We need each other

H and K: In case you haven't heard, seen, or read lately, the world is going a little bit crazy. Ok...it's straight up lost its mind. We're all holding our breath until November, wondering what dubious schemes or outlandish comments our incumbent presidential candidates will throw out next. We grieve with complete strangers as yet another story breaks the news of a shooting. We think of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and their constant living in terror and fear of persecution.

The worlds within our own four walls seem to be going crazy too. We pray for our friends who are dealing with death, loss, sickness, hopelessness, uncertainty, We pray for our own family as we deal with aging grandparents and the roller coaster rides that come with that. We pray for each other as we walk through this (hopefully soon ending) season of waiting and anticipation. We recently passed another anniversary of the loss of a dear friend.

Life just seems to be hard right now. We're willing to bet that some of you wonder if God is even really there, if He's even listening at all.

He is.

And for us, He's lightened the heaviness in our hearts by providing us peace when we wouldn't normally have had it. But more than that, He has put some amazingly supportive and kind friends into our lives, many just this year. When we moved to Richmond almost a year ago (whaaat??), for a time we both struggled with loneliness; even though Richmond is only 15 minutes away from Berea, we didn't have any friends close by anymore, and that was hard. It was just within a few months of moving that we re-reconnected (we never really lost touch but life had us all in different directions for a while) with some friends of ours, and now they and their three "kids" have warmed their way back into our hearts and lives again. Some of our fondest memories of 2016 have involved them and we are just so, so thankful, for that and for the future. The story is kind of serendipitous, in a way...it's how Holly met Justin. :)  And then we've made a new friend who lives in Richmond (yay!!!), she's so bubbly and fun-spirited and full of life and Jesus and we just love spending time with her.

And there are others...so, so many others, who have sent us cards for no reason, who have sent us texts just to say they were thinking of us, who have stopped by the house with little "just because" gifts, who have embraced us with so many hugs, prayers, lunch dates, and kind words that sometimes we believe it's so much more than what we deserve.

For me (Holly), I believe that God sometimes manifests Himself through the people He has put in our lives. Think about it: The closeness we feel when we are with those we love. That one word, affirmation, or piece of advice/wisdom from a friend, right when you need it. When your friend or loved one finally reveals that their long-time struggle is over, and you can directly remember praying over that same struggle. Just think about it.

The truth is that we need each other. Plain and simple. The way we interact with those around us...well, it sets an example. It shines the light of Jesus into a world that seems to be plunging deeper into darkness. Being kind or loving those in our lives certainly isn't going to change the world or stop all the violence and nonsense taking place. But it will help make our corner of the world a little brighter. Worry less. Complain less. Compare less. Pray more. Thank more. Practice gratitude more. Encourage more. Love more. Our spirits have been lifted by the company we keep. What can you do to uplift those in your life, even if everything seems to be going fine for them? How can you encourage someone this week?

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. -1 John 3:18

Things we learned in April

New friends: We've had the privilege of making one! It's never too old for anyone, isn't it? Over this past month we've done a few things together, and it was just a time in our lives where we felt God calling us to reach out to this particular person. It's been terrific!

Let's get better: We're both pretty healthy and have been for all our lives, but this month we decided to see for ourselves- that is, make actual, adult doctor's appointments and be more proactive with our health. I (Holly) go tomorrow, even though I'm currently battling cold-like symptoms, and Kelly went earlier in April and, aside from some joint issues, received a clean bill of health :)

Honest conversations and realizations: Sometimes you have to have them, be it for setting the record straight or coming to that conclusion that you just have to let go. It's one of the many ways we grow as humans.

Cars are expensive: Both of us had some unforeseen car issues arise this month that left us needing to pinch pennies for a few days. Be prepared!

Mental illness is real: Our sweet, dear friend bravely shared her struggles with depression in a candid, honest way, because so often these types of conversations are brushed aside. A sobering reminder to always, ALWAYS be kind and considerate to others, because we never really do know what the other is going through. Treat others with compassion, and be grateful for what you have.

Birthdays can still be fun: For the first time since either of us can remember, we rang in 26 out of school, out of home, and actually...out of Kentucky! We spent our birthday weekend in Chicago, where we nearly froze to death, ate way too much, and just cherished the moments we got to spend both together and with Justin.

Those that we hold in our hearts never truly leave us: Our beloved Grandpa passed away on our birthday (April 9) three years ago this year. It's almost every day that something or someone reminds us of him.

Happy b-day from Chicago! 

It all goes to the bad...

Kelly: Have you ever noticed that when someone acts up, throws a fit, gets angry and starts swinging some fists, or when someone talks just to "make a scene," that everyone LOSES THEIR MINDS? Now what do I mean by LOSING THEIR MINDS? They validate it, affirm it, and a slew of "right on's!" and "yeah!" and "you tell them!" are certain to follow. Especially where I work; negative and crappy attitudes just feed one right into the other. One bad and crappy attitude can run the show, and everyone just eats it up. Or when something happens that makes you angry/frustrated, and you dwell on it, and dwell on it, and dwell on it....over, and over, and over. And THEN....on the flip side of that, when like me, I show up, act like my happy-go-lucky self, it arouses suspicion. Like....why are you being so nice? Stop that.

So is that just me? Anyone? 

But sometimes, negativity really REALLY affects me, to the point to where I feel it, deep down in my core and I have to physically remove myself from the person or situation. It's honestly one of the most baffling phenomenons I still to this day experience. I don't get it. Can't wrap my head around it. It just makes me wonder, why do we put so much attention to crappy attitudes or rip roaring rage fests? And admit it....we all do it. It's splattered all over social media day after day after day, demanding our attention. It's human nature, I guess, but still. And I do it too, all the time. God has really been challenging me to focus on the nature of my heart, instead of what's swirling around in my head and the words I say. It hasn't been easy, because sometimes we just want to go with the flow of things, even if it means going with the flow of a toxic environment.

I was talking to my dad last night, and he said he was really inspired by how Holly and I handle things. We were just in Florida not too long ago, and some things happened and we ended up going in the wrong direction on the way to the airport. And I just...rolled with it, even though my nerves were frayed. Eventually, I let it go; I had no control over it. Let me tell you, it makes a difference, and I'm going to level with you all, I just really try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Stuff happens. I get it. We're all wired differently. But the sooner you just let the crap go and focus on things/feelings/stuff that's more worthy of our beck and call, you will be amazed at how....smoothly things just seem to go.

Holly: I'm with my sis on this one. I don't get it either. 

Something Kelly says often, and I'm fairly certain she got it from her work, is "You are responsible for the way that you act, no matter how you feel." I am a generally upbeat person by nature, and I try not to let things get to me. But when I'm exposed to constant negativity, it really does seep into me.  It's toxic! That's the way it was with an old friendship of ours, there towards the end; I'd just get in a funk or in a sour mood afterwards, just because I just had all this negative junk unloaded on me. I never understood, and still don't understand, how you can let one little thing get to you. 

Yes, we are wired differently. I get that, and I try to be mindful of that. But how about instead of reinforcing negative behavior or actions, we reinforce positive behavior or actions? The way I see it is that there's WAY too much negativity in the world as it is. And I'm certainly not saying be a ray of sunshine all the time. I get frustrated and disappointed all the time. But you can try- you can at least try to put a positive spin on things. In fact, I encourage you to try it. I think you'll be surprised.

I want to close with something unrelated, per Kelly's recommendation: I shared something on my Facebook page earlier today and I hope that you are encouraged by it. Because the truth is that God does love us and He does know our deepest desires, and He cherishes us and wants the best for us.

Look to God. He can take it. Choose joy. Be encouraging.

God does answer prayer. I definitely believe that. But sometimes, His answer is "No."
I was dealt the reality of that just this week.

Sometimes we are so convinced that when we receive something, it's from God. And while it very well may be, at least in my own situation, things didn't go as I'd hoped, and at the end of it I was left very broken and hurt. As I did some devotional reading this week, I realized that when God told me "No" in this particular situation, it was because He was preparing me for something better. We don't often see it that way in the moment, because we're in the midst of pain and inner turmoil, but when we are able to look back and recognize that God truly does desire the absolute best for us...it's a relief, almost.

God is good!

Fear and joy and Christmas

Holly: Merry Christmas, dear readers! I hope that wherever you are in the world that your Christmas has been full of smiles, laughter, good food and family, and the comfort of memories that will keep you cheerful for weeks and months to come.

Kelly had to work today so I spent the better part of the day by myself with the kitties.  To be honest though, it wasn't bad. Life has been busy and full of people and merry gatherings lately, and it was nice to have the day to myself with some Doctor Who and making a small but nice Christmas dinner. Of course that I wish that we could be in Ohio with our family, but that's life: full of obligations and commitments that we sometimes can't ignore. I've been reading a lot of negative stuff on social media lately. People getting frustrated over little things, people worried about what others think of them, people complaining about their circumstances, their job they hate, their living situation they hate...I think you know what I'm talking about.

Guys, it's Christmas. And yes, I know that this day and this time of year tends to inherently bring out the best in others, but what I don't understand is why it's just these few days out of the year that we're somehow obligated to be nice to those around us. We, and especially we as Christians, ought to be spreading Christ's love and joy all the time, regardless of whether or not we "feel" like it. It's sometimes a challenge for me too, but I'm thankful for grace, and for those in my life who are struggling just like the rest of us.

I'm going to end by sharing something that I wrote on my Facebook earlier today:

While sis is at work today bringing Christmas cheer to those at her work who no doubt need it, today it's just me and the kitties celebrating the holiday. This is the second Christmas we've spent in Kentucky, and while I honestly wish we could be in Ohio with our parents and brother, I realize that there are those around the world, and even in our neighborhoods, who also are unable to be with their families today, but for circumstances much worse than the temporary "inconvenience" of a job. It's easy to lament our circumstances, our funks, and celebrate negativity. It's easy to let fear, frustration, and disappointment steal our joy. But today I choose just that: JOY! How can I not? Today I choose, as was the message at Vineyard last night, to celebrate! Today I celebrate not just the birth of Christ, but all the ways, the sometimes seemingly insignificant, ways that God has blessed me! And once you do that, well....to me, there's no more room for all that other negative stuff.

"O come, let us adore Him!"

Kelly: I just got off work actually. I was a bit saddened at first upon finding out I had to work at first, because I asked for it off and didn't get it. Oh well. I accepted it and realized it was something I wasn't able to change. And with the exception of nearly having to break up a fight at the end of my shift, it wasn't a bad day at all. It seemed like the Christmas spirit hit everyone today, which was a good thing. Not to mention I wore jeans and my TARDIS kitty shirt! And time and a half pay...holla! Last night was wonderful as well; spending the evening with friends, new friends, and children. It was a bit loud at times, but it reminded me of how loved I really am. The gestures were not big and grandiose by any means, just simply getting invited to Christmas Eve service and then dinner with our pastor and family. Nothing fancy, huh? Again, feeling the love. 

At church last night, one of the things that the pastor said was "do not let fear steal your joy." Fear....fear of what? What in the world are we all so afraid of? Sis and I were talking about this not too long ago, and it seems like that society is crippled with it lately. And I came to the conclusion that if we let fear run our lives, then we'd never leave our houses. So as this Christmas comes to an end and eventually as we see the end of 2015, the question that was asked was this; what or who are we following? Are we following fear, something else, someone else, or Him? I know who I'm trying to follow. 

Because God first loved

Kelly: I have recently discovered that I sometimes do my best thinking while I am driving to work. This happened yesterday. Until now, I have refrained from sharing any thoughts about this Berea Fairness Ordinance that did not pass. I will disclaim right now and say that I did not vote for it or against it; in fact I am choosing to keep my opinions about the ordinance itself out of this, or I'm going to try to. I didn't even vote for it at all. I shot myself in the foot in this one because I honestly didn't really know much about it. But what I have written below is not about the ordinance; it's about love. Love of people, God's family.

Once again, it seems to me that politics and opinion have gotten in the way. The fact that this ordinance was a solution to any problem troubles me. To be sure I'm not entirely sure what the problem was. But, we had to let politics step in because we as a city simply disagreed on a very basic principle; love. When you take away the essence of this ordinance, that's what it boils down to, or at least that's what I think it boils down to. The fact that this ordinance was suggested should trouble Christians. We really had to have the city possibly pass a LAW that basically states we have to be nice to everyone? Am I the only one who sees this problem? Instead of turning to bias, opinion and other people, we should be turning to God and His word! In there you will find His commandments on how to act around other people. 

My point is this; when we get to Heaven our views, words and opinions won't even matter. When we face God on judgment day, He's going to ask us all how well we followed, obeyed and loved His son, and how well we treated His body. His family. If anything, this ordinance should tell us Christians to step it up a bit! These are our brothers and sisters! These are people; people that God loves and created, just like He loves you and me. I know I have a lot of work to do.

Holly: I'm going to keep my peace very brief on this.  Like Kelly, and it's purely on account of my own ignorance, but I am not very well read in this Fairness Ordinance.  All I know is that this proposed ordinance did not pass.  Here's what I have to say on that, and it's a two-fold piece, really:

1. Like Kelly said, these are our brothers and sisters.  To be honest, I was shocked at the reactions I read on Facebook.  I won't get into them, but....yeah, I was shocked.  We ought to be reaching out to them with love, as with ANY of our brothers and sisters.  Instead, some of us were celebrating the passing of the ordinance.  So now our very neighbors, THE ONES THAT CHRIST CALLS US TO LOVE AS OURSELVES, are now disadvantaged, possibly distraught, defeated...and we're celebrating? My opinion does not hold much merit, I see that, but to me, that is NOT Christ-like behavior.  Period.

2. WHY in the name of all that is pure and holy are we getting SO BENT OUT OF SHAPE regarding basically any and all mentions of homosexuality, homosexual marriages, etc?  Christians, and non-Christians, are getting mercilessly persecuted, slaughtered, demoralized for their faith and beliefs, but HEAVEN FORBID someone brings up gay marriage, and suddenly everyone has an opinion.  Really?  I mean...really?  Yes, I know what the Bible says about gay marriage.  I know what the Bible says about sin.  But why is THIS always on a pedestal?  What about cheating?  What about lying?  What about adultery, these Hollywood marriages lasting six months or less...why are those getting overlooked?

We're just going to end with this...

"Please remain calm. This is a kindness!"

Kelly: I'm almost certain we have discussed this topic before, but to me it bears repeating. The main premise for this post is this; be nice to people. REALLY be nice. It can go a long way. Case and point; this afternoon. Holly and I went up to our favorite local coffee hangout to have lunch. It was really busy and it took a while for our food to come to us, but we waited patiently because it's worth it to us. :) Anyway, one of the baristas brought me the wrong sandwich. He realized the mistake after I gently pointed it out, apologized and then brought me the right one. He continued to apologize and I smiled and said it wasn't a problem....which it wasn't. They were busy and always provide wonderful and excellent service. When we got up to the register to pay, another barista said that I would not be charged for my lunch. I said I didn't mind to pay, but nope. Didn't let me pay. You know, it's the little things. Treat people right, don't expect anything in return and it'll come back to you. If you're intentionally being kind to others and expecting something, you're wasting your time.

Case and point; yesterday. Yesterday is typically one of my days off at work, but I'm off today and switched with a co worker. She's working for me today and I did for her yesterday. On Thursday I got asked to come in early and help out on another unit. I said sure. This person I worked with...notoriously has a bad attitude for reasons I'm not sure of, although yesterday wasn't too bad. There was one instance where I was reprimanded for...trying to be nice to a patient. I thought to myself, you know, I volunteered to come in early and help out. At the VERY least, a little bit of niceness and gratitude would have been appreciated. But look right there. I was expecting something. You see, it doesn't always work that way. Whatever happened to doing nice things for other people just to do nice things for other people? It's something I'm trying to work on, and I hope you all will do the same. My purpose on this planet isn't to make myself look and feel good, it's to glorify God in all I do.

Holly: 

Where the title comes from...if you have to ask, you'll never know.  Ok ok, it's a Doctor Who reference, fine! The series 8 premiere is tonight and the anticipation is driving me mad! ANYWAY...

The driving point for all of this, for me, is this: What Kelly said earlier: "Treat people right, don't expect anything in return, and it'll come back to you."  I challenge to take it a step further than that: Treat people right.  Period.  Let's face it, there is way too much negativity in the world.  I've been around the block for a while now and I've come across people who are just consistently in bad moods.  People who just seem to do nothing but bring others down, bring themselves down, bring the world down, just a big fat bunch of downers!  As someone who is the polar opposite of that, it is physically draining being around those types of people.  It really is!  For me, not being a downer is a choice.  Sure, there's plenty of things I could complain about.  There are day-to-day goings on of people around me that could tip me over the edge.  But that's not how it works for me.  Even something just as simple as a smile goes a long way.  I choose to be kind because, to me, no one deserves any less than that.  No one deserves to feel badly about themselves.  No one deserves to feel worthless or neglected.  Now, this doesn't go without saying that I do let my frustrations get the best of me sometimes.  But as God as my witness I will do my best to try not take it out on you, and that is a promise.  If you see otherwise, please let me know.  Please.

As someone who has been on the receiving end of random acts of kindness more instances than I could name, I feel like it's my duty, not just as a Christian but as a decent human being, to procure those same acts as well.  I'm still working on it.  The saying goes "Nice guys finish last."  I couldn't disagree with that more.  I once had a supervisor tell me I was too nice.  I told him thank you.  People aren't going to remember what you said to them or what you did for them; they're going to remember how you made them feel.  Kindness builds others up, plain and simple.  Imagine how the conflicts around the world would differ if those opposing just spoke kindly or acted kindly to one another.  I think it would, quite literally, change the world.  

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32

You don't have to try

Holly: Guys, I was just shown this video.  I'm floored.  Completely floored. 

This goes out to the ladies reading this: If you do not do ANYTHING else today, please take 4 minutes out of your day and watch this.  I'm serious.  Please just do yourself a favor and watch this video. 

It's time to stop being ashamed of ourselves.  It's time to love ourselves again.  And again.  And again.

30 Days of Doctor Who: Favorite friendship/Favorite spoof

Holly: All together now: "Doctor Donna, friend! Doctor Donna, friend! Doctor Donna, friend!"

In terms of comic relief, these two definitely take the cake- they bicker and nitpick each other so much it's almost like watching an old married couple, which they actually get mistaken for a time or two.  A married couple, not an "old" married couple.....ANYWAY.  They go on some pretty wild adventures together.  Donna gets to meet Martha, the Doctor's "daughter", and even Rose!  Though the story has a terribly heartbreaking ending, it's still a hoot to watch them.  Plus, without Donna, you don't get Wilf, which....oh Lord.  If you don't love Wilf, you're wrong.  End of discussion.  

Kelly: You see, I have a different take on the first pairing; The Doctor and Rose. 

Yes, I do believe that without a doubt they loved each other. However I don't think it was always so. Like any couple starting out and wondering if there is "something more," it's like meeting a new friend. Especially with Rose and Ten; she had to re learn to trust, believe and ultimately love a new face all over again. Again, I think that they did love each other, yes, but I think their love was a brother/sister/looking out for each other love...that is, until Journey's End. And when you think about it, when someone gets married, they "marry their best friend." So that's the way I see it. It's a love, like a romantic love, but I think they also have a "best buddy" sort of love, if that makes sense. You see their relationship flourish throughout seasons 1 and 2, and you're just like oh my GOSH. I hope to have that with someone one day. They don't come right out and say "I love you," well....ok, there was once...SPOILERS. But it is sweet nonetheless. They complete each other. And you know what else is so great? They hit it off in real life and to my knowledge are still friends today. Now isn't that just super awesome? 

Our favorite spoof/spin off is one that I stumbled upon while just browsing the world wide web one day. No, we haven't seen Torchwood or the Sarah Jane Chronicles or any of the animated stuff, and we're still undecided about whether or not we want to delve into those yet. Anyway, this one we found is called The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. It was created by David Tennant's wife Georgia for the 50th Anniversary celebration of the show. It's in the style of The Office; as a "mockumentary/drama" sort of thing, and it's just goofy and fun. It features just about everyone who's been on the show, and it takes a look at some of the older doctors and "what they've done post Doctor Who" since they have hung up their keys to the TARDIS. It's only 30 minutes long, and if you are a fan of Who definitely take a look at it; if you just google it you should be able to find it. Please enjoy. 

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Kelly: I just read on Yahoo! that the main front runner for Westboro Baptist church passed away today. If you are not familiar with WBC, please spare yourself the images and their viewpoints. To sum them up in the Kelly Korb fashion, Westboro Baptist Church are a family based in Kansas who's websites displays "God Hates Fags." They picket at soldier's funerals, thank God for the death of soldiers and other individuals and preach in my opinion messages of sheer hate and intolerance. But yes, the main church leader has passed on. Without a doubt he has met Jesus face to face and has gotten what God will give him. I will be completely honest, when I first read the news I had mixed feelings. Anger, relief, pity, the lot. I'm ashamed to say at first I thought to myself that perhaps this guy got what he deserved. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought of this; it doesn't matter what I think or feel about this guy and this "church" and their views of others and the world. This guy claimed to follow Christ, as I do. He read his Bible, prayed with his family and went to church every Sunday. I do the same thing. So really, we are the same, but perhaps not. I think it's our understanding of God that makes us different.

I have ZERO tolerance for hate or disrespect of any kind, because the God and Jesus I know and have read about does too. I also know that God is a vengeful and jealous God and He hates sin and sinners...have you read the Old Testament? But here's me; I will flat out say that picketing the funerals of soldiers and saying God hates "fags" is wrong. Flat out wrong. The Bible says Jesus loves all of us, each and every one, right down to the hairs on our heads. I will not picket this guy's funeral or parade around Berea holding signs that say "God hates Westboro Baptist Church," because frankly God loves them too. But I will continue to spread the love of Christ in what I say and do to others, no matter who I meet. I will continue to show the world of the God that I know and love. I will pray for WBC not that they would be changed, but that they too would learn or re-learn of the same love that God has extended to the "fags," the soldiers they protest and to them.

Holly: I'll admit, the first thing I thought when I read of Mr. Phelps passing was something like "I imagine he and Jesus had a pretty interesting conversation."  Then again, I can't claim to speculate what our own encounters with Jesus at the end of our lives will be like.

Straight up, I do not agree with the views of Westboro Baptist Church.  I think it's even a bit of a stretch to call Westboro Baptist Church a "church".  I don't think Mr. Phelps was leading a church; I think he was leading a cult.  But that's just my opinion.  Some of the things he said were just downright frightening.  It's frightening to go on their website and see "God Hates Fags" as plain as day, plastered all over it.  That is NOT the love of Christ I've learned about.  That is NOT the love of Christ which drew me into a relationship with Him.

He and his church were notorious for picketing and protesting funerals of soldiers, celebrities, and others.  I've read numerous comments saying his own funeral be picketed.  But how does that make us any different from them? We're "fueling the fire", so to speak, and you and I both know that that doesn't solve anything.  The truth is that people, ALL people, are going to think, speak, believe, feel, differently than we are.  Perhaps that message never quite got through to WBC.  Maybe it did.  I'm not really sure.  On the flip side of all of this, my human, Christ-following, compassionate side comes out: Mr. Phelps was a father, a grandfather, a leader of a church, someone's friend.  This father, grandfather, leader of a church, someone's friend, has passed away.  Death is a sad thing, regardless of your immediate feelings.

Having said all of this, I will say that because of WBC, I will strive to further spread the love of God, the God who is a God of LOVE.  I will show love to my neighbor: my gay neighbor, my Hindu neighbor, my male neighbor, my black neighbor.  No exceptions.  I will pray for WBC, that they would come to know the God of love that I love.

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13

Get up all "in your face" or just live like Jesus.

Kelly: A few weeks ago, Holly and I touched on the subject on the two greatest commandments that we are to obey as Christians (Here is the post we are referring to). Today's is not necessarily a follow up of that post, but it is something similar, or at least I think it is. xtyz (oops, Yoda got a hold of the keyboard again). I feel though that in light of some recent conversation, comments, the sermon today and whatnot, I am going to throw out a disclaimer right now: the topic at hand we are discussing today has multiple sides, and we acknowledge and are aware of them. However, today, we are choosing to focus on just a few of the sides on this multi-faceted topic of discussion. This morning in Sunday School our discussion was about being more intentional about who we come in contact with. The Scripture we referenced was when Jesus met with the Samaritan Woman. The consensus we reached was that He didn't bump into her on purpose; He knew her story and He knew she'd be there at the time that He was there too. One of the questions that was asked was what are some of the most ineffective ways to tell others about Jesus. I gave the example of someone knocking on your door and getting all in your face, seemingly shouting "excuse me, do you have a moment to talk about Jesus?" or "Hey, I'm here right now to tell you about Jesus!" Now PLEASE do not misunderstand me; I am not against those means of evangelizing. I'm just saying, they have not worked for me. It made me uncomfortable, a bit uneasy, and obliged to initiate a response. Once they left, that was it. There was no room to get to know the actual person. I felt like just another check mark on their list of people to reach. We were then asked what were some of the most effective ways of telling others about Jesus. Holly said just being real with people. I followed up and said that Jesus got into the heart and soul of everyone He met, like Zaccheaus, the Pharisee and the Samaritan Woman. He knew their stories, and if He didn't, He learned them. He didn't intimidate them or scare them. No. He was real with them.

This leads into the next part of my portion. Today's sermon was about respecting humanity. The main point that was driven home was simple: it DOES NOT MATTER where any person, ANY PERSON, has come from, what they look like, who they love, where they're from, we as Christ's body are to give them, ALL of them the love and respect that they not only need but deserve. Did I stutter?

Holly: There was a story about Union Church (a non-denominational church in town) on the news a couple of nights ago.  If there are any of you non-Bereans who are reading this, one of the things that stands out about this church is that right out front there's a very large banner with a rainbow flag that says something to the degree of "ALL are welcome! No kidding! No exceptions!"  We posted the video below- please take the time to watch it if you feel led to do so.

What really gets me (and this was said this morning in the sermon) is that so many of us, including Christians, totally forget or disregard the second part of the greatest commandment, which is "love your neighbor as yourself."  It's simple concepts, really: Show compassion to others.  Treat others the way you want to be treated.  Freaking BE NICE to people.  And yet somewhere along the way the lines get blurred.  I've stated my views on love and acceptance and respect many times before, so I won't share them again.  But one of the ways we do that is by relating to people.  Just sharing life with others!  Being the hands and feet of Jesus by reaching out to those who are already on the outside looking in.  Heck, even those that aren't.  I feel that regular, every day conversations can turn into the spiritual, meaningful ones over time if we relate to people on all areas of their lives.  For me, like Kelly said, that doesn't involve loudly proclaiming "HEY YOU NEED JESUS RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS!"  The truth is, we ALL need Jesus.  There's a quote that says "You may be the only Bible that someone ever reads."  We ought to be sharing messages of love, acceptance, and hope; something this society so desperately needs.  I posted on my Twitter today that the message at Berea Baptist is one that needs to be preached but probably isn't.  Let's live like Jesus with our lives and words.  Let's reach out to ALL people.  No exceptions.  

Union Church story

30 Days of Writing: Something you feel strongly about

Kelly: Freedom, if used appropriately. Now what do I mean by appropriately? Well, take it as a judgment call; if you feel it's a good time to speak up, then do so. If not, then for the time being keep quiet. This is something that I particularly struggle with at times, but it is something I'm doing my best to work on. It's so simple to sometimes just blurt out whatever is on our hearts or minds. Yet we have the freedom to do that...and sometimes that can bite us in the bum. We also have the freedom to choose; how we think, how we feel, what we say or don't say, what we do or don't do, and how we treat others. We also have the freedom to listen or to turn the other cheek and ignore. It's all a choice. We also have the freedom to have our opinions, yes, even if they hurt others. Hence why I feel about using freedom appropriately.

We also have the freedom to accept Christ as our Savior or not. He gave us that choice. Heck, he gave us the freedom for ALL of the choices we have in life. Either way I won't force my beliefs down any one, but I will freely love all people, no matter what race, color, gender, sexuality, or relationship status. I will freely choose to speak words of love and kindness, especially to those who wrong me...because in my opinion they're the ones who need it the most. I will freely think positively of others and do my best to give people the benefit of the doubt; we don't know what burdens the world is carrying at any given time. Simple, but difficult at the same time.

Holly: Love.

I believe that love is one of the most powerful forces on this planet.  People do all kinds of things in the name of love.    But I think love goes beyond just being nice to people, which we should be doing anyway.  Imagine how the world would change if we intentionally did things for other people, not expecting anything in return, but because we ought to love those above ourselves.  I think wars would stop from things like this.  We aren't on this world to live for ourselves; we're here for God, and for others.  It's kind of hard to love others when you have the me-blinders on.  Loving people, for me, means putting other people's well-beings, feelings, and needs above my own, but also meeting them right where they are, regardless of my feelings, beliefs, opinions.  I believe love and acceptance go hand-in-hand; I think it kind of has to.  To truly love someone is to accept them regardless of ALL their flaws, weaknesses, difficulties...I mean, Jesus does that for us every single day.

Some of you may not agree with me, and that's ok.  But sometimes I think we get just being nice to people and loving people mixed up.  I know I still have a long way to go, trust me on this one.  But like I said before, imagine how vastly the world would change if we simply did things for others.  Love is acceptance.  Love is cooperation.  Love is smiling at a stranger, even if you're having a bad day.  Love is holding the door for someone when your own hands are full.  Love is reaching out to those who are hurting, even if you yourself feel stuck in an abyss of neverending darkness and loneliness.   Love is being the first one to say you're sorry.  Love is trying to find a way to work through international issues, instead of threatening nuclear missiles at one another.  Love is laughter.  Love is holding your kitty in the kitchen first thing in the morning.

To me, love wins.  It always should.

"But the greatest of these is love."

Holly: I posted this on my Facebook this morning.

I may or may not get some flack for this, but this is truly what I believe:

I was watching the news last night, and it showed a lot of couples (both same-sex and not) walking out of churches, courthouses, etc, holding hands and looking so genuinely happy.  When I see things like that, I don't see gender...I see two people who are in love and who can't wait to spend the rest of their lives together.  I know what the Bible says, but LOVE is the greatest command of all.  Even if we don't agree with it, we owe it to EVERY person our love, our acceptance, and our tolerance.  Jesus hung out with people from all walks of life.  He never judged, never criticized...he saw them for who they were: a child of God.

Love over hate.
Tolerance over intolerance.

Now, I know a lot of those out there who do not agree with this.  And that's ok.  I have my beliefs and I will respect them, and I only ask that you please do the same for me.  But I think that we are in no place to judge one another's actions, lifestyle choices, relationships, etc.  We ought to be supportive of our friends and neighbors, even if we don't agree with the choices they make.

As for me, I am straight, and therefore can't really offer any solid opinions on this issue.  But I will say this: I have several gay friends and I love them all so dearly.  I see them through the eyes of God, as I do ALL people, and that propels my dire love for people.  I urge all of you to do the same.

Kelly: In the world I'm in, we are always told to treat all individuals equally. I could walk into the door of my future work place and treat anyone who comes in; a prisoner, a homeless person, someone who's HIV positive, whatever. If you were in my shoes would you not treat the person with as much respect and compassion as they need, even if they don't "deserve" it? Just because I may not agree with a patient's lifestyle does not mean their care by me will be any different, as it shouldn't be.

Maybe you wouldn't. But I would. And that's not even because I "have" to; it's by my free choice that I do so. So why should these individuals be treated any differently? It makes me so sad that in this country we live in, many individuals are denied seemingly basic rights, in my opinion. I try to put myself in their shoes; how would I feel if I could not marry the person I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with? How would you feel? I'm guessing not a lot of people think about that. Like sis said, I don't even see the fact that they're gay. I don't. I see two people who love each other. What also makes me sad is that I have Christian friends who are gay and who genuinely struggle with this. I've been asked "Kelly, because I'm gay does that mean I'm going to hell?" How do you even answer that? I thought that our country was supposed to build people up instead of tear them down. I think with the troubles going on in this country and the world it's the absolute LEAST we can do.

You be the judge

Kelly: Normally we don't blog nearly this much, but Holly and I had an interesting conversation during dinner that we feel could be a challenge for us and to those who read this blog. Earlier today, I made a comment about someone that was...very very false. I realized the fault of my words and felt bad about what I said, so I mentioned this to Holly. We continued talking and decided; saying false things or gossiping about one another is just not nice. It's quite hateful. It's also not Christ-like, something I am striving to be more like every day. Also, as a creation of God I am in no position to judge others; I am not above God nor do I ever claim to be.

It is so easy to say something or think something about someone without even realizing the fault; I say or think things about people a LOT that I end up regretting later. It's a horrible and viscous cycle that I as a person and a Christian am trying to break. I know some of you are thinking "why are you writing this? We know. I'm not perfect either." As a Christian it is also very humbling for me to admit my faults, again, something else I am trying to work on. Then, another thought; it's for me sometimes hard to keep my opinions to myself, but what about thoughts? Saying something about someone that's not true and realizing it is one thing, but what about thinking it and not saying anything? One might ask is that just as bad? My answer is yes. So as part of a personal challenge, Holly and I are not only going to try and keep our negative words about people quiet, but also our negative thoughts. The challenge we have proposed is not easy, but I think with prayer, grace and mind control we can do it!

Holly: Sometimes I just flat-out forget that every living thing, person, creature, was created in the image of God.  How's that for mind control?  Literal verbal and mental mind control.  I need to remember God's word and His truth and shape myself around that so I can behave better.  It's not Christ-like at all to demean people because Jesus never did that.  He hung out with prostitutes and sinners and tax collectors and never said a negative word against them!

BE better, not just get better. 

We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ. -2 Corinthians 10:5 (NCV)

Worth Sharing

Holly and Kelly: NPR recently did a broadcast about Berea.  No, we're not making this up.  It's just over 5 minutes, and what's evident to us is something that is rare at a college: the students LOVE Berea.  They love what they are doing and they are not afraid to share it.  That's worth sharing.  Some of the students come from horrendous situations, and for many of them, Berea was their life-saver.  

At any other college, you go just to get a degree, but something about Berea is different: It really is an amazing place.  You fall in love with it, you fall in love with the people.  For more about Berea, please refer to this post.  But even that really doesn't do Berea justice.  If you really want to know about Berea and how it's changed our lives...ask us.  We'd love to tell you about it.  :)

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142889056/hard-times-inspire-ky-college-students-to-action