Spirituality
When Writing is an Act of Hope
I bought a new journal last month. It’s a terribly ugly little thing – a ghastly shade of green with a thin, tight spine. When you look for a new journal during the first week of back-to-school, the options are few. But it does the trick. Over morning coffee, the pen bleeds across those black-and-white lines as…
Read MoreInto the Winter
“…but the summers make up for it.” That’s what the people from Minnesota always said, when I complained about the long, cold winters. The summers make up for it. And I laughed at them as I packed my bags and boxes and headed south. Didn’t they realize that there were places where the summers didn’t…
Read MoreWhy I Held This Sign at Gay Pride
I ran into a street preacher at Charlotte Pride this year. I was carrying a sign that say “God Loves Gays”; he was carrying a big Bible and wearing a t-shirt that said “Jesus is the Standard”. He handed me a tract and asked if I had received Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I assured him…
Read MoreWhen I Was Ashamed of the Gospel
Every time I read something Ed Cyzewski has written, I feel he wrote it just for me. Ed puts words to so many of my questions, doubts, and struggles of faith – and always offers a way forward. Today he’s sharing a bit from his brand new book: A Christian Survival Guide. I think you’ll resonate with his story. When…
Read MoreLove, Hate, and Dead-End Theology
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into…
Read MoreWhen We Are Healing
When I read these words by Sarah Ann Roginsky, I feel like she is speaking the heart of so many. She says things here that I have felt myself, many times. Maybe you’ve felt this too: Healing. It is not the romantic struggle we often find in movies. It is not often accompanied by rainfall,…
Read More8 Myths Christians Believe About God's Will
If you’re like me, “God’s will” has been the focus of much prayer, angst, hope, and confusion. I’ve often wondered if I had found it, missed it, or generally screwed it up. So I’m very grateful for these words from Mandy Meisenheimer, challenging myths that I’ve often believed about God’s will: Seeking God’s will used to…
Read MoreTo the One Losing Her Faith
You tell me you don’t believe anymore. Your faith is slipping away, like sand through your open fingers. You say it as if it’s a simple thing, but between the words I can hear all you’re not saying: The sleepless nights spent staring at the ceiling. The hopeless prayers you’re sure no one hears. The doubt.…
Read MoreThe Holy Bible?
Today Brandon Chase is sharing a few thoughts on what the Bible means, and what we mean when we talk about it. These are eye-opening, provocative, and absolutely necessary questions. I’m grateful for his words. “HOLY BIBLE” It’s imprinted on the genuine leather cover and spine of most Bibles you’ve ever picked up. It’s so ingrained that…
Read MoreThe Guest
It was after closing time when the guest walked in. I was cleaning up the dining room, resetting the tables, wiping down the line, emptying the trash cans. The kitchen was already cleaned, the grill turned off for the night. We were all about to head home. “Can I help you?” I asked, though I…
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