Jennifer Howe, Author at Facets of Faith

Reawakening the Invitation to Dream

10.27.2020 by Jennifer Howe //

This month we’re exploring our relationships to the Persons of the Trinity. While not an easy idea to put into words, we know there is solid biblical evidence for our one God existing in three Persons. Tracy, Jennifer, and Megan shared earlier this month, and you might like to check out what they posted by clicking on their names. The FACETS are excited to introduce our guest this month, Lauren Hansen. We think you’ll enjoy her post.

What did you do this week? I (Lauren) spent the majority of my week participating in Zoomtopia 2020. What’s Zoomtopia, you ask? No, it’s not a giant music festival (although the name kind of sounds like Lollapalooza, doesn’t it?) It’s not dozens of famous musicians on stages with flashing lights and sounds. It’s not a gathering of thousands of screaming fans with their arms up swaying to the music, singing the lyrics to their favorite songs. Zoomtopia 2020 was just me, staring at my computer, watching conference sessions about a product we’ve all come to know and love (love-hate?) over the past seven months — Zoom. Yep, that’s right. Did you know the technology platform, Zoom, hosts an annual virtual conference? I didn’t either until a colleague forwarded me an invite. I decided to hop on because I thought maybe some of these thought leaders could tell me something about what is going on with the world, the workforce, and the future.

And you know what? I left the conference inspired and full of wonder. As CEOs and executives shared different ideas, ways of thinking and new technology, there was a stir in my spirit. “What’s coming, Lord?” I asked, like a kid on Christmas morning. “What are you birthing?”

I believe we’re in an “Industrial Revolution” style time period where things are shifting and innovation is about to blossom like it never has before. Products are being developed as we speak that will change the way we live and work and leaders are at the same time understanding the value of human connection and relationships. I can’t wait to see what is created and cherished in this next decade.

Yet as I think about the future, I can’t help but think about the past.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light. (Genesis 1:1-3 NIV)

God and the Holy Spirit were there in the beginning, and you know who else was there? Jesus. The writer of John says,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:1-4 NIV).

So God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are there in creation, and together they create. They create light and water and land and sky and animals and us. As the Holy Spirit hovers, God speaks the Word, and something is birthed out of nothing. I never realized this before, but all three were present, and they all had a part in creation. And that’s still how it works today.

Yes, that’s right. Things are still being created today and they happen just like they did in Genesis. If you could see me right now, I am jumping out of my seat with excitement. I wish my words could adequately express what this means for us. I’ll try my best. Ready to go on an adventure?!

So you and I are created in God’s image, and when we decide to follow Jesus, the Bible says that he dwells in us. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul asks the Corinthian believers a question, “Or do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?” Colossians says that “Christ in you is the hope of glory” (1:27 NIV). When we decide to follow Jesus, we are also given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like winning the lottery on steroids because he connects us to Jesus, connects us to the Father, AND gives us all these special gifts just because the Father loves us.

As we grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, he transforms us from the inside out. He helps us realize how loved we are, and he helps us understand our identity and how the Father specifically wired us and he reveals our purpose. An aspect of our purpose is to partner with the Holy Spirit to create and to bring God’s Kingdom to the earth. One of the ways he does this is by partnering with our imagination, our hopes, and our dreams.

The chair you’re sitting on or the phone you’re reading from or the pretzels that you’re snacking on were all a part of someone’s imagination at one point. Someone thought, “You know, it would be helpful to create something out of wood that could hold my body so I could rest.” Someone else thought, “It would be nice to be able to communicate 24/7.” Even in this season, neighborhoods came together and thought, “How can we be sure that kids who are not physically in school still get lunch?” and created bus-stop feeding programs and food pantries.

There is a beautiful invitation in this season to dream again. What gives you hope? What angers you? What do you wish were different? How would you like education to look? How would you like family to look? What would you change? What sets your heart ablaze? I bet there are some things on God’s heart in this season, too. What does it look like for his Kingdom to come on earth? What does he care about most? What solutions does he have for the challenges we’re facing?

I’ve been fascinated in this season with God’s ways — why he does things the way he does them and how he set things up to work. In Genesis 1 and all throughout the Gospels, he shows us the way to create. The Holy Spirit hovers, God speaks the Word, and something is created out of nothing. Today, as we grow in our relationship with God and invite the Holy Spirit in our hearts; he hovers over us. As he hovers, Jesus (the Word) is inside of us, and when we speak things are created out of nothing. That is how broken arms are healed and blind eyes see. That is how the dreams in our imagination are birthed. That is how Zoomtopia is created (haha).

In all seriousness, our words combined with the Holy Spirit’s presence as we speak the heart of God have the capacity to create the impossible. In the tenderness of God’s nature, instead of creating everything himself, he invites us into the process. He always wants to do life with us.

This is going to be a marvelous season in your life. Right now, I ask the Holy Spirit to flood your heart and soul with hope for the future. I ask him to fill your mind with pictures and dreams — even dreams that were once lost. I ask him to give you a tangible sense of his presence with you and ask him to remind you that you will go forward together. You will create together. And it will be fun. Ephesians 3:20 says,

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!” [Emphasis added.]

Welcome to the season of more than all you can ask or imagine. It’s here. It’s for you, and it’s going to be beautiful.

Visit Lauren’s blog HERE.

Knowing and Growing with God: God in Us

10.13.2020 by Jennifer Howe //

Hello! This month a FACET shares what’s happening here as we talk about knowing and growing with God:

As we start to dig into the Persons of God this month, we wanted to preface with a bit about what we believe. We believe in one God who exists in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are three individual Persons of one magnificent God. There are numerous scriptures throughout the New Testament that reference the three Persons of God individually, and together, giving us glimpses of the personality and characteristics of God. If you wrestle with the thought of one God in three Persons, we encourage you to lean in, pray, and ask God to further reveal Himself. We pray you find comfort in the greatness and vastness of our God, knowing we will forever have more to learn about Him.

Once upon a time…

I (Jennifer) put God in a box. He seemed, like the wind, invisible. In my ignorance, I assumed the situation was like Shrödinger’s cat: He was there, but I could never be sure if He was alive or dead. (Forgive me, Father!) I couldn’t be sure of what He might or might not do…or what He definitely wouldn’t do. My rebel heart was on a rampage.

Every so often it’s still tempting to throw a little tantrum when I can’t see what He’s doing, when I don’t know which way to go in the silence, when I can’t be sure He’s working in the way I’d like. (Key words: the way I’d like!)

The real truth is: this was nothing my Abba Father couldn’t handle or lead me through, and He graciously and mercifully did!

There was Someone I didn’t know…

I wasn’t reading enough of the Bible or looking very closely at the evidence surrounding me. It was the perfect setup for a setback in what should have been an intimate relationship with my God. How I calibrated “truth” in my life and heart mattered. A person’s version of truth and reality comes from somewhere; mine was a lot “loosey-goosey.”

Who is He?

When the conversation revolves around God, only ultimate truth will do. And His identity—Father, Son, and Spirit—that’s where His holiness, bigness, and otherness leaves me (and you?) speechless. Since it’s impossible to use my limited language and experience to express His identity with specific clarity, I know better than to try, I suppose. For simplicity, I want to think about the Person of God who has been my heart’s longing to know more and more intimately: His Holy Spirit.

Spirit of God…

The Spirit! I grew up reading ‘Holy Ghost’ in my Bible. Not a wrong translation necessarily, of course, but I’ve always had a certain mindset in connection with “ghost” because I lived through the extremes of the cultural conversation about spiritual things: Casper the Friendly Ghost and Poltergeist. It’s not surprising the culture holds mistaken ideas about His identity. What a challenging way to think about spiritual things and, ultimately, the Person of God!

God in us…

We have been given an incredible gift! Father God has always been for us; Jesus, Immanuel, is God with us; and Holy Spirit is God filling us. Please know there is little I can say here that is pinpoint accurate. I’m humbled with every word I try to put on the page.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:9 ESV

For me, silence falls on those words.

The gift of Him and assurance…

Not only does every believer receive the presence of the Person of God, Holy Spirit, as a definite seal of belonging to God.

1 …I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12 ESV

A sure sign of life in Christ! We cannot speak truth, or perhaps even desire godly things, without the beautiful activity of His Spirit. Thank you, God, that You never wanted any of us to die apart from You (Matthew 18:14) and gifted us Your Spirit! Thank you, Spirit of mercy!

As if He were not enough…

In humility I come to these words and sit with them. Really—as if HE were not enough, He generously fills us with truth, wisdom, strength, and integrity we couldn’t even attempt to muster up!

For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.
Philippians 2:13 HCSB

And that’s why it has to be His truth, love, and power. Ours is flawed and weak in comparison. By His strength…

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… 11 All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12

Galatians 5:22-26 (fruit) and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (gifts) reveal how a believer is equipped. A range of gifts are given in order to glorify God and bless others. How generous is our God!

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 2 Peter 1:3 ESV

“All we need for life and godliness”…that’s what some translations say. Thank goodness! It’s the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that makes that happen.

A prayer…

I would love to pray for both of us, friend, if you’ll have it:

I’m asking You, Spirit, to do this very thing: work in us! Grant us fresh mercy.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. — Psalm 51:1-2, Psalm 51:10-12

Enable us to desire and do the will of God, which is “good and perfect and pleasing” (Romans 12:1-2). We know Your goodness, love, and holiness; and we are getting to know the things You will do! Holy Spirit, we want to be intimately knowing and growing with YOU! Help us lean into the Word of God instead of others’ takes on what the Bible says.

Neither by our human strength nor our measly power, ‘but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts’ (Zechariah 4:6).

“By my Spirit,” says the Lord. It’s a good word!

Thanks for reading, friend. Be blessed as you go today! Should you choose to share this with a friend, I’d be humbled.

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Let’s Be Real: I Gotta Be Me!

09.10.2020 by Jennifer Howe //

Hello friend, welcome to FACETS of Faith! We’re so glad you popped in to see what’s happening this month. As usual, the team kicks around the deeper, more personal thoughts from several perspectives. Have you ever wondered if it’s safe to be really you in your relationships or the people in your world? Yeah, we sometimes wonder the same thing! This week, I gotta be me. Come back for thoughts from Tracy, Megan, and our special guest.

It’s time I (Jennifer) let you in on a little secret: I’ve got skillz, with a Z. In 2015 I knew it, and the other Facets knew it, too. My top writerly skill just might be—writing myself out of a piece. I tried leaning in years ago, and I’m still trying. So, this is me being honest and vulnerable; you are free to embrace it, engage, or make a quick exit stage left. FACETS was intended to be a safe space for each of us to be unique and genuine! If I’m going to be really me, I hope you’ll be authentically you.

The most excruciating thing to happen to me was that a best friend moved away. Black, mascara-tainted tears ran down my face. I “ugly-cried” for hours. I couldn’t imagine life without her. I was pretty sure I’d die. (It was junior high, after all.)

Relationship is Connection

Once upon a time I was fine with chit-chat involving the weather; a few happy, sound-bite quips; and a slow, casual swim in the relational shallow end. I wasn’t the only one. Everybody was doing it! Until they weren’t.

If you and I chatted over coffee long enough, the casual conversation would eventually turn and take a dive below the surface, but that’s new. I don’t think I “settle” in relationships anymore.

Each woman I know is unique, and our point of connection is, too. One friend was willing to be my first Christian friend, and she shared her time, wisdom, and her home. Another friend shared her story, and it changed my life. One woman was so generous with her time, we talked almost daily for years. One relationship taught me about relationship, and I’m so grateful!

These women set a high bar for relational connection, vulnerability, and personal integrity. I want to be like them when I grow up. Each one was a safe place for me to land; I hope to be a safe place for others.

Connection Without a Safety Net

Vulnerability is risky. A safety net just seems smart and feels good. The highlight reel is the net because it matches the social media story. Life is easy when the story and the persona remain consistent and shallow.

It gets complicated when Mount Laundrymore erupts in relationships. I believed no one needed my dirty laundry lava—the trauma I lived through, the horrible choices in my twenties, the fights with family members, the swear words I dropped as word weapons when I lost control, my personal and professional failures, the words I bled all over the keyboard that were never read, the meltdown I had in the church lobby over the weekend…

Am I the Real Deal?

It’s all true up there, but those stories aren’t for everyone. And my whole life isn’t just “dirty laundry” either. Who I genuinely am shouldn’t be locked away in a secret place, but isn’t for every human I meet. I think of relationships as dots plotted on a target with a bullseye in the center. Acquaintances are placed in the outer rings, friends and family land in the smaller rings, and then there’s the inner circle.

Truth is, authenticity and integrity beg for the same Jen to connect with everyone at all the levels, but I think long and hard about who I’ll share deeply, genuinely, and generously with. Not everyone should know all of me, but a select few should know the good, bad, and ugly of me.

BFFs?

Is “best friends forever” a thing? My junior high and high school yearbooks say so. Only a handful of friendships have continued to this stage of life, and I’m not sure we’d say we’re BFFs.

I look at friendship differently than I did. Deep, genuine connection is the most important thing now, and that’s becoming rare these days. My closest friends share something special. A forever friend shares a relationship built on something that really does last forever. Frankly, that’s a relationship rooted in Jesus. (I told you I was going to be authentically me.)

Rhyme, Reason, or for a Season?

I can and do have a variety of relationships. Goodness, my friends share common activities, interests, professional skills, hobbies, and even friends! I have very few lifetime friends; those are probably called sisters. I have many friends I realized I needed in my life for a reason. And there are just too many heading off into the distance these days. I think I’ve decided I hate the idea of connection “for a season.”

Disconnection

My friends are sometimes only two-thirds of three dimensions. Little screen faces are hard for me to connect with, to feel safe with. I don’t know why, really. There’s a disconnect.

Harder still, close friends are leaving me! Ladies I’ve laughed, cried, and done sweet ministry with are moving away. A coffee date, an awkward text, or a social media share drops the bomb. It really doesn’t matter how I find out, it’s painful. If the connection feels close, but the reveal is impersonal, it’s excruciating.

People move. It’s what we do. Few people stay in the same place their whole lives. Fewer remain at the same church. What are the chances we’ll stay deeply-connected friends?

Connection is a Choice

Technology is in our favor, they say. It can be like a move never happened, they say. I’m not totally convinced. BUT you and I can choose to leverage all the ways to connect, and we can do it well. Everyone needs love, encouragement, and support, and we can use technology in ten different ways to offer those things. We can also schedule a lunch date, go for a walk, or meet for coffee. The common thread? One person talks to another person, and the conversation leads to relational connection that works for those two people.

It’s a choice to ask, and a choice to accept. It’s a choice to be authentic, genuine, and generous. Am I willing to be vulnerable, pick up the phone, open my laptop, or walk over to my good friend’s (masked) face and say, “Hey! I’ve got time. We need to connect—deeply and for real!”

Thanks for dropping by and hanging with me. Are you wrestling with connection in a social-distanced, fractured world? How are you managing? I’d love to read your thoughts below.

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