Comments on: coffee talk: authenticity & faith http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:01:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Julie Todd http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-26166 Julie Todd Sun, 21 Feb 2010 04:40:24 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-26166 April, NO, I don't think it is you. I was in a small group.... had been in it for a couple of years. There were about 5 couples in the group. We had been meeting weekly. I was going through menopause and struggling with a hormonal depression that was thankfully treated with natural hormones and managed within 2 months.. At the onset I shared openly with the group how much I was struggling and how the doctor was treating me. ONE woman called me ONE time to check on me in those 2 months. My father died last February. I got many emails and facebook messages but NO ONE called to check on me after I returned home.. I was left to grieve alone. Yet my church constantly talked about how much of a community we were and how we walked the "journey" together. It's not you... unfortunately we've lost sight of relationship in "the church".... We've replaced face to face with text messaging and the world wide web. While I love the connections the web has brought with people all over the world... I also see it has reduced face to face encounters to email to email. April, NO, I don’t think it is you. I was in a small group…. had been in it for a couple of years. There were about 5 couples in the group. We had been meeting weekly. I was going through menopause and struggling with a hormonal depression that was thankfully treated with natural hormones and managed within 2 months.. At the onset I shared openly with the group how much I was struggling and how the doctor was treating me. ONE woman called me ONE time to check on me in those 2 months.

My father died last February. I got many emails and facebook messages but NO ONE called to check on me after I returned home.. I was left to grieve alone. Yet my church constantly talked about how much of a community we were and how we walked the “journey” together.

It’s not you… unfortunately we’ve lost sight of relationship in “the church”….
We’ve replaced face to face with text messaging and the world wide web.
While I love the connections the web has brought with people all over the world… I also see it has reduced face to face encounters to email to email.

]]> By: April http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-26165 April Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:45:55 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-26165 I completely agree with this! There are close to 50 members in our sunday school class, on our email list... yet I feel so disconnected. we meet once a week exchange meaningless chat with sweet smiles, all of the women try to look fabulous and compliment each other on outfits. One sunday I was wading through deep dark depression, unbelieveable darkness. I sat in class in the back row and cried the whole time. Noone noticed. I left... I don't know the answer. Is it me? Not taking the initiative to connect? I really don't know. It is strange. It is confusing. It is sad. I completely agree with this! There are close to 50 members in our sunday school class, on our email list… yet I feel so disconnected. we meet once a week exchange meaningless chat with sweet smiles, all of the women try to look fabulous and compliment each other on outfits. One sunday I was wading through deep dark depression, unbelieveable darkness. I sat in class in the back row and cried the whole time. Noone noticed. I left…

I don’t know the answer. Is it me? Not taking the initiative to connect? I really don’t know. It is strange. It is confusing. It is sad.

]]> By: alece http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25879 alece Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:28:25 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25879 i love hearing your unlacquered heart... i miss it in fact. i love hearing your unlacquered heart… i miss it in fact.

]]> By: kaylen http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25878 kaylen Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:11:22 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25878 I struggle with this. not terribly shocking, but in more than one facet. I'm going to clamp my mouth shut so I don't start ranting, because my ideas and thoughts aren't even halfway formed quite yet, but the one thing my mind keeps being pulled back to is the fact that when people know who I am, pessimistic struggles included, and then find out that I believe in God, their reaction isn't to run, but to stick around and see the glue that's holding my broken bits together. to a person fighting to stand under the weight of a corrupted world, that's more impressive than an unbroken, perfectly lacquered christian. but this is coming from a scared little girl that runs from the people that stick around and want those authentic conversations, so take my words with a proportional grain of salt. I struggle with this. not terribly shocking, but in more than one facet.

I’m going to clamp my mouth shut so I don’t start ranting, because my ideas and thoughts aren’t even halfway formed quite yet, but the one thing my mind keeps being pulled back to is the fact that when people know who I am, pessimistic struggles included, and then find out that I believe in God, their reaction isn’t to run, but to stick around and see the glue that’s holding my broken bits together. to a person fighting to stand under the weight of a corrupted world, that’s more impressive than an unbroken, perfectly lacquered christian.

but this is coming from a scared little girl that runs from the people that stick around and want those authentic conversations, so take my words with a proportional grain of salt.

]]> By: TheNorEaster http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25848 TheNorEaster Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:46:05 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25848 I do not understand the question. I do not understand the question.

]]> By: slamdunk http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25844 slamdunk Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:16:39 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25844 Thought-provoking post. The situation and person certainly varies. Allowing God to work and me to stay out of the way is how I view it--then I don't have to worry so much about timing since it is God in control. Thought-provoking post.

The situation and person certainly varies. Allowing God to work and me to stay out of the way is how I view it–then I don’t have to worry so much about timing since it is God in control.

]]> By: alece http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25843 alece Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:00:25 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25843 i have valued every single "conversation" i have ever had with you, ed. i have valued every single “conversation” i have ever had with you, ed.

]]> By: alece http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25842 alece Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:59:28 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25842 i'll be praying with you for increased discernment. that's a great thing to be seeking Him for. (thank you for the honesty in your comment. means a lot.) i’ll be praying with you for increased discernment. that’s a great thing to be seeking Him for.

(thank you for the honesty in your comment. means a lot.)

]]> By: Katy http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25841 Katy Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:12:21 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25841 Absolutely love the comments--so many good ideas! This is something that I am mulling over in my head a lot lately. I started reading Secondhand Jesus by Glenn Packiam and one of the things he brings up in the first few chapters is the whole issue of tragedy and how Christians respond with Christianese type answers. And while I totally agree and completely see that happening...and I do find many of those quick fire responses so....fake...but at the same time I know that they can be voiced with such confidence and standing firm on His word. I just see too many sides of the issue and how each situation is so unique and it goes back to being discerning and listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance in what to say and when. Back to mulling it over some more.... Absolutely love the comments–so many good ideas!
This is something that I am mulling over in my head a lot lately. I started reading Secondhand Jesus by Glenn Packiam and one of the things he brings up in the first few chapters is the whole issue of tragedy and how Christians respond with Christianese type answers. And while I totally agree and completely see that happening…and I do find many of those quick fire responses so….fake…but at the same time I know that they can be voiced with such confidence and standing firm on His word. I just see too many sides of the issue and how each situation is so unique and it goes back to being discerning and listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in what to say and when. Back to mulling it over some more….

]]> By: Katy http://www.gritandglory.com/2010/02/04/coffee-talk-authenticity-faith/#comment-25840 Katy Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:56:56 +0000 http://www.gritandglory.com/?p=6390#comment-25840 I'm so right there with you on the not wanting to be defined from those struggles and yet moving forward and sharing when prompted, but not getting so focused on it. I’m so right there with you on the not wanting to be defined from those struggles and yet moving forward and sharing when prompted, but not getting so focused on it.

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