It’s been a while since I was a teenager. So I’ll spare you the years and my embarrassment. Nevertheless, things have changed since my day of awkward pubescents. Teenagers face challenges today that I never faced. One thing hasn’t changed, though, the questions we wrestle with about our identity, belonging, and the Divine. “Life is … Continue reading
The last couple of years has been collectively challenging for all of us. And, if someone has an inclination towards anxiety and depression, this pandemic experience and socio-political tension have amplified the opportunities for people to spiral into challenging mental and emotional stations. One of the most challenging aspects of the worst parts of the … Continue reading
During our childhood and journey into adolescence, not only are our bodies experiencing all sorts of physiological changes but so does our psyche. In this state, identity formation, commitment to intimacy with another person, and generativity take place. At the same time, this is also a critical time in which people of faith are being … Continue reading
Do you remember the Stuart Smalley sketch from Saturday Night Live? “Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley” was a self-help show in which its host would begin and end by looking in the mirror saying, “I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!” What’s your general anthropology toward yourself? Cognitive social scientists … Continue reading
Deep breaths, everyone; the election cycle is over. The mind-numbing television ads are done. The yard signs are becoming scarce. And yet, we all know that the vitriol and division remain. This kind of politics just seems to be sticking around. As followers of Jesus in America, the relationship between faith and politics has especially … Continue reading
It’s that time of year again. The stores are stocked. The presents are being purchased. Gifts are being laid under the tree. And 8-pound, 6-ounce newborn infant Jesuses are displayed as inflatables in our yards and nativity sets in our homes. Of course, for most folks outside of the church, the Christmas season is merely … Continue reading
Where do you go for your news? Do you only go to those one or two places? Do you compare what you gleaned from one news outlet to another, more distinctive outlet? The reality is that most of us, whether we mean to or not, tend to go to the outlets that reinforce what we … Continue reading
Have you ever noticed these days that someone else is to blame? No, seriously. When was the last time you heard a public figure take responsibility for their actions, sincerely apologize, and then totally change their behavior? Our cultural influence tends to want to justify or reason away the mistakes people make. This is especially … Continue reading
Our belief system about God directly correlates to how we see ourselves and the world. So, if you believe God is wrathful and vengeful, one can only imagine how those beliefs affect your soul. Therefore, it is not that far of a leap to imagine how a belief system about God based on books like … Continue reading
I think we would all agree that it is much easier to do difficult things with the help of others. So while some are inclined to be pathfinders, forging onto uncharted paths that no one has gone before, most of us are okay with following in their footsteps. Before such a massive wave of people … Continue reading
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