Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
The year 2020 was a year of virtual everything—meetings, classes, conferences, church services, baby showers, bridal showers, funerals, performances, and more. I hadn't done much video chatting before 2020, but all of a sudden, video chatting became the new normal. While it's great for connecting with friends and family members who live far away, it can never replace in-person interactions and relationships.
As Christians in a world that's completely chaotic and utterly broken, it’s normal to desire peace, justice, and joy. We long to see redemption in broken places and restoration in weary souls—including our own. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we will see redemption and restoration.
Disappointment hit you harder than you expected. You didn't realize that crushed expectations could cause such deep sadness. But in this moment, you genuinely can't remember the last time you experienced as much pain as you're experiencing now.
Even though I haven’t seen that many Hallmark movies, I’ve seen enough to know what all the endings will be: happily ever after. Honestly, Hallmark, you deceive so many women with your cookie-cutter romances. These five false expectations that you've given us are particularly to blame.
May is approaching so quickly, isn’t it? The day when you wear your cap and gown, reach for your diploma, and finally enter adulthood will indeed be bittersweet. Everyone tells you that college is the best time of your life and that post-college will be the worst time of your life. Perhaps the best time of your life will officially be over in approximately three months. So you panic.
You probably realize that your eating disorder not only damaged your body but also damaged your relationships. Yet you're still tempted to give into eating disorder behaviors again. My life—and perhaps yours as well—has been forever changed because I gave up everything to pursue the "perfect" body.
Friends, I know from personal experience that singleness isn't easy. It's nobody's fault that you're un-dated, un-engaged, or un-married. But patience isn't becoming easier. Instead, feelings of loneliness, disappointment, curiosity, and fear are becoming easier. What's a girl to do with these unpleasant emotions?
This poem is based on an analogy from Scripture. As the church—Christ's bride—we can live in gratitude and joy because we no longer wear darkness and shame. Just as the groom typically wears a black suit and the bride typically wears a white dress at their wedding, Christ wore black—our sin—so that we could wear white—His righteousness.
Surely, this thought has crossed your mind recently. We’re all wondering if (and hoping that) 2021 will be better than 2020. After all, 2021 can’t be any worse. It has to be better, right?
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 