Woven in Truth Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Battling Burnout + Reclaiming Peace May 15, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Gina Poirier joins the podcast to share some refreshing insights on stress and spiritually healthy ways to respond to it. She unpacks toxic thinking, the good work of boundaries, and our God-given, counter-cultural invitation to rest. If you are approaching the end of your metaphorical rope, or you’re already crispy from burnout, then do not miss this episode!

About the Speaker
Gina is a happily married mom of four, stress management coach, and writer who helps overwhelmed, exhausted moms find peace and purpose in the everyday. She creates resources for Christian moms at ginampoirier.com, where “Wiping noses for Jesus is legit!”

Episode Notes
“Burnout is nature’s way of telling you, you’ve been going through the motions your soul has departed.” Sam Keen

1. Understanding stress

Stress is not an inherently negative thing! It is the way God designed our bodies to respond when something we care about is at stake, and it can ultimately help us grow
The Upside of Stress byKelly McGonigal
James 1:2–4
Curiosity is a great way to approach stress and while we often want to shove it away or get it over with; there is a process there.

2. Recognizing what we can and can't control

Most of the variables that cause stress are out of our control. By letting that go and giving it to God (Matthew 6:25–27), we can focus on the variables we can control, which are usually much more manageable.
A lot of things we can stress about are hypothetical or completely out of our hands; processing that objectively can be helpful.
Some choices make us more resilient, while some choices (i.e. escapism) can actually aggravate the stress response.

3. Taming toxic thinking

This is hard, but it is one of the variables we can control that make a big difference in the way we respond to stress
Toxic thinking aggravates the stress responses and leads more quickly to burnout.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We get into these toxic thinking cycles and it really aggravates the way our bodies can respond to stress.
"When we approach our minds with curiosity and work towards taming toxic thinking, that goes a long way in dealing with burnout and stress."
Caroline Leaf & Neuroplasticity

4. Setting healthy boundaries (i.e. taking ownership)

This is also hard, but again boundaries are variables we can control and make a difference in making us more resilient to stress.
Galatians 6:2–5

5. Choosing rest

This is a huge lesson, especially for performance-oriented people.
God established rest from the beginning of Genesis, and it is a gift we can choose to accept- physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
There's both a posture and a practice of rest.
Matthew 11:28-30

For a free video series with more practical stress management strategies, subscribe to her newsletter here! And to connect with Gina and see more of the resources she offers, check out this link to her site!

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When God Says, 'No' // Navigating Disappointment + Denial May 01, 2021

Show notes

Elizabeth Thompson joins us again to discuss, “When God Says, ’No’: Facing Disappointment and Denial Without Losing Heart, Losing Hope, or Losing Your Head.” We’ve all faced our share of no’s from God, especially in the last year. Elizabeth’s words minister to those who are grappling with God's nos, seeking to find Him in the middle of heartache and disappointment. She encourages us that we can maintain our faith, friendships, and hope through it all. Don't miss this life-giving perspective!

About the Speaker
Elizabeth Laing Thompson is the author of many books, including All the Feels and the When God Says series. As a minister, speaker, and novelist, she loves finding humor in holiness and hope in heartache. She lives in North Carolina with her preacher husband and four spunky kids, and they make her feel humbled but happy, exhausted but exhilarated, sometimes stressed but often silly... well, you know… all the feels. You can find her online at ElizabethLaingThompson.com.

Episode Notes

Finding Hope in Heartache

We can still find God in the midst of outcomes we didn’t hope for… how do we guard our hearts from bitterness?

Importance of allowing ourselves to grieve when God has said no.

Surrender doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be tickled pink. Grieving the nos are important as demonstrated in scripture.

Give yourself room to grieve Different Types of No:

BIG Nos - the life alerting ones
Smaller No's - still significant and need to be grieved

When there’s unworked through sadness it can quickly turn into bitterness. The grief process actually protects our connection to God.

There's an important distinction between lament and complaint.

“What relief we feel when we realize that our circumstances don’t reflect God’s approval! Then we can simply hurt without the miseries of guilt, shame, blame, mistrust, and distance. We can take our pain to God, confident that He hurts with us…”

When we don’t get the answer we want from God, it’s tempting to wonder why and to speculate: “God isn’t saying yes because…”

Dangers of trying to “read God’s mind”

use caution in saying these assumptions to others as their navigating nos
These can hurt our faith or the faith of others

“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.” Charles Spurgeon

2 Kings 5 - Story of Naaman

Vulnerability usually precedes healing

It’s amazing what happens when you pray to see God work in your life and then you look for His fingerprints with eyes of faith.

Surrender doesn’t mean jumping for joy on the grave of your dreams.

In the bible, we see God say no to one dream, and then He gives them a new one.

If you’re still here, there’s more in store.

This may not be the life I picked, but I’m gonna live it and find some fresh joy!

If you want the book you can find it wherever books are sold! Click here for direct links for purchase. Enjoy!

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Renewed Wonder: The Immanence of God Apr 17, 2021

Show notes

Mallory was left unsupervised and talks for 20 minutes about the mind-blowing implications of God’s presence throughout history and in our lives as individuals. Whatever you’re carrying, you don’t need to carry alone. Join us as we contemplate the immanence of God with renewed wonder today!

“But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, so I can tell about all you do” (Psalm 73:28).

About the Speaker
Mallory is your hyphenated host that deeply loves her family, God, and buffalo wings. She is in the full-time ministry and all of her cardio comes from chasing around her spunky toddler. She is passionate about cultivating consistent platforms for women to connect and empower one another and she adores the Woven in Truth community.

Episode Notes:

God comforts us with His presence:

Isaiah 41:10a
Psalm 118:6a
Psalm 94:19

“Feeling deeply overwhelmed may be a signal, not that our trials are insignificant or that our emotions are too strong, but that we have been carrying them alone.” Stephanie Tronson

“Every other religion explains how we get to God, only Christianity explains how God came to us.”

Question for everyone: What feeling does God’s presence solicit in you?

Read excerpt from “Forming: A Work of Grace” by David Takle

Immanuel or “God with us” is a Hebrew name which appears in Isaiah 7:14

Then we see the fulfillment of this 400 years later in the literal PERSON of Jesus… Matthew 1:18-23

“But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, so I can tell about all you do.” —Psalm 73:28

Biblical Progression of His Presence:

In the Garden (Genesis 3)
Ark of the covenant (Numbers 7:89)
Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34)
Temple (1 Kings 8:11)
Jesus! Immanuel
Holy Spirit
New Jerusalem Foreshadowing/Revelation 21, etc.

Question: Do you allow God’s presence to minister to you? What would that look like? Feel like? How would that change things…

God’s Presence is multi-faceted

Omnipresence (Psa. 139:7 ESV).
Transcendence - God is not bound by any physical or time constructs
Manifest presence- this is physical presence, something you can process with human senses
Immanence- This is God’s presence WITHIN creation.
Indwelling Presence- “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

CS Lewis quote- “God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created.”

Question- When or where do you connect with God’s presence the most?

Reference to Aundi Kolber’s book, “Try Softer”

“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5

We cannot forget that the presence of God came to earth and dwelt among humanity, not to condemn it but to save it (John 3:17).

“The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever” Isaiah 32:17

How can we be women who fully embrace & embody the Spirit who lives inside of us?
Do you abide in God’s presence or are you nomadic?
What would that look like? FEEL like? How would it change our perspective and interactions?

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Faith Forward: From Anxiety to Possibility Mar 27, 2021

Show notes

Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro speaks to our cultural moment and encourages our weary hearts with her faithful, eternal perspective. Our circumstances can be scary, and life can’t be tamed by our management skills. But we can find peace and cling to our hope of eternal life in the midst of earthly suffering. Many of us are in lonely or difficult times, but we can fight to keep soft, settled hearts and even find places to rejoice. 1 Peter 1:6 reminds us, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”

About the Speaker:
Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro has been a disciple of Jesus for 36 years. She began her ministry calling in 1983 in New York City as part of a church planting. In 1987 she and her husband Mike began a church in São Paulo, Brazil. From there they moved to Africa in 1989 and lived there for 14 years. They have planted churches in Zimbabwe, Kenya and the Ivory Coast. Johannesburg, South Africa was home for 11 of their Africa years. They currently live in San Antonio, Texas and have been there since 2003. Anne-Brigitte has a passion for working with young women to raise them up as women ministers. She has been married for 39 years and has three sons - all of whom are married.

Episode Notes:

Esther 4- For Such a Time as THIS? I’d prefer such a time as THAT!

Psalm 107

Unfailing love rescues us from the storms.
Jesus helps us in the storms- He either calms them or enables us to walk through it with our eyes fixed on Him.

2 Timothy 3:1

There WILL be terrible times, this isn’t Heaven yet- don’t be surprised at difficult times, they will come. There will be mountains and there will be valleys.

1 Peter 1:17

“Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.”
Process with this level of awareness, this isn’t our final home.

Hebrews 3:8

“do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness…”
It’s a lonely time, but we can fight to keep a soft heart.

How do we keep soft hearts?

Read scripture
Talk to People
Be open about thoughts and feelings

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” 1 Peter 1:6

You have the hope of eternal life! Cling to this.

2 Thessalonians 3:16- “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

It’s the Lord of peace that gives me peace, it’s not a situation working out a certain way.

Romans 5:6- "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

God knows our times

1 Peter 1:3-7 (SO GOOD!)

Find places to rejoice

In God’s mercy
Our living hope
Resurrection of Jesus
Our eternal inheritance

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Carrying Grief & Loss Mar 14, 2021

Show notes

“Grief is not a problem to solve, it’s an experience to be carried.” In this episode, LaShanda Milner joins the podcast to discuss helpful tools & perspective for navigating our individual grief journeys. God desires to walk with us through our grief and He creates space to bear compassionate witness to our pain. We’re invited to create space to do so as well.

About the Speaker

LaShanda Milner serves as a Bereavement Coordinator for Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care providing grief education and support to individuals and families. LaShanda is passionate about walking alongside bereaved as they navigate the unknowns of many different types of losses. LaShanda also serves as the MO/KS Director of Crossroads Kids; an annual grief camp for children ages 6-12 that offers a therapeutic environment for kids to grieve and grow! LaShanda is a dedicated wife of 23 years to Rob Milner and has two amazing children, Jaydin and Marcel. LaShanda has a MA in Counseling and is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. She is a woman of deep faith with a mission to help others.

Episode Notes

“You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping. You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost. For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.” (Psalm 56:8)

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” -Vicki Harrison

*Loving Kindness Mediation*

Grief Defined

The normal and natural reaction to a loss of any kind
Conflicting feelings caused by the change in a familiar pattern of behaviors (can be non-death losses- lay-off, divorce, loss of safety, etc)
Grief is very unique to the individual

Reactions

We can normalize the symptoms of grief -physical, emotional, mental
Fatigue
Can be a range- Helpless, hopeless, lonely, even relief. None are bad.

Coping

Practice self-care & creative expression
You feel how you feel- don’t try to get yourself over anything
HALT- hungry, angry, lonely, tired
Take a moment to get in tune with your body. Journal, exercise, run- ask a friend to check in with you.

Support

If you’re supporting someone in grief, the HUSH acronym is helpful when choosing your words…
- Is what I’m about to say… Helpful, Useful, Sincere, Honoring
Do’s & Don’ts-
- Do- share your sentiments, your desire to be there for them
- Don’t- use phrases that could incite shame or guilt cycles

Meaning

“Some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried. Grief like yours, love like yours, can only be carried.…” (Megan Devine- It's OK That You're Not OK)
Making meaning VERSUS Creating Meaning
Not trying to make sense or comprehend an existential lesson from the loss, but rather cultivating something positive to honor the loss as your move forward.

Psalm 23:4- “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me...”

“Those who walk the fields to sow, casting their seed in tears, will one day tread those same long rows, amazed by what’s appeared.” Psalm 126:5 The Voice

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Negativity Detox Dec 19, 2020

Show notes

Who is ready for a Negativity Detox? In this episode, Melissa Abello returns to unpack the wiring of our brains and the spiritual truths we can wield to build new neural pathways and fight toxic negativity. She discusses God’s intricate design, privileging the positive, interrupting negative inputs, and creating margin in our lives. Shirley MacLaine said, “Dwelling on the negative contributes to its power.” Let’s find a better way.

About the Speaker:
Melissa Abello has been serving for the last 10 years in the full time ministry. She is married to Janus Abello and has two daughters: an angel in Heaven named Naomi and Ruth who is 1 year old. Melissa is also a licensed mental health practitioner in the state of Missouri. Her and her husband serve currently as Evangelist and Women's ministry leader in Columbia, MO.

Episode Notes:

Contributing Factors this year: Doomscrolling, Toxic Rumination, Isolation, Pandemic, Divisions & Tensions, Personal/Individual Loss, Etc.

Romans 15:13

Why do we veer towards negativity?

God designed the fight or flight part of our brain as built in protection, but Satan has tried to use this to his advantage since the fall.
Brain does not differentiate physical from emotional pain.
our brains are picking up that information about pain and storing it. Remembering it so that it can preserve and protect itself.
When something poses a threat or we perceive potential pain it fires, sending us into negative spirals!
It is the path of least resistance in our brains - we will automatically want to go the direction of negative and fear based on our previous broken experiences.

The other side of this:

If you travel down different pathways you weaken old ones. If consciously do this more often then it will begin to go on autopilot.
When we go the opposite direction we change hundreds of billions of neurons in the brain.
Engage in positivity - increase activity in the left prefrontal cortex - continue to do this we can essentially rewire our brains.
Feel the hard feelings and then also privilege the positive.

God talks about our minds a lot in the bible, He wants to help us overcome…

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” -Col 3:2
Metanoia= MIND CHANGE
2 Corinthians 10:5
Philippians 4:8
Isaiah 26:3

"Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Above all else, do this!” -Proverbs 4:23

Jesus was so good at not absorbing the negativity of circumstance or the negativity of others. His mind was set on things above.
How do we guard our hearts?

STOP- We have to stop when we notice that we’re being negative.
LOOK- Consider- “What puts me on the negative highways?”
LISTEN- Acknowledge and process what you feel
REFOCUS- Reframe. This takes trust in God.

Be Mindful of Negative Inputs

“Don't be deceived, bad company corrupts good character.” Company is what you’re reading, watching, listening to.

Create space in your life-

“What do I need to do to create margin in my life?”
We can’t put ourselves on the back burner constantly.
We can’t fight negativity if we don’t have any energy.
Satan wants to rob us of the good God is doing.

1 Corinthians 10:13

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Am I Enough? Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

“Am I Enough?” As we struggle with this fundamental question, we usually compensate or we hide- leaving our deep wounds untended. In this recording of Woven in Truth’s first ever live-podcast, Robin Weidner shares powerful perspective, personal experiences and her current understanding of her value in Jesus- our mediator. Don’t miss this healing episode as we learn how to dismantle self-judgements and bring our wounds into compassionate light with the scriptures.

About the Speaker:

Robin Weidner is the author of Secure in Heart—Overcoming Insecurity in a Woman’s Life; Eve’s Song; and her new book Grace Calls: spiritual recovery after abandonment, addiction or abuse. Robin ministers to women in the arenas of purity, codependency and security, while co-leading marriage seminars alongside her husband of 35 years, Dave, through their Purity Restored organization. Robin’s Bachelor’s degree included concentrations in Bible, Social Work and English. Their home is in Idaho where they enjoy riding bikes, paddleboarding, camping and spending time with their 3 adult children and one grandchild.

Episode Notes:

Handout

Am I Enough? - This question can be tied to so much in our past or present.

We can strive for performance or strength based “enoughness.”

Sometimes in our efforts to be enough, we can even start to feel like we are too much!

Question: Do you remember an early or a recent moment when you felt like you were not enough

Perfectionism is striving for enoughness. It’s an effort to avoid rejection. We either compensate or we hide.

There’s usually some wounds that lead to this question… then there’s the self-judgements we place around the initial wound.

Hebrews 12:1 TPT “As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us (or “get rid of every arrow tip in us.”) and the sin we so easily fall into.”

Bring wounds into the light. Let the wound speak. Cradle the wound with compassion.

Jesus loves us in our woundedness.

John 8:1-11- The Adulteress Woman

Can you imagine if this was you? If YOU were caught?
The humiliation, the shame, the pain, etc. Can you imagine the self-judgment?
Jesus steps between you and your own self judgment, just like he did with the woman.
Jesus allows us to let go of others condemnation, but also your own. We have to invite Jesus into the wounds. He’s the light of the world, and our wounds need light.
This woman needed a mediator. We do too. Jesus stands in the middle.
We can learn to love ourselves THROUGH Jesus. Not through our enoughness or striving.

Psalm 16 TPT

-Verse 2- “So I said to the Lord God, “You are my Maker, my Mediator, and my Master. Any good thing you find in me has come from you.”

God has a pitcher FULL of goodness, and He’s pouring it into my life.

Psalm 66:12 TPT- “We’ve passed through fire and flood, yet in the end you always bring us out better than we were before, saturated with your goodness.”

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GRIT // Facing Refinement with Holy Determination Nov 21, 2020

Show notes

Join Mallory and Chanelle as they unpack GRIT, rock collecting, and the power of approaching life with a growth mindset. In different capacities, we all navigate adversity and life-changing hardship. But how can we accept that, adapt, and then emerge even stronger than before? "A gemstone is so beautiful, not because it’s existed untouched, but because it HAS endured darkness and tumbling. The beauty was there all along, but the tumbling process revealed it."
GRIT DEFINED

Small loose particles of stone or sand. This is the grit that’s used in the refining process of precious gems.
unyielding courage in hardship; fortitude, toughness, endurance, spunk, gumption… it’s passion fused with perseverance

Romans 5:2

2 Timothy 2:10
“Not a single ounce of your suffering is wasted in God’s economy. Our enemy works to grind us down with gritty circumstances, but God uses the same circumstances to forge endurance and character in us if we’re willing. Like those rocks, the grittiness doesn’t remove beauty in us — it reveals it.” - Meredith Carr

A gem is so beautiful not because it’s existed untouched, but because it HAS endured darkness and tumbling. It’s striking not because something is glued on to make it shiny, but because the beauty was there all along, AND THE TUMBLING process revealed it.

Isaiah 50:7 TPT- The Lord Yahweh empowers me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason, with holy determination, I will do his will and not be ashamed.

Question: What would it look like for you to face your current tumbling with HOLY DETERMINATION?

Be TOUGH MINDED, but tender hearted. Life is tough but so are YOU.

THIS is the heart of Jesus, who said “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.’ In Matthew 10:16

“Mental toughness is like a muscle. It needs to be worked to grow and develop. Prove to yourself — in a thousand tiny ways — that you have enough guts to get in the ring and do battle with life… it’s about building HABITS. Mentally tough people don’t have to be more courageous, more talented, or more intelligent — just more consistent.” -James Clear

Mary Anne Radmacher — 'Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.

Grit and growth mindset- grit isn’t a personality trait that you either have or don’t have … any of us can grow our capacity to endure and even grow from hardship.

GRIT GAINZ -loosely adapted from the APA’s recommendations to build resiliency in hardship:

Recognize & Reclaim CONTROL over what you CAN CONTROL
Acceptance
Negativity Detox
Acknowledge and celebrate growth
Proactive PURPOSE

2 Corinthians 4:17 “We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison…”

Psalm 46:1&5 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble…God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”

“Take Courage, dear heart. Little by little, one walks far.”

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Evolving // Peachy in Pandemic Oct 31, 2020

Show notes

Tesia McBride joins the podsquad to talk through her 2020 journey as she’s navigated marriage/working from home, a new baby and postpartum depression. She shares how to practice humility amid the hardships and experience grace in the growth. We are all evolving this year as women; how can we lean into, value and maybe even find joy in the process?
About the Speaker:
Tesia is originally from Los Angeles, but moved to Denver, CO in 2012 and absolutely loves living by the rocky mountains! She met her husband Kevin in the Denver Campus Ministry and was married in 2016. She also recently became a first time mommy to her baby girl Lyla and is learning to enjoy the incredible love, joy and stressful times that come with having a newborn! Tesia is passionate about coffee and chocolate and while Colorado provides a vast arrangement of outdoor activities, she likes to "dress the part" but stay cozied up by a fire with a good book (guess you can't totally take LA out of the girl).
Episode Notes:
Vulnerability may lead to humility, but they do not equate each other. Just because I've been vulnerable doesn't mean I've been humble: humility requires repentance, vulnerability does not.

Humility requires repentance, and vulnerability doesn’t… need a plan to address and change the sinful or hurtful behaviors.

“Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2 TLB

Scriptures that have helped:

1 Corinthians 9:25-27
2 Timothy 1:7
Ephesians 4:2- “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Quote: “Fighting is not sinful. But being unwilling to compromise or unwilling to work with each other is.”

Motivation matters- what is my goal in bringing up this feeling, emotion, or hurt? Goal isn’t to be right, it’s to righteous.

Who do you want to be on the other side of this pandemic?

We have to remember the bigger picture. The goal is growth, maturity, resolution and ultimately- unity.

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never.” – Osho

I am not the same person and learning how to be a new person in a pandemic is super difficult!

Even if you aren’t a new mom- you are not the same woman you were last year! Give yourself permission to evolve! Embrace and give yourself grace.

Scriptures that have brought me some peace in this journey

Isaiah 66:13
Proverbs 31:25

Number one thing that has helped: getting open and talking with friends

Everyone’s experience is different. You can ask “How can I help?” or “What do you need?”

During a Pandemic, mental health is harder than ever for a lot of people – grow deeper in understanding different triggers, roots of issues, etc.

We can respect boundaries and still find ways to stay connected.

Give yourself space to evolve. The goal isn’t to get back to the woman we were before. We can enjoy and adapt to the places God is taking us. We can VALUE process.

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Grace Based Identity Oct 17, 2020

Show notes

Kathryn Peckman, a fellow recovering perfectionist, shares her journey to a biblical understanding of the encompassing identity of our gracious God. She also shares the powerful impact that has had on her Christian life as she embraces her own identity "soaked with grace." Kathryn shares, “Every individual who met with Jesus was changed; not just changed behavior but a changed identity. We see lepers become spotless, adulterers become blameless, and the weak become strong. God’s identity changes people’s identity”… do you let it define yours?

About the Speaker:
Kathryn Peckman is a wife, mom, and Campus Minister from Southern California. She and her husband Dustin have served in the full-time ministry for five years. She enjoys baking, cooking, reading with her three kids, and spending time in nature. She is a recovering perfectionist who seeks God’s grace in every season & loves helping others do the same.

Episode Notes:

There’s no such thing as a happy perfectionist

Book Rec: The Complete Guide to Grace, by Jim Lefler

Isaiah 55:8-9
We can’t look to the world or pop-Christianity to understand grace, we need to look in the Word.

Definitions- what do you THINK grace, mercy, and forgiveness mean? These are unique and not synonymous although they feed into each other.

Grace: charis (Greek) chen (Hebrew): favor, charm, generosity, gift “charisma;” not in the definition: merit
Mercy: eleos (Greek) checed (Hebrew): goodness, kindness, compassion, especially toward the afflicted; not in the definition: judgment or pity
Forgiveness: aphesis (Greek): release from bondage or imprisonment, pardon of sins as though they never were committed, drop & leave behind (ex: when fishermen “leave their nets & father behind” to follow Jesus); not in the definition: keeping score

Gracious God: Grace is God’s identity. It’s the subtitle on his autobiography.

Grace or gracious is used as a descriptor of God over 125 times in the Bible.
One phrase is used by 5 different authors to describe God: “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Exodus 34:6, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 86:15, 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2

Isaiah 30:18-19

Interacting with the gracious God means changes for your own identity as well.

Grace Identity- John 10:1-18

v.3 “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own* sheep by name and leads them out.”
He doesn’t just want us to know His scripture or know the church but to KNOW HIS VOICE… Can I recognize it?
*Idios (greek): pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self

v.10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd.”

d) diabolos (greek): prone to slander and accusing falsely. How does the thief steal, kill, and destroy? Through accusation, shame, & often, wounds
e) You can’t follow the shepherd while you listen to the stranger’s voice
f) Grace, mercy, and forgiveness are the OPPOSITE. They are intended to heal the wounds, silence the accusations, and free us from shame.

We didn’t become disciples to become slaves again to a set of rules or accusations or false labels.

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