Archive | Culture

Dear Christians, Stop Arguing About The Shack

I didn’t read The Shack until ten years after it was originally published. I figured that a book depicting God as an older black woman was either heretical or just too weird for me to digest. But then, I watched an interview with the author. He was gentle, humble, and he pointed me toward God. After listening to him tell his story, I was compelled to read. Paul Young chose the daunting task of writing a letter in an attempt to explain his life’s […]

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Lessons from Super Bowl LI, Lady Gaga, and Tom Brady

For a country and a culture on edge, Super Bowl LI was a welcome distraction. For a moment, we could take a break from the exhaustive media charade, gorge ourselves on finger food, avoid political discussions on Facebook, and cheer for the Patriots to lose. Or so it seemed. In the week leading up to the fifty-first installment of the big game, someone spotted a Make America Great Again hat in Tom Brady’s locker which raised questions about his affiliation […]

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What Are We Teaching Our Children?

This April, my wife and I will have been married for twelve years. And I’ve spent the majority of those twelve years bouncing back and forth on the pendulum of pleasing her and simply shutting off. It’s an exhaustive charade that has robbed me of peace and caused me to fall into the trap of loving her circumstantially. I treasure the fact that she challenges me and pushes me beyond my comfort zone, but it grates on every last nerve. For more than thirty years, I’ve been […]

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President Trump, Celebrities, and a Vegan Cleanse

Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States of America. If that sentence makes you cringe, chances are, you’re part of the nearly 66 million who voted otherwise. Or you’re in the most “vilified segment of American society” which means you’re probably not reading this small-time blog anyway. But truthfully, there are some of us on the other side of the aisle who are right there with you. Yes, despite the stereotype of football-watching-white-middle-America (and a lot of other […]

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It’s Taken Me Thirty-Five Years to Learn This…

For selfish reasons, being born the week after Christmas has its pitfalls. But the days between Christmas and New Year prove to be a great time for honest reflection. But this year, that reflection hasn’t been so easy. I turned thirty-five years old this week. I have to pause and let it sink in because life has a cruel way of speeding up without warning. Before we can blink, years have passed, our kids are grown up, and we find […]

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The History of Santa Claus | How One Man’s Generosity Changed the World

I remember when I was a kid, laying in bed, unable to close my eyes, my heart thumping and my mind racing in anticipation for what Santa might bring. Although my friends refused to believe, I had faith that it was all real—that Santa wasn’t some made-up, imaginary story that my parents lovingly went along with. But around my eleventh or twelfth Christmas, I began finding receipts and gift bags that caused me to question. Even still, hope is a powerful thing. Deep down, I’d […]

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I’m Finally Breaking My Political Silence

Well, it’s over. I have exercised my right and my privilege to cast my ballot for the next President of the United States, as well as those running for state and local offices. But truthfully, as I stepped away from the poll, I was left with an ugly feeling. As I walked back to my car, amid those campaigning for each party, I couldn’t help but feel divided. In a country that claims the word “United” in its title, I feel like we have missed […]

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