I’ll keep comments closed on stories I write about my faith — I wrote a story about being blocked by a church on Facebook. I was really upset and needed to write about it. Most of the comments were kind and supportive, and I appreciate those. But some comments were mean and blasted “the church” and all faith. My faith. If I…

Instead of Ash Wednesday — Today is Ash Wednesday. In case you don’t know, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent on the Christian calendar. It’s a time to reflect and prepare your heart for Easter. Even though I grew up Methodist, I don’t remember celebrating it in my church. When I switched to Lutheran…

An ugly comment made me decide it is time — Update: Since writing this, I have reported this comment and blocked the author. She also left an ugly reply to another writer who left a comment. I also reported her comment to him. Jesus made it simple. Love God and love people. …

But this one did — I was up all night with panic attacks and paralyzing fear. So, I’m doing what I do to process trauma. I’m writing about it. I’ve been trying to find a new faith community, since my previous one abandoned me during my mother’s illness and death. I left when my pastor…

Comfort for those experiencing loss — Tonight, on this longest night of the year, I attended a Blue Christmas service at a church I’ve been trying out. I found it a very comforting experience. It was a low key service with quiet music, prayer, and scripture readings. What impressed me most was that the pastor told…

Your worth and value are not based on what you do. — I’m tired. After the past two years, most of us are. Besides the pandemic, I had to manage my mother’s care for dementia. She died three months ago, and now I’m working to settle her estate. I should also mention that I have CPTSD, chronic pain, work freelance only, and…

A different perspective on this story — If you come from a Christian background, you have undoubtedly heard the story about the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda whom Jesus healed (John 5:1–15). It’s one of those difficult passages that makes you stop and wonder why Jesus said what he did. Do you want to be…

Bring a little comfort to my heart — My mother loved to work with her flowers, and she had quite the green thumb. She had a flower vine on a trellis by the side door to her house that she could never get to bloom. …

And I don’t blame her one bit — My father died in 1990. After his sudden and shocking death, my mother stopped going to church. She disconnected from many people and became more and more reclusive. I understand that now. My mother died last Saturday after a long battle with dementia. I have written extensively about that here. …

I can’t even believe this happened — My pastor really stepped up and was there for me Saturday when my mother died. He committed to do her funeral, and between Sunday and this morning, I made all the arrangements—by myself. I got everything scheduled for Wednesday. It was a lot of work, but I got everything coordinated…

I never believed this. Now, I’m not so sure. — I’ve never been a “law of attraction” or “name it and claim it” kind of person. But recent events in my life have made me reconsider. Is it possible that our beliefs and desires cause us to unconsciously make things happen? I think so. My recent experience Consider my recent break-up with my…

Trying to stay sane in a world I don’t recognize anymore — I think it’s safe to say that the past two years have been hell for everyone. As someone who deals with depression and anxiety, it’s been near unbearable. When did a nightmare become the “new normal?” Chaos Covid has been unfathomable. On a personal level, watching my mother descend into dementia…

Unless others are worse off. Then you need to suck it up. — Sunday mornings make me angry. I can’t deal with the self-righteous, “suck it up” mentality of churches and pastors anymore. I heard a message this morning that said we need to get over our grief and move on because so many people in the world have it worse. …

Reactions to the COVID vaccine in my state are ridiculous — I can’t deal with stupid anymore. I also can’t change what people believe, so the next best thing is to write about it. I saw a Facebook post this morning that summarized how many people in North Carolina feel about the COVID vaccine. They are entitled to their opinion and…

Now is the time for it to evolve into something better. — Six months into the COVID restrictions and my church is still not holding in-person meetings. I understand that they are proceeding with caution. This year has presented unique challenges for faith communities. But would you believe nobody has bothered to check on me for those six months? Not a phone…

The son who stayed home — Almost everyone knows the story of the prodigal son. It is a beautiful story of restoration and love about a lost son who comes home. But did you know that there were two prodigals in this story? There was also the older brother, the son who stayed home. I have…

But who is my neighbor? — We have a crisis of epic proportions today in the United States. The number of homeless, hungry, unemployed, and uninsured is staggering. It’s hard to pass a major intersection without seeing someone standing with a sign asking for help. …

It’s simple but not easy — I’ve learned a lot about grace this year. Grace in action is simple, beautiful—and costly. Grace occurs when a person does something for you that you cannot do for yourself, knowing that you cannot repay them. As Christians, we are beneficiaries of unimaginable grace. None of us can repay that…

Jesus has left the building — I am currently disillusioned with Christianity. I see little evidence of Jesus in most churches today. Much like the Pharisees of old, today’s religious leaders place burdens on people while doing little to help ease them. They have discarded the teachings of Jesus for a spiritual list of dos and…