Shame & Guilt
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What’s So Extraordinary about Mary?
I have often heard it said in church circles that the Catholic church makes too much of Mary while the Protestant arm of the body makes too little. Not until I really looked into the life and decisions of Mary did I begin to realize how subversive, brave, and significant Mary is to the church, particularly women. She contributes some incredibly important and often overlooked encouragement to the role of women within the church. 1: Mary accepts God’s call on her life without consulting the men in her life. Mary doesn’t ask Gabriel to wait while she consults Joseph on this new development. She must be well aware that becoming…
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Shame Free: Taking off the Invisibility Cloak
Anyone who spends a good amount of time longing for invisibility has a struggle with shame and/or anxiety on their hands. I should know. I still occasionally wish that I could slip through life unnoticed. Invisibility can seem so safe, especially for a survivor of abuse. Whenever conflict rears its ugly head, my mind and body still kick into flight mode. Some people are fighters and launch themselves into the fray. Others, like myself, turn to invisibility to minimize the attention of those around us. We freeze like the bunny wondering if the wolf has caught its scent. I want to look at the emotional roots of this phenomenon because…
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Release from Regret: Recapture your Hope
There is no regret in the kingdom of God, but that doesn’t mean we don’t struggle mightily with it. I imagine David after the prophet, Nathan, informs him that his son from Bathsheba will die because of his sins of murder and adultery. His chief regret, I assume, is that the consequences of his actions have affected more than just himself. I cannot imagine David’s horror as he watches his son die, knowing that his sin caused it. But after the child passes, David leaves his grief and goes to resume his duties on behalf of Israel. To the heart of some, this may seem callous, but David’s own words…
