EP 20: FAITHING FORWARD
Does your faith journey sometimes feel like stumbling blindly through a dark valley? Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear of the unknown? Christine chats with Fr. Cliff Warner about walking in freedom and learning how to live healed and whole. If you have experienced loss, grief, or doubt and are questioning how you can keep “faithing forward” in the middle of a broken world and story, this episode is for you.♥
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Our Guest
CLIFF WARNER
Cliff has been Rector of Christ Church since moving to Austin in 2006 with his wife, Christine, and four children. Before coming to Austin, he was Pastor of Community and Mission and founder of Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach, an urban mission in downtown El Paso, TX. Before serving on the U.S.-Mexico border, Cliff completed theological studies at Regent College, served migrant farmers and prison inmates, and worked in a church small group ministry and on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Texas. He is excited to be back inAustin and near UT where he discovered his call to ministry, fell in love with his wife, and grew into abiding love with Jesus. Cliff enjoys the Austin outdoors, kayaking, running, hiking, reading, cooking, and the adventure of life with Christine, Brendan, Cormac, Skye, and Bronwyn.
NOTE: Featuring a guest, resource, or organization on The Holy Shift does not necessarily constitute a blanket endorsement of their entire body of work.
We’ve highlighted some key points from this episode below. Feel free to share these on your blogs/feeds with proper attribution to the writer/speaker/podcast. Or stay tuned—we will be posting several of these verses and quotes, along with clips from this episode, on our IG page and you can save/share from there.
Scripture
LUKE 17
32 Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.
Galatians 5
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
PSALM 142
1I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD’s mercy. 2I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.
HEBREWS 11
1Now faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see.
psalm 84
5What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 6When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. 7They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
Quotes
- Faith can just be defined as having an orientation toward Jesus and taking a step. Cliff Warner
- God has not promised us an escape FROM suffering. He has, however, promised his presence IN it and his redemption OF it. CCP
- It’s not like one and done, grief. Some of the deeper griefs might resurface throughout the rest of our lives. Cliff Warner
- Art reminds us of who God is, and in doing so, reminds us of who we are. CCP
- Artists help us imagine what new creation looks like, feels like, smells like, tastes like. Cliff Warner
- Reassurance is not on a spreadsheet or in the circumstances. It is in knowing that God is good and He will be my plenty. CCP
Related Inspiration
A SONG
Musician Elizabeth Stewart shares her heart and story of struggling with faith and hope after loss. (This song was featured at the beginning of this episode.)
A PRAYER
Elizabeth Stewart reads a favorite prayer from The Valley of Vision (Authur Bennett, Editor) for those suffering from loss or struggling with faith.
A POEM
poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.
A PSALM
A reading of one of my favorite psalms about trusting God in the valleys of life.
Other Resources
Special thanks to my production team!
- Podcast Editor: Tammy Munson
- Video Editor: Alyssa Bruce
HOW CAN I PRAY FOR YOU? COMMENT BELOW OR REACH OUT TO ME ON THE CONNECTIONS PAGE FOR PRIVATE, PERSONALIZED PRAYER.
