Category Archives: Relationships

God’s Straitjacket: Is Fundamentalism a Safe Haven?

Fundamentalism & Fear I woke up this morning to read the news of the horrific terror attacks in Brussels. My heart feels heavy with the burdens of fear, poverty, and violence in our world. It’s hard to build authentic safe havens in a time of uncertainty, ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

Telling Your Truth at Church

A good friend of mine recently said something that hit me like a lightning bolt: If you tell the truth, your path gets clearer. In that moment of illumination, I knew that her statement could provide desperately needed guidance as I navigate the tricky waters in ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

Why I Stay In the Church

During a morning leadership meeting I attended before church a week ago, much of the discussion focused on a recent controversial change in church policy. I took a risk in expressing my belief that, whatever the intentions and reasoning behind the policy change, the larger ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

When You Don’t Fit in At Church

Do you feel like a stranger in the very places that are meant to provide safe havens of familiarity, belonging, and friendship? A few weeks ago a somewhat transient-looking man stood up in the middle of the worship service I attend. My attention wandered as he told a ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

You Can Do Hard Things

When my oldest son was perhaps only four years old, he’d sometimes complain about how I’d asked him to do something “too hard.” To his four-year-old sensibilities, my request for him to put his toys away or to please put his pants on before going out in public must have ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

Fatherhood Fraud or Bona Fide Dad?

Grouchy Dad A few days ago my family returned from a vacation to California. Our boys are old enough now that they’re out of diapers, don’t need us to plan our schedules around nap-time, and only fight with each other, run into the street, or climb on things they’re not ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

Expanding Your Open, Broken Heart

As I explored in my previous post, opening yourself to resonate with another’s pain is a risky endeavor—when you stop avoiding or fixing, and really open your heart to someone’s pain, you’re going to feel it. You’re going to hurt too. But as you courageously open yourself ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.

Opening Your Closed Heart

For all of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us, life also has unavoidable pain and difficulty. Even apart from my therapy practice, I don’t have to look far to find people experiencing pain in their lives. A friend of mine, a young father, recently finished chemotherapy ... Continue Reading ›

Want to get my blog posts in your email?

Hooray! Go ahead and put your name and email in the form below and I’ll send ’em your way.