Resilient | Rebuilding the Broken Things

Earlier in the pandemic I had a mental image of entering a cocoon, with the hope of emerging transformed into something beautiful at the end. I tried to picture quarantine as an opportunity to rest and let God work deeply. That may have been wishful thinking. Now as the pandemic is slowly lurching towards an end of sorts, I think I am in fact emerging as a more exhausted and broken self. But, I have survived, and maybe that’s enough.

Recent changes -- thanks to the vaccine -- have allowed my life to resume some sort of normalcy and left me feeling more hopeful. My kids have been able to start going to school part-time, which I am immensely grateful for. My daughter joined a swim team. My movie discussion group was finally able to gather in person around my backyard fire pit instead of on Zoom.

I feel like I am rebuilding my life and I sense there is a general need for rebuilding as a society at this time. God invites us to partner in the rebuilding process.

Isaiah 58:12 (NIV)
“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

There are several things I’m watching out for during this season of rebuilding.

1. Acknowledge the losses. Many of us have experienced a range of losses this past year including sickness and death, mental health struggles, broken relationships, and economic impacts. Many children, including my own, may struggle to rebound from the social and academic losses of the past year. As much as we want to quickly put this season behind us, acknowledging the grief that goes along with these losses is a necessary part of the healing and rebuilding process. If you are feeling despair, I want to encourage you that it is not a permanent feeling. You can seek help from a friend or a professional counselor. God wants to redeem this season of grief, “to comfort all who mourn...bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.” (Isaiah 61:3)

2. Maintain empathy and compassion. One of the things I’ve been most struggling with is maintaining empathy and compassion for those who have had a different response to the pandemic than I have. This seems to be the case for many folks. We’re in a heightened time of ideological divides, not just as it relates to public health, but also to general political views. It’s so tempting and easy to have anger towards people who are in active opposition to your views. Brené Brown cautions against what she calls “common enemy intimacy.” Having anger towards whoever you view as the out-group, be they anti-maskers, always-maskers, or OSU Beaver fans*, does not help us move forward. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive away darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive away hate; only love can do that.”

3. Be the change you wish to see. As we rebuild, things will not turn out the same as they would have without the pandemic. This is an opportunity for us to prayerfully consider our goals and work towards achieving them. You might be working toward big or small changes in your life. After a year of so much sameness, one of my goals is to be more open to trying new things. So, recently, I decided to be adventurous and purchase wasabi-soy snack almonds instead of my usual honey roasted flavor. They were surprisingly good! And today I went for a trail run in a new location (it was too hilly for me and I had to walk a lot, but it made me feel a bit closer to an elite athlete). Those are small things, but I’m hoping that the practice of trying new things will lead me to more fun and adventure over the long-term.

Where do you see the need to rebuild in your own life and relationships? What step is God inviting you to take today?

*Just kidding Beaver believers! The author does not endorse any sports teams (unless of course it’s a team her children are on).

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About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Resilient | Resilience, My New Friend

I have a new friend. His name is resilience. More than a Friday night burger and milkshake buddy, our friendship is deepening. A few months ago it felt like we just met, but now - I kind of like this guy. In my last blog post I wrote that resilience doesn't get much respect. Merely enduring pain and loss but not, in our popular Christian vocabulary - overcoming, seemed a bit of a hollow victory.

Absorbing all the losses of 2020 (clearly my hardest year ever) has been so tough. It started with a death in my family, some health issues, then the isolation and fear of an unknown pandemic sank in. Add in our national political corruption and disillusionment, social strife enabled by toxic technology, and far-reaching environmental fears.

And here in our state, devastating wildfires torched many wonderful Oregon places I’ve cherished all my life. It all knocked my legs out from under me. I felt crippled. I felt I should be better than this, but I wasn't. I just couldn't get back emotionally.

Then my good friend brought me two gifts - courage and time.

I realized I was being disabled by fear of change and frightening future unknowns. Fear robs us of our courage. And it shortens time for us. The immediacy of loss and panic can obscure the big picture of our future. And that results in a short-sighted, negative life narrative. It's our story, but through our own narrow lens.

I discovered I had to give up my romantic notions of the past and expectations of the present and the way things should be, and look to my real future. I am not long for this world. None of us are, but we seem to suspend coming to terms with death for most of our lives, while we are busy building our American Dream.

And the push towards a secure retirement. And for me, time for adventure.

I've always been a goer, an adventurer, and the natural world's beauty is my happy place. Gotta see what's around the bend, and up over that ridge. I've answered the call of the open road, sought misty waterfalls at the end of the trail, and melted into an evening kayak float towards that golden, fading sun, at the end of a perfect day.

And photographing it all is the capper for me. It aligns me with our world, calms me, inspires me, and brings me intense joy. When work and life gets too hard, I go there, always churning out new plans for the next big trip.

Yes, my happy place is both emotional and literal.

But this has also blurred the lines of my own reality a bit - because let's face it, life can be hard and running for the hills is certainly an escape. Difficult people and unfulfilled expectations along with the tedium of daily repetitive tasks can drag us all down. If my day to day is full of pain and shame, I go there. Somewhere. Anywhere. I escape.

And now all this present tumult seemed to be threatening my earthly dream - my escape hatch. A healthy diversion can be a good thing, but so can standing tall and trimming our sails against the wind. We can adjust, and chart a different course.

Our God will always, ALWAYS use bad for good if we let Him. We just have to let Him. In facing my future and my fears, I am slowly learning to stand. And to walk. I am learning what to focus on, and what not to. As time stretches out, the learning curve is flattening. People aren't so scary, because they are just like me at heart. I accept that, and them. My wonderful wife is my best friend, just like it should be. My friends have surrounded me as much as they are able to, and I am returning the favor.

And my amazing God, my Creator and Savior is busy in the background, restoring me, and preparing all the spectacular mountains, deserts, lush green valleys and rivers in preparation for our real future. Unspeakably bigger, bolder and more beautiful, complete with the sunlight of his intense love and presence.

So all this will work out well, don't you think? We just need to trust, and walk with resilience.

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Resilient | The Resilience of Resurrection

I recently re-watched the action movie Captain Marvel and found this gem of a spiritual lesson:

Due to a jet-plane crash and the resulting explosion, US Air Force Pilot Carol Danvers absorbs super-human powers. These powers enable her to fly, shoot photon blasts from her hands, and to be mostly indestructible.

But she does not know she has these powers until the final conflict of the film. She is fighting the Kree military, who she thought were her teammates, but were actually her kidnappers and captors. As she fights to escape the force field that restrains her, the supreme leader of the Kree race taunts her with lies.

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Kree Leader: “We found you. Embraced you as our own.”

Carol Danvers: “You stole me from my home, my family, my friends.”

Kree Leader: “But remember, without us you’re weak. You’re flawed. Helpless. We saved you.
Without us, you’re only human.”

Carol Danvers: “You’re right. I’m only human.”

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This statement from the main character, Carol, is said sarcastically.

And at this point, the movie shows a montage of memories from Carol’s childhood, young adulthood, and military basic training.

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Baseball Teammate:     “Give it up, Carol! This ain’t a game for little girls.”
“You’re too emotional and too weak.”

Playground Bully:     (After being roughed up and pushed to the ground by the bully.
“Stay down!”

Air Force Cadet:     “You don’t belong out here. They’ll never let you fly.”

Air Force Officer:    (After she falls from the top of a very tall, wooden climbing wall.)
“Are you trying to kill yourself?”
“You won’t last a week, Danvers.”

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Whatever lies they used to discourage her into giving up, they couldn’t take away her God-given ability to get up and try again. They couldn’t take away her hopeful expectation.

This truth empowers me to reject situations that would try to deceive me into thinking I am anything less than a child of God--with an eternal future containing His fulfilled promises for me.

And each time she stood up again, she stood taller and stronger. She had a greater sense of who God made her to be. She was more determined to try again and succeed.

I get goosebumps every time I watch this part of the movie. And I thought, what could make a person be that resilient? I found my answer in Isaiah 53:

Isaiah 53:2,3 NLT:
“My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to Him.
...He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows and acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.”

Isaiah: 53:7 NLT
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.”

These verses help me remember that Jesus faced tremendous adversity and rejection, through-out his entire life, not just at the end.

Isaiah 53:10,11 NLT
“But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him, and cause Him grief…And because of His experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.”

As I read further, I am reminded how He sacrificed Himself to give all people, including me, His resurrection life, to last us every day of our lives. I realize this gift of resurrection life from Christ is what enables me to stand up again in the face of adversity. I get right back up after a fall, to keep following Him and His example of a resilient life! I want to continue on the teachable path where Christ is leading me!

Philippians 3:10,11 TPT
“And I continually long to know the wonders of Jesus and to experience the overflowing power of His resurrection working in me. I will be one with Him in His sufferings and become like Him in His death. Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection from the realm of death.”

My battles are already won! I will still experience difficult times, but I can be comforted in His assurance that He will be with me through all of my trials and tribulations. And He will protect me so that I will ultimately live with Him in His eternal Kingdom!

Christ and His resilient life-example is my hope and my salvation! I will continue to stand back up again to follow Him. Will you join me?

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About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Resilient | The Gift of Surviving

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I am not the best person to write about resilience in the face of all the challenges we’ve had this last year. I’ve barely survived. Currently, I’m at my heaviest adult weight from all the stress/loneliness/working-my-day-job-too-close-to-my-kitchen eating (as well as the lack of chasing students around a school). I am missing my class, and am wondering if my friendships will survive the polarization of politics. I’m limping along on this crazy, slow-motion, surreal marathon that I know has an end but isn’t in sight yet. I’m still moving forward, I think. Barely. By the grace of God.

But maybe that’s the point. Maybe resilience is a gift from God. I sure couldn’t craft it, despite all my best attempts this last year to help myself survive pandemic and polarization with various gimmicks and plans like hosting Zoom game nights, convincing friends to let me come over and watch the movies you have to have streaming services for, and writing a short story and silly posts in my personal blog.

Truth is, even if I’m sick of working from home and can only fit into 3/5 of my wardrobe, at least I have clothes and a home to keep them in. I’m still frustrated with the world and feel like people are overreacting and overcorrecting each other and making things worse instead of working together. But God keeps reminding me that He’s still in control. Even if WWIII or a new Civil War breaks out, which is kind of my biggest fear these days besides being stuck in distance teaching forever, I know He’ll still be helping us crazy humans. Because He’s crazy about us.

In case you can’t tell, humor is one of the ways I’ve been coping. When I lived in Afghanistan, my coworkers and I developed a bit of dark humor. You kind of have to, to survive in a place where you practice insurgent drills with your students instead of fire drills. It’s happening again for me now. Lately, I’ve been grateful for things like reruns of M*A*S*H where the characters survive the mental stress of war by making fun of it, and by their companionship and community. I am so grateful for all the friends and family that have gracefully let me call them constantly.

So here I’ll refer you to a real article about resilience written by our own CitySalt friend, Chris. His alter ego, Professor Popinjay, knows a thing or two about using humor (and reliance on God and the people He puts in our path) to develop resilience. Normally he writes for the Springfield-based Free For All newspaper, but this one was published in my friends’ online literary magazine, Illumine: Collective Light. Enjoy!

https://illumine.collectivelight.org/2020/01/02/resilience-its-not-just-for-masked-vigilantes-anymore/

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About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Resilient | Resilience is Hope

I don’t think of myself as resilient.

When I consider resilience, I think of Mother Teresa taking care of the sick. Or of Gandhi being beaten by English guards without raising his hand in defense. I think of Congressman John Lewis, marching across the Edmund Pettus bridge in support of civil rights and being beaten by police and thrown to jail, yet continuing to fight.

But, I was reminded today by one of my favorite webcomics that resilience can also be just getting out of bed in the morning. Getting to work on time. Getting the laundry done. Reading a story to your kid when all you want to do is lie down and take a nap.

In the past, I have lost a job. I have lost friends and loved ones. I have felt alone and miserable and without hope. And yet I do keep going, in spite of these things.

So I ask myself, “what does resilience mean to me?” Suffering loss and continuing on with your life. Loving again, in spite of being hurt. Moving on from tragedy and bad circumstances. Standing up after being knocked down. Resilience is the strength to continue the struggle long after others have given up. Resilience is hope. Hope for something more. Hope for something better.

I know I rely on my wife, family and friends for support through life’s trials and tragedies, but I also know that God has given me the gift of these connections to sustain me.

I think of Jesus in the garden Gethsemane, praying to His Father.

Mark 14:32-36
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Even Jesus brings his friends along for support in his time of need. Even Jesus faced distress and trouble. His Father is also my Father. And yours. Our Father is there for us in our times of fear, depression and need. He is why we can be resilient in the face of terrible things. This faith in these hard times can sustain us all.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

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About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Resilient | Walking with Resilience

Today we bring to you a new blog theme, Resilient. The word "resilient" has Latin roots and means "capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture." Many of us are feeling weary and broken after a long year of pandemic life full of social isolation, job losses, school closures, sickness and mental health issues. Resilience can help us forge a path to healing and recovery. Our blog team offers their ideas for how we can build resilience through our faith journeys.

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We all like the idea of resiliency because, well, it's a good character trait, right? I get the feeling that resilience is not celebrated enough in our society, like it's the Rodney Dangerfield of suffering. Ok maybe it gets some respect for a while, but the longer we merely endure and not conquer our issues, we can succumb to an inevitable "loser stigma,” at least in our own minds.

We Americans are taught to fight and win. Is it at best, a hollow victory to merely bend, but not break? To be on the ropes for a while makes for good social theatre, or a Rocky movie, but the true star fights hard and avoids the death blow, then erupts in a sudden and dramatic turnaround victory. Yeah and pass the popcorn!

But this is real life.

And too often that life feels like a protracted foxhole struggle, with what seems like victory not assured. It can last and last ... and last. It can wear us down. And a resolution is likely not in our preferred way, or in our convenient time. Resilience can be birthed in trouble, but let's dig deeper.

Trauma hurts, but we don't have to wallow in suffering. We all know hard times can develop deep character traits, but only if we go through it with our head up and heart open. Entertaining its emotional depths without some perspective and ultimately, a positive response, is a very dark path to walk.

We all need some help.

Recently within my own journey, I've begun to notice someone. I look back and he is there, wanting to catch up. I am hurting, and I slow down. We share a smile and keep walking. He offers a few words and a smile, and I realize I might like his company. We small-talk a bit, then are quiet. I gaze up at the sunlight streaming through the forest canopy above. I breathe and give myself permission to feel. He feels like a friend.

He randomly brings up elasticity. I am curious why. He says he is kind of stubborn at times, with a clench-fisted toughness. He says this has seemed like a good way to be resilient, but flexibility is a better way. I joke that it's why cats have nine lives. My new friend laughs, and of course I am pleased at that.

He continues: Like a rubber band, we stretch out as we are pulled in different directions by forces beyond our control. But with elasticity, we return to our relaxed center - back to our core. I tell him I like the kind of "naturally, creative longevity" of that.

So now we're on the topic of resiliency, I guess. I mention a boat on the water. When it's calm, I say, it can be the picture of perfect serenity, but when a storm blows in - everything changes. Resiliency is our boat. It's built to bob and heave in the swells and waves. Our buoyancy allows us to stay above the tempest and not capsize!

I didn't plan on such a discussion with a stranger, but now we're getting somewhere.

I feel a twinge of pain in my lower leg and mention I'm trying to get it back to the way it used to be. He compliments me: But you're still hiking - that's great and recovery is coming! I tell him I hope so.

As we walk and talk, I realize that the cliche about it not being the destination, but the journey - is incomplete. Both are important. I thank him for walking with me and tell him I think we should all resolve to live, and even thrive, in our own resiliency. The tough lessons of the journey will make the destination that much sweeter, right? I look over but "Mr. Resiliency" has vanished. And I realize why. Someone else needs his friendship.

I love how Jesus shows up.

Resiliency is the long footbridge from despair to hope. Let's discover elasticity, buoyancy and recover. Grab a friend and walk.

Romans 5:4
"And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."

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About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.