Good Reads – 6th Edition

I’m having doubts about faith and God 

By: Sammy Adebiyi

Isn’t it great to know that you don’t have to turn off your brain to love God?

Isn’t it great to know that this whole following Jesus thing isn’t just about singing songs and getting goose bumps and living off emotional highs of the heart? Isn’t it great that reason is actually encouraged by Jesus?

And isn’t it great to know that we serve a savior who welcomes questions and doubts?

Guys, I hope you know that. No scratch that, I hope you BELIEVE THAT.  Read More>>

What I know about marriage (after 16 years)

By: Elizabeth Esther

What I know is that I don’t know much. After sixteen years I feel like I’m only beginning to scratch the surface of this mysterious, magical, wild thing called marriage. Still, I have learned some lessons (most of them the hard way–ARE WE SURPRISED?! Nope!) and I thought I’d share them with you.

The first thing I learned is that our culture gives really bad relationship advice. Here are a few examples of things I heard that turned out to be totally and completely false: Read More>>

Prayer like tweeting

By: Seth Haines

This morning, I sat in my chair, trying to find the rhythm of meditation. Instead, I found myself in popcorn prayer with God, the thousand thought-kernals expanding all at once. It was a distracted, divided prayer with no staying power—be with my kids today; and what about that project that’s due?; and when do I lead worship next at church?; I think Amber has Yoga tonight—and so on, and so forth.

The divided me has learned to pray like a social media interaction. Quick. Bite size. Throw away. Read More>>

What if Women Weren’t Afraid to be Heard?

By: Lesa Engelthaler

My family would tell you that ever since I could talk I have had something to say about almost anything. And yet, somewhere along the way I sensed that sharing my opinions was a bad idea, especially as a girl. And so even though I filled dozens of spiral notebooks with words, I never attempted to publish.

In my twenties, a therapist confirmed my “too-opinionated diagnosis” saying, “Lesa, you have a huge need to be heard.” It was not a compliment.

On my 35th birthday my mom (who championed my heard-ness) asked, “So what would it take to get you published?” It was a defining moment. Read More>>

Swimming in the Deep End 

By: Abby Norman

We say we want vulnerable. We say we want mess and guts and realness. That is what we say anyway.

We say we want something not so slick.

Can I tell you I have my doubts about that? Can I tell you that I have learned the hard way not to trust people at their word, when they ask me to hand them my entire heart? Read More>>