Cultural Thoughts
-
You Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
One of my favorite Christian authors is Sharon Jaynes. Many years ago I read her book “The Power of a Woman’s Words,” and then through the years most of her other books and devotionals. Something that comes through in her writing is the background of her personal story. She writes about struggling with feelings of inferiority, shame, and insecurity. But the key for her in overcoming this was understanding who she was in Christ and that her value and worth actually comes from God Himself. What an amazing truth that is a joy to share with people, especially when we’ve experienced this truth ourselves! It reminds me of a time…
-
Suffering and Injustice: Interview with Sasha
Lauri: We’ve had many discussions over the years about suffering and injustice. You have had to deal with much of both. I actually don’t know many who are able to speak better on the subject than you. So, thank you for being willing to do so. Sasha: I am always happy if anything in my story can help someone else. It means God is taking what was meant for evil, in many cases, and is using it for good. Lauri: It’s that perspective that is to helpful to people. So what are your general thoughts regarding suffering and injustice? Sasha: Basically, the world is sinful. People are going to do…
-
Consistency and Habits
Two books have come to my attention recently that have similar themes. One is called Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. The other is The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success. A summary of The Compound Effect is “the strategy of being consistent with smart, tiny choices over time that will produce significant results.” We are all aware that there is truth in these concepts for life. If we consistently exercise it produces a positive result over time. If we eat healthy it’s the same thing. If we save money it will grow. I asked my husband recently what he would say is an “atomic” habit that…
-
Home As A Haven: Part Two
Last week I shared some thoughts on family and my own heritage and legacy that’s been given to me. This week I want to broaden my focus. I feel saddened by the wreckage that seems to be increasing in families. I’m sure our enemy (Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…”) knows if families are destabilized the whole fabric of life can be torn. As a woman, I grieve when I hear vicious attacks on what it means to be a woman, wife and mother. I’m sure I ask what so many others do, “What can I do to help stop all of this?” This blog…
-
Mindfulness
The word mindful seems to be frequently used these days. That’s probably a good thing. Life can be very busy and often we seem to be going through our days on autopilot without being aware of many details. As a result, most of us are missing out on good things, significant things. This week I was noticing a beautiful flower market as I was walking through a piazza in Rome, Italy. The presence of such a display indicates something about a culture. It made me contemplate why God created such lovely plants. He obviously values their beauty and wants us to notice it also. His creativity is on display in the…
-
Sasha’s Hope Archive: How Do We See Pain?
Recently someone was telling me about a medical mission trip to a poor Central American country. The experience had left her with a positive impression and an openness to participating again in such an endeavor. All this was very good. However, I was stopped short after she said she found it really interesting when a dentist she was assisting said, “These children actually feel very little pain when I work on their teeth.” I asked her to clarify. She said that he had explained they were almost desensitized to the pain. I quickly corrected her that this dentist was wrong about them not feeling the same pain every child, or…
-
A Sasha’s Hope archive post
I haven’t written a post myself for a while. I thought I would share some thoughts that have been on my mind about overcoming hard things. I know many of you are going through hard things especially with COVID-19. Some have lost family, lost jobs, are feeling lonely and isolated, wondering if things will get better. I want you to know that God can help you overcome those things. He is our King and Ruler and He loves us so much He cares about the small things and big things. I have been thinking about the ways God has helped me get through hard times. The first may seem like…
-
What Is A Family?
Many years ago I read Edith Schaeffer’s, “What Is A Family?” It had a profound effect. I had always had a strong view of family, but this enlarged my vision. Edith viewed family life as the crucial environment that encompassed everything from creativity, to security, to spiritual teaching of Truth, economics, education, memories, our most significant human relationships, and all the interplay of ages and changes through the years. It is the foundational place through which life is processed. Now, years later, I look back at my own experience of the richness of family life. My heart is full at the depth and beauty of it all. I wouldn’t trade…
