I’ve wrestled with writing this for quite some time now. It is a difficult and terrifying thing to open yourself up, to become transparent and vulnerable. We live in a harsh world that teaches us to be closed off, self-defensive, to keep our innermost parts hidden away. A world that tells us that we must…
I don’t have self-confidence. There. I said it. I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to find it, trying to take hold of it. I’ve read the self-help books, made bold self-declarations, and tried to find it in success and achievements. I’ve tried to pretend that I have it, wearing the mask of self-assuredness…
In the middle of June I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Haiti with a group of 25 young adults from a few local churches. Going into this trip, I had no idea what I was getting myself into or what to expect… and more than a week after our return,…
It seems like tattoos are everywhere you look these days, worn by everyone from the guy on a motorcycle to the mom driving a minivan, the criminal behind bars or the pastor at the pulpit. Now I’m a person who could be considered fairly “tatted up.” I got my first tattoo on my arm when…
A few weeks ago in church we sang an older song by John McMillan called “How He Loves.” The chorus is a simple but powerful proclamation, “Oh, how He loves us!” On the surface, this song pales in comparison to other more “spiritual” songs about the majesty of God, or the depths of depravity from…
The other day I was sitting outside a local coffee shop, enjoying a steaming cup of coffee, and talking about life and faith with one of the women in my small group. I happenedto glance over to see a woman enjoying the beautiful weather while walking her dog. As she leisurely strolled by, I laughed…
Earlier this week I proposed a challenge to the women in my small group; find a Bible verse containing a truth, promise, or command, and spend some time meditating on how your life would be different if you actually lived like that verse was true. I challenged them to come up with practical ways that…
Paramutheomai 