Breaking Free

This Sunday we will begin a four week study on shame. What is it? How is it used to motivate us? What is the difference between shame and guilt? We will begin in the first book of the Bible and consider what has been deemed “the original sin.” I thought this was an important topic because as the youth director, sometimes when I asked people to be mentors, their response would be “Oh no, I am not good enough for that.” Which always surprised me because these were people that I saw true faith lived out in their lives. Yet, they didn’t see themselves in that way. Upon further conversation, I would discover that they were carrying around shame about something that they had done in college or as a teenager that they had let define them.

I hope that by the time we finish this series that you will allow yourselves to break free from the things that you are holding on to and allow yourselves to break free from that shame that says that you are not good enough or that you haven’t done enough or that thing that you are so ashamed of will be given to God. When I have felt this way, being on my knees and fervently asking forgiveness has set me free. It has allowed me to move forward knowing that even though I have made mistakes that I am still made in the image of God. I am still beloved. My prayer is that you will allow yourselves to break free from the burdens that you carry and allow God’s grace to cover you and set you free. We serve a God that longs for us to thrive and fully live out our gifts and potential in proclaiming this grace and love that we have been given and did not earn.

I want to say thank you for the many, many cards of love and support in this difficult time for my family. I am truly blessed to serve this congregation. Tonight, the staff and I will finally get to our Christmas party (which now is an Epiphany party!) at my home and share some fellowship, a meal and some silliness as we celebrate a job well done this last year of ministry. They have allowed me to be with my mom and dad in his transition to restoration in heaven and that has been a beautiful gift as a minister. I could never have done it without their stepping in and filling the places for me.

I ask you to be in prayer for our Bishop who is with her mother who has had a stroke. You may have met her mother at the reception that we hosted here at Faith. She is a lovely woman.

Much love and see you Sunday,