Tanya Dennis Books

Tanya Dennis Books

  • Can Star Wars be a Christmas movie?

    Before we go any further, let me clarify. I know Star Wars is a franchise and not a single movie. It’s a fandom, a subculture, some might even say a lifestyle. I have a dog named Vader and a son who could likely write dissertations on any number of subjects from the galaxy, but I am not an expert. I am a fringe fan.

    Bald Confession: I pretend to know more than I do just so I can bond with my son and occasionally throw in a biblical parallel. You know, Deuteronomy parenting and all.

    “…and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.”

    Deuteronomy 6:11 (NET)
    See also Deuteronomy 11:19 and Psalm 78:2–4.

    Expect me to make mistakes when it comes to Star Wars. Go ahead; roll your eyes along with my kid. It’s okay. Just try not to miss my point for the details.

    Caveats, disclaimers, and diversions out of the way, let’s get to the question.

    Can Star Wars fit into Christmas?

    Last night I finished watching THE MANDALORIAN and there were some real Christmas-y feelings there.

    All of Advent is about expectation. Waiting in the tension of promises yet to be fulfilled. Hope of a better tomorrow. Trusting that one day pain and suffering will end and that injustices will be set right.


    SPOILER ALERT!!! 

    If you haven’t watched it, STOP READING NOW. Go watch it and then come back, but DON’T RUIN THIS FOR YOURSELF!!! I’m not kidding. Go. Get outta here, ‘cause I got something to say and I can’t be held responsible for any ruined element of surprise.

    You gone?
    Okay.


    A Thrill of Hope

    While the Dark Troopers were slamming into that blast door, Gideon smirking from his spot on the floor, our small band of heroes holding weapons ready, it looked like all hope was lost. They were trapped with no way out. BUT THEN — a glimmer of hope appeared.

    I audibly gasped. I jumped forward from my seat on the couch. I KNEW rescue was coming! I knew our little green guy would be saved and I knew who would be in that ship.

    Little by little, step by step, we watched a cloaked Jedi gain ground, destroying the opposition. My heart swelled with each advance. I held my breath. We waited and it was not for nothing. Salvation, restoration, HOPE had come in the flesh.

    The beauty of Christmas isn’t just a babe in a manger. It’s not even about gifts or grace or eternal life. The most beautiful thing about Christmas is the release of tension, the assurance of rescue, the fulfillment of long-awaited promise. All this wrapped up in a tiny, humble package.

    The Empire didn’t know they were losing. But everyone in that cockpit felt it. They knew life would be different now. A great weight — and a great wait — was lifted.

    Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
    ‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
    A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
    For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

    He knows our need, To our weakness no stranger!
    Truly He taught us to love one another;
    His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;
    Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,
    And in his name all oppression shall cease,
    Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we;
    Let all within us praise his Holy name!

    O Holy Night, select excerpts

    Simeon’s Moment

    One of my favorite pieces of the Nativity story is often completely ignored at Christmastime. It’s not painted on ornaments or available as a figurine. I do, however, have a print of this painting hanging in my living room.

    ‘Simeon’s Moment’ by artist Ron DiCianni

    It’s an old man name Simeon. You can find his story in Luke 2:25–35.

    Simeon waited his whole life to meet the Messiah. The Holy Spirit had promised he would not die until he met the Christ, the one who would bring salvation. As Mary and Joseph brought their infant son into the Temple, the Holy Spirit led Simeon to them. He took the 40-day-old child into his arms and proclaimed:

    “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace.
    For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
    a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

    Luke 2:29–32 (NET)

    The Galaxy needed more than a Baby Yoda, and our Christmas celebrations need to remember more than a Baby Jesus.

    We need to see the salvation we’ve been waiting for, the rescue prepared for us.

    The Messiah came to bring relief, everlasting hope, and assurance of things set right.

    That, my dear friends, is the awesome beauty of Christmas.

  • How to find refreshment: Be with your tribe.

    How to find refreshment: Be with your tribe.

    My morning started off in a brilliant way.

    Well, actually it started in a coffee-fueled carpool to school, followed by a long-overdue workout and lengthy shower. But AFTER THAT — I had a zoom call with a friend I’ve known for a super-long time, but had not — until this morning — actually met. It was the sweetest time!

    I have no photographic proof (because it was a rather gloomy morning weather-wise, and I did not look cute, thanks to the aforementioned work-out), but it happened and, hours later, I am still reveling in the joy of it.

    We talked about work and dreams and answered prayers. We talked about frustrations with family and politics and a deep desire to see the Church truly walking in the way of Christ. We talked about books and home decor and how to properly pronounce the name of someone you’ve known for years, but only in print. I loved every second of it.

    I’m being a touch effusive here, but I can’t help it. DELIGHT and REFRESHMENT filled my soul. And I so needed that today! A smile hasn’t left my face.

    This has been a crazy year for all of us. It’s been a crazy season, and we’re all feeling weary. We’re emotionally drained and struggling to make it one day after another.

    LISTEN TO ME. This is really important.

    Take time to connect with your tribe.

    Find those kindred spirits who will fill you, encourage you, celebrate with you, lament with you, pray for you. It may sound lavish or even selfish, when the world pushes you toward measurable productivity, but just do it.

    We all need safe spaces to breathe and laugh and remember we’re not alone and that there is much, much more to life than mere survival.

    “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”

    C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
  • Is God REALLY on our side?

    Is God REALLY on our side?

    Romans 8 may be my very favorite chapter of the Bible. Okay, in truth, I have several favorite chapters, but this short segment of a letter to the Roman believers cut straight to my heart as a teenager. It brought me to a saving knowledge of my separation from God and my need for grace through Christ. It continues to cut straight to my heart today, twenty-five years later. I could go on and on about the beautiful truths laid bare in these verses, but – well, that’s not the point of this post. Let’s just look at verse 31.

    “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

    This verse rests within the very specific context of salvation. The whole chapter goes to great lengths to assure believers that once God has chosen to save us, we cannot be snatched from His all-powerful, gracious, and loving hands. How gorgeous is that truth?

    The American church loves this verse as a rally cry. It’s a strong comfort, a brazen proclamation. And it’s a handy little finger-in-the-eye justification for just about anything we want to do that might offend our neighbors. You don’t like it? Well, God is for us, so who are you to stand against us?

    Adding convenience to power, anybody can use it. And we all do.

    Politically, I’m independent. I don’t fully align with any of the major parties, which means all of them have a problem with me. My liberal friends think I’m too conservative (because I’m pro-life, pro-marriage and traditional values, and crave small government and fiscal responsibility). My conservative friends think I’m too liberal (because I believe being pro-life should extend to all of life, not just the unborn; and because I support racial equality and justice, immigration, and gun control).

    Please don’t get trapped by the issues or confessions I’ve just shared. None of that is my point. Stay with me.

    I have friends on both sides of the spectrum spewing hatred and arrogance, all bolstered in religious fortification and argument. I humbly confess: I’ve taken my turns doing the same. It’s not pretty. For any of us. Least of all the Body of Christ.

    This christening of ideas and motivations can go well beyond politics.

    • If God is for me, I cannot fail at anything.
    • If God is for me, I don’t need to defend myself or my ideas … ever.
    • If God is for me, then anyone who claims Christ should agree with me.
    • If God is for me and my boss is against me, defiance becomes righteous duty.
    • If God is for me and my spouse is against me, then divorce is justified.
    • If God is for me, He wants me to be happy and will bless any path that leads to that end.

    I fear we too often forget the gravity of that very first word: IF.

    We must ask ourselves: Is God for us?

    Who’s side is God on? Who’s side are we on?

    Two passages of Scripture stand juxtaposed. They possess almost identical wording, yet not. For some reason that verse in Romans gets a lot more publicity than this next one. Perhaps because it’s in the New Testament and this one is in the Old Testament. Or maybe it’s because the Romans passage feels empowering and brazen and this one … well, this one requires humility.

    Joshua 5:13—14 reads:

    “When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’

    ‘Neither,’ He replied. ‘I have now come as a commander of the LORD’s army.’

    Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked Him, ‘What does my Lord want to say to His servant?’”

    This one doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as quickly nor as easily as that verse in Romans. It doesn’t fit on a bumper sticker either. But it is so important. It gives us some practical advice for walking with the Lord.

    Joshua knew this warrior was great, and he didn’t dare assume He was with him. He asked. He inquired. And guess what? The warrior wasn’t on either side. Not on Joshua’s side. Not on Joshua’s enemies’ side. The warrior wasn’t taking sides with humans. Rather, he wanted to know who was on the LORD’s side.

    What happened next? Joshua humbled himself, face to the ground, and sought direction. He didn’t take another step until he heard from God. Rather than ask God to bless his human plans, Joshua inquired about God’s plans for him. Then he obeyed.

    We often want God to bless us. We want Him to condone and support our plans. What would happen if, instead of asking God to join OUR side, we truly sought to join HIS side?

    What would happen if, instead of asking God to join our side, we truly sought to join His side?

    What if God isn’t on our side? What if – even more terrifying – we stand against Him?

    It is natural to defend our positions passionately. We want to win the battle, to argue toward a won debate. May we, as humble servants of God, pause. Take a breath. And truly seek God.

    It’s great if He’s on our side. It’s even better if we’re on His side.


    I’ve committed the great taboo of raising politics in a post about spiritual intimacy. As such, many will want to argue points and positions based on those issues. Please don’t. This isn’t a platform for political debate or grandstanding, and any such comments will be deleted. Refuse to chase the red herring.

    This post isn’t about politics. It’s about humility. Supplication. Introspection. For myself most of all.

    If you have comments and insights about Scripture or about seeking God in the dailies of your life, please post them! I’d love to know your thoughts on that.

  • You still get to choose.

    This has been a strange season.

    I don’t need to convince anyone of that, but maybe we all need a reminder that, no matter what this year throws at us, we still get to choose the path we take.

    We can choose to see the challenges of this year as opportunities or as limitations and burdens.

    Opportunity to serve, to encourage, to celebrate, to grow and stretch and change. Opportunity to try new things, to settle into quieter times, to love on our families in more specific ways. We’ve been at home, restricted, confined, limited. But these are opportunities, too.

    When someone complains about a situation, will we join the grumbling? Will we listen to their pain? Will we offer grace and hope?

    When someone makes a political declaration, will we take up arms? Instantly unfriend? Rally the troops and engage the fight? Or will we hear them out and ask questions to further understand? To share ideas? To deepen relationships and chase unity?

    This year has taken a lot from us, but it has also given us a lot. Don’t squander the opportunities. Choose who you want to be and what path you want to take.

  • We are together, but not alone.

    These are crazy times. Heavy times. It feels like every night we go to bed praying and every morning we wake worrying and wondering.

    What will we do? When will this end? How will our kids go to school? Will they be safe?
    Are we making the right choices? What about our jobs? What about our finances?
    What about community? How do we serve? How do we protect?

    Life is chaotic, ever-changing. We have choices to make, but only clusters of incomplete information with which to make them. It’s exhausting. Frustrating. Draining. Isolating.

    But we are not alone.

    There are two sides to this that I want to explore.

    We are all in this together.

    The other day I was speaking with a dear one who insisted that “no one understands” what she’s going through. She complained about having to wear a mask and not being able to go everywhere she wants to go, but that was the end of her woes. Now, this is not a competition, but I know many people who have suffered much more than these mere inconveniences. Even so, she was beside herself with grief and pity. She couldn’t see that we’re in this together.

    Side One: Everyone is enduring inconvenience and adjustments.

    No one is living their “best life” right now. We’re managing a global health crisis and that means EVERYONE is affected. None of us — not you, not me, not the neighbors down the street or across the state line — are alone in this crisis.

    Let me be blunt: Some people need to stop expecting exceptions and recognize that we’re all in this together. And no one is particularly happy about it. So let’s try a little harder to make the best of it.

    Now for Side Two. I promise to be a little kinder with this point. 😉

    We are together, but not alone.

    Society wants to sing “We are the World” and exalt shared community. Okay. Sure, we’re “all in this together”, but I find little comfort in knowing I’m surrounded by other fallible humans who are in the same sinking boat. We’re all struggling. No one knows the future and few know what to do in the present. Frankly, I’d rather know who’s controlling the waves than who’s clueless next to me.

    Fortunately, we are not alone. There is Someone who is standing with and fighting for us.

    “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

    – Hebrews 7:25 (emphasis mine)

    Not only has God sent his Holy Spirit to indwell those who belong to Him – this Spirit granting strength, guidance, and comfort to those who call upon his name – but He has kept his Son, Jesus Christ our Savior, close by to serve as intercessor and advocate on our behalf.

    Beth Moore wrote this:

    “The Son of God occupies the seat at the right hand of God
    where He is the designated High Priest, the divine Intercessor for His people.
    Christ LIVES to pray for us.”

    After extrapolating the exact definition of the Greek word for intercede, she continues:

    “[Christ] prays for us with familiarity. He is completely familiar with the Father
    and with us. He prays for us with complete knowledge and understanding of God’s perfect will, His ultimate plan, our deepest desires, and our greatest needs.
    He qualifies, therefore, as the perfect ‘go-between.’”

    Oh, how thankful I am for an advocate that SEES. One who KNOWS. Not just what’s going on, by who knows ME. Who knows my deepest desires and needs and doubts and fears and he fights for me. And for you. He IS the perfect High Priest.

    We get to choose where we look.

    Do you remember the story of Peter walking on water? It’s found in Matthew 14. The disciples were in a boat, the waves and wind going crazy, when suddenly they saw Jesus walking toward them. They were terrified, thinking he was a ghost. He called out to them, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter being Peter responded, “Lord, if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus did, and Pete got out of the boat. He walked on water.

    Now, we love to read this story and criticize what comes next. Pete notices the waves and the wind (which have not calmed down) and gets scared, immediately beginning to sink. We want to point out Peter’s insufficient faith (which Christ does in the next verse), but I want us to note – Pete got out of the boat. He walked on water. Not only that, as soon as he started to sink, he called out to Christ – and Christ saved him.

    Taking eyes off of Christ does not negate the courage required to get out of the boat. Peter showed tremendous faith, faith not exhibited by any of the other disciples on that boat that night.

    Taking our eyes off of Christ is not fatal. It’s human. And we all do it sometimes. We begin to focus on our circumstances rather than our Savior. Doing so definitely makes our journey more perilous, but it doesn’t sentence us to isolation. Christ is still there for us, ready to save when we call out to Him.

    We have lots of choices these days. We can focus on ourselves and how upset we are that life isn’t great. We can focus on our fears and what we don’t know or what we imagine (or whatever new conspiracy theory threatens our peace). Or we can focus on God, trusting Christ to advocate and intercede for us during these difficult times.

    And here’s some really good news: every day we get to choose.

    The choices we made yesterday don’t define today and today doesn’t define tomorrow. His mercies are new every day. We can choose Him every day.

  • Chasing Peace (and skipping the affirmation)

    The fear of inadequacy has chased me my entire life. You can blame any number of things from my past or present, but let’s not. Rather, let’s talk about the struggle this presents in the dailies.

    Of all the theological concepts in Scripture, grace has always troubled me most. I love the idea of it and I believe in it! But living it is a challenge. Fearing inadequacy, I want to earn my way (even when I know I can’t) and prove my worth (even when I know evidence is scant).

    God’s grace absolutely is real.
    And so is my humanity.

    In that imperfect humanity, fear sometimes out-muscles the knowledge and questions assault me. Is it enough? Are you enough? Are you doing enough?

    Comparison almost always serves as a trigger. Oh, that blasted social media!

    I see friends making a difference in so many amazing arenas. They’re fighting against poverty, injustice, political crisis, and depression. They’re raising awareness about inequality and disease and literally saving lives with their acumen. They’re bringing beauty into the world. They’re educating their children (and others), raising the next generation of world-changers. I celebrate every single one of them!

    But then that nagging little voice asks: What are YOU doing?

    Do any of you hear it? Does it plague you too?

    Today was one of those days.

    The sun rose as I Iay in bed. I checked messages and then, without purpose, scrolled through social media, waiting for my husband to wake. By the time he did, tears silently coursed down toward my pillow. I confessed to him: “I feel so lost. What am I supposed to be DOING? How do I know if I’m doing enough??”

    We prayed together (as is our morning habit), then began the day, all my questions left unanswered. After my shower, I grabbed my phone again. An alert popped up on my home screen: the verse of the day.

    “And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.”

    — Colossians 3:15 (HCSB)

    This isn’t the verse I would search for or choose when chasing peace, but it’s the one God gave me.

    Why? Why THIS verse? I don’t know every reason, but I want to tell you what I see.

    I don’t need affirmation and God knows it.

    Affirmation — Oh, you’ve done so much! Here’s a list to remind you and make you feel better. — centers the conversation back on ME and my abilities and accomplishments. That’s not what I need. My focus should be on the Messiah and on the body, not on me.

    This isn’t about me or them.

    That “body” — the great and global collection of Jesus-followers — includes me. The work we do together matters. It’s not about Kim and Sarah and Cheryl and Latasha or whoever the visible front person is. Because we all have a job to do. Sometimes I’m running lead, and sometimes I get to stand behind and celebrate, encourage, and bolster. We are all part of the body, unified to bring glory to God and His Kingdom to earth.

    Gratitude goes such a long way.

    Whenever my heart gets out of check, whenever fears and doubts attack me, giving thanks re-centers me. It reminds of all that God has done for me, all He has given me — spiritual, physical, material, experiential, emotional … EVERYTHING! And in so doing eliminates fear.

    Maybe let peace chase us.

    This verse tells us that peace can “control [our] hearts.” Let me get a little grammar geeky for a moment. Control is an active, not passive, verb. Furthermore, it’s active upon an inactive (passive) object. In other words, our hearts can rest while peace does the work. And who directs that peace? The Messiah.

    Our pastor reminded us this week that we are human BEings, not human DOings. Our value is found in who we are — redeemed children of God becoming more Christ-like each day — rather than in the specific activities or titles we pursue.

    Maybe we need to rest more in the BE than the DO. Rather than chasing affirmation, maybe let peace chase us for a while.

  • Ways to Get Out of the Pit

    If you read my last post, you know I have good days and bad days and I’m learning to be okay with not being okay. I don’t want to just leave it there, so even though I am no expert on escaping dark moods, I want to share a few things that help me. Maybe they’ll help you too.

    Limit negative exposures.

    What is it that’s getting you down? What feeds into your dark emotions and invites you further into the pit? Identify those triggers, then see how you can limit or avoid them.

    For me, it’s the news. Not just the news, but conversations about the news and politics, the incessant social media drone of debate and toxic discourse. I don’t even want to call it “discourse” since so much of it involves mocking, ridicule, and attack rather than sound exchanges of ideas and opinions. THAT I could handle. But that’s not often what I find, so I need to limit my exposure.

    Read intentionally.

    Find something that will challenge you, encourage you, or help you escape. Hmm…maybe that should be Elevate, Encourage, Escape. That sounds very organized and inspired, right? Sure. My point is that you need to get out of your own head. Or rather, let someone else into your head to shift your thinking.

    I never read just one book at a time. Right now I’m reading Identity Theft (a nonfiction book about rooting your personal identity in Christ and what God says of you), Get Out of Your Head (a nonfiction book about spiritual warfare and the power to take every thought captive), and From Sky to Sky (a speculative fiction work about immortals among us). Each of these is helping me get out of my pit.

    • <a href="https://amzn.to/3aAcoPw&quot;

    Identity Theft is reminding of Scriptural truths about who I am and what I am called to be. Get Out of Your Head is helping me combat some long-seated lies I’ve held about myself and my position in community. From Sky to Sky is offering me escape. It’s letting me rest my thoughts on things completely different from my everyday life and current situation.

    Complete a project. Any project.

    Sometimes the pit stems from a lack of purpose or control. Finding a project and completing it feels good. It offers a temporary, but solid, measurable sense of control and purpose. It doesn’t matter what the project is. It could be something creative or practical or even both. Maybe painting a table. Organizing your pantry. Cleaning out your closet. Making a menu for the week. Trying a new recipe. Any of this will do!

    The form of the project doesn’t matter.
    What matters is that you finish it.

    Starting a project doesn’t have the same impact. In fact, it may cause a reverse effect. It’s fun and a little exciting, but rather than giving you a sense of accomplishment, it could add to your stress by putting one more thing on your list of “things you have to do.” We want to experience success, not further burden. So find a project you know you can finish and get it done.

    Connect with others.

    I feel a little hypocritical saying this, but … we need community. I tend to isolate, especially when I’m in a dark place. I don’t want to burden others; I want to encourage them! So when I get in a pit, I tend to stay there by myself until I can dig my way out. On my own. But I have learned — I am learning that I can get out of that pit a lot faster when I invite others into it with me. Not that I want them in the pit, but they don’t want me there either. They can help me get out. They can often see things I can’t. They can show me that the pit isn’t as deep and dark as I imagine. Together we can overcome it.

    How can we connect with others? Reach out. It’s as simple as a text or phone call. A coffee date or an invitation to … anything (once everything opens up again). It doesn’t have to be complicated.

    One little thing though … You need to be brave. Connection doesn’t come simply reaching out. You need to open up, too. I’m not suggesting you lay bare all your secrets, but choose to share. Be honest with your feelings. Pray together. You can live in parallel or you can live in community. Community is a riskier, but it beats being alone.

    Laugh.

    I’m not kidding. Find something that makes you laugh. A ridiculous movie. A game with your kids. A lip sync battle with old friends via Zoom. Find something that makes you laugh. Not a polite little giggle, but a toes-deep, soul-cleansing, make-you-cry laugh.

    Admit fear, but refuse to submit to it.

    “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
    — 2 Timothy 1:7 (NET)

    Timothy, the original recipient of this letter from Paul, faced persecution and great difficulties. Paul even urges him to “by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel.”

    I don’t want to start a “biggest loser” game in which we compare who has it worse: you or me, us or the early church leaders. It doesn’t matter. The point is that God has not changed. If He has the power to get Timothy through those days, He has the power to get us through these. If we have accepted Christ as Savior, then we have the same Spirit Paul speaks of here, and it is not a spirit that surrenders to fear. Fear is real, but it does not own us. We have been granted freedom and can thereby lay hold of the power, love, and self-control the Spirit who lives in us possesses.

    Acknowledge fear, but refuse to live there.

    How? Spend time with God. Pray. Read your Bible. Listen to worship music, not just in the background, but meditate on the words. Focus on the attributes of God and the truths of His Word.

    “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace,
    for it is trusting in You.”
    — Isaiah 26:3 (HCSB)

    YOUR TURN: Tell me what you do to get out of the pits. What helps you shed the funk?

  • It’s okay if you’re not okay.

    It was a simple enough text.

    I should have been able to answer it easily, quickly, without much thought.

    I didn’t.
    I couldn’t.
    That text sat unanswered on my phone for hours.
    Overnight even. I stewed over my reply.

    Should I be honest?

    Not great. I’m struggling. The world is falling apart and it sucks and I hate it and I feel like I’m slipping into a dark place.

    Or should I put on my well-worn mask of positivity and encouragement?

    We’re good! The kids are loving remote schooling. Everyone is healthy. It’s so nice to have all this extra time together as a family. ❤ How are YOU??

    Both responses are true.

    We ARE good. We are so blessed it’s ridiculous. My job has imploded obviously — No one is booking travel these days! — but we don’t depend on my income to make ends meet, and my husband is able to work from home. We have food, shelter, health, education… Even the dog is fine.

    But we’re also NOT good. I’m an extrovert. There’s no hiding that. I didn’t realize how MUCH I needed other people and wide spaces, though, until I was trapped in this house with the same four people for days — WEEKS! — without end.

    So how am I?

    I’m sad. I’m overwhelmed. I’m discouraged and tired and weary.

    And that’s okay.

    Too often we feel like we have to be happy. Not just happy, but chipper. Not just chipper, but a buoy for everyone else.

    We want to encourage and uplift, but that could mean sitting in the muck with others rather than trying to lift them out. Sometimes encouragement comes from being vulnerable and truthful about how we really feel in a situation.

    As a society we now scoff at #firstworldproblems. We’ve invalidated the frustrations and complaints of anyone who lives seemingly better than most. The result: those who know they have it good feel they should never confess discontent.

    I’m not dealing with world hunger or devastating poverty. My daughter is not being trafficked and my son is not an addict. My husband is good and loving and kind. But none of this means that roses are popping up every morning and little woodland creatures sing while cleaning my house. It doesn’t mean that I don’t struggle. Nor does it mean that I need to downplay my honest feelings about life.

    And neither do you.

    Right now the world is upside down. Life is crazy, and we’re all going through something none of us have experienced before. IT IS OKAY TO FEEL UNSETTLED.

    Having negative emotions does not negate our faith nor deny that we know we’re blessed. Faith is not proven by ever-present positive attitudes.

    Want proof? Read the Psalms. These writings are filled with despair, but no one looks at them and shakes a judgmental head at the authors. No. We strive to learn from them, to glean wisdom and faith through their example.

    So here’s my advice for today: Take the time to feel what you feel. Then choose not to get stuck there.

    Sure, I spent time falling apart last week. I curled up on the floor next to my bed and cried. I lamented our lack of control. I confessed my sadness and discouragement and how I didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel (or rather: an end to this stay-at-home quarantine order). But once my tears were spent, I got up off the floor.

    When you read through those biblical psalms of lament, the ones in which the authors cry out to God in pain and frustration, you’ll notice two things:

    1. The psalmists are not afraid to be honest with God. They call Him out from their limited perspectives, accusing Him of judgment, rejection, punishment, silence, apathy… all kinds of ill-treatment. They confess their true feelings and demand attention. They want their enemies slaughtered; they want restoration, and they want it now. We think of the Psalms as beautifully-phrased poetry — and they are! But they’re also courageously honest.
    2. The psalmists don’t stay in the pits. Almost every one of those psalms ends with praise. The writers vent and yell and cry and plead, but then they remember who God is and the power and position He holds.

    Go ahead. Look for yourself. Spend some time today in the Psalms minding the journeys and patterns of petition.
    Now let’s imitate that.

    Yes, we’re in a difficult situation now, so let’s be honest about it. Shout out your feelings, your fears, your frustrations to God. God isn’t surprised by our true thoughts. Nor is He intimidated by our proclamations of them. Why?

    Because of who He is.

    He is the Creator. He is a good, good Father who loves us and seeks to bring us favor. He is POWERFUL and He has this whole world — including this pandemic — in His very capable hands.

    Does this mean He’s going to cure it immediately? That all who are sick will walk away healed? That the economy will be saved and our nation will thrive more than ever before?

    No.
    Maybe.
    I don’t know.

    None of us know the answers to those questions. We don’t know exactly what the future holds. What we can know right now is this: HE IS.

    Rest in God alone, my soul,
    for my hope comes from Him.
    He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my stronghold; I will not be shaken.

    My salvation and glory depend on God;
    my strong rock, my refuge is in God.

    Trust in Him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts before Him.
    God is our refuge.

    — Psalm 63:5–8 (HCSB)

Previous Page
1 2

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

 

Loading Comments...
 

    • Follow Following
      • Tanya Dennis Books
      • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
      • Tanya Dennis Books
      • Edit Site
      • Follow Following
      • Sign up
      • Log in
      • Report this content
      • View site in Reader
      • Manage subscriptions
      • Collapse this bar