Awkward Christian
I had the bestiest of best intentions when I bought the One Year Bible. I’d neglected a regular quiet time since college. The all-in-one reading plan seemed like the perfect way to dive back into daily time with God and Scripture. I did pretty well—for a while. But little by little, I fell horribly behind. …
The One Important Thing that Can Transform Your Quiet Times: For iBeleiveRead More
Decades ago in my high school youth group, a young married couple spoke at the yearly sex talk. Before their engagement, and despite both previously losing their virginity, they chose to seek a ‘second virginity’ together, committing to chastity and their faith until they married. What a beautiful lesson for me as a new, rather …
Good Christian Sex by Bromleigh McCleneghan: a book review for ERBRead More
While I’m away, I’m sharing some favorites from my archives. This one was originally posted on SheLoves Magazine. Let’s get the scary part out of the way first. I’m worried I will lose my faith. I’ve come close several times in my life. Circumstances, like depression, or alienation from Christian community, or (dear Lord) reading the …
I was lucky enough in college to meet Jerusha, who had a penchant for ridiculously cute hats, laughter, and incisive questions. I stalked her for a little, and when that didn’t scare her away, she became my friend. After college, Jerusha went on to pen (many) books about Jesus. For a long time, I had …
Beliefs I Wish Weren’t True: Take Every Thought CaptiveRead More
Last week, I talked about Numbers 14:18, about how children are “punished for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation”. If you wonder why the heck I’d want to talk about that verse, go read it. I promise there’s helpful information hidden in this seemingly awful verse of the Bible. This week’s post ad …
Beliefs I Wish Weren’t True: Sins of our Fathers, Part 2Read More
Welcome to Holy Week! You know you wish this holiday felt like the biggest one on the Christian calendar, but let’s be honest: we all put a lot more thought into Christmas. Gosh, don’t rub it in. I know I’m just a secular lemming following everyone down the cliff of commercialism, but do we have …
Inspired by my friend Addie’s second book, Night Driving. I was lucky that Sunday morning—the train was mostly empty and I scored a window seat. The whistle blew and we started juddering forward, me looking at the station, buildings, graffiti move away from me, picking up speed as the train accelerated. Out of the depths, I …
Welcome to small group! You might think being social shouldn’t need its own set of FAQs, but Christian community is a little fraught. For some of us, it’s the closest we ever get to heaven on earth. For the rest of us, it’s the biggest disappointment since The Phantom Menace. I hate bracing myself for …
In page after page of scripture, laser-focused on my own shortcomings, I had missed God’s relentless, overwhelming grace. Instead, I had taken His powerful Word and used it as a weapon to punish myself. I am still recovering from reading the Bible that way.
Welcome to prayer! You know, you’re always welcome to pray. Of course, that might not be good news, since “pray without ceasing” sounds a little like obsessive hand-washing. THANK YOU for saying that. This is one of those spiritual disciplines that I can’t check off my list. It’s like the dishes. I get thirsty right after washing up, …
Welcome to the Sabbath! … …? …? ….! ………….Wait. Aren’t you going to answer my questions? Well, we are trying to engage with the whole Sabbath spirit and allow a little more white space, you know? But you just left me, like, sitting here. Exactly. &^%$. Sorry, we shouldn’t poke fun at your frustration. Taking …
Nothing says” awkward” like knowing people would be shocked if you touched a cracker unworthily.
My FAQ about the Book of Common Prayer is my most-read post ever. So I decided to take the hint and do a whole series of these tongue-in-cheek posts about the spiritual disciplines and practices that give me hives. And what better time to start than Lent, the most-dour holiday? You’re welcome. And now, without further ado: …
In my very first Bible study, we studied the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians. I was a high school freshman; I’d never really heard of Bible study, much less attended one. Two seniors, Jen and Betsy, led. To me, they were like the best mixture of rock stars and nice older siblings: both blonde, …
The other day I got an email from a reader about a really hard situation with her in-laws. She has been through a financial hell because of them, and they are completely unrepentant and unconcerned about it. In fact, they blame her for everything. She worried that she sounded like “a bad daughter in-law.” Her words …
Last year for Christmas, our family received a beautiful succulent in a hand-made ceramic pot; three long shoots poking out of the soil. Its sage-tree leaves picked up the color of the glaze of the pot. I thought I followed the directions: let the soil get completely dry before watering again. When I poked my …
For a three-month stretch when I was seven or eight, I tried to learn how to pray. When I couldn’t sleep, I’d pull a children’s prayer book down from the shelf and move it to the crack of light that shone in from the hallway. I opened it up to the Lord’s Prayer and read …
I wrote some Advent reflections back in summer and fall, because I feel too overwhelmed in the holiday. This year, apparently, I decided to write about emotions–the lack of them, or having the kind we don’t want. Also, wow: I am a little melancholic at Christmas. I hope it provides space for you to let …
Waiting instead of doing: The beauty of the Advent acheRead More
I used to think that submission was passive. It’s why, working at the campus bookstore at my university, I ignored the shelves of women’s studies books, sure that picking up even one would mean not submitting to God’s design for me. It’s why, after realizing that women were not allowed to serve communion at my …
Dear Heather, It’s July 26th, and here you are, thinking about Christmas. We even beat Walmart for Xmas displays, didn’t we? You were looking through your blog calendar, and came up with ideas for posts up to December, and then you stopped, and sighed. Because every year, you know you should say something about Christmas. Every year, …
Waiting instead of doing: Feeling something is optionalRead More
Earlier this month, protests about race erupted at several American colleges. The uproar began at the University of Missouri, where the chancellor and president resigned over their responses to racially charged harassment. Meanwhile at Yale, an official email about avoiding racist Halloween costumes, such as blackface, inspired one faculty member’s response asking for “free speech and the …
College Can Kill Our Colorblindness (If We Let It): For Her.meneuticsRead More
After my first daughter was born, and I dove into postpartum depression, one of the easiest ways to torment myself was to think about how far I’d slid from God. When I thought about God, I thought this: If I’m not cheerful about God right now, then I’m a terrible Christian. Back then, I thought it meant …
Lately, I haven’t wanted to pray. Not even my five-minute, super-short version. I haven’t wanted to journal either, which is another way I connect to God. I’ve not wanted to do yoga, which is yet another. Haven’t been doing so much crafting the Bible, or reading my BCP on weekends. I haven’t wanted to do …
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) tried to take our bacon away. Or at least that’s how some news organizations first interpreted the announcement that processed meats have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. The real news was less dire, only announcing that the evidence confirms a link between colorectal cancer and certain eating habits (such as eating two …
The WHO bacon scare and a theology of enjoyment: for Think ChristianRead More
