Constance Hastings brings an outsider's perspective to what insiders know about the story of Jesus. Raised by non-religious parents, educated in a Christian school; lover of great literature, teacher of the disadvantaged; ordained in a mainline denomination, mental health counselor outside the church; she aims to make connections speaking in new places the old voices of meaning. With an edgy voice recognized by those caught in an existential dilemma, for those who have never or not been in church for a long time, for those who used to think they knew him, Constance Hastings confronts your concept of one of the most controversial figures whoever existed and the trouble Jesus means.

Website links:

https://constancehastings.com

https://jesustrouble.substack.com

Welcome to 12 Minute Converse with Jesus Believers.

God chose first to have a conversation with us, his creation.

Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.

Praise God for you Constance, it's a great pleasure to connect with you.

What part of the world are you in today?

I am in the United States in Wilmington, Delaware, the state of Delaware.

Were you always living in Delaware?

Most of my life, though for about five years we spent in Florida near our son, but we're here right now in Delaware and in the winter months we go down to Florida where the climate's a little warmer there, not as rough winters.

Snowboarding, yeah, that's the thing.

That's what they call it, yes.

All right, sounds good.

And have you ever been to the western side of America?

Yes, I've been to San Diego and all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Do you see a stark difference between the both, the west and the eastern side of the US?

I wouldn't say a stark difference.

I mean, every place has its own characteristics.

And in San Diego, my son at the time was in the Navy and we were near the base and so forth, but we got to see some of the other area and just really feeling very much at home there.

Now, where I have seen a stark difference is when I have been abroad and the first time I really felt separate as an American was when we went to England and in the UK there.

I definitely took on the identity of an American because, of course, the British were all around, but also just a very diverse area.

So that's been my experience in that way.

Let's dive into two things that have popped up thus far in our conversation, which is one, your ability to put yourself second by giving to your family on the two occasions of moving to Florida and then to San Diego, traveling across, you're giving.

And secondly, your capacity to love the written word.

Let's open that up.

Okay, capacity to love the written word.

As it was when I first started school, I had a difficult time learning how to read and honestly struggled the first two years.

However, after my second year of school, I had an uncle who decided to round up all of the cousins and we were all living very close and take us to the public library.

And that was in the day when they would actually give you a card and when you would read a book, you would write up the title of the book on that card.

Well, for some reason, I decided that I was going to fill up that card that summer and I did, but I was given the opportunity to choose books that I could read at an independent level and nothing, you know, earth shattering there.

But when I went back to school in the third grade, I was put in the lowest reading group with the poorest readers and I amazed my teacher because I could read so well.

And I didn't say anything, you know, I just went along with it, but I knew it wouldn't be but a matter of time before she would move me.

And so it was that I was put in the best reading group very quickly.

From then on, I just decided that I should be a reader and I always had a book going on and always loved reading.

But most importantly was that summer when I learned to read was also the summer that my grandmother gave me a Bible.

And this was one of the old fashioned kind, it was white, it had, you know, artists pictures of Bible scenes in it.

It had a gold zipper that went around the outside with a cross hanging on it.

And it was from that Bible that I truly did learn to read.

And your ability to give follow up with that, please.

Concept of you giving.

That honestly is of God.

So many ways in which I have been blessed.

And because of that, you know, how could I not share with others, whether that be family members or friends or into the community, that's where I have to give.

And it gives my life purpose as well.

This is a God given purpose to keep looking and watching and seeing where people are, and how whether it be I can help them in some way on a practical level, or even just speak into their lives.

And for that, I thank God to give giving me that.

Do you remember a specific encounter where Jesus showed up and you knew for certain that there was no turning back from the relationship you were going to have with him?

Um, that's the kind of question that happens at different stages of life.

The first time, of course, was when as a child, I remember thinking about how Jesus died on the cross.

And I felt so responsible for his death, knowing that he died for me.

And so again, at a young age, on my knees, I told him that I was sorry.

I asked for his forgiveness.

And I felt a physical response as if a burden was being lifted off of me.

Years later, I would read Paul Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

And when Pilgrim was at the foot of the cross, and repented of his sin, he had this, this weight of sin that was on his back fall away as well.

And and that's when I knew that was my salvation experience.

However, through life, you know, if you want to talk about the big moments, there was another time when I was on a spiritual retreat.

It was a three day event.

And the second night, we were told that we were going to go to a church.

Well, that made sense.

And they said, Go, go back to your rooms and get your coats.

And you know, we'll, we'll drive over there.

So I started to do that.

But then I remembered that I left my Bible in another room, and I wanted to go get my Bible.

So I went and did that.

And I went back to my room.

And I was a little bit behind the others, but I didn't think it, you know, it was very much and I was putting my coat on.

And I heard horns blowing.

And I realized everyone there was leaving without me.

And, and I was just totally blown away.

It was like, how, how could all these people here, forget me, they've been telling me for two days, how much I was loved.

And they left without me.

And and I ran down the steps and of the room.

And I went out into a courtyard, and I started to cross this courtyard.

But I could not move, it was like I was frozen.

And when I got to the other side, and through the doors to the parking lot, everybody was gone.

And I was totally, totally upset and angry.

And I started down this road where I was kicking stones.

I really was.

And I was talking to God, until I got to the point where it just seemed like this God I'd always believed in, did not exist.

And I went a little further, and I came across a stop sign.

Now this stop sign, traffic sign was, it was larger than regulation size, it was huge.

And I've been back to check on it and confirm that it was an extra large stop sign, but I knew it meant something.

And so by then it was dark, it was cold.

And I looked up into the sky.

And I said, Okay, what do you have to say about it?

Well, I can't explain it.

I don't believe in this life, I will ever be able to explain it.

But the wind was blowing very hard as well that night, and it moved me in a different direction.

And I don't know what happened, except that when, let's just say my awareness returned, I was down the road much farther.

And I realized that what had happened was okay.

And that God was with me.

And he loved me.

And it was just a moment of real rejoicing.

I believe if that had not happened, I would have walked away from faith.

But God grabbed me and held on to me in that moment of crisis, and took me from there.

As it was, I went back to the retreat center, just thinking I'd pray and wait till everybody else came back.

And as I went in, suddenly this car pulls up, and people come in, and they're shouting for me.

As it turned out, they got to the church, four people realized I was missing.

That's when they came back to find me, and embrace me, and just, you know, took me back in.

So that's, that's kind of what God does.

I believe sometimes he'll separate us for his purposes, and for his message personally to us.

Have you written a book?

I have written a book.

It's called The Trouble with Jesus, Considerations Before You Walk Away.

It's a book that's written for someone who is that doubter, and that skeptic.

It has an edgy voice to it, which challenges the narration of Jesus.

Now the narration of Jesus deals with the trouble with Jesus was he chose losers.

The trouble with Jesus was he valued women.

The trouble with Jesus was he talked a lot about money.

The trouble with Jesus was he refused to be the divine fixer.

And this edgy, skeptical voice challenges, questions, is sarcastic, and interplays with the narration.

But ultimately the book gives the reader the choice.

It is, as Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life.

Do you believe this?

And that is the question that reader is given to answer personally.

Do you believe this?

And my prayer is that both confirmed believers and believers or unbelievers will read the book and come to that question, and make a choice for Jesus Christ.

And since this is an honor, I can go and speak with you for an hour easy, right?

I'm enjoying this so much.

But if I were to ask you back onto the podcast five years from today, and you use this conversation as a reference for your memory, I'd love for you to leave a gift for yourself and leave a message.

What would that message be for the future you?

In the gospel, Jesus said, take my guilt upon you, for my burden is light.

Let me teach you.

And that has been a lesson that has spoken to me throughout the years and in my path of following Jesus.

And I believe five years from now, even though I can't tell you how life will go, I believe that Jesus will continue that and share my life, my burdens, my joys with me as we walk together.

I pray for your constant hastings.

I do hope that the front of that book cover has the image of that young girl kicking stones and the stop sign in front of you.

Oh, yes, yes.

Constance, a pleasure, treasure.

Thank you for being on What Is Inspired by 12 Minute Chronicles.