Weakness is something that I have a particular fear of experiencing. In fact, the older I get, the more I see my fear of appearing "weak" has shaped my choices, usually in an unhealthy way. When you fear being "weak" you find yourself hiding from real weaknesses that never get confronted and subsequently never get…
American author Laird Barron once said "Mom was all about hellfire and brimstone. Her Old Testament God was a colossal, ancient brute, a maelstrom of blood and fire, of appetite and wrath." Sounds familiar.
Our society has been shaped by a narrative, both subtle and overt, about how we think of God. And, for many…
The dictionary defines the word “obligation” as “an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.” When I was growing up, my mother taught me that I wasn’t free to do what I wanted until I did what I must. In other words, I had…
When I was growing up in the Pentecostal church of my youth, a regular theme of sermons I heard was about being "spirit-filled." Our emphasis on the Holy Spirit had everything to do with "living a holy life" and experiencing an intimate relationship with God. By the way, both of those are really important!
Of…
She just rolled her eyes. I'm getting that more and more from my 14-year-old lately! Sure, I had just used one of my old, worn-out Dad sayings, one of my favorites when I say that everyone would be happier if they would all just do as I say!
She thinks I'm silly, and I do mean…
Jesus gave us many promises as he preached and taught during His ministry. The problem is we want to pay attention to the "happy" promises like "ask, and it shall be given to you." We have a bit more trouble hearing this promise to us from Jesus: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you…
When I am at peace with the direction of my life I find that restfulness spills over onto those around me. But that makes perfect sense. After all, we constantly pray in the liturgy "For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy." Freed from…
Do you know the difference between a barrier and a threshold? It's actually quite an important distinction.
The old saying goes "good fences make good neighbors" and there's no disputing that clear boundaries are necessary for relationships for there to be healthy communion between persons. But, what happens when a boundary gets used to diminish…
The ancient saying "The Unexamined Life is not worth living" hits home today in so many ways. Our society is being given a look at ourselves through the twin mirrors of a health crisis AND the brutality of those sworn to protect AND those who would burn down their own houses in response.
But here's where…