Tagged: Audrey Frank

@audreycfrank In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it (Isaiah 30:15). We so often fight against the rest God offers. Instead of repenting, resting in His sovereignty over our lives, quieting our souls and trusting God, we flee. And our pursuers flee swiftly after us. (See Isaiah 30:16-17.) The word for rest here is also used in Exodus 14:14, that famous moment when the Israelites crossed the sea on dry land, only to look behind them to see the Egyptians marching in pursuit with full strength. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:14). How ridiculous the wisdom of God seems in the face of our… Read More

@audreycfrank My roots are in the Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States, where cultures blended from Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany to brave the rugged landscape and force it into submission. Farmers and shepherds made the mountains their home and brought with them customs and traditions of the Old Country. One of the most stubborn traditions is that of record-keeping, or, as it is more often called, holding a grudge. I have watched old men die friendless, all because they refused to forgive a wrong committed against them decades before in their youth. I have heard the griping grumble of stubborn siblings who walked away from each other after a dispute, never to reconcile.  And I have seen the most tender, powerful love blossom… Read More

@audreycfrank Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30, NIV “I want to be an astronaut, but I still want to be a doctor, too,” she said, her beautiful brow crinkled in consternation. “Well, astronauts need doctors to care for them,” I suggested. “I know. But I’m not worrying about it. I’ve put that stress on Jesus. “Is that okay? To give Jesus my stress?” “Yes, my sweet girl. Absolutely yes.” With a sigh, she gazed out the window into… Read More

@audreycfrank Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. (John 9:35-38) The tender picture of Jesus seeking and finding the outcast here is breathtaking.  There are those during this season of Lent who have been outcast because of their faith in Jesus. Yet they stand courageous and humble, declaring boldly their belief in the Son of Man, no matter what they have given up. Many of us give up rich food or… Read More

@audreycfrank The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) Walking in the dark night of Africa is risky. The black mamba, one of the world’s deadliest snakes, can completely camouflage himself within the inky darkness. He is one of the few snakes who are active at night and has a particular love for wood or metal that has absorbed the heat of the day.  We encountered the black mamba only once, coiled around the grating on our screen door. After a long night of good conversation and milky hot chai by lantern light, we saw our guests to the door. As my husband reached out his hand to open it the darkness moved, alerting us to the killer’s… Read More

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  Matthew 16:18 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  Luke 22:61 Lent is an opportunity to discover who God says we are as opposed to who we think we are. The contrast can be crushing.  If we are honest, we all know the weight of disappointment in who we really seem to be compared to who God says we are meant to be. Maybe we don’t even know who He says we are in the first… Read More

@audreycfrank And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:36-38, NET My early introduction to the Easter season was a small country church where little girls like me wore new dresses, hats, gloves, and white patent leather shoes. We awoke to Easter baskets left by the Easter bunny, overflowing with chocolate and jelly beans. After church, we would race around the churchyard searching for… Read More

The best gift a mentor can give is the example of a heart still learning from Jesus. @audreycfrank She had delivered thousands of babies during the French occupation of the medieval city. When the French left, only she was permitted to stay. All other expatriates were sent away, leaving the nationals to redeem their own country once again. But the beloved English midwife was nurse, mother, and grandmother to many, and her place in the old city was secure. No one could imagine life without her, so she was allowed to remain. By the time I arrived, Miss C was in her seventies. I was a first-time mother and new to the exotic Muslim world. God knew I needed Miss C. Hers was one of… Read More

@audreycfrank Recently on Twitter Brené Brown, shame researcher and storyteller, posted this thought: “It’s not fear that gets in the way of showing up - it’s armor. It’s the behaviors we use to self-protect. We can be afraid and brave at the same time. Armor suffocates courage and cages our hearts. The goal is to create spaces where armor is neither necessary nor rewarded.” Brené Brown (Twitter) https://twitter.com/BreneBrown/status/1093981324644401152 Her comment is insightful and started me thinking about armor. The behaviors with which we arm ourselves are certainly one kind of armor. But what about the armor others put upon us? We can take up our own armor, or others can put armor on us. Others can load us down with oversized, misfitting armor they feel… Read More

@audreycfrank If you are new to reading the Bible through the lenses of honor and shame, the Old Testament book of Esther is a great place to start. Like a true fairy tale, the story of a beautiful orphan girl’s rise to the status of a queen is enchanting through any worldview. In Esther: An Honor-Honor-Shame Paraphrase, Jayson Georges gives us a new pair of reading glasses equipped with super-powers. Through them we can see the colors and sounds of honor and shame shimmering throughout the book, making the familiar story enthralling and brand new. We find ourselves giving God a standing ovation at the closing scene as He faithfully brings His people from shame to honor in a dramatic status reversal. An Honor-Shame Paraphrase… Read More