Oh my goodness Christy, this made me weep. I echo your sentiment exactly- especially walking away from whatever the heck I was following and actually following the REAL JESUS. YES. Thank God for wisdom, revelation and insight! I'm also finding that as I become more awake, I'm becoming more frustrated with those who are still caught in religious lies. Then I get convicted because I was one of those people and Jesus had compassion on me and brought me out. So where I'm at now is this awkward in between place, and reminding myself to have compassion and grace on those who are not free from this way of thinking yet. I added your book to my wishlist and can't wait to be able to purchase and read it at some point, hopefully soon!
I’m glad it spoke to you. 💕 Totally normal feelings and something that I have had to fight for years. Your awkward in-between place is what I call the Awkward Middle Way and I have a pretty good suspicion that this is the actual Narrow Way Jesus spoke about…a place of grace and true, paradox, nuance, tension, and complexity.
I shared your latest post on Threads and it’s getting great response. You have a story that people need to hear. I’m excited to help share it. 😊
Christy, thank you so much; that makes me so happy. And yes- The Awkward Middle Way- PERFECT name for it. Makes so much sense. Feels like I don’t fit in the church and I also don’t fit in the world. Thank you for validating that!
We don’t fit well into the organized corporate church, but we fit perfectly into the global Church. And I believe that Jesus wants to use us to help wake up believers in the organized church if possible. At least I feel that call. And also to encourage those burned by church and religion to seek after the Real Jesus and not just the religious god they have followed and tried to appease. People are waking up. The Holy Spirit is stirring. But it’s still hard to be in a place where you don’t fit. And yet you do fit! Into the Awkward Middle Way! And there are more of us middle way muddlers than you might think. 😆
Haha good to know! Yes- that is what I meant- I don’t fit in the organized corporate church. Good distinction there. I still choose to be part of it at some level, but it just doesn’t look like what it did before. I’m working on connecting with other believers more organically. Yes, I would love for God to work through me to help wake others up too.
I loved the examples you gave of other “6:11” verses. Some of them seem even more relevant than the one used at the convention! This reminds of the “Bible code” books that were so popular in the not-so-distant past. It’s amazing what beliefs you can support if context doesn’t matter!
I hear you, I hear you, I hear you. The superstitious “secret knowledge,” the heartache over abuse coming from something that calls itself the Church, the fear to move into the dreamy but terrifying thing that is just waiting for you to get with the program. Anyhoo, I don’t have anything to add, but Girl, I hear you.
I live in the central time zone so we get Ephesians 5:11. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
A joke but thank you for all of this. I shut off all things church a long time ago due to things it takes too long to get into. This year, I’ve happened upon your writing and the writing of a couple other loving rebels that’s started me listening and looking a lot more. Thank you for that. Thank all of you who remind us that this doesn’t belong to the crazies and abusers.
Haha! That’s a good point about time differences. I like your verse better. 😆 I’m so happy I’ve been able to encourage you to think and wonder without threatening you. That’s like my total goal in life!
My hubby says it is highjacking of religion for its own purpose. Self-serving. Jesus was against the Pharisees for using religion to keep them powerful. I believe in Jesus. Period. Stop. Glad to have you back seeking.
There is so much in this post, I don’t know where to start.
I totally agree we need to learn how to study the Bible and use the context for all of it. I also like listening to what God tells me after I read it. My SIMPLE method helps me do this. It’s not perfect but I feel I’m getting better at knowing the Bible (a tiny bit).
About the last part, yes. Go for it. God is opening your eyes, which in turn opens ours. It reminded me of John Ortberg’s book, “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.” I was finding I was procrastinating on doing what I felt God wanted me to do, so made myself a journal so I could focus on the plans God has for me. It’s working. I’ve published two books since I started. ❤️
Oh my goodness Christy, this made me weep. I echo your sentiment exactly- especially walking away from whatever the heck I was following and actually following the REAL JESUS. YES. Thank God for wisdom, revelation and insight! I'm also finding that as I become more awake, I'm becoming more frustrated with those who are still caught in religious lies. Then I get convicted because I was one of those people and Jesus had compassion on me and brought me out. So where I'm at now is this awkward in between place, and reminding myself to have compassion and grace on those who are not free from this way of thinking yet. I added your book to my wishlist and can't wait to be able to purchase and read it at some point, hopefully soon!
I’m glad it spoke to you. 💕 Totally normal feelings and something that I have had to fight for years. Your awkward in-between place is what I call the Awkward Middle Way and I have a pretty good suspicion that this is the actual Narrow Way Jesus spoke about…a place of grace and true, paradox, nuance, tension, and complexity.
I shared your latest post on Threads and it’s getting great response. You have a story that people need to hear. I’m excited to help share it. 😊
Christy, thank you so much; that makes me so happy. And yes- The Awkward Middle Way- PERFECT name for it. Makes so much sense. Feels like I don’t fit in the church and I also don’t fit in the world. Thank you for validating that!
We don’t fit well into the organized corporate church, but we fit perfectly into the global Church. And I believe that Jesus wants to use us to help wake up believers in the organized church if possible. At least I feel that call. And also to encourage those burned by church and religion to seek after the Real Jesus and not just the religious god they have followed and tried to appease. People are waking up. The Holy Spirit is stirring. But it’s still hard to be in a place where you don’t fit. And yet you do fit! Into the Awkward Middle Way! And there are more of us middle way muddlers than you might think. 😆
Haha good to know! Yes- that is what I meant- I don’t fit in the organized corporate church. Good distinction there. I still choose to be part of it at some level, but it just doesn’t look like what it did before. I’m working on connecting with other believers more organically. Yes, I would love for God to work through me to help wake others up too.
I loved the examples you gave of other “6:11” verses. Some of them seem even more relevant than the one used at the convention! This reminds of the “Bible code” books that were so popular in the not-so-distant past. It’s amazing what beliefs you can support if context doesn’t matter!
“It’s amazing what beliefs you can support if context doesn’t matter.”
This is SO true!
I hear you, I hear you, I hear you. The superstitious “secret knowledge,” the heartache over abuse coming from something that calls itself the Church, the fear to move into the dreamy but terrifying thing that is just waiting for you to get with the program. Anyhoo, I don’t have anything to add, but Girl, I hear you.
I love solidarity. Thank you! 😊
I live in the central time zone so we get Ephesians 5:11. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
A joke but thank you for all of this. I shut off all things church a long time ago due to things it takes too long to get into. This year, I’ve happened upon your writing and the writing of a couple other loving rebels that’s started me listening and looking a lot more. Thank you for that. Thank all of you who remind us that this doesn’t belong to the crazies and abusers.
Haha! That’s a good point about time differences. I like your verse better. 😆 I’m so happy I’ve been able to encourage you to think and wonder without threatening you. That’s like my total goal in life!
My hubby says it is highjacking of religion for its own purpose. Self-serving. Jesus was against the Pharisees for using religion to keep them powerful. I believe in Jesus. Period. Stop. Glad to have you back seeking.
I have been struggling so much with this, but couldn’t articulate the struggle. Thank you for sharing this so clearly. Really helped me process it.
You are so very welcome!
There is so much in this post, I don’t know where to start.
I totally agree we need to learn how to study the Bible and use the context for all of it. I also like listening to what God tells me after I read it. My SIMPLE method helps me do this. It’s not perfect but I feel I’m getting better at knowing the Bible (a tiny bit).
About the last part, yes. Go for it. God is opening your eyes, which in turn opens ours. It reminded me of John Ortberg’s book, “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.” I was finding I was procrastinating on doing what I felt God wanted me to do, so made myself a journal so I could focus on the plans God has for me. It’s working. I’ve published two books since I started. ❤️
Keep listening to Jesus. Blessings on all you do.
Thanks for the encouragement!