Secrets

In our home we have raised two girls and they talk.  A lot.  When they were young, they talked the most after they put on their seat belts in the car after school.  There was always a verbal challenge to see who could talk first.  One time, the one who spoke first said, “Mom, I have a secret! But I cannot tell you.”  Excellent!  The trick to this game from the driver’s seat is to keep your eyes forward and focus on a plan to learn the secret.  (The driver is also the parent after all and for a little while longer, it is my job to know those secrets.) With my eyes forward, I simply said, “Well you know, I am a trained professional secret keeper.”

That started the wheels turning in her developing brain and in no time, I learned ALL about the secret. Of course, I cannot tell you what it was because I am a professional, but it was a good one.  So good that the secret keeper came home, sat on the couch and fell asleep in less than thirty minutes.  Her secret had a lot of weight to it.

Part of our rule of life in our home is “Bells don’t keep secrets.”  We recite it often.  We talk about the power of a secret.  The weight of secrets.  How they can divide people.  How they open the door to more secret behaviors.  In our home, it is almost impossible to keep a secret…unless it is a birthday secret of course.

Part of God’s rule of life is “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  Webster says that secrets “keep from knowledge or view.”  We can talk about the way secrets keep us in the dark.  The stress of secrets.  The energy it takes to keep a secret.  How they keep us stuck in life.  But you probably know all about those things.

Or we can talk about how good it feels to let a secret out.  When we let it out a secret, all the stress of the secret goes with it.  We are then available to experience truth and light again.  In the absence of secrets, we find freedom.  And that makes Christ smile.

What are some of the rules your family lives by?  Is there a secret you have been carrying around for a while? Today may be the perfect day to let it out and live free from its weight.  You may even find the need for a good nap on the couch after the experience.

The secret things in their heart will be made known. So, they will bow down and worship God. They will say, “Without a doubt, God is here with you.” 1 Corinthians 14:25

Join us every Thursday as we explore practices that connect us with our Creator God. God’s greatest desire is to BE with us. Spiritual practices keep us in the flow of the Holy Spirit and God’s presence. We are thrilled you are here and @Practice with us. This simple moment can be a retreat from daily life and a space for you to BE with God in your every day activities.

Meredith and Steven Bell share many things in common and share many differences. They met 24 years ago in Dallas, Texas while studying theology. With each having a science degree already, they both decided a theology degree was the next right step. For the past 24 years, they have served communities in ministry together in a number of different ways. The relationships they have built along the way with friends, colleagues and churches is a blessing to their lives. The biggest blessing is being parents to two amazing young women. From diapers to driver’s licenses, they have parented, laughed, sacrificed, loved, prayed, cried, and grown together. Their differences simply make life interesting. Growing up in different states, listening to different music, enjoying different hobbies and just seeing the world around them differently keeps conversations lively! You can find Steven at First Methodist Church of Shreveport most days unless he is looking for waterfowl with his dog, Sam. You can find Meredith writing grants for non-profits and coaching people in ministry. More than anything, you can find the Bells living grateful lives. We are grateful to live in Shreveport and even more grateful to join with others to spread hope, love, and faith in the community!