You should watch The Hiding Place with a bowl of soup. You should think of what you would be willing to do for a neighbor and then endure the radical disruption of actually doing something far simpler—simply surrendering your will to theirs, building something not entirely your own, welcoming them all the way in.
Thank you for this humble reminder to accept and cherish when others want to do more than I personally want to. I love everything about this honest endeavor and that your book club has clearly had great results! You my friend are brave and courageous with the little time you have. Keep showing up...breathlessly. 😉 *And I know someone who can help with meal prep.
This piece made me laugh out loud, mostly from empathy. I've been you a hundred times if once, feeling that fight rise up in me as someone else brings their own very valid but NOT MINE ideas to something I've committed to do. Flexibility and the willingness to co-create are very real skills that take effort and intention. So glad your evening with The Hiding Place ended up being nourishing after all! (Also, I am so interested in your book club; I've been wanting to start something similar in my community but have been at a loss as to how to begin.)
This is just beautiful, Adrienne! I feel so much of what you’re describing here, that churches so often miss the point by making everything a Ministry™️ when I feel like what we really need is more margin to authentically connect. But reading this reminded me how that can happen even in the most unexpected ways.
Thank you for sharing this story, Adrienne ❤️ “He will take my loaves and fishes (if I let Him). At times He will have to pry them from my hands, these last remnants of my goodwill and energy, and He will use them for my good”—yes & amen. Related to this so much, friend. I could almost see your stress dissolve when she said “I just want to honor Corrie”—right to the heart. I just got my oldest The Hiding place young edition to read…can’t wait to share her story with hm.
I was struck recently how in one of the episodes of loaf multiplication (Mk 8:1-10), Jesus takes the loaves from his disciples to bless, but then *hands them back to the disciples to distribute.* It must have been so hard for them to give all their own food away, especially knowing full well that without that food they themselves were likely to “collapse on the way” back home.
It caused me to reflect on how I am likewise called to give everything I have to Jesus and then distribute his blessed gifts freely as the needs present, even the things I think I couldn’t possibly survive without (ahem, control, personal time, adequate sleep!). He will bless others with my gift, and of course provide for me too.
It was so beautiful to read how he’s done the same in your life too!!
Thank you for this humble reminder to accept and cherish when others want to do more than I personally want to. I love everything about this honest endeavor and that your book club has clearly had great results! You my friend are brave and courageous with the little time you have. Keep showing up...breathlessly. 😉 *And I know someone who can help with meal prep.
Love this so much! From the idea itself to the surrender of your loaves and fishes, just beautiful.
What a special evening. ❤️
Love how you ended this!
This piece made me laugh out loud, mostly from empathy. I've been you a hundred times if once, feeling that fight rise up in me as someone else brings their own very valid but NOT MINE ideas to something I've committed to do. Flexibility and the willingness to co-create are very real skills that take effort and intention. So glad your evening with The Hiding Place ended up being nourishing after all! (Also, I am so interested in your book club; I've been wanting to start something similar in my community but have been at a loss as to how to begin.)
This is just beautiful, Adrienne! I feel so much of what you’re describing here, that churches so often miss the point by making everything a Ministry™️ when I feel like what we really need is more margin to authentically connect. But reading this reminded me how that can happen even in the most unexpected ways.
Thank you for sharing this story, Adrienne ❤️ “He will take my loaves and fishes (if I let Him). At times He will have to pry them from my hands, these last remnants of my goodwill and energy, and He will use them for my good”—yes & amen. Related to this so much, friend. I could almost see your stress dissolve when she said “I just want to honor Corrie”—right to the heart. I just got my oldest The Hiding place young edition to read…can’t wait to share her story with hm.
I was struck recently how in one of the episodes of loaf multiplication (Mk 8:1-10), Jesus takes the loaves from his disciples to bless, but then *hands them back to the disciples to distribute.* It must have been so hard for them to give all their own food away, especially knowing full well that without that food they themselves were likely to “collapse on the way” back home.
It caused me to reflect on how I am likewise called to give everything I have to Jesus and then distribute his blessed gifts freely as the needs present, even the things I think I couldn’t possibly survive without (ahem, control, personal time, adequate sleep!). He will bless others with my gift, and of course provide for me too.
It was so beautiful to read how he’s done the same in your life too!!
Love this!!