Awhile back, I participated in a challenge to go a day without complaining. It was a spectacular failure. I could say that I just chose the wrong day to partake in such an experiment. After all, I had no clue that would be the day I had to dig my car out of a snowbank, then watch it die at work, then get it home, only to have it blocked back in and die again. But letting my circumstances provide... Read more
Awhile back, when I was in my mid-twenties, I became so frustrated with single life that I found myself in the lobby of a dating service, ready for them to help me find a spouse. This was the mid-00s, well before online dating had become one of the more accepted ways of meeting people. Match.com and Eharmony were around, but meeting a stranger online seemed sketchy and dangerous. Apparently, I would rather have had a corporation control my romantic destiny.... Read more
About 10 years ago, when I was living back at my parents’ house for a stint, I was awakened early one morning by the sound of murmuring down the hall. As I lay in the darkness, trying to will myself back to sleep for another hour or so, the sound continued, and I realized that my parents were talking in the other room. More than that, I heard my name mentioned. I crept to the door and heard my parents... Read more
Hey everyone! This week’s been a bit crazy, so there’s no Five for Friday this weekend. I’ll try to make it up to you all with a Mother’s Day related post tomorrow. But for right now, let’s talk some CROSS.CULTURE.CRITIC. It’s a jam-packed episode that, I think leads into some of our best discussion in awhile. First off, Joe and I start talking about some pop culture we’re catching up on. That includes a discussion of “Avengers: Infinity War,” a... Read more
My grandmother passed away last week at the age of 85. She was one of the best people I knew. I was asked to speak at her funeral, an honor I’m still not sure I deserved. But I felt extremely humbled to be able to say a few words remembering this great woman God gave me the pleasure of knowing. Below is the eulogy I read, because I believe everyone deserved to know how great a person my Nana was. ... Read more
Are you all up for a little bit more Amy Grant talk? Earlier this week, I wrote about my recent experience at a concert fronted by the queen of CCM. I attended that concert and meet-and-greet with CROSS.CULTURE.CRITIC. co-host Joe Yerke. That’s right: The same weekend that moviegoers were watching the most ambitious crossover in history with “Avengers: Infinity War,” I was living it out by seeing Amy Grant with the lead singer of The Insyderz. There’s a whole story... Read more
I don’t get starstruck easily. When I was a reporter, I had the opportunity to interview filmmakers and actors I greatly respected. Although I was nervous sitting across a table from Rainn Wilson or chatting with Danny Boyle, I was a professional who did my job and didn’t let my fondness for their work get in my way. This weekend, I had the chance to briefly meet Amy Grant, possibly the epitome of the ‘80s and ‘90s Christian music scene.... Read more
Stop being political! That’s the comment I often see when someone posts their opinions about current events on social media or brings up war, the economy or social justice in public conversation. People plug their ears and plead for them to stop talking about the things making our world so contentious. It’s understandable. Right now, American culture is particularly toxic, and politics are at the center of the storm. The political realm runs on power and position, things antithetical to... Read more
For many comic book geeks and movie fans, this weekend’s release of “Avengers: Infinity War” is one of the most anticipated cinematic events in their lifetime. Some comic book lovers have waited their entire lives to see Marvel’s lineup on the big screen, and those, like me, who have been a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Tony Stark put on his Iron Man armor ten years ago, are anxiously awaiting the culmination of this series (well, the beginning... Read more
While I think encouragement is one of the greatest gifts you can give a person, there’s a thread of it in today’s Christian culture that I find troubling. It’s an encouragement that guarantees that if a believer has enough faith, God will heal them from all maladies, protect them from all harm and give them the victories they want. I see it in Christians who say “don’t speak it” when someone worries about a trouble coming in their life —... Read more
Mere Chris-ianity
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