Oranges and Others-Focused Thinking

When my mind is on myself, it literally prevents me from seeing outside myself: I lose my ability to think of the world in an empathetic way. I lose my ability to see the world the way others might, to understand their needs and their perspective. [Click title to read more.]

No, Satan Is Not Responsible For Your Hangnail

In certain places, the following philosophy is prominent: Satan is responsible for all the bad stuff and everything that doesn't happen how it should. This way of thinking has bothered me for ages for two primary reasons: 1) it relieves humans of responsibility and agency for their own actions and 2) it reduces Satan in some cases to a merry mischief-maker, the Dark Lord of Inconveniences. [Click title to read more.]

Brutal Faith

Faith is not the belief that one day God will validate and explain everything that has ever happened to us. Faith is trusting that God is who He says He is, and that He knows what He is doing, and that He acts toward us in love. That's it. That's all. [Click title to read more.]

You Don’t Need All The Answers

God speaks and can speak through specific signs and symbols, and even through random-selection Bible verses. What interests me is that Christians can be tempted to rely on those things in an effort to dispel uncertainty and mystery from our lives. [Click title to read more.]

Yes, The Parable of the Prodigal Son Is Unfair and Uncomfortable.

I'd like to be honest and say that if the parable of the prodigal son doesn't sometimes irritate you just a little, you might be missing another truth inside it. [Click title to read more.]

Honoring The Past Without Idolizing It

If we value the past more than the present - if we perceive the best part of our lives as having come and gone - we run the risk of always trying to return to it rather than growing and living and being. [Click title to read more.]