Rediscovering

On this episode of Rediscovering, I have the honor of interviewing Strahan Coleman, a writer and musician from New Zealand. Strahan's work has been formative in my life, and I pray that this conversation is a blessing to you! We talk about his new book, Beholding, stumbling through God-given dreams, dead dreams, grieving, and living prophetically. My favorite kind of conversation. Thank you, Strahan! Links: Buy "Beholding" by: Strahan Coleman More from Strahan Buy "The Rage Against Grace" by: Jordan Sleed --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

In the anger that comes with aching for a better world, we are left longing for power. It's inescapable, this desire to see God. John begins his gospel describing Jesus as the One who offers us "power to become children of God". But the power to become what we long to be isn't accessed through anger and control. It's accessed through trust, or acceptance of God as he is. Is there a way God is inviting you to accept him as he is, right now?  “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” John 1v11-13, NRSV ------------------------------------------------------------- Keep in touch! Email me: jordansleed@icloud.com Buy my book See you soon! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

“The birth of righteousness and love in this stern world is always a virgin birth.” -Frederick Buechner We're made to tell and hear stories. As we approach Christmas, we might be reminded of the slowness in our own stories. If you're like me, you'll find it hard to go through seasons of slowness without getting demanding, forceful, and even confused about whether God is still with you or not. God continually shows up in surprisingly gentle ways. He takes the long route of development, and I believe it reveals something about his nature. I believe it reveals that he cares more about you and I than he does the timeline. Here's the poem I quoted: “I now see this is who you’ve always been The Writer who is unafraid to set down the pen To look at the words written with delight and grace Until they carry this love that cannot be erased” ------------------------------------------------------------- Keep in touch! Email me: jordansleed@icloud.com Buy my book See you soon! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Friends, this conversation was such a joy. Andy Squyres has quickly worked his way into being one of my favorite songwriters (and writers). As you'll hear in the conversation, it's not just his cleverness and wit (although he has it). It's his willingness to, as he says, "tell the whole story" through pastoral artistry. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, but not without thoroughly examining said ground. At the time of this interview, Andy was beginning this new, pivotal moment of his life. Yet the clarity and soundness of mind he brings to the common questions many are asking in the Post-Christian West doesn't leave you feeling unheard or confused. Perhaps he sums his artistic vocation and its place up best when he says: "I'm confusing... I'm not confused, but I'm confusing." While his words may, to some audiences, feel like a stumbling block, his work is not based in resentment, polarization, or anything of the power-grabbing sort. It's rooted in love, and it's been a blessing to me. I pray this conversation, and his writings bless you. More about Andy. ______________ Contact me: jordansleed@icloud.com I'll see you soon. Thanks so much for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Holy Saturday is a confusing day. Thankfully, we know the good news of it leading to Easter Sunday. But, is there something to be learned from its initial uncertainty? Is there an invitation to learn to pray more vulnerably on a day like Saturday? "Saturday" Rain on Holy Saturday You seem to fit what the heart can’t say Grieved, uncertain, and shrouded in gray Rain is the language of Saturday Birds still sing, as if they know something But I don’t after death anticipate As though underground a garden is now growing And I have one thing to do: wait This poem is in my book, "The Rage Against Grace" --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Good Friday invites us to notice where our zealous expectations of God lead to disappointment. Where do we go from there? "Friday" Misunderstood and patient King Accused and slapped under cover of night Abandoned by friends under rule of fight or flight Misunderstood and patient King Congratulating the meek, poor, and oppressed Promising an unrecognizable, longed-for sabbath rest You are not who I thought you would be You cast down my sword to set me free Yet defenseless and cold I still cannot see Death as the inauguration of jubilee Misunderstood and patient Friend In darkness I find it easy to pretend Warming my hands by the fire in regret It’s almost truth to say I never knew you Because I did not quite, yet Find this poem in my book, "The Rage Against Grace". --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Brennan Manning once wrote: “I've decided that if I had my life to live over again, I would not only climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets; I wouldn't only jettison my hot water bottle, raincoat, umbrella, parachute, and raft; I would not only go barefoot earlier in the spring and stay out later in the fall; but I would devote not one more minute to monitoring my spiritual growth. No, not one.”  As somebody who devotes a lot of attention to stat-keeping, this brings up a necessary question: Is keeping track of spiritual growth more harmful than it is helpful? ------ Contact me: jordansleed@icloud.com Buy my poetry book: https://www.amazon.com/Rage-Against-Grace-Healing-Resistant/dp/1952842638/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QNABUB3R2740&keywords=jordan+sleed+the+rage+against+grace&qid=1646696706&sprefix=jordan+sleed+the+rage+against+grac%2Caps%2C291&sr=8-1 I'll see you soon. Thanks so much for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

I love praying with Psalm 73. In my questioning of what is fair, I often feel that I'll be safe once I have an answer. But an answer isn't big enough to hold a whole human life. It's enough to bring encouragement, relief, and direction at most. Refuge in the Living God follows the relief that comes (or doesn't come) from answers. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Reducing our expectations of God may seem wise, but ends up being draining. Perhaps God is better than we've imagined. And perhaps we can pray like that's true. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Generally, I want to have certainty about my day-to-day life, almost like the certainty of a checklist. I want to feel in control. This is why I find it interesting that, throughout Scripture, God chooses to speak to His people through dreams and visions. Dreams are often blurry. They leave us with a lot of questions. Why is this such a popular method of communication for God? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

The problem of celebrity, elevating people to a higher platform and standard than the "average" human being can bear, isn't entirely new. But, it's more accessible. Elevating people gets easier the more we have access to somebody via social media. And while it is a human tendency to want to learn from and be influenced by a "leader", what does our way of doing this negatively affect our relationship with God? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Accepting where we actually are and what we actually desire is hard work. It often takes time to get any sort of clarity about the seasons in which we find ourselves. But once we acknowledge them, how does prayer change?  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

There are 30 relatively undocumented and unremembered years of the life of Jesus. Since we believe him to be “the word made flesh” and “God in the flesh”, do we get to call it unfaithfulness that there seems to be so much time spent without a recorded event? Of course not, but for some reason, this is the kind of judgment we tend to use toward our own lives. We're invited to collaborate with God as he brings about what he desires to bring about in the time he desires to -- in love. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

I'm so excited to share these poems with you! Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Rage-Against-Grace-Healing-Resistant/dp/1952842638/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QNABUB3R2740&keywords=jordan+sleed+the+rage+against+grace&qid=1646696706&sprefix=jordan+sleed+the+rage+against+grac%2Caps%2C291&sr=8-1 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

The stereotypical picture of a creative person as an intelligent, yet disorderly character has its merits. But, it is not a true and helpful representation of the most creative followers of Jesus. You know, the people that may get labeled as "prophetic". A prophetic life is a creative life, but that doesn't mean it is a life marked by chaos.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

In an age where internet outrage is normal conversation, it's easy to get defensive. But is God's kingdom in need of defense more than in need of compassionate listeners? I certainly tend to act like it is. In every critique of "the faith" there's an opportunity to see somebody's desire for the love of God, and then to be (or attempt to be) the love of God for the critic. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Why is it so difficult to speak with conviction while remaining compassionate? The love of God would have me realize that these two things are never meant to be at odds with one another. In Christ, there's an invitation to no longer speak as though truth and grace are at odds with one another. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

In the eventfulness (or lack thereof) of life, it's easy to forget certain prayers and requests. I wonder how often I'm walking in an answer to a prayer I've totally forgotten I prayed. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

God is an artist. And perhaps his artistry is what invites us to repentance, letting us see his kingdom here and now. Reading Makoto Fujimura's book, Silence and Beauty, I was confronted with the fact that I don't think art matters. This, of course, led to a lot of spiraling about whether what I was doing with music, poetry, and even this podcast, was impactful or missional enough. Thankfully, that belief has been and is being interrogated. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support

Continuing the conversation on systems and spirits, we look at the pitfalls of what a trusted system can do. Often, our systems for living life with God become ways to falsely increase comfort level by replacing trust. It is incredibly hard to trust that a life of listening to and responding to God is enough. But, the Way of Jesus is primarily defined by communion with the Father. Any system that begins to serve as a replacement for relationship, waiting, intimacy, and trust, is likely something that needs to be confronted. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jordan-sleed/support