Years ago a friend told me that he was sad because he didn’t know his life’s purpose. For some reason, I had never thought about that concept before. And so, because I didn’t know how to take what he was saying seriously, I insensitively reacted with laughter. This upset him, which only made me laugh … More Transforming Purpose
Recently a friend told me that I deserve to be happy? Hearing those words took me back to one of the darkest times in my life–a season I touch on in the links on my last post, DMX and the Ballad of the Brokenhearted. Prior to the emotional crash I chronicle in that and other … More Do I Deserve To Be Happy?
A stumbling block. An Offense. A curse. These are all words used to describe the cross of Jesus that we find ourselves contemplating. The Roman Cross, one of the most inhumane instruments of death ever conceived. Jesus, a teacher of wisdom and love who traveled through communities blessing and loving, healing and holding, cherishing and … More That Old Rugged Cross
Who would you be if you didn’t worry? What would you do if it was impossible for your good ideas to be followed by a subsequent train of negative thoughts telling you that you won’t succeed? What could you accomplish if you knew, with 100% certainty, that all of your basic needs would be met? … More Consider the L’il Lies
I am not one of those people who believes that people ever get over the traumas that happen in their lives. Rather, I believe that we either learn to live with them or we expand to leverage them. In my own life, I can admit that I have never gotten over anything in the conventional … More Ghosts of Suicide
This year I am dedicating my birthday to all the people who through negative feedback and evil misguided intentions have helped shape me into the person that I am today. Typically we only thank the people who openly support us. The way I see it, I wouldn’t be me if it were not also for … More National Love Your Enemies Day
Don’t let the title of this post fool you. If you’re thrown off by this image and the title then chances are you have never heard of the show from the early 2000s based on the life of comedian Chris Rock as a teenager. The show was entitled “Everybody Hates Chris” and chronicled the awkward misadventures of young Chris as he navigated the challenges of growing up and trying to find his place in the world. … More Everybody Hates Christians
On July 17, 2016, I preached a sermon entitled “Broken For You”. The idea behind the sermon came down to the idea that if people took 100% responsibility for their lives the whole world would be transformed in an instant. The spark for the sermon came from Jesus’ teaching that those who desire to follow … More If You Don’t Bear Your Cross, Someone Else Will Have To
As I mentioned in the video, today I was thinking about the burden of innocence that we all share and how Mary, the mother of Jesus, symbolizes that burden. Sometimes I imagine if some of us hurt folk were able to just pour out our hearts and tell the burdensome story of how we lost … More The Burden of Innocence
I’m a firm believer that when we offer up our wounds in service to others–as I see Christ doing–then what can at first seem like a dysfunction, can actually become our function. In this sermon, my intention is to invite us into the possibility that the Christ within us can transform our wounds and make … More We All Have Wounds
