In James, the "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (1:27).
Practicing What I Believe 5: Religion
When Fear is Love
What if being safe and listening the CDC guidelines is not an act of fear at all but an act of love?
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Practicing What I Believe 4: Morning Prayers
Sometimes we feel like the world is falling apart. Like the disciples panicking in the storm, we look at the waves and wind and wonder when the boat will sink.
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Practicing What I Believe 3: Waste
The problem is that waste is a part of our daily lives. We can't go to a party or a restaurant without receiving plastics and styrofoams. This is an issue that is constantly creating cognitive dissonance in me.
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Practicing What I Believe 2: Meat
First... If you missed last week, I'm hoping to write a series on things that I have been trying to do to practice what I believe. I want to share these thoughts and ideas with you, not only to have a space to keep me accountable, but also to have a discussion about the best... Continue Reading →
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Cognitive Dissonance, Despair, and Practicing What We Believe
Whenever we have a conviction and cannot or do not live by it, we create a mental distance between our beliefs and our actions--we are singing two notes that don't go together. To protect ourselves, we mute the noise. As the distance grows, so does our guilt and despair.
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There’s Always Another Monster
I just finished the third draft of my novel, and I'm finally finding room in my mind for more book ideas. I'm dreaming about gardening warriors and a girl with anxiety finding solace in a fantastical world where one's monsters can be beaten. But I'm also fighting some old fears that keep regenerating like so... Continue Reading →
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Gardening for Hope
The Creation story begins in a garden, where humanity is seen as caretakers, and I can't help but think that, whenever we return to the garden, we reclaim some sense of our original purpose and feel more alive in doing so.
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Anticipation Over Worry
Christian anticipation does more than look ahead--it looks behind at what Jesus has already done to save us, once and for all. Anything we could ever ask for has already been done, so we know our hopes will be fulfilled.
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Enjoying the Holidays Again: Overcoming Expectations Anxiety
Expectations say that the day must be perfect. Any hint of anxiety is a failure that will ruin the day--and your memories of that day, and your expectations for that day next year--forever. Not eating, escaping to be alone, or missing out on any family tradition is devastating.
