The word “valley” gets a bad rap. In our spiritual journey language we often use the valley as a metaphor to represent something negative, dark, threatening, dangerous, dry or desolate. I’d like to reclaim the meaning of “valley” to its true meaning. A valley is a lush, beautiful, sun-filled, temperate place fit for dwelling, building, farming and families. The valley is where we are called to live…not just something to travel through on the way to the next mountaintop.
God is not just a good idea. God isn’t wanting to control you. God isn’t a hoop to jump through. He isn’t a guru or stoic zen-master. God isn’t aloof. He isn’t complicated. He isn’t just for the really smart, really good or really deep. God is a tangible reality. God is abundant and accessible. Lean back and relax. Lean in and step forward. We have to sway to remain in God. He has sway with us. And we have sway with Him.
If you want to hide from grace and stay removed from God, get religious. Religion is the best place to hide from grace. The only way to break this vicious cycle is through leaning into the Lord's compassion and mercy. Trusting in more laws to self-correct adds fuel to the fire. Paul says it emphatically in Galatians, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal. 2:21 NIV)
Story always trumps theology, the matter of fact details matters more than theorizing, and that God may not have a secret purpose behind why things happen the way they do. Why do we assume that because Bible stories happened a certain way then God must have wanted it that way? We don’t think that way about Aleppo, or our Loved One’s cancer, or school shootings. No. God did not want His Son to be born in a manger, in a stable or with smelly animals. Because He is a good father, He wants the best for his kids.
Greg Boyd affirms all of Scripture’s authority, saying that Jesus upholds Pentateuch as God’s inspired word and, therefore, so should we. So he sets up the problem that plagued him for decades: How do you affirm the reliability and authority of Scripture while also believing that the revelation of God in Jesus is superior and trumps all others? Enter CrossVision, Boyd’s attempt to answer this question.
We have been given a garden to grow—to make more beautiful. We are called to bring “Heaven to Earth” in every realm, which includes the way we educate our children, the way we fertilize the soil, the way we make our laws, the way we do finances, the way we use science to heal, and how we become better servants through improving business systems, the arts and everything else
I believe with all my heart that ideas, dreams and solutions are super abundant. They float around us all the time, like radio waves from another realm. Those who pause to listen hard enough can pick up their frequency and scribble down bits and pieces of their transmission. This is good news for those who need a breakthrough in their work or creativity. But, for people like me, it can also turn into a bad habit.
Trotter taught us that failing to grieve can actually inhibit how much joy we feel in life, as well. When we numb the lows, we numb the highs, as well. “People who don’t grieve are flat,” he said. He closed with this good news: “Grief can expose us to the comfort of God and can help us consider eternity.” He also reminded us that God’s comfort never expires. God will never say to us, “you should have processed that loss decades ago…you’re too late!” His comfort is always within reach. The point of processing grief, according to Trotter, is to be fully alive…to feel life to the fullest.
This is my official welcome post on my new blog! A royal welcome to you. This is my attempt at passing on to you inspiration for your journey in life. (I was going to say "spiritual journey" but I think that's redundant. All of life is spiritual. And true spirituality is real life. Amen!) This is also a welcome to me to the blogosphere. I know. I know. It's about time. But make room internet. I'm finally here.
