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Category Archives: Uncategorized
“Pajamas!”–A Hobbit Battle Cry
Of course, the actual battle cry of hobbits was “The Shire!” This cry, like “pajamas,” does not summon visions of military or urban grandeur. The memory of fat cabbages in well-tended gardens and fat hobbits in cozy holes are what … Continue reading
More Spiritual Than God (Part One)
Of course, we can’t be more spiritual than God. We can, however, in the pretense of being spiritual reject solid Biblical truths about God and God’s ways. We sometimes clothe these rejections in humility, but this hyper-spirituality robs us of … Continue reading
Posted in On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged heavenly reward, hyper-spirituality, rich toward God, treasure in heaven
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Down with Bottoms!
We have probably all heard, especially regarding addicts, “They just need to hit rock bottom before they will get better.” Often, this idea is applied to people more generally. Sometimes we say of young people, “They are just sowing their … Continue reading
I’m Sad, But That’s Okay
I have been sad for months. My sadness has made me impatient with worship songs that insist I be happy. I heartily sing, and believe, the songs that celebrate all that God has given me: forgiveness, salvation, eternal life, and … Continue reading
Peter, Jesus, and Church Kids
The story of Peter and Jesus breaks my heart and gives me hope. Peter, like a lot of church kids, was full of promise. Jesus spoke a prophetic word over him, proclaiming that he would become a fisher of men. … Continue reading
Posted in Fathers and Sons, On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Church Kids, Jesus, Peter, Prodigals
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We Don’t Know
Over the years I have mastered the art of criticizing the Church. I have skills. Come over when you have four or five hours, and I will share my Biblical, historical, and sociological critiques of the Church. I have stories … Continue reading
Posted in On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Humility, loving the Church, servanthood, the critical spirit
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Anxiety and the Disciplines of Grace
Should a believer who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks medicate or meditate? I don’t know. I know those for whom medication has worked well and those who never feel quite themselves on medication. There is also the danger that … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, On Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged Grace, Jesus, overcoming anxiety, spiritual disciplines
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The Burden of the Gods
My hatred of religion recently got support from an unexpected source: The Babylonian Creation Epic (Enuma Elish). I find it amazing that in this ancient story of the origin of the gods and man, religion is seen as a burden … Continue reading
My Noisy Heart
It is hard to hear the voice of God over the sound of your own heart breaking. When those you love fiercely are self-destructing, how do you silence the fears, disappointment, hurt, and even self-blame? Love never fails. The noise … Continue reading
Dear Friend,
When you were a little kid playing at the church, I never imagined I would someday be praying for you to kick your heroin addiction. It seems that one year you did a weird church program we had—Caravans or something. … Continue reading