Theological Consequences…
Having begun my clerical journey at a Baptist (and largely fundamentalist) seminary, I am painfully aware of the dangers in reading the Bible and other religious literature in a concrete and literal way. There are some passages that are meant literally, but there are others that are quite destructive when that literary rhetoric is appliedContinue reading “Theological Consequences…”
The Saving Nature of Pain
Viktor Frankl, a Jewish physician and the originator of a therapeutic modality called “Logotherapy,” found himself imprisoned in a concentration camp in World War II. There, he made an interesting observation. Frankl noticed that it was not always the strongest individual who survived the harsh conditions of the camp. He observed that the people whoContinue reading “The Saving Nature of Pain”
Following a False Messiah…
I am going to begin this blog post with a few confessions. First, I am a chaplain and a clergy person who really dislikes going to church, and secondly I am an Ordained Baptist Minister who wonders whether or not what I have been taught to preach as the “Jesus Story” is even true. AsContinue reading “Following a False Messiah…”
Attachment Versus Connection: Letting Go Of Ego In Our Lives
The purpose of religious engagement and in particular the cultivation of spirituality is to live a life of meaning and purpose. Abraham Maslow created a rough equivalent goal with the point of the triangle of his “hierarchy of needs.” Maslow refers to this point as “self-actualization.” Self-actualization is a piece of living a life ofContinue reading “Attachment Versus Connection: Letting Go Of Ego In Our Lives”
Coming Apart at the Seams
Throughout the course of my career in healthcare as a chaplain and therapist, suffering has been a constant. After all, my job is to crawl into the emotional trenches with someone to help them make sense of their pain and struggles on the journey of life. However, I am noticing something today that I haveContinue reading “Coming Apart at the Seams”
Becoming who we might be…
One of the most fascinating accounts in the Bible for me is Moses’ encounter with the burning bush. For those of you not familiar with this account, Moses is out in the desert tending his flock and doing the work of a shepherd. He comes across this bush that is on fire, but not beingContinue reading “Becoming who we might be…”
Moving From Powerless to Empowering
When our body heals from an injury, we are usually left with a scar. The body heals itself for the obvious reason of keeping us alive. The same is true for our psyche. It has an enormous capacity to heal itself under the right conditions and with a bit of motivation. The goal again beingContinue reading “Moving From Powerless to Empowering”
Thoughts on Acceptance
Thoughts on Acceptance “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” -Joseph Goldstein People tend to polarize on the issue of acceptance. Either they feel like that have complete control over something or they feel as though they are completely powerless. Neither is a truly realistic view. In my work with patientsContinue reading “Thoughts on Acceptance”
Thoughts on Honesty
Thoughts on Honesty “Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” -James E. Faust People think of honesty as simply not lying to another person, and while this is honesty, it does not fully reflect what true honesty is. There are levels to honesty. We areContinue reading “Thoughts on Honesty”
Thoughts on Control
Thoughts on Control “I’ve learned that when you try to control everything, you enjoy nothing.” -Anonymous Several years ago when I was a young man and in the U.S. Air Force, I was serving on a joint services task force in Alaska. We were on a little island called Annette Island off the coast ofContinue reading “Thoughts on Control”
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