Spirituality
Do You Ever Miss It?
A few nights ago the following message popped up on my screen, from a friend who’s walked a few of the same paths I have. I read these words quickly, and found in them a voice that sounds unmistakably familiar. Sometimes I don’t know whether or not I’m losing my mind, but at least it’s…
Read MoreI Will Be Afraid
“When I walk through the Valley of Shadows, I will not be afraid.” That’s what the Psalmist said, but me? I’m not that bold. I have a confession: When I walk through the Valley of Shadows, I will be afraid. When I walk through the Valley of Shadows, I will wake up screaming in the…
Read MoreA Prayer from the Valley
“He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” – Psalm 23 but surely there must be some mistake. don’t you see? I trusted you to guide me along right paths, god you…
Read MoreWe're Going to Have a Problem
We’re going to have a problem. I say this with some amount of certainty. In a few years or a few decades, some of us are going to be in rehab or Alcoholics Anonymous or something. And if we’re not, we should be. It starts innocently enough. Trust me, I know. Liberated from our legalistic teetotaling, we…
Read MoreUntil You Bless Me
“Do y’all do blessings and shit?” I asked it shyly, unsure of the proper etiquette (even though the sign in front of the white tent advertised all manner of blessings available). I hoped the casual and shit would mask how badly I wanted to be blessed, how I’d felt my heart pull me toward this corner…
Read MoreBelieve With All Your Heart, Mind, and Strength
This is a guest post from Rev. Jennifer Crumpton, author of the new devotional book Femmevangelical: The Modern Girl’s Guide to the Good News. I’ll let her introduce herself: I am a progressive, liberal Christian minister in New York City who was raised a fundamentalist evangelical Southern Baptist in Birmingham, AL. It’s been a long road,…
Read MoreShould I Rethink My Theology? (a Flowchart)
Next time you’re talking about God, stop and listen to the words coming out of your mouth. Does the person you’re describing sound like an asshole? If so, consider it an invitation to rethink your theology. I know how scary that can be, like being lost at sea without a compass, or a map, or…
Read MoreConfessions of a Reluctant Christian
“Tell me your story,” he said. Where should I start? “Start at the beginning.” So I did. I think I was about eight years in when he stopped me. “Wait, you’re still a Christian, after all that? You realize that’s a miracle, right?” Yes. And yes. /// They always say that, when they pull up…
Read MoreKeep Walking
I want to show you my new tattoo. Like the words scrawled across my chest, this one splashed down my left arm is all red and black and full of hope. But in order to tell you about this tattoo, I need to tell you a story. /// It was December, the month that would never…
Read MoreThe Prodigal (A Theologically Correct Parable)
Jesus loved using stories to mess with people’s theology. One of my favorite stories from Jesus is the one we’ve come to know as “the parable of the Prodigal Son”. However, Jesus’ telling of it left out a few important theological points, leading to some rather unbiblical implications. So I’ve taken the liberty of rewriting it to…
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