Worrying is stupid. It's like carrying around an umbrella waiting for it to rain. Wiz Khalifa I see the above quote from Wiz Khalifa quote pop up from time to time . I checked. Mr. Khalifa lives in Los Angeles—where rain is rare and, when precipitation does fall, citizens are most likely in their cars. The chances of him getting wet are slim. I’ve lived in London and in Duesseldorf (Germany) ...
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Sometimes when you download a new app to your phone, tablet or computer, you get a message telling you that you need to adjust your settings in order for the app to work properly. Recently I heard someone use that term in regards to life. She had had a really good day with one of her children, but she admitted that if you had told her some years ago that ...
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In social media videos, there are always certain hooks that cycle through in popularity--things people say at the beginning of a video on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok that make people watch the whole clip instead of scrolling through. For example: Here's what you're gonna want to do... Here's how you can... Do you want to be able to... Lately, I've been seeing, "I know this is going to make some of you mad" ...
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https://youtu.be/P-Se9v_Q4vg What if it's true? What if the Bible, is indeed, a gift of tools to help us become the people God created us to be--body, mind and spirit. It really is amazing how many things the Bible commands, calls on us, encourages us to do have proven to be excellent health tips! It must hurt God's heart that the Bible, which was clearly meant to be an instrument of healing ...
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No matter how much we love our country, nationalistic signs have no place in our worship spaces. Nadia Bolz-Weber suggested that someone write a liturgy for removing flags from our sanctuaries...so I did. Please feel free to adapt and use as needed. God of all creation, God of every nation, God who is known by many names, We love our country We give thanks for the beauty You bestowed upon it from the purple ...
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While most folks have at least a passing familiarity with at least part of the story of Samson, we often skip over the his origin story. And who doesn't love a good origin story? Last week, I was looking the beginning of Judges, Chapter 13 and (as Doubting Believer regulars know so often happens), I saw something new. I realized something that hadn't occurred to me before. Check it out. Listen to ...
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As we begin to return to much anticipated in-person community, A reminder that community can be hard. We come to community from different places and in different head spaces. We come weary and weird We come cheery and chilled We come in a spectrum of colors We come not always either/or but both/and We come grieving and celebrating We come angry and invigorated The kin-dom of God is one wild kingdom That takes all kinds Make ...
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Today Is the fifth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting. It happened early on a Sunday morning. I remember the day of the week because I woke up to the tragedy as I was getting ready for worship, and it changed the trajectory of what we did and said that morning. It was also the day of the Tony Awards--the year that Hamilton would sweep those awards, its cast performed ...
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It's fun. It's free. It's only for five days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-lVxt8VqOU Sign Up Today!
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This year, Trinity Sunday (where we celebrate the three-in-one nature of our God) is part of a three-in-one Sunday. https://youtu.be/BbBXtRgu0KY
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On this Memorial Day weekend, in the midst of the excitement (and anxiety) of being able to gather once again for barbecues, float trips and pool gatherings, let us not forget to remember. To remember those who gave their lives in service and to acknowledge the power of remembrance. If you know someone who has lost a loved one in service to our country, reach out this weekend. One of the ...
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The story of Hagar is one of the most offensive stories in the Bible. Here Abraham has been promised by God that he will be the Father of a great nation. Promised by God. But since both he and his wife Sara are so old, Abraham decides he’ll hedge his bets and try to reproduce with one of his slaves, Hagar. And yes, such practices were customary in those days, ...
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May we mindful of the myriad of emotions Mother’s Day stirs up for people we love. Today we pray for moms. We pray for the moms who bake cupcakes, wait in car lines, pack lunches, juggle sports schedules and preside over petty playground squabbles. We pray for the moms who struggle to feed their children, worry for their safety and hope for a better tomorrow. We pray for moms who never intended to ...
Read Morehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/4GnyCtRBe02WyzcMZgregl?si=N2f6RfklSxi9yqYl_kbLYg @media screen and (min-width:768px){.ugb-f9f5329.ugb-spacer{height:12px}} This is not a fun story. It doesn't make Sarai, Abram or even God come off looking very good. Hagar, the oppressed concubine pregnant with her master's son, is the hero of the story. We've all had bad days, but I think we can agree that Hagar's bad day is one of the worst. And it is on this day that she encounters God...a God who doesn't even ...
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Does everyone know about elbow grease? Is it a Southern phrase? Do you have to be of a "certain age" to know about it? For those who may not know, elbow grease is hard work--often literal vigorous scrubbing, as in "you can get those brass plaques clean with some polish and some elbow grease," but often figuratively, as in "getting that promotion will require some elbow grease on your part." ...
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Today is National Haiku Day. About a year ago, in an effort to demonstrate how much of a Bible geek I am, I created a haiku for each book of the Bible. It was actually about a little bit more than simply trying to establish my Bible Geek cred. It was a way to get clear in my head what the major themes (albeit incredibly simplified) of each Book of ...
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May the God of endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude toward each other, similar to Christ Jesus’ attitude. Romans 15:5 [Common English Bible] One of the things I fail miserably every day is the attempt to be more Christ-like. Where Jesus was kind and patient and gentle, I tend to be cranky, impatient and snarky. However, I do like to encourage people. I want people to feel empowered and do ...
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I've loved this story for awhile and was delighted to find that someone made it into a short film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9N8OXkN0Rk The story is a bit of the reverse of the Road to Emmaus story--where the disciples didn't recognize that their fellow traveler was, indeed, Jesus. Perhaps we have to be on the lookout to find a God who is on the loose in the world.
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Was that your first thought this morning? "I'm gonna encounter the living Lord Jesus Christ." Probably not. And yet, we spend an awful lot of our time looking for Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xkaSNQJ_3o We spend a lot of time looking for Jesus, but it's often in very holy, very specific spaces and places. We don't go out into everyday life expecting to see Jesus...and I think that's why we so often miss him. ...
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He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! https://youtu.be/0_g65Zl1mCc Here's a great non-traditional Easter hymn to set you off on your journey through Eastertide to the celebration of Pentecost. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVgZGzJ1kk
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Here we are in this weird almost, but not quite, post-pandemic space. Things are not as bad as they were, but we're nowhere near what we hope our new normal will look like. Vaccine rates are up, but so are COVID rates. We can see the finish line, but we've still have to finish the race. As Christians we should be familiar with this feeling. We exist in the no ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7GFKLgjEBk Isaiah 58:1-12 (The Message Translation) 1-3 “Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins!They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me.To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people— law-abiding, God-honoring.They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ and love having me on their side.But they also complain, ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look ...
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Spoiler Alert: St Patrick's Day was not originally a celebration of beer. It would be more appropriate to drink a lot of beer to celebrate Benjamin Franklin who is credited with saying: Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Ben Franklin St. Patrick's Day is the feast day of, well, St. Patrick--the man who brought Christianity to Ireland. He actually first went to Ireland ...
Read MoreI know. Many of us are just barely getting through the day. We're in no shape to light up anything...much less the world. But the world is getting lighter, and we can be a part of bringing more light to a world that desperately needs it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1tEGo9EJW4 Join us! Learn more or sign up now below. Learn More Get it now!
Read MoreIn honor of International Women's Month, here are seven women who weren't just the first women, but the first anyone achieve the following: Anne Edison Taylor was the first woman to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The woman at the well in John 4 is the first person to tell people the Good News about Jesus. Marie Curie was the first person to win a Nobel Prize ...
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This week's Bible story is all about celebrating the lost being found. The message is one I created several years back, but decided to trot out just in time for International Women's Day (March 8). Know that you will never be so lost that God can't find you. You can never be so lost that God won't find you. And because you can never go anywhere God isn't, you'll discover that ...
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https://youtu.be/a6o_hqEKNWM We need to pay attention to how we talk about Jesus and church when we talk to people about Jesus and church--especially those of us (like me) who have spent our lives in church and are used to the language. Church language is not universal, and even among Christians, it varies. Evangelicals and Catholics and Mainline Protestants certainly do not all speak the same language (I've only recently learned about ...
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Tonight begins the Jewish festival of Purim--a celebration of the story of Esther. I did a special Purim edition of Bible Stories for Big Kids, and I'm sharing some other Esther resources here. https://open.spotify.com/episode/60GqUfaUkGdVpLTOVhEVyA?si=CgILvGOBTkKwyUL3D_qCmw Vashti (who doesn't have a very big role) is my favorite character. https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6933276412979825925?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KpdYk_hPhI&t=312s Happy Purim to all who celebrate!
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At Doubting Believer, 2021 is all about encouraging others. In our online class You Got This: How to be an Intentional Encourager, one of the things people have struggled with is being accused of nagging when they're trying to be encouraging. Here's the thing: nagging and encouragement are not at all the same. Encouragement should always be about that person you are encouraging--lifting up his/her/their strengths and gifts. Here ...
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It's one of the many cool things about the Bible. Even the stories we've heard again and again and again still have new things to say to us. Listen with new ears to the story of the Good Samaritan and to what I learned from it this go-round. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pLNTGD2UaSbAcEAc5i39O?si=CFVcXP79RbeqCyZgZNubmA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dxf0Jpsm6Q
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Here's a Lenten ritual you can adapt to use at home--no matter where home is or what the weather is like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeJWYjareBQ&t=24s Lent on Lockdown Starts Wednesday. Join us! Learn More
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The final Sunday before Lent is Transfiguration Sunday. It's a pretty spectacular story with a lesson that we need to hear going into the season of Lent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1NHY3Yg4Nc&t=29s Not signed up for Lockdown for Lent: Reclaim the Holy in Your Home? Do it today! Lockdown for Lent
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All the kids are doing it, and it turns out, quite a few clergy are, too. Is it possible to spread the Good News on an app made famous by dance moves? We'll see. Here are a few of my "beginner" efforts. https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6919575255639936262?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6912468019721686277?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6915771555251358982?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6927652776054918406?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
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I am an ardent follower of Super Bowl commercials...not just because they're entertaining. Because life imitates art (even pop culture art) and art imitates life, I believe the tone of the Super Bowl ads is a barometer of who we are and where we're going as a nation. You may remember that not long ago the ads for the year's biggest sporting event used to be filled with ...
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Lent begins February 17...and even though we can see the end of this pandemic, for many, this will be a Lent on Lockdown--spent largely in our own homes. So use this Lent to reclaim the holy spaces in the place you call home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYiIdfY-EsM Learn More Sign Up Now
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2021 is all about encouragement at Doubting Believer. In this world of emails, social media and Zoom calls, a piece of handwritten snail mail can provide quite the boost for the recipient, and requires very little effort on the part of the sender. Take the challenge to send ten snail mail letters to people and let them know why you love/admire/appreciate them. Trust me. It will mean a lot. #febsnailmail #loveletterchallenge February-EncouragementDownload Been ...
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February is Black History Month. I get that someone as white as I am may not be the best resource for books to read for Black History Month. This is by no means some definitive guide to Black History in America. Nor are these books I've read specifically to educate myself on anti-racism or books on Black liberation or womanist theology (those will come in subsequent lists). I just ...
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My friend Greg came up with a great idea for the last Wednesday of the first month of 2021. Since the first three Wednesdays have been divisive moments for our country (we had Insurrection Wednesday, Impeachment Wednesday and then Inauguration Wednesday), the fourth Wednesday should be something that brings us all together--ice cream. Unless you are lactose intolerant or vegan (and there are still options for you), ice cream is ...
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I tried to write a prayer for today--not so much for our leaders, but for our country as a whole. But I found myself writing different words (plagiarizing?) from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. So I thought I'd just share the original. It really conveys everything I hope for our country in the days, weeks and years to come. I hope St. Francis will permit me the ...
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I've been watching various versions of the story below play out on social media and in real life for months now. May we be mindful and careful of what we decide to toss out and who we decide to shut out. You and I each have a bucket. It can be filled with water, sand, rice, grain...whatever works for you. (It's not a real bucket. It's a metaphor.) Every time I lift ...
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For the past 131 Fridays, I've posted things to read, watch or listen to that are sure to make you smile--because we all could use a little good news. It's the longest running, unbroken spiritual practice I've ever maintained--seeking out good news no matter what is happening in my life or the world. And I'm not about to stop now. However... after the events of this week, I can't bring myself ...
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Lawd, y'all. Here we are in a New Year. A new beginning. A fresh start. But it doesn't seem like all that much as changed, does it? We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we're not there yet. If you feel your faith faltering, remember that a faith that struggles with questions is always stronger than one that never asks any. We're all going to ...
Read MoreIt's been quite a year--for everyone. Zoom Church Home School Work from Home No hugs Live lived masked and six-feet apart. It's been a hard year, and though we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, the pandemic train still has a ways to go. I hope Doubting Believer has helped you in your faith journey during this difficult year and can continue to do so in the year ahead. ...
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Feel Good Friday #130--Christmas Day Edition One of my favorite people in the world has more degrees than I can count. Robert is not only a pastor, he's also a professor. One time he was teaching a Bible class on Luke 2 at a local university, he gave his class a primer on shepherds and how they weren’t nearly as pristine as our nativity scenes would have us believe. They were ...
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Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and better days ahead. https://youtu.be/VHa4pxgBjk0
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Doing something a little different this year. We're all going to need a lot of this word in the year to come. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihXMDRXmc1w Therefore encourage one another and build each other up1 Thessalonians 5:11a Join us for a year of encouragement. You'll be encouraged and find new ways to encourage others. The online class You Got This: The Intentional Encourager is available for only $10 (less than half the regular cost) until the ...
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Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent https://youtu.be/eiY2n322Ewo
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On this day when the first vaccines are being administered to first responders, we pray: For healthcare workers on the frontlines who are physically and mentally exhausted. For those who continue to battle the virus in hospitals and in homes. For the long-haulers who have been dealing with the effects of this virus for months. For the custodians and janitors and all the unseen heroes who tirelessly clean and sanitize to keep ...
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It’s an under-rated, under-utilized hymn. To tell the truth, I’d never paid much attention to it until this year, when it really struck a chord (no pun intended…unless you like that sort of thing) with me. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was written in 1849 by a Unitarian pastor in Wayland, Massachusetts. What is different about this carol is that only the first verse speaks of what happened on the night ...
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It's the question on everyone's minds and lips. What are you doing for Christmas this year? We know what we want to do for Christmas. We want to do what we've done every year. To engage in the traditions we've devoted ourselves to since before we can remember. To take the annual family picture. To adhere to our own tribe's strict present opening timelines and rituals. To eat the ...
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Who says that? Who thinks that? The shopping malls and the spinning DJs and the airport terminals? Like we aren’t terminal. Like we don’t love people who are dying. Like hibernating hate didn’t wake up when we were half asleep. Like all the little children in the world are going to join hands and sing. Like hurricanes do no harm. Like we aren’t afraid. It’s the most wonderful time of the ...
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Advent begins tomorrow! We all could use a season of hope, joy, peace and love? If you are from a tradition that doesn't generally observe Advent, this is time to start. If you have friends who are not "Advent people," invite them to join us. It's been a rough year, and we could all use an extra dose of the time of holy expectation and anticipation that is Advent. Do you ...
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This Thanksgiving, remember: You are a beloved child of God. You do not owe your great-aunt Mildred an explanation for your life choices. You get to eat as much or as little as you like--and allow others to do the same…without comment. The number of children you choose to have (or not have) is no one's business but yours. Your value is not determined by how you measure up to the achievements of others. This is ...
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I know. It's counter intuitive. One shouldn't rush a season of waiting and anticipation, but it's 2020. Everything is different. I think the liturgical police can take a break this year. Advent officially begins on Sunday, but I've already dropped TWO Advent episodes of the Bible Stories for Big Kids podcast. (BTW: You're a big kid.) The first goes with the Narrative Lectionary scripture for the first Sunday of Advent. ...
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I like television. Yeah, there's a lot of bad stuff out there (I'm looking at you, Hallmark movies and reality TV), but Thanksgiving is when some of the good shows really bring out their best. They remind us that no one's meal comes off perfectly, everyone has relatives that drive them up a wall and that, in spite of it all, there is much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is going ...
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Just like everything else in 2020, the holidays are going to be harder this year. Harder because we're not going to be able to celebrate the way we've always done it. Because of health concerns, traveling restrictions and local ordinances about group gatherings, our large, crowded table celebrations will have to be put on hold. This has been the year to realize that the ties that bind us are not ...
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It was the last night of a week-long retreat. We were seated in a circle. Each person was to anoint the next by making the sign of the cross on the person's forehead and offer a blessing. The leader used the words “Christ be with you,” and many chose to go with that. You'd hear an occasional "Blessings upon you" or a "Go in peace." But when the vial of oil ...
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Recently in our Grateful While Grounded Facebook group (which gives a prompt each day to allow members to say what they are grateful for) we asked the group to share a life lesson they are grateful to have learned. There was to much wisdom there not to share some it here. This, too, shall pass. Sometimes the best response is silence. When someone says “Don’t Look” - don’t. When someone ...
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This week, we looked at the story of the call of Isaiah. You can listen to it on Bible Stories for Big Kids by clicking the button below or wherever you get your podcasts. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Qy6EHNijJ42nYqbxXYpTq?si=9cGofKATQzG2Sh3LJiaIhA Here are a few of my thoughts. It's not fair to compare ourselves to Isaiah (I mean, I never got an visions of winged creatures or heard the voice of God). But even if we don't ...
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This week's Narrative Lectionary scripture passage is just what we need to hear this week. If you haven't listened to this week's Bible Stories for Big Kids, you can listen wherever you get your podcasts or at the link below. Then checkout my message below. May we all find ways to move forward together as a community and a country. Jonah and American Ninevites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0FZS-NdqPs&t=3s
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God of love and God of all, We enter into this election with an anxiety unmatched by any election day that has come before. Instead of a nation coming together to elect a common leader, we are a nation coming apart at the seams. We are battling for the soul of America, but we have very different ideas of how that soul should look, feel and behave. We fear for the safety and peace ...
Read MoreNaming our grief and remembering those who have left us play an important role in our efforts to be whole and healing human beings. Praying with and for those who are grieving is part of what it means to be children of God dwelling in community (whatever form that community may take). Today we join together in remembering those we have lost and praying for others who have lost ...
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I'm ever so weary (and offended) by the continued label of "baby killer" targeted at anyone who is choosing not to support our current president. The very flawed premise behind this moniker is that, since the Democratic platform is pro-choice, anyone who supports a candidate from that party is clearly out to slaughter infants. I'm not pro-abortion. I would love to live in a world where no woman ever had ...
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The biggest election of my lifetime is one week away. Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been replaced on the supreme court by someone who stands against much of what RBG stood up for. People's concern for the safety and well-being of their neighbor is at an all-time low. Parts of our country are literally on fire and others are in danger of being flooded...again. It's enough to make anyone lean ...
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Today is the last day to register for Pulling it Together in a World that's Falling Apart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SgDiTmd_Aw Why the deadline? With the election getting closer, virus rates rising and the holidays on the horizon, life is just going to get crazier. Now is the time the pull it together. 5 Simple Shifts 3 Prayer Hacks 2 Good Things You'll be amazed by what a big difference small changes can make in how you feel and ...
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Hating the "other" feels like it's become the national pastime. The world and our lives are so much better when we can embrace those who are different from us and love people just as they are. Here are some great books to start kids off on the right foot when relating to and befriending others who are just trying to be accepted and loved for who they are. BTW: as ...
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We have quite a few new folks here, so I wanted to explain where this online resource of tools and encouragement for your faith journey got its name. It's rooted in my belief that a faith that wrestles with questions will always be stronger than one that never asks any. The title itself comes from the welcome I have given at every worship service I've presided over since I began ...
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This week our story is the one about the Golden Calf--a bunch of people who got tired of wandering in the dessert and starting believing they could come up with their own god (spoiler alert: it doesn't go well). If you haven't heard it year, you can listen here. https://open.spotify.com/episode/16HoUJTjCBfjH5vijmeIQr?si=mR1qdPjcTmWCn3XyxI5hQw Here's this week's short message, but one (I think) we all need to hear. https://youtu.be/RYl60DTT1fY Our Golden Calf Stay-Away-From-Idols playlist . https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JSFd22YC3VXQJ4h1VnKi1?si=vtkVdvZiRoyY-aMGYP_mjQ Blessings ...
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This week we're looking at the story of the Golden Calf--or what happens when people get tired of waiting and wandering the desert. None of us like to wait. And most of us do not wait well--which explains a lot about some of the bad behavior we've seen from people during the last six months. We know a little bit about what the children of Israel were feeling. It's ...
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The pandemic, the upcoming election, fires, hurricanes, lions and tigers and bears, oh, my! All of the above (well, hopefully not the wild animals) are wreaking havoc on our lives today, particularly our spiritual and emotional lives. We are worn out and weary and certainly don't have the energy to embark on a spiritual quest or complete lifestyle overhaul. So I went on my own quest--to find the simplest things ...
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Last night the cookbook author, television host and Instagram queen Chrissy Teigen lost her baby. Jack would have been the third child for Teigen and her husband John Legend. Like everything else in her life, Teigen put it right out there on Instagram for the world to see. While most of the comments have been supportive, heartfelt--including many by women who have suffered the same loss, some have criticized Teigen ...
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Since the world will do its best to make you feel otherwise, it's good to be reminded that who you are is pretty great.
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I'm tired y'all. And, as I've said before, if a privileged white woman with no kids at home is tired, the rest of you must be past going. Creator of all things, We are weary and worried. We are overworked and overwrought. We have been grieving loss for so long we’ve forgotten what it feels like not to be in mourning. Some days there just aren’t enough hours Other days, it seems like we don’t ...
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This week the Promises Kept series was all about Abraham's backstory--or the prequel, if you will. Here's a recap of all things Abraham. If you haven't listened to this week's episode of the new podcast, get the story here. Counting Stars Here's the "official" Abraham playlist. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XVV8cBSELvgEAcXnzjc7x?si=uuUbTHFiRU-Abh2NPtAOyg This week's message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOnExiF0DZ0 I hope you feel you know a little more about Abraham and have found some encouragement in this story of ...
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Refuge and ever-present help in times of trouble The earth is being swallowed by the sea and consumed by fire We are being swept away by rising waters. We are walking through fire and getting burned Breath of life, we cannot breathe. Where are You? We are weary and worn out Wrap us in Your wings Take us in Your shelter Lift us high upon the rock We've seen what You can do, God Do it again! ...
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This week has been all about Adam and Eve--from the first episode of The Bible Stories for Big Kids Podcast to the message of the week. Here are all things Adam and Eve. Bible Stories for Big Kids Podcast https://anchor.fm/doubtingbeliever/embed It's Not the Sin You Think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ9xVi8yRmY Adam and Eve Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tE37GUfZTDbbm2fco4dBQ?si=pxQg-YOdTUqvbKlDledBww Next up...Noah. A new Bible Story for Big Kids available on Monday.
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Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. A day reserved for raising awareness, sharing resources and letting everyone know there are alternatives, success stories and reasons to live. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list suicide as the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States. It ranks second among those ages 10 to 34 and LGBTQ youth contemplate suicide at three times the rate of their straight, cis-gendered ...
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For many people the new year starts the week after Labor Day. Summer (in as much as there was a summer in the COVID year of 2020) is over, and it's time to get down to business. We are living through one of the most stressful times in modern history---and we are tired. Practicing regular and real self and spiritual care is crucial if we are to have the energy ...
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Creator of all things, We pray for those who are overworked and overwrought. For those who feel like there are not enough hours in the day and for those who fill their hours with that which does not feel like enough. For those who have lost work, those who fear going to work and those who are desperately seeking work. For those who work in spaces and places where their own health and ...
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We're doing something new! Starting Monday, Doubting Believer will begin following the Narrative Lectionary and looking at God's Promises. Check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nK2PVkpbuA Plus a new podcast! Bible Stories for Big Kids. Preview HERE. Preacher peeps, if you want resources for your own worship based on the Promises Kept theme, check them out HERE.
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Everyone needs a little encouragement--especially right now. And because we're all dealing with our own sh...um, stuff, we may not be as intentional about encouraging others as we would like to be. Here are a few quotes to encourage you to be an encourager. It matters more than you know. Want to make the world better through encouragement? Take our online class You Got This! The Intentional Encourager. Use the ...
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At the last church I served, one Sunday, when we reached the part of worship where we said the Assurance of Pardon, the liturgy led with, "Here the Gospel." I cringed. It was clearly supposed to be a call to the people to "HEAR the Gospel." I have a bit of a pet peeve about here/hear, there/their/they're and your/you're being used incorrectly. I should have caught that. But as the service ...
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At a time when (for many) work, school and home life all take place in one space, it can be hard to separate one from another. Everything morphs together, and it can feel like school or work never really ends. The feeling of "home" has been taken away. There's no magic wand to wave to fix the stress and strain we're all under right now, but an establishment of simple rituals ...
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There is much in our scriptures about peace. Listing 100 verses that mention peace wouldn't even be a daunting task. But here are just a few verses that help us remember that peace is so much more than a warm fuzzy feeling or a sense of calm. It is hard fought and a blessing beyond compare. Righteousness and Peace go together The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his ...
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Goodness and Kindness seem like interchangeable fruits of the spirit, but they are a bit different. As we strive to bear the fruits of goodness and kindness, here are some ways they may show up in our lives. You can download the handy PDF for future reference below. Goodness-and-KindnessDownload
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This week we're talking fruits of the spirit: kindness and goodness. Though we grow up being told to "be good," this fruit of the spirit isn't about being "good enough" or worthy. We don't have to worry about being good enough--because we can't be. Cue the 80's Amy Grant music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjQ3YYBGAqI Our goodness and worth comes not from our own doing, but from God and what God has done for us ...
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Shut-downs, shelter-in-place orders, mask requirements and no hugs. People are worn out. Parents are especially fried. Healthcare workers are on the verge of collapse. Everyone is being crushed under the weight of economic, social and political tensions. Everybody (well, most everybody) wants to do whatever they can to make things better. But in the midst of the pandemic madness, our go-to phrases for social interaction may not always be the ...
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Remember the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den?It's not really about the lionsWhat landed Daniel in that den was his defiant act of prayerPrayer that was illegalDone right in an open window where everyone could see A subversive act of resistance that testified to allThat his God was greater than the king.That his God was more powerful than any empire.That his God was worth risking the lions for.And it is ...
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It's August, y'all. Who thought this is where we'd be...in August? I still remember when churches had to cancel in-person Easter services and I thought, "well, at least this will make for some really fantastic Pentecost services." For those of you not familiar with the church calendar, Pentecost comes seven weeks after Easter--so of course, that didn't happen. But August? Really? Here we are debating whether or not kids should (or ...
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In my tradition (Presbyterian Church USA), our liturgy in worship is very responsive. A lot of call and response and unison prayers. Many, many opportunities to share our germs with one another. As we think about what worship will look like when we are able to return to worshipping in person, in addition to skipping the congregational singing for now, we will also need to limit the verbal responses. ...
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We're having a heatwave in the northeast. Very thankful to live in a building with central air. Every year when the temps soar into the upper register of the thermometer, I always think about the slogan a large and prominent church in my hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas used to put up every summer: You think it's hot here? While I'm not a fan of scaring people into church with ...
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Gentleness is one of the nine fruits of the spirit. Right now, in the midst of the madness swirling around us, we need to be gentle with ourselves. Because we're going to have a heck of time showing gentleness to others if we can't be gentle with ourselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_62KNpKm6I
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Faith is not easy. Being a Christian is not a one-and-done moment in time. It's a life-long journey, and sometimes that journey gets rocky and steep, and the bridge gets washed out, and you're not sure you can continue. That's okay. It happens to all of us. In fact, if you've never questioned your faith, you should probably start. A faith that struggles with questions is always stronger than one ...
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For when you want to learn and laugh. Like just about every white person I know, I've been trying to listen and learn and work at becoming an anti-racist activist. The danger we face as we embark upon this journey is becoming so overwhelmed by just how little we've been paying attention, how much we've ignored and what all we've allowed to happen right under our noses, that we just ...
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Wearing a mask is the official way to love your neighbor in 2020. Studies (many studies) have shown that if everyone wears a mask, the risk of transmission is ridiculously low. Some even say as little as 1.5%. In NYC, where masks have been mandatory for weeks (months!) now, we just hit the lowest death rate since March--while the rest of the non-masked country is experiencing rapid expansion of ...
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I'm in a bad mood most of the time these days. I'm tired of the pandemic. Weary of living it out in a small apartment in a new city where I hardly know anyone. I'm angry at those who are not taking COVID seriously and putting others at risk. I'm disappointed in people who answer "Black Lives Matter" with "All Lives Matter." And I'm incredibly disheartened by ...
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My friend Rev. Kate Murphy has graciously allowed me to re-post this here. Read it. It's really good. My youngest daughter has forgotten her ABCs. She’s been out of nursery school for more than twelve weeks and, turns out, little children don’t just pick up everything they need from Sesame Street. She sings loudly and confidently, but she can only get up to the letter P. Once she hits halfway, ...
Read MoreA lot of anger is floating around out there. I'm not talking about the anger that stems from the lack of access to healthcare or the injustice that black people in our society still face. I'm speaking of the anger that comes from the many people whose only sense of worth has come from the idea that they are "better than" because they are white...or straight...or male...or Christian. Now they ...
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We see you and we celebrate youWe see the good you doWe see the love you shareWe see the people you serve We hear the names people call youNames that we do not recognize or publicize, lest we legitimizeFor those names don’t define you We know you by one nameBeloved Child of GodCreated in God’s own image We don’t pretend to know your painBut when you hurt, we hurt, tooWe may not walk in ...
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