Episode 96 :: Ashley Abercrombie :: Stories of Hope, Love, and Conflict in the Kingdom of God
Ashley Abercrombie is back on the podcast!!. Every time I encounter Ashley, whether that’s online, reading her books or Bible studies, I end up shoutin’ like I’m at a big tent revival. Y’all, this woman passionately cares about the Kingdom of God, the body of Christ, and encouraging us to know and serve God and His Church as our fullest selves and learning how to love one another better. Her most recent book, Love is the Resistance: Learn to Disagree, Resolve the Conflicts You've Been Avoiding, and Create Real Change is such an important word for this season in time.
As the sons and daughters of God, we are a people of hope. However, a lot of the Church is not currently known by their love, their mercy, or their welcome. But Jesus is the epitome of all of those things. As His kids, we have to evaluate what we are presenting about the Gospel. When people are able to encounter God, that’s where life change can happen. I hope and pray that we are willing to dive in here. Our world is hungry for what the Savior provides, and our souls are weary and need to be refreshed too.
We give a healthy dose of time to look at the story of Jonah and where we find ourselves in it. From that posture, we ask questions like “what is the difference between standing up for God’s word, and doing so at the expense of His creation?” Truth telling is not about yelling at or shaming people. How do we practice mercy, empathy and compassion, but also figure out how to process and place boundaries. Do we evaluate the words we use in the name of Jesus? Are we willing to ask God to search us out and know us and show us what we He sees in us? Who do we label and treat as an enemy? We also discuss how healthy conflict is a skill we have to learn, and it can be learned even if we’ve never seen it modeled to us in our personal lives or families of origin.
Listen friends, I want you to hear me when I say this, even though I say it a lot, it's so so true. You matter. Your story matters. Don’t grow weary of doing good, and remember that this, all the “this” that surrounds us right now, is not how the story ends. Let’s press in, and see where the Lord may call us to grow and learn today as we strive to live like people of hope.
Connecting with Ashley:
Ashley’s podcast she co-hosts with Tiffany Bluhm
Bible Study course for Love is the Resistance
Episode Sponsor: Hopefuel
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References:
Ashley’s first book Rise of the Truth Teller
My first conversation with Ashley, episode 2 of the podcast
Tiffany Bluhm - episode 51 and 79 where we chat, and our video chat on my youtube page
“The World Turned Upside Down”
The original 12 disciples: a hodge podge crew
A dude being swallowed by a whale REALLY recently
The Bible Project’s video on Jonah
Walter Brueggeman, his interview with Krista Tippett (On Being Podcast) Phyllis Trible “womb like mother love”
Healthy Differentiation (a great resource for this I Think You’re Wrong, But I’m Listening: A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations by Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland)
Healthy Boundaries (great resource for this: Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to say No and Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. Charles Townsend
If God is Good: Faith in the Middle of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn :: A great resource for struggling with bad things happening and God’s goodness
Indigenous People and their grief in unearthing their buried past
Mentor Monday on Ashley’s instagram!
My conversation (episode 57) with Ashley Elizabeth Graham Johnson
Scripture References:
John 14:6, John 1- The truth comes from Christ
John 8:31-32- That truth sets us free
Ephesians 5:17-21, Hebrews 10:24-25- Speaking life and love over people
Matthew 11:15- Let he who has ears to hear
Matthew 5:6- Hunger and thirst for righteousness
Matthew 4:18-23, Matthew 8:27,Mark 4:33-34, -The disciples were drawn to Jesus
Mark 6:7-13- 12 men turned the world upside down bc they said ‘yes’ to Jesus
Matthew 15:7-9 (and then the bombs of Matthew 5:17-19 and Luke 4:16-30) Jesus knew the Law- sooo many examples, but here’s just one
Not all priests in leadership were bad : Nicodemus- John 3 // Gamaliel- Acts 5
Ecclesiastes 1:9- There is nothing new under the sun
God is sovereign (a whole list for you )
2 Chronicles 7:14- God has called His people back again and again - again, so many examples, but here’s one to start with
Romans 5:5- Hope does not put us to shame
Romans 5:3-5- Suffering produces perseverance → character→ hope
Mark 12:29-31- Neighborly love
Matthew 5:43-48- Love our enemies
Joel 2- God historically, even when carrying out major judgement, gives space for the opportunity to repent (Jonah’s story + this one scripture are just 2 of MANY examples)
Jonah 3:3- 3 days to walk through the town
Matthew 12:40- 3 days in the whale, 3 days in the grave for Jesus
Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 145:8-9, Psalm 86:15- God has mercy for you (scratches the surface of scriptures on mercy)
God can take your anger- see practically the entire book of Psalms and the book of Habakkuk
Acts 9:1- Uttered murderous threats under his breath
Ezekiel 33:10-12, John 11:38-44- God hates death too
Psalm 34:18, Matthew 5:4- He mourns with those who mourn
Exodus 14:14, Zephaniah 3:17, Romans 8:31-39- He is God who battles evil (there were so many passages that could talk about this, but I narrowed it down to a few)
Romans 6:23- The wages of sin is death
2 Corinthians 5:15, Romans 5:8 - Jesus died and rose again to save those who could not save themselves
Acts 8:26-40- Philip encounters the Ethiopian eunuch
The Lord the loves you- a whole list of good scriptures about it :)
1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:10-18-We have one enemy, an enemy of our soul
Deuteronomy 12:3, Judges 6 (Gideon had to tear down the idols of his father before he could walk in the calling the Lord gave him. I love his whole story in this chapter though) Psalm 96:5, Isaiah 44:9-20, Ezekiel 14:3- Lord, where have I built idols?
Psalm 16:5-6- The Lord has drawn lines for me in pleasant places
2 Timothy 2:1-3- Live a peaceful and quiet life
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com