There are days when I think that God has an
interesting sense of humor.
Today is one of those days.
I am writing in another space today,
where I write today about the very center
of my call as a pastor.
And, in a way, for me,
it all comes down to one question:
What are you going to do with me?
Maybe I’m oversimplifying,
but somehow, I don’t think so.
Because if you struggle with the issue of women
in ministry, at some point you’re going to
have to do that struggling with a real-life,
flesh and blood, Jesus-loving, Jesus-following human person.
Please click over and see what I mean, okay?
And while you’re doing that,
I also want to encourage you to read
She and I are at very different places on this particular journey.
Yet I can honestly say that I love her very much,
I respect her opinion and I welcome her voice.
I trust and I hope that she can say the same about me.
The comment sections at both places are very interesting
and hopeful to me. If we can keep a civil conversation going,
loving each other, even when we land at different places,
then there is indeed real hope for the Kingdom moving forward.
Do you know what I think?
I think that our amazing God is doing some very wonderful things
through the vehicle of the internet.
And she has offered grace to all of us awkward speakers, inviting us to share our experiences and our ideas and our points of struggle. My prayer is that the discussion underway at her site and at the various channels at A Deeper Story can be heartfelt, honest, hopeful and welcoming – even when we disagree.
Can I hear an amen??
Amen. I commented on emily’s piece. Heading over to read yours now. Grace all around.
Amen!
oh friend. i love you so much, and this is church… in which we learn from each other. bless you.
I seem to be following on Nancy’s heels. I commented on Emily’s post just now and headed over to read yours now…and yes….love and grace all around.
Blogging has changed me in so many ways…teaching me how to live and love with others differently…and here is a wonderful example…the “tension” we live in the body…but here this “tension” doesn’t snap us…for me…its not about the importance of agreement…but how we love…thanks so much for modeling this well…I am going over to read now…but really just to love~
Amen! I always love your words, wise Diana. Heading over to read…
I think I need to read your pieces. Heading there now! Thank you, friend, for following the call He’s placed on your life. I love you!
Big Amen! (This 31-Day journey has kept me from keeping up with everyone else–or at least made it even harder.)
Yeah, I know how that goes. Thanks for making the effort.
I’m heading over to read. Very, very curious. 🙂
It was a very interesting day – still is as comments are trickling in, even tonight.
Learning to communicate involves so much more than its surface definition suggests. I think we sometimes “agree to disagree”, believing it’s a civilized solution to disagreement, without first truly hearing what the other person has been saying. If we are to love as God expects us to, we’ll have to do a better job of listening and understanding.
Yes, I think you are right. And I think that’s why I am trying to tell stories out here that help illustrate what I believe and why I believe it. You can get all your intellectual ducks in a row and feel quite satisfied with them. . . until you meet face to face with someone who is living a different idea about the truth, and doing it to the glory of God. Hopefully, you can live with whatever tension that may create within you rather than attack or accuse the other of not being a ‘true’ believer. It requires humility, openness and grace to truly look and listen, doesn’t it?
I’ll just add to the “amen’s”!!
There can never be too many. Can I hear an ‘amen??’ :>)