Hello my friends, With this newsletter being sent out on Mother's Day, and with the continued erosion of women's rights, dignity, and value, I thought it would be fitting to reflect with you on the maternal attributes of God found in the Bible. This is part of an ongoing series I have been writing, which you can read all 4 parts I have written so far here: Dismantling The Patriarchy: Parts 1-4. I also highly recommend taking a look at A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church Year A by Wilda...
4 days ago • 8 min read
Hello my friends, Today we will be reflecting together on John 14:1-14, where Jesus tells his deeply anxious disciples, "do not let your hearts be troubled." I want to reflect on that phrase with you, what it means in the original Greek, and how it is so relevant for us in our world today. Resources to Consider: -Wellness 2.0: When It's All Too Much by Hidden Brain. I found this episode to be incredibly insightful and helpful. It deals with our emotional and mental posture towards seemingly...
11 days ago • 10 min read
Hello my friends, I wanted to reflect with you today on a passage that has always been a little confusing for me and others, but brings surprising clarity to our current moment in our world today. Thanks for being here. Things that have me thinking this week: -Responding To The America Reads The Bible Event. I wrote some thoughts here on the recent event where politicians, faith leaders, and other figures were broadcasted reading through the entire Bible last week. You can read it through the...
18 days ago • 8 min read
Part 1: "Wives Submit To Your Husbands. When it comes to the topic of "wives submitting to their husbands," we have a terrible distortion of scripture that is often at play. It usually starts with Genesis 3:16, where God says to the woman about her husband, "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." Taking this as "God's command" is not hearing what God is saying. God is describing a list of consequences of sin. This is marking a shift from the original, harmonious...
18 days ago • 21 min read
Hello my friends, I hope you don't mind me sending you this bonus article today (Monday). However, given this week's events, I wanted to share this reflection with you. Responding To The Entire Bible Being Read In D.C. The entire Bible will be read in D.C. this week from 9 A.M. on April 19th to 9 P.M. on April 25th for an event called "America Reads the Bible." This is being done in preparation to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary as a nation. Among those slated to read passages...
23 days ago • 8 min read
Hello my friends, With it being the second week of Easter, I wanted to look at John 20:19-31 together. It is a passage the contains a lot of what we are experiencing today, both individually and communally. People are fearful, doubting, and suspicious of those in authority. All wondering what the future might hold. Into that fear, Jesus steps in and speaks peace. So, let's reflect together on pursuing that kind of peace in the midst of our fears. Recommended Resources -A Christian Field Guide...
about 1 month ago • 9 min read
Hello my friends, I hope you have had a peace filled and meaningful Holy Week. I hope that you have found both respite and inspiration to keep moving forward in our broken and fearful world today. With Holy Week concluding and moving into the Easter season, I wanted to reflect with you on Matthew's account of Jesus' resurrection and how it critiques imperial power and resists victory through dominion. Resurrection As Resistance. A Reflection on Gospel of Matthew 28:1–10. After the Sabbath, at...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Hello my friends, This newsletter will be sent out the first Sunday of Holy Week, otherwise called "Palm Sunday" or "Passion Sunday." Many traditions will hold services to acknowledge both Palm and Passion Sunday. Palm Sunday, which remembers Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, has always been so profoundly impactful for me. Especially in our world today, where Christianity is so often used as a tool of coercive power. So, I wanted to reflect on the themes Matthew 21:1-11 with you today...
about 2 months ago • 10 min read
Hello my friends, In the midst of all that's happening in our world, I find myself continually asking for God to show up and do something. I think that's what made this week's gospel passage from John 11:1-45 resonate with me differently than it has before. The question over why Jesus delaying before coming to heal Lazarus and both Mary and Martha saying "if you had been here, my brother would not have died" is so similar to many questions I have had myself and many of you have written to me...
about 2 months ago • 8 min read