My Break from the ‘Book

Guest blogger is South Main Member, Kaci Coble.  

I did what many thought I would never do – I took a break from Facebook. I’ve long been dubbed the ultimate Facebook junkie, literally initiating, rekindling, and maintaining countless friendships simply because of my activity on and love for the site. I’ve been a long time defender, champion of those who care to share, and have taken my fair share of beatings (figuratively, of course) in both personal and professional settings because of it.

All that being said, I recently recommitted my life to Christ. I grew up with a strong faith, following a mother that was devout and passionate. Like most of us, my late high school and college years took me further and further away from the discipline. I was blessed enough to find an incredible church home here in Houston as a young adult, and had yet again strayed away from my faith for various reasons over the last year or two.Through an interesting and seemingly painful situation at the time, a dear friend inspired me to get back to the church family I’d been missing so much. Changing my weekends from living for Saturday night to living for Sunday morning wasn’t an easy adjustment, especially for someone who loves to dance and loathes the alarm clock as much as I do – but it’s been nothing shy of amazing from that moment on.Reason I say all of that is, it’s what inspired me to take a break from Facebooking. I am in no way condemning the social media site or insinuating that it is evil or bad – I just think that like anything, there can be a very healthy and positive side, as well as a negative and consuming side. I wasn’t using Facebook for the negative, nor was I being impacted negatively directly – rather, it was the consuming aspect that motivated my break.At work, I sit behind two monitors. I also have an iPad and iPhone that are within arms reach. When I go outside during the day for a breath of fresh air and to give my eyes a break from the computer…I’m on Facebook on my phone. Stuck behind a train? Facebook. Waiting for a friend? Facebook. Unwinding in bed at night? Facebook. Laying out by myself? Facebook. Break at work? Facebook. The moment anything remotely comical or interesting happens? Facebook. I could go on, and on, and on.I decided to take a break because I realized I needed to declutter my life a little. We are all so overstimulated and overworked, and we constantly, both intentionally and unintentionally, fill our minds with thoughts and needs and desires and questions and wishes every second we’re awake. As I continue to grow in my relationship with God, I ask him for guidance and I ask a lot of questions.When is he supposed to answer my questions if I’m never quiet or still enough to listen?

Does that mean I need to set aside daily alone time to meditate and wait for him to speak? No. Does that mean I can’t have any distractions to hear the word of God? No. It simply means, for me, that I could very well reallocate even a small percentage of my time spent Facebooking to praying, reading scripture, and just being still in my mind with God.

I was almost certain I’d miss it like crazy and would give in a get on, though I trusted my will power not to. I have to say, with the exception of an impromptu work trip where my newsfeed would’ve kept me a little extra company, I haven’t really missed it at all, and quite frankly, it’s allowed me to acknowledge my dislike for the site.

That being said, it truly is a great way to keep in touch with both friends and family that no longer live nearby, and I love being connected to the extended circle of people I have things in common with and care about, and for that reason, I’m still pro-Facebook 🙂

I am not a fan of Facebook when it’s used maliciously. Using it as a medium to communicate to someone you’re not communicating with is destructive. Using your status updates and photos to try to get back at someone or make someone jealous is awful. Using it to judge other people and to talk about them is wrong. Using it to brag or boast is bad as well. These are all things I see all over my newsfeed daily, and here about at every turn, and those things will be blocked from my newsfeed and cleaned off my friend list.

I want to use my Facebook for a couple of things –

• To keep in touch with distant friends that either live too far to see regularly or travel a lot.
• To share with my family, my sisters, aunts, cousins, etc. what it is I’m up to so that we can continue to pick right up where we left off at holidays, birthdays, etc.
• To share in the joy of marriage and the beginning of families of friends that have become distant in proximity but not in heart.
• To connect with friends about sports, because quite frankly, aside from God, love, and good food – sports might very well be the best thing on earth.
• To minister to anyone and everyone in need, willing to listen, or interested in what He is doing in my life and what he can and wants to do in yours if you’ll let him.

The only time I’ve truly felt compelled to get on Facebook over the last week and a half was to share things from a Christian book I was reading or to post about the playoffs – that’s it. I moved my Facebook app to a folder and replaced it with a daily scripture app. Every time I felt the desire to look at my newsfeed, which habitually was very, very often, especially in the first few days – I would either pray or read scripture. I have continued to fill my eyes, mind, heart and soul with positive words of strength and guidance as I continue on my journey. I want to be a rock and a resource to those of you who need a friend in Christ. I want to be a light and inspiration to everyone I meet, and if you don’t have a church home, I encourage you to come to South Main Baptist Church. But ultimately, no matter where you live or what your religious preference, I hope to be an occasional reminder of love and positivity in your life. I too have been down my own bumpy path and am no better than anyone and the good Lord knows (literally) that I’ve sinned time and time again and need as much forgiveness as the next guy – but knowing that the grace and mercy that has been extended to me provides me with a new beginning each morning is the most heartwarming and joyous feeling. It is never too late, you are never too far gone, and you’ve done nothing too wrong for Him.This website has taken on so many different forms and purposes over the years, and right now, the craving that is fit for my stage of life is my faith. Grace and peace. Love and acceptance.I encourage you to consider how you prioritize and distribute your time. Make a little time for yourself. Make a little time for Him. He has created a future for you beyond your expectations, you just have to ask Him for it. Turn over your worries, cares, frustrations, anxieties and sins, and he will renew your spirit.Grace & Peace,

Kaci l. coble

Original post can be found here at Kaci’s Blog, the fit craving.

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Why I love Manna…

By Avery Cate

Manna is church. It is community. The Trinity Pines Chapel is a safe place to come and rest after a long week. I come because it’s such an accepting place, where I don’t have to fit into any sort of mold or feel like I have my life under control.Most weeks I stumble up still groggy from just waking up and desperately reaching for coffee.  Everyone out there is reaching for something: food, conversation, a warm smile, a feeling of hope, a way out, a cup of cold water under the hot Houston sun. And when we seek these things, we usually find them. When we make the journey out to Trinity Pines, we receive a free gift and we are changed. We walk away with refreshment, or an invitation to play chess, or hope that maybe this week will bring work, or sometimes pure unbounded joy after a conversation with a friend who received good news.

We share our time and that sacred space outside the parking lot. We share each other’s pain and joy as we open up in honest conversations about our lives. We share our ideas about God and we sing about amazing grace. That’s why I love Manna… and that’s why I love Sundays. I get to go to church twice.

Avery Cate is a Rice University graduate and Patent Agent at a Law Firm in Houston. She is a member of the choir, watershed, and the weekly community of folks at Manna who share food and friendship at the Trinity Pines Chapel every Sunday morning at eight o’clock on the north end of the South Main campus. She drew this picture of Trinity Pines Chapel and the Downtown skyline as a gift for Joseph Kelsay, who sent it back to Tom Williams for safe keeping. Mr. Williams made a copy to send back to Joseph and had the original framed by South Mainers, J Hill and Hillevi Baar to be hung at South Main as a reminder of the Church’s call to, “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

– Jeremiah 29:7