Tim's Tiny Example
GCD Newsletter 29th November 2023
Over the past few weeks—since ending up in hospital—I’ve gotten more than a few letters outlining my various illnesses and symptoms, but one they’ve hitherto missed is an undiagnosed seasonal illness I suffer from called Festivaphobia—a malady I share with many around the world. The first person we know of who suffered from Festivaphobia was a man named Ebeneezer Scrooge who, though he had a particularly virulent case, was eventually cured.
Though I don’t suffer nearly as much as he did, the story of his eventual healing is one I return to time after time in the hope of sharing in his remedy, and whilst I’m not fully festive, I do find myself encouraged every time. This year, upon listening to the story once more, I found myself stirred by the faith of a young boy. In the past few weeks, my strength has been sparse and my energy even more so. Upon seeing me, some are happy, some are the same as ever, and some find themselves discouraged. Tim, a tiny young boy with iron braces is carried into the narrative upon his father’s shoulders. They’ve just returned from church to be with the rest of their family, and the father, Bob Cratchit, tells his wife, “[Tim] hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas day who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”
Oh that we all had such faith, and such hope for our struggles. Tim, hearing of the many who had been healed in the scriptures, believed in the healer, and saw himself as a living representation of the power of God. Tim, tiny though he was, concealed within him the faithful heart of a giant, beating in step with the Spirit. I hope that in my own suffering I would have a fraction of his faith.
At this time of year, as we look back to the coming of Jesus and towards his eventual second coming, it can be easy to get caught up in the festivities or in our Festivaphobia. No matter how bad things are or how bright the lights, the reality of the power of God, as well as the truth of his eventual coming, outshine them all. No darkness is too deep for his light to reach, and no other light comes close to his radiance. Let’s not get caught up in earthly things this season, but instead, let that light shine through our suffering, and our gifts, our families, and our friendlessness, so that others around us might see the glory of God through it all.
Grace and Peace,
Adsum Try Ravenhill is married to Anna and together they are passionate about seeing young men and women discipled within the context of the local church. You can find Adsum through his writing at The Raven’s Writing Desk and you can also find Adsum’s articles for GCD here.
New Articles from GCDiscipleship.com
The Hands of Grace
By Amber Thiessen
“The heart of missional living, the very essence of the gospel, is that we would lay down ourselves for another, not looking only to our own interests, but also the interests of others. This is the example of Christ who lived and breathed a perfect life on earth so that he could surrender it all for our redemption.”
Finding Rest in God’s Eternality
By Lara d’Entremont
“Often we have less to show for ourselves at the end of the day, and to our world that is humiliating. But God calls us to a much humbler way of life: rest and trust in his eternality, accepting the good limits he placed on us.”
Riding The C-Train: Faith Reflections from a Cancer Oven (#16)
By Tim Shorey
“Dear Father, you have suffering, famine-starved, war-surrounded, life-bombed, disease-ravaged, grief-filled, relationship-betrayed, justice-denied, and persecution-stalked children all over this world whose grief is every bit as deep, enduring, and seemingly endless as mine—if not more so. Lord Jesus, please come and make our groaning stop.”
Every writer needs a community. A team of committed allies to help encourage, sharpen, and spur them on in their craft. The GCD Writers’ Mentoring Cohort is just that environment, and our next cohort is starting on January 29th 2024. Over six months, a small cohort of writers will be given access to community and coaching to help shape and sharpen the writer, their process, and their craft. Each month writers jump onto a video call with a small group of writers and high-calibre coaches. If you join us you will be equipped to write resources that make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus.
The cohort involves:
Six monthly video coaching calls with the GCD team and a respected, published writer in the Christian book industry.
Jen Wilkin: Why Write?
Jared C. Wilson: What Makes for Good Writing?
Barnabas Piper: Writing for the Head
Jonathan Dodson: Writing for the Heart
Hannah Anderson: Writing for the Hands
Drew Dyck: Writing for Publication
Monthly feedback and resourcing from the GCD editorial team to help hone and sharpen your voice.
Peer-group community and feedback from other members of the cohort.
Reading and writing exercises to help you become the writer God intended you to be.
A Sample of Writers’ Cohort Graduates
I thought we’d close today with some articles from Writers’ Cohort Graduates for you to read. These cover subjects like:
Discipline
Affliction
Temptation
Sex Education
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything
Enjoy!
Receiving Grace Through Gospel Disciplines
— By Mitch Everingham (Resilient Rhythms / @resilient_rhythms)
“…I was left dazed and confused when at sixteen, the wheels began to fall off my version of faith. I had the right beliefs—just ask me and I could tell you them—but something was missing. It took me a few years and plenty of bumps along the road, but after some lengthy, even painful reflection, I was able to articulate the problem: I knew how to have a relationship with God, but I didn’t have one.”
Three Men in The Cellar of Affliction
— By Adsum Try Ravenhill (The Raven’s Writing Desk / @atravenhill)
“Five years ago, in an Underground station in London, whilst dealing with some major health issues, I found that the elevator was unfortunately out of order. Cane click-clacking as I slowly, painfully, descended a flight of stairs, I smiled upon seeing a young boy playfully running up and down the platform. His mother, seeing an opportunity, grabbed the boy by the arm and, pointing at me, said in a stern voice, “If you keep running around this station, you are going to end up like that.”
The whole platform took a second to look, but no one said anything. These glances were not altogether uncommon, most onlookers didn’t see a person but death on legs.”
Reflections On Temptation from Peter’s Sifting
— By Wendy Willard (Gracefully Slathy / Slathy)
“No matter how many times Satan tries to make us believe otherwise, God always provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13). We can admit our failure to God, accept his unfailing love and grace, and turn back to him. And when we do so, the true beauty is that God doesn’t waste our experiences, even when we are culpable for sin. Like Peter, he guides us to use what we’ve learned to encourage and strengthen one another along the way.”
The Sex Talk Every Parent Should Be Having with Their Toddler
— By Aanna Greer (Author of Darling / @aannagreer)
“There are many ways to integrate the truths of biblical sexuality into your family’s daily experience. Start with one of the following practices, implement it with grace for yourself and your child, and once this practice becomes habit—add another. Remember, you’re both learning a new practice together!”
Finding Meaning Doesn’t Require Striving
— By Jessica Trevena Miskelly (@jtmiske)
“Ecclesiastes demolishes the flimsy notions of meaning expounded by the secular world. The ancient book rebukes the idea that lasting meaning and worth can be found in the things of the world. Such attempts try and squash eternity into the lumpenly finite. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” (NIV) or “Vanity of vanities!” (ESV), “a chasing after the wind,” the author forcefully says of humanity’s fixation on worldly goals (Eccl. 1:2, 14) while at the same time pinpointing the reason for our experience of elusive meaning”
Grace and Peace,
Adsum Try Ravenhill is married to Anna and together they are passionate about seeing men and women discipled within the context of the local church. You can find Adsum through his writing at The Raven’s Writing Desk and you can also find Adsum’s articles for GCD here.