This way of thinking totally changed my view of heaven. I remember someone saying that if we didn't enjoy singing hymns (without any instruments, no less), we wouldn't enjoy heaven. I never was very excited about heaven, because it sounded super boring.
Now I realize that if that's the best that person could do when imagining heaven, he must not know much about God.
Now I imagine the most mind blowing, awe inspiring music I have ever heard... the kind that you feel in your whole body, that brings tears to your eyes... and then I multiply it by a million. I know that's what music in heaven will be like. Because God created everything on earth that I love, and it's only a shadow of what's to come. <3
This post really resonates with me! Five years ago, I escaped a really hard relationship situation that was full of emotional, mental, and spiritual abuse. He forbade me from reading fiction stories for many of the reasons you pointed out - he said they were a waste of time and to read the Bible instead. I know now how wrong he was and I have healed that part of me as I now read voraciously as I once used to. Thank you for this post!
I love this. My mom always said she didn’t read fiction because “it was a waste of time.” She would always have a Christian help book in hand. I’ve always loved fiction and I totally agree with you. God created us for story.
This summer has been the summer where I figured out how to read fiction again. It's been almost 12 years since I'd really read fiction... and, oddly enough, God has worked in all of these stories -- middle grade and all! -- and hit the emotions, wounds, and doubts I didn't know I needed to process. I always think of the Patricia Polacco Bubbie character saying to her grandchildren, "Of course is true! But it may not have happened..."
I did not experience this but my jaw was on the floor when I read this especially because a lot of the non-fiction books I've been reading lately may be considered scandalous by religious standards.
I needed this. I started reading a lot more fiction after leaving that mindset and it opens up a plethora of good literature. I hate that I used to think it was a waste of time - and I still struggle with this.
This post speaks to me! God created me with an amazing imagination, a love of language, and a love of reading and writing. And I have no doubt those things are part of the reason I survived childhood. Somewhere along the line as a teen and young adult, I ran into teaching that discouraged me from reading anything that was not the Bible or a Christian biography. Fantasy, like C.S. Lewis or George McDonald, was especially a problem! I’m in my later 50s and am just now (over the past few years) recovering my imagination and my love for reading and writing. And my relationship with God has never been more beautiful. I’ve gone from putting one foot in front of the other because I didn’t know what else to do, to being delighted by the boundless love of the God who created me in His image and who delights in me.
This way of thinking totally changed my view of heaven. I remember someone saying that if we didn't enjoy singing hymns (without any instruments, no less), we wouldn't enjoy heaven. I never was very excited about heaven, because it sounded super boring.
Now I realize that if that's the best that person could do when imagining heaven, he must not know much about God.
Now I imagine the most mind blowing, awe inspiring music I have ever heard... the kind that you feel in your whole body, that brings tears to your eyes... and then I multiply it by a million. I know that's what music in heaven will be like. Because God created everything on earth that I love, and it's only a shadow of what's to come. <3
This post really resonates with me! Five years ago, I escaped a really hard relationship situation that was full of emotional, mental, and spiritual abuse. He forbade me from reading fiction stories for many of the reasons you pointed out - he said they were a waste of time and to read the Bible instead. I know now how wrong he was and I have healed that part of me as I now read voraciously as I once used to. Thank you for this post!
I love this. My mom always said she didn’t read fiction because “it was a waste of time.” She would always have a Christian help book in hand. I’ve always loved fiction and I totally agree with you. God created us for story.
This summer has been the summer where I figured out how to read fiction again. It's been almost 12 years since I'd really read fiction... and, oddly enough, God has worked in all of these stories -- middle grade and all! -- and hit the emotions, wounds, and doubts I didn't know I needed to process. I always think of the Patricia Polacco Bubbie character saying to her grandchildren, "Of course is true! But it may not have happened..."
I did not experience this but my jaw was on the floor when I read this especially because a lot of the non-fiction books I've been reading lately may be considered scandalous by religious standards.
So good!
I needed this. I started reading a lot more fiction after leaving that mindset and it opens up a plethora of good literature. I hate that I used to think it was a waste of time - and I still struggle with this.
This post speaks to me! God created me with an amazing imagination, a love of language, and a love of reading and writing. And I have no doubt those things are part of the reason I survived childhood. Somewhere along the line as a teen and young adult, I ran into teaching that discouraged me from reading anything that was not the Bible or a Christian biography. Fantasy, like C.S. Lewis or George McDonald, was especially a problem! I’m in my later 50s and am just now (over the past few years) recovering my imagination and my love for reading and writing. And my relationship with God has never been more beautiful. I’ve gone from putting one foot in front of the other because I didn’t know what else to do, to being delighted by the boundless love of the God who created me in His image and who delights in me.
Yes!! This post is my life motto. :) Beautifully stated!