Andrea Gressman

I recently went to a conference and it was such a rich time for me spiritually. I feel so convicted to share some of the nuggets that were presented to me in the hopes that maybe someone else can get something out of it as well.  Most of these are not overwhelmingly deep. Some are very simple concepts that may even have been presented before to me but for some reason, it grabbed ahold of me now or just had a different meaning in the present time. The first nugget was the idea that "we are not in Kansas anymore."  We have heard that saying so many times in reference to the Wizard of Oz movie many of us grew up watching.  This was actually a reference to our post-Covid circumstances in the church world. However, I do feel like it can be applied to our family life, friend life, and even work-life just as much as it can be applied to our church life.  It was a simple statement. He was referencing how the church was sitting at a certain mark and then when Covid hit many ...

Recently I found myself in this place.  I don't really know how to describe it.  I felt like I was just completely closed off.  Like I had experienced so much heartache and pain in my life that I was just done.  I was done feeling.  I was definitely done being hurt. And if anyone had hurt me in the past - well I was done with them too.  After all, they had proven to be unsafe, unhealthy, and toxic to my life.  Why would I want to keep exposing myself to that?  I found myself in this place. And I didn't like.  I desperately wanted peace. And in my desperation I thought if I removed all the people that were robbing my peace... If I built those walls... If I just don't let them in... Somehow I would find peace.  But I was experiencing the exact opposite. And I was slowly beginning to give up on the idea that I could ever experience the type of peace I desired on this side of Heaven.  Several months ago I as invited to a conference and ...