Beneath the Flowers Podcast

The Lord placed this topic on my heart to write on May 6th and naturally I said, “Okay God, what do you want me to say?”

I’m just going to leave this here.

Oftentimes, we rest on what Paul defines as love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4 through 7 filling our bathroom mirrors with sticky notes, writing it in our journals, plastering it to the walls of our home, injecting into our personal situations without considering its original context. What Paul said in this chapter is part of a larger conversation about spiritual gifts in the body of Christ and love being the most important gift of them all.

Follow me…

Chapter 12: One Body, Many Parts.

Recently, I’ve come to realize why so many of us are living on the frays of our lives, burnt out, crashing out, barely making it, gasping for air…

We’re in positions, places, and seasons God didn’t place us in.

By default (allowing the world to shape us) or our own design (trying to control our destiny under the premise of free will).

But in His love for us and honoring the free will He gave us, He will still walk with us through those seasons of disobedience. “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however, you were led” (v. 2 ESV). Hmm.. led astray, but you were still led… be mindful who claim to have spiritual gifts leading you somewhere but lack the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Gifts only come by way of the Holy Spirit. One Spirit, Many gifts (parts), (to serve) One Body. I digress.

Paul lays out a beautiful and compelling image of unity in diversity. He tells us though the Spirit gives many different gifts, they all originate from the same spirit. The purpose of these gifts isn’t personal glory, but the common good (v.7 ESV).

For God’s Glory.

Let’s make it plain…

There’s mutual dependence in the body. Paul highlights external body parts to draw the comparison, but let’s go deeper…

For each part to function well, another part has to function well in its role. One part informing the other. Complementary. One cannot work without the other. Imagine if your neurons just stopped sending information across your brain or the lens in your eyes stop refracting light? In this scenario, we acknowledge our eye and our brain, but there are other parts of the body — maybe often overlooked — that have equal, if not more, value. Those intangible, invaluable bits.

There’s value in the role you play in the body of Christ. No matter how seemingly big or small.

There’s value in being in front of the camera, behind the camera, or even just being the person who plugs the camera in. None is more important than the other. They all hold unique value. Each position belongs. We cannot all be in front of the camera. We are not all called to that position.

Side note: how do you know you’re called to or anointed for a position or spiritual gift? Simple. You didn’t place yourself in it. By ways beyond your understanding (the Holy Spirit) you end up there. It feels more like a cross you have to carry than something that gives *you* the glory. It grows you. It’s been there since you were a child. You cannot function in it on your own strength. You develop a neediness for Christ. That’s how you know.

If we idolize or boast in our gifts and positions, and fail to submit under them for the GLORY of God we’ve missed the point. If you love God and leave Him out of the picture when thinking about everything you’re talented in you’ve missed the point.

Paul ends chapter 12 to the church of Corinth saying “Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (v. 30 ESV)

Essentially saying, yes it’s okay to desire spiritual gifts but there’s ONE more greater gift than those — love.

But there’s a reason why love is the greatest spiritual gift of them all. Let’s look at love in the body.

Chapter 13: One Gift, Many Hearts.

Paul opens by saying if he speaks in the tongues, prophesies, has all knowledge, faith to move mountains, gives all he has to the poor, even surrenders his body as a sacrifice to boast but have not love—he is nothing.

Let that sink in. Nothing.

Not lesser. Not imperfect.

Nothing. Anything done without love is in vain and means nothing. (Paraphrasing 1 Corin. 13: 2 - 3).

This is a radical claim. It means spiritual gifts, no matter how impressive, are pointless if they are not motivated and infused by love.

Reminds me how some of us value certain gifts or “abilities” for self-exaltation and building our own kingdoms yet lack love and are far away from God.

I like to think Paul might have thought of love like the blood flowing through our veins in the body metaphor he used in chapter 12. As a biologist, this makes perfect sense to me. Don’t worry — I won’t bore you with science analogies. :)

Love is patient and kind

Love does not envy or boast.

Love is not angry or rude

Love does not insist on its own way

Love is not irritable or resentful

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with truth

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things

Love never ends.

This love isn’t sentimental. It’s gritty, selfless, persistent, and wholly other-centered. It’s love that stays when it’s inconvenient, forgives when its hurt, and serves when no one is watching. It does all things for building up the church and expanding the Kingdom of God here on earth.

And Paul closes the chapter with these unforgettable words:

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (13:13)

So, why Love is the Greatest

Faith and hope are essential. Faith connects us to the unseen; hope anchors us through the trial. But love is the heartbeat of the Kingdom. The language of the heavens. Why? Because God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is not just what God does — it’s who He is. And when we love, we become living reflections of and ambassadors for God.

Then Paul in chapter 13 v. 8 through 10 goes on to say our spiritual gifts will pass away when the perfect one (Christ) returns. Prophecies will cease. Knowledge will vanish. But love? Love endures forever.

So, spiritual gifts or love? What does your heart desire more?

A Personal Challenge

In this letter Paul is writing to the church of Corinth, teaching people who favored certain spiritual gifts and did not have love.

If you’re a follower of Christ or simply trying to grow spiritually, this passage invites you to examine your motivations.

* Are your actions rooted in love?

* Are your gifts serving others, or feeding ego?

* Do you admire certain spiritual expressions more than others, forgetting the quiet acts of love that hold the body of Christ together?

It’s important to remember the purpose of the spiritual gift and the giver of the gift — the Holy Spirit. Not to abandon our spiritual gifts but to orient them toward the greater goal: a life so drenched in love that our gifts become vessels and not trophies.

So yes, desire to speak truth. Yearn to heal, to lead, to serve powerfully. But above all, desire to love because love is the only gift that transforms us into the likeness of Christ.

Take some time to journal here, pause. Spend some quality time with God.

♡ Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Have you experienced a time when love was more powerful than any spiritual gift? How do you keep love at the center of your spiritual life as a follower of Christ?

♡ Not yet subscribed? Hit the Subscribe button so you don’t miss future reflections on faith, scripture, and living a life deeply rooted in love.

♡ If this blessed you, consider sharing it with a friend, it might be the reminder they need today.

In a future reflection, I’ll write about what it looks like to unlearn spiritual performance and choose love in real relationships — not as an ideal, but as a daily practice.

~ Chérie

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This video was originally recorded December 2024, I sat on it and didn’t know when I was going to post it.

This morning I woke up and I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so here we are…

Jesus Christ is more than just a man, he’s more than just a prophet. He is GOD in the flesh. He came to atone for our sins and teaches us how to be human. He is the Messiah. ♡

As always, a few videos that might also be helpful:

Historical science = Archeology, the scientific study of past human life and activity through the analysis of material remains. I think about this video often ↓ Archeologist pulls forward so much evidence that confirms the essays, letters, and stories of the Bible.

Luke 19:40 “If these were silent, the very stones will cry out” ESV

Biochemist Dr. Sy Garte, former Atheist turned follower of Jesus Christ discusses how science actually points back to God and more specifically, Christ. ↓

nothing + nothing = nothing

nothing + God = everything ↓

The difference between us, God, learning about God through nature, and having a “form” of godliness. ↓

by Jackie Hill Perry

How the enemy uses your traumas to lure you into false light. ↓

Warnings against False Teachers

1 Timothy 4: 1 - 2

Paul writes to Timothy..

“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”

I know that was a lot. It was a lot for me too when I sat with it all last year. You might need to grab your journal and talk to God. Here are a few journal prompts for you to reflect on:

* What is most important to you on your spiritual journey?

* What was (were) the catalyst(s)?

* What patterns have you noticed along your spiritual journey?

Thank you for taking the time to read Beneath the Flowers, where we’ll explore God’s creation and life’s journey together. If my work resonates with you or offers help, I would be grateful if you could share it with a friend or loved one in need.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beneaththeflowers.substack.com/subscribe

Our Spirit - is eternal, it is not bound by time or any construct humans have created, it never sleeps, it fights daily to connect with God the creator and giver of the breath of life; the part of our being actually having the human experience.

Our Soul - our mind, our will, and our emotions; the part of our being most susceptible to attack, hijacking, and control; the squishy bits; it’s what has desires, gets weary, but is not stronger than our spirit; what the Bible would call the “flesh” or “human nature.” (Romans 8:13) We must submit our soul to the will of God.

Our Body - a gift from God; a vessel made from the literal matter of the earth, wasting away, temporal; it doesn’t run outside of the supernatural presence of our spirit (James 2:26) and since it houses our spirit, we must treat it well. Those (5?) senses connected to our body… send information to our soul… creating an experience for our spirit. The cells of our body indeed holds information.

Let it soak…

read more on beneaththeflowers.substack.com

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I’ve never shared my faith journey … in full… with the world. It’s been a private journey since I was a child and, even more so, for the past 10 years since August 2014, but the Holy Spirit has led me to share it in this moment. So, i’m being obedient. I hope in reading and watching this you can maybe see yourself in parts of my story.

Part 1, 2, and 3 are in writing on Substack ~

beneaththeflowers.substack.com

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audio recording of this article available, click the play button above!

It’s true, making friends in 2024 as an adult and making friends in 2005 as a child are different. There’s so much more density to navigate as we age, so much so, we become jaded. Misconstruing a friendly gesture for romantic desire, lines blurred between likes and actual attraction, genuine support and fandom… what is it… illusive… it seems.

What if we approached our adult friendships with the curiosity of a child instead of with a critical eye, a “what’s in it for me” mentality, or as an opportunity to leverage in the future? What if we actually got to know each other on a soul level first, outside of what we look like and what we do for a living?

I can already feel the hesitation and see the heads nodding “no, absolutely not.”

A snippet of “Strike 12” by Chérie Jade

“All i need is a minute of your time.

but how long’s a minute anyway?

the highest exchange of currency

dwindled down to Tik Toks 

on new fashioned clocks

where’s the quality in that anyway?

time.

stand.

still.

last call, we promise to use it all. just so we can spend more of you endlessly, feeding our flesh and not our souls you see… illusions lie in the spaces where time flies. but how long is that journey anyway? ”

Social Media

We’ve been doing the same thing for years, posting ourselves, liking each others’ posts, commenting… with no real community… no real support. It’s like a new age hamster wheel. Getting free from “the rat race” of your 9 to 5 just to hop on the hamster wheel of social media.

Studies show the side effects this digital world has on self-esteem, body image, social skills, self-awareness, just to name a few... I’m no psychologist but I can guess these side effects may also influence the way we see each other.

I’ve noticed recently a mass exodus of various content creators who share meaningful, heartfelt content. Instead of continuing to prioritize their digital presence, they are prioritizing their mental health and real-life connections. And I can’t help but to wonder…

What are we doing here? Why don’t we share the amazing work of our peers? Why do we gatekeep each other? What are we doing besides self-promotion and harvesting each other’s energy? Is this really community? Or is it the illusion of community created to keep us dependent on small dopamine hits, to keep us emotionally dysregulated, and in constant battle with an imaginary algorithm meant solely to pin us against each other and keep us in hyper-productive mode to keep their platform(s) running?

Let’s tell the truth…

I’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade, but I do think we’re becoming more addicted to the illusion of “social” media than we realize.

unrelated but related, how old would we be without the concept of calendars? Drop the answer in the comments

Friendship

I wasn’t always the empathetic friend, who wanted to do good in the world… friends who have known me for 10+ years can attest to that. I’ve grown in self-awareness, compassion, and empathy from once being very self-centered and suffering from deep betrayal from humans. I once wanted to be a Veterinarian because “I didn’t like humans”…. what did that say about how much I liked myself? This was over a decade ago, thank God for healing. The journey continues.

That mask was used to protect who I was on the inside, to hide my vulnerability and tender heart. The fun girl, smart girl, pretty girl who prioritized romance over friendship mask. The more intimate I became with myself and the more healing work I did, the more the mask started to crumble.

After years of tussling in the shadows alone with a mirror and God, I started to see the world differently. I realized how I was showing up was a result of my closest influences (one of which being social media) and my perception of myself. Healing work isn’t glamorous at all.

We cannot do everything God has called us to do in this life by ourselves. I needed humans. Why is it so hard for us to say we need each other? God didn’t create man to be alone.

I’m not saying to develop a codependent relationship here or to depend on external validation to solidify your worth, ranking, or position. I’m saying quite the opposite.

I’ve been seeing a lot of content saying “post for you and do it because it makes you feel good not for anyone else.” Yes and no.

Why share if what you are sharing is for yourself? What is social media giving you, that celebrating your wins in the quiet times you have with yourself is not? What about social media makes you “feel good”? What are we here for if we refuse to support and be medicine for each other as we walk each other home?

These are questions I’ve asked myself, don’t worry.

Our wisdom, testimony, gifts, and skills aren’t meant for us to hoard. We’re meant to use them in community with each other to live in harmony — together — interdependence — synergy. 1 + 1 = 1 type math… If you know you know.

Friendship and social media, is it real or is it just a black mirror? Is it creating more distance?

What do you think friendship requires?

Leave a comment in the comment section below

I’ve been considering the role meaningful friendships play across all lines of relationships. By meaningful I mean ones with mutual effort, curiosity, and quality time.

Friendship isn’t some castaway position deemed “not as important.” I believe friendship is the baseline of all good relationships, including romantic, and should be treated with equal intentionality and vulnerability. Vulnerability is the brave thing to do. Intimacy and selfishness cannot coexist. Vulnerability will either lead to a devastating rejection or a great reward, but that’s a risk worth taking to cultivate relationships that are real.

A selfish lifestyle bears no real fruit. The tree may grow but it will be barren. Real community, real friendship is worth a fruitful life. We see some of the longest living species on planet earth continue to thrive and evolve together through mutual reciprocity and support.

If not, they die. There’s a responsibility to uphold.

It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t throw science and nature into the conversation, I just love this stuff. 😊

Collective Vision

Once people have a shared vision they tend to work together better, stay around longer, and become mini brand reps for whatever it is they believe in. Corporations understand this concept well.

Collective vision can be used for good, or it can be used for evil. But the thing in itself is pure. As with many things.

How is social media influencing our vision of ourselves and each other? What if we use the algorithm to share each other’s work instead of our own?

How are we supporting each other’s vision? Do you and your friends have the same collective vision?

Food for thought.

I’ll leave you with this — let’s honor the seasons and allow room for genuine friendships to flow into our lives, growing hand in hand till our souls decide that season has expired.

This life journey is so beautiful when we really look at it, we’ve been awarded this once in a lifetime opportunity to be here on earth during these times with one another.

Meet yourself where you’re at in all of this. Slowly is the fastest way to get to where we want to be.

Always love,

Chérie

Thank you so much for reading my work.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beneaththeflowers.substack.com/subscribe