Episode 003: Hashtag Blessed﻿

Episode 003: Hashtag Blessed

10/25/2016

In the third episode of Upside Down Podcast, we’re chatting it up about what it really means to be “blessed”.

In a world of hashtags, it’s become all too easy to consider ourselves #blessed when life is going well. We’ve all done it, or something similar. But in doing so, what are we unintentionally saying about the hard times? Are we not blessed when things don’t go according to plan? Are we not blessed when our child is diagnosed with a serious illness, or when we don’t know how we’re going to pay the bills?

Or maybe, just maybe, have we gotten the very concept of “blessed” terribly wrong?

In this episode we dive into what the Scriptures teach us about the truth of being blessed, and it’s not always what we want to hear. Lindsy asks what it looks like for a poor single Christian Haitian mom to be “blessed” and Kristi hits it home by saying the Gospel is Good News, and if it isn’t Good News for everyone then it isn’t the Gospel.

We end it with a bit of silliness, talking about what emoji best represents us right now. Mine is the monkey covering his eyes, so now you know a little more about the state of my life right now!

LINKS:

Read the New York Times article by Kate Bowler here.
Find the Jen Hatmaker book we referenced here.

Find us on Instagram or Facebook and join the conversation! What were you thinking as we talked? Do you think we were too hard on the ol’ hashtag? Did you have things you were dying to add?

As always, thanks for joining us and being part of our #upsidedowntribe!

Grace and peace from Iowa,
Shannon

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11 Comments

Bethany

10/28/2016 03:50:56 pm

Thank you ladies for another great episode that left my head spinning - in a good way! I made my husband listen so I can talk it through with him later tonight. So much to say! These are the kinds of conversations we need to be having in the church and in our friend circles. Deeply convicting, yes but so necessary. Can't wait for the next episode!

Shannon Evans

11/4/2016 02:13:52 pm

We love that you had your husband listen too! I bet you guys had a rich conversation. Thanks for modeling intentional practices in marriage!

Susan McKellep

11/2/2016 12:22:45 pm

This is my FAVORITE EPISODE so far! I've always found the term #blessed (spoken or written) *so* othering, not just to myself but to everyone who isn't a recipient of whatever particular "blessing" is being noted.

If Jesus is EVERYWHERE, then he's with the children in Allepo, he's with the heroin addict dying in the front seat of her car while her child screams in the car seat, he's with the man who taped the dog's muzzle shut then threw her in out of the car (and the dog, and the person who found her) - RIGHT? And isn’t his presence a blessing in and of itself? So aren’t we ALL #blessed, whatever our circumstance?

I think the appropriate hashtag to show pleasure and appreciation for the things/circumstances in our lives – and not just the #goodthings, but #ALLTHETHINGS – is #GRATEFUL. The hard part is feeling #grateful in the middle of, and for, the hard parts.

I can say, though, that as a long-ago Christian, I’d recognize a kindred spirit much more easily if I read a caption on Instagram that said “Not too thrilled about water all over the kitchen floor from a busted water pipe, but #GRATEFUL for running water nonetheless.”

You ladies are doing a great job. This is the only Christian podcast I’ve ever listened to. Thanks for speaking a language I understand!

xo,
Susan

11/4/2016 02:14:53 pm

I know I responded to this on Instagram, but wanted to say thank you again for such thoughtul feedback. We have benefitted from your dialogue!

11/2/2016 12:22:55 pm

11/2/2016 12:23:08 pm

11/2/2016 12:23:21 pm

Meghan link

11/4/2016 09:18:32 am

Ladies, thank you so much. I am deeply convicted by this conversation.

Lindsy, I had a similar experience with the home we ended up in when we moved to Detroit 3.5 years ago. It is large and really lovely. I am equal parts grateful that we have space to hold lots of people and a big kitchen to prepare food to share, equal parts totally embarrassed by it (and find myself trying to explain it to people, like "if you want a yard for your kids to play in in Detroit, you'll end up in a big house" etc. etc. I need to shut my mouth).

I read this passage immediately after listening to this episode, and I thought it fit perfectly:

"In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true; as unknown and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (II Cor. 6:4-10, NKJV).

That's upside down.

11/4/2016 02:15:22 pm

Great passage choice!

Tisha Adfy

5/7/2017 11:01:25 am

Wow! I really enjoyed this. I felt like if I were there I'd be amongst my people! Lol I'm an African American mom and the convo about privilege was so refreshing to hear from women who aren't AA. I loved all of it, but that really was special. Every day things that are common place for non AA people, can be tremendous hurdles for people like me (going to a small town fair, buying homes, finding a home school co-op, traveling). It's being human to acknowledge it. Thank you sisters. And probably my most used emoji is the side eye one. I'm working on my sarcasm.

Kayla Craig link

5/9/2017 08:42:52 am

Tisha! Thank you SO MUCH for your comment! It means a lot to us that you are here. Thank you for sharing. You always have a seat at the table here and we're really grateful you took the time to comment your experience and hurdles you've experienced that we couldn't pretend to understand. (And the side eye emoji is so wonderful, hahaha!) Thanks again!

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