Desire and Disappointment
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A short reflection on desire and disappointment, coming from a sermon Branden preached on the life of Jacob.
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Tolkien's Ring: Power Over or In-Service of Others
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J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is often read as a story about addiction, but what if the One Ring is really a metaphor for our struggle with power? This reflection explores Tolkien’s deeper concern with power over others versus power expressed through love, service, and humility—and why that tension still matters in our lives today.
Read MoreLewis was wrong... Aslan is safe
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Was C.S. Lewis right? Is God unsafe but good? Or, does Scripture demonstrate a God who offers a safe and secure relationship?
Read MoreApocalyptic
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Apocalyptic. No, not the kind with Nic Cage at the end of the world. But the kind that reveals the true nature of things. What’s this pandemic revealed about us? About you? About our needs and fears? This short article looks at four characteristics that have been exposed during the pandemic, and how to remedy them.
Read MoreWhen bad seeds produce bad fruit - A response to sexual abuse in the SBC
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How can sexual abuse, and its cover-up, be so ramptant in a denomination? A response to the report on sexual abuse cover-up in the Southern Baptist Convention by the Houston Chronicle.
Read MoreStop Hiding - Start Talking
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What do you do when you’ve burrowed yourself deep under a blanket of lies? How do you get out of living a double life? Read on to find a guide and some hope.
Read MoreThe Lost Art of Lamenting
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When we try to rush past prayers of lament in order to live in praise and positive feelings, we miss out on the gifts and graces of lamenting.
Read MoreAbuse is 'In Here', not 'Out There'
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Abuse is far more often IN HERE than it is OUT THERE. Abuse always occurs within systems that allow for it. What are the characteristics of those systems? How often does abuse occur within the church, or under its nose?
Read MoreNever Stop Exposing Abuse
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Sexual abuse is not only commonplace in Hollywood institutions, but in our churches as well. You ought never stop exposing, fighting and holding abusers accountable, lest you be judged with them for your silence.
Read MoreGod's preference for the small
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God's eye is towards the small and insignificant. So, why isn't ours?
Read MoreFree to Love
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Paul talks a lot about our freedom in Christ, a freedom which he says is at its best when it's used to love others. Here are some reflections and actions in response to Paul's high view of freedom.
Read More5 Lies about Emotion, and why feelings are important
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How do you think emotion fits into your spiritual life? Is it helpful, harmful, neutral? Here is a look at five misunderstandings much of the American church seems to have about emotion, as well as an argument for why they are essential to your growth as a Christian.
Read MoreCowardice and Christianity
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Are there cowards in the Bible? What does the Bible say about cowards? I would argue that there is no place for cowardice for those who are following Jesus.
Read MoreWorking Hard and Hardly Loving
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Working for God without being loved by God is like a stream trying to fill a lake without rain. God calls us to love and be loved, rather than to work and be loved.
Read MoreMistrust of a Trustworthy God
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"Human feelings cannot touch him; human thought cannot measure him. Experiences cannot heighten the certainty of his presence any more than fear of his absence can lessen it..." Brennan Manning
Read More4 strategies to silence the critical voices in your head
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How can you hush the voice in your mind that just won't stop beating you down? How can you silence the accusations unjustly hurled at you? Here are four techniques that will lead you towards relief and restoration.
Read MoreCrowned with Glory: Remarkably small - Inestimably Valuable
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What did David mean when he said the heavens declare the glory of God? Contemplate with me on the vastness of a beautiful universe, our smallness in this vastness, and God's valuing us above all other things He created.
Read MorePoem: To be loved, To be known
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A poem considering what it is to be known or unknown, loved or unloved.
Read MoreA Full Kind of Life
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Jesus said he came to give life, and that to the fullest. What did he mean by that? What is life to the full and how do we have it?
Read MoreEmbracing Disappointment
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How are we supposed to handle our disappointments at work, home, church and in relationships? Branden offers a four step process to help you move towards acceptance.
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