Category: ministry
-
Lord of the Bowel Movement
Yesterday was monumental. I prayed with a 92 year-old-woman who had a bowel movement in her bed, specifically a poop, immediately after I prayed for her. I didn’t know it right away. A nurse who came into the room shortly after me, reported back and thanked me. Apparently, they had been waiting for the patient…
-
On Loneliness, Loss, and Lasting Love
This is it folks, the blog post that will break the internet. If you couldn’t tell by the title I’m ambitiously going to person-splain the meaning of life. But before I get into it and switch gears, allow me to set the stage of the state I am in while I’m writing. I’m eating candy…
-
When the Game Slows Down
My orientation into chaplaincy has begun. Who knew orientation could feel so disorienting? While inundated with information, it is amazing how many golden nuggets of truth and wisdom I have received in a weeks time. One statement I am fixated on, even though I have not yet visited a single patient is this: “The game…
-
The Charleston Chapter: Chaplaincy
As of this writing, I am 50 days away from moving to Charleston, South Carolina. If that is news to you, I’m sorry I did not tell you. I’m moving, to start a chaplaincy residency, which will be my first season of full-time ministry, God-willing. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I have a decent…
-
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.…
-
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…
-
The Cutting Gospel: Separating the Should and Should Not
John 18:1-27- Imagine the Divine Impulse Have you ever been disappointed in yourself after acting on impulse? Considering how frequently in the Gospels Peter acts on impulse, I imagine he was disappointed in himself often. But I am convinced that our impulsive action in ignorance does not disappoint God as much as it disappoints us.…
-
The Praying Gospel: Are you Curious?
John 17 – We are all 20-year old gypsy train wrecks We made it this far. The last large exposition from Jesus in the Gospel of John is one long prayer. It is a prayer for glorification, a prayer for the disciples, and a prayer for contagious joy and complete unity among all who will…
-
The Overcoming Gospel: Are you Over?
John 16 John 16 is the 3rd of 4 chapters of very long expositions from Jesus. This chapter in particular, deals with Jesus leaving. He is explaining to his followers that when He leaves, the Holy Spirit will come and fill them. The Spirit will also give them knowledge. Then he talks about not being…
-
Whirlwind Emprise
I usually like to pick a word for myself that I hope will describe each new year. My 2017 word was gentleness. I picked this word because I knew my goal for the year was to cease from striving, to stop grasping, to accept my smallness in the world and to be considerably less frustrated…
The Reconstructed 