i don’t want abortions to happen, but i don’t want to adopt a child or support a home that looks after abandoned kids

i don’t want drug dealers on my back door step, but i don’t want to come up with an alternative for the guys whose only income comes through selling drugs

i don’t want racism, but i don’t want to take the time to really engage with someone of a different race or culture in meaningful long term relationship where i eventually get to a place where i start to just treat them as my friend and not “my [insert race/culture] friend”

i don’t want young people sleeping around before they get married, but i don’t want to take time building relationship with a young couple and meeting with them regularly to walk the journey with them, being open about the struggles i went through when i was dating and when we were engaged and how sometimes we didn’t have quite the victory over them that we wanted to

i don’t want divorce, but i don’t want to stop using jokes or language that take digs at marriage, and applauding, sharing or celebrating when others do, and i don’t want to be open about the struggles i have in my own marriage that might help others who are struggling feel better about the fact that they are not the only ones who are, or offer to walk a long, tough journey of accountability and being there for those who are battling

and more.

it can be very easy to say ‘No!’ sometimes without providing a creative “Yes!” and i think we need to take a long, hard, deep, thoughtful look at our lives, our relationships, the things we are strongly against [and what things we are strongly for that by the very nature of them happening or being pursued will wipe out some of the things we are against] and see if providing a healthy, creative, Godly, community “Yes!” might be within our grasp and worth giving a lot of time and energy and money towards…

sometimes we don’t need to fight the darkness, as much as we need to bring some light into the dark place… it is the light which causes the darkness to flee

what don’t you want?