Goodness Weekly 7.24.23

I want to choose to love the world as it is, just as I know I am loved as I am
—Justin McRoberts

What’s Good:

You might have noticed a new look around here–we have three new logos to reflect everything that’s happening in our community!

Our volunteer graphic designer Suz thoughtfully created these interrelated logos to represent our church community, our collective, and Charis Park.

The logo for Sunset Ridge Church is inspired by the beautiful front-facing stained glass window of our historic chapel.

The Sunset Ridge Collective logo is taken from the prominent shape in the stained glass and features concentric circles representing the way we hope for our community to be one of intersection and collaboration.

The Charis Park logo is a butterfly shape taken directly from the center of the collective logo. The square behind the butterfly represents the one square block of land that the park resides in.

All three logos are also tied together by a sunset-inspired color palette.

Thank you, Suz, for all your hard work on this. She is one of the most creative people we know and we’re so grateful for everything she’s done to bring color and life to our community!

A Message from Jess

“No one will ever love you.” It was a message I heard regularly from the first person I loved. At 15 years old, I headed wholeheartedly and unknowingly into an abusive relationship that lasted throughout my time in high school.

Looking back as an adult I wonder why I never asked for help. I think I thought that I could handle things, or that it would get better, and then slowly, I was swallowed up. My fragile young identity, my strength, and my self-esteem were all consumed by this person—and I believed the story that I was unlovable.

I learned wrongly that love was transactional. My ability to be lovable was dependent on my behavior, or my hairstyle, or my clothing, etc. So I carried that transactional belief about love into my friendships, eventually into my marriage, and into my relationship with God.

I continued to not ask for help. My ability to be lovable meant I had to be strong, self-sufficient, not dependent on anyone else—if I wasn’t a burden to the people around me, then I wouldn’t lose them.

But here is what I missed—real love doesn’t look at supporting someone as a burden, it is a part of what love does. Love holds up. Love strengthens. Love challenges. Love rebuilds.

This summer I attended my family’s reunion in Maine. We participated in a 5K together for the local elementary school. My daughter, Shiloh, was insistent on running it, and her dad and I were not. So my oldest son, Luca, started jogging with her. And then as she got tired he carried her, then he put her down and she ran. He carried her through the finish line with a smile on his face.

That is love.

We could say, “Well she shouldn’t have been running. It was too much for her. It wasn’t his responsibility when she made those choices.” But she did have to run. Her vibrant little spirit had to. And she didn’t do it exactly how she thought she would–she needed help.

And love was there.

If you’ve ever heard a story that says you are not worthy of love, or care, or compassion, or wholeness. I invite you today to let those voices go.

It takes time, it takes patience, it takes asking for help. And you are worth all of this and more.

Love, Jess

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, July 24th, 9:30 AM Storytime on the Lawn featuring Mission Bell Tacos at One Another Coffee
Wednesday, July 25th
- 10-11 Women’s Fellowship
- 7-8:30 Youth Group
Sunday, July 30th, 4:30 PM Chapel Worship
Sunday, August 6th, 4;30 PM Supper Church
Saturday, August 12th 10-11:30 AM Second Saturday