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previous ~ ~ ~ next So, I had this e-mail conversation with a friend. I realize just pasting e-mails is generally frowned upon in netiquette, but... well, I'm sleepy and I don't have the energy to try to summarize it. So if you don't like it, go somewhere else. To: My Friend (because I don't know how ok he would be with me posting his name here) Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 2:19 PM Subject: Did I ever tell you? When I was praying a couple nights ago, I got to thinking about you. I wanted to make sure I told you what a big role you played in me finally letting God in. I think I may have mentioned it in passing, but I wanted to tell you specifically. You've been on my heart lately to pray for and I'm really not sure why. So... I remember being struck by your kindness, your firm belief in your faith without trying to force-feed it to anyone, your willingness to talk about your beliefs, to discuss them, think about them, and even argue about them with me. I was so impressed that I'd finally met a Christian who wasn't close-minded. I remember particularly one of our hikes at COSMOS... up at Old Man Mountain? Or Pingree? I don't remember, really... But I do remember how much sense it all seemed to make, how nothing I could say shook your belief-and not the way I'd usually found where people just tuned me out and ignored what I had to say. You genuinely considered what I had to say and then explained to me (gently) why I was wrong. You could answer my questions because they were things you had thought about yourself. What you had wasn't a blind faith, a willful shut-down of your brain so you could be on cruise-control and let someone else take the wheel; what you had was a thoughtful, rational, intimate relationship with a Being I didn't want to acknowledge. And, even though I didn't want to acknowledge Him, I couldn't help but admire your relationship. You asked me questions, and listened to what I had to say. You weren't judgmental; you didn't tell me I was going to Hell if I didn't believe in your God. You just made me think about my own beliefs, the same way I wanted Christians to think about theirs. I remember being amazed at your convictions and your determination to stand by them. You were the first person to change my opinion of those people called "Christians". You were the first person to show me that they weren't all hypocrites, that they weren't all using God's forgiveness as an excuse to be jerks. You were the first person who was able to show me that being a Christian doesn't mean you're perfect, it just means you try your best to be like Jesus. And it was the first time I didn't resent a Christian for not being perfect. You were the first person I ever saw who had a genuine, loving relationship with Jesus Christ, the first person I ever knew who was willing to sacrifice everything to please your God. And being around you was the first time I could actually feel peace radiating from someone. You did some amazing things to turn around my fast-developing stereotypes of "those hypocritical Christians", just by being you. I guess I just wanted to let you know that, as much as I said I was rejecting the things you told me... I wasn't. They took root and grew, and eventually bloomed with a lot of care along the way. Obviously, I still have a long way to go, but you were instrumental in helping me accept the most precious gift I've ever received. And that's something I can't thank you enough for. Tessa -----Original Message----- From: My Friend Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 7:02 PM To: Logan Theresa Subject: Re: Did I ever tell you? Hi Tessa I've been meaning to respond to this for some time -- it's been on the list, but I haven't sat down to write. It was good to hear from you -- definitely something I needed to hear, too, in the middle of some of the stuff I do online now. Thanks for letting me know all of that -- it really means a lot to me. -----Original Message----- From: Logan Theresa Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 11:55 AM To: My Friend Subject: RE: Did I ever tell you? Wow! I can�t believe this sat at the bottom of my personal e-mail box for just about 6 months now! Shame on me... So, I�m terribly curious as to �some stuff [you] do online now�. (And I�m glad the timing was good on when I sent it. God�s pretty amazing, huh?) -----Original Message----- From: My Friend Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 3:42 PM To: Logan Theresa Subject: Re: Did I ever tell you? Well hi there... good to hear from you :) I do a lot of online debate and discussion. At the time I sent the original e-mail, someone had just flamed me because of his own misperceptions about Christians, and because I'd just posted something pretty directly evangelistic. In particular, he was upset about people who stand on street corners or come up to people in restaurants and preach to them, and he was really angry about people sharing their faith. I thought it was cool that, right as someone was insulting me for sharing my faith -- probably within an hour, anyway -- I got an e-mail from you talking about me sharing my faith over 5 years ago, and your e-mail contradicted every single criticism he had of me :) Quite fittingly, last night at about 8 PM the same guy (or a close friend of his, I don't recall) posted the argument that people should keep their religious beliefs, and especially their religious activities, private... and here you are to remind me not to. So yeah, God's pretty amazing. So, yeah, God is pretty amazing... I have to agree. Seriously, how strange is it that I should respond to that e-mail just now??? How many days until finals? What was one good thing that happened today? Miscellaney: Tell me what you think. Yes, yes, I'll be signing autographs any day now. ~ ~ ~ I am I... Most recent: The REAL surprise party - Monday, Jul. 11, 2005 Still not here - Wednesday, Jul. 06, 2005 Moved - Thursday, Jun. 30, 2005 I survived - Thursday, Jun. 23, 2005 Go see her. Now. - Thursday, Jun. 02, 2005 |
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