by Elizabeth | May 11, 2011 | Learning Story
“As I sit in prison for killing my husband, I sometimes reflect on all the things that went wrong during our thirteen-year marriage. I suffered emotional, verbal, and physical abuse, and I protected that secret for a long time. We relied more on ourselves to fix things in the marriage, and that was a sure recipe for disaster.
My church was a tremendous support, but I did not allow people there to see the depths of my pain. I had loving sisters and great friends who would have given their full support if only I had shared what was going on within my marriage.
I’m convinced if I had allowed others into my world and embraced help, I wouldn’t be incarcerated today. I encourage anyone facing any type of abuse to share your personal turmoil with another person. Don’t remain silent; seek help…
Does the story end there? No.Whatever transgressions occur in your life, your choice to move beyond the fall is yours. My motto is: My transgression doesn’t define the person I am or the person I will grow to be in Christ.”
Tara Lyle, “Wife without Wings,” in Wisdom Found: Stories of Women Transfigured by Faith, Ed. Lindsay Hardin Freeman
My mom gave me this really wonderful book for Mother’s Day. As I pray and prepare for a seminar on bringing God’s story of grace for women to the world’s women, I am intrigued by the stories in this book. I pray you read this story and you think about who in your world might be suffering abuse — what woman do you know who might be on the verge of murdering her husband because of the abuse she is suffering? What does bringing the message of good news to this woman look like? What connection do you have with her?
It’s really not that simple, if you read Tara’s words. People would have helped her, but she kept to herself, and that is the story of many/most abused women. I think the average number of times a woman in a domestic abuse situation must leave before the leaving is final is 7. What can you do to make the gospel real to her?
[No, this paragraph is not the answer — as a good coach, I’m encouraging you to take that as a matter for prayer before the Creator and Redeemer who knows and loves this woman. I would love to hear your thoughts, though:)].
by Elizabeth | May 9, 2011 | Learning Story
God's story of grace consumes all others.
“So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.”
Stress. Poverty. Worry. Be perfect. Be powerful. Be sexy.
With so many competing stories telling us who we are, women struggle to discover our true identity. If we are going to be Christ to the World, we must pray and seek to understand A Woman’s Story, both the one many are living, and the ONE that frees us to live as we were created and redeemed to be.
I’ll be doing A Woman’s Story “seminar” (which will really be an interactive experience, not just me disseminating information:) at the PCA General Assembly on June 9 at 8 a.m. If you are attending PCA-GA, please come. If you’re not — this is NOT a denominational thing — it’s a CHRIST thing! How will we bear Christ to the women in our world who so desperately need to know the hope of the gospel. Contact me if you want to know more!
by Elizabeth | May 7, 2011 | Learning Story
A beautiful rendition of Be Still My Soul to close out this week of dwelling on soul-stillness:
by Elizabeth | May 5, 2011 | Learning Story
Funny how children do not need to be reminded to rest!
“If we believe, though, we’ll enter that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith.” Hebrews 4:1-11
Hebrews calls us to come to Jesus, our only Lord and Savior. It reminds us of what happened to the people who didn’t “believe,” who were disobedient and went their own way, despite the goodness of God’s promise (see Psalm 78 for a great summary of their rebellion in the face of his provision.)
In Hebrews 4, the author beckons us to rest, urges us not to refuse it. It’s easy for me to read the passage and say, “I wouldn’t be like those moronic Israelites!” Indeed. And yet…I need to examine my life of rest. It is true, the day of eternal rest awaits. For now, the challenges of a fallen world will interfere with rest. Even so, God invites us to enter His rest now as we anticipate the promise of new heavens new earth rest.
Eugene Peterson writes this about rest…
“The concept of rest is central to living the Christian life. Two things happen when we rest. First, we understand where we’ve come from. And second, we understand where we’re going. When we rest, we look back and see how God has providentially led us along the way, how he has protected and provided for us.
If, however, we’re immersed in the present, preoccupied with the pressing issues of everyday life, we’ll never see his providential care for us. If we don’t enter the rest that’s both symbolized and experienced in our Sunday worship, our lives will become cluttered, and that will keep us confused.
We often labor under the illusion that everything depends on us or on those around us. But it doesn’t. Everything depends on God. And this is the great lesson that rest has to teach us.” Eugene Peterson, Conversations.
Father, forgive my wandering, worrying heart. Forgive me for my faith in self-sufficiency that causes me to forget YOUR efficiency. Cause me to rest, Lord, force me to surrender my heart to you again, that I may fully enter your rest, not just in eternity, but even today. In the name of the one who bought this rest for us, our Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly and hopefully ask this blessing.
by Elizabeth | May 4, 2011 | Learning Story
Monday I mentioned the wonderful sermon I heard on Psalm131” class=”bibleserver extern” target=”_blank”>Psalm 131 on Sunday. This Psalm soothes as it speaks into the noise of our daily worlds. Today I urge you to join me in meditating on it by reading it slowly, memorizing it (?!), and hearing these words when sinful hearts shout or other voices encroach…
Psalm131” class=”bibleserver extern” target=”_blank”>Psalm 131
1My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.
3 Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.
“Seek Jesus, carrying your sins in your hands. Psalm131” class=”bibleserver extern” target=”_blank”>Psalm 131 is His consciousness: quieted but not placid, composed but not detached. His composure is a communicable attribute, something He willingly teaches and gives away. Psalm131 embodies a radical, violent, contrarian dynamic. It issues in utter delight. It goes against everything we innately cherish. It gives us something worth cherishing forever.” David Powlison,“Peace, be still”: Learning Psalm131” class=”bibleserver extern” target=”_blank”>Psalm 131 by Heart The Journal of Biblical Counseling • Volume 18 • Number 3 • Spring 2000
by Elizabeth | May 2, 2011 | Learning Story
“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother.
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 131: 2
Some days God chooses to collide his story in worship with a current struggle in life in such a way that all one can do is weep and thank God for his kindness. Yesterday was such a day. Too much to write in this blog, except to encourage you to read Psalm 131 and the lyrics of the great hymn, Be Still My Soul, and meditate on this question, “Where is my soul not stilled? What losses have I sustained that are causing me to be like a weaned child who isn’t quieted? What haughtiness lurks in my soul that slaughters humility?”
Along with that, I’d highly recommend subscribing to the podcast for Atlanta Westside, or at least hearing May 1 sermon: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/atlanta-westside/id407797410.
“Be Still, My Soul”
by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-?
1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.
4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
