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Over at HighCallingBlogs.com Erica Hale has been leading a discussion of Bill Strickland’s book Making the Impossible Possible. She just loaded part 3 today, and it is a whopper. She writes,
Despite being young and inexperienced, Strickland refused to let the frustration of fighting against the identity of poverty and defeat stop him from achieving his dream. When people failed to come, he walked the streets in search of people willing to take a chance on finding a new identity.
And what a philosophy of identity Bill Strickland has over at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh. He has spent his career teaching people that everyone has “something beautiful to show, something valuable to share, some powerful story to tell.
I love his ideas about beauty and hope and responsibility. Beauty, Strickland argues, inspires hope. It reminds us that we are human–and that we have a responsibility to add more beauty to the world before we leave. Strip out all of the Christian speak from TheHighCalling.org, and you’ll find a similar message.
What you do matters. You actions matter to the people around you. Your work matters to the world around you. What you create is important to the Creator. We get so busy. We get so trapped in our own tiny worlds and neighborhoods that we forget to create beauty. Sometimes we even forget how to see it.
In the worst of circumstances like the Manchester ghetto of the 1970s where Strickland found himself, there may not even much beauty to find.
But like Strickland, we have to go out and find beauty. There is truth in beauty. And hope. And we have a responsibility to the world when it comes to these things.
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- Chapter 3: Born Identity (highcallingblogs.com)
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"Strip out all of the Christian speak from TheHighCalling.org, and you’ll find a similar message."
exactly !
am only in the first chapter, but it already had me skimmng the rest of the book looking for a recgonition of where God was in this, a mention of His grace or leading…something with the word God. some kind of glory to His name.
It’s not that Strickland doesn’t recognize God in his work, but that he is taking a message of common grace to the world. Other folks take the message of specific grace. The body needs all parts, right?
yes. but, i was wondering if He mentions somewhere in the book, any credit to God? i believe that all Grace comes from God. i think that i have my own certain expectations for the book that i will have to put aside in order to finish up the book and see what all he has to say about making the impossible possible.
nAncY, I haven't finished the book, but I did notice that. I guess it doesn't bother me because I know Strickland's doing the work of God. Kind of like the way the book of Ruth (and, I believe, Esther too… hmmm… and Song of Songs) never mentions God, but we all know He's there. Yeah, kind of like that.
LL…that's a good comparison! Marcus, I like the line of thinking…we have a responsibility to the world in these things. I am thinking about that worship song…"They'll know we are Christians by our love". Perhaps a powerful part of our witness is our call to be ambassadors of beauty and hope, perhaps in the same way that all the beauty of creation points to Him, all the hope and beauty we give away (all the flowers we throw, LL) point His way as well.
thanks for your message, l.l.
i am not sure why i was bothered, but,
i think what really needs to checked-out is my attitude.
nAncY, I'm thinking it's okay to be bothered about things and okay to say so. Sometimes in putting things on the table, we find answers to questions we didn't know we were asking. You are a sweetheart! : )
thanks l.l.
you are right, i am finding answers to questions that i didn't even know i was asking. thanks for your patience and understanding.
What you do matters… yuppers. it does. how we live is an important testament to who we are… But it doesn't define us. God's like the best friend that sees past what we do, to who we are. Perhaps better defined as what we do is the expression of who we are. I don't have the book… just like to join in now and then!
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