Preach it, Ruth.
Late Friday evening, I received a text from a friend asking me if I would like to attend the Hot Summer Nights tour featuring *Jen Hatmaker* and Heather Land the next day?
Is my heart working? Is there breath in my lungs? Yes! I Would LOVE To Go!
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Here's the thing, the event interested us because we had already known and loved at least one of the two performers. We had read her books, subscribed to her podcast, drank her Texas-sized kool-aid and all that jazz. And as appealing as it was to be 30 feet away from her and to watch her mannerisms in person, in the end, she was human. Ordinarily and amazingly, human.
(Dear smart phone people...why is it 2019 and my picture looks like THIS???)
And as she walked the stage continuously playing with her white blazer, and sat down bouncing her legs with her Lucky brand platformed chunky heels, I was so attentive to what she was doing, wanting to absorb it all.
Somehow, her influence, her writing, her platform has all grown so large and it is only fair to say that part of me really wants to be her when I grow up.
But here's the thing: with such influence it is all the more important that we "don't mess up". And that we "look out for pride, control, and power".
At church on Sunday, pastor Nate, preached and spoke of influence. We have been reminded in weeks prior that there is influence given each of us, regardless of age, gender, race, and socio-anything.
As he spoke, I made an entire page full of notes and somehow I see a connection here.
I love your style in writing.
I love your heart for everyone, everywhere.
I love your sarcasm and wit.
I read everything you write and subscribe to your For The Love podcast.
But here's the truth, I have drank your kool aid and it has turned my stomach a bit sour. I still think you're da bomb and I am cheering you on, I am just doing it from a little further away.
When Pastor says things like, "When we trade our influence for control, we will lose both", I mull this over and over, asking myself what this means for me.
And I think of you, Jen. I think of how liberal you seem to me now that you have a podcast and how I disagree with you and some of your guests fairly often. I think of how you most definitely do not like President Trump and you paint him all shades of ugly, and how you are influencing so many listeners and, like Trump or not, I do think there should be more respect from you towards him.
You have influence- and more than that, you love Jesus!- so it is this power you hold to sway and you are challenged: don't mess up!
So am I. Challenged.
This is not an I'm out to get Jen, bash.
No way, I think so highly of you.
But I recognize the distance.
Where I once drank you in like a fountain, I now do so in bits and pieces.
Where I once listened to everything the moment it dropped, I now use more discernment and am comfortable to stop an episode in the middle of the talking and say, yep, that's not for me.
So here is my confession, I have placed Jen -and countless others!- upon some pedestal where she never asked to be placed. Moreover, she never deserved to be placed.
Because it was reserved for Jesus alone.
And so I write, and confess with both typed words and spoken prayers,
Back in the 90s, <3 My So-Called Life's <3 Sharon Cherski once said,
And although Sharon was on-again, off-again besties with Angela and sometimes we liked her and other times we just wanted more Rayanne and Ricky, she spoke that and 20 years later, I remember.
(And, honest sidebar, was this not the GREATEST SHOW OF ALL TIME???)
Our jobs; this calling; these circumstances; all of our unique gifts, experiences, and passions; our current places in life... all of it is to God and for God.
To all of this, our author friend Ruth adds,
...God has placed you where you are on purpose. Our faithfulness is the stage on which God performs, working in and through us for His glory.
So go now, binge watch all of MSCL and absorb the incredible thing which was 90's teenage drama, and remember that it's not to us. Because it never was supposed to be about us in the first place.
always,
I read everything you write and subscribe to your For The Love podcast.
But here's the truth, I have drank your kool aid and it has turned my stomach a bit sour. I still think you're da bomb and I am cheering you on, I am just doing it from a little further away.
When Pastor says things like, "When we trade our influence for control, we will lose both", I mull this over and over, asking myself what this means for me.
And I think of you, Jen. I think of how liberal you seem to me now that you have a podcast and how I disagree with you and some of your guests fairly often. I think of how you most definitely do not like President Trump and you paint him all shades of ugly, and how you are influencing so many listeners and, like Trump or not, I do think there should be more respect from you towards him.
You have influence- and more than that, you love Jesus!- so it is this power you hold to sway and you are challenged: don't mess up!
So am I. Challenged.
This is not an I'm out to get Jen, bash.
No way, I think so highly of you.
But I recognize the distance.
Where I once drank you in like a fountain, I now do so in bits and pieces.
Where I once listened to everything the moment it dropped, I now use more discernment and am comfortable to stop an episode in the middle of the talking and say, yep, that's not for me.
So here is my confession, I have placed Jen -and countless others!- upon some pedestal where she never asked to be placed. Moreover, she never deserved to be placed.
Because it was reserved for Jesus alone.
Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1
"What we have is God's gift to us.
What we do with that gift, is our gift to God."
What we do with that gift, is our gift to God."
And although Sharon was on-again, off-again besties with Angela and sometimes we liked her and other times we just wanted more Rayanne and Ricky, she spoke that and 20 years later, I remember.
(And, honest sidebar, was this not the GREATEST SHOW OF ALL TIME???)
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| source Feeling excited yet?? |
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| source Feeling sentimental yet?? |
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| source Feeling All. The. Feels yet?? |
To all of this, our author friend Ruth adds,
...God has placed you where you are on purpose. Our faithfulness is the stage on which God performs, working in and through us for His glory.
So go now, binge watch all of MSCL and absorb the incredible thing which was 90's teenage drama, and remember that it's not to us. Because it never was supposed to be about us in the first place.
always,
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