Born and raised in Texas, Trudy Smith has since made her home in many different countries around the globe, living out various expressions of community in the U.S., Argentina, Thailand, China, India, and Canada. Prior to writing God in Disguise, Trudy and her husband, Andy, spent two and a half years in urban squatter communities in North India with Servants to Asia’s Urban Poor, an international network of Christian communities living and working alongside marginalized communities in Asia and the West. They currently live in Vancouver, B.C., where Trudy has worked as a refugee and immigration lawyer.
She writes about poverty, justice, development, refugees, faith, culture, and daily life in the tension of seeking the upside-down Kingdom which has already begun, while waiting and working toward the full realization of justice and love which is not yet here. Following Jesus has led to a lot of unlikely places. As she has crossed boundaries of culture, class, religion, and geography, new questions have deconstructed old paradigms and reshaped the way she sees things.
Trudy is passionate about using storytelling to create inclusive community, foster reconciliation, and build bridges between cultures, groups, and individuals. Through her writing, she seeks to invite her readers into both a deeper, more purposeful life and fuller, more loving experience of God. Trudy has previously written for the Huffington Post, RELEVANTmagazine.com, Plough Quarterly, SheLoves Magazine, Christ and Pop Culture, Conspire!, Sojo.net, MissioAlliance, the Mudroom and Cordella Magazine. Her 2017 book, God in Disguise, is available through Amazon and other retailers.
I read your article titled “Is Hell the Center of Our Faith?” and agree completely. You probably know Acts 10:34-35. The words of Peter are so powerful and on point with the rue message of the Gospel. Jesus did not come to start a new religion. He came as the only way that God’s plan of reconciliation could be fulfilled. Paul’s says this so clearly in 2 Cor 5:17-21. Traditional theology focuses on v. 17 but the real meat of these verses is v.18-19. Two thousand years of theology have so clouded the Gospel that it is barely visible in most churches. Not one time is it recorded that Jesus said “believe in me and your sins are forgiven” nor “believe in me and you will go to heaven”. Jesus’ interaction with the disciples and His priestly prayer in John 14-17 make it clear that He came to make a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him and the Father now – in this life. Jesus clearly defines “Eternal Life” in Jn 17:3. God bless you in your work.
Trudy: Thanks for the focus. Have you heard of “Move-In”?
Dave T.
Yes! A Canadian couple with “Move-In” visited us in India, strangely enough, because they were exploring the possibility of starting to work cross-culturally. Sounds like the organization has a very similar incarnational approach.
Looking forward to all your thoughts and experiences to come! Love you more than you know, Nana
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Hi Trudy,
Enjoyed the article Going to Church When I Don’t feel like it. I think many who are out of church systems is because of the leadership that is so lukewarm and teach things that are not true according to scripture. It’s not because of the people who sit in the pews, are brothers and sisters. It’s hard to understand why they go when life isn’t really there. Boring sermons that don’t give life. Jesus loves His church, His people who are following His Word and living for His truth. I believe many have been called out of the religious system to find and fellowship with God and those who really know and love him.
Just my thoughts into this life with Jesus.
God Bless’
Linda
Was ich wirklich für Motivationslöcher feier, sind eisige Duschen!
Mir sind nur wenige Möglichkeiten bekannt, die einen so heftigen Einfluss auf die Schnelligkeit
des Metabolismus haben. Man wird topfit oder strotzt vor Dampf.
Mich selber versetzte das immerzu in Bewegungseifer. Hiermit
nicht genug, über kalte Duschen erweckt man auch die Umwandlung von hellem zu braunem Fettgewebe!
Dieses Gewebe hat Mitochondrien, das wieder impliziert,
dass die Fettzellen also anfangen, Kcal.
zu verstoffwechseln. Schlagwort Thermogenese.
Ein toller Zusatzeffekt, stimmts? 😀
Beste Grüße
Nikolas
Beautiful. I am sitting here in my home in Litchfield, CT reading your words. I grew up in Abbotsford BC…so somehow we are a part of one another :). Our eyes have seen some of the same things. I also spent some time in Nairobi Kenya so have some idea of your slum experience. Thanks for sharing your “healing journey” to encourage us on our way!
Beautiful. I am sitting here in my home in Litchfield, CT reading your words. I grew up in Abbotsford BC…so somehow we are a part of one another :). Our eyes have seen some of the same things. I also spent some time in Nairobi Kenya so have some idea of your slum experience. Thanks for sharing your “healing journey” to encourage us on our way!
Oh my gosh, Trudy! I’ve been reading your book. READING, mind you! I’m usually a lazy, recorded books “reader.” I received your book just two days ago, and I’m well past page 100! When I’m reading, it’s as if I’m sitting in a room, listening to you in person. It’s like I can’t wait for the next episode to pop up. Then, when it does, I can’t stop reading to learn how you dealt with it. To any potential readers of your fascinating book who might read this comment, please allow me to try to characterize Trudy’s style (as I perceive it: The events and relationships that she encounters, in themselves, would make a highly-readable book, but Trudy’s weaving of her spiritual challenges and “openings” REALLY add a very personal light to glow within the narrative. If you’ve ever had your spirituality challenged by your life-experiences (or are presently trying to define your inner guidance,) you cannot help but learn more about yourself by walking with Trudy through her inner, evolving being. Beautifully-written book, Trudy! I cannot speak highly enough about it! (Admission: I peeked at the end of chapter 14. I could not hold back the guffaws of joy over the KNOWING of very real resurrection that’s possible within one’s own daily life.) You are still doing vitally important spiritual servant-ship with the writing and publishing of this book. You are serving me. Thank you, dear child of Heaven!
Trudy! I would like to get in touch with you. We met in Darjeeling. Please let me know how
In your 2015 Huffington Post article asking if Jesus was a racist you presumed that white people are racist by virtue of their existence.
That being noted, are you crazy?? Or are you a shill, paid to assume the self-flagellating posture of an inescapably evil witch by Jews?