Episode 57 :: A.E. Graham Johnson :: Stories of Faith & Politics as Children of God

Hey friends, these next couple of weeks, we're going to have some very intentional conversations around current events. I don't want to do that in order to be trendy or because I want to tell you what to do or think.

Hey friends, these next couple of weeks, we’re going to have some very intentional conversations around current events. I don’t want to do that in order to be trendy or because I want to tell you what to do or think. I want to press into these tough conversations and hear from people’s experiences, and see what they can share with us about who God is, who He’ll always be, and what is true about us, and our call as His children, no matter what.

So today, we are chatting with a woman who I have looked up to for a very long time, Ashley Elizabeth Graham Johnson, but most of us in the Middle Tennessee world in particular, know her as AE Graham. AE is a woman of deep faith, but also a great affection, and yet tempered, perspective about democracy, and uses words with more intention and beauty than pretty much anyone I personally know. AE worked as a speech writer at the White House under President George W. Bush, and has worked with other political figures on capitol Hill, and local politics as well. She lives her life from a passionate, but grace filled posture, and she shares from that place, alongside her own experiences in government, and invites others into it on social media, and I am always so grateful for it.

AE and I spend a lot of time today talking about what it looks like to be a good citizen of this country, but more importantly to find our identity as children of God, citizens of the Kingdom of God, and Gosepl-minded neighbors to those around us. As someone who has worked in various political roles, AE offers some really interesting insights into what it means to engage where we are as a people. We also discuss, as two women raised Southern Baptist, the confusing struggle of our faith being tied to our patriotism, and that is not an act of worship, nor does it affect your identity in Christ, to exercise your right to vote as the Holy Spirit leads you to vote.

In general, conversations about politics stretch me. But you know what? Right now, it's too important to not talk about, not because I want to get up on a soapbox and add to this current cacophony, but because I want to get down to the heart of the matter about what we are still called to do to further the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens on America’s upcoming election day. I want to talk about it, because I’m more concerned about our hearts in this story than anything else.

I hope and I pray, friends, that this episode is encouraging and also thought provoking for you, it certainly was and continues to be for me. Though there may be a crazy chapter in our story unfolding, His story isn’t over, and it is no more chaotic to Him than it was to speak to a storm and say “ssshhhh.”

Find ways to listen at the linkinbio.

*This episode was sponsored by : Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty

Listeners can go to www.crabtreehomestn.com or http://bit.ly/mulitpleoffers to receive the free e-book "7 Tips to Beating Out Multiple-Offers on the Home of Your Dreams"

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youtube.com/c/tonyteaches

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Reference:

SGA at MTSU

43- President George W. Bush

41-President George Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush

Frederick Douglas

16- Abraham Lincoln

Killed in action letters

“Hamilton”- “The Room Where it Happens”

Catholic Church- their own nation state

The Greatest Generation

Pope John Paul II “we must call out was is good and what is evil”

Via media- all things in moderation, both virtue and vice

“The Star Spangled Banner”

Lauren Ruth Martin - A Novel Life (podcast) and Novel Counseling (you can find our episode here!)

Beth Moore’s sharing on these topics

Pantsuit Politics Podcast (also can hear my conversation with them on episode six of the SSP)I Think You’re Wrong, But I’m Listening: A Grace-Filled Guide to Political Conversations

Howard Baker: “You come to the table knowing you could be wrong.”

Voting Particular Resources:

-Register to Vote

-If you don’t know where to start, start with what you don’t believe so you can see how what you believe is being portrayed.

-Press Releases from candidates

-Subscribe to their newsletters

-Be cautious/wary of things that include fundraising links.

-DON’T GET ALL YOUR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

-Em would also recommend the episode of the Podcast “Why Tho” :: Faith and Politics : Why Being Pro- Birth is Not Enough Tho. You can also hear deeper conversations with the co-hosts of that podcast and me on episode two of the SSP with Ash Abercrombie and episode 51 with Tiffany Bluhm.

Scripture:

Genesis 1 // John 1: God spoke things into being

Nameless women in scripture (to name a few) :: John 8:1-11 (Adulterous Woman), John 4:1-42 (Woman at the Well or Samaritan Woman), Mark 5:25-34 (Woman with the Issue of Blood), Luke 7:11-17 (the Widow of Nain), etc etc

1 Corinthians 8:3 - You are known by the Lord

Mark 12:31- Love our neighbor

Genesis 1:27-We were made with the DNA of God

Revelation 3:16 - Lukewarm and spit out

Mark 12:17- Give to Caesar what is Caesar's

1 Peter 2:18 // Colossians 3:23-24- Honor leaders/masters

John 17:21 // Ephesians 4:1-3- Praying for the universality of the church (unity in the body)-- not the same thing as universalism

Luke 10:27 - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 // John 1:12- We are all part of the body of Christ, the family of God, you are a child of God

1 Corinthians 6:19 // John 14:26- We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us

Judges 21:25 - “there was no ruler in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”

Book of Ruth