We live in a deeply traumatized world. COVID has changed all of us and the ways we interact with our congregations and communities. Most of us are living in a state of constant anxiety and stress. These last few months have shaken us to the core. Many are filled with fear and uncertainty. We know the future will require change, …
In 1950 Bob Pierce found World Vision[1], the largest Christian relief and development agency in the world. Today World Vision serves more than one hundred million people in over one hundred countries every year. Yet for all the good that World Vision has done and continues to do, the story of their founder is complicated. Passionate for Jesus and for …
I have just started on what I suspect will be a long, slow discernment project. It all began when I was reminded of the trips my parents used to take me and my three brothers on in the summer. We had a big Ford Falcon station wagon behind which we pulled a small caravan. It was so small in fact …
Western culture tells us that relationships matter. Romantic relationships, relational intelligence with bosses and co-workers, good friendships, and casual acquaintances – they all matter. But at the same time we are also told that we need to be independent, self-actualized, make it on our own, not to trust others, and the ultimate goal – financial independence! My wife and I …
“Social distancing” – two words that are both a benefit and a curse. We were created for connection with people and yet, physical connection in this time is dangerous. The effects of “social distancing” have kept people safe and decreased the spread of the virus and flu, but has also increased isolation of people, created in God’s image to be …
I have lived in Miami for the past ten years, but before moving to Miami I lived in Red River, New Mexico for the better part of three years. Red River is in northern New Mexico, about twenty miles from the Colorado border, and is absolutely stunning. The town is at 8,750 feet nestled in a beautiful valley between the …
One of the interesting responses to the current pandemic has been a turning back to gardening. Plant nurseries and online seed catalogue companies have been inundated with orders for seeds, planting boxes and fertilizers. First time gardeners are crying out for help as they dig their inexperienced hands in the dirt. What concerns me, however, is that many of these …
I started becoming interested in soul care and contemplative spirituality when I was in college. At the time, I was a youth pastor at a rural church, an undergrad student, a roommate, and living in a low income neighborhood. Life was busy, loud, full of deadlines and commitments, and I was 22 years old. Around that time, I stumbled upon …
Like everyone else around me, I am struggling to make sense of what the new reality facing us in the coming weeks as we return to work and a semblance of normalcy, could look like. This has not been an easy time for any of us, but in the midst some startling and beautiful facts have emerged. My daily walks …
Normal. What is normal? After all, what seems normal to some is abnormal for others. When my work takes me out of town, I try to stay with friends, family, or colleagues as often as possible. Not only is it more cost-effective, but doing this allows me to catch a glimpse into someone else’s “normal,” solidifying the fact that “normals” …