Strengths Finder

I took strengths finder yesterday...

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...thoughts...?

Yaks today...

Today I found myself in a conversation in Yaks with Dick. Dick is a gentleman in probably his mid-late 70's that moved here from Tacoma, Washington a few years ago to be closer to one of his daughters. After getting to know a little bit about each other Dick began telling about his religious beliefs. At first I was very excited, but quickly realized that I was completely unprepared. He told me it was hard for him to believe in an untangable god. He also told me he does not believe there is a heaven or hell, but that the Bible is more of a figurative idea. He attended a church in Washington that believed all people go to heaven and that love is the most important thing for us to do. He said he believes Jesus was a real person, but that the Bible could not be the actually Word of God. He also said that he believed the creation story is a bunch of fluff, "child stuff." He also was confused how two men will go to war side by side and one will die and the other live, and God can let this happen.

My heart burned for Dick this afternoon in Yaks in this simple, yet powerful, hour long conversation. Dick and I have so many things that we can relate to and understand about the other. But, how can I, this struggling to completely understand God himself senior at Simpson University, show Dick a tangible God, the tangible, all powerful God that I know and love? I felt so ill-prepared and able to speak tangible truth into the life of this man. I feel like this conversation happened for a reason.

Dick says he comes here often to have coffee because he loves the atmosphere of this place. I hope to have more conversations with him. Pray for him, pray for me. I pray that our hearts continue to burn for people like Dick.