I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage - I have conquered the world. (John 16:33, NET) I've been thinking about this verse for awhile now. My life has not been comfortable lately. I wish I could stop saying … Continue reading What I learned in Middle School Science
Author: Ryan
Women in Ministry Leadership
This week was my turn to deliver a message on Timothy. It fell to me to cover the end times, starting with 2nd Timothy 3 as the base text. If you're interested, the audio is available here. One of the stranger things in this passage is Paul's[1] concern for overwhelmed women (γυναικάρια σεσωρευμένα) in verse six. … Continue reading Women in Ministry Leadership
I’m tired
Recently I've noticed a lot of people asking me how I'm doing. This happens at church, at school...basically everywhere. Without thinking, I tend to respond, "Tired." Sometimes I add a bit about having young children to make my response into a bit of a joke, to lighten the mood a bit. But it's not just … Continue reading I’m tired
God doesn’t want you to be a good person
Sometimes, life sucks. I wish I could declare triumphantly that our lives are always roses and sunshine. But they aren't. So what do we do? Well, that's a huge question. I've written about tragedy a bit. I wrote about how beauty helps us navigate tragedy. I've written twice about how we ought to talk to … Continue reading God doesn’t want you to be a good person
Unexpected Exegesis, part 2
Today we continue our series on Jonah, particularly focusing on how he uses scripture in his prayer. Here's the verse in question (2:4): But I thought, “I was driven out from in front of you and your eyes Yet I will again look to your holy temple. The first thing to notice is that Jonah emphasizes … Continue reading Unexpected Exegesis, part 2
Watch your words!
I struggle with this. Notice the bottom left corner: when words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. This is Proverbs 10:19. I hate it. Did you know that Facebook has a character limit on posts? I do. Today's sermon was challenging. We're all having a hard time with … Continue reading Watch your words!
You were created to do the impossible
No, this weeks reading is not from Joel Osteen. 🙂 This weeks opening prayer is from Augustine. O Lord my God, my one hope, hear me, that weariness may not lessen my will to seek you, that I may seek your face ever more with eager heart. Lord, give me strength to seek you, as you … Continue reading You were created to do the impossible
We need a Prophet
When we hear Prophet, we tend to think future-telling. While that is sometimes an element of the role of a prophet, the foundation of the call to be a prophet is to speak truth to power. Put simply, prophets are usually not popular people. When they become popular, it's usually because they stopped doing their … Continue reading We need a Prophet
Unexpected Exegesis, Part 1
Today we're continuing our weekly examination of Jonah, but we're going to stop and focus some time on his poem. One reason for this is that interruption is an important literary device in Hebrew narratives. So, when something looks out of place, it's likely there for a reason.[1] In the case of Jonah, without the … Continue reading Unexpected Exegesis, Part 1
I’m not happy
I come from what is often called "low-church." This moniker isn't intended (at least in most cases) to denigrate anyone. It's just an indication that the church or denomination in question has little to no liturgy, and very few rituals (if they have any at all). Many people in low church denominations eschew liturgy or … Continue reading I’m not happy