I grew up evangelical, so needless to say, I’ve heard a lot about temptation. But I’ve been thinking about it lately in a new light. Sometimes we view temptation as a desire to do something we’ve been told not to do but that we want to do (classically, this involves sex). Maybe we aren’t even
I can’t get the image of the huge cross erected at the capitol riot out of my head. The symbol of the cross is a reminder of the Righteous giving up His life for the unrighteous. Of a death meant to open a path of reconciliation between God and people, and people and each other.
On the individual level, shame has been recognized as a toxic emotion. People have been encouraged to throw off shame and to accept and embrace themselves. People in the LGBTQ community, tired of living under the banner of shame, reject it with great fanfare at the Pride parades. Pride is the opposite of shame. On
Advent. It’s a season full of rich symbolism and a message of deep, resounding hope for humanity. And it comes at just the right time – right in the middle of the darkest part of the year. The days are short and there never seems to be quite enough light – especially if, like me,
I was always taught that joy is distinct from happiness. That happiness is dependent on circumstances, while joy is something deeper, something even learned and cultivated. It’s less a reaction than a way of being. I’ve spent more time meditating on the concept of joy, having reread the autobiography of CS Lewis called “Surprised by
