Jonathan Sprang - April 17, 2016

The Sheep Whisperer

Identity Crisis

Our lives are busy and hectic, and at times we feel as though there’s no hope. How do we remain faithful to God when life gets out of control? The early Christians found they needed to hear the voice of their shepherd and follow him. Spiritual practices are more than just things to do, they change who we are. They form us into people that are at peace, even in the midst of the storm. And when we are at peace, we can hear God’s voice and follow faithfully.

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Have you have seen The Devil Wears Prada? I had heard for years that it’s great, but only sat down to watch it in the last couple of years, and it turns out, everyone was right.

One of my favorite things about the movie is how the main character, Andy, follows all the basic beats of the classic hero’s journey. Believe it or not, you can map her journey and Luke Skywalker’s on the same timeline and they line up perfectly.

That’s interesting because of who Andy is – at the beginning of the film, she’s a woman who doesn’t choose. She’s swept along – that’s how she ends up working at a fashion magazine even though she doesn’t know anything about fashion.

And the point of the movie isn’t for Andy to become a better dresser – it’s for her to have agency. In the words of the clip we just watched, she needs to become the person choosing the clothes, not having the clothes chosen for her.

Clothes represent agency for Andy.

I don’t really want to talk about clothes; I want to talk about agency. Specifically spiritual agency.

Like Andy, we’re all living in stories, whether we recognize it or not. And when we don’t understand the stories that shape us, it means we’re not truly free to live as God called us to be.

Let’s take a look at the stories that shape us, and learn to listen for God’s call on our lives so we can live the Jesus story – a story that transforms and frees us.

Join us Sunday as we consider what true transformation looks like.

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