layers and links: volume 1.

Seeing how I haven't had too much time up at camp to write consistent blog posts, I thought I'd open up the floor to some fantastic articles I've read this week. I hope you're able to gleam something from them - I know they sure caused me to take a step back and really think about what I had just read.

I've only posted five, because they're all just SO good, I don't want the list to be overwhelming or exhaustive. Seriously, all of these need to be read slowly, taking time to let the words sink in and MEAN something.


"What My Heart Breaks Over" by Shelby Grosser.

God took us as orphans and gave us a Father, gave us a brother, gave us a forever family for all eternity. We are called to righteousness, and ought to be eager to everyday look more and more like our Father, to be a part of His business. God is in the business of making orphans no longer orphans, so you should be too.

"A Christian perspective on transgender people" by Justin Lee.

It's not your business or mine what she looks like under her clothes, and gender is way more complicated than that anyway. All you need to know is that she is a human being, created and beloved by God. Whether she chooses to share more of her story with you at some point is entirely up to her. If she does, listen. If she doesn't, just love her the way Christ would.

"We Need Feminism..." by Rachel Held Evans.

Because in the time it took you to take a selfie with a sign declaring that the world doesn't need feminism (about four minutes) two more American women were sexually assaulted, nearly 100 American women were abused, four women worldwide died giving birth, eight little girls were trafficked for sexual exploitation, and 6,781,920 people looked at naked women online.

 "You Don't Need More Talent or Time" by Glennon Doyle Melton.

What moves us are artists who show us that our shared, ordinary human experience is special enough.

 No talent? Good, that's one less thing that might distract us from your message. Art is not for the talented; it's for the honest.

It's for folks brave enough to show us who we are and kind enough to love us anyway. 

"I Missed The Memo On How To Relate To God When Living In Sin" by Grace Sandra.

Now that I'm not living in sin anymore, I feel like a sitting duck. Vulnerable. My heart and hands are busy fussing and fidgeting like someone used to driving a stick but now getting cozy with a manual. It feels like I should be able to fall back in line from living in sin almost immediately. As if knowing exactly how to relate to God would somehow take care of my idle hands and heart.

 I'm thinking I'll have a guest writer up next... currently trying to work on a longer blog post, so we'll see how long it takes me to finish it up. Remember to join this site through the column on the right of this page.

Until next time, peace to you, friends...