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Kate's avatar

Every week's post is good, but this collection really hits many of the topics I've been thinking about lately. How do we live in light of true Reality, in our own contexts, in the spaces where God has placed us - not in an individualized way, but in the church and community? How does that change not just our actions but our thoughts? (and without letting all of this overwhelm and paralyze us into inaction)

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Leah's avatar

Thanks for the great thoughts this week. I appreciate them so much!

"There is absolutely a spiritual battle going on when it comes to women and their wombs."

You are not dramatic. This has, honestly, helped me better understand my "reproductive mental health issues," however I ultimately deal with them at any given stage. Christian women should not be surprised when we encounter great difficulty in motherhood - physical or spiritual - and EVERYONE should be in prayer for and supportive of mothers for this very reason.

God bless and keep you at your appointments; you bring light to the clinic.

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Grace Emily Stark's avatar

I’ll take up your rant on the lack of integration with women’s fertility in their care, to include the baffling phenomenon of the pro-fertility/NaPro/RRM-trained OB/GYNs who seemingly trust that women’s bodies/fertility are intelligently designed…. Until birth. And then it all goes out the window, and it’s one (proposed) intervention after another. I mean… what!?

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Haley Baumeister's avatar

haha Touche! I suppose it does go both ways.

(In fact, maybe we need a Venn Diagram meme with three circles to contain all the confusing approaches.)

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Brandi Willis Schreiber's avatar

Haley, thank you for such a great reflection this week and such a thoughtful mention. What wonderful company we're all in, to be able to share these things together 💞💕

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Shemaiah Gonzalez's avatar

What a list! Thank you for including me!

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Joy Messimer's avatar

I had been hearing off-line that You are Mine was a must read, and you've clinched it for me.

Your collection this week has just hit home for me in the many thoughts I have swirling as of late, and discussions I've been in elsewhere. It definitely helped coalesce some of that topsy-turvy into solid thoughts. Have I said how much I appreciate your 'sommelier' skills of the Good, True, and Beautiful? (I can't remember who called you that here on Substack, but I definitely agreed!)

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Haley Baumeister's avatar

Thank you, Joy. I think that was Ruth Gaskovski and I love the term as well. haha

Been trying to connect some threads in my brain as they come up (as mini-writing exercises… as long-form writing is just too much right now.) It seems to have resonated with multiple folks here. Glad it was helpful.

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Linnea Hill's avatar

Glögg (as we call it in Sweden) is great! IKEA sells an alcohol free version around Christmas that actually taste pretty good and similar to the original! Would advice to only drink it at Christmas time, as is proper lol.

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Dominika's avatar

Adding You Are Mine to the to-read pile. I'm very intrigued by your thoughts. Also, I'm really looking forward to Luminor's output!

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Christy Isinger's avatar

I came back to read your thoughts on Sister Anastasia's book because they are so interesting, I think I'm going to have to read it because I always have known that the demonic is very real, but at the same time don't want to be that guy yelling, "It's the devil!" at every Super Bowl halftime show you know? I don't know if you've read or heard Rod Dreher talking about UFOs and AI and it's relation to the demonic, and I don't even know what I think about it to be honest other than it's a possibility? Haha, I've lived through too much to not be surprised by things now.

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Haley Baumeister's avatar

Oh I get it! I did mention appreciating how straightforward it was, and Ben who I tagged also said he loved how it just told the story without being unnecessarily sensational or glamorizing darkness. She really is just telling her story, not extrapolating on every demonic thing that could possibly be in the world, ya know? haha

Maybe I just trust people more like the (admittedly kinda trendy) Paul Kingsnorth and Sister Anastasia types on specific aspects of the demonic because they aren't just yakking and speculating about it from their comfy lives they've never left.... they have literally been deep in some dark stuff and have come out the other side. So they are able to convey certain aspects of reality, of the spiritual realm they know in a more honest, clear-eyed, and straightforward way.... even though it initially seems a little nuts to us who haven't been involved that part of it. (I don't actually pay much attention to Rod Dreher, btw. haha)

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Christy Isinger's avatar

I'm not saying I'm a big Rod Dreher fan or anything! I'm just saying I've been hearing him in places talk about this kinda stuff...haha I'm running away...

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The Clayjar Review's avatar

Thank you for the mention! So happy to see you enjoyed Alea’s work :)

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Peco's avatar

Interesting links, thank you!

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Alea Peister's avatar

Thank you so much for sharing my poem! 💛

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Katy Carl's avatar

Thank you for the Luminor shout-out!

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