Resiliency

“I pray that that the eyes of your heart will be opened so that you will know the hope of your  glorious inheritance in Christ.” Ephesians 1:18 [Paraphrase]  How is inheritance like a lottery?  An inheritance is like a lottery, neither are guaranteed and nor are they earned. They are unalike in that  one comes by choice, the other comes by chance.  A common understanding of inheritance is something given or passed on to another at the owner’s  death. Inheritance in this sense is future oriented. Parents who have property,… Read More »Resiliency Series Part Five

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19 Who do you know that exemplifies resiliency?  The Chosen, an Angel Studios made for television drama series, portrays the life of Jesus as we imagine  it might have been. In the midst of the ordinary elements of Jesus life is the extraordinary. One of the  extraordinary dynamics of His life was His resolve. From the beginning, those who opposed His new kingdom narrative opposed Him. He was tempted, tested, despised, misunderstood, verbally abused,  falsely accused,… Read More »Resiliency Series Part Four

“I have plans for you… My plan is to give you hope and a better future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 [Paraphrase] Is Eric Weihenmayer right? Eric Weihenmayer lost his eyesight at the age of 15. He is the exemplar the adversity advantage. Eric is the only blind person in history to climb the tallest peaks on every continent, including Mount Everest. Eric’s life speaks: To be blunt, adversity is utterly heartless. It is completely indifferent to our success or failure. It doesn’t care about our human definition of fairness or justice, and… Read More »Resiliency Series Part Three

“Be strong, take courage, hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:24 Why is it so hard to trust and harder still to trust again? To trust is to consistently believe the intentions of others are good. This sounds a little risky, even insane. Risk averse people will likely not buy into it and yet without trust life becomes increasingly closed. A closed life certainly avoids risk and feels safe but at the same time does not allow for the discovery of an adventurous life nor does it make space for the… Read More »Resiliency Series Part Two

“But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal …”  Philippians 3:13-14 What does it take to bounce back?  It seems the most resilient people on the planet are people who have learned to show up with a hope-filled outlook. This learning does not come easily as life has a way of stomping all over hope. Everywhere and all the time all humans face circumstances that cause the soul to cry out. In the midst of adversity real hope… Read More »Resiliency Series Part One