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?? experiences and such ??
Published by bryan | Filed under Don Answers your ???s
Don,
Thanks for your books and for attempting to strip away all the baggage that the church has added on to having a relationship with Christ and living for Him. I just finished Through Painted Deserts and was challenged by it to slow down and experience God by trying to rediscover things like worshipping Him through observing his incredible creations–the world, but more so, people. I’m not very good at it.
I’m about to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill (you met a great friend of mine when you came through here, Todd Gwennap, and you went to the Bible church, where I go) and I want to do something to deprogram myself from this feeling that if I don’t have a job and a career in the making by the summer, then I’m screwed, basically. In the intro to your book, you said, “Leave.†Just go, basically.
Got any advice to expound on that? Thanks!
Kyle
Kyle,
I really don’t have any advice other than to just go. But to expound on that advice, I think of my mind as a kind of computer that absorbs information, and while books are great, experiences are how we actually learn. The Bible, for instance, would make no sense to a person who had no experiences. So I think the more experiences we have, the more places we see, the more people we encounter, the greater potential we have for wisdom and understanding. This is why I recommend that Christians interact with people who are not like them, even the binary opposite of themselves. Anyway, all the best to you in your travels, and say hello to the Acuff’s for me. I love that family.
Don




November 27th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Dear Don-
Wow. Mother of 4, haven’t read a book from front to cover for hmmm–15 or so years. This book (BLJ), keeps popping out at me and I finally get it. I have laughed, cried and been deeply challenged. Want to say–thank you Holy spirit for prompting you guys to put up the confession booth! It’s amazing what can happen when we are just obedient and allow the Author and Creator of us to do His work. I have Catholic in-laws that have been so blocked by the religion and the wrongness that has been engrained into their minds that they won’t hear of Jesus–who I keep looking for ways to tell them He wouldn’t have liked the way you were handled either!!! I’m going to try this approach and just appologize.
I admire your supernatural approach to just lovin people. That’s it. That’s all we are really asked to do.
My question to you: Do you think it’s wrong to judge sin as sin? I mean, when I read the scriptures, I’m amazed at how direct and frank Jesus and the disciples were about sin. They didn’t mince words. I envision Jesus hanging out with all the misfits for enough time to show them their worth, but at some point he challenged them to repent,(turning and moving in the opposite direction) and, if they desired–to follow Him. He let them know that this walk would come with a price. We need to learn to exhibit that kind of love but NOT compromise sin. Sometimes in your book, I got a little confused on how we are to view sin.
Otherwise, I’m amazed that there is another sole out there that is as quirky in their thinking as me. I was just thanking God that I’m not all alone in my insanity :)-insanely in love with Jesus. I get you–and just reading this book helps me “get me” a little better too. Thank you! Deb
November 27th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
sorry Kyle. I must have submitted this to the wrong site.