Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God makes all things beautiful in his time. This truth is curious. It would seem that God has an intention beyond making things right. Or making things work. Or making things whole. He intends more than those...He intends to make things beautiful. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Isaac Funk and Shauna Streitmatter help us understand beauty and faith. When our senses are exercised to detect beauty, we will live a bit more as we were created to live.
Show notes:
Beauty is beautiful.
Beauty is an intention of God. He creates things beautiful.
God sets the standard for beauty. Our senses can be exercised to better detect it.
Anywhere that beauty exists can be a place for worship of God.
Beauty is detected in our senses. We find art, music, flavors, textures and fragrances pleasing to our senses.
We detect beauty in our thoughts. We find story and lyric appealing.
We must linger with beauty to appreciate it. It slows us down.
Beauty transcends usefulness. Not making life possible but making life worth living.
God is beautiful. Redemption is beautiful. Resurrection is beautiful.
When it comes to having difficult conversations, many of us are avoidant. Unfortunately, this passivity is not helpful in the long run. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Arlan Miller helps us sort out the mindset and the skillset of stepping into these difficult conversations.
Show notes:
When might a difficult conversation be necessary?
· Difficult conversations might be necessary when silence on issues that concern us and others are leading to increasingly unhealthy ends.
What goals should I have?
· Goals for the outcome of a difficult conversation should not merely be influencing others on our behalf. Rather, healthy relationships and shared understanding should be objectives.
What preparation should I do?
· Prayerfully self-reflect. Understand the “story” you are making and develop a curiosity for the “story” other people have. As much as you can, make a safe place for dialogue.
What skills should I bring to bear?
· Attempt to be thoughtfully direct. Correct with objectivity and encourage with genuine authenticity. Be a curious listener and strive to remain on topic.
Personal change can be so hard sometimes. We want to think differently and act differently. But we don’t. In this episode of Breaking Bread, three guests weigh in on the matter - a pastor, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist. Together, Jeff Waibel, Ted Witzig Jr. and Aaron Plattner explore the landscape of people change and provide hope that it is possible.