Who Does God Say I Am? | Chosen: Handpicked from the Reject Pile

Aaron Friesen January 31, 2025

This week we are looking back at a blog post from January 2024. It is good to be reminded to look for who God says we are. God doesn’t see things the way we do. 1Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

This past Advent season, I spent a lot of time thinking about how God chooses to use people and places and things that humans rejected for one reason or another. This is a major theme in the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus. Bethlehem was considered the least of the towns in Judea. A stable would have been considered one of the least desirable places for travelers to stay the night in Bethlehem. A manger in a stable was a place for animals to feed, not people to sleep. Rural shepherds were not well educated and likely very poor - surely people unfit to welcome the Messiah into the world. Magi were foreigners who studied the sky and not the Hebrew Scriptures. Mary and Joseph were from the town of Nazareth that we are told had a reputation for producing nothing good.

In 2019, I got to go on a week-long walk with my wife, Heather, on an ancient path in Ireland. On our walk we passed by many very old walls, churches and sacred sites that had been carefully crafted out of stone. Imagine the work that went into building such a thing that is still standing over a thousand years later. Skilled masons get a pile of rocks from the ground nearby or a quarry and they begin sorting. Most of the stones can be used somewhere in the project, but some are just too oddly shaped, broken, or fragile to be used anywhere, and so they get sorted into a reject pile. Now imagine that somebody else comes to the build site and starts looking through the pile of rejected rocks for his own project. One of the masons says, “You’re not gonna find anything good in there,” but he keeps looking and inspecting anyway. He ends up picking up one of the discarded stones and pronounces, “This is it! This one will be the cornerstone.”

This almost absurd scenario is how Peter describes the ministry of Jesus. Quoting from Psalm 118, Peter says that Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected, and that this rejected stone has become the most important stone of all: the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:7). How can this be? Apparently, God knows something we don’t when it comes to choosing people. God chooses people based on a different and better system of evaluation, and this is what the prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah would do (Isaiah 11:3-4). Because God’s way of evaluating is so different, God often ends up choosing people that others have sidelined or pushed out to the margins or ignored. Peter (the one that Jesus renamed “a rock”) goes on to say that we also are chosen in the same way that Jesus was chosen. God chooses to build a house of worship from people that others have rejected (1 Peter 2:4-5). Not only that, but God knows fully what it is like to be somebody who society or religion rejects or pushes to the side or ignores.

With all that in mind, what does it mean to be chosen by God?

First, to be chosen by God does not mean that I have checked the boxes that worldly or religious systems of performance have labeled as successful. It’s so easy for me to impose false systems of performance and success (social status, wealth, beauty, education, even religious performance) back onto God. So, before I get too excited about the amazing truth that I am chosen by God in Christ, I think I need to sit with the fact that God’s choice for me and others is based on a different kind of system of evaluation, a system that may look quite foolish or offensive to others. This is what Paul writes about in his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

Second, to be chosen by God means that my purpose and identity as a human being are wrapped up in my relationship with God. I cannot expect to find true happiness or fulfillment through systems of success or performance that God, the one who chooses me, says are inappropriate or invalid. This seems to be an important part of the journey of all disciples - stepping out of wrong systems of evaluation and stepping fully into God’s way of evaluating people and places and situations. This is how Jesus was happily and wholeheartedly able to serve others even in the face of rejection. His identity was grounded in God’s priorities and the things that God said really mattered. We can’t do this move on our own, but we can with the help of the Holy Spirit in community.

Third, to be chosen by God means that I am bound to others through the love and grace of our common creator. The one who created me gets to have the final say about my value and worth and the value and worth of others. No other voice or system or person gets to do that. Humans often reject people and places because they don’t measure up in our shallow and frivolous categories of social status or religious performance. But, thankfully, God chooses differently. Sometimes, God chooses what I would reject in myself and others. Sometimes God looks at people that I would turn away from in disgust? or pass by without a second thought and says, “Prepare to be offended! That’s just what I need and want.” As I sit with and learn to accept my being chosen by God, I must also sit with and learn to accept God’s choice of others. I must allow the vast river of God’s grace and love for the world to erode away all the other ways that I might judge myself and others.

Questions for reflection:

How does God choose differently than me?
When I think about the truth that I am chosen by God, do I also think about that choice being based on God’s very different kind of system of evaluation?
Who are those people that I tend to overlook or mentally place in the reject pile and label as people whom God cannot use?
How can people on the margins of society teach me about God’s priorities and God’s values?
How have I made poor assumptions about God’s choice or rejection of myself or others?

About the Author

Aaron is a passionate seeker of God and truth, and he enjoys encouraging others in their own pursuits of the same. He especially likes to think about how God is at work in the most ordinary and mundane aspects of our existence. He loves going on adventures to new places with his wife, Heather, and four kids and his perfect day would involve an excellent cup of coffee (or two!), a hike to somewhere beautiful and serene, and some good conversation over a pint at a warm pub. He currently serves as an adjunct instructor at Portland Seminary and co-leads the CitySalt Kids’ Ministry along with his wife, Heather.

Self-Confidence! It’s Not Just for Pushy Jerks Anymore!

Professor Popinjay (Chris Carter) January 17, 2025

Today's Salt Blog takes a detour from our current writing theme for a guest post from our very own Chris Carter. Chris writes under the pen name Professor Popinjay for other writing outlets. Here the professor's whimsical writing style re-writes one of his published pieces about self-confidence unpacking his reason for, and invitation to self-confidence through his Christian faith.

It’s been said when we’re alone, we’re in bad company. It’s said artists are often their worst critics. Look at the lengths Van Gogh went just to avoid painting ears! We can be pretty hard on ourselves. But that harsh inner monologue doesn’t have to be so critical or mean or dismembering. You are part of God’s creation, carefully and wonderfully made!! You are grander than the Grand Canyon! You are greater than the Great Lakes! You matter more than the Matterhorn! You can like yourself, your choices, and your earless artwork! I won’t judge!

We all know at least one person who is super confident all the time even though they never drink coffee. Some of these types are arrogant jerks who boss people around. Others are more like Keanu Reeves.

But I’m not here to help you be like Keanu. That would take centuries and an indomitable will. Nevertheless, rest assured, by the time we’re done here you WILL think of yourself as a perfectly sculpted paragon of natural beauty and charisma… but also humble.

Many people are at extreme ends of the self-confidence spectrum. Some people believe a follower of Christ should be a pushover, accepting the four piece McNuggets (even though they paid for the ten piece) just to avoid an awkward situation. Others might become a tyrant, grabbing the cashier by the lapels, shaking them vehemently, and demanding satisfaction because they received a McNugget slightly smaller than the other McNuggets. Yes, the self-confidence spectrum is strangely McNugget oriented. Psychology is a bizarre and unfathomable science.

The Bible might say the meek shall inherit the Earth but it also says blessed are the peacemakers. We appoint delegates to negotiate compromise and accommodation between two countries to foster and maintain peace. Peace is never one group ruling over another. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. In the same way, we can negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement in a patient and compassionate way between ourselves and others. In other words, you can get your food order right and all parties involved can come out edified from the exchange. But this process requires a bit of confidence to achieve. One might call it strong meekness.

If you don’t “confide” in yourself then you’re obviously keeping secrets from yourself. But I’m a big blabbermouth. I’m going to tell you a secret. You are valuable, highly valuable, priceless even. And yet Life has been afforded to you (priceless as you are) for one reason. 1 Peter 1:18 says God has ransomed you! Despite all your imperfections and beautiful humanity: you are deemed worthy and Loved by God. You’re worth more to Him than a Faberge Egg with a side of Faberge Bacon.

Now you may ask: “What have I done to be so valuable?” Nothing! As cool as your 1st Place Trophy from the Belching Contest may be, self-confidence is not about your accomplishments. It’s about what you are. You are a beloved creation of God divinely imbued with the ability to reciprocate Love to Him, yourself and others!

Self-confidence is about your irrefutable CAPABILITIES! Here they are in a nifty little list:

You are capable of enabling others to see your value by affording to them that which was afforded to you (priceless life) and recognizing they are also more valuable than the aforementioned jewel-encrusted breakfast foods.
You are capable of maintaining your self-respect even in situations where others are repurposing your lunch for their own impromptu art installations.
You are capable of valuing those who do not yet value themselves (people like Pat Sajack and Tommy Lasorda).
You are capable of saying “no” when you want to say “no” and refusing to let others live vicariously through you by inflicting on you obligations that are not your responsibility. Shaving your boss’s back was not in the initial job description!
You are capable of walking right up to a cashier, smiling at them, and politely requesting a cheeseburger because you haven’t been given a spirit of fear but a sound mind and hungry belly!! And even though they laugh at your request because you didn’t realize you were at a law firm office, you can laugh with them because you know everyone makes mistakes and that’s okay. Sorry about all the fast food references. I haven’t had lunch yet.

Blows to our confidence do not only come from within. If someone is willfully and maliciously running you down verbally, pushing you down the stairs, bonking you on the head, stealing your Microsoft dinosaur cd-rom, kicking you in the buttocks, giving you a super-wedgie, and sticking your head in a toilet and flushing it so your hair looks like soft-serve ice cream, it can affect your confidence. Call these behaviors out! Talk to them or their mom or Henry Kissinger. If Kissinger is on your side, whom shall you fear?

In choosing to trust God to keep and defend us, instead of escalating the cycle of reciprocating pains inflicted on us, we not only soothe others but create an impenetrable shield against their misguided emotion-missiles, just like Captain America …and to a lesser extent, Captain Wisconsin, whose shield is made of cheese but is just as impenetrable.

Making the choice to be patient but assertive exercises and maintains your self-confidence muscle, located somewhere around your glutes. Working that muscle out, especially when first starting, can be a slow and tiring process. Try being assertive and polite in just one small aspect of life. Perhaps ask for more complimentary breadsticks. Gradually work your way up to telling the waiter he has gorgeous eyes. Just remember: baby steps!

Here are a few other ways to exercise your self-confidence muscle:

All your friends are wearing polyester leisure suits. You, however, are more of a unitard and ankle warmer kind of person. Choosing to don less funky vestments, despite the fact that everyone else has boogie fever, could be a great way of exercising that self-confidence muscle.
Contrariwise, perhaps staying in your comfort zone all the time might not be a benefit to your confidence. Maybe polyester leisure suits are the way to go… maybe add a huge gold medallion necklace and get a Jheri Curl? Own it you gorgeous disco queen! Just be sure your inward adornment is gentle and quiet even if you are wearing loud pants.
One who never takes responsibility for their mistakes makes others want to bap you with their claws. The cat already disrespects you enough as it is. Be brave, own up to your smells and the consequences. Your confidence will thank you. Your cat will hork a hairball next to your bed by way of gratitude.
Don’t toot your own horn. People love having their horn tooted by someone else but usually hold others in contempt for frequently tooting their own. Just leave your horn alone, please! And when someone does toot your horn for you just say thank you and maybe curtsy a bit.
Projecting a friendly and gentle countenance while interacting with people will speak volumes over mere eye contact. Too often, motivated go-getters hear the importance of eye contact and adopt a soul-piercing gaze that not only makes others intensely uncomfortable but compels them to protect their jugular. Just be friendly and human! Don’t exsanguinate people!
Ask questions! There are no stupid questions and if someone is making you feel stupid for asking stupid questions tell them they’re stupid for making people feel stupid. Okay maybe don’t call them stupid per sé, but definitely imply as much indirectly. Okay, don’t do that either. When you can confidently answer other people’s stupid questions without making them feel stupid, congratulations, you’re confident and you have people’s confidence and you’re strengthening your self-confidence… confidently.

Self-confidence, when done right can be infectious, but don’t worry about covering your mouth when you have this affliction. Give it to everyone you know just like chicken pox!

Remember: You are Loved. So Love yourself. And then Love others as you Love yourself. You have nothing to fear and shall walk confidently through a dark world spreading His light by making peace with all you encounter. Meekness is not submission. It’s powerful.

Proverbs 3:26
For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.

About the Author

Christopher has worked as a children’s pastor and youth leader for several years and has published countless humor articles under the pseudonym Professor Popinjay. He studied biblical history and child psychology through Burean University and various other educational institutions. He enjoys writing, art, and the history of invention. He lives with his amazing wife Jessie and their six bizarre children, one of whom is a cat..

Think About Such Things | Ordinary Holiness

John Rice January 3, 2025

We are bombarded with all kinds of content, ideas, judgments, images and words, every single day. While we might encounter beautiful and good things, there is also pain and discouragement. But God invites us to proactively turn our heart and mind to the goodness that He is freshly creating each moment. The Salt Blog team is inviting you to join us in considering the true things, noble things, right things and pure things as we savor what God wants to share with His children.

Have you ever thought about… thinking? What do you spend most of your time thinking about? Have you noticed how your thinking makes you feel?

Driving to my home in the country from the city, do I see the hills, the sky, the forests and fields, the cows and horses? Do I really see them? Do I recognize how much the amazing gift of life is represented in all these things? Or do I just ruminate on problems to solve and things to do, with a load of wondering if I did such-and-such well or poorly, or what someone said or didn’t say to me? Do I compulsively roll around thoughts of what is happening around our country and the big, wide world, even about places I’ve never been to and will probably never go to?

Yes, these are often the thoughts that fill my head and cause me, more often than not, to feel discouraged, sad, angry, confused and a host of other feelings that basically bring me down. On my trip home, these kinds of thoughts are what fill my brain! With a mind and heart stuffed full with such thoughts and feelings, there’s not much room left for noticing the magnificence of God’s Creation all around me!

The apostle Paul apparently understood very well this tendency of human nature to get lost in negative thoughts. He writes in his letter to the Philippians (

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Such powerful words! One surprising thing that Paul assumes is that we actually have some control over what we fill our heads with. We are not victims of random, negative, ruminating thoughts. How wonderful is that? We are more powerful than we think we are if we put into practice some of the ways Paul recommends us to live. And what an amazing promise: keeping our minds on the good things (that are every bit as real as the negative things, maybe even more so), will bring us into the peace of God.

One thing that’s true, but that’s so easy to miss, is the holiness all around us in our ordinary lives. Is holiness something that is only found in church or in spiritual mountaintop experiences or miracles (think: Moses’ burning bush)? Is holiness found only during the big milestones of our lives like a “salvation experience” or falling in love or childbirth or the passing of a loved one? Or can we experience holy moments while hiking, while cooking or gardening, while watching our child’s first soccer game, while riding our bike, while working at our job…while doing the dishes!

I mention dishwashing on purpose, since that was the occupation of Brother Lawrence, a 17th century French monk whose job it was to wash dishes in his monastery kitchen. He is still known and read today by his writings, put together in book form entitled Practicing the Presence of God. He would say that washing dishes can be a holy moment by doing so fully in the awareness of the presence of God who is always with us, always surrounding us. In other words, it’s not our circumstances or our environment that makes a moment holy; it’s the presence of God that makes it holy. And that can be anywhere at any time!

Brother Lawrence took the apostle Paul’s words seriously. He put into his daily practice the strength of his faith, that God walks with us every day, all day, no matter the circumstances. Certainly bad things happen in our lives and in the lives of others. We have to address these things with wisdom, perseverance and the right amount of attention. But to allow ourselves to be overcome with them threatens to throw us off our center, which is with our God who is the Center of everything.

The author Barbara Brown Taylor puts it this way:
“Earth is so thick with divine possibility that it’s a wonder we can walk anywhere without cracking our shins on altars.”

Surely there are “altars” all around us if we open our eyes and let the Holy Spirit show us the holiness in the ordinary things of our lives.

About the Author

John lives in Pleasant Hill with his dog, Gunnar, and a multitude of guests who enjoy the peace and beauty of the Cascade foothills. With three children and three grandchildren all living in Oregon, he is continually blessed with their company and the good food that always accompanies their get-togethers!

Who Is Our Rock? | Finding a Firm Foundation

Jessie Carter December 20, 2024

Gardening metaphors are great. Poker metaphors are plentiful. But I love the earth sciences, so my life metaphors usually involve rocks or volcanoes, and occasionally tornadoes. I love that Jesus told the parable of the house built on a rock vs. a house built on sand!

Jesus didn’t pull that idea out of thin air, though. He knew the Scriptures, which at that time were just the Old Testament. Several Psalms point out that God is our rock, including Psalms 18 and 40. I’ve been singing them and other songs lately to feel more grounded.

Another one, Psalm 46, doesn’t explicitly say God is our rock. Instead, it lists several end-of-the-world worst-case scenarios, yet reminds us that God is still in control. I don’t know about you, but I need this right now! Reading the news, I am terrified. But these verses reassure me. I’ll include the actual Psalm at the end of this post, but here is a short song I know from the church I grew up in:

God is our refuge and strength; He is our helper in trouble (repeat)
We will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall to the sea
We will not fear, though the nations roar and war continues to be

I love that this song/Psalm includes natural catastrophes as well as human atrocities. No power in the world is bigger than God. I also love the idea that He is our refuge. In addition to God being our rock, Psalm 18 also uses the metaphor of Him being a fortress. This recalls some of the castles and fortresses I saw while living and traveling overseas. Some were built in the low land or cities. But many were built on solid hills. The highest one I saw (and hiked up to) was the Red Fort/City (Shahr-e-Zohak) near Bamiyan, Afghanistan. This fortress was high and strong enough to defeat the hordes of Ghengis Khan’s grandson. Having a firm foundation on a huge solid rock can make a difference.

Our current world of politicians, policies, programs and others usually mean well. But they can be shifting sands: strong enough to walk on for a bit, like hiking at the coastal dunes. But that is exhausting, and the path can be confusing. I don’t want to be on those dunes if a tsunami or storm hits. I hope to stand high on basalt, that dark strong stuff made by volcanoes. My rock is Jesus, my fortress, my refuge.

Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts His voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 18: 1-3, 19, 30-33
1-3: I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

19: I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.
He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

30-33: As for God, His way is perfect: the Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights.

About the Author

Jessie is a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a blog about travel and the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her sweet husband, Chris, their 5 funny kids, and 1 fluffy cat in Springfield. She loves hiking and other outdoor and indoor adventures with her family.

Who is Our Rock? | Stand Firm

Mollie Havens December 6, 2024

When I was little, I learned a song in Bible School about the wise man that built his house upon the rock and when the rains came down, the house on the rock stood firm. However, the foolish man built his house upon the sand and when the floods came his house went SPLAT! Growing up, that truth stuck with me. I learned how if I put my hope and trust in the LORD, when the storms of life come I can stand firm because Christ is my foundation and my fortress. He draws me out of deep waters and sets my feet on higher ground.

He is true to His promises, which shows that we can trust in Him and He will never fail us. These are just a few of His promises:

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Isaiah 26:3 He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

There are times when I put my trust in myself, or in money, or in another person, and I am always let down. The things of this earth can not hold up to the troubles that come. What are you finding your security in besides God? How can you take that faith and place it on the one who always stands the test of time?

In Psalm 125, it says that “Those who trust in and rely on the Lord [with confident expectation] Are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but remains forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.” So when we trust in the LORD, he makes us like his Son. We cannot be shaken because he is always faithful and trustworthy and always comes through for his children. His plans always prevail and never fail.

About the Author

Mollie is recently married to her wonderful husband Dustin. She is a Wound Care RN at McKenzie Willamette Hospital. She enjoys being creative, getting outdoors and spending time with friends and family.

Who is Our Rock? | Jesus: A Rock to Build On or Stumble Over?

Aaron Friesen November 15, 2024

Where do I find stability in life? How do I build a secure and prosperous future for myself and my family? When everything around me seems shaky and uncertain, how can I find something trustworthy and reliable to guide my decisions? These are primal questions to which we all seek answers, and the conclusions we come to about these questions have a snowball effect in our lives. Not having answers to these questions can be a source of great anxiety and fear. Answers that seem unrealistic or unattainable can bring depression, hopelessness and despair.

For a Christian, the obvious answer to these questions is Jesus. Jesus is our rock and our firm foundation. He is the one upon which we build a secure future. How many songs that we sing at church declare this truth?

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand…

Jesus, you’re my firm foundation,
I know I can stand secure…

Christ is my firm foundation,
The Rock on which I stand…

But, what does this mean that Jesus is my Rock? For most of my life, when I’ve sung these kinds of songs at church, I’ve tended to think of this “Rock” and the “Firm Foundation” as referring to a confession of faith in Christ. My profession of faith in Christ makes my present and future life secure in Him. While I believe that is a true statement, I have come to realize that it only captures one part of what is a dynamic, lengthy and scary process of building and rebuilding to find stability on the Rock of Jesus Christ.

While a confession of faith is a critically important starting point, it is just that: a starting point. And this important starting point cannot be separated from the actions that naturally flow out of a sincere confession. The confession of Jesus as Messiah is the firmest foundation upon which I can start to build, but it is the actions that naturally flow out of that confession that will make my life strong and durable over the long haul.

Jesus was very clear about this. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7, Jesus told a short parable about two kinds of builders in life. One was wise, and the other was foolish. The difference between the wise and foolish builders was not that one listened to Jesus and the other did not. They both listened, but it was the wise builder who listened and put into practice what Jesus taught. Strength, security and stability in life comes to those who do their best to put into practice the things that Jesus says to do. Stability is found in the doing, not the hearing or the thinking or even the speaking.

This distinction between words and actions wouldn’t be much of an issue for me except that so many of Jesus’s teachings counter ways in which I tend to think that I will build a secure future for myself.

The disciple, Peter, is a perfect illustration of this struggle. In Matthew 16, Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon, which means “listen” or “hearing,” to Peter, which means “rock.” It is Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16)” that leads Jesus to change Peter’s name. Upon changing his name, Jesus uses a play on words to make a prophetic statement about Peter’s future: “Upon this rock I will build my church.” Peter’s confession is the rock. His confession of Jesus as Messiah and Lord is a starting point upon which Jesus can build a strong church. But, it is only a starting point. Peter immediately struggles to follow through on his confession. In the very next exchange, Jesus tells his disciples about how he must go to Jerusalem and suffer and die, and Peter responds by rebuking Jesus: “No way! May it never be!” Peter can’t understand how suffering and death could possibly be the will of God for the Messiah. Peter’s rebuke leads Jesus to call him another kind of rock: a stumbling block! One minute Peter is the strong rock upon which the church is built. The next he is a rock that is aligned with Satan and getting in the way of Jesus’s mission and calling. Can you relate to this? I sure can!

The importance of actions that align with words is profoundly illustrated in the exchange between Peter and Jesus. A confession of faith in Christ only produces stability in our lives over the long haul as we do our best to adjust and make changes to align our lives to Jesus, even when His way seems odd or strange or unsettling to us. This is the true cost of discipleship – learning to submit our usual ways of seeking security and stability for ourselves (through things like hoarding possessions, military power, social position, and economic independence) to God’s ways (vulnerability, peacekeeping, servanthood, and generosity). It is through a willingness and commitment to take simple, daily actions consistent with those principles that Jesus taught and lived, even when they might seem like utter foolishness and ”a stumbling block” on the path of wise living (1 Cor 1:20-25), that makes Jesus a firm foundation in the inevitable storms of our lives.

About the Author

Who is Our Rock? | God Rocks!

Terry Sheldon October 25, 2024

God is our rock!

What a big, bold and beautiful symbol that is. We've heard it repeatedly over the years. Jesus referenced it with his house-on-the-rock comparison and it's certainly something for us to hold on to when things get shaky. Yes God is a rock.

But our lives are rocky.

He built the cosmos, so large and complex that even our math equations can't translate it from mere ideas to what we can perhaps begin to fathom. God is big, and his ways, even bigger. But the seemingly endless void of space and our earthly world can be violent. As we've recently seen, concrete isn't a sure thing in a hurricane. At times like this the comfort of rock-solid hope can break down.

God certainly does save us from harm. But there are times when he doesn't, right? And in that suffering, the drama of our collective humanity plays out. Our biggest fears are exposed, and the suffering will test us. We are forced to choose between hope and despair. Then what we hope for now shifts to whom.

His promise is to always show up.

A few weeks ago Colby and I were in Zion National Park, a place with the most beautiful pastel sandstone cliffs and slot canyons in the world. We were descending into a steep and deep canyon, then hiking up many miles through a stream to an iconic spot - The Subway. Unfortunately we miscalculated the distance and effort needed, and ended up hiking the last two miles back downstream in the dark - exhausted, out of water and with only one working headlamp.

It was one of the hardest days I can remember.

The darkness had now removed all our precious landmarks on the canyon rim above, and we were not sure exactly where the trail was, up and out of our canyon. I was worried and needed to calm down, so we sat down by the stream. I told her there was a chance we would have to spend the night down here, and wait for help in the morning. Her pretty face held a quiet resolve and she wasn't ready to give up. But we needed help.

Side note: Colby has collected big and small heart-shaped rocks for years. Earlier in the day I found a large one, about the size of a basketball. I took a picture of it and we moved on. Now after our rest stop, as we were sloshing across the creek to the other side, hoping to catch our trail out of the canyon, she suddenly squealed.

“I found the heart rock!”

This was big! We now knew where we were, and we knew about how much farther to walk. We soon found our trail and climbed up, then back to our car. It was 11:30 pm. Our 6 hour walk had become 14 and a half.

I don't have very many of life's tough answers figured out. But I am certain of these things: suffering chisels us into resilient people. And two, this struggle moved me closer to the absolute best person I share adventures with. I admire her so much!

Best of all? God showed up on his time, in his classic and perfect way.

And he rocked the heart rock metaphor!

About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Who is Our Rock? | Christ, the Solid Rock

John Rice October 9, 2024

The chorus of the well-known hymn begins with the lyrics: “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.” This is the topic the City Salt Blog Team wants to explore in the coming weeks. And what a timely topic this is, given the unrest in the world and in our own country. Where do we place our ultimate trust? Where do we stand? Where do we build our house, on shifting sands or solid rock? As Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it crashed with a great crash.”

Jesus says we are to both hear his words and put them into practice in order to have a firm foundation. But what were these words Jesus was referring to? Well, there were a lot! Starting in Matthew 5, Jesus begins his most famous Sermon on the Mount by turning the world on its head and revealing who is blessed (and by contrast, who is not.) Then he mentions many other topics:

Salt and light, the fulfillment of the law, murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, an eye for an eye, love for our enemies, giving to the needy, how to pray, how to fast, where our treasures are, do not worry, judging others, asking/seeking/knocking, the narrow and wide gates, true and false prophets, true and false disciples….and THEN he mentions the wise and foolish builders. Apparently there are a lot of words Jesus wants us to hear!

But in another Scripture passage, Jesus simplifies all this for us by responding to a teacher of the law who asked Jesus what the most important commandment was. In Mark 12:28-31, we read:

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this. ‘Hear o Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

If you look back at all those words Jesus spoke during or after the Sermon on the Mount, you can see that all these topics would be finer details stemming from the greatest commandments!

The point of all this is that if we want to build our house on a firm foundation (metaphorically speaking), we need to start by loving God, following him with all we’ve got, loving our neighbors (which means e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. (Look at the Good Samaritan story in Luke 10:25-37) and, last but not least, loving ourselves in a good and healthy way.

In many places right now, the world is on fire. We in the USA are not immune from the dangers of fire. In fact, we have our own version ablaze in politics, culture wars, religious beliefs, racism and all the other “-isms.”

Surely, we have to decide where we stand in these areas in accordance with our beliefs and convictions. But do we place all our confidence and energies in these outcomes? With American politics as an example, is the next elected president (whoever that may be) our true Savior? Will the world come to an end if So-and-So is elected? Or will that person solve all our problems and be our deep peace that is beyond all understanding, as the Bible says? No! To be good citizens involved in our democratic system, we should do our research, weigh the options and vote. But if that is our only hope, that’s like building our house on sand. God alone is the solid rock and our firm foundation. We can be “in the world” by participating in it, as Jesus indicated when he told the Pharisees to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). But we aren’t “of the world” in the sense that our home is truly with God and in his kingdom. That’s our deepest home!

This brings us back to the second half of Jesus’ admonition: putting his words into practice. In the political example mentioned above, this might mean showing respect for those who vote differently from you, no matter how strongly you disagree. How hard it is to follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbors, even more so our enemies! But if we believe him, he will make it possible and we will experience our home standing firm when the storms come.

About the Author

Living in Our Moments | Shepherding the Mistiness of Life

Aaron Friesen September 27, 2024

In June, my son and I got to go on a backpacking adventure along the coastline of northern California. On the drive down to our starting point, we got to stop in an old growth Redwood grove outside of Crescent City for lunch. A posted sign told us that the oldest tree in the grove was well over 2,000 years old! Standing next to something that big that has been alive on this earth for that long had a way of putting my small human life into perspective. I found the experience of my smallness and the tree’s largeness strangely grounding. It was both awe inspiring and comforting to experience the cool shade and woody smells that originated from a seed that germinated and took root in this spot in the dirt even before Jesus Christ walked the earth. It calmed my restless spirit to know that it had been growing ever since. Through all the wars, explorations, colonizing, empires, fires, earthquakes, and technological advances of the last two millennia, this tree had found enough water, sunlight, nutrients, oxygen and space to keep living and keep growing.

As we packed up our lunch stuff and left the grove that afternoon, I wondered to myself why something that made me feel so small could also make me feel so secure and at peace within myself. I think it is because the tree put me in my place; the place God intended for me all along as a human being. Touching the bark layers of a 2,000-year-old organism dissolved some of the unspoken (and unnatural) desires and expectations for grandiosity, transcendence and influence that I cling to for dear life, burdens which God never intended for me or anybody else to carry. Somehow, that simple encounter with the tree helped to redirect my attention from all the things I was not doing by being gone on this trip, to being truly present with my son and God’s wild creation for the remainder of our time together.

The wisdom that this tree bark spoke to me that afternoon echoes the wisdom spoken by the writer of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 in the NIV translation says this:

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The word that the NIV translates as “meaningless” is the Hebrew word hebel. It literally means “mist” or “vapor.” It is like foggy breath on a cold day that disappears in just a few seconds. This is a very important word in the Book of Ecclesiastes, and translating the word as “meaningless” makes many of the passages in Ecclesiastes take on a very different meaning than what I think was likely intended by the author. The writer was not intending to convey the idea that life is pointless and without meaning, but that life is short and fleeting. The writer is trying to put human beings in their place (their God-given place!), by confronting them with the reality of the shortness of life “under the sun” and the fact that there is much about life (including the number of our years, our legacy, and our wealth) that we cannot control, and so it’s best to receive it all as a gracious gift from God.

In reminding the wise reader of the fleetingness and shortness of human life, the writer is not intending to be a downer, but a reality check that encourages one to bask in and savor the simple pleasures of life – things like a hard day’s work, a loving spouse, friendship, laughter, yummy food and drink, and a good night’s sleep.

In his book, How to Inhabit Time, James K. A. Smith summarizes the wisdom that the author of Ecclesiastes gives us in the face of our not so human desires to want to transcend or control history and bend it to our will:

“This is not a counsel of despair or resignation but rather an invitation to reframe expectations so that I can ‘enjoy’ what’s before me, who is with me, fleeting as their presence might be. The question isn’t whether we can escape this condition but how we will receive our mortality, how we will shepherd what’s fleeting yet given.”(1)

That’s what that old Redwood tree was helping me to remember- to consider my mortality in a good way so that I would shepherd the misty moments right in front of me as a wonderful and precious gift from our Creator.

(1) James K. A. Smith, How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2022), 103.

About the Author

Living in Our Moments | Be Awake, Be Awake, Be Awake!

John Rice September 13, 2024

As I was sitting in my chiropractor’s office waiting for my appointment to begin, I noticed a poster hanging behind the receptionist’s desk which read, “There are only two days of the year which you can do nothing about.” Can you guess which two days the author of the quote was talking about? To give you a little time, I’ll put the answer at the end of this blog entry :). A hint, though, is to quote Jesus saying in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Have you noticed how much time we spend ruminating over and over again about things we did or said in the past, or over things that happened to us or were said to us in the past? I, for one, have wasted so much time, energy and happiness going over and over things I wish I’d done differently. It’s like living in an ocean of regret, because for some reason I more clearly remember those negative things than I do the positive things. Why in the world is that the case? Maybe one reason, as illogical as it is, is that I hope by compulsively thinking about past mistakes, I can somehow fix them or change them or reword them or rationalize them…to make myself feel better. But, does that work? Not for me it doesn’t! All it does is waste the time I could be happily living in the present moment!

The opening lyrics to one of my favorite songs are “Every table is an altar, every breath is a gift from you, every moment is a treasure, every day is a kiss from you. So let our hearts be awake, be awake, be awake!” How can we be awake to the amazing gift of life that God is giving us this very moment when we are compulsively worrying about yesterday?

And the same is true for worrying about tomorrow. Surely we want to have plans and goals for the future, but if we focus all our attention there, it will cause us to be anxious, unsettled and possibly even fearful about things that haven’t even happened!

What has helped me tremendously to quit ruminating about the past or future is sitting quietly in the Lord’s presence, drawing attention only to the reality that I am in him and he is in me. This is not always easy for a professional ruminator like me, but its benefits are noticeable over time, kind of like gaining strength after consistent exercise.

Of course there may be traumatic things in our lives, particularly from our childhoods when we were extremely open and vulnerable to being hurt, that would benefit from visiting with a counselor or therapist so that we can understand where our compulsive thoughts and feelings come from. Understanding is good and helpful, but it may not be enough to set us free. The way we live today and the healthy practices we build into our lives, are hugely responsible for “rebooting” our nervous systems and allowing us to experience the beauty and wonder of being alive in this amazing world God has created.

So have you guessed what are the two days which we can do nothing about?

Yesterday and tomorrow!

About the Author

Living in Our Moments | Mindful Self-Care

Mollie Havens August 30, 2024

At times, I find it quite difficult to live in the moment. My mind wanders on to other priorities and I can’t focus on the present. In these times when I want to be present, it is helpful to perform some mindfulness exercises. This centers me and enables me to be in the moment.

Mindfulness is a practice of deliberately focusing one’s attention on the moment. It is also known as grounding. When your mind is swirling it enables one to be present and still. By becoming more self aware, one can become attuned to their thought life, emotions, and sensations. In this time, it is important to not assign a negative or positive belief to what one is thinking or feeling, but simply name it and experience it. I like to imagine myself floating in an ocean and my anxieties or intrusive thoughts just floating away from me. I simply acknowledge that they are there but do not let them weigh me down. I imagine placing them in God’s hands and trust and know that He is big enough to handle them.

Another way I practice mindfulness when my mind is going a million miles a minute is by taking a deep breath, holding it and then slowly letting it out. I then at times try and think of a song or a verse that has brought me comfort. This enables me to slow down my mind and refocus on something positive.

Practices like these are so important when it comes to self care. As a nurse I need to practice self care daily to prevent burn out. Whether it’s taking a bath, tuning out in front of the TV, spending time with family and friends, meditating on scripture, or doing a piece of artwork, self care keeps me in tune with myself and the world around me. Jesus took time for self care too. He would seclude himself, and go away and commune with His Father, or just spend time with his disciples. Examples of when Jesus would go away by himself are Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46-47, John 6:15, and Luke 6:12. Obviously Jesus found it important to make time for just him and God and his friends. So I challenge you to take some time to practice mindfulness or self care. Observe how it makes you feel and see if you want to make time for it more often.

About the Author

Living in Our Moments | Going Slow

Mike D'Eliso August 16, 2024

I often forget to take pictures. I have my phone on me at all times with an amazing camera. I have cloud storage so I can save all the pictures I could ever want. But I just get caught up in ‘whatever’ and often forget to take it out of my pocket and capture the “Kodak Moment”. Sometimes I get to enjoy being in the moment.

Also, the reality of having my phone on me at all times comes with some cons. With an endless connection to seemingly all human knowledge within the global internet, I can get lost in endless scrolling of fail videos, cat videos, and weird history. I can get stuck reading about the local news from Cincinnati, reviews of books I’ll buy but never read, or the Wikipedia history of 90’s alternative rock bands. In all of this, I’ll completely MISS moments!

Sometimes I miss moments because I’m too busy thinking about the next moment coming up. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, just know that I relate to the personality type often associated with the deadly sin of gluttony. “This is good, but you know what would make it better?” is a common thought running through my head. Always ready to add more. My kids as snuggly babies were sweet, but what about when they start talking? My kids are fun as toddlers, but what about when they are ready for school? This camping trip is fun, but you know where I’d really like to go next is . . .

Regrettably, if I’m not careful-I miss the now, too excited about what the next will be.

I’m not sure about the biblical characters’ Enneagram types, but David must have been aware of this human tendency to miss moments. I’m certain he did not have Instagram reels or Google News available to him. But perhaps, he too, had the propensity to miss the moment. I’m well aware that Psalm 23 likely comes from a time of great stress and uncertainty for David. That said, it sure does seem like the the opening lines of this infamous psalm apply to our current conversation as well:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.

I’m so glad David caught this.

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. But, when you are my shepherd you slow me down.

On my own, I have lots of wants. But, my shepherd helps me lay down. My shepherd knows where to find the good green grass and the cool clean waters. And when I do slow down, when I am in the moment, my shepherd knows this will restore my soul.

Going outdoors to fields and streams is restorative . . . for some. But that may not be your jam. Please don’t take from this that you need the same thing as livestock. And maybe finding the time to get outside is unrealistic in this season. That’s fine. Slowing down to be in the moment will look like different things to us in different seasons.

Yet, please do slow down. Let the Lord be your shepherd. And in slowing down to be present in the moment, He will restore your soul.

About the Author

Mike is CitySalt's Lead Pastor. Mike is married to Britni and together they have two awesome children. He loves working in his garden and connecting with people over coffee. One of his greatest joys in pastoring is helping others discover the fullness that God has for them through His Scriptures and His Spirit.

Living in Our Moments | Loving in the Moment

Terry Sheldon July 19, 2024

Living in a world that is ruled by time, appointments and deadlines, it is difficult but so very necessary to pause and notice a single moment. While God orchestrates beautiful testimonies over our lifetime, he also is faithful to meet us in fleeting or prolonged moments. Join us in practicing the pause and tuning into the here and now, as we pay attention to how God moves moment to moment.

We've all heard the catchphrase "live in the moment," right? It's currently an over used pop culture reference and at times, it seems a bit cliche. Typically it refers to seeking adventure and therefore "living your best life".

But I'm convinced that our very best life is simply learning to love well, and be loved well! That means the essential and relational triad of ourselves, our Creator and those around us.

Time is a constant, ticking metronome - unchanging and sometimes unforgiving. It measures our work schedules and our days and nights. It reveals our wrinkles and aching bodies. We are "on the clock" in near constant motion, with the stress of trying to keep our heads above water in our frantically busy routines. Mostly, time seems like an adversary.

We're busy bees trying to learn what to be.

Moments, on the other hand, are different and so very fascinating. They are carried by time, but are not bound by it, for they can begin and end at will. They occupy our "soft" side and when we are truly being present, or focused on them, they become a great friend and teacher. A well-realized moment is a God-given gift of focused consciousness, which can encourage stronger self-esteem, relationships, and quality of life.

A real catalyst of dynamic change.

A good thing to remember: Our past can unfortunately carry our guilt, and the future can bring us anxiety of the unknown. The past is history and the future brings few guarantees. Neither deserves our main focus.

The only thing that remains is this unique moment in time, positive or challenging, right here in front of us. Moments are not just what we do with our time, but they are how we choose to live in time. But God help us, we need to master our moments!

First up: the Quick Pause.

Sometimes we have to adjust on the fly because things are happening fast - a kind of “contemplation on wheels”. I try to focus on this moment now in front of me, especially if it seems significant in the positive or negative. Then I put things on pause long enough to consider my emotions about it and how my body is reacting.

Does something seem wrong? I want to open up to the Holy Spirit about it. It's tapping into our on-board sensitivity while things are happening in the moment and not detached from it. When we allow ourselves to feel something, identify stressors, and learn some truth about the negativity, then we can be informed about ourselves and others, and start to heal.

Or does the situation catch my attention as positive? On the right track? I want to thank the Lord for it with gratitude and give myself and anyone else involved some credit too! Maybe both sides of this practice is what the Apostle Paul meant by "pray without ceasing." It’s simply relating to our Heavenly Father and Teacher in real time!

I am discovering that this check in does wonders. And if I am too busy, or in fight or flight mode and can't seem to deal with the emotional fallout of something (or I don't want to hurt someone more), I will at least acknowledge it and set it aside. Then the Lord will bring it back around later for me to give it more attention - in a more purposeful and quiet moment.

Other times, it's the Big Stop!

Usually brought on by an emotional crash of some kind, either solitary feelings of sadness or grief, or a "forced stop" - after an argument or clash with someone in my relational circle. It can also be a voluntary time of contemplation, alone with my thoughts and feelings.

In Richard Rohr’s book: “The Naked Now”, he writes that "... we tend to be nervous about slowing down and giving ourselves permission to peer into ourselves, and what we might possibly discover. Being present can be a threat to our own personal status-quo". (I highly recommend this book)!

But we are assured that our Holy Spirit is a dove, not a hawk. He will take great care with us, as we talk and listen, without any condemnation. And positive results will follow.

Whatever leads to it, times of stoppage and contemplation are essential, and a personal priority of self-care. And in terms of our to-do list efficiency, a healthy inner life greatly calms and benefits our outer life, which improves our productivity. It's a win/win!

A great lesson from scripture on pausing or stopping is when Mary and Martha are entertaining Jesus in their home. Martha is serving the others and getting irritated, then she's self-righteous towards Mary, who is sitting intently at Jesus' feet. Mary is realizing the moment, and Jesus compliments her on it!

Lastly, we need not be rigid about how we stop and smell the roses. We can use other catalysts for contemplation that suit us, like the glory of nature or grand babies, or coffee with a trusted friend. Whatever calms us and leads us to tune in to our senses, our bodies, and our emotions...then on to quality time with our Abba, the only one who truly understands all our complex issues.

Let's discover the gift of love in our moments and throw all of our enthusiasm and creativity into them!

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Inspiration and Revelation | Biblical Inspiration through Artistic Realism: Henry Ossawa Tanner

Aaron Friesen July 5, 2024

I recently discovered the art of Henry Ossawa Tanner, and I’ve found his paintings of biblical scenes to be spiritually inspiring and deeply moving. Tanner is known as the first African-American artist to gain international acclaim and fame. He was born in 1859. His father was a seminary educated bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and his mother was born into slavery and sent north to Pittsburgh by her mother in the Underground Railroad. Tanner discovered a love for art at an early age, and he enrolled as the only black student at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1879. Eventually, he moved to Paris and studied under well-known artists at the famous Académie Julian. Unlike in the United States, he found no racial barriers to people recognizing and appreciating his artistic skills in Paris, so he made it his home for the rest of his life. In the 1890s, Tanner began painting biblical and religious scenes. Two of these, Daniel in the Lion’s Den (1896) and The Resurrection of Lazarus (1897), won numerous awards and accolades by prestigious voices in the Parisian art community.

Tanner painted most of his religious and biblical scenes in the artistic genre known as Realism. It is the realistic expressions, depictions, and subtle details that Tanner incorporates in his paintings of biblical scenes that have captivated me. His paintings draw me into the emotions, drama and feelings that accompany stories that have become all too familiar. As I’m drawn into these realistic aspects of the story, I find intersections with my own story and the stories in the Bible come alive to me in new ways. Through these story connections, the Holy Spirit reveals truths to me that I think would be hard for me to know otherwise.

Below are a couple paintings from Tanner that I’ve found inspiring. I encourage you to look through the library of his paintings when you have the time and see what stands out to you (https://www.wikiart.org/en/henry-ossawa-tanner/all-works).

“Christ Learning to Read” (1914)

This painting is very similar to a painting Tanner did in 1910 that he titled “Christ and His Mother Studying the Scriptures.” Tanner used his own caucasian wife and his biracial son as models for Mary and Jesus in the painting. The title makes it clear that Tanner wanted to humanize Jesus by focusing on his need to be taught by his mother. Jesus helps me to read the scriptures, but at one point in time he needed help from his own mom to learn how to read. As I reflect on this painting, I am reminded that Jesus was well acquainted with the human struggle to learn certain things, and he knows firsthand the common need we all have for patient teachers to guide us in the process of learning.

“Jesus and Nicodemus” (1899)

Tanner took numerous trips to the Holy Land in order to study the places, the culture and the people described in the biblical stories. This detail comes through in the rooftop landscape background of the painting. The facial expressions are particularly captivating to me. The status of Jesus as a young, controversial rabbi comes through as well as the humility required of Nicodemus as a sagely Pharisee to come to Jesus at night with his questions. As I reflect on this painting, I am inspired to learn from Jesus as my rabbi, but I’m also reminded that many things that a rabbi shares with his students, even the most learned and wise, they will not easily understand.

About the Author

Inspiration & Revelation | Thin Place

Mollie Havens June 7, 2024

Each morning, before heading into work, I arrive five to ten minutes early and just dwell in my car. Often I listen to meditations on different scriptures to center my mind and heart on the word of God. However, one morning, I felt drawn to one song and made it my prayer. It starts off recognizing that Christ has torn the veil and enabled any place to be a thin place. A place where we can commune with Him. I pleaded with God that throughout the day He would make my work environment a thin place. That He would be very present in the clinic rooms, nurses station, break room, offices, etc. He did indeed make that place a sacred space that day. After work, I was given that opportunity to share my testimony with one of my coworkers and ask if she needed prayer. I prayed with her and was reminded that the Holy Spirit was interceding on our behalf.

After that day, He has emphasized that any place can be holy ground as He abides in me and I can meet with Him anywhere. He is never far away. In Psalms 84, He reminds us that His dwelling places are lovely and that we should long and greatly desire to be in His courts. In His presence we find strength for the day and hope for tomorrow. He makes our hearts highways to Zion. We are blessed and greatly favored when we trust in Him, rely on Him, commit our ways to Him, and have confident hope and expectation in Him.

Thin Place

This is a thin place
This is where You meet with us
This is sacred space
This is where You meet with us
Holy ground
We are standing on
Holy ground
Just by being here with You
You are never far away
Mountain high or darkest day

Deep in doubt or filled with faith
You walk with us along the way
This is where You meet with us
This is where You meet with us
This is where You meet with us
This is where You meet with us
This is where You meet with us
We love being here with You
We love being here with You

This is a photo of a piece of artwork I created after listening to this song and being inspired by the Holy Spirit.

About the Author

Inspiration & Revelation | The Power of Music and Poetry

John Rice May 24, 2024

As a student in high school and college, I hated poetry. I liked things to be simple and concrete, easy to understand, the nutshell/Cliff notes version of everything. I apparently didn’t have time for all those similes and metaphors and veiled references to ideas that could easily be expressed in street language! This started to change, though, when I heard some mysterious and intriguing lyrics set to music. Something about the power of music to emotionally engage me helped the actual words of the song move me too.

Now, at this later date in life, I can honestly say that I appreciate poetry and music more than ever (well, at least some of it). And when music and poetry touch on the deeper things in life like spirituality and the human condition, I genuinely appreciate it. Listening to it resonates with something deep in the core of my being…kind of like the Bible does. Reading the Psalms, which was meant to be lyrics set to music, must be why so many people love them so much.

I wanted to share two songs that are very moving to me, and for two very different reasons. The first one is called “Every Table is an Altar” written by Jason Upton. It is a contemplative song from a man deeply devoted to Jesus. The other is called “Hallelujah” written by Leonard Cohen, a man who knows the Bible well, but who isn’t sure that God really exists. His faith has lots of unanswered questions, yet in this song he relates the biblical story of David and Bathsheba to his own complicated relationship with a woman on earth. It is a man wrestling for answers, aware of his lack of understanding.

I share these lyrics and songs with huge curiosity about what you think of them. How do they make you feel? What’s happening in the video that strikes you? Do you really like one and hate the other? Does something make you mad or happy when thinking about them? If you’d ever like to discuss these things, I’d love to discuss them with you! But I’m predicting one thing to be true, no matter what…that you hear the hearts of the artists and the power of lyrics and music. God is the ultimate Creator and, in his image, he has made us creators too! And just like in the Psalms, God doesn’t insist on us being happy and worshipful all the time. He wants us to express our deepest heart with honesty. He is after all the God of Truth! And he loves us, warts and all!

“Every Table is an Altar”

Every table is an altar
Every breath is a gift from you
Every moment is a treasure
Every day is a gift from you

So let our hearts be awake, be awake
Let our heart be awake, be awake
So let our hearts be awake, be awake
Let our heart be awake, be awake

Every stranger has a story
Every story is being told by you
We're all children on a journey
Jesus only you can lead us through

So let our hearts be awake, be awake
So let our hearts be awake, be awake
Let our hearts be awake, be awake
Let our hearts be awake, be awake

Break the bread, pour the wine
Let our hearts come alive
In your presence, in your presence
Let our fear fall away
Let our faith rise today
In your presence, in your presence

We will shout your name, King of Glory
We will stand and sing, You are holy
We will pour out praise, You are worthy
Of our lives, now and forever
We will shout Your name, King of Glory
We will stand and sing, You are holy
We will pour out praise, You are worthy
Of our lives, now and forever

Let our hearts
Be awake
Be awake
Let our hearts
Be awake
Be awake
Let our hearts
Be awake
Be awake
Let our hearts
Be awake
Be awake

Here we wait on you
Here we wait on you

“Hallelujah”

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you dont really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor falls, the major lifts
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Well people I've been here before
I know this room and I've walked this floor
You see I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
But listen love, love is not some kind of victory march, no
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Well, maybe there's a God above
As for me all I've ever learned from love
Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
But it's not a crime that you're here tonight
It's not some pilgrim who claims to have seen the Light
No, it's a cold and it's a very broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

(The following verses not included in the video)

There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And I remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove she was moving too
And every single breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Now I've done my best, I know it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come here to London just to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand right here before the Lord of song
With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

About the Author

Inspiration & Revelation | God in Nature

Terry Sheldon April 26, 2024

The inspiration of the Holy Spirit and revelations of the nature and will of God and the depths of His love are all around us. In nature, in art, in music, in the person sitting next to you. He is always talking to us.

Join the blog team over the next couple of months as they share with you stories of their own experiences of meeting God in the natural and creative spaces of their lives.

For those who don't know me well, this topic is not only near and dear to my heart, but at times in my life, it reaches a (mostly healthy) obsession level. I'm talking about wanderlust, that drive to discover and be in beautiful, wild spaces. For me the progression goes something like this:

I manage an ever-expanding bucket list and dream of where to go next.
I go there and don't want to leave.
No matter how tired a trip makes me, upon return I quickly yearn to be out again.

I've been like this since a very young age, when I was wishing so bad that I was old enough to climb mountains with my Dad, like he did in the Rockies of Colorado, and then here in the Cascades of Oregon. And as a sensitive young man, I was found to be chasing waterfalls and crying at the spectacular hues of yellow-orange-purple sunsets.

Sounds a bit crazy, right? There's more.

I also developed a (mostly unhealthy) adrenalin rush habit. My poor parents and friends, and then my wife were forced to wince and look the other way as I tried my latest stunt, like backflipping off rocks into bubbly creeks, or peering down over towering cliffs just to see how far down that really was. I know, I know.

By God's grace I'm still here to live another day, but beyond my thrills there has always been a deep and abiding sense of not just looking at nature, but being an integral part of it, if that makes sense. I guess I could say that his creation is part of a kind of personal emotional trinity - God, nature and me.

Nature's beauty and grandeur is highlighted in the mind-bending size and complexity of our ever-expanding universe. It's home to the very origins of matter, forces beyond our understanding, as well as the creation and development of humanity itself, with our consciousness and ability to love. In this glorious creation we know and have experienced much. And yet we see through the glass so dimly and sometimes it seems we know so little.

God's everlasting love is every bit as vast!

For the last few years, I've taken up star photography. Even though it's technical and difficult, especially on crispy cold nights, it has been so good for me. Some say they feel small and alone staring at the starry heavens. I feel the opposite - so inspired and aligned with God, and the expanse feels like a billion possibilities. Endless opportunity in my life, just like the stars.

The love of nature is a sensory gift, and also a great teacher. It inspires art and aesthetics, motivates us to seek necessary change, and orients our minds and hearts towards something and someone bigger than ourselves. It directly echoes and reflects the ways of God - his creativity, his spirit of adventure, and hints at his grand plan for all of us.

In my wanderings these days - around here or out there, the God of our creation keeps showing up. He is slowly and thoughtfully becoming brighter to me, as he opens me up - sharing his knowledge and wisdom as I develop. Instead of my rough edges being harder to understand, these days they are becoming easier. Of course I still need to do the work, but I can't adequately express how great this feels.

Let's all get out and tune into the beauty around us. Let's soak up the science and marvel in the mysterious. And let's dream as we all anticipate our ultimate big adventure!

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Like a Child | God as Father

Mike Wilday April 12, 2024

It’s no accident that all four of the gospels begin with the revelation of God as a loving father to all of humanity. The exploration of the incarnate God, the journey of discovering Jesus, begins with the revelation of God as a father doting on his son.

The father child relationship is so important in my own personal life journey. The relationship I had with my father had a tremendous impact on my life. His emotional absence and the lack in our relationship has been a source of grief and great pain staining my belief about myself, and creating trauma that impacts the way I approach relationships with others. It interferes with the way I father, and opposes the way I even care for myself.

I know I’m not alone in this, so many people have been impacted by their relationships with their fathers, and yet that is the way God chose to reveal himself to humanity, and each gospel accounts this revealing of Jesus, his son. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all describe the event of Jesus’ baptism. The first words we hear God speak in the New Testament are those of a doting father, who delights in his son. Imagine with me this moment: it’s been 400 years since God has spoken through the prophets, or revealed himself to his people. Suddenly, a prophet is revealed: some crazy man named John who wears camel skin and wanders the desert. He’s warning everyone to repent of their sins and turn to God.(Matt 3:2; Mark 3:4; Luke 3:7).

God, in all his power, and all that holiness, and all that expectation, reveals himself during Jesus’ baptism as a loving father; one who is well pleased with his son. This is so vastly different than the voice booming on the mountain side, accompanied with thunder and lightning and fire and smoke.(Exodus 19:16-18).

I love the juxtaposition of these realities as expressed in John 1:17: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” Jesus, he explains in John 1:12, gives us the right to become children of God. This really sets apart the work of Jesus as he brings another revelation of the heart of the father. God, as is even portrayed in the Old Testament, is full of mercy, generous, kind, and loving. He can be trusted, depended on. He is one who heals, who speaks kindly, who loves to show mercy, who is patient, and long suffering. He is one who waits expectantly with a ring and a robe to welcome us home. He is one who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one astray. He is a father, who is avidly pursuing our hearts. He deeply longs to be in a relationship with us, his children. He is a good father who loves us. Take a moment to listen to this YouTube playlist of songs while considering these truths. I pray these songs bless you and minister to your heart as you consider how much the Lord loves you today. You are his dearly loved child. Rest in that today.

About the Author

Mike enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids. He loves Jesus, art, music, and poetry. He currently works as the Manager of Learning Technology Solutions for Los Angeles Pacific University and is passionate about adventuring outdoors.

Like a Child | Bright Eyed Wonder

Mollie Havens March 29, 2024

“May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King.”
-Wonder, by Bethel

Children look at the world in a different way than adults do. They are filled with curiosity. They have an innocence to them. They are not jaded nor judgemental. They take people at their word and trust them. This is how we should approach our relationship with Christ. We are to expect miracles from him, not question his capabilities. It is easy to ask little things of God. But, what about the big things? Think about a child before Christmas they have big expectations. They don’t ask for socks. They ask for bicycles. In the same way we should ask big things of God and believe Him for the impossible. As a child trusts their loving parents to give good gifts, so should we entrust our hopes to Him who delights in fulfilling the desires of our hearts.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not writing about a prosperity gospel where God is a vending machine or a genie. It is not an ask and you shall receive relationship. Instead, it is a hopeful, trusting dynamic, where we place our faith in the one who knows the desires of our hearts and knows what is best for us and delights in giving good gifts to His children. Thinking back on my own journey of my expansion of faith, I remember asking God to nurture and grow friendships in Eugene when I first moved to town. Little did I know that he would build a strong support system around me and establish for me a new and rewarding life here. He blessed me with a community at CitySalt that is now like that of a family. I was given the joy of sharing a duplex with one of my now best friends, Jessy. Even when I did not know what to expect or seek out, God was faithful in answering my prayers beyond my wildest dreams.

As I think about my own outlook on God, I question if He wants to care for me, and if He has my best in mind. I do this at times, because I know what I have in mind for my well being and I wonder why God does not answer me the way I want him to. Why does he not fulfill my greatest imaginations for me and bring all I want to pass? I may never have the answer to these questions, but I have learned that God is always faithful. Our finite minds cannot comprehend all that God has in store for us. He may reveal it just one step at a time, like walking through a fog. Or he might welcome us into the vast expanse of an open field and open our eyes to his fresh beginnings. Other times there may be a veil that covers us as a hedge of protection and the truth may not be uncovered until we reach Heaven.

As a wise father or mother, Christ knows what is best for me even when I do not. And He will always look out for me and have the best intentions. He is in control and cares for each one of His children uniquely and equally. We are adopted into His family and made new in his image. He has great plans for us. All we are to do is listen to him, trust him and know him. As we walk in His ways and are obedient to him, He will care for us and guide us in ways everlasting.

In Mark 10:13-16 Jesus proclaims, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Children have a vast imagination. If they were asked to believe Christ about heaven they likely would. They are able to imagine and share Christ’s vision for eternity. They have a bright eyed wonder about the future. They are optimistic. And so should we be.

About the Author

Like a Child | Through a Child's Eyes

Terry Sheldon March 22, 2024

I was gazing at our one-year-old first grandson the other day, and I just couldn't avert my eyes. Why should I? His deep baby-blues are just like his lovely mother Michaela's. Later I took an international poll and he was voted the world's cutest baby. Okay, I exaggerate. Just a little.

He's a brand-new human, fresh and lively, and there is something so captivating about a child's innocent face and his constant discoveries. I have to say that noticing a subtle resemblance to my son and me is a transcendent feeling.

As any new baby, he's outfitted with an open heart and mind. In between circling back to the security and warmth of his mother's embrace, he charges ahead - eyes, mouth and hands-first, exploring anything and everything. He looks at me with the same curiosity, and I am able to coax a toothy smile as he remembers my face and remembers that he trusts me.

I am so humbled by this.

With our own kids, fatherhood was of course all new and frankly, terrifying. How could Colby and I not feel the weight of this great responsibility? Our babies came without an instruction manual or even a warranty. Over time we adapted and learned, but in the process, we certainly made our share of mistakes.

People always say that grandparenting is all fun with none of the work. Yes, this is mostly true and I've never been a big dirty diaper fan, but there is more. As with any new season in our life, it's teaching time. As Beckham explores, I am doing the same. His first year in my life has been splendid and euphoric, but also deeply spiritual.

Maybe even a bit of do-over?

Don't get me wrong, I loved being a Dad, and I still do. But over the years the pressures of life took a toll, and I paid it. Thankfully grace abounds in our family, and if we humbly circle around and hang in there, Abba Father will continue His good work. With our grandson, in this heart of mine, it suddenly seems fresh and new.

Now I've found another little boy again, and it's me.

I watch my son Taylor as he works so patiently with Beckham, with a simple joy while staying deep in their moment. They both are trusting, tender, kind and funny - just like our own Heavenly Father. I am amazed and so pleased. And I'm taking notes.

How strange, it seems like role-reversal. They both are modeling fruits of the spirit in their new relationship, and it's affecting me in such a good way. Jesus was so right about letting the little children come to Him.

Mathew 19:14, 15
“Let the children alone", he said. "Don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.”

Who knew a one-year old boy could teach this old guy so much?

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

The inspiration of the Holy Spirit and revelations of the nature and will of God and the depths of His love are all around us. In nature, in art, in music, in the person sitting next to you. He is always talking to us.

Join the blog team over the next couple of months as they share with you stories of their own experiences of meeting God in the natural and creative spaces of their lives.

“May we never lose our wonderWide eyed and mystifiedMay we be just like a childStaring at the beauty of our King.”-Wonder, by Bethel

CitySalt Church

Celebrate Goodness

“May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King.”
-Wonder, by Bethel