I’ve been praying for you. Allow me to be honest for a moment. That’s not always a phrase I take well. I’ve heard it too many times, said in condescension or pity or self-righteousness. It’s a phrase people have used when they don’t know what else to say about my doubts and questions, about my … More Without Words
1 Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. 2 Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 4 For you are not a God who is … More Psalm 5: Should We Wait Expectantly?
I became a Christian in high school, right around the time of the Columbine High School massacre. One of the stories that came out of the tragedy was of a teenage girl who was shot because she affirmed her belief in God. At fifteen, with my fledgling faith, I remember wondering if I would be … More Reading Silence
I was recently having a conversation with a coworker who described herself as “spiritual, but not religious,” and she said something like, “well everything happens for a reason, right?” I paused, and then I told her that I don’t know if everything happens for a reason. She was shocked because she assumed that because I … More The Virtue of Uncertainty
I used to think having faith meant having answers, and now I think having faith means living with the questions. When I became a Christian and started attending church and bible study and youth group in high school, it was exciting, like making a new friend. You get to know each other. You play games and go … More I Used to Think Having Faith Meant Having Answers
The other night, Chad and I went to a minor league baseball game with my parents. When it ended and we were heading back to the cars, Chad stopped to take a picture of the earth on fire (seriously, there was a sculpture of the earth– a hollow globe, iron pieces making up all the … More Oh So Graceful
I am the only member of my family who goes to church. And when I started going to church in high school, I kinda went all in… Sunday services, Friday night youth group, Wednesday night Bible study at a friend’s house. And then I chose a Christian college and volunteered with my youth group at home … More We Do Look Crazy, and Yes, I’m One of Them
Last Sunday we attended a United Church of Christ service in the next town over. It was a beautiful building tucked on the shore of a lake. We were welcomed at the door by a deacon. I am always impressed when the person at the door knows we’re visitors. I’m sure sometimes we give ourselves … More Seeking Community: United Church of Christ
A couple Sundays ago we visited a second Episcopal Church. I wrote in my post about the first Episcopal Church we’d visited that I had so much hope in going, because I’ve been reading different articles and books about evangelical Christians who have found a new home in the Episcopal Church. But our first visit … More Seeking Community: Episcopal Church 2
This week, I listened to the second introduction video from the Biola University Lent Project. There are three intro videos from theologian Julia Canlis (I wrote about the first one a couple weeks ago) and they talk about the meaning of Lent. In the first video, Julie talked about being in the desert, or those … More You are Beloved
