Someone to talk to

I've been reading a delightful and insightful book called "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg.  (If you want to know more, see their site.)  They suggest getting a haver, or friend. The way they described it made me think of  study partners as seen in the movie, Yentl. Like for the scriptural discussions and debate.  I like this idea and have prayed for someone to be my study partner now. I had a friend like this once, but she moved away and started a family years ago.  Our contact is infrequent now.  But when we saw each other every day, we almost always had insights to share with one another.  We prayed together, we had many enlightened moments, and it was very uplifting to have a friend like that.

At present, I am surrounded by members of the LDS church.  There is a world of doctrinal difference between us now.  Since I am still feeling like a child learning Christianity, I would feel safer with a haver/haverah who is Christian.  The church I have visited a few times does not have a regular study group.  There are other churches around, so perhaps it is up to me to seek out a place.  I am reluctant for one reason: one of the first issues that caused me shame about being LDS was their stand toward gays and lesbians and transgender people.  Remember the Prop 8 mess in California?  I felt inside that Jesus would not reject or punish someone who wanted a relationship with someone of the same gender.  I am uncertain which others of the handful of churches in this area are welcoming and I don't want to get invested in one that is close-minded.  (For a well-reasoned presentation on Christianity and homosexuality, see http://matthewvines.tumblr.com/ )

While I look for a study friend, I found myself talking to God this morning as I read the first chapter of Acts in an interlinear Greek-English New Testament.  And I figured He could be my haver for now, the best one anyone could have.