Hope Chest

I recently read HopeChest: A Reunion, compiled and edited by Natalie Nyquist. It was so wonderful to read the varied lives of so many of the contributors of this magazine for young Christian women. It is delightful to hear of the many ways that God works in lives and guides individual paths--such Divine Creativity!

There was one quote in particular that really resonated with me and that I wanted to share. One of the editors of the magazine, Fairlight Meyer, wrote, "One of my pastors frequently points out the false picture of Christianity we sometimes paint for those outside the faith: that we used to experience grief, pain, confusion, fear or other such like they do--before we knew Jesus and He fixed everything--when in reality, we still experience the suffering inherent to broken people on a broken planet, and that's why we all need Jesus."

She goes on to explain about a tragedy that happened in a family close to her, and other serious challenges going on in the lives of friends around her. And she says"...I've been thinking a lot about the Incarnation, and what it means to have a God who, though He doesn't always do what we want Him to do--make it all better or even tell us why---will come to us, and be present in our pain, and even weep with us. And I'm wondering if that might be part of our calling as Christians, too. If maybe our interaction with those outside the faith isn't all about a quick fix or well-framed answer either, but sometimes just about listening and hurting with them and being present."