Hello my friends, A lot of you have written me lately expressing feelings of helplessness and fear about all that is going on in the United States and beyond. So, I thought it would be helpful to process this together through the lens of John 13:31-35 and Jesus’ “new commandment” to love one another. I hope you find our time together today to be encouraging, insightful, and motivating. Recommended Resources: -Afrikaner refugees to arrive in Idaho despite broader program suspension After my...
3 days ago • 10 min read
Hey my friends, It seems like there are far too many things to reflect on and respond to in a given week, but one event this week, which I describe below, prompted a lot of conversations with friends who work directly with refugee resettlement. So, I thought it was important to reflect on it with all of you today. But before we get into that, here are some resources to consider: -Mosaics Podcast This podcast is really important, not only because it highlights a lot of the work that goes on...
10 days ago • 8 min read
Hello my friends, Thank you so much for all your thoughtful responses to my last couple of newsletters, not only for your insights on doubt and faith, but for your condolences for the loss of my dog. I am truly thankful for all of you and the community we have built. I appreciate you all very much. I have been contemplating a lot about the role shame and revenge play in all that is going on in our world today. It has left me asking the question about how we can pursue making things right in...
17 days ago • 11 min read
Hello my friends, There is a lot happening in our world right now and so I wanted to invite us to reflect on rhetoric that seems to have its tentacles connected to so many of the issues we are seeing today. The rhetoric of "family values." I heard this phrase all the time in the church growing up and still hear it today. It shapes conversations and policies, especially in states like mine (Idaho). It is really important that we as followers of Jesus both understand the reality it is creating...
24 days ago • 11 min read
Hey my friends, Holy Week and Easter have impacted me differently this year as I know it probably has for many of you as well. So, today I just want to invite us to really take to heart how those closest to Jesus felt in their impossible situation as they grappled with Jesus’ death and the fears they had towards the powers that be in their world. I feel this will help us to draw hope from the Jesus' resurrection as we face seemingly impossible situations and similar fears in our world today....
about 1 month ago • 10 min read
Hello my friends, I hope this finds you well. In my prayers and studies last week, I kept thinking about how much vengeance plays into the political environment of today. Everywhere I look on the spectrum of issues, they all seem to be fueled by vengeance. This is especially heartbreaking when Christians support the politics of vengeance rather than oppose them. So this Palm Sunday, I wanted to think with you about vengeance in light of the way of Jesus Christ. Here are some resources to...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Hello my friends, This has been yet another exhausting and stressful week in our country and the world. So much has happened that I won't be able to cover here. I do just want to say to make sure you are taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually as best you can. I had to take a break from social media for several days this week in order to mentally and spiritually recover from the sheer weight of all that is going on and happening to others in our world. This is so...
about 1 month ago • 16 min read
Hey my friends, Today's newsletter is going to be a bit different than usual. While I will often tackle a certain topic that intersects between theology and politics, I wanted today's to be a bit more pastoral. I have had so many of you message me expressing your exhaustion and grief over all that has been taking place here in America. So, I just wanted to share a simple process I use to evaluate the structure of my hope in times of weakness and grief in the hopes that you might find it...
about 2 months ago • 11 min read
Hello my friends, My heart has been grieving over the treatment towards our immigrant neighbors. I've gotten a lot of messages from you about this as well. So, today I wanted to invite us to contemplate the current situation through a Biblical lens and then provide some ways of getting involved. Recommended Resources: -Jemar Tisby: Road To Ruin video series. Historian, author, and my friend, Jemar Tisby has put together a video series that describes how we got here and what to do about it....
about 2 months ago • 11 min read
Hey my friends, Thanks for joining me today. Today I wanted to invite us to consider how our perspective of God shapes our view of things. I had a rather discouraging conversation this week, which I will get into below, and it was really obvious how both of us were just operating from two different perspectives of God. So I wanted to look at Luke 13:31-35 with you today and think a bit metaphorically about how our different perspectives of God can really bring about different outcomes....
2 months ago • 10 min read