It was 4 o’clock in the morning, and there I was, lying awake in bed.  Since I thought my chances of falling back asleep were slim to none, and I had told myself I had to stay in bed at least another hour, my mind naturally turned to this month’s newsletter theme: time, and its role in Christian discipleship.

“Ok, mind,” I thought, “since now you’ve got time to think about time, what do you think?  I feel both pressed for time and that there is so much one could say about this — where do I even begin?” I asked myself, with a hint of sarcasm.

Seconds later, the  song “Time Is On My Side,” perhaps made most popular by the Rolling Stones, floated into my head, and, to my surprise, I drifted back to sleep.

Several hours later, I awoke laughing, both amused and bewildered that this was the song that had made its way into my head.  I couldn’t even recall the last time I had heard it!  Still, I wondered: Is there something to learn here?  And of course, there was.

One way we fulfill our calling as Christ’s disciples is by using our time wisely – honoring God not only in what we do, but in how we do it.  At the same time, Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us: “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.  [God] has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NLV) 

In other words, yes, it is important for us to be intentional with the time God has so generously given us (a focus we’ll explore further in week two of our Summer Series from June 29 through July 20, 2025 —more details coming soon!).  But, it’s also important to remember: we’re not in control of every minute.  Some things, perhaps many, are in God’s hands, not ours. 

As we step into this season of resurrection, a time of renewal and rebirth, consider setting aside a few quiet moments to reflect on how you’re using the gift of time.  You might do this through prayer, silent meditation, journaling, or perhaps the 24-hour activity snapshot handout we provided in the wellbeing section of our newsletter.

 As you do, hold this reminder close: through God, “Time is on your side, yes it is.” 

Eastertide blessings,

Karen Webster

HSHC Co-Founder/Executive Director

Five Minute Mexican Chocolate Pudding (Plant-Based!)

Servings: 6

Ingredients: 

• • 1 (14-ounce) package of soft or silken tofu

  • 1 cup soy milk or unsweetened milk of choice

  • 2 TBSP cocoa powder

  • ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

  • 2 TBSP date sugar

  • ⅛ tsp salt

  • For garnish: Whipped coconut cream (or dairy-free whipped topping) and shaved dark chocolate

Directions

1. 1. Place all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until the milk and tofu feel warm.

   2. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the contents of the bowl to a standing blender) to puree the ingredients until smooth and chocolatey.

   3. Pour into six individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.

   4. Serve topped with whipped topping and dark chocolate shavings.

Yes, we know it is only January; however, Travis and I are already planning for, and are excited about, this year’s Summer Series, titled “Common Discipleship: Living Out Our Faith in Daily Life.”  Like last year, in addition to this being the summer series theme, it will also be our focus throughout our newsletters in 2025.  More specifically, we will be exploring “common,” but often overlooked, aspects of Christian discipleship – how we spend our time, how we use our resources, how we eat – and how our attention to each of these areas impacts our collective lives and health as followers of Christ.  These everyday practices, though seemingly ordinary, carry profound implications for our faith and witness. 

One of the typical challenges of being a faithful disciple is the temptation to privatize our walk with God.  Discipleship is often framed as “my personal relationship with Christ;” therefore, it frequently gets carried out through individual devotion (prayer, the reading of Scripture, journaling, etc.) in solitude.  While this aspect of our faith is absolutely vital, it is incomplete without the counterbalance of living out our faith in community. 

For example, the author of Hebrews writes, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NRSVUE).  This passage clearly reminds us that discipleship is not a solitary endeavor; rather, it is a shared journey of mutual encouragement, accountability, and growth.  

Unfortunately, discipleship is not always a big community “walk in the park.”  Especially right now, with so many of our interactions and so much of our rhetoric filled with anger, violence, fear, political divisiveness, climate concerns, and so much more, it can seem like it’s harder than ever before to extend love and good deeds to our neighbors, both within and beyond our communities of faith.  How can we be expected to love our neighbors who are acting in unkind and unloving ways?  Yet, this is precisely where our discipleship is most needed.  How we treat our neighbors – those near and far – reflects the depth of our commitment to Christ’s call. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together, offers this insight: “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”  Our call as disciples is to love those around us – to actively foster community through tangible acts of encouragement, service, and accountability.  This creates spaces where faith is not merely professed, but practiced.

The small, common aspects of discipleship – how we spend our time, use our resources, and even the way we eat – are not only personal choices, but also opportunities to live out our faith in community.  And, these actions, though simple (but not easy), create rhythms that shape our shared lives, offering encouragement and accountability as we grow together in Christ.

As January comes to a close and we begin 2025 together, here are some questions for consideration:

1. What does it look like to balance solitude with God and connection with others in my discipleship?

2. In what ways can I encourage and support my community of faith?

3. How am I being called to love my neighbor in the midst of the world’s current challenges?

4. Are there areas in my daily life – time, resources, or habits – where God may be calling me to more intentional reflection this year, so that my actions are in better alignment with being a follower of Christ?

It may seem common, insignificant, even impossible at times, but as we move into 2025, we want to encourage you to reflect on the common practices of your faith and how they impact your community.  Trust in God’s Spirit to guide you, strengthen you, and bring us together, no matter what side of the church pews we are sitting on.

Peace,

Karen and Travis Webster

HSHC Co-Founders

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats 

Prep Time: 5 min

Makes:1 ½ cups

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rolled oats (regular, not instant)
  
• ½ cup carrot (shredded)
  
• 2 Medjool dates (pitted and chopped)
• 1 TBSP flaxseed (ground)
  1 TBSP pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plus more for serving

Optional: toppings such as hemp seeds, chopped pecans, almond butter, and/or raisins. 

Directions:

1. Combine the oats, carrot, dates, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond milk in a glass jar.
2. Cover and chill for 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Stir in toppings (if desired) and add additional milk, if needed.

Recipe from: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-breakfast/carrot-cake-overnight-oats/

Carrot Soup

Prep Time: 35 min

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs. potatoes (peeled and chopped)
• 1 ½ large carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
• 8 cups vegetable broth (no oil)

Optional: ½ tsp Dijon mustard, ⅓ cup nutritional yeast, ½ tsp cracked black pepper. 

Directions:

1. 1. Over high heat, in a non-stick large pot, add 2 TBSP of vegetable stock and onions. Sweat until translucent.
   2. Add chopped carrots, potatoes, and remaining vegetable stock and cook until softened.
   3. Bring to a boil, then turn the stove top down to medium-low heat. 
   4. Optional – stir in black pepper and Dijon mustard.
   5. Simmer for 15 minutes, the potatoes and carrots should be very soft.
   6. Turn the heat off.
   7. Stir in nutritional yeast.
   8. Puree the soup using an immersion blender (or regular blender), and blend until a smooth rich texture is achieved.
   9. Garnish as desired and serve warm.

Karen Notes: 

• The basic soup has only 4 ingredients!
• I usually add a few more carrots (about 1 cup)  and a pinch of turmeric, so that the color of the soup is a more vibrant orange (and also gives it an antioxidant boost).

Recipe from: https://plantbasedfolk.com/4-ingredient-potato-soup/#recipe

24-Carrot-Gold Dressing

Prep Time: 10 min

Makes: ¾ cup

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup carrot (cut into discs or small chunks)
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 ½ TBSP red wine vinegar 
• 1 – 1 ½ TBSP tahini 
• 1 TBSP pure maple syrup
• ½ tsp chickpea miso
• ½ tsp fresh ginger (roughly chopped) or 1/4 dried ginger*
  
• ¼-½ tsp salt

Directions: 

1. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree all the ingredients until very smooth.
2. Serve (or refrigerate).
3. Will keep about 4-5 days in the fridge.

* Note: Fresh ginger has a better flavor than dried (but it will due if that is all you have).

Recipe from: https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-sauces-condiments/24-carrot-gold-dressing/

It is not much to look at!  The once-vivid display of color is now washed out.  Many of the blooms are spent, and the aging tomato vines struggle to hold their fruit.  In many instances, things have literally gone to seed (as captured in the forefront of the photo from left to right – parley, dill, and fennel), and much of the eager anticipation of what is to come has started to fade like a late summer sunset.  The garden isn’t perfect.  But, it is absolutely well enough.

This summer, as Travis and I explored the societal pressure of “perfection” as part of our four-week Summer Series, one of the phrases that came up fairly often in our conversations after worship or during our educational opportunities (in person and online) was the notion of “good enough.”  In other words, rather than striving for “perfection,” many people found that aiming for “good enough” was much more realistic and attainable.  

Now, on the one hand, I absolutely agreed when people shared this sentiment with me; but, at the same time, I found it unsettling.  Why?   The words “good enough,” at least in my mind, kept feeling like an excuse to do things half-heartedly, almost a sort of cop-out.  This wasn’t what people were implying, but that is what my heart kept hearing.  I was feeling the tension between wanting to do things well and taking healthy pride in what I do, while also wanting to remember God’s role and God’s grace in the midst of it all. 

Upon reflecting on why I felt this way, I realized I needed to discover other words that I could use for myself that others might appreciate, too.  It turns out that the phrase “well enough” actually fits what I was looking for, more so than I realized.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of “well” includes [1]*:

• “ in a good or proper manner”
• “satisfactorily with respect to conduct or action”
• “in a kindly or friendly manner”
• “in a way appropriate to the facts or circumstances”

Thus, for me, “well enough” means striving towards excellence (proper manner, satisfactory action, rooted in kindness) while at the same time humbly acknowledging and relying on God’s grace (“for my grace is sufficient for you”) and power (through Christ who dwells in me) to approach the circumstances appropriately.  Or, more simply put, “well enough” in my mind means striving to do things “well” while also being prayerfully attentive to when “enough” is enough!

Returning to our garden, it certainly isn’t what it was several months ago, but its actions are absolutely “appropriate to the circumstances.”  For example, the sunflower petals are beginning to shrivel up and the stems can barely hold the weight of the plants now, so it may seem as though the beauty of the plants (their “perfection”) is starting to wane.  However, the sunflowers are signaling to us, the many goldfinches (one hidden in the photo), and other pollinators that visit our garden that the seeds are ready to harvest.  Similarly, the “spent” (dying) parsley, dill, and fennel plants are all currently preparing to sow their seeds upon the earth so that new plants will come again next spring.

The late-summer garden is not the beautiful, fresh garden of the spring, nor should it be.  Rather, it is exactly what it is supposed to be right now: producing food for animals who are preparing for the winter and putting down the seeds that will sprout into next season’s life when winter breaks.  It is a well-enough garden, appropriate for its time, place, and function.  Perhaps we can take a lesson from this for our own lives: rather than trying to live into some constant, objective, elusive notion of “perfection,” we can recognize that we are well enough, too.

May all be well (enough),

Karen H. Webster

HSHC co-founder/executive director

P.S. – Please check out our “Health Highlight” section in our September 2024 newsletter for some “well enough” reflection questions and several articles that provide some strategies for approaching “perfection” in a healthier way. 

Reference:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/well

Pumpkin Hummus

Servings: 4

Quick and easy.  Use it on sandwiches, as a salad topper or vegetable dip, and more!

Ingredients: 

• 1 15-ounce can (drained) or 1 ¾ cup cooked chickpeas 
• 1 cup pumpkin puree or roasted pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 TBSP tahini
• 1-2 TBSP vegetable broth (or water)
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic or ¾ tsp granulated garlic or ⅓ tsp garlic powder
• Optional: ¼ to ½ tsp smoked paprika

Directions: 

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender or use an immersion blender to process until smooth and creamy. 
2. Add 1-2 TBSP of vegetable broth (or water) if the hummus is too thick. 
3. Adjust seasonings to your preference. 
4. Enjoy!

Adapted from and image courtesy of: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/pumpkin-hummus/

1-Pot Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Servings: 4

This Thai/Mexican-influenced soup is easy to make, versatile, and satisfying.

Ingredients: 

• 1-2 cups + 2 additional TBSP vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 ½ cups diced white or yellow onion (or shallot or red onion)
• 3 cloves minced garlic (or 1/3 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tsp fresh minced ginger (or ½ tsp ground ginger)
• 1 medium jalapeño, minced (seeds and stem removed)
• 1 small sweet potato, diced (skin on or off, your choice)
• 1 (15-oz.) can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 ½ – 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder (or add more to taste)
• 1 (14-oz.) can light coconut milk (or sub full fat for a creamier soup)
• 1 cup canned (or fresh) pumpkin pureé (or add more for more pronounced pumpkin flavor)
• 2 (15-oz.) cans of black beans (drained) or 3-3/12 cups cooked black beans
• 2-3 Tbsp lime juice
• Salt to taste

Optional

• 1/4 tsp ground coriander 
• 3 cups chopped greens (such as kale or spinach)
• Fresh cilantro (for serving)

Directions: 

1. In a large soup pot (over medium heat), sauté onions in 2 TBSP vegetable broth (add more if needed) until translucent — about 4-5 minutes — stirring occasionally.
2. Add minced garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and continue cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add diced sweet potato and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add diced fire roasted tomatoes, 1 cup vegetable broth, cumin, chili powder, and coriander (if using) and bring to a low boil.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until sweet potatoes are tender (about 5-10 minutes).
6. Add coconut milk, pumpkin purée, and black beans.
7. For a thinner consistency, add more broth.
8. Cover, return to a simmer, and cook for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
9. Add 2 TBSP lime juice.
10. Taste test and adjust as needed, adding more lime juice for acidity, chili powder for heat, cumin for smokiness, coriander for floral notes/depth of flavor, or salt to taste.
11. Stir in chopped greens (optional), cover, and cook on low until wilted (about 3-5 minutes).
12. Serve as is, or with your favorite grain of choice.
13. Optional: Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Adapted from and image courtesy of: https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-pumpkin-black-bean-soup/#wprm-recipe-container-46822

Pumpkin Bread

Servings: 8-10 slices

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups flour of choice (I use this gluten-free option: 1 cup oat flour, 1/2 cup buckwheat flour*, and 1/2 cup almond flour)
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup date or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice, and ¼ tsp cloves)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 can (15 oz) 100% pumpkin puree or 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup plant-based milk of choice (I like to use soymilk) 
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or use an additional ⅓ cup of plant-based milk)
• 1-2 tsp vanilla

Optional:

• 3/4 cup chopped dates and/or raisins
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed
• ½ cup rolled oats
• Pepitas (for topping)

Directions: 

1. Line 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients – in a medium size bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. 
3. Mix in – dates, raisins, and/or oats – if using.
4. Mix wet ingredients – in a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree, plant-based milk, applesauce (if using), and vanilla.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix well (no flour clumps). However, be careful not to over mix.
6. Taste batter, adjusting flavor and/or sweetness to your taste.
7. Sprinkle some pepitas on top of the bread – if using.
8. Pour batter into the parchment-lined loaf pan.
9. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
10. Let cool for  5 – 10 minutes.
11. Remove from the loaf pan and transfer bread to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
12.  Enjoy!

Note: *Buckwheat flour substitutions = use more oat or almond flour, brown rice flour, all-purpose gluten-free flour, or whole wheat flour (if it doesn’t need to be gluten-free).

Adapted from and image courtesy of: https://simple-veganista.com/pumpkin-loaf/#tasty-recipes-8825-jump-target

Carrot Cake Bars

Yields (approx.): 16 bars

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups chickpeas (cooked & drained)
• 2 medium sized carrots (grated)
• 1/2 cup almond flour (or coconut flour)*
• 1/2 cup almond butter (or sunflower butter)
• 1/2 cup date sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 2 TBSP molasses
• 1/3 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (soy, oat, almond, etc.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• ½ tsp ginger powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped), ½ cup pineapple (chopped), and/or ½ cup golden raisins

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix all ingredients (except walnuts, pineapple, and/or raisins) in a food processor until well-combined. 
3. Add in walnuts, pineapple, and/or raisins if using.
4. Mixture should be thick.
5. Adjust sweetness if needed.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
7. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely.
8. Enjoy!
9. Store in the refrigerator (and they freeze well, too). 

Notes: 

• *Any flour you have on hand will work, too (whole wheat, gluten-free, etc.).
• I skipped adding frosting to these bars in order to keep them healthier (no oil and less sugar this way) and to reduce a potential mess (especially when eaten on the go)!

Adapted from: https://balancingandie.com/vegangrainfreecarrotcakeblondies/

Chocolate Peanut Butter (or other Nut/Seed) Energy Balls 

Yields (approx.): 14 balls

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (150 g) chickpeas (canned/cooked)
• ¾ cup (120 g) regular pitted dates
• 2 TBSP (9 g) raw cacao (or cocoa) powder
• 2 TBSP peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter of your choice)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup shredded coconut 

Directions: 

1. Put all ingredients except coconut flakes into a food processor. Blend until well-mixed (about a minute).
2. Mix in the coconut flakes by hand.
3. Roll the mixture into balls. 
4. Chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
5. Enjoy! 
6. Store in the refrigerator (or they freeze well, too).

Karen’s additional recommendations: 

• The original recipe has you roll the balls in the coconut flakes.  By mixing them in before you roll the balls, this reduces the potential eating mess (especially when eating on the go).
• To improve the consistency of the balls (make less mushy), consider adding ½ cup rolled oats (hand mix in after processing). 
• To add more chocolate flavor (and to also improve the texture) of the balls, consider adding ¼ cup cacao nibs (hand mix in after processing).
• Added a dash of cinnamon along with the other main ingredients (this also enhances the chocolate flavor).
• To add more peanut flavor (and crunch), consider adding ¼ cup chopped peanuts or other nuts/seeds of your choice (hand mix in after processing).

Adapted from: https://wellnessdove.com/healthy-vegan-chickpea-energy-balls/

Crispy Cheesy Chickpeas (Health”ier” Goldfish)

Yields (approx.): 18 servings

Ingredients: 

• 6 cups chickpeas (canned/cooked)
• 2 TBSP vegetable broth
• 3 cloves garlic (minced) or 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional: a dash or two of chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, etc.

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
2. Rinse chickpeas and spread out on a parchment-lined (or silicone) baking sheet.
3. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. While the chickpeas are roasting, combine nutritional yeast, minced garlic (or garlic powder), and salt in a small bowl.
5.  After the chickpeas have roasted for 20 minutes, transfer them to a large metal or glass bowl.
6. Coat the chickpeas with vegetable broth.
7. Sprinkle in the spice mixture from the small bowl (nutritional yeast, garlic, salt) and stir to thoroughly cover the chickpeas.
8. Spread the chickpeas back on the parchment-lined (or silicone) baking sheet.
9. Bake for another 20 minutes.
10. Stir (so the chickpeas bake evenly).
11. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until crispy. Turn the broil on for an extra 5 minutes for extra crispiness.
12. Let cool.
13. Enjoy!
14. Store in an airtight container.

Note: It is important to roast the chickpeas for the first 20 minutes without the seasoning on them.  Don’t skip this step! Otherwise the seasonings tends to burn.

Adapted from: https://raepublic.com/oven-roasted-cheesy-vegan-chickpeas/#recipe

As I write this newsletter article, I am mindful that the old local high school, which I am told was built in the 1950’s, is being torn down just a couple blocks from our home.  I pass it every day on my way to and from church; each time I go by, a new wall has been removed, exposing classrooms, chalkboards (the old-fashioned green kind), hallways, and stairwells to the elements.  When Karen and I first arrived in Murrysville in spring 2021, we didn’t realize that it was in its last few months of use, and it has stood quiet ever since, until its demolition commenced.    

Although the school has no personal meaning to me, I know its destruction has brought sadness and a sense of nostalgia to generations of students.  Every time I see it, I think of the tremendous amount of life that unfolded in that place: the epiphanies, the joys, the heartaches, the dramas that are part of adolescent existence.  If those crumbling walls could talk, they would speak countless words about what it means to be a young person learning how to make one’s way in the world. 

I wonder what those falling bricks, wrested from their seemingly unyielding stations, would say about the human desire for popularity?  I am sure they could witness to a phenomenon that has been consistent across countless millennia: people want, often desperately, to be liked.  Frequently, we want to be liked so badly that we are willing to sacrifice much of what makes us who we genuinely are in order to be understood in particular ways.  

The drive to be popular is an exceedingly powerful force.  Even those of us who are well past that age struggle with the same concerns.  Peer pressure, comparisons, and the in-crowd are powerful concepts that we never really escape.  The impulse to be popular can prompt us to subscribe to often hideous fashions, it can drive us to say often disingenuous things, it can move us to reject often constructive advice.  Popularity is a relentless taskmaster. 

The Bible is quite realistic about the human craving for popularity.  When Samuel was called to anoint the next king of Israel, God warned him about relying on visual presentation alone: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”[1]  God is directly warning us not to get caught up in the physicality of this mortal world, but rather, to look deeper. 

In Luke 9:25, Jesus asks,  “For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves?”[2]  Here, Jesus confronts authenticity, preaching that no amount of secular success is worth surrendering our spiritual integrity. 

Addressing a nascent church operating in the seat of secular imperial power, Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”[3]  Paul clearly recognizes the importance of not getting caught up in the “fad” of the time, but staying true to God’s intention. 

As I pass the school, I try to think not only of the nostalgia, but also of the symbolic breakdown of the pressures of popularity those students must have felt, and that I feel even today.  As each falling brick exposes a new chalkboard, so too does the facade of popularity fall.  Maybe we can learn from this symbolism, breaking down our own facades of disingenuity.  

It is easy to get caught in a seemingly intractable tension: between being popular and being genuine.  Yet, when the ‘school’ comes down, it’s not about the approval of your classmates or colleagues, but of yourself and God.  The hard, true question we all need to ask ourselves becomes clear: Whom are we trying to please?  When we are honest about that, the concept of popularity becomes less a matter of survival than it does one of perspective.  If we are trying primarily to make other people happy, there are infinite standards of concern; if we are trying primarily to live in ways acceptable to God, there is only one viewpoint that truly counts.  

Maybe that’s what a lot of life is about: discerning whose opinion matters – that of being “beloved by the people”[4] (which is what the word “popularity” literally means), regardless of how fickle a benchmark that may be, or recognizing that we are the beloved of the eternal Lord, no matter what.  

The choice of concentration is ours, but the reality is not.  Thanks be to God for holding us, accepting us, and loving us when the walls crumble and we are faced with our raw and authentic selves. 

Peace,

Travis

HSHC Co-founder

P.S. – I hope you will join us for our upcoming summer series where we will be exploring popularity and other social pressures (productivity and perfection). Click here to learn more, and click here to register. 

References:

[1] 1 Samuel 16:7

[2] Luke 9:25

[3] Romans 12:2

[4] https://www.etymonline.com/word/popularity, viewed May 20, 2024.