Shake yourself from the dust and arise. Loose the bonds from your neck.
I knew after two weeks of dating Amanda that I wanted to marry her. Not the casual “she seems nice" kind of wanting, but the all-consuming, no-turning-back certainty that changes everything. To be fair, I had already known her for 4-5 years at that point, and she is a really good cook (a key selling… Continue reading Jump All In: The Cold Water Won’t Kill You (But Hesitation Might)
I wish you would stop drinkingAnd be sober for a while;I wish you would stop huntingFor some stranger veteran's smile. I wish you could see yourselfAs you are when you've had too much;I wish you'd leave it on the shelfAnd tell yourself "Don't touch." I wish you'd choose Sam, Mom, or me,Instead of yourself for… Continue reading I Wish You Would
Trees for shelter and vines for honeyed fruit,The moon for the sun, the dusk for the dawn,Seeds for saplings, the felled nurse for the shoot.My Evening Star makes the stygian gone. Youthful beauty is not withered, but aged,Your lithe, young body is no longer yours;Wealth that you once dreamt, away like time, fades,But a mother’s… Continue reading Venereal Tinuviel: Motherhood
It was a cold night, and the pipes froze in your trailer. No coffee, no toilet. Even though you’re making 19,000-step days and working long before the sun rises and long after it sets, you still claw your way out of your bunk, walk through the sub-freezing temps, and hit the gym. Even though you… Continue reading Cowboy Up: The Rodeo Work Ethic
Anything that keeps you from pursuing the will of God is not just a distraction—it is an assault from Hell designed to derail your soul. Notice I did not say “keeps you from pursuing your dreams” or “keeps you from living your truth.” That’s because, despite our tendency to be self-absorbed and entitled, life isn’t… Continue reading The Great Work: Refuse to Come Down
Have you ever had a moment that seemed to transcend your current reality and circumstances and filled you up with so much weighty joy? The kind that if you try to recreate it when it's gone, like a junkie chasing a high, or that second bite of cake never as good as the first, you… Continue reading Deep Joy: Echoes of Eden
Author’s note: I am not sure why I have chosen to write this, except as a catharsis. I have no application, no lesson here. Only lament. If you like doleful essays, then read on. Perhaps you have had a similar experience. If so, please share in the comments. “I think your dad has dementia,” the… Continue reading Dementia
© Dario Bajurin/stock.adobe.com, and liberated from https://www.britannica.com/place/Pergamum To conquer:1: to gain or acquire by force of arms: subjugate (ex. conquer territory)2: to overcome by force of arms: vanquish (ex. conquered the enemy)3: to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition (ex. conquered the mountain)4: to overcome by mental or moral power: surmount… Continue reading To the One Who Conquers
The U.S. birthrate is not only declining but is at a record low. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the birthrate of 1.66 children per woman is the lowest on record since tracking began in 1979. The Wall Street Journal points to factors such as men and women delaying having… Continue reading Legacy That Lasts
What does it mean to be a worthy man? In Ruth 2:1, the narrator describes a relative of Elimelech named Boaz who was “a worthy man.” We must recall that the story in Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges, and then we must remember how some men at that time were described as… Continue reading Be Worthy Men
Awake! Put on strength! 