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Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories have been around for a long, long time. They are not a new phenomenon and seem to reach fevered pitch during times of social upheaval and uncertainty. Whatever permeation or how they're presented,  the common premise of the conspiracy theory is that a shadowy group of elite and powerful people are withholding or…
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Healthy Community is where we learn to be Community

Healthy Community is where we learn to be Community
The old joke says ‘Church would be awesome if it weren’t for the people’ and amidst a hearty chuckle, we sense a twinge of truth. Community is made of up human beings just like you and me - doing the best we can with what we have.  They are places where imperfect people, those of…
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Seeing through Jesus

Seeing through Jesus
Hey Mike,  We know, according to scripture, God chose the Israelites as his people. Joined together under a covenant. There were several other tribes or nations on the earth and they must have had their own creation stories and modes of worship so was God not with them? It wouldn’t be Yahweh, but it would…
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Fear Not but if you do that’s okay

Fear Not but if you do that’s okay
“Fear not” or something similar is said to be found approximately 365 times in the bible.  It seems to be a significant thread throughout the scriptures and yet, beyond face value what is to be made of these two words? if we come from a legalistic tradition, we might understand these exhortations as commands.  Edicts…
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The Both-And approach to Fear

The Both-And approach to Fear
It was a simple statement on my feed this morning.  They stated, “Faith and worry cannot co-exist.” With a sigh, I asked, “So then why is it that fear and faith co-exist all the time?" We have to do better than mere platitudes. Surely Christian spirituality is more robust in the crucible of real life.…
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What we think they see

What we think they see
A strange adventure at Costco last Wednesday. As I was pushing my cart, doing my shopping and people watching I saw a lady walk towards me with what looked like a nasty bruise right in the middle of her forehead. I thought to myself ‘I wonder what she walked into?’ A few minutes later I saw…
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From your Head to your Heart

From your Head to your Heart
“You must descend from your head into your heart. At present, your thoughts of God are in your head.  And God himself is, as it were, outside you, and so your prayer and other spiritual exercises remain exterior. Whilst you are still in your head, thoughts will not easily be subdued but will always be whirling about, like snow in winter or clouds…
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“Grief is just Anger” – Grief Myth

“Grief is just Anger” – Grief Myth
I always like to start by affirming a couple of basics of grief from the Grief Recovery Method®: Grief is the normal and natural emotional response to a loss of any kind. Grief is unique and relates directly to the uniqueness of human relationships,  No two relationships are the same Grief is conflicting feelings caused by…
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Playing with Scripture – Midrash

Playing with Scripture – Midrash
[Guest article by Jacob Rose] The Jewish tradition of midrash offers something rich to the practice of scriptural interpretation that is too often forgone in the Christian tradition. Rachel Held Evans, author of Inspired, writes: “While Christians turn to Scripture to end a conversation, Jews turn to scripture to start a conversation” (24). Often, the understanding of…
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Walking in the Dark

Walking in the Dark
The above quote stirred me deeply today. “Do not be afraid” is a constant mantra through the scripture (some 70+ times) ... and from personal experience, I can understand why.  I continue in a season of a long dark shadow.  A dark shadow cast by my beloved’s journey with Cancer.   These past 6 months…
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