Jennifer L. Gross 🦬

Writer, mom of two, Lutheran Christian. Peace be with you.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@garonnevik This clarifies so much about interactions I’ve had with some (not all!) older women when I lead Bible studies. Very much a sense of “there’s a right way and a wrong way” with fear of doing it wrong or getting a wrong answer. It comes out as anxiety or anger.

[Gretchen Ronnevik @garonnevik]

I speak at women’s events often, and I have a side thing of training in intergenerational mentors in the church.

Here’s what I’ve observed over the last 8 years or so that I wasn’t expecting.

The generation who needs to hear the gospel the most is the baby boomer generation. When I speak at an event, and share the gospel not just for salvation, but God’s grace for each and every day—grace as lavishly as I know how to give, it’s the baby boomer women who are crying.

And I was always wondering: why can’t I get this generation to pick up the mantel of discipling younger women? Why do they roll their eyes when yet another push for mentoring starts?

They are exhausted. And they’re afraid.

They came of age in the midst of the sexual revolution when the church responded to the feminist movement with the anti-feminist movement. E.G: you’re not a real Christian woman unless you…

“Mentoring ministries” during this time were the equivalent to intense law sessions. Instead of Titus 3 saying it’s grace that trains us, they were trained in law. All the Bible studies in the 70s-80s were heavy on being as feminine as possible for Jesus. “Are women allowed to…” was the constant conversation.

All law. No gospel.

And we know from scriptures when all law and no gospel is given, there are 2 options: despair or pride—both leading to death. Most of them that I talk to are terrified of doing the same to others.

A 20 something woman was recently in my kitchen and asking me “how do we get the baby boomer women to do this?”

“We don’t.” I replied. “They’ve had their years of law. They need a respite of the gospel. We need to train in the next generation. Skip over the BB’s. Not because we’re giving up on them, but the gospel is where the power is, and they’ve been given no gospel. Give them the most abundant of grace. And when the Holy Spirit has done his healing work, we won’t have to ask. In the meantime, you see the need, and I see the need. That’s why I have you over here. That’s why you volunteer in the jr high group. It’s not our job to “get them to” do anything. I’ve never seen a generation so choked by law. Give them Jesus every chance you get.”

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@jgumbel Lord, comfort Jen and her family today. May Your steadfast love hold and keep her as she faces old grief made sharp again by the anniversary of loss. Bring to her happy memories of her father and loving moments with her children today.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@clhubes Also, no matter where they go, they never have traffic. My fave was when the bad guy was in Hagerstown and they got there from DC in like 20 minutes 😂

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@HollyStallcup At this stage, my girls would exclaim, “I don’t know why I’m crying!” I think it’s also true for their anger. They can’t explain it. Feelings sweep over them at a bewildering intensity. Maybe ask them when they are calm what they need when they are angry/sad? Hugs, time alone?

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@oldenoughtosay First one, TV and books. Second one, blogs on a laptop (and TV).

[Janel Comeau 🍁 @VeryBadLlama]

I have transgendered
the aliens
that were in
the prison

and which
also were probably
executing
the babies

forgive me
I have the best rallies
so large
and so not bored

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@hallowedvet @cuaa I know nothing about anything, but seems to me that getting rid of a program and then bringing it back a year or more later would be an efficient way of hiring all new people who align with whatever goals/policies/etc., that current staff might disagree with.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@hallowedvet You might resonate with “Blessed Are The Misfits” by @branthansen . He also describes his challenges with being neurodivergent and being told that emotions/speaking in tongues were necessary evidence of salvation.

[Matt Swaim @mattswaim]

You do not evaluate the orthodoxy of the Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed evaluates the orthodoxy of you

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@EliSeitz10 @clhubes Oh, yes, you’d need to check them out first. Especially the background check thing. My church started background checks for volunteers in 2021, I think.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@HerbsandDirt @Crazyfrog21346 My uncle had asthma as a child in the 50s. My mom remembers how worried her mom got when he had an attack. Also you don’t remember autistic children because all “special ed” kids were in their own classes, isolated from the rest of the school.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@jgumbel I agree! Hanging out with joyful, unique “weirdos” is more fun anyway than (what I suspect is the guy’s problem) hanging out with men forced to perform some narrow definition of masculinity.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@kkdumez Years ago I led a women’s study at church that had one lesson about abuse. An elderly woman said that both she and her mother had been (separately) abused; her mother’s childhood SA had been by a priest. Only 6 women in the room, and 3 had SA experiences. Was heartbreaking.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@natgrace79 At some point I’ll have to rewatch Capaldi but Clara bugs me SO much. The only companion I just never warmed up to.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@saraallen91 Oh, that’s so pretty! Glad it was well received!

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@sewistwrites We got SO many gifts (supplemented by grandparents). But very little between gift-giving occasions. Fall clothes before school started, winter clothes at Xmas (plus toys/books/etc.), summer clothes at our spring birthdays.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@saraallen91 …and that it’s to hold mementos important to the child’s faith. So parents can add things, and the child can add things, as well. Confirmation and first communion certificates, e.g., and other, more personal things that may have meaning for the child as they grow in faith.

[Jennifer L. Gross 🦬 @AnotherJenGross]

@saraallen91 Ok, our church does this, but I think it’s not a widespread thing so maybe it’s an idea for you. With baptism, the family is given a “faith box” (a pretty, large photobox that you see at craft stores). It is explained that it’s to put the baptism candle, cloth, etc., /1