Life is hard. #firsthundredyears
Today, I turn 50! January 23, 2025 marks at least the half way point on my journey to eternity. My grandmother always said, "The first hundred years are the hardest." That’s true for all who receive forgiveness from Jesus Christ and surrender to Him as Lord and Savior. As of 2025, I've already lived for half a century, and by the time another fifty years pass, the hardest part will be over.
The Puzzle
Everyone experiences pain and trauma in this earthly life. For me, this past year has been one of the hardest spiritually. The year 2024 marked the beginning of a new journey. I began putting together pieces of the puzzle I know as the Western Church.
I hope to eventually publish a book that will help others heal from “church hurt.” For now, I will simply share thoughts as I process...
The Image
For nearly half a century, I have viewed the Western Church as a picture on the cover of a puzzle box. I knew it well, or so I thought. I had immersed myself in it, learned from it, scoured every facet of the beautiful representation of God's handiwork. This image, and everything I believed about it, has been the foundation of my entire life. Of course, I have my faith in God and my personal walk with the Lord, Jesus Christ, which is separate from the structure of the Church. Even so, the two are so closely intertwined, that it is often difficult to identify one or the other. This is where the puzzle comes into play.
The Pieces
I opened the box. Rather, it was opened for me. I began looking at the pieces and recognized many. They were so familiar. Then, something happened as I began putting the pieces together. They didn't fit! Those I could readily identify did not seem to belong in the obvious locations. I grouped some areas successfully, but the borders could not be properly formed. The visual on the box offered no aid. I was attempting to assemble an entirely different puzzle than what its container led me to believe. I intend to explore many of these pieces in the future.
October 28, 2003
Here's a brief timeline provided by AI of the initial announcement and response:
Allegations against Mike Bickle, a minister, were announced publicly on October 28, 2023. The allegations included sexual abuse from multiple women over several decades.
Explanation
On October 28, 2023, news broke that Bickle was facing sexual abuse allegations.
The next day, International House of Prayer (IHOP) put Bickle on administrative leave while they investigated.
On December 12, 2023, Bickle admitted to past misconduct, but denied some of the allegations.
On December 22, 2023, IHOP announced that they would permanently sever ties with Bickle.
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