Random musings

We had a guest this weekend. He is my father-in-law's close family friend and he refers to him as a " spiritual brother ".  A lot of friends and relatives from my husband's side of the family are charismatic believers - some speak in tongues, prayers are said in a vocal, almost overflowing, faith filled way. My husband and I usually don't know how to react or respond to it, we just go with what is being said. It's not that we don't believe that such things can happen - but our faith does not express itself in the same way. We had a prayer meeting in one of the church families' home. This uncle prayed, and a lot of people were moved and responded in a seemingly powerful way. When this was happening, I did not experience any overflowing of faith. But, I felt emotion and a feeling that I should be perhaps - saying or doing something more than just staring at my nails like a doofus . "And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distribu

Sometimes, in Christian circles, we hear what people call " testimonies ". A testimony is a time of reflection, telling the world about how God has worked in a person's life. In doing so, we not only strengthen our own faith but encourage others by giving glory to God. I must admit, that I find many of these testimonies confusing. Some of them sound like " humble " bragging. Some of them sound like God's job is to give us a good, easy life. And, as long as that is happening, our faith is fulfilling and rewarding.  My husband, recently said something about this kind of testimony, and it got me thinking. It is possible that the testimony sounded that way to me because the testimony takes the focus away from God and puts more focus on the individual. It's like saying - we are God's chosen people, so he favors us and showers us with more grace than an average person.  We recently heard a series of sermons at the Flatirons church, and none of