What's in a Name?
I am a Broen. A women shaped by my family’s history embedded in that name.
My behavior and attitudes didn’t descend on me in a vacuum, but have developed due to family of origin and life experience. This influences my forward movement in the life of faith.
My Grandpa Broen has been a significant presence in our family history. The name Broen means "bridge", and aptly describes his life journey from Norway to the USA, and from no faith to faith in God.
My grandfather’s emigration eventually led him to become a founder of a Christian denomination and a world-wide evangelist. Despite obstacles, Grandpa pursued Jesus and led many others to know him. This blog is written in honor of Engebret Mikkelson Broen.
As I said, Broen means bridge, but I always have enjoyed viewing bridges. They often fulfill not only a useful service (carrying people and resources over obstacles) but are beautiful architectural wonders.
In my life, the journey with Jesus seems to be one of crossing a number of bridges – some of them shorter and easier to cross, some of them seeming to be too long and through difficult terrain. I imagine you have felt this way as well.
I feel God’s hand draw me toward him as I allow space and time to move my heart from one side of a bridge to the other, in different seasons, in different ways.
Every Thursday I will share with you some tips, tools and experiences about moving forward in the life of faith – from one side of a bridge to the other. I will begin each post with a quote, which may be enough to refresh and encourage you for the day. Then I will post additional content for your perusal and comments.
Please let me pray for you as you head out into your day.
Dear Jesus, the people reading this blog find themselves facing their own individual metaphorical bridges or moving slowly across one. Today I pray that you will assure them of your presence and your love. May they be encouraged knowing you will show them the next step forward, even if the way seems difficult. Thank you for wanting to help us because you have abundant life for us. In your name. Amen.
Is there a present bridge experience that you are facing? Please add a comment and let me know. I’d be glad to pray for you personally.
My behavior and attitudes didn’t descend on me in a vacuum, but have developed due to family of origin and life experience. This influences my forward movement in the life of faith.
My Grandpa Broen has been a significant presence in our family history. The name Broen means "bridge", and aptly describes his life journey from Norway to the USA, and from no faith to faith in God.
My grandfather’s emigration eventually led him to become a founder of a Christian denomination and a world-wide evangelist. Despite obstacles, Grandpa pursued Jesus and led many others to know him. This blog is written in honor of Engebret Mikkelson Broen.
As I said, Broen means bridge, but I always have enjoyed viewing bridges. They often fulfill not only a useful service (carrying people and resources over obstacles) but are beautiful architectural wonders.
In my life, the journey with Jesus seems to be one of crossing a number of bridges – some of them shorter and easier to cross, some of them seeming to be too long and through difficult terrain. I imagine you have felt this way as well.
I feel God’s hand draw me toward him as I allow space and time to move my heart from one side of a bridge to the other, in different seasons, in different ways.
Every Thursday I will share with you some tips, tools and experiences about moving forward in the life of faith – from one side of a bridge to the other. I will begin each post with a quote, which may be enough to refresh and encourage you for the day. Then I will post additional content for your perusal and comments.
Please let me pray for you as you head out into your day.
Dear Jesus, the people reading this blog find themselves facing their own individual metaphorical bridges or moving slowly across one. Today I pray that you will assure them of your presence and your love. May they be encouraged knowing you will show them the next step forward, even if the way seems difficult. Thank you for wanting to help us because you have abundant life for us. In your name. Amen.
Is there a present bridge experience that you are facing? Please add a comment and let me know. I’d be glad to pray for you personally.
I love this!! My bridge is currently breast cancer. No pink ribbons here, yellow is color of Hope & Joy in my mind. I am grateful for the testimony that I get to share with others on this same bridge adventure. I am excited to follow your blog and see what God has in store as you continue to pursue this calling.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your bridge Mikeswife. May God give you strength and peace as you travel with him. May he fill your thoughts with his love and his mercy for you, softening the rocky steps and showing you the way.
ReplyDeleteYour spiritual insight about bridges is thought provoking. I don't know that I've considered bridges in this way before. It seems like they are so often that place in between--we've left behind the old familiar path and are crossing over into a new place. I've often found the journey to be uncomfortable and unsettling, full of uncertainty and unknown. I look forward to reading what God is speaking to you about bridges. It's an intriguing topic!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment Lisa Ann. Yes, we often think of bridges as "in-between" space. Instead, I like to think of them as liminal space - which means "threshold". It is a place where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us. The challenge is that it is a place of transition, and as you said can include feelings of uncertainty and be unsettling. This is hard to face in our humanity and yet, our bridges can be places where God meets us in powerful ways. Thanks for sharing.
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