The Paradox Paper #17
Hey pals. It’s been a short month and a weird week. Am I the only one? Monday kids were home from school to celebrate Presidents or whatever, and we took them to the zoo in a glorious 87 degrees. Now Texas is freezing again, school is canceled, I’ve been a Very Grumpy Mom, there’s a new war being waged, and my brain feels like a spiderweb in a hurricane.
Also.
I read a book that felt like it was written for me (tell you about it in a minute), one of my favorite shows is back with a new season, and my new dentist is adorably considerate.
It’s always like this, yeah? Always both. Thems the paradoxes.
Welcome to The Paradox Paper, a monthly newsletter that honors paradox in the every day. If a friend forwarded you this email, click here to subscribe:
In this edition:
A true story about losing your faith and finding Jesus
A show to make you laugh
A playlist for when church music is hard to relate to
The pain of…life
A new way to read Scripture
A prayer for the heartbroken
Where The Light Fell, Phillip Yancey
The Jesus I Never Knew was a beacon of light during one of the darkest times of my life, so you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Phillip Yancey was writing a memoir. I listened to his story in his own voice, and it did not disappoint. The similarities between the questions he wrestled with as a young man in the 19690s Christian fundamentalist South, and the questions many evangelical Christians are asking today is uncanny. And comforting. This book pierced me, lodging itself in the tender place between grief and hope. I know I’ll reread it many times throughout the years.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Ladies and gentlemen, MIDGE IS BACK! We’ve been eagerly awaiting the fourth season for two years and could not be more excited to follow Miriam Maisel into her next adventure. If you love comedy, fabulous clothes, or New York City, you’ll love this story about a female comic trying to make a career for herself in the 1960s New York comedy scene. Not for those who prefer to avoid profanity.
Worship For The Wanderers Playlist
I made a playlist to celebrate the launch of The Paradox Community last month, and I’m still listening to it. A few folks have shared their favorite songs with me recently, so I thought it only fair to share a few of mine with you! Find the playlist on Apple Music and Spotify.
I’m sad. There are plenty of reasons why. It’s grey and icy outside. My children have spent the entire day either loudly squabbling or asking me repetitive questions until my eyes cross. A friend’s cancer has returned. Russia is bombing Ukraine.
Sadness doesn’t last forever. Neither does family strife, nor cancer, nor war. But today is sad, and I don’t have a nice tidy lesson to make it feel better. So I go to the Psalms of lament, adding my voice to the voices of God’s people throughout every generation:
“Bend down, O LORD, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need Your help.” - Ps. 86:1
I’m following The Bible Recap for the first time. I’ve never read through the Bible in one year, nor have I ever especially wanted to. A couple of things have made the difference for me this year. First, I’m mostly listening, rather than reading. Somehow this makes it feels more doable and interesting to me, and the voice and version options in the Dwell app are fantastic.
Second, the accompanying TBR podcast is such a helpful tool. The host, Tara Leigh Cobble, always encourages readers to look for God in the text. Maybe that seems obvious to you, but it’s made a big difference for me. I’m so conditioned to look for the application. What should I do? What does this mean for me?
It’s not wrong to approach Scripture that way, but I wonder whether it’s always best. When I come to sections of Scripture that are just names and numbers (or weird laws about periods) I get discouraged. How am I supposed to apply this? Simply looking for God has been a much needed shift. It’s enough to be with God, to notice Him. I don’t have to have a tidy action plan for every passage I read.
The Paradox Community gets my words more regularly.
Here’s what we shared this month:Spiritual Curiosity Thread: What questions feel too scary to ask?
Steph Thoughts: 1 Samuel 24:1-15
It is a true joy to write for you each month, and I always love to hear about anything you tried and loved or anything that stirred your heart. Simply reply to this email or leave a comment to let me know.
Until next time, hold the paradox, don’t panic. Love you.
-Steph
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