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Brave 13-Year-Old Girl Rescued from Kidnapper After Writing “Help Me” Sign Outside of Laundromat

A 13-year-old Texas girl helped bring about an end to her own terrifying kidnapping with quick thinking and resourcefulness.

Mother of 3 Loses Her Life While Trying to Save 10-Year-Old Son From Drowning

A family hike in New Hampshire turned tragic last week when a 10-year-old boy slipped into the Pemigewasset River in the White Mountain National Forest. His mother, 44-year-old Melissa Bagley died trying to save him.

Harrowing Rescue Shows Kayaker Saving a 6-Year-Old Boy Left Floating Alone in River

A kayaker’s rescue of a 6-year-old boy is going viral after the boy was found alone, being pulled by the current on the St. Louis River in Minnesota. David Jones Jr. is being hailed a hero after saving the little boy whose father left him abandoned in the river's cold water.

No, God Doesn’t Always Rescue You

I’m tired to death of self-help, formulaic Christianity. For the last 25 years, I have sat through sermons and conferences, and read books and articles that imply a cause and effect relationship between Christian expectations and my personal happiness and fulfillment.

We’ve been force-fed Christian steps to better health, more successful businesses, stronger interpersonal relationships and unlimited joy. And even though these steps never exactly deliver, we keep showing up to receive more.

But when I stop and think about John the Baptist, I realize that we’re making all of this nonsense up.

John’s auspicious origin story

When it comes to birth stories in the New Testament, John almost has Jesus beat. Sure, Jesus had the born of a virgin thing going for him, but his whole story happened pretty inconspicuously.

John’s birth, on the other hand, came with a big splash. His priestly father, Zacharias, was visited during his temple service by an angel who announces that he and his elderly wife, Elizabeth, are going to have a child. The angel tells him that this child will be a predecessor for the Lord, and turn Israel’s heart back to God. When an ancient Zacharias shows a moment of skepticism about how this could even happen, he’s struck mute.

It turns out that Elizabeth does get pregnant. During her pregnancy, she’s visited by an expectant Mary. John’s fetus leaps in response to Jesus in Mary’s womb, and Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit — instantly recognizing that Mary is carrying the Messiah.

When it comes time to circumcise Elizabeth’s new son, the priest and family want to name him after his father. Elizabeth objects and, in keeping with the angel’s instructions, says that he will be called “John.” Of course, everyone argues with her because she’s just his mother, so what does she know? Zacharias requests a writing tablet and writes, “His name is John.” And immediately he can speak again.

Then Luke tells us:

 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. —Luke 1:65

Nothing like entering the world with the sky-high expectations of your entire community.

Jayson Bradley
Jayson Bradleyhttp://jaysondbradley.com/
Jayson is a God-botherer, writer, marketer, musician, and pastor in Washington State. An unapologetic grace and coffee junkie, Jayson desperately longs to see himself (and the church) conformed to the image of Christ. See more from Jayson on his website.

Brave 13-Year-Old Girl Rescued from Kidnapper After Writing “Help Me” Sign Outside of Laundromat

A 13-year-old Texas girl helped bring about an end to her own terrifying kidnapping with quick thinking and resourcefulness.

Mother of 3 Loses Her Life While Trying to Save 10-Year-Old Son From Drowning

A family hike in New Hampshire turned tragic last week when a 10-year-old boy slipped into the Pemigewasset River in the White Mountain National Forest. His mother, 44-year-old Melissa Bagley died trying to save him.

Harrowing Rescue Shows Kayaker Saving a 6-Year-Old Boy Left Floating Alone in River

A kayaker’s rescue of a 6-year-old boy is going viral after the boy was found alone, being pulled by the current on the St. Louis River in Minnesota. David Jones Jr. is being hailed a hero after saving the little boy whose father left him abandoned in the river's cold water.