The Apprenticeship Way with Marc Alan Schelske

Your Suffering is Sacred (TAW044)

May 14, 2021

K.J. Ramsey, a licensed professional counselor and author, dives deep into the often-ignored topic of suffering in the Christian faith. She challenges the notion that churches should sidestep pain, advocating for a community that embraces sorrow. Ramsey shares insights on redefining joy through shared struggles and emphasizes the importance of authentic connection in faith circles. She also discusses the sacredness of individual suffering and encourages listeners to honor their pain as part of their spiritual journey.

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INSIGHT

Churches Often Ignore Long-Term Suffering

Many churches prioritize celebration and victory narratives over holding long-term suffering.
K.J. Ramsey argues this neglects Jesus' example and leaves suffering people marginalized.

ANECDOTE

Twelve Years Of Daily Pain

K.J. Ramsey has lived with ankylosing spondylitis for 12 years and experiences daily pain.
Her illness and work as a counselor shaped her conviction that the church must make room for sorrow.

INSIGHT

Abundance Found In Shared Suffering

True abundance appears when we stand in sorrow and meet a suffering Savior with scars.
Joy is reoriented from more, faster, better to the presence of Jesus amid our wounds.

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The Apprenticeship Way Header Graphic. Episode 44. Your Suffering is Sacred. An Interview with KJ Ramsey.

Episode 044 – Your Suffering is Sacred (With K.J. Ramsey)

Are you allergic to happy clappy Christianity? There’s a good reason for thats. Churches that ignore suffering are ignoring Jesus. Many churches are not good at holding suffering. People who find themselves in extended suffering — maybe living with depression or anxiety, other mental health issues, or even invisible chronic illness — sometimes find there’s not a place for them in the church. In this episode, I talk with KJ Ramsey who has particular experience with this, and we talk about the gospel according to suffering.

Show Notes

“There needs to be more room in the Body of Christ to stand in the ground of our sorrow and see our suffering Savior.” – KJR
“We prefer to keep death out of sight and any reminders of the decay in our bodies or being less than dazzling, we want to hide and pretend it doesn’t exist but the good news is that’s not the way of Jesus.” -KJR
“If you’re in a church where they say ‘This table is for all,’ but you’re not actually included, leave. You don’t need to stay in a community that crushes you…You are not faithless if you need to walk away.” – KJR
“To deconstruct the 2x4s of a house that was never actually God’s house is a gift that you give to your future self.” -KJR

Follow KJ Ramsey & Get her Book

K.J. Ramsey (BA, Covenant College, MA, Denver Seminary) is a licensed professional counselor, writer, and recovering idealist who believes sorrow and joy coexist. She is the author of This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers, and her writing has been published in Christianity Today, RELEVANT, The Huffington Post, Fathom Magazine, Health Central, and more on the integration of theology, psychology, and spiritual formation. She and her husband live in Denver, Colorado.

At her website: http://www.kjramsey.com
Instagram: @kjramseywrites
Twitter: @kjramseywrites
Facebook: @kjramseywrites
Get her book, This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers

Today’s Sponsor

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The Wisdom of Your Heart: Discovering the God-given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions.
Untangled Heart Course Online.
Discovering your Authentic Core Values: A Step-by-step Guide

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