A *Good Enough* Triumph!

Even before I begin officially blogging my way through Kate Bowler's Good Enough, I'm already attempting to leave behind my pursuit of perfection in favor of the pursuit of *good enough.* And here's proof: 

Tuesday afternoon, I had worked diligently to set up a prayer center for a Wednesday evening time of silence and solitude. 

(See Exhibit A )  

Everything was perfect: the lights were dimmed; the candles were just right, their light flickering in the water that filled the vases; the guided Scripture reading and daily reflection prayer papers were finished and printed. The atmosphere was exactly what I was hoping for! 

And then ... I looked a little more closely at the daily reflection paper I had created. 

(See Exhibit B)

Yup, that definitely says "Weds, Jan 20, 2022." 😬 

So, I was faced with a choice: do I follow my perfectionistic tendencies and take the time to go back to my computer, wake it up, change the document, and print the copies again because I just can't stand it when I see a mistake and have the ability to fix it ... or do I decide this is *good enough*?  

(Wait. Did I also mention I discovered this mistake about 30 minutes before people were supposed to arrive? And I was a little behind schedule because someone had stopped by for emergency food, and I ended up sharing some other resources with them? And as a result, I was feeling extra stressed and panicked when I discovered my mistake?) 

Would I choose to make my stress worse and rush to fix my mistake or would I choose to say, "You know what? This is *good enough.*" 

I chose to say this is good enough. And because I chose good enough, I was in the right frame of mind to lead an hour of silence and solitude - not rushed, not panicked. Peaceful instead. 

And you know what? If anyone noticed my mistake, they didn't say anything to me about it. 

Have you made a *good enough* kind of decision lately? If so, tell us about it in the comments! 

Pastor Allison 

#itwasgoodenough #iamgoodenough

It's Time to Be Good Enough

 

It's the season of Easter at Second Pres ... and time to set aside the pursuit of perfection in favor of the pursuit of GOOD ENOUGH! 

From the Good Enough website: 

Written gently and with humor, Good Enough is permission for all those who need to hear that there are some things you can fix—and some things you can’t. 

And it’s okay that life isn’t always better. 

In these gorgeously written daily devotionals, co-authors Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie offer fresh imagination for how truth, beauty, and meaning can be discovered amid the chaos of life.

Their words celebrate kindness, honesty, and interdependence in a culture that rewards ruthless individualism and blind optimism. Ultimately, in these pages we can rest in the encouragement to strive for what is possible today—while recognizing that though we are finite, the life in front of us can be beautiful.

 

Here's how it works: 

Each day's devotional includes a prayer or blessing because Kate and Jessica believe in blessing the crap out of people.  

Included with each devotional entry is a quote of some sort and a simple prompt called a Good Enough Step to nudge us toward action. No, not every transformation is possible. But yes, there are some things we can do to inch toward a deeper, richer, truer kind of faith. 

They write: "Let’s begin. But before we do: A blessing for you, dear one, as you embark on this joyfully mediocre journey toward, well, imperfection."

A Blessing for a Joyfully Mediocre Journey 

Blessed are you

who realize there is simply not enough

—time, money, resources.

Blessed are you

who are tired of pretending

that raw effort is the secret to perfection.

It’s not. And you know that now.

Blessed are you

who need a gentle reminder that

even now, even today,

God is here, and somehow,

that is good enough.

And you are welcome to join us in this joyfully mediocre journey toward a good enough life and faith! 

1. Pastor Allison's reflections (starting with chapter 1) will go live on Sun, April 24. 
2. Books will be available through the church office - call (740-353-4159) or email (secondpres@yahoo.com) to reserve your copy now. 
3. Read whenever you want, post whenever you want from wherever you happen to be - no scheduling a group discussion date and time! 
4. You are encouraged to comment on the post, respond to someone else's comment, or add your own thoughts. 
5. A "perfect" goal would be to do this on a daily basis, but since we're aiming for "perfectly imperfect," try to post more often than not! 

More About Being "Good Enough"

What Kind of Faith is GOOD ENOUGH?

• A good enough faith will establish a sort of rhythm of life to sustain momentum. These are not an effort to ensure 7 Steps to Guaranteed Sainthood™, but rather to remind us that closeness with God is not just a question of belief. It is also in the small actions we can take. 
  
  
• A good enough faith is not reaching for the impossible. We can’t be everything to everyone, or even enough for ourselves. We’re human. 
  
  
• A good enough faith looks for beauty and truth in what’s possible. No, not everything is possible. But we will hunt for the places where we can find an opportunity for a little more.

Truths to Start Loving Even More 

• We are made for interdependence.
  
  
• We are fragile…and so is everyone else. But we can learn to live beautifully inside of our limited bodies. 
  
  
• Yes, our stupid, imperfect, ordinary lives can be holy. Life will break your heart, and there’s nothing wrong with you if you know that. 
  
  
• Sometimes joy and laughter and absurdity are the exact medicine we need, but also we need actual medicine. We love actual medicine too.