I heard Mike Breen speak a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting; if I were to be asked to relate the basics of Christianity, I would have covered all of the same points which he did, only using different language. One thing he said stuck in my mind, not because of it being a
The Greatest Faith
Several men stand side-by-side, facing the firing squad. Shots blast through the air, the men fall to the ground. With his last breath, one man turns to the other next to him and says, “Remember me when you become president!” —*record scratching noise* What?! What did this guy say? Remember him when he becomes president??
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Marriage
This seems to be in part continuing from the previous post regarding exclusivity. Presently, I’m exploring the questions: What is marriage? What makes marriage marriage and not something else? Or another way of putting it, What is exclusive to marriage? I explore these questions with some trepidation. I am not married, nor have I been
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Exclusivity
There is a certain exclusivity expected in “romantic”/marriage type relationships. This seems right. But how much and what type of exclusivity is needed? As mentioned earlier, we’ve generally expected that “romantic” relationships must fulfill most all of our relational needs. Along with the “romantic myth” and exclusivity, or perhaps a specific expression of it, comes
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Expressions of Love
Love can be expressed in all types of relationships. The ways in which love are expressed (“love languages”) are the same for all types of relationships: words of affirmation, quality time, giving and receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Our culture has a weak paradigm for love and the expression of love outside
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: The Romantic Myth
My thoughts in this section are a bit less solidified. I may revisit and update them later. I’m trying to be as honest and realistic as possible, but it’s a bit difficult. This is in part because I know people have a wide range of experiences, though I only have limited experience myself. “Falling in
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Our Need for Relationships
In sorting out what I’ve been thinking, I’ve come up with a number of “bullet point” style ideas. They are either beliefs which I have, or ideas I’m seriously considering. I’m posting them here to communicate my overall paradigm, and numbering them for easy reference. I believe that we—human beings—are made to be in relationships.
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Initial Thoughts
The main idea I took from the
Rethinking Friendships and “Romance”: Quotes
For the past several days to a week or so, I’ve been trying to sort out some ideas sparked by the following quotes. The area of friendship, marriage and “romantic” relationships is wide and complex. For that reason it’s taking me quite a while to process all of my thoughts. I plan to blog more
Christianity 101: We Have a Problem
(Note: This article is based on the previous lessons. Please review these, if you have not already done so, before proceeding.) God created people to live in this awesome world. Not only that, but he commissioned us to care for it on his behalf. God intended that we would live with him and other people