God and Paint Brushes
There is something so special and powerful about a child creating art. He painted a bright yellow sunshine, green grass, and a tree. In my eyes, my son painted the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen.
Church of Glass Houses
Idols are insidious because they sneak in the back door of places of worship, take a seat in the pew, and sit there for years with no one asking them why they're there.
Prayer for the Unremarkable
I work hard every day and try not to get in other people's way or stir up trouble. I don't even ask for much attention, but it'd be nice to have a bit. This world I live in has very little room for the unremarkable.
Give Me A Break
It's easy for me to lobby for a day off for myself, but it's equally important that I live my life in a way that makes it possible for others to rest.
Picard And Pentecost
You cannot truly understand someone if you don't know their story. Language is often a carrier of culture and meaning. You have to listen to catch it.
Travel Like Matt
If your personal, professional, and spiritual journey is helping you become a more humble person, you’re traveling well. If you find yourself building your own brand by endlessly critiquing and “yelping” against your own culture, you might be impeding your own progress. The best way to critique is to build something new and beautiful while maintaining a foundation of love.
Heretics Can’t Go Home
…But as much as I’ve loved the journey, there are times when I look back over my shoulder, and feelings of nostalgia catch up to me and tap me on the shoulder. In those moments, I find myself wondering if I’d be happier if I could go back to the start and enjoy the comforts of the familiar.
Eclipse and the End
“It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.” -J.R.R Tolkien “The Fellowship of the Ring”
What if…Easter?
I’m now speaking for myself, but the story of Jesus’ resurrection requires me to ask this question. “What if you truly believe in the power of Easter? How does your story play out?”
Shepherds and Short Ribs
I wonder if the fear the shepherds experienced in the Christmas story was not just because they were seeing a supernatural event in the sky but because it was an army. Powerful armies have always been used to push aside and kill their nomadic people.
Instant Faith
We're all smart here. Despite what we're being sold, we all know deep down inside that any worthwhile transformation requires a crucial ingredient—hard work. There is no way around it. I can't change myself for the better unless I do the work. Though TikTok and Instagram advertise otherwise, sustainable success is a long game.
World’s Greatest Street Preacher
I've written about the worst street preacher ever, but would you like to know about the best?
Back to the 80s
Hollywood has a target audience to capture at the box office. The target, for now, seems to be kids from the 1980s. The bait for this particular audience is nostalgia.
Jesus Freak
This is the struggle of the ages for anyone religious. Do you allow your faith to evolve when presented with new information? I would say yes.
The Pentecostal Diet
This kind of faith pushes Christians beyond the boundaries of comfort and into a world where they could one day sit at a restaurant and enjoy Filipino Sisig or an Argentine Choripan. Not just to enjoy the food but to love the people who serve it. A faith where Christians would learn to speak new languages not just to become comfortable in the world but to better understand and appreciate it.
Easter at the North Saskatchewan
If you live in Edmonton, each time you go to the tap and pour yourself a cold glass of water, you're tasting something that has come to us from the Columbia Icefield. A stream of water begins as a trickle and then starts a downward flow from the Saskatchewan Glacier.
Finding a New Church
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the first Palm Sunday of my life where I did not have a church home to be at on a Sunday morning. My family and I have been searching for a new church home since the beginning of the year. At the end of 2022, the church we were connected with closed, and we are trying to find our place.
A Day Off With No Fried Chicken
Imagine a world where everyone could afford to take a day off. The only way this future could come about is if those who can afford to take two days off make it possible for everyone to have one. We would need to take only what we need and relearn how to live life.
Life of the Party
You may have already sent out your New Years' celebration, but let me encourage you to invite one more guest. My friend Grace, yes, the world's worst street preacher. While not a prominent guest, I assure you that she'll be the life of the party.
Waiting For The Lottery
For many of us, Christmas 2020 was rough. I remember writing this after having to shut down the hotel I managed just before Christmas. Thankfully, I’m in a much different place in 2022, but the need to be kind and gracious is still relevant today. If you’re going through a rough patch today, you’re not alone.