81 Comments

"Of course, for those of us who are Christians, there’s the added bewilderment of knowing that our own co-religionists helped snuff out the lights." Boy do I feel this one! :(

So many of us are grateful for the leadership you've exemplified these past years - and for the sacrifices you (and your family) have made.

Expand full comment

I needed to read each of these words today to keep finding ways to move forward and choose to keep shining brightly in the darkness. Thank you for your writing, your voice, and how you continue showing up.

Expand full comment

I want to say thank you, Kristen, and all your colleagues at CU and other connections you bring to each of us. You challenge my heart often. My faith has not been questioned more than after I read Jesus and John Wayne. That brought me to follow your guest appearances on YouTube and now Substack. Again, thanks for conditioning our hearts with truth, which can be an oddity these days.

I’d like to suggest that when we reach out to God to ask for healing of our spirit that we not overlook Kamala, Tim and their families and all others who put in their all-out effort to bring our nation to a better place. May there be peace in the valley ahead.

Expand full comment

Are all the young people going to be soldiers ?

The girls will better than the guys

Expand full comment

Thank you for hope.

Expand full comment

Thank you for the light you bring Kristin. Yes, the gospel does not need our protection, and God does not need our vindication. Just obedience. I encountered this Zambian proverb in my travels: "God writes straight through crooked lines." This gives hope.

Expand full comment

Zambian!? I was born there! I had never heard that proverb, but thank you so much for sharing it!

Expand full comment

Kristin, I’m a Canadian from Knox Waterloo and therefore am not American. Also, I don’t often comment on mailings I receive. But I’d like you to know, I have really appreciated and eagerly anticipate reading your posts and Convocation Unscripted reflecting on what is happening around the nation and the world. I also just purchased a copy of “On Tyranny” on your recommendation and already see it as a guide through the days ahead. It can be difficult to know how upset to be—might things not be okay anyway? Discernment, though, takes a community. So thank you for being out there!

Lawrie Carter

Expand full comment

We're all asking that in my circles, wavering between very dark scenarios and then...but maybe they won't do what they say? Maybe we're wrong about this? But so far we don't seem to be wrong. I really hope we are.

Expand full comment

You aren't. I've studied the organizations who formed Project 2025 and are poised to implement it for the last 16 years. They have always only looked for someone to have the power and no guardrails. It will be dark. No question.

Expand full comment

That's it. If you know the people, the organizations, their very explicit goals, the networks, and the funding, and now hand them power...I don't know how this isn't bad. In unprecedented ways.

Expand full comment

> It will be dark. Oh, scary! And yet vague enough that nobody will be able to really nail you to the wall when you're wrong.

Expand full comment

I can be specific and hope I’m wrong. Or stay vague and hope I’m wrong. I so want to be wrong. But you’ll feel it first with the tariffs and protectionism. But again, I’d love to be wrong. These folks want to rewrite the constitution but will satisfy themselves with forced Christian nationalism and oligarchy.

Expand full comment

I, too, watched her speech with dread - cognisant of the personal burden of this loss for her. I was so proud of her for choosing hope & infusing that into her speech. And thank you for doing that too, with these words & your continued prophetic voice. We need it now (in the darkness), more than ever.

Expand full comment

Thank you for these words, Kristen. You helped put things in perspective without minimizing the darkness so many of us are experincing.

Expand full comment

Thank you.

Well said.

Powerful quotes speaking from both darkness and light while spreading light into the darkness.

I can see the stars.

And the sun will rise again tomorrow as we will in the next days, weeks, months, and years.

Grace.

Peace.

Love.

Kindness ( a hard one for me).

Persist.

Resist.

Transform.

Use your words humbly and confidently. Go low. Go slow as you speak.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Kristin. May we be lights in the darkness.

Expand full comment

For such a time as this ... you were called, Kristin, and all are blessed by your presence, both in print and in person. I hope Calvin is giving you time off....

Expand full comment

So well, said Kristin I appreciate your blog so much. It’s wonderful. Thanks for keeping on going doing the next right thing.

Expand full comment

Thank you for your voice and wisdom. You’ve been a light in this political and social darkness.

Expand full comment

Thanks so much. I'm a Canadian but with strong ties to the USA. We feel the darkness. We join you in the struggle to help the stars shine. "And now unto Him who is able . . ."

Expand full comment

Thanks Kristin. Good words. It makes sense that the differences between light and dark will get even more vivid in the days ahead. Enough so that we may begin to wonder whether a term like “co-religionists’ is still useful. A very small quibble about language: I notice that I’m becoming less comfortable with terms like ‘command’ and ‘obedience’ to describe our response to Jesus and our actions in the world. They feel a bit hierarchical and patriarchal, in contrast to a natural, heartfelt outflowing of love.

Expand full comment

Yes, obedience is a tool that has been used by sons to do great harm. Telling people to obey supposed God-ordained authorities is handy when ushering in authoritarianism. Following one’s conscience is a better guide.

Expand full comment

This is so well-put.

Expand full comment

Thank you. Your writing has been very helpful to me. I appreciate and admire and pray for you! And I look forward to the webinar later today.

Carole, from Traverse City

Expand full comment