Spiritual Abuse Must Stop (a blog post)
Every single time I check my email there’s one more, one more person raising their “digital” hand and saying “That’s my story, too. I was spiritually abused.” They’re responding to this story. Part 1. Part 2. Most don’t stop there. These people–men, women, some pastors, some laypeople–go on to describe in detail their stories, the [...]
Cute face…
Matthew & Jessica: Our love story…
Tomorrow is Jessica and my wedding anniversary. In 2004, we married at a church in Milwaukee. Surrounded by 200 people, family and friends, we committed our souls to love, hope, and forgive each other until death takes one of us home. I met Jessica while I was working at CCM. The first time we chatted, [...]
Swinging Elias…
Hold Onto This (a gift I bought Sara…) #ChooseJoy
When Sara was buried, wrapped around her hands were two rosaries. One of those rosaries was pink and cost exactly $5.60. I would know because I bought that rosary for Sara when I was in Bolivia. Since I was in a country known for its Catholic history, I assumed that I’d find a multitude of [...]
TONIGHT at 6:30 CST: @gitzengirl’s Memorial Service Will Be Streamed Live #ChooseJoy
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A deep breath for my friend Sara…
Our friend Sara is with God today. Laura, her sister, called Jessica around 11:30 last night. I was sitting on the couch, bouncing Adeline in her bouncy with my foot. I heard Jessica walking down the hallway. Tears rolling down both sides of her cheeks, she looked at me and said, “Sara’s gone.” For almost [...]
Mourn deeply…
Jessica touches base with Sara’s sister, Laura, twice a day. Pray for Laura. This afternoon she told Jess that it was really difficult seeing her little sister so still, quiet. Please continue to pray or send your thoughts to all of Sara’s family. Loosing Sara is hitting them hard, and in different ways… Much like [...]
Thank God for Sara (a social media story)
Jessica spoke with Sara’s sister, Laura, this morning. Sara’s resting well, only feeling a small portion of the pain she’s endured for so many years. When awake, she listens to members of her family read the messages that people from all over the world are leaving on Twitter, Facebook, and at her blog. The meds [...]
Oh, how my heart aches (a blog post)
My heart aches today. I’ve cried today more than I haven’t cried. I’ve cried for my sweet friend Sara. For me. For us. For all of us lucky enough to have sat under her light. And what a light Sara has been in my life, my family’s life. Hers is a bright light. And while [...]
A BLOG POST: My Aunt Ruth Ann died…
I found out yesterday that my aunt died. Years had gone by since I’d seen my father’s youngest sister. When I was nine, she and her family moved from Maryland’s Eastern Shore to Montana. But I remember her well. Aunt Ruth Ann babysat me when I was three and four while my mother worked. So [...]
A Father Slapped His Daughter’s Face (and it was my fault)
In order to get the bus up the hill, the driver asked us to get out and wait on the other side of the grassy knoll. Camera around my neck, I looked around for something or someone to point my lens at. Three small Bolivian children stood a few feet away, watching me. I walked [...]
A Father Slapped His Daughter’s Face (and it was my fault)
In order to get the bus up the hill, the driver asked us to get out and wait on the other side of the grassy knoll. Camera around my neck, I looked around for something or someone to point my lens at. Three small Bolivian children stood a few feet away, watching me. I walked [...]
A BLOG POST: Why I no longer want to be ‘that guy’
A friend emailed me this article yesterday. The article’s title is this: Rick Warren Tweets, Retracts False Conservative Talking Point My reply to my friend was this: Get behind me Satan. And then I added a smiley face. I was being funny. But also a little serious. I wrote that because I sometimes feel [...]
A BLOG POST: God, I need $200 (the politics of prayer)
I wrote the following essay 18 months ago, at a time when Jessica and I were struggling to make ends meet. This is part 1. Part 2 will post tomorrow. It’s Tuesday morning and I am sprawled out in the middle of my living room floor preparing to supplicate with God. I’m alone. My wife, [...]
