced the need for boundaries and accommodations empower you to honor your own unique needs? What creative solutions can you think up to balance your needs and communal ones? 

- Posted on Daily Ripple for 13 Feb, 2024

#who god is #scripture

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Sometimes I think people want all the benefits of community while doing none of the work involved to make it so.

Sometimes I think people's idea of community is a place where social strife never happens and there's never any conflicting interests or needs.

And sometimes I wonder if all of the people demanding action have ever done anything actionable for someone that isn't just like them.

#community

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A friend of mine asked me once how I could tell the difference between experiencing romantic and platonic attraction. I'd like to restate my thoughts here, since I think they could be useful for some people!

First of all, Intensity =/= Romance. Platonic feelings can be just as strong as romantic ones, although the amatonormativity we live in pretends otherwise. Because of that, I used to often wonder if my squishes are actually crushes. Nowadays, I just go through a series of questions and feel much more at peace afterwards!

"Do I have a crush on this person?"

Ask yourself:

Do I want to kiss them?

On the mouth? With tongue?

Do I want them to kiss me?

Do I want to go on dates with them?

Alone? Would I like it more or less in a group setting with other friends?

Do I like the idea of being seen as a "pair?"

Do I want to live with them?

Forever?

Do I want to marry them?

What does an ideal wedding look like, in my head?

Do I like the idea of them confessing to me?

If I have any interest in children, am I interested in raising children alongside them?

Do I want to exchange gifts with them annually on dates like Valentine's and/or an anniversary?

Do I (in general) enjoy traditional romantic gifts like flowers or jewelry?

Would I enjoy receiving those gifts from the person in question?

If they told me they just got a new partner, would I feel negatively about that?

Do I feel that same negativity when other people I'd never be interested in romantically (family members, etc.) announce they have new partners? Or is it just the person in question?

If sex is a romantic thing for me, do I want to have sex with them?

Answering "yes" to a single one of these questions doesn't mean I have a crush. But answering "yes" to many of them would indicate romantic feelings.

For me, this is a relief, because when I apply these questions to my friends and squishes, I typically react with disgust and RESOUNDING "no"s. Kissing, dating, annual gift obligations, marriage, and co-parenting all squick me out and make me recoil.

A lot of aros (especially baby or questioning ones) might also answer "yes" to a hypothetical they haven't experienced themselves, but then change their answer to "no" later. I know I used to think being confessed to would be flattering (even by someone I didn't reciprocate), but now that it's happened to me a few times, I know how awkward and awful it is. Same with kissing; I thought I'd like it because everyone in media likes it, but actually trying it (with girls and boys) has firmly cemented me in the reality that I just hate mouth kissing.

But, I still thought it might be useful for some aros who struggle with their identity due to all the arophobia and amatonormativity trying to make them question their feelings!

(It might also be helpful for someone trying to figure out if they're gay/bi and have a crush on someone, idk)

#aromantic #platonic attraction #romantic attraction

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For anyone keeping up with the TikTok drama...

It's a hellscape (derogatory) over there. NGL I caught myself doomscrolling instead of sleeping more than once, but a recent instance inspired me to write this post:

Depending on what your Tumblr feed is like, the book of Habakkuk might also resonate with you.

Hope y'all are doing OK otherwise! My ask box is open if you need to vent💜

#what's on my mind #doomscrolling #habakkuk #us politics #tiktok ban

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There are as many fandoms as there are people. With differing views on various fandoms, is it possible for a fandom to draw you closer to God? Join Apostle Dr. Lee Ann Marino and returning guests Ministers Nik Lewis and Charlie Reep (Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT, Charlotte, North Carolina) as they discuss their fandoms and the spiritual insights they inspire. (Intro and conclusion track “No Mistakes” provided by https://slip.stream/748LSd)

#nerdy christian #faith and fandom

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Love of one's enemy ... is not just a beautiful phrase to be preached about, but a hard reality to be lived in history and society. From this perspective, forgiveness becomes a powerful instrument in the hands of the victims to bring about reconciliation and social transformation. Although it may seem that forgiveness would be a defeat for the poor, in fact it is a real power (a crucified power, it is true, but a real power nonetheless). Nobody but the victims themselves can forgive the assassins. Forgiveness is not a surrender that leaves unaccountable the persons and institutions responsible for so many massacres. Rather, it is actually a way to overcome injustice from the perspective of the gospel—it offers a basis for a revolutionary nonviolence.

Daniel Izuzquiza, Rooted in Jesus Christ: Toward a Radical Ecclesiology

#forgiveness

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Heavy Topic Incoming

I try to post upbeat, encouraging stuff on this blog, but I want to discuss something serious with my U.S. followers today (specifically Christian nationalism, Trump, and the future of America).

If you're not in a good headspace, read this post later.

Let me say upfront that God is 10000% aware of what's going on and is working behind the scenes to make justice prevail. However, we need to be mentally and spiritually prepared for a period of nationwide judgment, similar to what the Israelites went through.

Christian nationalists are closer to taking over than ever. And with 2024 being an election year, I'm concerned about what's coming.

Here are some things we need to be aware of:

The bottom line is, we need to be praying for discernment (on both sides), for strength, and for God's will to be done. Justice will prevail because God is in control, but we'll need to go through the refining fire first.

#what's on my mind #us elections #christian nationalism #politics

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They are already selling data to midjourney, and it's very likely your work is already being used to train their models because you have to OPT OUT of this, not opt in. Very scummy of them to roll this out unannounced.

#heads up for my mutuals #AI

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oh boy a fandom queer posts about Christianity. But fr, but as a Christian, I don’t think enough people REALLY register what God being all seeing and all knowing means. Like, if a human tries to know what was going on at all places on on earth at the same time for even a fraction of a second, the information would probably shatter their brain. God not only knows all of that, but knows about everything going in the entire universe for all of time. Knows the fine details of DNA and food chains. The weather cycle of planets we will never see. God cannot be defined by our laws because He’s what brought them to be and can exist without them perfectly fine. I’m tired of people treating God like a human with a lot of power. GOD IS A COMSIC HORROR GREAT OLD ONE BUT INSTEAD OF BEING APATHETIC TO US, HE’S JUST LIKE “My kids :)”

#who god is

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For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12

#scripture #what's on my mind

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I'm clowning on myself for having a catchphrase 😂

#what's on my mind #this is about a post i'm writing for my website

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"It's easy to focus on what's gone and miss everything that's still there in front of you. For one thing, if you're grieving, that tells you a few things. One, you're alive. Two, you can feel. Three, things aren't over yet. As cliché as this may sound, your life isn't over as long as you have breath in your body."

😭

"You Still Have Something to Treasure, Don't You?"

We're back with another post in the One Piece series. Not the happiest topic this time (especially given the holiday), but still a needed message.

If you know where I’m coming from with this post either from the title or the featured image, I’m sorry. If you don’t…I’m sorry you’re about to find out. Major spoilers for One Piece post-Marineford arc ahead So if you remember what happened at Marineford, you remember that Ace, Luffy’s brother, get killed and that Luffy gets so traumatized he goes into shock and doesn’t wake up for days. When…

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#devotional #spoilers #one piece