Steady On

 

Many of you know me from my blogging on"A Cry For Justice" and may have noticed that I haven't posted any articles there recently. Don't worry, I haven't left that blog, I've just been incredibly focused on the work of Steady On. Also, I must say with the narrow focus of domestic abuse on ACFJ, sometimes I think we all need a break and time to think about other things. Fortunately Jeff and Barbara, along with some guests, have plenty of articles to keep things moving along. 

 

Steady On has always been intended to be music of encouragement, and I think the old songs still have the power to do that. And the new songs, well, they really fit right in and carry on the legacy. You see, I have been through a VERY dark place and felt pain from those I never thought could hurt me. I've learned that the church isn't always a safe place, but I've also learned that the TRUE church looks much different than I ever thought- and it is a glorious tool of God. I've learned that there were a lot of things I accepted about both God and myself that needed to be purged- and they have been. And I learned that God just doesn't let go.

 

As I've blogged on ACFJ I've never intended to teach or bring wisdom- I've tried to be honest about where I've been and what it has felt like to be on the wrong side of some very bad teaching about divorce. I've told my story and hoped to validate others who are going through the same things. But most of all I've listened and learned about how much pain earnest believers in the body of Christ have gone through because of some very bad teaching and ideas that really should have nothing to do with Jesus. My involvement with ACFJ has pricked my heart and in a lot of ways the fight against the mishandling of abuse in the church has become a primary mission for me. But even as I've participated on that blog, I've always known that my main voice will never be as a writer, but rather as a musician. Music is how I tell my stories, the stories of others, and testify to what God has done around me. So I wrote new songs- songs that come from my story, but also of the stories I've read on ACFJ.

 

So I hope to use Steady On to bring encouragement, to honestly tell of the dark places, to remember what it was like to be built up stronger than I was before, and sound a call to not leave anyone else behind, because we are all in this together.

 

Having said all of that, these messages are not only for victims of abuse- whoever has been through a dark place, whoever has questioned if God was pleased with his or her suffering, whoever has struggled with sin and the frustration of not being the person he or she ought to be: these are your songs too. I hope they will encourage you.

 

As for this blog, I plan to cover the kinds of musings that just don't fit on ACFJ. My thoughts about worship, music ministry, Reformed theology, or just whatever comes to mind. This is a journey of faith we are all in together, so I hope to shine what little light I've been given to others.

 

Jeff Sylvester