What If the Emptiness Isn’t a Punishment?
Sometimes the hardest seasons are not marked by catastrophe but by silence — prayers that feel unanswered, worship that feels hollow, a faith that suddenly seems stripped of warmth. We assume something must be wrong with us or with God. But what if the emptiness is not abandonment or punishment? What if God is teaching us to seek him, not merely the feelings he gives? The dark night may feel like loss, but often it is the slow, painful work of learning to love God for himself.
Friendly but Not Deep Enough
Many churches are getting friendlier, but friendliness is not the same thing as deep connection. We know each other’s names, exchange prayer requests and sit beside one another on Sundays, yet still carry private loneliness home in silence. Real discipleship requires more than warm greetings and occasional small talk. It asks for honesty, accountability, shared burdens and the courage to be known. The church doesn’t just need better hospitality; it needs relationships strong enough to help people become whole.
The Shopkeeper: A Short Story
A shopkeeper builds a beautiful mountain world indoors — streams, cliffs, seminars, certificates, the best maps money can buy. People come in droves, hungry for the peaks and leave with souvenirs that look impressive on a shelf. One day, someone asks about actual excursions. The answer is telling: guiding is inefficient. And quietly, the mountains remain mostly untouched — real, risky and waiting.
Short-Term Missions: Their Value When Done Right
Short-term missions can be a holy gift — or a well-funded vacation with a paintbrush. What makes the difference is whether we actually love people enough to serve them wisely. Done right, we go invited, trained and humble, strengthening the local church instead of starring in our own story. Mercy matters. But so does meaning. We bring help — and we bring Jesus.
Ignatian Exercises: Keeping Company With Jesus
Five years ago, Jenn and I set out to pray an hour a day for 34 weeks — the Ignatian Exercises. We didn’t know what we were getting into, only that we longed for something real with Jesus. What we found wasn’t religion or ritual, but relationship — keeping company with him. Listening. Speaking. Healing. Becoming the people he always meant us to be.
Faith in the Storm: A Primer on Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer refused to let faith be a private sentiment or theological exercise. When Nazi ideology infiltrated the German church, he stood against it, insisting that discipleship meant action — even when it cost him his life. His writings, from “The Cost of Discipleship” to “Letters and Papers from Prison,” continue to challenge believers today: Will we live by conviction, or will we settle for cheap grace?