And now you know why Jenny’s book, Rainbows In My Eyes has been such an encouragement for me at this stage of the journey. Her pain is far different from mine, and in many ways far more brutal, but her poems (and I’m not a poem guy!) have encouraged me to lean in more deeply into the heart of Jesus and know that he is at work in ways I can’t see.
If you missed my blog on that and some samples from her book, you can read it here. The line between tragedy and triumph is not a wide one in the heart of God. I love how he continues to work in our lives no matter what this world throws at us. And Sara and I have found this book makes a great gift to someone going through difficult moments. We gave a copy the other night to some dear friends who are going through a painful season, and have heard back from many of you how much you have been inspired by her words.
If you want to order the book you can do so at Lifestream if you have a U.S. or Canadian address, or if you’re from elsewhere in the world you can order direct from Jenny’s website: JKRowbory.co.uk.
With each and every passing day I come to embrace this reality more and more…that LOVE IS NEVER FAR FROM DANGER. And it seems that the deeper Father’s love goes in us, the deeper the bruising also. And that the limp we are left with can serve a wonderful purpose. It really is a paradox. If we respond to Father’s work in us during these painful times, we seem to always come out the other side more healed and whole than we were before the painful season came upon us. Even when a bit of the resulting pain remains. It’s a mystery.
With each and every passing day I come to embrace this reality more and more…that LOVE IS NEVER FAR FROM DANGER. And it seems that the deeper Father’s love goes in us, the deeper the bruising also. And that the limp we are left with can serve a wonderful purpose. It really is a paradox. If we respond to Father’s work in us during these painful times, we seem to always come out the other side more healed and whole than we were before the painful season came upon us. Even when a bit of the resulting pain remains. It’s a mystery.
@Kent: It is indeed a mystery. But it appears to mirror our Lord’s time here on this planet…culminating in the ultimate bruising, for the ultimate prize…and the scars still remained!
Wayne: We are praying for you all down here in NZ, brother. Stay weak…for in your weakness He is strong…
@Kent: It is indeed a mystery. But it appears to mirror our Lord’s time here on this planet…culminating in the ultimate bruising, for the ultimate prize…and the scars still remained!
Wayne: We are praying for you all down here in NZ, brother. Stay weak…for in your weakness He is strong…
Wow Kent that was awesome. Reminds me of the ice analogy/paradox, it is cold and yet it can burn all at the same time. The “fire” is His love. It is a mystery. Let it be. Signed, a fellow limper.
Yes indeed…..her poetry is haunting and profound. I keep hearing the ending to one of the poems where she realizes she’s not in a headlock, but an embrace. How often the headlock has been my perspective.
Kent- love what you add; love is never far from danger. In this season in our lives, I’m finding myself challenged to walk right into whatever it is I am fearing. I feel like years of training have me conditioned to deny fear, quote Scriptures and run from it. (In a spiritual fashion of course.) But after all the hoopla’s said and done…the fear is still sitting there, the elephant in the room.
Finding him in the fear (or rather the illusion of fear) is where the peace is at. Now if I can just STAY there. 😉
What a trip….
Wow Kent that was awesome. Reminds me of the ice analogy/paradox, it is cold and yet it can burn all at the same time. The “fire” is His love. It is a mystery. Let it be. Signed, a fellow limper.
Yes indeed…..her poetry is haunting and profound. I keep hearing the ending to one of the poems where she realizes she’s not in a headlock, but an embrace. How often the headlock has been my perspective.
Kent- love what you add; love is never far from danger. In this season in our lives, I’m finding myself challenged to walk right into whatever it is I am fearing. I feel like years of training have me conditioned to deny fear, quote Scriptures and run from it. (In a spiritual fashion of course.) But after all the hoopla’s said and done…the fear is still sitting there, the elephant in the room.
Finding him in the fear (or rather the illusion of fear) is where the peace is at. Now if I can just STAY there. 😉
What a trip….
Wayne, you have confirmed exactly what I thought when I saw your post about your pain and these poems … and it is yet another reminder that understanding what I have come to call The Purple Martyrdom is the journey of a lifetime.
Be at peace … we, none of us, journey alone.
Wayne, you have confirmed exactly what I thought when I saw your post about your pain and these poems … and it is yet another reminder that understanding what I have come to call The Purple Martyrdom is the journey of a lifetime.
Be at peace … we, none of us, journey alone.
It breaks my heart and angers me to see this whole stupid, ridiculous lawsuit thing going on, Wayne. I am so disappointed that Paul is doing this and I don’t begin to understand.
It breaks my heart and angers me to see this whole stupid, ridiculous lawsuit thing going on, Wayne. I am so disappointed that Paul is doing this and I don’t begin to understand.
“True beauty can emerge at the most vigorous threshold where the oppositions in life confront and engage each other.”
“True beauty can emerge at the most vigorous threshold where the oppositions in life confront and engage each other.”
?”Talk of truth always makes it sound as if truth were the cardinal virtue. Yet without beauty, truth becomes blind and can be turned into a blunt and heartless imperative. When we hold beauty and truth together, truth will always have a sense of compassion and gentleness. Sometimes the so called ‘facts of a situation’ actually tell us little or nothing about the heart of an experience.” John O’Donohue
I had a conversation with a client yesterday morning about this very thing and then yesterday evening I read the above excerpt in the book I am presently working through. This focus on truth—‘facts of a situation’ and the practice being devoid of beauty seems to be the experience of most people these days. You see it in all forms of humans relating to other humans whether is be in the conflicts of parent/child, marriage, friendships, politics, religion, etc. etc. etc.
This from Jacques Ellul has stuck with me from the first time I read it in his book The Humiliation Of The Word…..”One person’s word against another’s is the only possible fragile pointer to truth, like a compass quivering in its case.”
“Quivering in it’s case” speaks to me of the reality that none of us have a corner on the truth or ever remember the ‘facts of a situation’ perfectly/completely. The arrow of a compass quivering towards due north is such a perfect analogy to me to describe the difficulty of finding the truth whether in this visible world or the invisible one. This is why Beauty (grace, love, forgiveness, respect, gentleness, elegance, dignity) is the highest “law”. Without it, we will just remain on the path that leaves us brutalizing others or being brutalized ourselves. And if we remain there…we will never get close to the truth of anything.
?”Talk of truth always makes it sound as if truth were the cardinal virtue. Yet without beauty, truth becomes blind and can be turned into a blunt and heartless imperative. When we hold beauty and truth together, truth will always have a sense of compassion and gentleness. Sometimes the so called ‘facts of a situation’ actually tell us little or nothing about the heart of an experience.” John O’Donohue
I had a conversation with a client yesterday morning about this very thing and then yesterday evening I read the above excerpt in the book I am presently working through. This focus on truth—‘facts of a situation’ and the practice being devoid of beauty seems to be the experience of most people these days. You see it in all forms of humans relating to other humans whether is be in the conflicts of parent/child, marriage, friendships, politics, religion, etc. etc. etc.
This from Jacques Ellul has stuck with me from the first time I read it in his book The Humiliation Of The Word…..”One person’s word against another’s is the only possible fragile pointer to truth, like a compass quivering in its case.”
“Quivering in it’s case” speaks to me of the reality that none of us have a corner on the truth or ever remember the ‘facts of a situation’ perfectly/completely. The arrow of a compass quivering towards due north is such a perfect analogy to me to describe the difficulty of finding the truth whether in this visible world or the invisible one. This is why Beauty (grace, love, forgiveness, respect, gentleness, elegance, dignity) is the highest “law”. Without it, we will just remain on the path that leaves us brutalizing others or being brutalized ourselves. And if we remain there…we will never get close to the truth of anything.
I’d like to ask the church ( the Beleivers) to Pray for my son Dominic, and his wife Line , which she tried to commit 2 suicide. They belong to a church ( Legalistic ) and the burden is too strong , and she can’t do anything else , since , they’ve been involve in that church for almost 20 years.
I raised my child Dominic, in an Evangelical church ……. but after his baptisim and his Marriage in an evangelical church with Line ,, they found an other church telling them they were the only one good ….. even though they confess Christ -Jesus as Savior in their life.
Bible teaching is very strict. ))
My son reject my beleif in Jesus-Christ , even though I raised him since he was young , cause , I accepted Christ in my life when he was 3 years old. And my 3 other children are frustrated and don’t want to accpt Christ , they fear Him and resent Him for what happened….and so my husband …eventhough he was a descon before in the church.
So I’ve been praying for 20 years ….. and still hope, but ,, I’m mixed up , whether or not I’m right or wrong , and could be them they’re right . Cause the follow the Bible srictly.
So , I’ll finish with this.
I’m looking to hear from you soon. ( Line my daughter in-law struggle for her life now.
Amen!
Carmen .
I’d like to ask the church ( the Beleivers) to Pray for my son Dominic, and his wife Line , which she tried to commit 2 suicide. They belong to a church ( Legalistic ) and the burden is too strong , and she can’t do anything else , since , they’ve been involve in that church for almost 20 years.
I raised my child Dominic, in an Evangelical church ……. but after his baptisim and his Marriage in an evangelical church with Line ,, they found an other church telling them they were the only one good ….. even though they confess Christ -Jesus as Savior in their life.
Bible teaching is very strict. ))
My son reject my beleif in Jesus-Christ , even though I raised him since he was young , cause , I accepted Christ in my life when he was 3 years old. And my 3 other children are frustrated and don’t want to accpt Christ , they fear Him and resent Him for what happened….and so my husband …eventhough he was a descon before in the church.
So I’ve been praying for 20 years ….. and still hope, but ,, I’m mixed up , whether or not I’m right or wrong , and could be them they’re right . Cause the follow the Bible srictly.
So , I’ll finish with this.
I’m looking to hear from you soon. ( Line my daughter in-law struggle for her life now.
Amen!
Carmen .