Trust Boldly. Walk Humbly--August 27, 2016

Trust: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
    synonyms: confidence, belief, faith, certainty, assurance, conviction, credence; reliance
Boldly: (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.
    synonyms: daring, intrepid, brave, courageous, valiant, valorous, fearless, dauntless, audacious

              New year, new theme. I’m so grateful for the last year—learning to embrace love was so painfully beautiful—most of the worthwhile things in life are. I’m excited to look ahead, look forward. As I prayed on the 25^th, the eve of my 29^th, I asked God what looking ahead and moving forward would look like—what it meant for me to “cross the Jordan” after a difficult year of loss. How do I live out embracing love in light of who Jesus is and who he wants me to be—trust boldly—began to echo in my heart. Basically, live out being loved tangibly—take risks, obey, speak—because you are loved. Embracing love is the first step of trusting boldly. You can’t trust something you don’t know—good lordy if people recognized this—trust is earned, not a product of a title or position. Trust is an action—it is faith in motion. Trust is full of hot air and meaningless until it is tested tangibly. So what does that practically look like for me now?
It means that I keep walking, keep moving where He leads—it means I get out of bed and go to church, I attend a small group, I make the effort.
I think it means I move forward in faith not fear. I have and will continue to make mistakes—but that shouldn’t paralyze me. I am loved by the one who died for all my mistakes—ALL. If I choose the “wrong church” he will be there, if I say too much or too little—He has been perfectly silent and spoken—for me.
One of the most surprising aspects of learning to trust boldly has been a freedom from a fear of being wrong. I know that I am human—perfection is impossible—and failure happens when we’re preoccupied with being right. Perfect love casts out fear partly because the burden is lifted to be “perfect” and “right”—replacing them with wisdom and discernment—a journey not an achievement.
The gospel reminds us that it is finished ultimately so live in freedom today—knowing that you will make mistakes—the Bible is full of redemption—learn from your past and move forward. Be humble and teachable and trust God to correct you—to lead you beside still waters and green pastures that strengthen your faith and trust.

Embracing His perfect love casts out the fear of having to be right---have the right convictions, read the right books, and the fear based avoidance of the “wrong” by instead focusing on pursuing the good. I don’t have to live in the fear of being wrong when I remember He is my rightness—Jesus lived perfectly, thought sinlessly, acted justly—when I stumble, ramble, live selfishly. Perfect love casts out fear, enabling us to trust boldly. 

Jesus Really Loves Women

Jesus loves women. Women make up half of his image bearers on this earth. In his 33 years Jesus turned the cultural tables on how women were treated. He let Mary sit at his feet and learn from him—showing that God wants women to know him and study just as much as men. Jesus looked at the broken woman at the well—the whore—and gave a way to become whole. Jesus healed and esteemed women. In a patriarchal culture that saw women as property—Jesus saw them as people.
Jesus loves women—and he loves you. See and measure yourself by His love for you--no one elses. 

Jesus loves women. He doesn’t fear femininity—he created it. The beautiful things women love—flowers, fashion, the irresistible aroma of a good pie—Jesus delights in beauty—he was the first creator of those things. Jesus loves the way women nurture tenderly and protect fiercely—for he is love. Every day women work for the least of these—the poor, their own babies, the outcasts—and Jesus says when we do that work—we have worked for him. The Bible is full of "birth pangs" metaphors--how creation is groaning and longing for new life to come--women uniquely can understand this.


Jesus never saw women as a possession or a body—he saw the heart and soul that he created and loved and called just as much as men. It was women who first learned of his resurrection—entrusted first with the commission to go and tell of his hope—women were the first human proclaimers of the gospel incarnate. So Jesus doesn’t dismiss a woman’s voice or shroud her gifts in patronizing parameters. Rather, Jesus speaks to women and teaches them. He calls women to live boldly and use their gifts—to image bear him wherever they are—home, office, classroom—your position is important, your voice needs to be heard, your heart is fiercely loved. Move forward today in light of that perfect love.