YES. You know I'm all in. Your Jesusy-ness is an example and anchor for me. It's handy too, so when I explain where I land on Christianity, I can say "okay, first, do you know Sarah Bessey's work? That. That's the Jesus I'm talking about." 😁
Thank you Sarah. I read this while blinking back tears. I too love Jesus and wonder how it all fits together. Looking forward to learning together with you!
Sarah, your Jesusy-NESS (I love making up words) is the very reason I trust you. Your heart in your writing connects with the Jesus in mine. Thank you and blessings for the writing of this series.
I can relate to wanting to leave Jesus behind and yet I can't do it. This relationship I discovered when I was 18 is still my center at 66. I have evolved over time but I am still a Jesus lover. Thanks Sara for the example you set and share so willingly.
I still love Jesus, too. He is the Realest of real deals. I am so thankful that you write about Him. I think about and share your stories of returning to the gospel stories of Jesus over and over as a source of life and healing and grounding. Wellness? I mean, that's fine, but Jesus is crackling with power so intense even death cannot contain him. Whoo boy! Looking forward to your Jesusy series.
Thank you for this. Your announcement of this series comes at a pivotal time for me; after sticking with the Church against all odds for the past decade, I am no longer convinced that its current expression is a force for good in this world. That said, I don't think that I can simply abandon, forget, or explain away the Spirit of love who I believe I have encountered time and time again throughout my life, and even in the depths of my pain and (ongoing) deconstruction, I keep returning to the thought that the Jesus story rings true. I look forward to your essays.
Re: footnote 4….I remembered you shared this before and I am as baffled now as I was then. I was there **because** y’all were Jesus-y - and getting theobrogians’ knickers in knots! That was the winning combo! Even if you weren’t knotting knickers, I would have been there.
Sarah - I am so excited, grateful & curious to read your future words!! I am in the place you were a while ago - organized religion has left me feeling deeply lonely in a season of personal pain. I am currently not attending church, mostly bc I feel more lonely there than I do at home, but Jesus doesn’t seem to mind meeting me wherever I choose to be ;). While I knew from Bible stories that He has been known to do this I didn’t expect it to be apart of my story. (I actually assumed He’d be mad at me and possibly “send down” some sort of punishment as a result of my choices. 🙃. Anyway, like I said initially, I am looking forward to reading your words. I’m in the middle of reading “Journey Through the Wilderness” and it has been a life line for me in my current season. Thank you, too, for embracing the courage to write those words (and more)! They are life giving for sure!! ☺️
Yes! You wouldn't believe how happy this makes me. I've been feeling so disenchanted with our church, with the sermons, with what we are (not) doing and talking about... It is all so open-ended, so hallmarky-positive without any real content and mostly so Jesus-and-his-teachings-free (my husband will be happy that I'm ranting about this here instead as to him again... just kidding, of course).
I've been wondering about what the entire point of our church and our religion is without Jesus and I can't think about anything. Without Jesus, why bother with the whole thing ?
It's Jesus that I want to know and follow (even though I don't know how to do that most of the time). It's Jesus who I admire and whose wisdom keeps amazing me. I am really looking forward to this series!
I’m in! This is wonderful timing- I’m realizing that I’ve become a bit of a black sheep amongst my circles regarding Christianity and it’s a lonely place. I’ve been meaning to dive into Jesus-y things hoping to give me words to describe where I’m at and how I’m trying to be MORE Christlike.
Sarah your works usually gives me some good words! Thank you!
Your words once again help to give clarity to exactly what it is I am feeling (and fearing), because as my disenchantment has come fully alive and threatens to overwhelm it all, I too am still there hanging on the the hem of his robes, begging for healing. I am so looking forward to this series and walking along with you and the amazing man of Galilee, setting aside all the rest for a time. Thank you, Sarah. So very much.
I've talked myself into shaking off so much from my previous life post-church-trauma... but Jesus just isn't easily shaken. I've been particularly stuck on him & Mary Magdalene & the Samaritan woman in the past few months myself.
Can't wait! I've read your books in a back-to-front order & have just finished Miracles this afternoon. Such a beautiful book. I love how Jesus continues to shine through your writing - it has helped me find a way to hold on to many things & it's so helpful for making connections in places I don't always feel I fully belong anymore.
YES. You know I'm all in. Your Jesusy-ness is an example and anchor for me. It's handy too, so when I explain where I land on Christianity, I can say "okay, first, do you know Sarah Bessey's work? That. That's the Jesus I'm talking about." 😁
Jenna, that is probably one of the best things I've ever received. Thank you so much for that. Good gracious, I'm teary!
Same! Jesus Feminist was like “THIS IS THE JESUS!”
🥰😘❤️
Yes! Same for me!
Thank you Sarah. I read this while blinking back tears. I too love Jesus and wonder how it all fits together. Looking forward to learning together with you!
Sarah, your Jesusy-NESS (I love making up words) is the very reason I trust you. Your heart in your writing connects with the Jesus in mine. Thank you and blessings for the writing of this series.
I can relate to wanting to leave Jesus behind and yet I can't do it. This relationship I discovered when I was 18 is still my center at 66. I have evolved over time but I am still a Jesus lover. Thanks Sara for the example you set and share so willingly.
I like your life description, “Hanging on the hem.” Looking forward to reading your devotions.
Love it too!
I still love Jesus, too. He is the Realest of real deals. I am so thankful that you write about Him. I think about and share your stories of returning to the gospel stories of Jesus over and over as a source of life and healing and grounding. Wellness? I mean, that's fine, but Jesus is crackling with power so intense even death cannot contain him. Whoo boy! Looking forward to your Jesusy series.
Thank you for this. Your announcement of this series comes at a pivotal time for me; after sticking with the Church against all odds for the past decade, I am no longer convinced that its current expression is a force for good in this world. That said, I don't think that I can simply abandon, forget, or explain away the Spirit of love who I believe I have encountered time and time again throughout my life, and even in the depths of my pain and (ongoing) deconstruction, I keep returning to the thought that the Jesus story rings true. I look forward to your essays.
Re: footnote 4….I remembered you shared this before and I am as baffled now as I was then. I was there **because** y’all were Jesus-y - and getting theobrogians’ knickers in knots! That was the winning combo! Even if you weren’t knotting knickers, I would have been there.
Sarah - I am so excited, grateful & curious to read your future words!! I am in the place you were a while ago - organized religion has left me feeling deeply lonely in a season of personal pain. I am currently not attending church, mostly bc I feel more lonely there than I do at home, but Jesus doesn’t seem to mind meeting me wherever I choose to be ;). While I knew from Bible stories that He has been known to do this I didn’t expect it to be apart of my story. (I actually assumed He’d be mad at me and possibly “send down” some sort of punishment as a result of my choices. 🙃. Anyway, like I said initially, I am looking forward to reading your words. I’m in the middle of reading “Journey Through the Wilderness” and it has been a life line for me in my current season. Thank you, too, for embracing the courage to write those words (and more)! They are life giving for sure!! ☺️
Yes! You wouldn't believe how happy this makes me. I've been feeling so disenchanted with our church, with the sermons, with what we are (not) doing and talking about... It is all so open-ended, so hallmarky-positive without any real content and mostly so Jesus-and-his-teachings-free (my husband will be happy that I'm ranting about this here instead as to him again... just kidding, of course).
I've been wondering about what the entire point of our church and our religion is without Jesus and I can't think about anything. Without Jesus, why bother with the whole thing ?
It's Jesus that I want to know and follow (even though I don't know how to do that most of the time). It's Jesus who I admire and whose wisdom keeps amazing me. I am really looking forward to this series!
Yes to this 💯. No coopting Jesus. We need this now more than ever. Not your mascot.
I’m in! This is wonderful timing- I’m realizing that I’ve become a bit of a black sheep amongst my circles regarding Christianity and it’s a lonely place. I’ve been meaning to dive into Jesus-y things hoping to give me words to describe where I’m at and how I’m trying to be MORE Christlike.
Sarah your works usually gives me some good words! Thank you!
Oh I for sure am going to cry at every installment of this. Can’t wait!
Your words once again help to give clarity to exactly what it is I am feeling (and fearing), because as my disenchantment has come fully alive and threatens to overwhelm it all, I too am still there hanging on the the hem of his robes, begging for healing. I am so looking forward to this series and walking along with you and the amazing man of Galilee, setting aside all the rest for a time. Thank you, Sarah. So very much.
Yes, please!
I've talked myself into shaking off so much from my previous life post-church-trauma... but Jesus just isn't easily shaken. I've been particularly stuck on him & Mary Magdalene & the Samaritan woman in the past few months myself.
Looking forward to sitting w/this series.
Can't wait! I've read your books in a back-to-front order & have just finished Miracles this afternoon. Such a beautiful book. I love how Jesus continues to shine through your writing - it has helped me find a way to hold on to many things & it's so helpful for making connections in places I don't always feel I fully belong anymore.