When I close my eyes to fall asleep, I am afraid of the world I will meet in my dreams. What – or who – did I push to the back of my mind today that’s destined to meet me in my most vulnerable state? What battles will I have to fight in the land of my dreams? What tears…
“What does wilderness look like for you?” Often, I find it hard to describe the wilderness I feel myself in, because I don’t want to journey there more than is necessary. I don’t want to walk into the vast, open space where the air is sucked away from me. Where my clothes are stripped bare and I stand exposed and…
Chocolate. Facebook. TV. Telephone. Soft drinks. Fast Food. Every year, Lent conveniently falls just far enough after New Year’s that the practice of fasting often becomes a new way to attain the resolution we previously dropped. We stop eating chocolate or give up soft drinks with the “side benefit” that we will lose weight in the process. But, other than…
My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me? Possibly the most quoted lament of all time (followed closely by “My kingdom for a horse”). On the cross, Jesus cries out familiar words to most present – words that drive me to lament every time I have to read the Aramaic out loud at our Tenebrae service. Elohi, Elohi, lama sabachthani? I bear…
From dust you came and to dust you shall return.
Tonight, I will repeat these words over and over as I look into the eyes of church members – people who count on my to reveal the presence of God in their midst. People who look to me for hope and wholeness. People who come week in and week out, seeking the God who creates and sustains.
In 1999, a fresh faced, energetic 12-year-old hopped onto the back of a charter bus with her lifelong best friend, sister, and about 60 other teenagers from her neighborhood church to head to Daytona, Florida, for a week at Passport Youth Camp. After only six years of providing the “youth camping with a mission program,” Passport already had a reputation…
Throughout seminary, I heard about Peer Learning Groups and the value of connecting with fellow ministers on a regular basis. When I worked for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, I wrote articles and blogs about successful peer groups throughout the CBF community. No sooner than I accepted my position at Broadway, I e-mailed friends in town to find out if there…
On a rainy day in November, a good friend took me with her to see Straight No Chaser at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. We both sat on the edge of our seats in excitement, hoping they would sing their famous Christmas tune, 12 Days of Christmas Medley. We weren’t sure if they would sing it due to the…
Many people talk about giving things up for Lent. Some give up chocolate, others Facebook. Some of my crazier friends give up sugar or coffee (essentially, they are giving up all their friends for 40 days, because I’m not sure how they will function – or be pleasant). The practice started as a way to join Jesus in the wilderness,…
October is Clergy Appreciation Month. Over the next four weeks, I will share the stories of ministers who impacted my life and faith journey. Today, however, I begin Clergy Appreciation Month with a look back on my first year as a full time clergy person. At this time last year, I walked into the church building each day with a…
Rev. on the Edge 