Faith
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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Crushed – Poetry as a Holy Week Discipline

I’m convinced that if you ponder any aspect of Scripture long enough, you’ll discover a poem waiting to be written. Not that I believe this sonnet of mine is all that great, but writing it was a devotional act. Imagining the withering fronds abandoned after the Triumphal Entry propelled me deeper into the narrative. Regardless Continue reading
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I Was There – Lyrics for Passion Week

A few years ago, I wrote about one of my favorite Holy Week hymns: “Were You There.” Many of us sing this song annually but don’t stop to realize that it is a question we must answer. If we are in Christ, we were there. Rather than restating myself, I encourage you to visit my Continue reading
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Why I’m Hopeful About My Chronological Bible

Here’s a confession: I am terrible at following Bible reading plans. I am always digging into scripture, but I rarely stick to prescribed reading plans. I’ve tried over and over and always end up feeling guilty, even though obeying a “Bible in a year” plan is not mandatory. It’s good. It’s not required. In December, Continue reading
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A Few Lessons from Pruning My Grape Vines

When we first moved to Iowa, we were met with tremendous fruitfulness—and not just spiritually! Upon moving into our home, we found a young apple tree, a mature cherry tree, and two lush grapevines. I was enchanted. Having grown up in Phoenix, I was used to planting ill-fated gardens each year only to watch my Continue reading
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Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard v. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Hate Watching” and Our Cult of Self-Justification

Yesterday night I flipped on the TV (mistake number one) to see that a recap of the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial is already—barely a year later—available for streaming. Not only is it available, it is currently the top trending series on Netflix. I couldn’t help reading the description: Revisit the explosive trial that Continue reading
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Social Media and Sabbaths

It’s Saturday evening, and I am filled with relief. Tomorrow, at last, is a Sabbath. Sundays are not restful for me. I rise earlier than other mornings and practice for an hour or so before my first church service, where I play the organ and direct the choir. After this, I snatch a few donut Continue reading
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Three Ways Musical Roots Teach Us About Love

I am always amazed by how music—even music theory—images certain theological concepts. Enjoy! 1. The Root Provides Identity In music theory, the “root” is the note by which a scale or chord is named (C is the root of a C major scale, and so on). It is the foundational pitch that gives the scale Continue reading
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Marriage and Music: Reflecting on Our Wedding Music Two Years Later

Yesterday was my second wedding anniversary, and I’ve been planning this post since July 9th, 2021. As a musician, I was naturally passionate about selecting just the right music for my wedding ceremony. To my dismay, wedding music seems to be something of an afterthought for non-musicians, but it matters so deeply! A wedding is, Continue reading
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Doing Death Together

Maybe it’s because it’s Lent or maybe because I played for a funeral on Saturday, but I’ve been thinking a lot about death. Okay, actually, I think that’s just my personality. I’m a joyfully melancholic person with a bent toward the Medieval. Memento mori (“remember that you must die”) has always been more appealing to Continue reading
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