I wrapped up the last Ask Anything Monday of 2022 today - doing my best to steward a few of the amazing questions that came in on Instagram and Facebook. But to continue the fun, I pulled twelve more of those questions to mete out in the newsletter over the next four weeks! After how you all enjoyed last week's “AAM” style newsletter, I think we will stick with that “short and sweet” model going forward.

 

My sabbatical begins this Thursday, Dec. 1, so the newsletter will keep you in the loop - especially if you also are taking the month off social media! (highly recommend)

 

But without further ado, let's look at these questions.

 

 

First, I love that this person is thinking about preparation… how often do we move to a new city, a new area, a new street, without ever considering the spiritual state of it? One of my dear friends/mentors once said each city has a “spirit”, or spiritual idol, and you can tell the idol by the priorities of the community. As we went around the room, we shared what we thought the “idol” of our area was. Some from the American PNW said “health and food”. Some from the U.S. capitol said “success and influence". I said: “the good life”. Because that's why people move here, to the great white north. To escape. To hide from their troubles. But if you can't hide from the trouble in your heart, what then? If the good life isn't that good… where do you go?

 

It was a useful exercise, and I love that this question points to it as well. Because in areas of the U.S. (and world) there are vestiges of Christianity that aren't true Christianity at all. And those are the hardest, in some ways, to reach because they know everything already. They say “Lord, Lord” but do not know Him (Matt. 7:22). 

 

I want to reiterate what I feel like I've said a lot lately: remember that legalistic Christians are baby Christians, no matter how long they've been in the faith (or think they are in the faith). Because they depend on rules, law, or bottle-fed spirituality, they never grow up into mature believers who can discern what is true on their own. They'll often use oversimplistic explanations for sin ("The devil is after me" rather than an understanding of the flesh, Spirit-led life, how to walk in Christian identity). They may read their Bibles, but this is treated as a check list item rather than intimacy with God. The focus is outward, on God's judgment or human opinion, rather than inward on intimacy with and transformation by Christ. 

 

Knowing this, I would prepare in three ways: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What God asks you to do will not contradict His revealed Word (He is not going to prompt you to live with your boyfriend to “try things out before marriage”; He will not ask you to lie to your parents about your grades; He will not invite you to harbor malice and bitterness toward others; etc.). But He also opens His hands and leads you with LOVE. 

 

I remember a time when Josh and I were at a crossroads. We lived in Pennsylvania at the time and Josh needed a new job. He had interviews in PA and MI. We made a pro and con list. We prayed. And we felt no clear direction either way; peace about both, if you will. So, we decided. And while we miss our PA friends and church to this day, that move has been blessed by God. But I also think, if we had stayed in PA, we would have been blessed there, too.

 

Sometimes the path is clear and I promise you, friend: God doesn't play games. He will guide you. But He will also train you to listen - to shut off the noise and hear His voice. And sometimes He is quiet because He is inviting you to walk the path with Him, to let Him continue to guide and redeem everything that's on it, even when you're the one who makes the choice.

 

 

 

 

 

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