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Calling All Faith Baristas! Where’s The Bun? The Hamburger Principle Of Renewal

By Bonnie Gray • March 25, 2010 • 36 Comments

Over here in California, there’s a Golden-State-only burger joint I love eating at pretty regularly.

In-N-Out Burger is known for its retro 50’s style, courteous service and fresh ingredients.  You can even order your burger custom-made from a “secret menu”, that only the cool people know about.

One day, as I was standing in line, something to the side caught my eye.  A guy sitting at a table, pulled a neatly stacked layer of lettuce, tomatoes and beef patty out of a wrapper and took a bite out of it, as if it was an actual burger.

“What the world?…”  I wondered.  “Where’s the bun?”

I’m sure he thought I was totally rude, but I couldn’t help staring.

The Bun Makes The Burger

I’m not so cool, so I went to search online and found the name of this non-carb special order:  “The Protein Burger”.  It has everything you’d think a burger would have.  Except for the bun.

The bun’s pretty important in my humble opinion.  Not only does the bun keep the whole thing together, it also holds the ketchup, mustard and pickles.  The bun simply makes the burger taste good.

Renewal Makes The Faith Walk

Our faith walk can be like that bun-less burger.

A central part of working out our faith is allowing God to change us. 

We want to taste the effect of faith in us.
We need to be renewed.

Renewed.

It’s a big word.

It’s the pivot between two actions we’re called to take —

“..put off your old self,…
so that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind
and to put on the new self…”
Ephesians 4:22-24

Can you see the “Renewal Hamburger” in this passage?

The meat:  renewed

The two slices of bun on each side:  put off the old + put on the new

To be renewed — for faith to actually change us — these are the two movements we must continuously exercise. Two opposite motions.

We’re going to launch into Passion week before Easter, in a just few days.  The words new and life are going to be peeking at us from lily floral arrangements, Easter eggs hunts, and choruses of Because He Lives.

How can we experience renewal — really see change in our lives?

We are going to be exploring this question at Faith Barista.  We’ll be swapping stories of how we’re putting off the old — and putting on the new.

I’m looking forward to enjoying this Renewal Hamburger together, one bite at a time.  With patty and bun intact.

How’s your hamburger of renewal?

Is God currently calling you to put off the old, put on the new, or a combo of both?

Calling Faith Baristas

*** BLOG WITH ME!  JOIN ME NEXT WEEK, Thursday, 4/1 ***

Serve up your shot of faith by writing about:  New Steps

1. Write 300-700 words about the topic of new steps.

2.  Keep it real.

3.  Share how it affects or influences your faith walk (relationship with God, others, or yourself).

Next week, I’ll have MckLinky up — which means you can type in the url of your blog post & we can all read your thoughts on new steps.

I’m looking forward to how we’ll encourage each other in our unique experiences.  I know we’ll end up sharing new ways to keep faith hot & fresh!

Comment below and lemme know if you’re game!

A.  Naw.  I’ll read and comment.

B.  Maybe.  We’ll see.

C.  Probably.  I’ll try.

D.  Plan to do it!

By keepin’ it real, we’re keeping our faith real.

p.s. For those who are waiting to hear about step two of how I’m kicking Yeah-But to the curb, I’ll have a story for you in just a few weeks.  This personal shot of faith has been brewing for decades… so, I’m taking more time with this one.

This is an original post to Faith Barista, where Christian writer Bonnie Gray serves up shots of faith for everyday life.

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36 Comments

  • Reply Rachel March 25, 2010 at 10:04 am

    I’m not sure if I’ll have a blog post about it, but I know that God is leading me to something new – scary and exciting all at the same time. There are old habits that I need to get rid of first, and I’m having a hard time doing that – I guess I’m using two top halves for my burger instead of a top half & a bottom half!
    .-= Rachel´s last blog ..Spring Break 2010 =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:01 pm

      Two top halves… LOL. This is why I need the renewal burger, too! 🙂 If you do think of something to share, do go for it! Would love to read it.

  • Reply Kristine March 25, 2010 at 10:11 am

    I’d like to try my hand at writing about new steps. It would be a good topic to think about leading up to Easter.

    Also, I am allergic to wheat so I’d be one of those people eating a Protein burger.
    .-= Kristine´s last blog ..Win, Rocky, Win =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:02 pm

      Oh, good! Can’t wait!… Ah-ha! There is a method to the madness of Protein Burger, then.

  • Reply Marty Duane March 25, 2010 at 10:14 am

    D!

    I’d love to do it! Oh, and yes, the bun is required to make a hamburger. But it was SO interesting how you correlated those thoughts to our walk with God.

    Oh, and I finally RSS’d you. Looking forward to reading your future post in Google Reader. 🙂
    .-= Marty Duane´s last blog ..Faithfulness =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:03 pm

      Yeah! I get to have coffee with Marty!

  • Reply HisFireFly March 25, 2010 at 10:25 am

    I’ll try to add my thoughts to the mix!
    .-= HisFireFly´s last blog ..Apologizing – Re-rant =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:03 pm

      Wahoo!

  • Reply Katy March 25, 2010 at 10:33 am

    I’m not usually one to turn down a challenge—so yeah, I’m in! Definitely have lots of thoughts about new thoughts running through my head…now to ponder and whittle it down to one 🙂
    .-= Katy´s last blog ..Seen as a Promise =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:04 pm

      So, I see another person who loves game boards, I’m sure! Whittle, whittle.. it’s what I’m doin’ here, too. 😉

  • Reply Debbie March 25, 2010 at 10:41 am

    I will try to blog about this also.
    .-= Debbie´s last blog ..Prayer Problems =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:04 pm

      Hey, that would be awesome!

  • Reply Melissa Brotherton March 25, 2010 at 11:23 am

    Ok…no fair! I’m sitting in a lab waiting room, haven’t eaten since last night, can’t eat for another hour and you’re talking about In-n-Out! Now I’m craving a grilled cheese (animal style), fries with spread and a chocolate shake! I couldn’t even concentrate on the post. 🙂

    I’ll come back and read it after I’ve eaten…but I would like to participate in your challenge. I love linking up with people. 🙂
    .-= Melissa Brotherton´s last blog ..Blue =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 1:05 pm

      So, you are one of the cool people, eh? … Just saw your tweet – have an awesome lunch… and I’m looking forward to you linking up!

  • Reply Jennifer March 25, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    I will try to! Sometimes with my school and work schedule, I blog when I can.

    My struggle is a combo of putting on the new and putting off the old> more of putting on the new. Sometimes I feel like God is teaching me all this stuff, but I fail to put on the new stuff I’m learning.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 2:29 pm

      It’s a combo — this burger with bun. Looking foward to reading your story!

  • Reply uberVU - social comments March 25, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheBonnieGray: New Post: Where’s The Bun? http://bit.ly/907Apm Have You Heard of The Hamburger Principle of Renewal?…

  • Reply brett barner March 25, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    I have never had an In-N-Out burger. I heard good things though. My mom does this with every burger. She’s a health food nut. I was the only kid in school who got packed Flax seeds in their lunches. Try trading those!

    Oh and D. I’m there.
    .-= brett barner´s last blog ..MMH5 – Five Things New with GodlySheep =-.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray March 25, 2010 at 2:33 pm

      Oh, dude. So sorry. We’ll, actually — no. You’re like so healthy now, I bet. I didn’t even know what Flax seeds were until Trader Joe started selling them. I like being healthy, too. But, I’m definitely not a nut. 😉 Oh, and it’ll be cool to read your post!

  • Reply Kevin M. March 25, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    I am definitely going to try harder to come up with something this time. I love this topic!
    .-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..Looking for acceptance in all the wrong places =-.

  • Reply Monica Sharman March 25, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    Bonnie, I pick D. You are too cool, so how can I not? 🙂
    And I grew up in Carson/Torrance (L.A. County) and was there when In-N-Out first started. I remember they had the reputation of being the best AND cheapest burgers. The lines were SO long. And then we moved away but came to live in Sunnyvale for 2 years. Charles and I always stop by there when we visit family and friends in CA. And my brother told me about that special way to order things.
    Did you notice the Scripture reference they put at the bottom of each cup (around the inner rim)? It’s a different reference for each size, if I remember correctly. I don’t know if they still do this anymore.
    .-= Monica Sharman´s last blog ..We Named Him Faithful =-.

  • Reply Bradley J. Moore March 25, 2010 at 4:16 pm

    Ahh, the new. We all need renewal, but sometimes the shedding hurts. I don’t think I’ll have a post for you, but am constantly on the lookout for renewal opportunities. Sometimes renewal can be had in very small things – like looking at the stars at night.
    .-= Bradley J. Moore´s last blog ..What to Do When You Are Completely Overwhelmed at Work =-.

  • Reply Leslie March 25, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    New Steps – To Go
    I’m in!!!
    see you by the grill 🙂
    .-= Leslie´s last blog ..Double Messages (another bloem / blog poem) =-.

  • Reply Dee March 25, 2010 at 5:04 pm

    I’ll try… Actually, this is what I’m working on now in a book I’m reading–When the Heart Waits. Through meditation, I’m finding some debris that needs to go, questions that need to be answered, and trust that needs to be strengthened. It’s interesting when you stop and look at your faith what you actually find; i.e., what you really believe or don’t. I’ve been a Christian for a long time, but some of pieces of this faith don’t fit together neatly for me experientially, and I’m not so sure I’m all the way in it being somewhat of a skeptic. The skepticism comes from what I’ve seen in the lives of other Christians who I’ve run into. Of course, none of us are perfect, but I expect more of Christians and often am disappointed–except fortunately in my husband. I am struggling with moving beyond these stumbling blocks and have enrolled in an ‘Inquirer’s Class.’ This is a face-to-face type of class, so it’s going to be ‘ real.’ I hope this helps me with my questions and skepticism…and I hope and pray I am not disappointed in what I find. Take care…God bless!

  • Reply Kristen@Moms Sharpening Moms March 25, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    Wow…this one is gonna challenge me! I’m in, girlfriend!

    I love how you can make a spiritual application to anything…you are brilliant!
    .-= Kristen@Moms Sharpening Moms´s last blog ..How to End the "It’s not fair!" Mantra =-.

  • Reply Susan March 25, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Hey Bonnie! Can you do imagery or what?! Loved this. Perfect timing to learn from one another how we can forge the paths we are meant to travel! I’ve had some Easter thoughts brewing for a year and a half! You’d think they’d be pretty stout by now! We’ll see if I can get them from heart to keyboard! Thx bunches, Bonnie! 🙂
    .-= Susan´s last blog ..When 1+1=1 =-.

  • Reply Kass March 25, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    E – You’re on!

    I’m sure God is calling me to renewal somehow, somewhere but I gotta think about this. Thanks for inviting me to participate, Bonnie!
    .-= Kass´s last blog ..Changes: clarification =-.

  • Reply Janet oberholtzer March 26, 2010 at 6:18 am

    D. Plan to do it!

  • Reply Debbie S March 27, 2010 at 8:54 pm

    I might be in. I don’t know what to write about, but I know that the Lord will lead me and give me the words to speak. Thanks for stopping by my blog and inviting me. :o)
    .-= Debbie S´s last blog ..Good Morning Dew =-.

  • Reply New Steps « This Journey Is My Own March 28, 2010 at 5:42 am

    […] up daily shots of faith over at Faith Barista, issued an invitation for bloggers to write about the hamburger of renewal and new steps. I gladly […]

  • Reply Jake March 29, 2010 at 5:56 am

    I’m shooting for option C this time. . . . I am going to try 🙂 and I have to be honest, my first (only) experience with In-N-Out wasn’t good. I was driving a van full on church interns down to Los Angeles to volunteer at the Dream Center and the pastor that went with us got food poisoning, spent two of our six days throwing up, blah blah blah. And me, I just didn’t like the food 🙂 BUT, each to their own. 😀

    That said, I’m thinking about renewal as we speak. Looking forward to it!
    .-= Jake´s last blog ..Spiritual Disciplines: More Silence =-.

  • Reply stef March 29, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    looking forward to it – writing a new online bible study, so that’s pretty much how it’s being kept “new” for me right now!
    thanks!!
    Stef

  • Reply Billy Coffey March 29, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    I look upon suspicion at anyone who would eat a hamburger without a bun. Loved this, Bonnie. Excellent points, as usual.
    .-= Billy Coffey´s last blog ..Beautiful =-.

  • Reply Marilee (kingfisher) March 29, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    Okay, my post on RENEWAL us up.
    (putting off the old, putting on the new)

    http://kingfishercrossing.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-post.html

  • Reply Cassandra Frear March 29, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    Bonnie,

    Serendipity! Today I wrote a post about how I set up a spiritual retreat at home. Tomorrow’s post is about “Renewal Starts Here”. You’d think I had written the sequel to this post. I’m not kidding. Just wait till you read it!

    Best to you on your blogging adventures.
    .-= Cassandra Frear´s last blog ..How I Set Up A Retreat at Home =-.

  • Reply » Motivated By Love, Not Rules Know-Love-Obey God March 31, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    […] (See Bonnie’s post inviting us to write on “New Steps” here.) […]

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