365 Things I Believe: Jesus Asks

I once described The Hole in Our Gospel as “A Dangerous Book.” It certainly made me look at Christianity a little differently. It’s a book that takes Christians out of their comfort zone, and that’s a good thing.

The older I get and the longer I try to walk in faith, the more I realize that Christ’s view of the world, and of us, may be radically different than what I’ve always believed.

Richard Stearns says, The Kingdom of God, which Christ said is “within you” (Luke 17:21 NKJV), was intended to change and challenge everything in our fallen world in the here and now. It was not meant to be a way to leave the world but rather the means to actually redeem it.

I believe this.

365 Things I Believe is a revisioning of a year long web project. I initially launched the blog 365 Things I Believe because I think there are important things I have to say. There are eternal truths that are non-debatable, although I realize they’re not universally accepted. So for a year I did a daily post of one thing I believe to be an indisputable truth. I’m relaunching here at The Write Side of My Brain and will continue through the next year to re-post (mostly) from the original project.

This time graphics and commentary are included. You can buy today’s print here. And, by the end of a year, if not sooner, you’ll be able to purchase the entire series in ebook format.

People we love: Lena Horne

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne, June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010

Born on this day in 1917.

Lena Horne was an American singer, actress, dancer and civil rights activist. At the age of 16 she joined the chorus at the Cotton Club in New York City, later moving to Hollywood.

Horne’s family was a mix of European American, Native American and African American. Because of that she was never featured in a leading role in Hollywood. Films featuring her had to be re-edited for states where theaters would now show films with black performers. But she appeared in a number of MGM musicals including Cabin in the Sky.

Ironically she was not cast in the role of Julie LaVerne in MCM’s 1951 version of Show Boat because of the ban on interracial relationships on film. She lost the part to her friend, Ava Gardner. During the Red Scare, Horn was blacklisted and not able to work in Hollywood. She went back to performing in nightclubs and later took part in the 1963 March on Washington.

From the late 1950s through the 1960s she appeared on television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show and The Andy Williams Show. She also appeared on The Muppet Show, Sesame Street and Sandford and Son.

In her last film performance, Horne played Glinda in the film version of The Wiz. She took her one woman show “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music” to Broadway in 1981. Her fourteen month run received rave reviews and garnered her a Tony Award.

Lena Horne died of heart failure on May 9, 2010.