Itku on asia, josta suomalaiset miehet eivät juuri keskustele. Naisille itkusta puhuminen taitaa olla helpompaa. Itkuun liittyy pelkoa ja häpeää. Myönnänkin, että minua pelottaa ja hävettää sanoa, että itken usein. Olen oppinut, miten voimakas asia itku on – hyvällä tavalla. Herra on opettanut minulle itkun kautta elämästä ja lopulta hänestä itsestään elämän antajana. Tiedän, että kaikille itkeminen ei ole helppoa, mutta uskon, että kaikille se on tärkeää.
Man vill så gärna uppmuntra sina ensamstående vänner och ge dem hopp, men det är lätt att säga fel av misstag. Livet som singel kan se väldigt annorlunda ut jämfört med livet som gift – speciellt om man har barn – men vi är en familj i Kristus och vill gärna uppmuntra våra syskon. Hur kan vi se till att alla Guds barn känner sig älskade, sedda och stöttade?
“I needed to get my affirmation really from God in the process of preparing my sermons... That made me less vulnerable when I actually stood there teaching.”
Att få uppleva moderskärlek innebär alltså att få ta del av Faderns villkorslösa och orubbliga kärlek till sina egna barn. När vi lider för att våra barn far illa eller viker av från rättfärdighetens väg, får vi uppleva något av Faderns hjärta för sina barn.
A parent’s identity is not to be a savior but rather to be utilized as a tool in the Savior’s hand to help our children along the way. We can lovingly provide a good foundation for the work that God alone is powerful enough to complete. This is good news indeed for we, as imperfect parents, are not equipped to be a spiritual heart transplant specialist. Only God alone is capable in providing a Savior for mankind through his son, Jesus Christ.
There can be a big gap in understanding and experience between single and married people in the church, so it’s easy to make clumsy comments which cause pain. We want to encourage our single friends and give them hope, but we don’t know what to say which will be helpful! How can we make them feel loved, seen, and supported?
Finnish men don’t really talk about crying, though it seems to come more naturally for women. Crying is associated with fear and shame, and so I am afraid and embarrassed to say I cry often. However, I have learned how powerful crying is—in a good way. Through crying, the Lord has taught me about life and, ultimately, about himself as the Giver of Life. Crying may not be easy for everyone, but it is important for everyone.
Itku on asia, josta suomalaiset miehet eivät juuri keskustele. Naisille itkusta puhuminen taitaa olla helpompaa. Itkuun liittyy pelkoa ja häpeää. Myönnänkin, että minua pelottaa ja hävettää sanoa, että itken usein. Olen oppinut, miten voimakas asia itku on – hyvällä tavalla. Herra on opettanut minulle itkun kautta elämästä ja lopulta hänestä itsestään elämän antajana. Tiedän, että kaikille itkeminen ei ole helppoa, mutta uskon, että kaikille se on tärkeää.
Perhaps it is seething anger that rests in our hearts, aimed towards an individual or cause to which we have no personal connection. Perhaps we struggle with secret addiction, or we simply spend too much time engrossed with our device. Perhaps we are allowing ourselves to wallow in anxiety about the state of the world, inviting an onslaught of bad news to take precedence in our thoughts. Becoming convicted to change our response about these things is the first step. This is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, shining a light on the secret places within ourselves where we have allowed sin to take root.
You can’t learn to make a heart-to-heart sermon. You have to love people. When you’re with people—helping them, listening to them, asking for help yourself—that love grows, and that’s what shapes faithful preaching.
Att få uppleva moderskärlek innebär alltså att få ta del av Faderns villkorslösa och orubbliga kärlek till sina egna barn. När vi lider för att våra barn far illa eller viker av från rättfärdighetens väg, får vi uppleva något av Faderns hjärta för sina barn.
Experiencing a mother’s love is a sharing in the Father’s unconditional, unwavering love for his own children. When we suffer deeply as our children experience pain or are roaming from the path of righteousness, we are sharing in the Father’s heart for his children.
Tá ið vit sum Guds børn uppliva trongdir og líðing, troystar Gud okkum. Men hendan troyst er ikki okkara at bøla yvir. Jesus segði, at úr lívinum hjá honum ella henni, sum trýr á hann, skulu renna streymar av livandi vatni (Jóhannes 7:38). Vit líða og verða troysta, so vit kunnu troysta onnur, sum líða, við júst somu troyst, sum vit vórðu troystað við: Guds troyst.
