Gratitude | The Practice of Gratitude

Britni D'Eliso October 16, 2020

The next two months of the Salt Blog will provide space to reflect in GRATITUDE and THANKSGIVING. Join the team in pausing for mini-devotionals every other week that focus on giving thanks in the midst of adversity, alongside the mundane, or as we engage in celebration.

Psalm 105:1-2
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

The bedtime routine in our household takes approximately 45 minutes, per child, usually via a “divide-and-conquer” approach by Mike and myself. There is tidying the bedroom, pajama selection, changing into the selected pajamas, brushing teeth, potty time, reading 3 books (each), prayer, and back rubs — and between these steps are of course the innumerable distractions, occasional disputes, and a few snuggles.

Though this routine sometimes exhausts me at the end of what may have already been a long day, my heart is still warmed by our time of learning to speak and listen to Jesus together. Our prayer time begins by deciding what we want to thank Jesus for today, and suggestions will range from our beds, to food, to “I want to thank Jesus for all of the people in the entire world.”

Mike and I are earnestly trying to instill in our kiddos the practice of turning our hearts to gratitude. We engage in real conversation with them about the hard, confusing, and overwhelming aspects of life, and we consistently circle back to giving thanks at the end of our day. To be honest, this practice and spiritual discipline is just as much a tool that I am trying to hone as one I am trying to relay to my kids.

The act of pivoting my mind and heart toward what I'm thankful for is one that requires intentionality and consistency. And it is one that does not go unrewarded. God has actually wired our brains to improve our overall health and wellbeing via the mental practice of gratitude (see video below).

As you reflect on the devotionals focused on gratitude over the next month, consider using each post as a prompt to engage in your own experience of giving thanks.

**Tell us in the Comment Section* Below what or who you are thankful for today! Let’s encourage each other.**

*If you have never commented before or use a different browser, you will be prompted when you click the post button to give your name and email along with citysalt.org to comment as a guest.

About the Author

Britni is a quiet but fearless spirit who is earnestly seeking the beauty of the redemption that Jesus has personally determined for her life. Committed to the truth that listening breeds understanding and understanding results in compassion, she clings to the power of life’s stories. She has embarked on the venture of discovering her own story and lending an ear to the stories lived out in others and savors the trace of Jesus that is woven throughout them all. Currently, that journey has landed her in a balancing act between the role of wife, momma, and a mental health Care Coordinator.

Miracles Welcome | The Miracle of Connection

Britni D'Eliso September 25, 2020

Encouraging one’s mind and spirit to dwell on the miraculous in the midst of global pandemic, racial violence, civil unrest and a recent fire-stricken community is not for the faint of heart.

The practice of “welcoming miracles” while surrounded by literal death and despair is one that relies on those rarely used muscles of the heart--the muscles that are reserved for the guttural groans of the Spirit that Paul references in Romans 8.

So I dug down to those depths within my heart with some reluctance, to see and hear God’s still small voice of hope and beauty. It felt like I was taking a risk of possibly inviting more heartache, if He didn’t come through with a reminder of his miracles at work.

But as we know, our God is faithful.

Lamentations 3:21-26 NLT
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.

He nudged my mind toward memories of connection. Human to human connection is miraculous.

When an aging person holds an infant and the two lock eyes and share in the spectrum of humanity, it’s a miracle.

When over 200 individuals in a row opt to “pay-it-forward” in line at a fast food establishment, giving thought and acknowledgement to the human experience of giving and receiving between the car in front of them and behind them, it’s a miracle. (Click to read story).

When a spouse nods in understanding to their partner about their shared concerns for their future endeavors, it’s a miracle.

When an individual in colorful clothing, alternative hairstyle and multiple piercings stretches an arm around a simple, rugged farmer who just lost his home to a fire, it’s a miracle.

God designed each human being with such intricate, distinct features, down to whether we like morning or nighttime better, or prefer sweet food to salty food, and yet, he sprinkles points of striking connection throughout our daily lives.

What I find to be the most miraculous about experiencing that moment of being seen and known by another person, is that it seems to be a tangible taste of God. During seasons when the trials and turmoils around us are loudly staring us in the face, we need to touch, taste, see, smell and hear God. And what a gift that he gives us each other to satisfy that need.

About the Author

Emotional Well-Being | Emotions are Messy

Britni D'Eliso August 21, 2020

Human beings are complicated, messy, captivating creatures. If we consider that we are made in the image of a God who can never be fully comprehended or defined, it’s no wonder that we, too, are beings whose complexity extends beyond our own mental capacity. And as someone who has devoted my career to supporting others in navigating the muddy waters of emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and relationships; while dabbling in the inner workings of my own heart and soul through therapy and spiritual direction, I find that I’ve just barely scratched the surface of the range of human experience.

Hebrews 4:12 paints a vivid picture of not only how poignant the word of God is, but also provides a skeleton of the layers existing within one human being:

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Within us there is soul, spirit, joint and marrow, thoughts and desires. And God’s word acknowledges and engages with every part of us.

As an Enneagram 9*, I have learned that I have a unique relationship with my own emotions. I pursue peace before all else, and have found that I can fairly effectively achieve that peace by muting my own emotions while devoting my energy toward supporting and “managing” the emotions of those around me. This is in effort to accommodate others’ needs, indicated by the emotions they are expressing, while planning to address my own needs and emotions “later” (or not at all).

Though this might provide some sense of respite and calm, the reality is that God did not create us to feel with the intention that we would numb those feelings at our convenience. He created us with a broad spectrum of emotions, to be used as indicators or messengers--communicating to the outside world what our internal needs are. By disregarding my own feelings for the sake of supporting others, I was really just stifling energy that would eventually bubble up at other (often inconvenient) times. Talk about messy!

As I have worked through a few years of therapy, spiritual direction, self-reflection and maturing, I have begun to peel back the first few layers of numbed emotions and discovered some of the important messages my body and heart had been trying to communicate all these years. This has been heart-wrenching, empowering work that has invited me to experience a more authentic connection with the Holy Spirit as I am more tuned in to the internal world of emotions and spirit.

But, as all things in life seem to require, I discovered a need for balance. While our individual bank of emotions has important things to say, those messages must be interpreted through the lens of the Holy Spirit. Standalone emotions are subject to getting tangled, misunderstood, or overly dominant in relation to the other important components God has created within us (i.e. soul, spirit, and body).

We can trust that when we read of God’s provision in Psalm 104, His intention is for us to experience good, as the Source that meets our needs. So when we tune into our emotions, listening for the messages that inform us of our body, soul and mind’s needs, it is to be done through the lens of our good Father. His Spirit can sort out what is helpful and empower us to respond to what is needed. He is the source of our healing and will lead us to the waters that heal, when our emotions are communicating brokenness. His beauty is the culmination of all joy and celebration, to provide a “cherry on top” of our feelings of peace, gladness and gratitude.

Ultimately, the antidote to complexity is curiosity. As we continue to navigate our own internal systems while walking through our life journey, may we do so through the graceful guidance of our Father’s love.

*Follow this link to learn more about the Enneagram tool, and the 9 distinct types that it outlines.

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Common Ground | Islands

Britni D'Eliso June 19, 2020

As I invited my mind and heart to engage with the concept of “common ground,” I envisioned a picture of a sea filled with islands. Each island was inhabited by a small, homogeneous group of people, except for the very center island, which was bare. It was that most central island that represented the common ground, while the surrounding islands of people are where you and I resided.

Before I continue, it is important to acknowledge that I found myself on the island of white, able-bodied, heterosexual, middle-class females, who had completed higher education and experienced minimal trauma throughout their lives.

The individual islands provided a sense of safety and camaraderie for the residents, where cultures and traditions were developed with little conflict, and peoples’ thoughts and beliefs were rarely challenged. And yet, the individuals who remained on their islands appeared to have a stunted emotional and spiritual growth, as they were limited to their own experiences mirrored again and again by those they lived with.

As I scanned the sea, filled with countless islands that separated these groups of people, it became apparent that the common ground island was set apart. It was intended for individuals to venture to, for the opportunity to experience new ideas and an expansion of culture as they engaged with people from the other islands. This was a space where healing, growth, development, and deep beauty could happen.

I subsequently noticed that not every unique island had the same access to the center island. It would certainly require courage for any one person to leave the safety of their own island to travel to this new territory, but some certainly had a much further and more treacherous distance to travel than others.

As a person who holds significant privilege within the part of the world that I live, I find that engaging in a conversation about finding commonalities with those around me is actually not too difficult. Though it does require intentionality and sometimes even courage to set aside my potentially contrasting opinions in order to partner with someone else’s story; I still am often engaging in that story from a place of subtle (or not so subtle) power, that can reduce the risk of vulnerability and allow me to quickly retreat back to my own story whenever I need to.

I have a fairly easy route to reach the common ground island.

My heart longs for all people to have easy access to that island too-so that we can join in our shared experiences of emotion, loss, accomplishment, and all the quirky things that make us human. But in order for that celebration and healing to take place, we must first take note of the island we are coming from, and scan our neighboring islands to ensure that those inhabitants have a means to travel too. Do we have a spare oar to offer, a map to share, or room in our boat? Could the pursuit of shared humanity begin to form even on the journey to the center island?

This metaphor in my mind culminated with what appeared to be a festival taking place on the island of common ground, attended by people of all kinds. They gathered around a flag that represented their claim on this new territory of togetherness and diversity. And the flag was not a new emblem made out of a single piece of cloth, but rather a quilt--comprised of a small piece of each flag from the individual islands. In coming together to share in the common humanness of one another, the people were not lost to a morphed sense of one, but were celebrated in the unique beauty of their diversities.

So what about our actual, island-free existence? With commingled workspaces, homelife, and grocery store trips? I imagine that God longs for his children to celebrate their unique identities and to also do the work to reach spaces of common ground, where he brings new healing. What characteristics define your safe space, and what does your journey toward common ground look like? Are you partnering with those that are also taking that journey, to help each other reach it together?

The author of Ephesians reminds us that we are each uniquely created by a loving God, and in our uniqueness we are united in the experience of all being saved by His grace at the Cross. And this is the foundation of the Island of Common Ground: that all humans are loved by God and freed by His salvation and redemption work.

Ephesians 2:10-22
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. 12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

About the Author

For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies by Courtney Ariel

Britni D'Eliso June 5, 2020

In an effort to elevate the voices of the Black community, the Salt Blog is pausing in our entries on the “Common Ground” theme for this week and sharing the words of a Black, female writer for the Sojourners Magazine. Please engage with her invitations to action as the Holy Spirit leads. ~Britni

For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies
by Courtney Ariel

Courtney Ariel is a songwriter and storyteller. She is committed to building bridges of deeper understanding through stories. Despite what middle school taught many of us, she thinks we are the coolest when we care. Let's give it a shot.

Originally posted AUG 16, 2017 at https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies

Excerpt:

Author's Note: I'm writing this in hopes that it can be used to lighten the load of marginalized folks, keeping in mind that not all marginalized people want to engage in the ally conversation, and that is perfect as well. For those who do, my prayer is that when someone asks you the question, “how can I be a stronger ally?” you might choose to save your breath/energy and send this in its place.

I have been asked by two dear friends, “how can I be a stronger ally?” Being the slow emotional processor that I am, I wanted to spend some time with this before I answered them. I surely appreciate and love these two individuals, and I appreciate their vulnerability in asking me this question…

Read the Entire Article

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Love Purified | Love in the Undoing

Britni D'Eliso April 24, 2020

Living in my Grandparents’ former home allows for many quirky finds and an assortment of house projects for Mike and I to navigate. My Grandfather was known for the philosophy that “if a little works, then a lot is better,” which now translates to twice as much work for Mike and I to dismantle some of his handiwork (i.e. removing excess dried glue, sifting through layers of insulation, or removing nails that were placed every 2 centimeters apart). We have shared laughs and groans over his attention to detail and his commitment to doing the most thorough job possible.

That being said, my Grandfather was a true craftsman, and many of his woodworking masterpieces grace our home with beauty and character. Whenever it comes time to remove some of his work that has served its purpose, or reconfigure a yard installation that he cleverly constructed so many years ago, my heart grieves a bit at losing another small mark of the full life he lived on this earth.

Just last weekend, Mike and I were tidying the back corner of the yard and breaking down some wooden structures he had created as the wood was now rotting and the nails were rusted. With each nail or screw that I removed, I considered the intention and thoughtfulness he carried as he had hammered it in. It struck me that there was love involved in both the creating and the dismantling, and both produced beauty in the end. My Grandfather conceptualized and crafted a piece of art for his backyard, and so many years later, I removed and disassembled that piece, to clean that space and allow room for new growth.

It’s a less comfortable concept to consider how God might demonstrate his love by deconstructing parts of our lives, but I think it may be some of His most sacred work. And when the dismantling is done in love, which His always is, the result is always (eventually) beauty and growth. That work often brings grief, pain, and confusion, which can all be felt in conjunction with hope for what is to follow. My prayer is that His expression of love woven throughout his work will provide the comfort and empowerment to weather the pain.

I invite you to meditate on Jesus’ words in John 15, that illustrate his work of pruning and burning in love and invitation for growth. He begins and ends this passage with a promise of bearing more fruit-a promise of hope.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

About the Author

Oneness | To Know and Be Known

Britni D'Eliso February 14, 2020

Brené Brown, PhD is a researcher, storyteller, author and professor whose study has primarily focused on human connection and vulnerability. Many of her works reference the discovery she has made about how the key to a fulfilled human life experience is found in intimate connection. She defines connection as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship” (The Gifts of Imperfection). Essentially, when one human is able to know and be known by another human, it breeds a deep bond of oneness, that is an essential component of a meaningful life.

We witness this spark in the shared laughter of two lifetime, soul-friends; or the warmth of a mother’s gaze at her nursing babe; or the moment a spouse profoundly celebrates the accomplishment of his or her partner. The deep of one crying out to the deep of another.

She also explores how this connection is an experience intended for humans to share with the Divine. “Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives” (The Gifts of Imperfection). The depth of shared human experience is birthed first out of the shared foundation of being created beings, by a God who has a plan and intention for humanity as a whole.

Is it possible to pursue this depth of connection internally, within our own selves? Through my own work of emotional healing over the past year, I have begun to discover that internal connection is not only possible, but really is necessary to connect authentically with others. It is only by tuning into what our bodies, minds and spirits are saying that we can simultaneously experience the knowing and the being known. And how much better can we offer the gift of knowing another, after we have experienced it for ourselves?

Artist and Spiritual Director Scott Erickson shared his musings on knowing our internal selves on his Instagram post today:
“When you’re depleted, your mind is a big fat liar about all kinds of things. Especially identity and survival strategy. It’s been calculating non-stop on how to earn love through producing and success… and it just starts sounding like a crazy person with crappy PR strategies. It has lost it’s Knowing through exhaustion. You must connect with another kind of Knowing.⁣
That is found in the wonder of your body. ⁣
Your legs and arms know what to do… they carry you to all kinds of wonderful places.⁣
Your heart keeps pumping without your permission… inviting you to the glory of all things.⁣
Your breath whispers the name of the Divine over and over again like a secret charismatic meeting.⁣
Your taste buds know that joy is found in salsa spices and warmed tortilla chips. ⁣
There are many different kinds of knowing. Our culture is obsessed with mind knowing.⁣
But your body knows the truth.
And that truth is that you are unquestionably and unconditionally loved.⁣
May you descend into the wonder of that truth today.”

I invite you to practice a meditation on the passage of Psalm 139:13-18, with the intention of knowing yourself and accepting yourself… that you may be better known by God and others, and likewise, more fully offer the gift of knowing.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

About the Author

The Advent of Revolution | Unexpected

Britni D'Eliso December 13, 2019

Jesus is prone to show up in the unexpected. A triumphal entry on a donkey, dining with the lowest-class folks, being born in a stable…definitely not the norm. And I think he does that to keep us from getting stuck in our head, so that we can be tuned in to the sudden movements of our hearts when we encounter him where we least expected.

Something I consistently return to during my work with my therapist is placing less emphasis on my intellect and more on where I experience an event in my body. In knowing that we are holistic beings, it’s the discipline of listening to what our body and heart has to say, rather than relying solely on how our minds make meaning of things. This place of internal attunement is often where a surprise encounter with Jesus can occur -- beyond the logic and rationale of our brains.

When we catch our breath at the beauty of raw human resilience shining through the trash-littered streets in an impoverished country, we see a surprise glimpse of Jesus. When we witness a small but significant shift in behavior from our child who is trying to sort out this world and follow the guidance of their parents, there is a flicker of Jesus’ warmth in the midst of trials of parenthood. When we celebrate the commitment of a couple who’ve remained together for decades, despite the countless events that could have separated them, we catch a smile from our Jesus who is in the very midst of this life with us.

And when we consider the God of the Universe sending His son to this earth as a human babe, born in a space suited for livestock, to an unlikely couple of no significant standing among men, we are invited to be caught up in the unexpectedness of it all. So that the truth of his coming to earth to walk as man can pierce through our preconceived notions, defy our limited logic and touch us at our deepest heart level -- that the coming of Jesus is something we are unable to ignore or dispute. In his unexpected methods, Jesus has stirred a revolution among the hearts of his children.

Philippians 2:6-7
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

About the Author

Salt and Light | Hidden

Britni D'Eliso October 11, 2019

I recently heard a pastor speak to the power of the Holy Spirit Wind, that goes before us and beckons us to join. He noted that when we are on Mission, pursuing God’s heart with an intent to bring His healing to a space of brokenness, we ought to be sensitive to the fact that Spirit’s Wind has already been where we are going. So when we arrive, bearing our offerings of service and hope, we can also be open to receiving what the Holy Spirit has already started. The people we set out to serve could very well provide healing and insights for us, birthed from the work the Holy Spirit was doing in them before we even got there.

This makes me wonder about our commission to be “salt” and “light” as we walk in this world. It seems that those callings are really about highlighting the goodness of what God is already doing. In the same way that salt can draw out the discreet flavors of a complex dish or light can reveal the treasures buried in the darkened corners, we can be instruments that God uses to pull back the veil and reveal His good works that are already at hand.

And how freeing it is, not to feel burdened with the task of creating the dish from scratch or questing for the treasure still lying at the bottom of the ocean. Rather, He graciously invites us to be part of enhancing His masterpiece, acknowledging his divine power at work, and inviting the Kingdom.

But partnering with His work in this way requires humility.

We have to be willing to set bias and tainted perspective aside—allowing ourselves to be students of the very circumstances we planned to remedy. It requires us to see those in need of help as our peers rather than our projects. We are invited to consider that the “mission field” that we are called to shine our light on (Matthew 5:16) is more than likely a field filled with treasured people whom God wants to use to challenge and grow our faith, as he simultaneously uses us to be his hands and feet of love.

Forgive me for quoting Bono in this context, but he speaks beautifully to the existence of God in the unlikely places:

“God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.”

God is infinitely wise in creating human beings to need one another, in a beautiful way that reflects how we need Him. We must only be willing to see the way we need others and be open to His revelation of hidden flavors and treasures that He is working to uncover.

Romans 12:3-13
For by the grace given me I say to everyone one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

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Adventuring with God | How Best to Travel With God

Britni D'Eliso August 23, 2019

To wrap up our series on Adventuring with God, we invite the perspective of Graham Cooke as he shares of the lifetime journey we travel in our relationship with Jesus. Graham challenges us to consider when and how the Holy Spirit is moving throughout our adventure of walking with our Father.

**How Best to Travel With God**

by Graham Cooke

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Adventuring with God | Internal Discoveries

Britni D'Eliso August 16, 2019

I am not a particularly spontaneous person, much to the chagrin of my Enneagram Type 7 husband. I much prefer to plan, generally a few weeks out in advance, and if I’m feeling a bit reckless, maybe plan for a specific evening to “do something unplanned” (does that count?).

Not only does this often make life with two small children a bit frustrating at times, as their mood swings and bowel movements do not always cooperate with “the plan,” but it also makes for a life where adventure does not come easy. When I fill my schedule with lunch dates and house projects, I’m not often flexible for spur of the moment opportunities that might prompt an exciting venture into the unknown. I can find myself living a fairly quiet, controlled life, which generally suits me just fine.

It does, however, make it difficult to write a blog post about Adventuring.

I have had numerous thrilling experiences throughout my life--while traveling, raising babies, and ministering on city streets; but what I am seeking in this season is how to see adventure in the mundane. Can quiet self-reflection and faithfulness in the small things provide experience that still falls within the category of adventure?

I turned 30 this year, and in honor of transitioning into a new decade, I have committed myself to increased understanding about myself and the way I navigate this world. Though it has been mostly quiet work, interwoven throughout the menial tasks of my work life and home life, it has most certainly been an adventure of discovery and insight. Just as God has handcrafted masterpieces of mountain peaks and endless waves for me to explore in nature, he has intricately woven me together in my mother’s womb. There are endless caverns and meadows and mountaintops within our own internal selves, that he has created within us--begging to be explored.

When meeting with my spiritual director recently, God used her to confirm to me that this work of earnest self-discovery is not only worthwhile, but functions as a form of worship and a spiritual practice. Intentionally seeking out how God created me to engage with others, and how he wired me to uniquely interact with him is a sacred way to honor him and his work in me.

As I plan out our week of grocery trips, daycare and house cleaning, I can be aware of the activity happening within me. I can tune into how my mind makes sense of what is around me and how my heart is pulled and I can see God’s handiwork within each small detail. There is an adventure to be had in the quiet spaces, beneath the surface, and God is inviting us to enter in.

Psalm 139:1-16
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

About the Author

Perpetual Creativity | Creative Meditation

Britni D'Eliso June 28, 2019

As we wrap up our series on exploring the endless creativity of our God, take a moment to reflect on the following photos* that capture a glimpse of the nuance and variety that God has woven into one of his most prized creations: Humanity.

In doing so, meditate on this passage from Isaiah 64:8

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.

*All photos by Hilary Horn, used with permission.
Learn more about the YWAM Photogenx “Broken” project.

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Beauty from Suffering | Rain Brings Life: The Complexity of Suffering

Britni D'Eliso May 3, 2019

Before delving into perspectives and revelations on suffering and the beauty that may come of it, I want to begin with a disclaimer and subsequent ground rules between you, the reader, and me, the writer:

I can acknowledge that there has been significant harm done per the discussion of suffering within the American Church. Many of us have been given the message that our suffering and pain is resulting from a lack of trust or lack of fervent prayer. Many of us have suffered in silence and isolation, as our brothers and sisters do not have the language or context for what we are carrying and would rather dismiss it than to sit with us in it. But these responses are very much not what Jesus modeled or instructed us in.

Though it may be uncomfortable, I want to invite you into a dialogue around what we can do with suffering and if or how we might find redemption on the other side. Please know that this is not intended to produce black and white answers. Also, note that each of us holds a slightly different definition of suffering and of beauty—I welcome your varying perspective of these terms and ask that you do the same with mine.

After reading the other blog posts contributed for this theme of “Beauty from Suffering,” and following up in conversation with trusted friends over the past few weeks, I have asked the Lord to highlight where His voice can be found in our pondering.

I’ve been reminded that the experience of suffering is vast and varied, encompassing systemic suffering that includes poverty, starvation and oppression; as well as individual impacts of suffering seen in grief, abuse and discomfort.

So is it possible, or even necessary, to identify associations of beauty with the expanse of creation’s suffering across the globe?

As a creature wired for hope and a follower of Jesus who is looking for His stories of redemption, I find myself longing to say yes. I find that the pursuit of beauty in the midst of or during the aftermath of suffering is a worthy cause, though my understanding of when and how to identify that beauty is shifting.

When I consider the very human experience of Jesus weeping in Gethsemane and withstanding agonizing pain on the cross—the epitome of suffering, I really don’t believe that He was acknowledging beauty at that moment. There was no beauty in the feeling of abandonment that consumed Him as He cried out to God, questioning why He had been forsaken. And this is Jesus, the omniscient, God-became-man Jesus, who knew the incredibly beautiful ending to the story of the cross.

So we can hold to the truth of Jesus’ story and trust that beauty will likely not occur simultaneous to suffering. But that doesn’t mean that beauty isn’t still to come. As Dr. Tony Compolo has reminded us, we may suffer on Good Friday, but “Sunday’s Comin'!” This life of following Jesus is marked by numerous stories of redemption that reveal beauty after suffering.

I want to pause here and note, though beauty will often follow suffering in the way of redemption, as it did with the cross, I don’t know if that’s always the case. There may be some stories of systemic or personal suffering that do not result in beauty. As followers of a Redeemer God, this can be frightening, confusing, and may even lead to serious questioning of our faith and of His goodness.

Just in the way that heavy rains can contribute to life as green grass grows the next day, or can cause flooding and destruction, suffering can produce experiences that are beyond our understanding. And this is a conversation that is not often held in the American church and I broach without having all the answers.

So even as that may be true, I don’t believe we are to diminish or disregard opportunities to find beauty in the ashes of suffering. Identifying beauty does not have to negate the severity of the suffering, but rather, it is what gives us the hope to continue to choose life, despite the many stories that end in pain.

Jesus invites us into the discovery of beauty in unlikely places, noting that those who are poor in spirit, meek and persecuted because of righteousness will be blessed. [Matthew 5:3-12]

May we spur one another on toward hope and good deeds, while still holding space for one another’s suffering that has not yet been redeemed. And please, find the courage to seek out trusted loved ones to grapple with this topic. The weighty, muddy concepts of faith are often the most worth wrestling with, and the act of baring our hearts to God and one another can be where we discover the purest revelations.

Psalm 146
Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes,
In mortal men, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
On that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
The Maker of heaven and earth,
The sea, and everything in them—
The Lord, who remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed
And gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free,
The Lord gives sight to the blind,
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the alien
And sustains the fatherless and the widow,
But he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever,
Your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 62:5-8
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
My hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My Salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
Pour out your hearts to him,
For God is our refuge.

About the Author

The “Aha” Moment! | Born Out of Friendship

Britni D'Eliso March 8, 2019

To wrap up our series on “Aha” Moments, I’m inviting you to consider Kris Vallotton’s interpretation of revelation being born out of friendship with God. Let us set down our striving and press into intimate relationship with Jesus, who longs to reveal the deep inner workings of the Father.

Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding, California

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The “Aha” Moment! | Revelation Whispers

Britni D'Eliso February 22, 2019

Eden’s favorite book right now is The Runaway Bunny. For those of you who have cared for small children before, you know that means we are reading it on average about 8-12 times per week. I’m just thankful it’s not one of those Dr. Seuss books with all the made-up words that are impossible to pronounce.

During my 7th or 8th rendition of the book, I began to see an analogy take shape. For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows a young bunny who informs his mother of his plan to run away, disguising himself as a fish, a flower, a rock, etc. With each threat, the mother assures him that she will find a way to catch him in disguise and stay close by his side. She follows the bunny’s imagination and suggests that she can become a fisherman, a gardener, a mountaineer, etc. A published overview of the book notes that the “text provides an emotionally compelling depiction of a small child's first burst of independence and a mother's affirmation of unconditional love.”

Sound familiar?

As the CitySalt blog writers have shared stories of poignant and momentous revelations from God over the past month, it has been refreshing to hear how simple and accessible His methods of communication are. When we find ourselves chasing adventure, hiding in shame, or buried in busyness, he is right beside us.

At eye level.

Meeting us right in the midst.

I love an image of the little bunny growing wings, that appear slightly absurd, in hopes of becoming a bird and flying off into adventure and independence. Meanwhile, the mother stands tall as a “tree to come home to,” knowing the fuzzy, plump little bunny isn’t likely to get very far pretending to be something he’s not. And as she chases the bunny and his dreams, she doesn’t squash or impede them, rather she joins him with a quiet voice of reason and stability, calling him home.

Though God may choose to reveal Himself in grand and outrageous ways, He still often tends to speak in the context of the seemingly mundane. He joins us in the chaos and despair and beauty and awe of life, inviting us to press in closely to hear his heart and find home in Him.

1 Kings 19:11-13
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

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The New Year | Perspective

Britni D'Eliso January 4, 2019

I was listening to a podcast interview earlier this week, and the interviewer asked the guest to share his favorite gift ever received (in light of the holiday season). The guest answered, “perspective.” He went on to describe a story of interacting with a Christian Arab man on a trip to the Middle East, which provided him with a blinding new perspective on peace, suffering and faith.

Gaining new perspectives has become a mile marker of increased maturity for me. I believe it requires courage, wisdom and a certain degree of self-awareness to try on a new perspective, which can often put our own lens at risk of being turned upside down. This dabbles in the territory of vulnerability, as we loosen our grip on what we have known to be true.

And while it presents risk, allowing new perspective also promotes growth. Our capacity for grace and curiosity blooms as we set aside our staunch beliefs and welcome in new colors, new tastes, new ideas. There is limitless beauty to be beheld on this earth, and each expansion of our understandings provides a new glimpse at more beauty.

The holiday season provides the perfect platform for increased perspective as it invites us to pause, reflect, and heighten our senses. We journey down the lane of nostalgia, seeking out the smells and the songs and the sweaters that remind us of the joy of holidays past. We turn to the familiar pages of Matthew and Luke and revisit the sacred story of our Savior coming to earth. And while we pause our daily grind to create space for memories and community, we are poised and ready to invite perspective shift into our lives.

Mike and I have been intentional in this Christmas season to see and experience these Holy Days in all their mystery and mess. We have been inviting in the perspective of the Spirit, to clear out the noise, the chaos of red and green, and the distraction… creating space to see the story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus with new eyes.

My goal for celebrating the New Year is to build on the momentum of this season of pausing to reflect and gaining new perspective, so that it may carry me through the year. I want to be transformed by story, by beauty, and by diversity, to experience the richness of a Holy Spirit perspective. I pray that 2019 is a year of letting go of fixed understandings and weathering the discomfort of new ideas that stretch me.

I invite you to join me in being available to ideas, convictions and values that the Holy Spirit might refine in you. May this next year be one that we allow him to grow our understanding of the breadth of God’s heart and creativity by stepping outside of our norm and welcoming the gift of seeing with His eyes.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Ephesians 1:17-23 (NIV)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

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Spoken Word | What If?

Britni D'Eliso December 28, 2018

As we hold the year 2019 with outstretched arms, let us consider the “what if’s” God may want to expose to us over the next 12 months.

Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Tension | God’s Heart is Big!

Britni D'Eliso November 23, 2018

When I was pregnant with my little girl, I was working as a therapist at the county mental health clinic. At about 7 or 8 months along, I remember sitting with a client who was deeply troubled by depression and losing the fight in finding a reason and a will to continue living. With every question I offered, he fired back another cause for hopelessness or despair.

Eventually, the conversation petered out and we were left sitting with each other in the thick of his grief. It was then that my little Eden Joy started to dance and wiggle in the womb. I shared with him that she was kicking, and together we watched my belly move. The contrast of life and death in that moment was breathtaking. And the stretch of that tension grew my heart to a capacity I didn’t know it was capable of.

What’s even more wild is to consider how big God’s heart is, with all that it holds. It dawned on me once, as I was serving at an orphanage in Senegal, that God’s heart is so big!

He sees every orphaned child, every man and woman curling up on a doorstep to sleep for the night, and every last breath breathed by a child dying too young.

Likewise, God is front and center for every beautiful union formed in marriage, the miraculous conception of every child, and the random acts of kindness that go otherwise unseen.

And his heart can hold it all. It stretches wide enough to hold space for the deepest pains and grandest joys and the breadth of tension in between the two. What a sweet gift to know he has room to hold us closely in his heart as well.

God is sovereignly aware of the coexistence of good and evil on this earth. And as I grapple with how to live in a world that presents daily travesty alongside hope-filled new beginnings, I take comfort in trusting a God who sees and knows.

Though the balance of holding hardship and joy in either hand can cause us to feel unsteady or confused, it’s the very practice of withstanding that tension that strengthens our hold. We can learn to navigate circumstances that seem to be forever unresolved, sit with discomfort, and lean into the God who has come before.

2 Chronicles 16:9a
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

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Tension | New Series Introduction

Britni D'Eliso October 5, 2018

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. -C.S. Lewis

As Christians living in a world that has not yet emerged as the new Kingdom, we are left living our lives in constant tension between what is and what could be. We experience this within our own person, in the Church, and across the globe.

Tension exists between light and dark, healing and broken, tradition and discovery, and so on. And we most often find ourselves trying to bridge the gap, with legs spread wide.

As the City Salt blog ventures into this discussion for our next series, ask the Lord to expose which tensions you may be straddling and how he may bring relief to your tired and bent-out-of-shape hearts.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

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Forgiveness | The Truth About Forgiveness

Britni D'Eliso September 21, 2018

Despite being one of the core virtues of the Christian faith, forgiveness is really not all that simple. As with most concepts that rely heavily on human behaviors, there is a lot of fuzzy, gray areas when it comes to actually defining and acting out forgiveness in a concrete manner. The commandment to forgive others as Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32) can be laced with what ifs…

What if the person who wronged you hasn’t repented?
Does forgiveness ever cross a line into enabling?
What if the person who wronged you is abusive?
Is forgiveness a “one and done” or a daily choice?
Does true forgiveness mean you have to forget?

We all likely have our anecdotal answers to these questions, many of which were learned the hard way. But to be honest, there aren’t many clear cut, definitive solutions in Scripture to the gray areas of forgiveness. And this ambiguity has allowed many church members or leaders to speak up and instruct fellow Christians on how to forgive, but they have done so based on their own perceptions of forgiveness.

Jesus practiced forgiveness in the most extreme way when he chose to take on the pain of all of our sins and wash them clean, dying in our place as he removed the debt we owed for our sins. He had the ability and strength of heart to offer this degree of forgiveness because of his supreme divinity. For us to begin to model our behaviors after the perfect example set by Jesus, we are instructed to draw near to him and allow his Spirit to transform and renew our minds.

Thus forgiveness is a process, birthed out of the journey of becoming more like Jesus.

The challenge for many of us who have grown up in the church is to work out what we have been taught about what forgiveness is and how it’s accomplished, to determine if what we’ve learned lines up with the plumb line of Jesus’ life. I would argue that forgiveness is not something done overnight, it doesn’t require the act of forgetting, it is not always done prior to healing, and it’s very much not black and white. (see more about common myths of forgiveness here: https://relevantmagazine.com/life/9-big-myths-about-forgiveness.

Forgiveness is modeled by Jesus and commanded by the Father, with promised assistance from the Spirit. By pursuing how and when and why to forgive, we are presented with the chance to press in closer to the Trinity and to be refined by the renewing of our minds.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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The next two months of the Salt Blog will provide space to reflect in GRATITUDE and THANKSGIVING. Join the team in pausing for mini-devotionals every other week that focus on giving thanks in the midst of adversity, alongside the mundane, or as we engage in celebration.

As you reflect on the devotionals focused on gratitude over the next month, consider using each post as a prompt to engage in your own experience of giving thanks.

Tell us in the Comment Section* Below what or who you are thankful for today! Let’s encourage each other.

CitySalt Church

Celebrate Goodness

**Tell us in the Comment Section* Below what or who you are thankful for today! Let’s encourage each other.**