thoughts on life and faith
4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. - Psalm 4:4-5 The word for "angry" can also be translated into "agitated" here. While we might not be sold on our anger, or with us being … Continue reading Go Ahead, Be Angry
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head - Psalms 3:3 It has been my experience that the Psalms are where God meets His creation in the grit of life. These have been an incredible source of comfort for me in the past days. I came … Continue reading The Lifter of Our Head
"It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God but we do not" - Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest" In moments like these, where I feel untethered, this devotional from Chambers has been a returned prayer to me throughout my life. His writing has a way of bringing me back to … Continue reading Do No More
In a world where democracy seems to be fading, perhaps a coffee house stool is the most democratic spot in the world. It matters not who sits within its seasoned wood cradle. These chairs are scarce and sacred, coming to the first one who finds it uninhabited or borrows it from a nearby table of … Continue reading The Democracy of Coffee
Gun Control 2nd Amendment Gun Violence Odds are, simply reading this elicited some sort of emotional response. Issues like these are difficult to write and speak upon, leaving the majority to remain silent. Yet, if Jesus is to be King of our entirety, we must have the courage to encounter such issues with sobriety and … Continue reading An Essay on Gun Control, The Church, and a Call To “Go”
1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. - Psalm 142:1-2 We can believe that Jesus is a personal God without ever putting it into practice. In the frustrations we … Continue reading Rock Bottom and the Toddler in the Mirror
Recently I crossed into rare territory, 500 blog posts. This seems absolute crazy to me. I have problems committing to anything, so to think I have written around 1/4 of a million words, astounds me. When I started, it was simply an outlet for these thoughts and frustrations inside me, but as I kept with … Continue reading 500 Posts and Counting! Thank You!
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will … Continue reading The One Behind the Wonder
Recently I haven't been able to go outside of my house without meeting a pastor, a lively congregant, or lay leader who is ready to start a conversation. It has been refreshing to see but also has a whisper of the divine behind it. God tends to move in not so secretive ways at times. … Continue reading Do Lawyers Attend Church? and Other Mysteries
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. - Psalm 84:1-2 Desperation. It is one of those traits that typically gets a bad wrap. As I sit in yet another job interview, … Continue reading Desperation Celebration
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