Comments for Missional Living

Comment on Never Once by tom cottar

tom cottar — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:54:58 +0000

Scott, I completely agree. That's partly the reason I wanted to include some of those particular scriptures. Now that I think more about it, the lyrics to the song (pre-chorus and chorus) probably mean more to me than the rest: it's about God's faithfulness and 'Emmanuel-ness' more than the victories over circumstances.

Which is indeed the beautiful part of the incarnation. God with us. I hope people take away the truth that it's not about the miracles, it's about not walking alone. Christ walking with us. His faithfulness in not leaving us.

And maybe you and I can write a song that's implicit to the the truth of God being with us in the suffering... that could be really powerful. Liberating. hmmmm......

Comment on Never Once by Scott Morizot

Scott Morizot — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:30:40 +0000

Beautiful stories. I know some of them. I'm struck though, by a truth that's harder to tell and, I think, often gets overlooked.

When you aren't healed, when you aren't freed from addiction and barely make it day to day — with good days and bad, when you remain bound — at least to some extent — by mental illness, when you still suffer under the burden of past trauma, Jesus is still there with you. That's the truly beautiful part of the incarnation. It's God with us. It's God with us in miraculous healing. And it's God with us in our suffering when there is no miracle.
The lie we tell ourselves is that there is a place that God is not — a person in whom Christ is not present.

I wish there was a way to express that truth. I fear that when we only talk about the miracles we squeeze the space for those who do not experience the same sort of miracle. This is one of those places where I think we badly need a "both/and" and I'm not the greatest fan of that concept.

Comment on Never Once by tom cottar

tom cottar — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 02:11:53 +0000

Sure, Della. Steal away….

Glad you enjoyed it!

Comment on Never Once by Della Jones

Della Jones — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:06:42 +0000

I love this, Tom! How would you feel about the Littleton Vinyard stealing your idea? This is a really powerful and personal way to communicate God’s very real involvement in our lives.

Comment on Never Once by Jenna

Jenna — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:27:59 +0000

Thanks for posting this so I could see what’s going on at home when I am not there! I love the song too!

Comment on Second Mile Music by Missional Living » New Music Tuesday: Love Wins (even if Rob Bell loses)

Missional Living » New Music Tuesday: Love Wins (even if Rob Bell loses) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:09:02 +0000

[...] Second Mile Music [...]

Comment on New Worship Music: Second Mile by Scott Morizot

Scott Morizot — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:15:12 +0000

Love wins, huh?
Actually, I really enjoyed the song. Though I'm not sure we ever truly stop pretending. I read the stories of some of the saints, like St. Seraphim of Sarov, and I think some of them dropped all pretense. But most of us? I'm not so sure.

I'll be sure to pick up a copy.

Comment on Second Mile Music by KP

KP — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:12:19 +0000

Awesome, bro. We will be ordering one soon! I’m excited for you.

Comment on Resistance. by tom cottar

tom cottar — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:56:19 +0000

Neil,
Thanks so much for your thoughts. Balance is hard for me…. But you’re right. It is the key. It may have been Carl Jung who said, “Hurry is not of the devil. It IS the devil.” I get the impression that hurry and busyness compete for my spiritual attention. I think I have spiritual ADD…

Comment on Resistance. by Neil @ Looking Towards Home

Neil @ Looking Towards Home — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:05:57 +0000

I have a calling I’m resisting. Maybe… there are several things I am being called to do, some of them I think can’t possibly be right, so I resist. Others, I have recently started to follow. One of these is Christan writing. But I am taking things slow. You know the saying that “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the second best time is now.”? Well, I used to get flustered and overwhelmed with all of the things an author is expected to do to get his words known in the world.
Not now.
You know what God has shown me about the tree proverb? Yes, we should have done something a long time ago and yes we should get started straight away, but no matter how much fussing I do and grabbing people to come and see my sapling or sending photographs of it to people far and wide, only God can make a tree.
If this is His calling, then it is His work. I will be faithful and do things slowly, but I mustn’t get caught up in stressing out about the numbers or whatever people think (or don’t think…) about it. I’m starting slowly. God has given me the seed and I have pushed past resistance and planted it. I am watering it when needed and protecting it when necessary, but if God wants the seed to be a tree, then God will make it grow. I can’t do anymore than that. Maybe it’ll be a Redwood, maybe a Bonsai, or maybe only a sapling that pleases one person and then dies… we’ll see.
I just thought I’d share what I’ve learned this year.
The other callings I am having…. well, we’ll see