Yesterday I had a conversation with a demonized man. He was a homeless man in downtown San Francisco, and his name was Chucky. I liked Chucky. Chucky had a large beard with bits of food stuck inside it like flies trapped in a cobweb. He had weathered skin, a raspy voice, and large safety pins … More Hope Rising
Faith is about trust, but how can you trust something you’re not sure exists? When we put our trust in something that we have no evidence is real, or that we hope is real because it brings us comfort to believe it is real, we can cause real destruction to ourselves and to others. Often, … More Funny Faith
I find the fact that most Christians believe in Jesus to be incredibly unsettling. There is an assumption today that belief in Christ is a good thing. It says something about you. Many even think it makes you a Christian. They say things like “I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins” or “I … More I Do Not Believe in Jesus Christ
“We always leave like this!” “Like what?” I ask. “With everything so…unresolved!” Then my friend drove off. It’s true. Almost all of our conversations go deep, and when they do, they never seem to finish. There is always something percolating, something brewing, something unresolved. I wrote this post for her… Resolution. It’s something the human spirit craves. … More I’m Always Unresolved
If you did not read part 1, this post will not make much sense. I encourage you to read part 1 (here) so that the story comes alive for you, and your heart is transformed by the truth these two posts contain. If you have already read part 1, welcome back. Here comes the good … More Give Me A Reason To Live, Part 2
I’m discovering a whole new dimension of what it means to be human. It’s called “the search for meaning.” A lot of people think they are searching for meaning, but they really haven’t become enough of a person to know how to do it. They are still stuck trying to “do” instead of “be,” which inhibits them … More Give Me A Reason To Live
Somewhere in our minds, we all believe it’s wrong to be broken. We see weakness as a weakness. The only problem is this goes against the very nature of God. See, we were made in God’s image, and Jesus Himself was broken. We are made new in Christ, and what the first Adam lost is bought … More Beautiful Brokenness, Life Giving Weakness
There is a lie that many Christians believe. It goes something like this: Wanting to be happy is a sin. Of course no one comes out and says it, but pay attention– you can feel it in the room. The pastor that makes you feel guilty for enjoying a nice dinner when children are dying … More Happiness is the Point!
Maybe it’s always been like this. Maybe it’s a conspiracy that keeps the rich and powerful religious leaders in their high places. Maybe we are just following what we’re told, the mantras passed on to us from Christians before us. But whatever it is, there is a serious problem. No one asks questions. Worse than that, … More Question Everything
Real Hope Rising 