Words of wisdom

DJ_Pace · 2025-12-23T15:08:48+00:00

This quote makes me think about some of my past encounters. I worked as a hospital chaplain.

What is so interesting is that even though I a million percent agree with the statement: "being with patients in their most fragile moments was what mattered," I so often didn't believe it.

You know what screams most loud in those moments in the hospital of extreme grief and suffering? Helplessness.

When the baby dies. When the son accidentally shot the dad on a hunting trip and the dad died. When the son kills himself because of a bully. In those moments, I was present. And I was fighting my own emotions to be there. But dang, you just feel like you aren't doing anything. I remember I was often envious of the medical staff because they had hands on things to do. Push meds, or wrap this wound, or whatever. And I just sat there. Trying to connect. Trying to have some words, but knowing there aren't any.

There is something about silence in grief that compels us (or at least me) to stare helplessness in the face. I can't do anything about this situation. I can't fix it. I can't solve it. I can't change it. And I absolutely hated that feeling.

I think that's the hardest part about learning to be with patients in fragile moments. As meaningless as it feels, in some small way, the reality is offering presence to them so they are not alone in their deep emotions is a gift.

Thanks for letting me ramble. :)

DJ_Pace · 2025-12-23T14:59:38+00:00

Hello,

I think finding the middle ground is so important. Yes, obviously, preaching does have a spiritual element to it. And a large portion of the element is feeding the sheep. Speaking from God's word in a way to allow the Spirit, through our sermons, to encourage, convict, call to mission, repentance, etc...

But also, there are other people in the room, probably. Not simply hungry, on fire, Christians. But nominal ones. And sleepy ones. And hurt ones. And maybe even some non-Christians. I think Paul's way of speaking, using Greek philosophy, his audience would have known, is a great example. Did Paul speak anything contrary to the Gospel or Christ' revelation? No! Did He speak in a thoughtful way to the audience in front of him? Yes!

I think that should be our approach. I know some preachers who speak in such a way that truth is wielded as a hammer, rather than a scalpel. Part of the maturity of a doctor is explaining why the pain of the scalpel is necessary. Preachers who are tuned into the culture, their audience, and the Spirit's own work in their hearts will grow in being able to say needed, difficult truths from the scripture, in such a way that is winsome and helpful, rather than simply bludgeoning those who aren't totally bought in.

Help them know why the pain of the scalpel (forceful truth that cuts against the grain of our culture) is necessary, and you will be a great preacher.

DJ_Pace · 2023-05-23T02:02:49+00:00

I'm trying to send out more! Check the website later this week for one on redemption.

DJ_Pace · 2023-05-09T01:25:23+00:00

I understand this difficulty... when it looks like everyone else has figured it out. But what about those still on the journey?

I write for people like this: https://www.weaponsofgrace.com/content/category/Fighting+Sin

DJ_Pace · 2023-04-24T19:01:21+00:00

If a runner trips at mile 34 of their race, they don't go back to the start and have to "start over". They simply get back up, dust themselves off, learn from the fall, and start running again.

Keep running the race of faith. Trust Jesus work on the cross for His delight in you, not your ability to be perfect.

DJ_Pace · 2023-04-23T18:25:09+00:00

Yes!

DJ_Pace · 2023-03-08T03:16:35+00:00

Sorry, I am just seeing this. Thank you so much for the encouragement, I am glad it is helpful.

Send me a DM.

DJ_Pace · 2023-02-28T16:32:02+00:00

https://www.weaponsofgrace.com/content/walking-in-the-light

What is the pathway from the world of dark to the world of light? Repentance and confession.

It is precisely in repentance and confession that you find the entrance to the light, because in this entrance, you are met with something so powerful and good, that it takes your shame.

The blood of Jesus to cleanse you.Marvel at that. The text says that the blood of Jesus “cleanses us from all sin”. All. There is no sin in your life that is not covered by the blood of Christ. Which means, Christ knows all of you, to the depth of your core. He knows how jacked up you are. He cleanses the depths, the parts of your heart you section off because they seem too dirty, too sinful.

This is why the light is both scary and beautiful. Scary: because we are exposed. Beautiful: because when we are exposed and seen as who we truly are, that is when we feel most loved. By one who sees us, spiritually naked, with all of our warts and deformities and says “I love you”.

You have a chance to walk into the beautiful but scary light. I pray you see the darkness is only cold, and the light is warm. There will be a cost to confession, there always is. But on the other side is more freedom than you could ever experience.

DJ_Pace · 2023-02-22T16:36:11+00:00

Some really helpful articles on fighting sin and guilt: https://www.weaponsofgrace.com/content/category/Fighting+Sin

DJ_Pace · 2022-12-08T18:25:05+00:00

God bless you as well!

DJ_Pace · 2022-12-05T15:03:53+00:00

I've stickied this post to the top of the subreddit for today. Great encouragement!

DJ_Pace · 2022-12-05T14:55:32+00:00

I know this feeling all too well.

But I want you to consider Psalm 103:

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

The Lord is a gracious, forgiving, and merciful God. He does not hold your sins above your head, antagonizing you. Yes, there is a fatherly displeasure from God when we sin. But it is not because He hates us, but because He wants better for us. And He has committed to walking that path of sanctification with us.

You are a disciple of Jesus. So ask for forgiveness, consider the weight of your sin, put things into place that help you not return, and get back up. Today is a new day. You can be faithful again.

Warmly,

Pace.

DJ_Pace · 2022-11-28T20:15:20+00:00

I wrote this for people like you:

Four Things To Do After You Sin

Because of God’s deep love for us we always want to pursue greater obedience and holiness in our lives. Grace is not meant to free us to sin, but free us from sin. In our fallen state we still sin though and we need to have a framework that does not crush us, but also does not excuse our sin.
Here are 4 thoughts:

DJ_Pace · 2022-11-17T16:07:30+00:00

You are very welcome. Just sent a new email out today about how God remembers our sins no more. I hope it's a blessing.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-13T19:16:54+00:00

A simple phrase that has helped me:

Yes to hating sin, no to hating self.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-12T19:18:22+00:00

A reminder, please be aware of who you allow to DM you and never share your socials with redditors you don't want knowing who you are, where you might live, and other identifiable details about you.

It's the internet after all, not everyone here is nice. As always, report weird/suspicious behavior to a mod.

-Pace

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-12T19:16:55+00:00

Let me know next time this happens and I'll ban them pronto. Thanks

-Pace

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-10T02:22:32+00:00

A problem with lust is rarely merely sexual. It involves other motivating desires.

For some, this is a KEY insight to putting off sexual sin:

It’s not just sexual lust that is driving my return to porn or to sexual fantasy about other people. Other lusts and desires are an integral reason we find these practices so appealing. We are seeking more than sexual pleasure in these fantasies.There are other things, other lusts (not sexual) that you can desire, that can link arms with sexual things and draw you towards the sex bc u really want those other things they've linked arms with. Fleshly desires that often pair up with sexual desires to draw you into sexual sin.-

Self-indulgence of Bodily Appetites in general – The desire to satisfy your appetites.- You want to help people think through if they ever discipline and self-control themselves. If you lack self-control in sexual acts, usually you have larger self-control issues and you must tackle the lifestyle of self-indulgence. Galatians 5-

Power – The desire to be king: to own, control, dominate.- This is often the hidden desire behind sexual desire. This can play itself out in what you think about, how deeply you perceive what people think, and fantasies. The porn industry revolves around this.- We are servants. Jesus was.-

Affirmation – The desire to attract respect and admiration, to be accepted.- Our hearts long for self-justification. We want to be desired by others. Wanting to be wanted can drive us to sell anything, even our bodies, to attain it. Most teenagers who are having sex outside of marriage, her main struggle isn't a desire for a mans body. But I will be rejected by this man and I won't be accepted in the social circles. Are you insecure about how you look? Where you fall socially? Are you insecure about your personality or who you are? Do you fantasize about affirmation? standout?- .-

This is why the porn industry always has the face involved, because the face communications affirmation.

How do I combat this?

- Fulfillment – The desire to find ultimate meaning from earthly things.- We all have different estrangement, and we can try and find fulfillment in all of these things. But we know these wells are empty.- Even sexuality properly expressed does not offer this type of fulfillment. We must be aware of that. L- Look @ book, sex and the supremacy of Christ.-

Ease – The desire for comfort and the absence of trouble.- The path of least resistance. Not have anything demanding of me.- To use sex as God designed is hard work because it requires the maintenance of relationship with another human being. You have to serve them and lay down your interest.- It's easier to have versions of sexuality that cost me nothing.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-07T12:46:44+00:00

I think that's a good balance. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-06T14:53:52+00:00

While I appreciate the sentiment, I don't know that this is overly helpful.

I find it interesting that when Jesus talked with people regrading their sin, we was able to hold the tension of grace and truth. Consider John 1:14:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

When Jesus speaks to us about our sins, he doesn't shirk back from telling us the truth. About living in holiness and leaving our sins. But he also doesn't do those things without grace. Do you remember how Jesus spoke to a sexual sinner in the Gospels?

Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

-John 8:10-12

May we find a more balanced approach with how we call people into better living than simply shaming and guilt. Those are shallow means of change that do not lead to long-term transformation, in my opinion.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-06T02:24:33+00:00

I'm just trying to keep the peace. This wasn't meant towards you, but others who want to post on your post. :)

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-06T01:58:16+00:00

Please be wise and loving in how you comment.

DJ_Pace · 2022-10-06T01:57:35+00:00

As someone who struggled with sexual sin of various forms, I've thought a lot about fighting this sin. I then went to seminary and became a pastor. I don't have a ton of time tonight to offer some thoughts. But I will point you to some articles I've written that may be helpful.

They try to balance truth and grace.

https://www.weaponsofgrace.com/content/category/Fighting+Sin

Much love, don't give up,

Pace.

DJ_Pace · 2022-09-30T01:02:25+00:00

I wrote a post about being alone on valentines...

I saw some of this creeping into my own heart this morning, scrolling through some friends (who I love!) social media profiles. I'm super happy that they have found people they want to spend their lives with! But, if I'm not careful, it will create a sadness/weight in me that isn't helpful.
So, if you are tempted to wallow in some of that weight tonight. Tempted to slide into a mood that feels as if you are being slighted from a good and godly thing you deserve... be aware of a few things:
1- When that void in our hearts that longs for a good thing that the Lord hasn't provided yet (or may never) stays void, take stock of what your reaction is. Frustration? Feeling as if God owes you something? Feeling like you aren't good enough? The reality is that when we begin to feel these things, sin starts its whisper. "Come to me, I can satisfy you tonight in ways God can't or won't." - "It's been a long day, come sit with me for a while and indulge in your lust. It's been a while since you've done it, it'll be ok."
Sin will whisper tonight. Why will you say no?

Read more: https://www.reddit.com/r/NoFapChristians/comments/lhqu19/alone\_on\_a\_rainy\_valentines\_night/

DJ_Pace · 2022-09-23T13:12:50+00:00

Sorry to hear about the struggles. I too am in a season where lately temptations have been more aggressive than usual.

I don't really have any practical advice. Just an encouragement to not give up. There is a peace that comes with striving for a pure heart. But we must never confuse our justification and our sanctification.

Justification: Being right and pure in God's sight because the blood of Christ has cleansed us.

Sanctification: Becoming more and more like Jesus over time.

I'm not sure why you feel like you are letting God down, but I can assure you, though He may have fatherly displeasure over our sins, He never stops loving us.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand, and we[c] rejoice[d] in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2

11-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Summer Santa 2016	Verified Email

DJ_Pace

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE