Welcome to The Wildroot Parables weekly discussions! This is where we can come together as a community and have real talk with one another: open, honest, gracious, and curious.
This is YOUR space to discuss with each other, not just engage with me! Because of this, SAFE SHARING is my highest priority. If you are not engaging safely and with grace with others, you will have to leave. Period.
Thank you for entering this space with care!
On Monday, we explored God's character as a mothering presence, not just the “Father” we have come to expect.
Our question is: have you made assumptions about God's personality and/or character in the past that affected your relationship with Him? What changed your mind?
I was taught that “God is a spirit and does not have a body like Man (human beings), but I was also told that God the Father would never be anything like a mother. It was implied that Eve was bad for her part in the Fall and Adam was not really to be blamed. It was later added to by calling the confusing time of menses— the Curse. This topic actually has shaped my whole life. I wanted nothing to do with being a woman or mother because of these teachings and because there were not women around who lifted up being a woman past the idea that Eve messed life up for the rest of us. My God stepped into my life and wooed me by Love when all I felt was deadly hatred for the very being I was created to be and become. When God brought life to life inside my womb, I knew that He was God and I was His Goddess. I still don’t feel like I have the right words to convey that exactly.
It’s like when composing music— I have to turn down the background symphony in my head in order to hear the melody and place the words in the right order and time.
I can relate this, being taught it was all Eve’s fault and women are to blame for a lot. Purity Culture in the late 90s/early 00s made that even worse. “He was God and I was His Goddess” - this makes sense to me!! I recently learned the the original word for “Image” (God created man in His image) was the same word used for actual wood or stone carvings -- what we call idols in other places in Scripture. God is so adamant we not worship other idols because WE are His idols - the physical embodiment of His Image, His representatives on the earth to all of Creation to be co-heirs & rule with Him! Learning that just brought a whole new level of understanding about how we are created in His Image.
When I was much younger, I more or less assumed that God was a benign but fairly disinterested being, less of a Father than a rich uncle who showed up now and then and "made things work out." It didn't occur to me then to see God as the Passionate Pursuer who came to seek and save the lost (including me), or to see Him as intimately involved with every iota of His creation (including me). Now I have a better grasp (albeit tiny and human) of God's true nature. He used to be easier to ignore -- but not any more!
Love this question. Recently I’ve been finding my initial gut instincts were actually correct growing up....but certain denominational / theological leanings I was exposed to had made me doubt these. I’m still working through untangling all of that.
Ooh, this is a good topic idea!!!
I was taught that “God is a spirit and does not have a body like Man (human beings), but I was also told that God the Father would never be anything like a mother. It was implied that Eve was bad for her part in the Fall and Adam was not really to be blamed. It was later added to by calling the confusing time of menses— the Curse. This topic actually has shaped my whole life. I wanted nothing to do with being a woman or mother because of these teachings and because there were not women around who lifted up being a woman past the idea that Eve messed life up for the rest of us. My God stepped into my life and wooed me by Love when all I felt was deadly hatred for the very being I was created to be and become. When God brought life to life inside my womb, I knew that He was God and I was His Goddess. I still don’t feel like I have the right words to convey that exactly.
It’s like when composing music— I have to turn down the background symphony in my head in order to hear the melody and place the words in the right order and time.
God holds the space for me to create!
I can relate this, being taught it was all Eve’s fault and women are to blame for a lot. Purity Culture in the late 90s/early 00s made that even worse. “He was God and I was His Goddess” - this makes sense to me!! I recently learned the the original word for “Image” (God created man in His image) was the same word used for actual wood or stone carvings -- what we call idols in other places in Scripture. God is so adamant we not worship other idols because WE are His idols - the physical embodiment of His Image, His representatives on the earth to all of Creation to be co-heirs & rule with Him! Learning that just brought a whole new level of understanding about how we are created in His Image.
This is delightful!
When I was much younger, I more or less assumed that God was a benign but fairly disinterested being, less of a Father than a rich uncle who showed up now and then and "made things work out." It didn't occur to me then to see God as the Passionate Pursuer who came to seek and save the lost (including me), or to see Him as intimately involved with every iota of His creation (including me). Now I have a better grasp (albeit tiny and human) of God's true nature. He used to be easier to ignore -- but not any more!
I felt this way as well. What I was taught growing up pales in comparison to what has been revealed within my experience. I was wooed by Love!
Love this question. Recently I’ve been finding my initial gut instincts were actually correct growing up....but certain denominational / theological leanings I was exposed to had made me doubt these. I’m still working through untangling all of that.