Tag Archives: faith

At 40: Shrinking in Height, Growing in Grace

When you roll into a new decade of life, people start asking if you feel whatever your age is. The answer for me is yes. I feel 40. My driver’s license still says I’m 4’11”, but I’m reminded at every check-up that I’m steadily shrinking. Besides my compressing spine and forehead wrinkles, I have muchContinue reading “At 40: Shrinking in Height, Growing in Grace”

Shepherding the Wounded: Guiding Those Hurt by Church Experiences (Part 3)

This post continues our discussion of the biblical shepherd-and-sheep metaphor and its connection to church hurt. If you missed the first post or the second post, I encourage you to read them first and then return here. Today, we’ll explore how faithful shepherds (pastors, ministry leaders, small group leaders, etc.) can lovingly guide and careContinue reading “Shepherding the Wounded: Guiding Those Hurt by Church Experiences (Part 3)”

Wounded but Not Lost: Understanding Church Wounds and How to Heal (Part 1)

When it comes to healing from spiritual hurt, there’s no better guide than the Good Shepherd Himself. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). In His words and actions, we see what true servant leadership looks like. In this series of posts, we’llContinue reading “Wounded but Not Lost: Understanding Church Wounds and How to Heal (Part 1)”

Lent, Baptism, and the Mystery of Life and Death in Christ

Stuff I Learned in Seminary Lent has begun, and as I continue the series, Stuff I Learned in Seminary, I’d like to share a study from my Biblical Interpretation class. We’ll explore two key words in Colossians 3:1-4—ἀπεθάνετε, meaning “died,” (ἀποθνῄσκω / apothnḗiskō in its lexical form) and ζωή (zóē), meaning “life.” Understanding these wordsContinue reading “Lent, Baptism, and the Mystery of Life and Death in Christ”

My Testimony, Part III: Long Story—Short Girl

In my last post, I shared about my first night of youth group in an evangelical setting. Prior to that time, I tried to read the Bible given to me at the start of my Confirmation class in the Catholic Church. I really tried. I’d heard people mention how the Bible can be hard toContinue reading “My Testimony, Part III: Long Story—Short Girl”

My Testimony, Part II: Teen Years

In my last post, I wrote about a time that I hid in the bathroom and wished I could disappear. By 13, I’d come out from behind the toilet, but I was still hiding. The moment people around me seemed unhappy, my mind started down a familiar track: “My existence gets in the way ofContinue reading “My Testimony, Part II: Teen Years”

My Testimony, Part I: The Early Years

In 1985, a divorced Navy veteran was running an illegal taxi service. One morning in Brooklyn, he picked up a pretty lady with hairspray and shoulder pads, in a hurry to get to her job at the World Trade Center. Along the ride, they discovered some similarities: they were both divorced, both Italian, both Catholic,Continue reading “My Testimony, Part I: The Early Years”