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Hannah Arensen

About Hannah Arensen

Hannah Arensen is a missionary with Engineering Ministries International. A blogger and landscape designer, she is passionate about helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus. When she’s not in the studio, you can find her curled up with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Posts by Hannah Arensen:

Don’t Drink The Poison

Don’t Drink The Poison

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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://welovechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Poison.jpeg” title_text=”Hydrate” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium”]I am the youngest of three kids, and I can honestly say that my siblings are my best friends. They are both incredible people, and they pursue the Lord with all their heart; I can’t imagine my life without their wisdom, their silliness, and their friendship. But growing up, we fought CONSTANTLY. I’m talking non-stop bickering, yelling, crying, and all kinds of maliciousness that comes with the territory of having siblings.

I’ll never forget storming up to my room after a fight with Josiah. I was fuming on the top bunk when I heard my mother having a little discussion with him downstairs. Soon enough he came up, opened the bedroom door, looked at the wall and said, “I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

I looked right at him and yelled, “NO!”

The immediate reaction from him was to yell downstairs and say, “Mooooooommmmm, she didn’t forgiiiivvveee meeeee.”

I yelled after him, “Because he didn’t mean it! He was just saying those things because you told him to.”

What she said next is something I will never forget. She got right down on my level, and she said, very firmly:

“Hannah, it doesn’t matter whether he means it or not, forgiveness is a NON-NEGOTIABLE.”

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, iforgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

It’s non-negotiable. It’s a command from God. In that moment, I realized that forgiveness isn’t a feeling; it’s a decision. Forgiveness does not mean there will be reconciliation; I had to forgive my brother whether he was sorry or not.

Forgiveness isn’t a feeling; it’s a decision. Forgiveness does not mean there will be reconciliation; I had to forgive whether he was sorry or not.

The problem is, sometimes we don’t want to forgive. Sometimes people do awful things – whether on purpose or totally unbeknownst to them they hurt us – and we don’t want to forgive because somehow we feel that by holding onto that grief and refusing to forgive, we are serving them some semblance of justice. But let me ask this, who are you to dole out justice? Who am I? (Romans 12:19)

As the saying goes, “Unforgiveness is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Instead of serving justice to this person or group of people, we end up poisoning our soul with anger and frustration.

When we keep drinking the poison of unforgiveness we begin to live in a state of bitterness. And that feeling of bitterness is much harder to break free from. In Hebrews 12:15, Paul describes it as a root. It creeps up on you when you’re not expecting it. It happens when that person’s name comes up in conversation, and a little pang of frustration or anger hits your heart.

You can recognize bitterness when no matter what a person (or group of people) says or does, you are seeing through the lens of the hurt they’ve caused you. But that isn’t the lens we are called to see people through. We are commanded to forgive as Christ forgave us! Meaning we need to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and bless those who have disappointed us.

This doesn’t mean we’re required to be besties with the people who hurt us, nor does it mean we ignore healthy boundaries. It DOES mean that we need to make the decision to forgive, not just once, but every day. If you still feel that pang in your heart, forgive them again. Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Lay down your pain and your frustration at the foot of the cross, put it at the feet of the one who forgave you.

Set aside some time this week to ask God, “Who do I need to forgive?” You may be surprised.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://welovechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/HannahArenson.png” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://welovechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://welovechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Hydrate1920x1080

Hydrate

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I have two siblings, one of whom has lived in the UK for almost 5 years now. He and his wife moved there so they could travel, and they did a fantastic job of it. They hopped around Europe for years, spending all their free time in France, Italy, and Spain along with dozens of other places. Then, the UK went into lockdown, and they’ve spent the last year in their little London flat praying for opportunities to travel; but the lockdowns kept piling up. They’re moving back to the States this week, and though they’re excited to be closer to family, they are grieving a year of life that was taken from them.

I think that’s how a lot of us are feeling right now. We’re grieving all of the things we’ve lost; things like rights of passage, time with friends and family, and loved ones who have passed away. We are exhausted by uncertainty. We are all dried up.

I’m reminded of the vision God gave Ezekiel:

1“The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” -Ezekiel 37:1-3 (NIV)

The truth is that God is making things new in our lives, even in the desert. What we need to do is hydrate.

We are a thirsty species. In fact, humans are made up of about 60% water. I looked it up, and as a female adult, I should be taking in at least 11.5 cups of water a day. That’s a lot of water, y’all! We can only survive a few days without water.

But this thirst goes beyond our physical needs; we are thirsty spiritually as well. We thirst for love, purpose and, among other things, to feel in control. So when we’re suddenly uprooted and ripped from our normal way of being, we feel lost or forgotten. It’s like we are wandering around the desert searching for the life we once had. We don’t know which snakes are poisonous or not, but we’re pretty sure that the scorpion staring us down isn’t our friend. Either way, we’re parched.

But Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) says this, “Behold, I (God) am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

God longs to bring us life and make things new! But notice God doesn’t say he will take us OUT of the desert. Instead, He meets us right where we are: in the desert, in the dust, at our pile of bones, and turns those bones into flesh. He gives us water that can quench our deepest thirsts:

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” -John 4:13-14

The truth is that God is making things new in our lives, even in the desert. What we need to do is hydrate. Lean into Jesus through prayer, study the scriptures, dive deep into His love. Choose to rely on God for everything you need, and your cup will overflow with faith, hope and love.

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” -Isaiah 58:11(ESV)

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Living in Expectation

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Do you ever feel like God isn’t listening to you? Maybe you’ve been praying for something to change, and it just isn’t happening. It can be so frustrating when it feels like our prayers are going unanswered; as if they’re just bouncing back from the ceiling. I imagine this is exactly how the Hebrews felt before Jesus entered the scene. They were God’s people, and they hadn’t heard directly from Him in 400 years. In the meantime, they had been conquered by the Romans, which left them in challenging and desperate circumstances. Even so, they held onto the promise of a Messiah: 

“For unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 

Throughout their history, God had sent men and women of faith to deliver the Hebrews from captivity, bring them home from exile, and to provide them land to call their own. It’s only natural that they were expecting a Messiah to come deliver them from Roman rule. I mean, that’s what I’d be praying for! I’m no historian, but from what I do know, living as a conquered people in the Roman Empire does not sound like fun; give me a Mighty God to overthrow the Roman government and a Prince of Peace to usher in safety and prosperity.

When we allow Jesus to work in our hearts, we receive His peace that overwhelms every circumstance.

 

But God knew the bigger picture. He knew that the circumstances, though dire, were not the biggest threat to His people. The biggest threat to their safety was their own brokenness. So instead of a mighty warrior to overthrow Rome, God sent His son as a sacrificial lamb. Jesus, though He lived a perfect life, took on the punishment of our sin through death on a cross. He then rose from the dead three days later, conquering death! 

Instead of conquering the circumstantial, Jesus conquers the ETERNAL.

Jesus closed the gap between us and God, meaning we can have an intimate, personal relationship with Him. What incredible grace we have been given that we have full access to this Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace!

This gift of grace is far greater than what the Hebrews were expecting and similarly, the redeeming love of Jesus is greater than any circumstantial change we could ever ask for. But does that mean we shouldn’t ask for our world to change? No way! In fact, we are called to pray for the desires of our heart. This is why Paul writes,

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:5-7

God always answers prayer, but just like in the case of the Messiah, it isn’t always in the manner in which we anticipate. We often expect a complete removal of our trials and suffering, when what we should be expecting is a transformation of our hearts and minds. We can be so focused on our circumstances that we lose sight of how God is working to make us new. When we allow Jesus to work in our hearts, we receive His peace that overwhelms every circumstance. We can have that peace because of one simple fact, “The Lord is at hand.” Immanuel; God is with us!

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Work It

Work It

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I come from a family of hard workers. Something just compels us to work like crazy, biting off more than we can chew and choking it down with coffee, lack of sleep and baggy eyes. My face lotion is the “anti-fatigue” kind, no joke. I’m so grateful for this family culture that taught me the value of working hard, but I often wondered… what is it that drives us to work the way we do? Moreover, as Christ-followers, what should work look like?

2 Timothy 2:15 says this, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but presenting myself to God as an approved and unashamed worker sounds pretty intense. There are some toxic work environments out there, and it can be really hard not to take part in the gossip and frustration. We often look at work as being separate from the rest of our life, including our relationship with Jesus. But in the act of presenting ourselves to the Lord, we are also representing Him to others. As we work, we are reflecting God to the people around us. But this doesn’t just mean being on our best behavior at the office.

Our first reference of work in the Bible is the work of God himself, in fact He placed man in the garden to work it. Even though it was beautiful already, God specifically chose humans to make it even more fruitful so they could share His goodness with their children and their children’s children. So when we work, we are partnering with God to share His goodness and make this world better. Work is a divine reflection of God!

But let’s be honest, very rarely do I walk around my office thinking “Yeah, this is a divine reflection of God.” That beautiful garden didn’t make it past chapter 2 of the Bible; so work, like everything else, is subject to the pains of a fallen world. This is why in 2 Timothy, Paul talks about being one “who correctly handles the word of truth” or the gospel — because we always need a purpose.

As we work, we are reflecting God to the people around us.

So, what is it about the gospel, when accurately lived out, that makes our work worthwhile?

1 Peter 1:3 says this, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

What makes work worthwhile? HOPE. We have been given this living hope through the resurrection of Jesus, and the inheritance that is our own bodily resurrection and a new creation. So when we work, we have hope and confidence that our work is not just there for survival, but it is a noble and divine effort that will not be simply discarded by God, but made anew in the richness of His Glory. For he says, “I am making all things new”-Revelation 21:5

So whatever you do — whether you’re an educator, hair-dresser, engineer, stay-at-home mom, barista, pastor, or designer —“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” -Colossians 3:23

Because whether you’re in your dream job or not, God is ready to do a work in you. He is, through our Lord Jesus, making all things new!

 

 

Hannah Arensen is a landscape designer with a focus on ecological resilience and social equity in public space. A blogger and worship team member, she is passionate about helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus. When she’s not in the studio, you can find her curled up with a good book and a cup of coffee.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row padding_mobile=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”100px|||” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”RECENT POSTS TITLE” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” use_border_color=”off” border_style=”solid”]

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