Let's Keep Talking

To my friends,

I don’t care what your worldview is. Well, I do in the sense that I long for everyone to know Jesus, because He’s given me hope, life, and a future. I share the gospel because I believe Christ is the only remedy for the darkness in this world and for the sin and hate in our hearts. In that sense, yes, I want to stand up, share the truth, and encourage you to believe as I do… because I’ve experienced the power of God who raised Jesus from the dead.

But when it comes to friendship, you don’t have to believe what I believe politically or spiritually for us to love and respect one another. Since when has that been a requirement for relationship? Some of my dearest friends hold very different views, and I treasure those relationships. Honestly, in some ways our friendships are deeper because we can discuss and even debate hard things with love and respect.

Recently I shared a post saying Christ is the only answer to what’s happening in our country. Another Christian responded with “all lives matter.” Of course they do. I was troubled that my post could be taken as suggesting otherwise. That’s not my heart. Every life is valuable, and there is no place for hatred, dismissal, or devaluing one another… especially among believers.

As a wife and mama, I often feel fear when my guys walk out the door. This past year especially... And yes, I’m conservative politically, but that doesn’t mean I believe everything assumed of me, or blindly follow any party leader. I hope none of us are so simple-minded. Healthy conversations about real solutions matter.

I was deeply saddened by Charlie Kirk’s death, just as I am by every senseless death. Even if someone doesn’t share my beliefs, their life still has value. To see someone killed for debating and exercising free speech is devastating. My husband and I are both very passionate about the power of words and good communication, and it grieves me to see how quickly context gets lost… how easily people are misrepresented, pulling little sentences completely out of context. Critical thinking seems to be rapidly fading.

What has always been beautiful about America is the ability to have lively, respectful debate. If this post confuses or upsets you, I’d love to talk - face to face, not through angry comments. Let’s sit over coffee or a beer, and share, laugh, and wrestle through ideas together. That’s the kind of dialogue Charlie was trying to protect.

I’ll admit that I’ve often kept quiet because of fear. But I don’t want to live that way, and I don’t want you to either. Whatever your perspective, you should feel free to speak with courage and respect.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭- Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬-‭39‬ ‭

Love y’all.

Jesus is the only answer. Let’s keep talking.