When life is painful, you don’t need a God who is disconnected from the harsh realities of daily life. You need a suffering savior.
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3 Myths about Hope
“The problem with wagging our fingers at oppressed people who use force in their struggles for freedom is that we’re overlooking an important fact: namely, that the force of resistance necessary for their liberation is determined by the severity of the oppression they face. The amount of force necessary to liberate oneself from an oppressive power […]
“When we can let go of what other people think and own our story, we gain access to our worthiness—the feeling that we are enough just as we are and that we are worthy of love and belonging.” —Brené BrownIn recent years, several well-known Christian leaders have died by apparent suicide: Amy Bleuel, Andrew Stoecklein, […]
“I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
I don’t think this verse is our promise from God that we can do anything we put our minds to. I think it is actually a verse of comfort from a guy who wrote it while chained in prison, encouraging the rest of us who are stuck in dire circumstances to keep trusting. I think this verse actually drives home the very crux of the Gospel of Grace: we can face all sorts of things and persevere through them, as long as we keep trusting in a faithful, changeless God.
Soul-Care: What It is, What It Isn’tSoul-Care is an interpersonal relationship in which a mentor partners with another person who longs to unclutter their soul and heal their image of God and self.Image by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from PixabayReconciliationIf you’ve heard the theological buzzword “deconstruction” tossed around, Soul-Care is a way to deconstruct your faith […]
To encourage and inspire you during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic, I’m releasing the entire audiobook of Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm, absolutely free.From the back cover: What if you could experience a new level of freedom, strength, healing, and energy? Too many people are overwhelmed and holding onto […]
For Lent, I am Giving Up Fear-Based TheologyImage by James Chan from PixabayPerfect love casts out fear—such an active verb phrase. One imagines a hefty seizing by the neck-scruff and an ignominious hurling out of a doorframe. (Anyone else picturing swinging saloon doors and a random horse tied to a nearby post? No? That’s just me? Damn, […]
In episode 41 of Catching Your Breath: The Podcast, Steve Austin walks through the Bible with a look at church safety, plus a discussion on the characteristics of a safe church leader. This episode also includes stories and advice from real-life people who have been wounded by the church.Support the show via Patreon.Is your church […]
It was Thanksgiving morning, and I was standing in the shower, escaping for a moment into a world of hot water and steam. My morning shower had become my last refuge.Image by Olya Adamovich from PixabayDevastating Loss. Ultimate Freedom.I was no stranger to loss. In fact, loss seemed to be a fairly constant companion in […]
“…as counselors and neuroscientists continue to confirm, the ability to shape a narrative from your experiences, and to connect your story to a greater one, is essential for developing empathy, a sense of purpose, and well-being.”—Rachel Held Evans, InspiredImage by PublicDomainPictures from PixabayHide and SeekGrowing up in a small town in rural Alabama, my first […]