a few weeks ago i was in a conversation with a friend about the use of the Bible in our Christian faith. i sometimes get criticized for not using the Bible enough, in that i am not that excited about exegeting passages intellectually. i definitely believe in the value, challenge, and beauty in the Bible, […]
Read Morewhen crazy is actually sane & sane is actually crazy
one of my favorite gospel stories is the woman who busts into simon the pharisee’s house in luke 7 and falls at Jesus’ feet, wiping his feet with her tears. in that moment, he was hanging out with the put-together, religious elite talking about theology. they were supposedly the sane ones, and she was the […]
Read Morewhile the world is crying out for hope, we're talking about theology
this past weekend i was on the refuge camping trip at jackson lake. it is was our 6th annual & is a cornerstone tradition in our community. one of my favorite parts of the weekend is baptism. each aspect of it is just so beautiful—witnessed in community, a clear marker on an often very unclear […]
Read More"blessed are the those who are persecuted…"
“blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – matthew 5:10 well, it takes me a while sometimes to finish what i started, but i always finish! this is the last in the series on the beatitudes. you can check out the other links below. i often […]
Read Moreloving God by loving people
early in the life of this blog in 2008 i participated in a synchroblog where i wrote a post called making the invisible visible. this past year my friend jonathan brink from civitas press began working on a collaborative book project for called the practice of love, which just released may 1st. i hope you […]
Read Morethe cross re-dux
*i wrote this post last easter. really, i think i’d probably just write the same one again. it’s been a wild week here, friends hurting & hospitalized & all kinds of other nuttiness that keeps bringing me back to reality. to the here and now. to the preciousness of life. for my desperate need for […]
Read Moreblessed are the peacemakers
“blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” matthew 5:9 i know i’ve been all over the place the last few weeks & i like to do that here, not feeling pressure to color in the lines but just go with what’s right in front of me. at the same time, […]
Read Moredescent.
“…the society in which we live suggests in countless ways that the way to go is up. making it to the top, entering the limelight, breaking the record – that’s what draws attention, gets us on the front page of the newspaper, and offers us the rewards of money and fame. the way of Jesus […]
Read Moreblessed are the merciful…
* this is the 5th in a series of posts centered around the beatitudes. the other ones so far are: blessed are the spiritually poor, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, and blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. * * * * * “blessed are the merciful, for they […]
Read Moreblessed are the meek…
“blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” – matthew 5:5 for years, the word “meek” haunted me because of its use in terms of what good christian women should be–meek and mild. these were not exactly words that people would use to describe me. in the early years of growing my faith […]
Read More