Coffeehouse Contemplative: Recent Episodes
Jeff Nelson
A minister and author explores spirituality and the creative process beyond the walls of institutional religion, for those both inside and outside the church.
The story of an unexpected side quest that my work team encountered when we attended an event in Lexington, Kentucky.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon on my first Sunday at St. Michael's UCC in Marshallville, Ohio on October 5, 2025.
Luke 17:5-10
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Emanuel UCC in Doylestown, Ohio on September 28, 2025.
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I'm making a change in my vocational life, and I want to share it with you.
Episode 178: What's the Worse Part?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Just like Jason Segel's character in the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, we may be putting off a creative dream. What is it, and how could you begin pursuing it?
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Mirrobius: A Novel
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I recently had COVID again, and skipped a week of recording a new episode as a result. Here are all the reasons why that was a good idea.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Congregational UCC in Canton on August 24, 2025.
Luke 13:10-17
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Dover Congregational UCC in Westlake, Ohio on August 17, 2025.
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Our house flooded the other week, and we're still sorting through the aftermath. This episode tells the story, as well as identifies what can help us get through such difficult times.
Episode 180: They Bring Themselves
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon at New Vision UCC in Canton, Ohio on August 3, 2025.
Luke 10:1-11
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
How do we handle disappointment related to what we create? When only so many people engage with or purchase our work? This episode explores this question, and encourages you to keep going.
The Unintentional Interim: Ministry in Times of Transition
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at St. Michael's UCC in Marshallville, Ohio on July 20, 2025.
Luke 10:38-42
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The month of July always carries a transitional feel to me. Maybe you can name other months or other times of year that carry that for you.
The Unintentional Interim: Ministry in Times of Transition
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon I preached on July 6, 2025 at Emanuel United Church of Christ in Doylestown, Ohio.
2 Kings 5:1-14
The Final Season by Tom Stanton
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Ecotones are unique third spaces in between two starkly different environments. Our lives also have these transitional spaces, and they can be unique places of growth and possibility.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We are part of a web of relationships, connections, resources, and wisdom. We're not meant to handle many things by ourselves. This episode discusses the web metaphor used in my new book.
The Unintentional Interim: Ministry in Times of Transition
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
There are no shortcuts to the creative process. This episode reflects on the importance of starting, the value of first drafts, and overcoming writer's block.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
In honor of May the Fourth, I re-present a prior episode of the podcast that reflects on some theological implications of the Star Wars franchise.
Episode 11: A Theology of Star Wars
Episode 12: A Theology of Star Wars, Part 2
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
An introduction to and reading from my new book, The Unintentional Interim: Ministry in Times of Transition.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Giving a second life to what I thought at the time was not my best Easter sermon. When I re-preached it for this episode, I don't know why I thought that.
Mark 16:1-8
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The physical items that we collect can help tell the story of our lives and identity.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
High Fidelity (movie)
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Brief introductions and readings from my three most recent books, including a preview of my newest, which releases this month.
Episode 61: All My Books, Part 1
Episode 62: All My Books, Part 2
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Mirrobius: A Novel
The Unintentional Interim: Ministry in Times of Transition
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Whenever we go through a time of needing to heal from something, we may do so with the mindset that we need to get back to some former version of life as soon as we can. But this time of healing can bring clarity about who we are, and who our new healed self can and should be as well.
NEW BOOK AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: The Unintentional Interim
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A recap of my experience at Cleveland Fan Expo 2025.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A martial arts principle about the development of skill and knowledge, which can easily be translated to other activities.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The Christian season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, March 5th. This week's episode gives some basics on what this time means, and a few traditional practices to observe.
Go Ahead and Give Up Chocolate for Lent
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What's it take to achieve something big, glamorous, and life-changing? The answer is a lot of little things that may be boring, but necessary.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The stereotypes of a midlife crisis are well-known and often played for laughs. But what does such a life season really entail, and what opportunities for growth and self-reflection can it bring?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We are constantly besieged by demands on our attention and energy. What are truly worth the effort, and how can we renew ourselves along the way?
The Wandering Mind by Jamie Kreiner
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
If you could go back and make a different choice, what would your life look like now? What will your life look like when you are faced with such choices in the future? Let's do a little thought experiment to take stock of the past, and anticipate what is to come.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Music: "Reflections" byWild Wonder
In our current collective season, we may be feeling a lot of anger and anxiety. We need ways that name and vent those feelings that may help calm us down, but also ways that allow us to channel it in a helpful direction.
Playlist: Everybody Shut Up
Episode 29: The Rage Room
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Congregational UCC in Canton, Ohio on January 26, 2025.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon preached at Congregational UCC in Canton, Ohio on January 19, 2025.
John 2:1-11
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The anniversary of my ordination into ministry was 20 years ago this month. Here are a few themes and learnings that I think translate well for general use.
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After the season of Christmas comes the celebration of Epiphany. This episode explores what it is and why it's important. Also, a little recap of my month off.
Matthew 2:1-12
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Late November can be a time when we're caught between two holiday seasons. In this final episode of the year, I honor both of them individually.
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Highly Superior Christmas Playlist
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I've spent 2024 focusing on joy. With about 6 weeks left in the year, here's a little of what it taught me.
Episode 139: Love Comes Back Around
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After Election Day, many are asking, "What now? What do we do?" I don't have any deep wisdom, but I can provide at least a little encouragement as we seek answers together.
Luke 21:5-19
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
All Saints Day is traditionally observed on November 1st. In this week's episode, I give thanks for some who have been saints to me.
Episode 116: Moonlight Is Lonely
Paw Prints on the Baptism Cake
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Paul shares a brilliant metaphor in 1 Corinthians to show how essential every member of the church actually is.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A single moment can send us into days of self-doubt, questioning, anxiety, and despair. Realizing that such moments are probably not that big a deal can take effort, but can also help us avoid such an internal struggle.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Bringing a long-standing blog and newsletter feature to the podcast for the first time.
My monthly author newsletter
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A phenomenon exists where enough people misremember something that it becomes part of the popular consciousness, when in fact it was never true. This can happen with faith and spirituality as well, sometimes to harmful results.
Chuck Mangione, "Feels So Good"
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I've been involved in Wing Chun for about three months now. Here are some life lessons I've taken away from it already.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A reading from my new novel, Mirrobius, and some reflections on my experience writing the characters.
Mirrobius: A Novel
Episode 143: Mirrobius
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My Friday the 13th could have gone much better. Instead, I had major car trouble that consumed most of my day. But somehow, there were bright spots in the midst of an anxious, vulnerable time.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My first novel, Mirrobius, released on September 3rd, 2024. I've taken to describing it as a sci-fi/fantasy mystery tech thriller. In this week's episode, I talk about my inspiration for it, the creative process, and the story elements.
Mirrobius: A Novel
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may be used to thinking of divine signs in a particular way: God manipulating the world around us just so we can interpret it. That may not be how signs actually work, but we still might experience them.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Community Christian Church in North Canton, Ohio on August 25, 2024.
John 6:56-69
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at West Park UCC in Cleveland on Sunday, August 18, 2024.
1 Kings 2:10-2, 3:3-14
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Chapel Hill Community in Canal Fulton, Ohio on August 11, 2024.
1 Kings 19:4-8
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Jennifer Knapp's music has been an enduring presence in my life and faith journey. My recent experience seeing her live confirmed that for me.
Jennifer Knapp's website
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Community Christian Church in North Canton, Ohio on July 28, 2024.
John 6:1-21
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Bethany UCC in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on July 21, 2024.
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What's causing enough stress in your life that something might be close to breaking?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Just catching up after my month off: vacation, upcoming books, and big life questions.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The story of the Spirit descending on the disciples in Acts 2 is one of chaos, disorder, and defying expectations. And yet not many of us may appreciate when the Spirit shows up in our lives in a similar way.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Answering the question, "What's saving your life right now?" for myself. How would you answer?
Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Community Christian Church in North Canton on Sunday, May 12th, 2024.
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Sometimes in the midst of grief or loss, creating through it can help.
Paw Prints on the Baptism Cake
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
People occasionally ask me how I've managed to write my books. Here's my basic approach to the creative process, which will seem anticlimactic, and generally boils down to "I just did it."
My books
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A brief recap of my family's recent experience at Cleveland Fan Expo, and reflections on how and why we connect to stories in books, shows, movies, and comics.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
When the initial novelty and excitement of a new experience fades, what do we do? We have several options, one of which is adaptation.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon I preached on Sunday, April 7th at Church of the Redeemer UCC in Westlake, Ohio.
John 20:19-31
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Easter is meant to be a time of joyful proclamation and celebration. But what if we don't feel much like celebrating?
Mark 16:1-8
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
One's mental health journey likely will feature many curves, bumps, stops, and starts. But embarking toward healing and wellness at all is what's important.
Episode 43: Journaling 101
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The spring time change has not been treating me well the past few years. Maybe it's the same for you. I have some ideas of how to ease this exhausting and annoying transition.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Most of us have passions and interests that are vastly different from what people know us to do and to be. Have you ever thought about actually trying to pursue those things? What's holding you back?
George Harrison, Brainwashed
Old in Art School by Nell Irvin Painter
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Not every environment is meant for us if we want to thrive, do our best work, and be our best selves. This episode will explore some of the ways to name why some spaces might feel "off" for us.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I just turned 45 and I have some thoughts and feelings about it.
Nerdette with Alison Brie and Dave Franco
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
A sermon for the First Sunday in Lent, based on Mark 1:9-15.
Mark 1:9-15
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Once again, Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday will fall on the same day this year. It may not seem like these observances go together very well, but they actually do.
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
My Books
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
How are your New Year's resolutions holding up? If they're not doing so well, it might be better to view them in terms of the daily process rather than the end result.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My uncle, David Lawrence, passed away this week. This episode celebrates his love of music and family.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
It's been a week of cancelled school (and work) days thanks to snow and cold. This episode explores the happiness that snow days bring, and of finding joy in simple things.
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Missing a single instance of our routine can put us into a negative space of guilt, questioning our dedication, comparison to others, and a host of other things. This episode will examine that negative space, as well as how to get out of it.
Episode 111: Their Story Is Not Your Story
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Change is happening in our lives constantly, and often there's more than one occurring at a time. How do we deal with it all? What kinds of questions could we ask to do so?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may struggle with an internal voice that constantly reminds us of our mistakes, flaws, and imperfections. It can have a negative effect on how we think others see us, as well as our self-perception. What's the key to quieting this voice?
NOTE: The podcast will be taking a break in December and return in 2024.
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may sometimes become tempted to compare our experiences with someone else's. That can be problematic for us in a number of ways, chief of which is that it keeps us from recognizing the unique circumstances of our own lives.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
How do we best set up our brains for success, productivity, and engagement? This episode will explore the Ultradian Rhythm that guides our mental capacity to give our best effort.
No Self No Problem by Chris Niebauer
Keep Going by Austin Kleon
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon that I preached at Christ UCC in Orrville, Ohio on Sunday, November 5th, 2023.
Joshua 3:7-17
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Just an update on what's been happening in my life the past week.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
When something happens to us, how sure can we be that it's 100% good or bad? What benefit could it be to wait things out and see how things go? What if we held off on our tendency to construct a narrative around our experiences?
We'll See - A Chinese Proverb
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
As much as we might like to believe otherwise, our minds sometimes play tricks on us. This may be in response to particular scenarios in our lives or in relation to our overall worldview. What causes it, and how might we come to a truly more rational space within ourselves?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The story of my two ebooks becoming paperbacks, the birth of my own publishing imprint, and the creative possibility that it brings.
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon for World Communion Sunday at First Congregational Church of Akron on October 1, 2023.
Philippians 2:1-13
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Sometimes we can be so focused on the achievement at the end of a process that we can miss little lessons and experiences along the way. Making a point to notice moments during the journey can help us appreciate it more.
The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may have many different reasons for not setting a good boundary when we should. A certain amount of them are rooted in satisfying our own ego at the expense of our own health and relationships.
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Recounting my experience at Akron Pride at the end of August.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I'm celebrating my 100th episode via a lot of self-admitted navel-gazing regarding what I've learned over the course of recording this podcast.
Recommended favorites:
Episode 4: Practice Makes Proficient
Episode 10: The Call Cycle
Episode 35: Ash Wednesday
Episode 64: The Three (or Four) Cs
Episode 80: I Don't Call It Trauma, But It's Trauma
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
TRIGGER WARNING: domestic violence and suicide
My community suffered a great tragedy this past week. This episode is my possibly ill-advised way of beginning to process it. I also reflect on ways to express grief when we can't find the words.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We can give quite a bit of our mental and spiritual energy to worrying about things that won't happen for a while. Sometimes such worry is warranted, but often it could be redirected toward what's happening in the moment.
Matthew 6:25-34
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My family and I recently had the chance to take a ghost tour of the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. I wanted to share a little of our experience while it's still fresh in my mind, as well as talk about other potentially paranormal moments that I've had.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The concept of "leaving the nest" works just fine for birds, but it gets more complicated when we apply it to humans. This week's episode re-examines this long-used metaphor.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Certain industries warn of "pinch points" that may be present as workers perform tasks or operate tools or machines. There's a such thing as mental, emotional, and spiritual pinch points as well. This episode explores what those could be, as well as ways to watch for them.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Bethany UCC in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on July 23, 2023.
Genesis 28:10-19a
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The sermon I preached on Sunday, July 16th at Bethany UCC in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My first night in Indianapolis, I took a pretty extensive walk through the downtown area.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My family enjoyed our annual beach vacation in mid-June. I decided it'd be fun to gradually record something for the podcast during that week as different ideas came to me. This week's episode is the result.
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Our minds have creative and amazing ways to help us make sense of the world, including how best to make decisions when faced with opportunities and problems. But as helpful as they can be, we may need more than our own cognitive devices to see what's truly happening.
NOTE: the podcast will be taking a break in June and will return in early July.
No Self No Problem by Chris Niebauer
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may have a certain notion or preference about how life should play out, but it doesn't often match up with what actually happens. From ordering an unfamiliar dish at a restaurant to our biggest life moments, how do we reconcile the ideal vs. reality?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
According to the liturgical calendar, we are still in the Easter season. Does it still feel like Easter, though? Reminders are much more difficult to come by than they were in March and early April. So what kinds of reminders do we need, and where can we find them now?
John 14:15-21
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Sometimes we ask, "How did this happen?" or "How did things get to this point?" To help find the answer, we should look back on what happened the days, weeks, or months before. And what could we do today to end up with a better tomorrow?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Sometimes the images we use for God make sense, but due to life's current circumstances, there might be others that make more sense to us. This week's episode will explore the fact that we have many more such images to work with than we may think.
Dishwalla, Counting Blue Cars
Sati by Christopher Pike
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
You may be dealing with some ailment--physical, emotional, or spiritual--that is throwing you just enough off kilter to cause you to re-arrange your approach to life. How do we live with such things, and can we learn anything from them?
2 Corinthians 12:2-12
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Even the most constructive forms of feedback can feel awful to hear. But remembering some things about ourselves and the person sharing it with us can help us receive it better.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
This episode will be released on Easter Sunday, so I'm sharing one of my own experiences that is foundational to why I consider myself an "Easter Christian."
Luke 24:13-35 (NIV)
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Palm Sunday and Holy Week show us a very different use and nature of power than what we're used to and may even prefer.
Celebrities for Jesus by Katelyn Beaty
Matthew 21:1-11
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My sermon at Congregational United Church of Christ in Canton, Ohio on March 26, 2023 for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
There are certain people, places, experiences, or seasons with which we may have negative associations. And when the circumstances are right, those negative associations can revisit our bodies, minds, and spirits all over again. For some reason, I try to avoid calling this phenomenon "trauma," but that's what it is.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
This week's episode is the sermon I preached at Dover Congregational UCC in Westlake, Ohio on March 12, 2023 for the Third Sunday in Lent.
Exodus 17:1-7
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Hitting our physical nerve points can hurt. Hitting our emotional and spiritual nerve points can hurt even more. This week's episode will explore how to identify what and where those nerve points are for ourselves.
"Reflections" by Wild Wonder
All I want to do this week is tell you the story of my recent speeding ticket.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Do we have a problem with Lent? Maybe, maybe not. But there are ways in which Lent can be problematic. This episode explores those ways, as well as offers some guidelines for choosing a Lenten practice.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After experiencing a failure or mistake, it can be very easy for us to dwell on it to the point where we expect nothing but negative things to happen going forward. That mindset can then affect future attempts for the worse.
The BLACK PIT of NEGATIVE EXPECTATIONS by Brian Cook
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Now that most churches are gathering for worship in person again, the old tired arguments about which form of worship is best are being trotted back out. This week's episode is basically a rant about that kind of thinking, with an encouragement to be more open to what others find meaningful.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
In one's school days, our experiences of gym class and recess might have been very different, and we might have dreaded the former while eagerly anticipating the latter. What were the differences between the two, and how might we be operating with these same differences in our lives today?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I didn't have a clear single idea for this week's episode, so you get several ideas in shorter bursts instead. This week I reflect on "the grindset," rearranging my basement studio, and my current book manuscript.
How Interior Design Impacts Your Mental Health
Episode 59: When You Have to Start Over
My Month of Writing, Derailed
Music "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We can put an incredible amount of pressure on ourselves to get everything in our lives absolutely perfect, and we may even tie this need to our own sense of self-worth. A little-known extra-Biblical document gives us some practical wisdom for how to address that.
The Didache
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Many still make resolutions for New Year's, with mixed results at best. But there are alternatives to this method that can be effective in helping people make desired changes to their lives. One such method is choosing a single word by which to live throughout the year.
One Word 365
One Word 2023: Heal
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The Christmas season can bring a lot of positive feelings such as comfort, peace, sentimentality, and belonging. But the theological implications of this time is also meant to bring discomfort, challenge, and a call to action.
Matthew 2:13-23
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The season of Advent is the precursor to Christmas, but it serves an important purpose in its own right. This episode will explore why Advent is necessary for Christians' preparation for the new birth to come.
NEW ADVENT EBOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Around the same time that many people like to begin singing Christmas carols, Thanksgiving hymns may be chosen for worship in many churches but might not receive the same attention. This episode is my own attempt to give them the appreciation that they deserve.
NEW ADVENT BOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Taking a view of life that is ordered and linear and has very clear steps may comfort some, but for many it doesn't make much sense. Perhaps there's another way to approach life and faith that takes better account of circumstance and context.
NEW ADVENT EBOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Trains, Jesus, and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash by Richard Beck
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
My new ebook, Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent, released on November 1st. This week's episode includes a celebration of that release, an overview of how it came about, and a couple readings from it.
Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
How does one become better at something, whether art, cooking, crafting, writing, or anything else? I came up with three concepts that all start with the letter C, and then in the midst of recording I added a fourth. Whether three or four, these are what help lead greater ability in one's chosen activity.
NEW ADVENT EBOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Lucian James
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Social media can be a wonderful place of information, connection, and affirmation. It can also be incredibly addictive, and detrimental to our minds and spirits.
NEW ADVENT EBOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
The Nap Ministry
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
In honor of the upcoming release of my new Advent ebook, Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent, I thought I'd take the time to talk a bit more about the books I've already published. This week I focus on the two books I've written that connect faith with pop culture, as well as my previous ebook.
Episode 61: All My Books, Part 1
Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith from the Music of Dave Matthews Band
The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
In honor of the upcoming release of my new Advent ebook, Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent, I thought I'd take the time to talk a bit more about the books I've already published. This week I focus on the two books I've written about spiritual practice.
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
This week's episode was almost a bad idea, but then I realized that and changed it. How do we spot a bad creative idea, and what makes it bad? I explore that while sharing a few bad ideas I've had over the years.
PRE-ORDER MY NEW ADVENT EBOOK: Four Weeks: Reflections for Advent
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What do you do when some part of your life just...stops? It was a part of your meaning-making and helped form part of your identity, and now it's just not there any more? What are our options when we suddenly have to start over?
30 Days of Writing
My Month of Writing, Derailed
My books
My monthly newsletter
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Remembering and giving thanks for the life of a recently departed mentor, the Rev. Richard Plant.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
When is an ending really an ending? What does it look like to measure our lives less by calendars and clocks and more by seasons? Changing our perception of the ebbs and flows of our lives may help us identify signs of change, both past and present.
Episode 52: Enjoy the Day
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Managing Transitions by William Bridges and Susan Bridges
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Sometimes we do everything as best we can when discerning a new venture, but once we begin we may still discover that it wasn't the right fit after all. What could cause this, and how might we react after?
Episode 55: Notes on Discernment
Episode 48: This, Too, Is a Lesson
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
So many things factor into a good and faithful process of discerning what we are called to do. Here are 8 factors (among others) that are important to consider when figuring out where we may be meant to go next.
Episode 54: Don't Say That
Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Jeremiah 20:7-12
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
When we consider trying something new, how often might we tell ourselves that we might be too young/old/inexperienced/quiet/outgoing/etc. to actually do it? We might be depriving ourselves by squashing our ambition before we start, or soon after we try. The story of Jeremiah's call helps give insight to moving past these initial statements.
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What keeps us from trying something new? It could be a variety of factors, some rational and others less so. But how do we know whether it will be good for us until we actually venture out and do it?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We take such great pains to try to tame or "seize" time, because we're often told that this is the way to measure our worth. But there's a different way to approach the limited amount of time that we have, and it's by something besides our calendars and to-do lists.
Episode 51: Summer Sabbath
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The podcast is taking July off, so this will be my last episode for a month. To that effect, I want to reflect on the concepts of rest and sabbath, and why they're so important and necessary to experience a full and joy-filled life.
Genesis 1:1-2:4
Sabbath by Dan Allender
Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Brueggemann
The Nap Ministry
My website
My books
My newsletter
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Have you ever spoken to or sought guidance from a loved one or mentor who is no longer living? If you've never done so, it's not that strange of an idea. Biblical and spiritual writers offer some ideas on how to do this, but it's really as simple as imagining their presence and talking.
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday (my first book)
Hebrews 11-12:3
All the Ways Our Dead Still Speak by Caleb Wilde
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What truths about ourselves might we be avoiding, and why are we avoiding them? It may be because to address them is to experience discomfort and pain. But that discomfort and pain will also bring growth and greater wholeness.
Millenneagram by Hannah Paasch
Proverbs 8
All the Ways Our Dead Still Speak by Caleb Wilde
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may not always realize it, but everything we go through has the potential to teach us something. It may not be the first thing on our mind when it happens, but eventually we can look back and identify what we learned from both the most joyous and tragic moments in our lives.
Episode 46: Further Thoughts on Healing
Acts 2
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
At the end of a hard month that has brought tragedy and uncertainty about the future, it's important to give voice to our anger, sadness, and anxiety. This week's episode explores the theology of lamentation and offers a brief guide on how to do it.
Lamentations 3
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may recognize when we're in need of healing. But there are a lot of voices within and outside us that will work against us actually taking time to do it. Where'd those voices come from, and how can we discern which are truly worth listening to?
Episode 45: A Hodgepodge
Nerdette podcast, Aim for just okay
Amil Niazi, "How the pandemic Made Me Lose My Ambition"
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I had a few different things on my mind this week, and rather than flesh any of them out into a full length episode, I decided to just talk about all of them. So here I talk about 1) the important messages our body sends us, 2) more thoughts on being a geek, and 3) Mother's Day.
Episode 44: The Geeks Have Inherited the Earth
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Books, movies, TV, and music help us make meaning and find community with fellow fans. They also provide ways to talk about faith and spirituality that Bible verses and theology books might not. Having just attended Cleveland Fan Expo, this sort of thing is on my mind, and so I talk about it.
The Gospel According to the Simpsons by Mark I. Pinsky
My pop culture books:
Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith from the Music of Dave Matthews Band
The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After over 20 years of journaling, I’ve learned what works best for me. You may still be trying to figure out what works best for you. Here are some basic thoughts and tips for those looking to begin or improve their own journaling practice.
A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren
Moleskine notebooks
Zequenz notebooks
Morning pages
Music: “Reflections” by Wild Wonder
Many people of faith may have a strange relationship with Easter. It may be due to the past few Easters being so different due to the pandemic, or to the strange claims we make on this day, or to our pulling away from the faith community we’ve been a part of.
Luke 24:13-35
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: “Reflections“ by Wild Wonder
Sometimes words are just words. But when we have stories, experiences, or personal connections to them, they become so much more. This includes the words and practices of Holy Week.
NEW BOOK: No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We have an internal voice that constantly tells us what we should be doing to make ourselves more worthy of love or acceptance. This voice may come from our family of origin, religious upbringing, or workplace environment, but it presses down upon us and stifles our joy and sense of meaning. What if we viewed the world in another way?
NEW BOOK: No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Luke 10:38-42
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Having a big dream for a new beginning or a changed lifestyle sounds great in our heads, but beginning to pursue them is something else entirely. The reality of what we need to do to make the change we seek is often jarring and discouraging. Carving out smaller steps and habits is the way to get past these times of frustration or hesitation.
ALL MY BOOKS
Amie McNee website
Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic by Reinhold Neibuhr
"Sunrise swims to cope with winter," Chicago Tribune
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We each have days that are personally meaningful to us. There are the more obvious ones like birthdays, relationship anniversaries, and holidays, but we each may also have days that we ourselves acknowledge and remember but that most others have no idea about unless we tell them. And yet marking those days is as important to us as the others, and maybe even moreso.
Episode 36: No Perfect Time
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Luke 9:28-36
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Pursuing your creative passion involves a certain amount of awkwardness, since you'll need time to develop yourself as a creator. But then when it comes time for the question of whether to share your creation with the world, that brings a new set of fears: of being laughed at, or rejected, or ignored. It can take a lot of courage to share your passion with others, but the possibility of finding your audience outweighs the risk of looking foolish.
Dare to Be Stupid by "Weird Al" Yankovic
Matthew 5:14-16
"Those Impious Galileans" by Jonathan D. Blundell
MY NEW BOOK: No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
On March 7th, my new book, No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith, officially releases. I take time this week to talk about where it came from and why I'm publishing it the way that I am, as well as read two entries. I'm excited to share this new creative work with my expanding listener base.
No Perfect Time: Brief Essays on Life and Faith
Episode 35: Ash Wednesday
Episode 31: The Eject Button
My author newsletter
All my other books
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Ash Wednesday--and the season of Lent in general--is known to be a time of humility, repentance, and being honest with ourselves about our shortcomings, mistakes, and mortality. With all that's going on in our world every day, why would we want to pile more on? This episode will explore the lesser desirable themes of the upcoming season, while also exploring their positive qualities (no, really, there are some).
Joel 2:12-17
Psalm 51
Reinhold Niebuhr - Time Magazine
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We encounter moments for which we prepare carefully and with attention to as many details as we can. But then something might happen that demands our adaptation, testing our ability to change our approach in order to respond. If we try to stick strictly to the script, we may miss out on an opportunity for growth. But if we allow for this "eruption of the real" to happen, we may experience life more fully.
"How playwright Tetsuro Shigematsu has transformed my homiletics classes" by John Byassee
Nick Hurwitch
Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith from the Music of Dave Matthews Band
Mark 7:24-29
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We tend to associate the season of winter with scarcity, barrenness, and despair, where signs of life are more difficult to come by. It's also a season where we are left with all that we are facing, with less to shield ourselves from dealing with it. But even bare seasons can carry hope and redemption and the promise of new life, even if those things are harder to see.
Whole 'nother Story - February by Kevin Killeen
Episode 31: The Eject Button
I'm not languishing, I'm dormant by Austin Kleon
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Many people have a tendency to see illness in terms of failure, laziness, and weakness. This view places an extra burden on the sick and disabled, which are among the last things that they need. Rather than guilt and shame, those who suffer from illness need healing and support, as well as a re-framing of the meaning of illness in general.
Episode 31: The Eject Button
John 9:1-41
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What’s a moment where you long considered doing something different or letting go of something, and you finally did it because circumstances pushed you into doing it? We may dwell in hesitation and rationalization and safety for so long, but eventually reach a point where staying where we are is no longer an option. Sometimes it's less than ideal, but at other times, it's exactly what we need.
My new website!
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Our thoughts are often scattered by the number of different responsibilities that we have to keep track of, that any one of them is always in danger of not receiving our best effort. Before taking on any helpful tips or tricks regarding how to focus, we first need to explore the issues underlying our lack of focus, which often stem from our sense of self.
Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee
Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams
The First Principle and Foundation by Ignatius of Loyola
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Anger is one of the most socially unacceptable emotions, in part because it makes others uncomfortable, but also in part because it is often expressed in destructive, harmful, and abusive ways. As a natural human emotion, anger is not wrong in itself, but what we do with it can be. Rather than avoid our anger, we should take time to understand it better, and to discern how best to express it.
The Angry Christian by Andrew Lester
Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Matthew 5:21-26
James 1:14-24
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Some practices that help reduce anxiety may involve breathing exercises or talking things out with others. But just as effective might be actions that involve taking it out - not on people, but on inanimate objects such as hitting a bag, stomping balloons, or going for a walk or run. Sometimes we need something much more active as a form of release to bring us back to ourselves.
Episode 27: Just Vibes
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
One Word 2022: Flow
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The past few years have been marked by anxiety, for both national and personal reasons. So where do we find peace in the midst of this? How may we be able to calm and center our minds, hearts, and spirits not just to survive, but to truly live a life? What sorts of tangible actions could we take to tap into a vibe that sustains us?
NEW WEBSITE
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We are now in the season of Advent, a time of 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas. It's a time of preparation for the celebration of birth, and to reflect on our need for God to do a new thing in the world. So in this final episode for 2021, I want to give a reflection meant to be a help you the listener in your own preparation leading up to this special time.
Luke 2:1-20
John 1:1-14
My blog
My newsletter
My books
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Most people associate coffee with the morning, but coffee can be for the late hours of the day as well. For many who drink it this time, it may be when coffee’s practical uses truly come to the forefront. But again, there can be another dimension to enjoying coffee after hours. Its spiritual potential is just as strong as earlier in the day.
Episode 23: Coffee Meditation #1
Episode 24: Coffee Meditation #2
Genesis 32:24-29
Barbara Brown Taylor, Learning to Walk in the Dark
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Coffee has a reputation of speeding things up, but I think it can also have an opposite effect. It can help slow us down and take stock of our surroundings. Coffee may be able to alter and enhance our awareness at the chemical level, but it can also alter our awareness at the mental and spiritual level by helping us take stock of what’s around us and within us.
Episode 23: Coffee Meditation #1
Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
Rob Walker, The Art of Noticing
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
For some, coffee is essential to waking up. For others, it's a common cause and catalyst for socialization. It can aid in our ability to reflect and observe. This episode and the ones that will follow will be a series of meditations less about coffee itself and more about the larger experiences that it helps us enjoy.
How to Be Idle by Tom Hodgkinson
Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
“Forgive and forget” is one of those terms that people sometimes trot out in times of trauma, especially when one person has inflicted it on another. But forgiveness isn’t that simple, in part because forgetting isn’t that simple. When we experience that level of injury, it lives in our bodies, minds, and spirits. How might forgetting play a role in our healing? Or can it?
Episode 21: It Never Truly Leaves
Matthew 18: 21-35
Exclusion and Embrace by Miroslav Volf
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We may tend to frame our need for healing from trauma or loss in terms of "letting go" or even forgetting what happened, as if we won't truly experience wholeness again until this past event is erased from our heart and mind. But rather than erase it from our lives (which isn't really possible), we may instead acknowledge that it is part of us, and incorporate it into our new and emerging sense of self.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
As we consider the habits and decisions that have brought us to where we are, that will especially include how this pandemic season has forced us to rethink and redirect parts of our lives. We’ve been presented with so many different changed circumstances that we can’t avoid taking into consideration that the question “what are you building” can’t be answered in the same way now.
Episode 18: What Are You Building?
Episode 19: Church Building
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
The question "What are you building?" pertains to every aspect of our lives, but let's apply it to one thing: the church. Through this example, non-churchgoers may still be able to see how this may be applied in other ways.
Episode 18: What Are You Building?
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Many events in our lives or in the world happen because they’ve been building for a while, set in motion days, weeks, years ago by a series of decisions and factors. We may or may not know it at the time, but they helped contribute to where things are today. Are we able to analyze how certain things in our lives built to where they did? Can we pause to look behind and see what we’ve been building now?
Matthew 7:24-27
Episode 4: Practice Makes Proficient
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After admitting you can no longer do something and entering the bare season after, you may begin to get anxious about how long that season is taking. Maybe the answer involves a slow discovery or comes as a sudden epiphany. Either way, there are certain ways in which we may take active and intentional steps to figure it out.
Episode 15: Sometimes You Can't
Episode 16: A Bare Season
Brian Cook, The Story 2021: As You Can See, I Can't Pay You
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Letting go of something can feel liberating. But then we may enter a new season where we wonder what's next, and it may take a while to figure that out. What can we do during this bare season that will help us discover what we may be called to produce next?
Episode 15: Sometimes You Can't
Luke 13:6-9
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
We receive so many messages around us that no matter how hard things get, we should be able to push through. We're told to never say that we can't. And yet admitting that we don't have the energy, resources, or willpower that we really need could be the first step to greater healing and wholeness.
Blog posts: Blank, Can't Handle This
Bo Burnham, All Eyes on Me
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
It's been a long, low creative energy summer. But I'm ready to get this podcast back up and running with some new ideas and a slightly different approach. I hope that you didn't give up on me in the meantime, and that this episode popping up on whatever subscription feed you use is a welcome thing.
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Episode 4: Practice Makes Proficient
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
If the concept of hell in the Bible isn’t as clear cut as many Christians believe, what do we do with it? Can we, or should we, retain the idea of hell at all? Most importantly, does hell mesh logically with the idea of an all-loving God who shares God’s grace unconditionally? Given how damaging the idea of hell has been for so many Christians and non-Christians, it’s worth spending more time with to consider how worthwhile it really is.
Romans 5:12-19
The Divine Comedy
Episode 6: Palm Sunday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Where did the popular concept of hell as a place of eternal torment come from, and how can we reconcile it with the idea of a God who loves humanity unconditionally? This week begins an exploration of the concept, including a brief treatment of the primary places in scripture on which the idea is based.
Love Wins by Rob Bell
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After publishing last week's episode on a theology of Star Wars, I started thinking that I wanted to continue focusing on the subject. There is so much possibility in just how the Jedi and Sith each approach the Force, that I wanted to explore it more. In particular, the Jedi tend to discourage focus on one's emotions, which ends up having devastating consequences. What can we learn from the mistakes of the Jedi to better incorporate emotion into our spiritual experience?
A Theology of Star Wars
My books on spirituality and popular culture:
Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith and the Music of Dave Matthews Band
The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Star Wars is one of the most beloved and enduring pop culture franchises ever made. And it's worth asking what we might learn from it theologically. One podcast won't be able to do so exhaustively, but we can at least begin to explore the rich possibilities of this series.
My books on pop culture and theology:
Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith from the Music of Dave Matthews Band
The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
I didn't have time to write and record a full episode this week, so instead I take a few minutes to process out loud what it was like to attend my first public social gathering in over a year, thanks in part to becoming fully vaccinated.
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
There are many signs and symbols that we need to watch for in order to discern our call. But after we begin pursuing it, there come times when we may need to recalibrate, and decide between recommitting ourselves or taking a different path. In that sense, calls can be cyclical, and recognizing where we are in the cycle can help us choose what to do.
Anatomy of a Call
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
What comes to mind when you think of the word "calling?" Do you believe that you have found yours, or are you still searching? What goes into seeking a call, anyway? The answers to these questions may not be straightforward, but there are certain signs and elements that we can watch for.
Hearing God's Call by Ben Campbell Johnson
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Have you ever walked into your workplace or some other place to which you've been dedicated, and realized you no longer have the energy to be there? Can you name something that you used to approach with energy and passion, that you now regard with cynicism, apathy, or despair? This feeling is called burnout, and we need to talk about it.
Just Do Today
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
So many of us live closely by our schedules and to-do lists. But those schedules and to-do lists come with worries and an overdeveloped preoccupation on what comes next. We have both the possibilities and limitations of any given day, and both can be gifts.
Matthew 6:25-34
Practice Makes Proficient
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Christians know Palm Sunday best as the beginning of Holy Week, during which they are invited to reflect on one of the stories from the Gospels of Jesus' ride into Jerusalem a few days before his crucifixion. It tends to be a celebratory day, as well as a lead-in for what comes later in the week. But the story's implications carry so much more than what we may tend to see.
Mark 11:1-11
Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
After months of watching lockdowns begin in other countries, it was the United States' turn in March of 2020. Now here we are a year later, and we have experienced and lamented so much. Have we allowed ourselves to grieve over this past year? Will we allow ourselves to deal with lingering effects of grief even after we begin to return to a post-pandemic existence?
Psychology Today, When Grief Gets Physical
Shoma Morita, Morita Therapy
The Endgame of Grief
Wanda's Grief
Psalm 22
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
If you were asked, "What's one thing you wish you were better at," you may actually be able to name more than one thing. We all have activities we wish we could do better, or habits we wish we could develop or break. We may recognize that the key to all of this is more practice -- "practice makes perfect," as the saying goes. But the pursuit of perfection may sabotage us before we even begin. Fortunately, there are other ways to think about practice that are more reasonable and achievable.
Austin Kleon, 31-day Practice and Suck Less Challenge
James Clear, Atomic Habits
One Word 2021: Practice
Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
It's been about a year since the pandemic lockdowns began. Events have been cancelled or postponed over and over, and life in general has been turned upside down. This entire time--and more frequently now that an end slowly appears on the horizon--many have been talking about going "back to normal." But will everything really be exactly as it was, and will we really want it to be?
Ed Prideaux, How to heal the "mass trauma" of Covid-19
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
All the COVID-related lockdowns and cancellations began during Lent 2020, leading someone to create a meme that read, "This is the Lentiest Lent I've ever Lented." This year, we are still faced with going without many of the same things, and questions of where hope and new life may be found are still with us.
With all that we've been through and all that we've learned, how might this Lent be a source of renewal rather than added despair?
Related blog post: Five Reminders for a Meaningful Lent
Benediction: Blessing the Dust by Jan Richardson
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder
Find more about my writing at coffeehousecontemplative.com
The inaugural episode of my new podcast.
Many across the spectrum of religious experience and belief carry with them a question: “Where is God beyond what I know? Where is God beyond the walls of my place of worship? Where is God beyond the pages of my sacred texts and songs?"
There is no one answer to that.
I figured that the best way to begin would be to tell a little of my own story, and why I'm passionate about finding the spiritual in everything.
My books:
- The Doctor and the Apostle: Intersections Between Doctor Who and the Letters of Paul
- Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times
- Wonder and Whiskey: Insights on Faith from the Music of Dave Matthews Band
- Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday
Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder