Sticky post
Well it seems I’m back in the good old blogging seat. My chair may have changed. The computer I use. The country I sit in. And even my last name. But one thing is for sure…I will always write. And … Continue reading Overwhelmingly Human
Psalm 143:8-12 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. Continue reading Unfailing Love
We learn the greatest lessons from those we deem as different. Whether those differences lay in our religion, our lifestyle, our sexual orientation, our jobs, our race, or simply in the music we choose to listen to; these people are the one’s we learn the most about ourselves from and the most about the things of God. Acceptance, love, joy, peace, friendship, humility, compassion….. The things of Jesus can become very clear when we are asked to share a moment, a space, with another person. And even more so when those people choose to love us despite all of the … Continue reading How to Choose Peace
I’ve been in a weird place lately; a lot of difficult things have been happening in my life and in the lives of a lot of people I care for and while it’s never easy to admit, I’m overwhelmed by it all. I’m feeling out of control and broken and incredibly anxious. I’ve been sleeping really heavy when I sleep, which truthfully is way more than usual, but there have also been plenty of sleepless nights. I find, as you could perhaps relate, that I’m incredibly vulnerable to destructive thoughts during these lonely, sleepless nights. As a teen, I spent … Continue reading Love-sick
Its taken me a long time to finish this post, or truthfully even write it. My original plan was to have another post in between Simply a Spark and this one; however, after God worked his way into last weeks post I almost wanted to leave it there. After posting Simply a Spark, I felt finished. Completely. As if all the weight of this story had been lifted, all the words had been typed, all the reflecting had been done. I looked at my index card with a list of 7 post topics and I felt as if number six … Continue reading So What Now? – Testify Part 6
I always find it interesting how we like to focus on the big, life-defining moments that are all fireworks and flash bangs resulting in hearts soaring or hearts breaking…when in reality, its often the smallest things that make the biggest differences. I’ve focused on the fireworks and flash bangs in my life, so far, in this series. The celebration of my baptism. The explosion of emotions and negative experiences in my teen years. The emotional brokenness of a single physical choice. Today, though, I want to focus on the little things. Or, really, the littlest thing. The smallest spark that … Continue reading Simply A Spark – Testify Part 5
Would you believe me if I told you that I deleted this post from my edit window 10 times in the last 24 hours? I didn’t do it because I didn’t want to share this part of my story. I didn’t do it because I am ashamed, although I’ll admit I’ve had the opportunity to remember what that feels like since I started revisiting this story. I didn’t do it because I hated every word I had written. I did it because the words never seem to sound right. At first they came out to legalistic, too stark and pointed. … Continue reading The Question of Purity – Testify 4
Baptism is a beautiful thing; it was once explained to me as the physical representation of an already present spiritual transformation. As I mentioned last week, my actual baptism was definitely a celebration. However, it’s also where things got real. Despite various warnings throughout catechism class, despite wise words in conversations with my mom and my sponsor, despite hearing the Prayer of Exorcism (not the pop-culture type exorcism, but rather a Catholic prayer of protection) at my baptism, nothing prepared me for the almost immediate attack from the enemy. I did not always believe that the enemy could have such an … Continue reading Lie to Me – Testify Part 3
I rediscovered this song in my iTunes last night, at the perfect time as I was reflecting on all the things I’m currently trying to dust off and deal with. Had to take a moment and let this one sink … Continue reading Beautiful Things
As you may already know, if you read last weeks post entitled “Testify”, I have decided to take an extended trip down memory lane. For the next few Sundays, I will be revisiting specific sections of my faith story and sharing them with you. I feel that this is an important part of my current process, and a part that is essential for any Christian. Whether you step out and share your story with 10’s, 100’s, millions … or simply one person in your living room, the power of releasing your story into the world is unimaginable. This post may … Continue reading Baptize Me – Testify Part 2
Kristi Rydmark 