Comments on: Herman's story is getting harder to tell http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/ worship. love. lean forward. Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:33:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Joanna http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-569 Joanna Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:12:10 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-569 I was thinking about Herman today and how all of our stories with Christ have so many similarities w/ Herman's story. We're unlovable, yet God chose to love us. He finds *us*, often in the midst of crazy life circumstances. He's with us even when we're facing the earthly consequences of our sin. He is prepared to offer us a safe harbor, yet we so often choose not to take hold of what he's offering. Yet he keeps pursuing us. When I think of homelessness, addiction, and lifestyle in these terms, I realize how much the darkest corners of my heart can resemble Herman's outward life. "Everyone needs compassion A love that's never failing Let mercy fall on me Everyone needs forgiveness A kindness of a Savior The hope of nations My Savior He can move the mountains My God is Mighty to save He is Mighty to save..." I was thinking about Herman today and how all of our stories with Christ have so many similarities w/ Herman’s story. We’re unlovable, yet God chose to love us. He finds *us*, often in the midst of crazy life circumstances. He’s with us even when we’re facing the earthly consequences of our sin. He is prepared to offer us a safe harbor, yet we so often choose not to take hold of what he’s offering. Yet he keeps pursuing us.

When I think of homelessness, addiction, and lifestyle in these terms, I realize how much the darkest corners of my heart can resemble Herman’s outward life.

“Everyone needs compassion
A love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

My Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save…”

]]> By: Joanna http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-570 Joanna Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:12:10 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-570 I was thinking about Herman today and how all of our stories with Christ have so many similarities w/ Herman's story. We're unlovable, yet God chose to love us. He finds *us*, often in the midst of crazy life circumstances. He's with us even when we're facing the earthly consequences of our sin. He is prepared to offer us a safe harbor, yet we so often choose not to take hold of what he's offering. Yet he keeps pursuing us. When I think of homelessness, addiction, and lifestyle in these terms, I realize how much the darkest corners of my heart can resemble Herman's outward life. "Everyone needs compassion A love that's never failing Let mercy fall on me Everyone needs forgiveness A kindness of a Savior The hope of nations My Savior He can move the mountains My God is Mighty to save He is Mighty to save..." I was thinking about Herman today and how all of our stories with Christ have so many similarities w/ Herman’s story. We’re unlovable, yet God chose to love us. He finds *us*, often in the midst of crazy life circumstances. He’s with us even when we’re facing the earthly consequences of our sin. He is prepared to offer us a safe harbor, yet we so often choose not to take hold of what he’s offering. Yet he keeps pursuing us.

When I think of homelessness, addiction, and lifestyle in these terms, I realize how much the darkest corners of my heart can resemble Herman’s outward life.

“Everyone needs compassion
A love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

My Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save…”

]]> By: Terry Foester http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-567 Terry Foester Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:42:43 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-567 Thanks to all of you that have commented on this post. And thanks for encouraging us to love Herman. I agree w/ Ken - keep loving I agree w/Deana - relationships are essential and used by God when people are spiritually healed and reconciled to God I agree w/Shanda - Love w/out conditions and choose to love I agree w/Curtis - Christ's love goes further than we imagine (well said!) I agree w/Andy - His grace is sufficient...even for me...even for Herman. Thanks to all of you that have commented on this post. And thanks for encouraging us to love Herman.

I agree w/ Ken – keep loving
I agree w/Deana – relationships are essential and used by God when people are spiritually healed and reconciled to God
I agree w/Shanda – Love w/out conditions and choose to love
I agree w/Curtis – Christ’s love goes further than we imagine (well said!)
I agree w/Andy – His grace is sufficient…even for me…even for Herman.

]]> By: Terry Foester http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-568 Terry Foester Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:42:43 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-568 Thanks to all of you that have commented on this post. And thanks for encouraging us to love Herman. I agree w/ Ken - keep loving I agree w/Deana - relationships are essential and used by God when people are spiritually healed and reconciled to God I agree w/Shanda - Love w/out conditions and choose to love I agree w/Curtis - Christ's love goes further than we imagine (well said!) I agree w/Andy - His grace is sufficient...even for me...even for Herman. Thanks to all of you that have commented on this post. And thanks for encouraging us to love Herman.

I agree w/ Ken – keep loving
I agree w/Deana – relationships are essential and used by God when people are spiritually healed and reconciled to God
I agree w/Shanda – Love w/out conditions and choose to love
I agree w/Curtis – Christ’s love goes further than we imagine (well said!)
I agree w/Andy – His grace is sufficient…even for me…even for Herman.

]]> By: Andy http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-565 Andy Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:28:35 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-565 Jesus said in Mark 2:17 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." His grace is sufficient, even for Herman (or me, or you). Keep loving him. Jesus said in Mark 2:17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

His grace is sufficient, even for Herman (or me, or you).

Keep loving him.

]]> By: Andy http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-566 Andy Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:28:35 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-566 Jesus said in Mark 2:17 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." His grace is sufficient, even for Herman (or me, or you). Keep loving him. Jesus said in Mark 2:17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

His grace is sufficient, even for Herman (or me, or you).

Keep loving him.

]]> By: Curtis http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-563 Curtis Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:17:35 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-563 Thanks for the update. It is a reminder that the love Christ has for us goes further than we could imagine, and our love for others can in a small way reflect it. Thanks for the update. It is a reminder that the love Christ has for us goes further than we could imagine, and our love for others can in a small way reflect it.

]]> By: Curtis http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-564 Curtis Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:17:35 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-564 Thanks for the update. It is a reminder that the love Christ has for us goes further than we could imagine, and our love for others can in a small way reflect it. Thanks for the update. It is a reminder that the love Christ has for us goes further than we could imagine, and our love for others can in a small way reflect it.

]]> By: Shanda http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-559 Shanda Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:06:05 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-559 Thanks for the update. And thanks for not giving up on Herman. I think it's very easy to allow our hearts to hardened when people don't respond or behave the way we expect them to. I have clients that have made poor choices this week and gotten themselves kicked out of housing programs. I would love to fix it for them, but the truth is I can't. Only God can change a heart. But I can make a conscious choice everyday to continue to love them in spite of their choices, even if that means backing up and allowing them to face consequences. That's loving unconditionally. I ask myself sometimes, "Will I continue to love this person even if they never get their lives straight?" If I'm not willing to do this, then I'm not really loving them at all. It's so hard sometimes. All that to say, thanks for loving Herman without conditions. I am choosing to love him too. Thanks for the update. And thanks for not giving up on Herman. I think it’s very easy to allow our hearts to hardened when people don’t respond or behave the way we expect them to. I have clients that have made poor choices this week and gotten themselves kicked out of housing programs. I would love to fix it for them, but the truth is I can’t. Only God can change a heart. But I can make a conscious choice everyday to continue to love them in spite of their choices, even if that means backing up and allowing them to face consequences. That’s loving unconditionally. I ask myself sometimes, “Will I continue to love this person even if they never get their lives straight?” If I’m not willing to do this, then I’m not really loving them at all. It’s so hard sometimes.

All that to say, thanks for loving Herman without conditions. I am choosing to love him too.

]]> By: Shanda http://greylias.com/2008/06/23/hermans-story-is-getting-harder-to-tell/#comment-562 Shanda Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:06:05 +0000 http://greylias.wordpress.com/?p=370#comment-562 Thanks for the update. And thanks for not giving up on Herman. I think it's very easy to allow our hearts to hardened when people don't respond or behave the way we expect them to. I have clients that have made poor choices this week and gotten themselves kicked out of housing programs. I would love to fix it for them, but the truth is I can't. Only God can change a heart. But I can make a conscious choice everyday to continue to love them in spite of their choices, even if that means backing up and allowing them to face consequences. That's loving unconditionally. I ask myself sometimes, "Will I continue to love this person even if they never get their lives straight?" If I'm not willing to do this, then I'm not really loving them at all. It's so hard sometimes. All that to say, thanks for loving Herman without conditions. I am choosing to love him too. Thanks for the update. And thanks for not giving up on Herman. I think it’s very easy to allow our hearts to hardened when people don’t respond or behave the way we expect them to. I have clients that have made poor choices this week and gotten themselves kicked out of housing programs. I would love to fix it for them, but the truth is I can’t. Only God can change a heart. But I can make a conscious choice everyday to continue to love them in spite of their choices, even if that means backing up and allowing them to face consequences. That’s loving unconditionally. I ask myself sometimes, “Will I continue to love this person even if they never get their lives straight?” If I’m not willing to do this, then I’m not really loving them at all. It’s so hard sometimes.

All that to say, thanks for loving Herman without conditions. I am choosing to love him too.

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