Have you ever thought that you would like your life to be different? Perhaps you would like to lose weight or start an exercise routine. Perhaps you believe you have some important thoughts that you would like to share, but you’ve not managed to begin your book. Many of us would like to quit drinking or have a more effective spiritual life, but cannot seem to get on track. Some of us have even made commitments to God and to... Read more

  Recently, someone on twitter asked a very interesting question, “What was your first existential crisis?” One of the answers caught my attention. When I was in third or fourth grade I had the thought that perhaps God was in a science fair just like I had been & Earth was His experiment, but He got a bad grade because of how messed up the world had become. And I wanted to know what the other projects were. — Alicia... Read more

Another day and there is another story about a beloved minister doing the unthinkable. Daniel,* an associate pastor at a historic church in North Carolina, had been on staff for over a decade. He began his work as a youth minister, but over time the congregation recognized the quality of his work and when there was an opportunity, he became the associate pastor and many thought he had the potential to be the pastor. At 33 years old, this was... Read more

Lately, in my reading, I keep coming across the term “privilege.” For example, the SAT is now including and adversity score to measure students’ privilege. On a whim, I decided to measure my privilege by taking an “intersectionality” test. I tested very high. Apparently, being white, male, straight, and Christian marks me out as being one of the most privileged persons alive. While I am privileged, the reason is not because of anything that could be picked up on my... Read more

Crises are an inevitable part of life. Sometimes they are related to employment. Sometimes they are related to health. Sometimes they are related to the health of a loved one. However they emerge, crises require focused attention and the ability to remain objective in order for us to survive them. Focused attention and objectivity are hard to maintain over the long-haul without a long-term strategy. Here are some steps you can take that will get you through even some of the... Read more

If you are willing to learn, there are lessons to be absorbed in nearly any crisis. During my extended crisis I learned about comforting those who are greiving, I learned about life, and I learned about God. Unfortunately, we have several pet phrases that are intended to comfort but are theologically dubious and potentially harmful. “God needed another angel” is a phrase I wish we would banish forever. First, God has no need. God is the infinite source of all... Read more

  I felt surrounded by darkness, and I changed. Many of my childhood friends would have thought of me as light-hearted. I was that no longer. I was somber, heavy. I projected a dour and brooding persona. In short, it was darkness all around me, and I was becoming dark. I did not win the fight with the darkness. It broke me. John begins his account of the resurrection by writing, “Early on the first day of the week, while... Read more

Sometimes, no matter how hard you fight, victory is not an option. I and my family fought with the doctors, sometimes with each other, and against death. We lost. For 23 days we did our absolute best for Jenni. We prayed for Jenni. We got our churches and Christians around the world to pray with us. We kept watch over Jenni. We sat with Jenni. We hoped in the best medical care and trusted in God. It was not enough. Here... Read more

After listening to Josh describe Jenni’s condition, I decided Jenni needed an advocate.  I was not thinking that Josh was not up to the task, but rather that he needed to focus on whatever medical decisions needed to be made and focus on being there for Jenni. If there was a need to advocate on Jenni’s behalf, I would do it. We were at Duke for days on end, and much of the time it felt like we were fighting... Read more

The sign said “7200 Family Waiting,” but it might as well have read, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” It was the kind of place that could lead one to conclude that hell and hospitals have the same interior decorator. There were only a few empty chairs in the room as the families who stayed in the room to care for their loved ones were many. There were stains from spilled drinks on the floor and empty coffee cups... Read more