Weakness that Strengthens

Guest Post

This week’s newsletter is a guest post from my good friend,

Wendy Willard

.

Wendy has just moved over to Substack and I thought that presented a wonderful opportunity to share her work with you. Wendy and I have been friends for a number of years now and I can only hope I have been half the encouragement she has been to me. You can find her work at

Living Grace-filled in a SLATHY World

¹

Finally, if you missed the latest instalment in the Jude Series, you can find that here:

Hey, Jude - Part II - Chapter I

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Apparently they were running late. I sat in the waiting room staring at my shoes, wondering when was the last time I'd washed them. They are black fabric, which seems to do so well at picking up our pet hair I should probably consider using it to vacuum the floors. Satisfied that I'd already investigated every inch of my shoes and clothing, I shifted by gaze to the bookshelf in front of me. T-shirts with their logo, a sign offering said t-shirts for sale, and a plant sat on the shelves.

I don't know why, but my next thought was whether the plant was fake. It's inconsequential, really, but I was sitting there waiting for my name to be called and had left my phone in the car so I apparently had plenty of time to let my mind wander.

As I inspected more closely, I realized this plant was, indeed, real. It was so real, in fact, it was in danger of dying. The signs of life I'd noticed—dark, dry spots along the edges of many leaves—were also signs of a problems. And fake plants don't have any problems.

Hmmm, I thought, fake people don't seem to have anything wrong with them either. But that's the thing: you can't be a real person and not experience problems. I pondered that notion for a few minutes until it was finally my turn for physical therapy.

Then, I completely forgot about my encounter with the plant, until I had a certain conversation a few days later. I was helping a young woman with homework when she stopped and asked, "Why do you like church?"

Hmmm, I murmured. What a great question! She'd been staying with us for a few weeks and had only recently decided to join us for a Sunday service.

"Really, it's because I'm a mess," I laughed and continued, "I'm sure I screw up more times than I get it right on most days. Being part of a church community where we're authentic about our misses as much as our wins is such an encouragement! It helps me grow with Christ, especially when I'm tempted to give in or give up."

The way she stared at me so intently, I feared I'd said something to push her away. She simply turned back to her homework and worked silently for a few minutes.

I'd just gotten through another page of my own book when she blurted out what had been going through her mind, "I've never heard an adult admit to being wrong or even making mistakes."

I thought she was joking but she persisted, "No, really. I feel like adults always make it seem like they have it altogether and are perfect all the time."

Now it was my turn to laugh, incredulously. But seeing the look on her face, I realized she was completely serious. At 17, she'd seen more of life's hardships than I had in nearly half a century. And she'd encountered an awful lot of adults telling her what to do before earning that right.

Sharing about my weaknesses connected us in a way I hadn't anticipated. It made me more real, and showed her how we might be similar despite vastly different families and experiences. I hoped, in time, it might also demonstrate the value of strong, healthy Christian community.

Turning back to her homework, she spoke barely above a whisper, "Thank you."

Recommended Reading (and Listening)

I recall picking up a book of poetry once in my early teens and thinking to myself, “this is so short, I needn’t waste my money.” Since then I’ve found that the longer I’ve wrestled with poetry, the longer it takes to do so. In

Karen Swallow Prior

’s latest article, you’re invited to wrestle with one of Donne’s poems yourself—whether it takes you five minutes or fifty, it will be a worthwhile exercise.

John Donne: "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

Benjamin Vrbicek

recently released a excellent piece outlining how Tim Keller affected Benjamin and his ministry throughout his life. A crescendo of keyboards has risen up since Keller’s passing, telling of Kellers influences and his own influence, but it always astounds me how personal and individual these experiences are. Check out Benjamin’s article here:

Click Here: The Reason I’m Most Thankful to Have Timothy Keller as One of My Spiritual Fathers

I met

Wendy Willard

, today’s guest writer, in a small group along with

Kelly Ottaway

. Since then we’ve met almost every month to discuss writing, life, and to pray for one another. In that time, I can truly say that it has been amazing to see both of these dear friends grow and be strengthened by God. You can check out Kelly’s latest article here:

On Handling the Uncomfortable

I usually try and keep these to just three recommendations, but I was hugely encouraged by this recent sermon from Noel Jesse Heikkinen and I think you will be too. I’ve been listening to Noel’s sermons one and off for years now, and I’m always astounded at his courage, consistency, and his love for both the word of God and the people of God. As Christians we’re called to be known for our love for one another, but that’s not always easy, and it isn’t always true. How do we confront that, and how do we do so lovingly?

You can watch Noel’s sermon here, or by clicking on the image below:

Next Up:

1. [ sla-thee ] adjective
how we feel when our needs aren’t met