The culture we live in tells us a story about love. It’s a story about passionate feelings, the drama of fiery relationships. Ultimately, it’s a story about our own ego. It’s the satisfaction of getting what we want, when we want it. Our world runs on consumerism, so it’s not surprising that the vision of love it sells …
For the last couple of years, this blog’s tagline has been: “Religion is easy; discipleship is hard.” I’m starting to think that perhaps this slogan is only half right. Discipleship certainly is hard, but religion doesn’t seem to be such a piece of cake, either. I recently read a really tender, honest post from my …
Throughout my life, I’ve had this itch, this need: to be someone who earned his keep, who produced enough to justify my existence. Simply being isn’t enough. When I was a student, I imagined that once I got out into the workforce and had a full-time job, I would feel justified. I would be producing …
When I think about the people in history I really admire, it’s those who bucked the norm. Sure, there are lots of really wonderful people who, like the Dude, just “fit right in there.” But the people I look up to – people like King, Fox, Francis, and Paul – are ones who had the …
There are few things on earth more powerful than the implacable flow of the Mississippi river. Fed by tributaries from Montana to Pennsylvania, the Mississippi is a force of nature in every sense of the term. That hasn’t kept us from trying to tame it, of course. For thousands of years, longer than human memory, …
I recently came across an article in The Atlantic, which examines why many Americans (particularly elite men) are so obsessed with wealth and work. The author speculates about the extent to which these obsessions are rooted in culture or biology. He notes how the wage gap between men and women is exacerbated by such obsession, and he laments the deep unhappiness …
When I was a kid, adults would sometimes seek to encourage my faith by telling me their own reasons for believing in God. They often told me that without God the universe would make no sense. “Look at a sunset! Listen to birdsong or running water. This world is so beautiful. How could there not …