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Tragedy and Humility
Tragedy in the form of this past weekend's mass shooting in Orlando, has become entirely too common. And the "public discourse" (a phrase I'm using ironically) that follows is so often disheartening. [featured-image single_newwindow="false"] My social media streams...
The “What Is” of Wisdom
If we want to be wise, then we must view the journey toward wisdom as a time-involved process. We must make the effort to trek to the waters of understanding and, once at the riverside, spend significant time on its banks, occasionally even wading out into the deeper...
Happy Birthday, Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819. He is a bold poet and large soul. The rawness and transparency of his words continue to be beautiful and good over 120 years after his death. [featured-image single_newwindow="false"] In his preface to the original edition of Leaves...
Live Creatively
Pressure can come from all sides and multiple sources. Sharing the weight is one way to live creatively. [featured-image single_newwindow="false"] Sometimes it's a mystery to learn how to effectively cope with all the pressures of life in a healthy way. [shareable]I'm...
How Shaving and Following Jesus Are Related
For years I bought into the shaving hype: Gillette razors. I always shelled out for the newest razor with 3 blades, then 4, then 5 including one on the back of the razor, even one that uses a battery and vibrates. [featured-image single_newwindow="false"] Then at the...
On Belonging
Sometimes our architecture and geographic plans can speak truths into our lives. [featured-image single_newwindow="false" alt="belonging"] Though we don't currently live on a cul-de-sac, we've resided on several in the past. One of our previous homes was located on a...
Your Story Matters
Maybe you’ve been told, directly or indirectly, that your story doesn’t matter. That’s a lie. The Story of You means something.
Why Suffering Yields Newness
I haven't met many people who like suffering. If anything, our frailty, pride, and sense of self seeks to avoid suffering. But maybe the willingness to alleviate and evade all suffering at all costs is misguided. I've been thinking a lot about newness, new birth, new...
The Outsiders’ Lament
[callout]This post also appears on ALTARWORK.com.[/callout] This isn't ideal: to be the outsiders, to be outside of your inside; yet here we are, some by choice, others by circumstance; all of us, sadly, by purloined precedent. This is not the practice He inspired,...
They Kill the Prophets
Jesus is recorded as having said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you ..." (Luke 13.34). It's not too hard to see why prophets are rejected, even killed. We prophets are hard to tolerate for too long. [featured-image...
Big Question :: Do You Need to Go to Church to Follow Jesus?
BIG QUESTIONS are short video talks on life, God, faith, theology, discipleship, and walking with Jesus. Short Video Talk Big Question #3 :: Do You Have to Go to Church to Follow Jesus? from Brian Niece on Vimeo.
The World Doesn’t Exist to Not Offend You
The title of this post could alternately be ... I Do Not Exist to Not Offend You ... or ... The Church Doesn't Exist to Not Offend You ... or ... That Political Group Does Not Exist to Not Offend You ... or ... Unicorns Do Not Exist to Not Offend You ... or ... "We"...