Recently, I buried my father, a Christian patriot who understood the difference between loving God and country, and Christian Nationalism. Born in 1945, Dad grew up in post-war America, with patriotism as the marrow in his bones. As a teenager, he joined the Boy Scouts, eventually earning the prestigious God and Country badge. Dad carried patriotic pride with him as he served his country in Vietnam. He embodied love of country even after he retired from twenty years in the... Read more
Stressful situations can act like storms that threaten to capsize your mental health. Try using emotional anchors to keep yourself steady. Recently, my father passed away. Stress and grief took their toll on me, even before traveling the 3,000 miles to be with family. In my mental discombobulation, I forgot to pack one travel essential I never leave home without—my prayer beads. We arrived at my mother’s house and began preparing ourselves for the funeral and also for the inevitable... Read more
How did Jesus handle fear? He modeled self-control in the face of chaos by getting some breathing space and focusing on achievable tasks. Each day when we watch the news, we find new reasons for fear. Stock market crashes threaten retirement portfolios. DOGE firings make employment feel tenuous. Tariffs promise to make everything more expensive. Wars and rumors of wars abound. But the apostle Paul writes: “…God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self- control (2 Timothy 1:7).” How... Read more
Do you want to teach others to meditate? By following these pro tips, you can help people find peace during these challenging times. Talking with other behavioral health professionals, I’ve found a common thread of clients who could benefit from the tranquility found in meditation. So, I’ve been working on a training that I’ll be delivering at the agency where I work. This isn’t exactly a training on how to meditate, but rather a training on how to teach meditation to others. ... Read more
Christians believe in Christ. Taoists follow the Tao. But Jesus and Lao Tzu demonstrate how to embody the Way of Love completely. There is a tremendous difference between having faith in a belief system and walking in its path. Faith isn’t about ascribing to dogma. Instead, it’s about trusting God and putting flesh to the Tao of Love. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 23 Stephen Mitchell Translation Express yourself completely, then keep quiet. Be like the forces... Read more
April 24th is National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. That’s fine for most children, but not so great for pastor’s kids. I have many memories of my parents taking me to work with them when I was a kid. When sick, I normally went to my mom’s place of employment, as she worked at a pediatric office. My dad invited me to ride in the back of the car as he ran his rural newspaper route. He... Read more
In the resurrection, Jesus employed all five senses to display God’s grace. Whatever your learning style, Jesus will meet you where you live. Sometimes we humans can be slow learners. That’s why God gave us five senses, so we can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel the world around us. The five senses help us to make sense of our existence. Each of these senses is instrumental in our learning. Jesus Employed all Five Senses Science tells us... Read more
When you’re grieving, you expect certain feelings while others come as a surprise. But there is hope for those who experience grief. Grief can hit you unexpectedly. You can be taken aback by sudden feelings of heartache or linger in unexplainable sorrow. Grief looks different for each individual. But it has some common features. More Than Just Mourning a Death When you hear the word “grief,” you likely think of mourning a person’s death. But grief can take many... Read more
“I don’t believe in God,” she said. “But I do believe in Life with a capital L.” Renaming God as Light and Life can preserve faith for some. Maybe your friends don’t believe in the God of your understanding but still believe in the God of theirs. Renaming God can help you and your “faithless” friends find common ground. In this series, “Renaming God,” we look at alternative names for the Divine. These may help people come to terms with... Read more
Most people want power and recognition. But Jesus says that to be first, you must be last. To be whole, you must let yourself be broken. Whether it’s the place of honor at the family table, special recognition at church, or that promotion at work, everybody wants status and respect. But is putting yourself first consistent with the Tao of Love? The Tao Te Ching’s twenty-second verse addresses this. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 22 J.H. McDonald Translation... Read more
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