... and joy comes in the morning

A Modern Interpretation of Esther

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:11:27 -0500

I wrote this while I was in the Dominican Republic last summer. It was written as a skit that would be performed at a girls’ camp. It’s an illustration to help the girls understand true beauty.

Before the program, each girl is given a piece of paper that looks like pesos.

Micaela — Mordecai

Elisa — Esther

Bethania – King Xerxes

Jessina – Haman

Cara – Queen Vashti

Ana — Eunuch

SCENE 1:

NARRATOR: Bethania was born to a wealthy family. Her parents were married. She liked to throw lots of big parties and invite lots of people.

Scene begins with Bethania and her parents center-stage looking very happy.

NARRATOR: One day, Bethania was throwing a party. She invited her best friend Cara, who was very pretty. She wanted to make all her guests jealous, and wish they had a friend as beautiful as Cara. But Cara could not come to the party because she had to help her mom at home. Bethania got very angry. She told Jessina and some other girls that, if they wanted to go to the party, they had to go tell Cara that Bethania did not want to be her friend any more.

Happy music plays in the background, group of girls and Bethania are playing jump rope or Frisbee or dancing.

Bethania motions to Jessina. Jessina walks over. The two girls talk in the foreground.

BETHANIA: Jessina, why is Cara not here? Do you know if she got my invitation?

JESSINA: She had to help her mother at home today.

BETHANIA: But she is my best friend! She can’t just not come to my parties! Go to her house and tell her that she is no longer my friend!

Bethania leaves the stage. Jessina and the other girls from the party stay on stage. The girls huddle together and the audience can hear them whispering. Together they run off stage.

A few moments later, they enter the stage again, and knock on Cara’s door. Cara opens the door.

JESSINA: Cara, you and Bethania are not best friends any more. Never go to her house ever again!

Cara runs off stage crying.

NARRATOR: In order to find a new best friend, Bethania told Jessina that if she wanted to be her friend, she needed to go out and find the prettiest girls in the neighborhood and bring them back to Bethania’s house. Before entering Bethania’s house, these girls had to get dressed up and put on makeup and wear fancy clothes and jewelry to make themselves presentable to Bethania. If Bethania found them presentable, then they could stay and play.

BETHANIA: Jessina, go find me a new best friend. My new best friend has to be very beautiful. If you do this for me, I will let you be friends with me.

Jessina and the other girls go out and grab other team members and bring them on stage. Jessina and the other girls start handing fancy dresses and jewelry to the girls. The girls start putting on ridiculous amounts of makeup (blue eyeshadow, red lips, bright pink blush), and donning skimpy clothes and sparkly jewelry. One by one, they go up to Bethania to ask her to play with them. Bethania looks at each of them with disgust and turns them away.

SCENE 2:

NARRATOR: One of the girls that was brought to Bethania’s house was named Elisa. Elisa was 8 years old. Elisa was an orphan.

Elisa is standing center stage and waving at the audience.

NARRATOR: Her best friend, Micaela was a few years older, but also an orphan.

Micaela walks to center stage and stands next to Elisa. They link arms.

NARRATOR: Both of their mothers were prostitutes. When Elisa’s mom got sick and died, Micaela took her in and they lived as sisters. They were very poor, but they managed to survive by selling candy in the street.

Elisa and Micaela go to each girl in the audience, and trade a piece of candy for the piece of paper given to them before the drama began. This is to simulate the selling of candy on the street.

NARRATOR: When Elisa arrived at Bethania’s house, she asked one of Bethania’s new friends (Ana) what she should wear and how she should wear her makeup. Ana, like everyone else who met Elisa, liked Elisa a lot because she is always nice to everyone she meets.So, Ana suggested a simple dress, just a little bit of makeup, and a simple necklace.

Ana helps Elisa get dressed and put on a normal amount of makeup.

NARRATOR: Elisa went in to Bethania’s house, and Bethania thought she was so beautiful that she immediately decided Elisa was her new best friend.

BETHANIA: Wow, you are pretty! Let’s play!

NARRATOR: Micaela followed Elisa to Bethania’s house to keep watch over her and make sure she was safe.

Micaela slowly crawls onto the stage, creeping behind Bethania and Elisa, making sure not to be seen. She sits down on the corner of the stage.

Bethania and Elisa stand on the other side of the stage, talking and playing.

NARRATOR: Jessina and the other girls found Micaela sitting outside the gate to Bethania’s house.

Jessina and the other girls walk on to the scene. One of them “trips” over Micaela. Disgusted, she looks at her.

JESSINA: What are you doing here? We didn’t invite you!

MICAELA: I know, but I had to follow Elisa. She is all I have, and I had to make sure she was safe. I already lost both my parents. I cannot lose her, too.

Jessina and the other girls laugh hysterically. They point at her and laugh. They are all acting very maliciously and like bullies.

JESSINA: Ha! You’re an orphan?! That’s ridiculous! If your parents didn’t want you, why would we want you here?! Go home, orphan! And sleep with one eye open, because we are coming to teach you a lesson!

Micaela turns and runs off stage, looking very scared.

JESSINA: (shouting after Micaela) And tell all the other orphans to watch their backs, too! We are coming!

All the bullies turn to the audience, looking very menacing.

SCENE 3:

Elisa and Ana are center stage, talking quietly.

ELISA: I am worried about my friend Micaela. She and I go everywhere together because we are like sisters. I should not have come here without her. I hope she is okay.

ANA: Don’t worry. I will go and check on her to make sure everything is alright. I would do anything for you, my friend.

Elisa and Ana both walk off stage. They are talking amongst themselves.

NARRATOR: Elisa told Ana where she and Micaela lived, and Ana walked to their house to check on Micaela. She knocked on the door, and was surprised to find Micaela in distress.

Elisa walks back on stage. Micaela is standing in the corner, just off stage. Elisa knocks on her door. Micaela answers. She looks very upset.

ANA: Micaela! What is wrong? Don’t worry about Elisa. She is alright.

MICAELA: I am very scared because your friend Jessina threatened me. And she threatened all the other poor, orphaned children in this town. You must go warn Elisa that she, too, is in danger because she also is an orphan. Just because she is friends with Bethania does not mean that Jessina and the other bullies will not hurt her.

Micaela and Ana both leave the stage.

NARRATOR: Ana ran back to Bethania’s house to tell Elisa what she had learned.

Elisa is center stage. Ana runs back on stage. She whispers in Elisa’s ear and Elisa looks very worried.

NARRATOR: Elisa was afraid to tell Bethania about Jessina’s threat because she didn’t want Jessina to find out that she, too, was an orphan. But, Elisa decided that she would tell Bethania in the hopes that Bethania would protect her and all the other poor, orphaned children in town.

ELISA: I must go tell Bethania what is going on. I have to protect my friends! If I get beaten up or if Bethania laughs at me and doesn’t want to be my friend any more, at least I will know that I tried. But, I must come up with a plan, first.

Elisa walks off stage, looking very thoughtful.

NARRATOR: Elisa asked Bethania and Jessina to come outside and play with her. Bethania and Jessina agreed to come outside and play. Jessina felt very proud that Elisa had invited only her and Bethania to play.

Elisa, Bethania and Jessina are playing on stage.

BETHANIA: Elisa, I promise you that if you ever need anything, I will do anything in my power to make sure you get it.

ELISA: There is something I need to tell you, Bethania. Jessina and some of your other friends have threatened to beat up all of the orphaned children in our neighborhood. And I and my friend Micaela, who is like my sister, are both orphans.

BETHANIA: Jessina, why would you do something like that? Elisa is my friend, and anyone who is her friend is my friend. I don’t ever want to see you again!

Jessina walks off stage, stomping her feet and looking very angry.

NARRATOR: From this day forward, Bethania, Elisa, and Micaela were all best friends. Every child in this town came to realize that discriminating against someone for being poor, not having parents, or for any other reason was not acceptable. And they learned all of this because Elisa, who was beautiful on the outside, had the courage to also be beautiful on the inside and stand up for what is right.

Bethania, Elisa, and Micaela exit stage, linked arms and skipping.

Can We Really Call Ourselves Followers of Christ if We Don't Take Care of the Widows and Orphans?

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:42:27 -0500

This year, I spent New Year’s Day traveling in a van full of other college-aged students to Atlanta to attend the Passion Conference. It’s the largest gathering of Christians anywhere – there were 50,000 of us! It’s a week full of being immersed in God’s word and being in constant communication with Him. The focus of the conference was on ending human trafficking, but there was a smaller focus of the conference that was dedicated to serving the homeless people of Atlanta.

Every morning and evening, we would get to worship God with some of the most popular Christian music artists. And then we got to hear some of the most dynamic and popular preachers speak about human suffering and our brokenness and what it means to serve one another as brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world. Then, after each morning and evening session, they would send us all on our way – all 50,000 of us, all at once – to go to the groups that we had been assigned to, where we would then study God’s word and talk about the things God had taught us that day.

To me, it was one of the best and most challenging weeks I’ve had in a long time, but it also felt very rushed. Like, I was constantly trying to get somewhere and couldn’t get there fast enough. And it was so easy for me to get focused on what I was trying to do or where I was trying to go, that I often didn’t stop to think about what was going on around me. I just wanted to get out of the crowd and get where I needed to be. And most of the time, that was okay, I guess. But, one night, we were on our way to our groups after the evening session, and it was COLD. I remember I had my head down and my hands shoved in my pockets and I was walking as fast as I could without running into people. About halfway there, I walked down a flight of steps, and I heard a voice, calling out. I looked around to see where it was coming from. Through the crowd of people, I saw a woman, sitting on the ground. She was wrapped in blankets and holding a child, and another child sat huddled next to her. And I heard her say, “Please help us. We don’t have anywhere to sleep tonight. Please help us.” And I kept walking. I don’t know why. I could have stopped to help them. I didn’t have much, but I did have a little bit of cash in my wallet and some snacks in my backpack. But I didn’t stop. Because I had somewhere to be.

At a conference about healing the broken and serving the un-served and reaching the homeless and the hurting, I ignored the homeless woman and her children. I put my head down and continued on my way. At the time, it felt more important that I get to my group so that I could talk about serving my brothers and sisters in Christ instead of actually doing it.

How much more of a testimony would I have if I had stopped to help that woman? What kinds of things would people say about the God that I serve had I stopped to help her? And what kinds of things are people saying – or not saying – about our God because I failed to help that woman when I had the means to do so?

Here in Niceville, we may not have very many homeless people who need our help. We don’t exactly have homeless people camped out on the side of John Sims begging drivers for some spare change. But we all know people who have needs. Not just spiritual needs, but actual, physical needs. Everybody in this room knows somebody who is poor in spirit, or somebody who just needs a little helping hand every now and then. There are kids at school who can’t pay for lunch every day. There are kids at school who just really need someone to notice them and be their friend. There are people at the Nursing homes who never get to talk to anybody. There are people who need to know that somebody thinks they are important and worthwhile. There are people everywhere who need to see a practical representation of God’s love for them. Who is supposed to care for these people? I mean, who has time for that?

o James 1:27 — Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

o Proverbs 21:13 — Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

o Proverbs 22:2 — Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.

What would it look like if you looked for opportunities to truly care for somebody else? What if you cared more about taking care of people’s needs than protecting your reputations? How powerful could that be?

We all see people every day who need help. Maybe they need a hand with something. Maybe they need a favor. Maybe they need someone to eat lunch with them. This week, I have a mission for you. I want you to find somebody who really needs to see the work of God, and I want you to help them. It doesn’t have to be anything big and fancy. Look at yourself and what you have available, and try to see how you can use that to help somebody else. Maybe that means helping a friend understand their math homework. Maybe that means bringing an extra sandwich at lunch. Maybe that means inviting a friend over for dinner. Or maybe it’s something else.

What could happen if all of us did that? What if we all took a moment out of our lives to actually look at other people and see what they truly need? How many people do you think would want to follow the God that we serve if we actually practiced what we preach?

I'm coming up with a list of questions that I am going to send out to various missionaries I know from around the world (as well as some I don't know), and I thought I'd share these questions with you guys. Some of these questions may not apply to you, but if you could help me out in whatever way you can, that would be amaaaaaazing. :)

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:21:57 -0500

ashmariie:

I know that I’m interested in doing missions in some capacity, but I don’t know that my ministry would necessarily look any ministry I’ve ever seen. And that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ministry out there that is like what I want, I just haven’t seen it. I don’t know exactly who my ministry would serve. I don’t even know if my ministry would be overseas or here in the states. All I really know is that I love people. I’m in the process of trying to figure out how to do ministry in such a way that I would be able to serve the people I am truly passionate about serving, and what that would end up looking like.

As a pastor, how do you separate your personal growth from work?

How does being a pastor affect your marriage and home life? Or does it?

When you write a sermon, where do you start? After you have the idea, where do you actually start writing?

Do you actually enjoy preaching, or is it kind of just something that comes with the territory?

I’m in the process of writing my first sermon, and I’m kind of stuck. It’s a little discouraging. When you first started preaching, how hard was it for you to actually write a sermon?

What are the things I should be prepared for going into ministry with a spouse?

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since being in ministry?

Do you have any books on ministry (or anything, really) that you’d recommend for me to read?

What is the biggest surprise about ministry that you have found out and wish you would have known before entering ministry?

To you, what is the biggest reward in ministry?

What is the most challenging thing about ministry for you?

When you look at the Church as a whole and the ministries the Church provides around the world, what are the missed ministry opportunities that you see?

Is there something you are passionate about that the structure of your ministry does not allow you to do?

What are some of my personal strengths you’ve observed that you think would help me with ministry? What are my weaknesses?

Some people in ministry have a heart for a specific place or a specific people, but I don’t. I keep waiting on God to show me exactly what He wants me to be doing and where He wants me to be, but as time goes by, I just fall more and more in love with all people, everywhere. I don’t see how I could ever possibly pick. When you first started out in ministry, how did you figure out exactly what you wanted to be doing and where you wanted to be?

HELP???

ashmariie: Can someone make me one of these today? That would...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:26:10 -0500

ashmariie:

Can someone make me one of these today? That would be lovely. :)

hahahahaha 17 notes in under an hour? That’s definitely a first for me. lol

ashmariie: enditmovement

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:01:30 -0600

ashmariie:

enditmovement

Taking a 1 day break from social media.

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:41:02 -0600

116boy:

This is why:

Tomorrow, we disappear for the day from social media, in honor of the 27 million who've disappeared because of slavery. #enditmovement

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:36:00 -0600

"I don’t care one tiny bit about where Tim Tebow does and does not speak. But when I hear about a..."

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:52:37 -0600

“I don’t care one tiny bit about where Tim Tebow does and does not speak. But when I hear about a church spending $130 Million on a building campaign, I get pissed off. That is money stolen from poor and homeless people, from hungry children unable to eat day-to-day, from programs that would have helped people survive. That is money stolen opportunities to stop God knows how many abortions, not by political campaigns but by caring for the impoverished mothers-to-be so desperate that abortion was the only way. And for what? Leather seats for the large dollar contributors while many families within the community have no furniture at all to sit or sleep on? Even get some designating seating, like box seats for folks who pay a little more? Numerous wide-screen TVs to read the songs lauding how much you love the Jesus who told you to give it all up and take care of the poor, the widows, the sick, and the imprisoned? A large fountain that pumps a massive number of gallons of water when people have no clean water to drink?”

- First Baptist Dallas (via azspot)

Letter to a Short-Term Missionary by: Bob Lupton

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:13:00 -0600

Letter to a Short-Term Missionary by: Bob Lupton:

My childhood church was big on revival. We prayed fervently every Sunday for another “great awakening.” To a six-year-old whose reality was defined by his parents’ beliefs, it was clear to me a revival was the only thing that would save us from impending doom. How do you start a revival? I innocently inquired. Prayer, lots of prayer, and obedience, my mother counseled me. Do whatever God asks of us, she said.

Six-year-old minds are very active. What could I do to help start a revival and save our land? Then I had an idea. What if I offered God my burgeoning harmonica skills? Could God use that to start a revival? I asked my mother. She said it was a wonderful idea, that God could use any gift offered to accomplish his purposes. My sister smirked.

Sixty-two years later, I still believe what my mother told me—at least the part about God using any gift offered to accomplish his purposes. And another conviction remains: the belief that everyone, including six-year-olds, has an innate desire to make a difference in the world.

That’s why people—especially young people—sign up for mission trips. And because we know this, we play to this desire in our recruitment appeals. “You can save the world” is the alluring message. It has enormous heart-appeal. But can mission trips deliver on those promises? Are we actually changing the world with these short-term trips?

Our desire is to develop inspired and inspiring young leaders, not disillusioned ones. It is certainly important for young people (of all ages) to believe deeply that they can make a difference in their world. It’s important for them to know that in God’s economy every act of love counts—every smile, every kind word, every thoughtful deed. “God can use any gift offered to accomplish his purposes.” But it’s also important for them to understand how helping can sometimes hurt. Passing out T-shirts and candy to excited village children may seem like pure loving kindness until volunteers learn how the village elders feel about these gifts—that they only encourage a culture of beggary. Eager to serve, short-term mission teams innocently offer to do things for others, not realizing they have wounded the pride and dignity of people who have more than adequate capability to do it for themselves.

I just wanted to nap...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:36:39 -0600

rewindtoinnocence:

Then the Lord had to go a put stuff on my heart, so lets talk about Prayer.

Read More

wewontbequiet: God loves you. Remember that. At your weakest, He is strongest. This isn’t hopeless,...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:32:02 -0600

wewontbequiet:

God loves you. Remember that. At your weakest, He is strongest. This isn’t hopeless, beloved; you serve the one true God, the One who holds all power in His hands. You are not alone. You have a purpose. Just don’t give up.

Keep your eyes on Christ and know that healing will come.

I think some people might need to read these words today.

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:33:00 -0600

I just wrote a letter to Noah. He’s not having a very splendid time lately. And, save for a few edits, I felt like this letter needed to be shared with a few other people, too. So, here you go.

Hi friend!

So, I hear that you’ve been having a rough time lately. I know how much that can really suck. And I know how easy it can be to feel like your life is insignificant and unimportant, but that is so far from the truth. I know that I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but please believe me when I say that you are incredibly important to me. I care what happens to you. I care about whether or not you are having a good day or a bad day. I care about your future. I care that you have a future. Because, friend, you deserve a future. You deserve the best future.

Sometimes life really, really sucks. And sometimes life hurts. It kicks us and tramples us until we feel like we can’t possibly get up again. But, that’s why God has given us people like [insert significant person in your life here]. They will always be there to help you up, dust you off, and hold you up until you can stand on your own again. And you will stand on your own again someday. And then you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come and how strong you are.

Life is rough sometimes. But, in all the rough times, there is so much beauty, too. You might have to look for it, but it’s there. If you search hard enough, you’ll find it. Don’t ever stop searching.

Find the beauty in life.

Give yourself a fighting chance.

You deserve it, kid.

With all the love, hugs, and prayers in the world,

Ashley

P.S. I love you. A whole bunch of other people love you, too (I guarantee it). Now it’s your turn to love yourself.

Worthless Lies

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:55:00 -0600

Oh, girl.

You’re beautiful.

Stunning.

Drop dead gorgeous.

Why can’t you see it?

All you see is imperfection

when you sneer for hours

at your reflection.

But I want you to know:

That’s just an infection

of perception

because,

the truth is,

the God of the Universe,

the image of perfection,

thinks you are

absolutely lovely and

wants to give you

all His affections.

He wants to shower you

with love

and adoration.

But you only have

objections.

He wants you to be

His bride.

His beloved.

Dressed in white.

And He loves you so

desperately.

Eternally.

Irrevocably.

He has done

the unfathomable

so that you can receive

the unattainable.

But.

You denied it.

Because despite the fragrant aroma,

You despise it.

To receive the unattainable

is painful,

and so you’d rather

improvise

and continue with the

lies

than to admit

The Truth and abide in it.

But you can decide

not to believe the lies.

The ones that Satan implies

time after time

when he whispers

in your ears

confirming all your fears

telling you again

and again

that you are worthless

worth-less

unless

you weigh-less

wear-less

or have less

convictions

inhibitions

about committing sins,

you know the kind.

You can decide to listen instead

to the King of Kings who wears

a crown of thrones upon His head,

for He has died

but is no longer dead.

He was denied

by those He came to save.

Crucified.

And sent to the grave.

His message is one of truth,

the only one you can find

that will not wind

entwined

around your neck,

choke the life from you,

and steal your last breath.

It will revive you.

Supply you

with precious air to breathe

and water to drink.

He will

always

adore you.

Restore you.

Pay the price for you.

Because

girl, He loves you.

And He thinks that

you’re beautiful.

Stunning.

Drop dead gorgeous.

settheworld-onfire-forhim: latenights-and-oldguitars: Do you think God ever gets sad? Like, “What...

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:05:15 -0600

settheworld-onfire-forhim:

latenights-and-oldguitars:

Do you think God ever gets sad? Like, “What do you mean, you don’t love yourself? I worked so hard on you….”

This hit really hard. Hadn’t really put it into that perspective.

Wonderfully and Fearfully made. <3

Oh

Not only did He spend a lot of time and effort on each and every one of us, but we are all made IN HIS IMAGE. So, if we love Him, shouldn’t we, by association, love ourselves too?

Photo

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:56:44 -0600

thesaviour-myhome: woooooooooooooooo!

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:06:41 -0600

thesaviour-myhome:

woooooooooooooooo!

The older I get, the more I realize how much Christmas really isn’t about presents and tinsel...

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:00:08 -0600

The older I get, the more I realize how much Christmas really isn’t about presents and tinsel and lights and carols and Santa Claus. It’s about spending time with the ones you truly love, and worshipping our Lord above, who was born 2,000 years ago with the full intention of dying for our sins. He was born to die, so that we may all be saved. That’s what it’s all about.

In God there is peace: Farshid

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:50:49 -0600

In God there is peace: Farshid:

denyandfollow:

francisupdates:

My friend Farshid is currently in prison in Iran because of his faith in Jesus. I was touched by a letter he sent a few days ago…

To the fathers and mothers who lost their precious children in the Connecticut tragedy,

I really don’t…

livingabetterstory: and-death: and-death: This is a...

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:31:03 -0600

livingabetterstory:

and-death:

and-death:

This is a ridiculously powerful picture.

reblog this twice, to make sure you really see it.

This gets even more powerful when you’ve seen both sides of it in action. It makes me want to scream … and then do something.

This picture just makes me so angry. The brokenness and despair in this world is heart wrenching and I just want to fix it. I hate that people are in pain, and I hate that the pain most of the world feels would be so easily and quickly solved if the wealthy of the world would do their part as He called them to do and that this would just become a tangible picture of God’s love for us.

remoldmelord: colorofsound: ayshalee: I wish I could be alone with God right now. In the...

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:23:00 -0600

remoldmelord:

colorofsound:

ayshalee:

I wish I could be alone with God right now. In the most impossible way. Sitting in a humble old house somewhere in a familiar but vague patch of grassy countryside. Crossing our legs at a kitchen table with evening light coming through the window, hitting the sides of our faces and making long shadows on the floor. I wish I could reach across the table and hold His hands and mindlessly play with His thumbs while we talk of the things that make my heart so heavy.

This..

If I could REALLY be alone with God, I think that the two of us would take up space on an old couch in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Outside the window, we would hear the birds and maybe some farm animals. We would cuddle and and He would run His fingers through my hair, and I would just allow my body to sink into His, my head perched on His chest and my legs all curled up under me.

And we would talk about this broken and fallen world in which we live. And I think we would cry together, He and I. We would cry about the state of the world, this world that He created. This world that He intended to be beautiful and perfect in every way. And His people. His people that He created. His people that He created in His own image. His people that He intended to be perfect but are so catastrophically far from perfect. His people that intentionally turn their backs on Him day after day after day. His people that He fervently loves, despite it all.

And then, when we have had enough of being saddened by the brokenness of our reality, our conversation would turn instead to what I could do to make it feel just a little bit less broken. We would talk about love. We would talk about relationships. We would talk about the purpose for which He created all of mankind. We’re supposed to love Him, and to love one another.