Category: Love
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What do I do with these blank pages?
In 2010 I wrote to be funny, more specifically I wrote comedic fiction for a class to counterbalance writing my thesis on Islamic extremism in Southern Russia and what exactly that looked like. But what I was most proud of is a story called the Cheesebringer, which was a dumb coming of age story about…
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A Time Before Certainty
Matthew 13:1-32 I worked on an organic farm for 4 seasons. It’s interesting how many factors go into having a fruitful crop: the seed, the soil, the sun, the water, the bugs. Some of these can be controlled. We can add water, we can spray pesticides (technically not in organic farming). Much of farming maintains…
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The Gospel of Love: Fill the World with Stories
John 21: 15-25 – Word Feed If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. The Gospel of John ends with the author telling us that Jesus did too many good things to contain in writing. Jesus, likewise,…
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The Catching Gospel: Assured to Shore
John 21:1-14 – The Dive-in Depths It never ceases to surprise me how quick I am to stumble, how at such arbitrary times our struggle with sin seems to affect us and leaves us without excuse. I am prone to wavering in my affection and in those moments I feel as if I forget myself.…
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The Gospel of Life: Believe
John 20: 24-31 – Let God Show Me “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A disciple, Thomas, states what it takes for him to believe. Jesus waits a week, then appears to Thomas even…
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The Appearing Gospel: Look Who Showed Up
John 20: 1-23 – Stay in Awe When was the last time you stood in awe or wonder of something? When was the last time something left you dazed and confused? In the Gospel of John chapter 20, individuals are still living in the shock and shadow of the death of Jesus. Early, on the…
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The Finishing Gospel: Death of the Saves Man
John 19:16-42 – Are We Living or Dying? Yesterday, I taught my second to last class on the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). We discussed the crucifixion and the resurrection. What is interesting to me about John’s gospel is the things he notes about Jesus during the crucifixion. Jesus is deeply concerned for his mother.…
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Trading the 2nd Amendment for the 2nd Commandment
John 18:11, Matthew 26:52-54, Luke 22:49-51 Our Swords are Our Guns and It’s Time to Put Them Away I’m not writing specifically about the 2nd amendment. And my intention here is not to lobby for change in the political arena. I don’t like loud yelling, whistle blowing or things that divide people unless it is…
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The Gospel of Go: Home is Who you Come Back To
John 14: The Many Rooms We Come To 14:3 “ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus the carpenter’s son, tells his disciples…
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The Betrayal and Denial Gospel: When you “Can’t” Control Yourself
John 13:18-38: Shared Bread Psalm 41:9 Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned (lifted up their heel) against me. The thing about betrayal, the thing about denial that allows both of them to deal damage is intimacy. Truth be told, I give as much credence to ridicule or…
The Reconstructed 