There were clues all along the way. They meant nothing to me when they happened, but looking back now they stick out like flashing fluorescent signs. There was the day I shared my college plans with a friend. I’d been accepted to my dream program at a great school. I said I was “really excited […]
One easy way you can help other people grow.
There’s a very simple way to help others grow spiritually. I’m going to tell you how after a quick story. Recently my phone buzzed with a notification, and I found this message: “Hey man, I’m just about 45 pages into your book, but I am convinced this is a God-given piece of provision for me […]
Is it possible to grow spiritually in the middle of a busy life?
Busyness is the enemy of spiritual growth. Busyness is a trap, mindset, a wall of self-defense, an addiction. Busyness is about lack of focus and confused priorities. At least that’s what they say. Surely there’s something true about all of that. But what about those times when life is just full, full of commitments and […]
Is it time to practice the spiritual discipline of minding your own business?
So, I’ve got a book out in the world. (Yes… I’m mentioning the book, but this post is about character growth. Hang with me.) You may not know this, but Amazon gives authors a dashboard showing your book’s progress. At one point on launch day, my book was 32 in the top 100 for its […]
The 4 Biggest Emotional Myths You May Have Learned in Church
Much of what we think we know about emotions we learned from parents, teachers, pastors, and other influencers in our lives. These lessons have formed maps that guide out thoughts and choices as we grow up. But sometimes those maps are wrong. Today I am honored to have a guest post over at Crosswalk.com. Crosswalk.com […]
“The way I was living stopped working for me.” An Interview with Chuck Hagele.
Emotional maturity is a topic that touches every important part of our lives. My friend, Chuck Hegele, leads an incredible ministry to families with at-risk youth called Project Patch. As a part of that ministry, he produces a podcast for parents called Today’s Family Experience. He and I spend about an hour this week talking […]
“Emotions don’t just happen in your mind…they impact our body, and thus our health.” An Interview with Michele Stanford
For a long time I thought of emotions as something that happened in your head, a passing emotional state. One of the things I was must surprised to learn in my study of emotions, was how deeply they impact the body. Michele Stanford is a holistic health coach that I met this past year, and […]
“It’s my hope that perhaps I can help change the conversation in the church…” An Interview with Frank Viola
I’ve been reading the work of Frank Viola for a few years now, and following his writing online. He has a powerful, and I think, revolutionary view of the church and his words have impacted me deeply. So I was thrilled to be able to meet him last year at a coaching event for writers […]
Are you doing the hidden inner work?
5 miles of narrow, winding, uphill road remained between us and our destination, the Oregon Caves. Sometimes steep, the road wound its way upwards with tight switchbacks. About halfway up I realized something. Despite the incline and the many tight corners, the drive was perfectly smooth and comfortable. Tight turns on a narrow road usually […]
“When I was living in deep denial and numbness, I looked exactly like a Good Christian.” An Interview with Aaron Smith.
Well, the time is drawing near! A truck-load of books arrived here at my house this week. The official launch date of The Wisdom Of Your Heart is September 1st. Just 14 days away! As a part of that, I’m going to be doing interviews here and there all over the internet. Here’s the first […]
500 years ago Ignatius suggested we make decisions this way.
I’ve been weighing a big decision. The details aren’t important. It’s like many big decisions you’ve faced. It’s complex, with many moving parts. There are pros and cons, which make it hard to know the right path. You’ve been there, I’m sure. Having an unresolved decision on your mind can be stressful. But how do […]
The Well-Worn Path in Your Heart That Leads You Away from God’s Love.
Shortly after turning in my final manuscript for The Wisdom of Your Heart, I received an email. My stomach dropped as I read the words. My chest tightened. The email was from my publisher. In the last round of editing, some theological questions had been raised, and the publisher decided to send my book through […]
I’m sorry for how the church has sidelined women.
I am really enjoying writing for the Oregonian website OregonLive. It’s giving me a space to think and wrestle with issues that are not the main topic around here. I just posted my 7th post over there, the 6th in a series. This series, I’m calling it my Apology Series, is addressing ways that the […]
How We Grow Spiritually (A Parable)
The thing I like most about our yard and the thing I like least are related. Between our yard and the neighbor, there are five towering evergreens. There’s a massive Oak. In the middle of the front yard is a giant, ancient, Japanese Maple. It’s beautiful. Surrounded by all these trees, our home feels like […]
I’m sorry for the Racist past (and present) of the Church.
Most of you already know that I write in two places. Here, I write about spiritual growth for followers of Jesus. But over at the Oregonian / OregonLive I write to a wider community, here in Portland. I’m in a series that starts with apologies, but is really about a more positive vision for the church’s […]