the best of TED...

Sometimes on a run when I am by myself, I love to listen to music. Sometimes I like it quiet. And sometimes, I'll find a good podcast or TED talk.

Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work.  You may have seen her TED talk on “The Power of Vulnerability” that went viral earlier this year. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it.  

This TED talk arose out of her grappling with her story in light of the Christian story. I tried to track down this video, but I can't seem to find it. But I did find a summary of it here: 

1. "Our Christian faith isn’t an EPIDURAL that numbs or completely takes away our pain/suffering in life. Rather – our faith is more like a MIDWIFE that says, “push! This is gonna hurt a little.” I’ve been offered so many easy-answer, one prayer solutions to suffering and pain in my life. In my experience many Christians are chronically anxious that pain/suffering in life are evidence that God is not real, or we are not really Christians. Brene talks about a God who meets us in our pain, our brokenness, our suffering and teaches us to breathe, teaches us when and how to push, all the while taking care that something beautiful and lasting will be birthed in the process.
2. There isn’t enough blood on the floor at most churches for true forgiveness to be worked out and enjoyed. In order for forgiveness to happen, something must die. Love is too easy in most churches – we are afraid of conflict, afraid of humbling ourselves before other, afraid of witnessing to the power of the gospel by submitting ourselves to one another (the ‘submissional life’). We are quickaholic spiritualists in the Christian church today. But forgiveness – true, lived-in, down and dirty – is hard work. It takes our death to participate in The Death that makes forgiveness and reconciliation possible.
3. Two emotions people fear the most: Shame and Grief. Oh man – is this ever true – these two fears keep us from most of the good work Christ wants to do in our lives. Today – I came face to face with shame in my life. Working out with a group of guys in the morning and my back hurt so bad – couldn’t do the exercises – and I realized how much shame I felt inside because of my bad back. And I fear this shame – believed and trusted and listened to it. I was reminded this morning that we spend most of our lives avoiding our shame and ignoring our grief. It is no coincidence that these are the two emotions that seem to be the widest doorways into authentic vulnerability.Shame and grief – when faced, processed, and submitted – are the labor pains before the new life birthed in Christ."  http://www.matttebbe.com/2011/04/is-god-more-an-epidural-or-midwife-brene-brown-on-forgiveness-shame-and-grief/

So, take heart... breathe.....keep pushing....breathe.... breathe some more....something beautiful and lasting is in the works...