by Laura Boggess “It feels weird after being gone for a while to step back into the same old, same old,” I tell my boys this morning as we eat our breakfast. I have just returned from a retreat in the Texas hill country, at Laity Lodge, where God used water-hands to carve stone into one of the loveliest places on earth. Tomorrow I will return to work but I took today off to catch up on all the stuff... Read more
by Keri Wyatt Kent “A thrill of hope A weary world rejoices For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn…” This time of year, we hear the word “hope” frequently. But people often use it carelessly. In fact, we use to the word hope to wishful thinking not based in reality, when we say things like, for instance, I hope the Bears make the playoffs. Biblical hope is something altogether different. When it comes to matters of faith, hope is anything... Read more
by Tamilyn Banno Avid skiers dream of powder. The snow is feathery light, and require a different technique than skiing on a packed surface. Powder can get pretty deep, and some of the best runs are made when it’s piled high. Balance is centered, and momentum is forward; otherwise, the skier sinks and gets stuck in the snow. There’s skill in mastering the maneuver, but once it’s learned, the sensation of floating down the mountain is epic. Mastering leadership is... Read more
by Jen Sanbulte We’ve all done it. We’ve gone to work and put on the mask, afraid to be at work who we are in Church on Sunday. We hesitate to give people glimpses into our real life and emotions, because it is messy. Instead, we hide. God called us to be light, but many have a hard time figuring out what that looks like at work. And if we’re honest, we all want to be viewed as professional, as... Read more
by Jason Byassee I’m not the sort of person inclined to try alternative medicine. We vaccinate our kids, we eat gluten, we go to regular doctors and take their pills. But then again I’m also not the kind of person who settles for having a debilitating foot injury at age 40. With an air between bemusement and resignation, off I went to a highly regarded local acupuncturist. We pastors don’t get out of our comfort zones nearly often enough. As I... Read more
by Keri Wyatt Kent As we awaken from our post-Thankgiving food/shopping/football coma, we find December looming. Some of us feel our blood pressure ticking slowly upward. For others, there’s a low-grade stress, like static in the background of the playlist in our minds. Perhaps a few of us feel excited or eager to begin the season of Advent. The next four weeks are an opportunity to celebrate, a time of waiting and joyful anticipation. Advent comes from the Latin “adventus” which... Read more
by David Rupert “If the salt loses its saltiness, it’s good for nothing.” The policy was given to me on my first day. It was part of a page excerpted from the personnel manual, labeled “Code of Conduct.” In stern language, the code enumerated things like tardiness, overtime, and dress standards. But one line stood out in its frankness. I tried not to be insulted. “While we are tolerant of all beliefs, religious expressions are not tolerated in the workplace.... Read more
Bishop N. T. Wright is arguably one of the most important theologians writing today. He’s published everything from weighty theological tomes like Christian Origins and the Question of God, to accessible commentaries like Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters, to inspirational books like Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope. When N. T. Wright agreed to lead an intimate retreat at Laity Lodge, we took the opportunity to ask him about honoring God in everyday life and work. What does it look like to be “Simply... Read more
by Nathan Roberts As I took the Amtrak up to the Faith@Work Summit in Boston, I was working on a paper about the Mind-Body Problem. I don’t want to bore you with academic details, but the gist of the problem is: how do we talk about how the brain––an electrically charged lump of meat––relates to a mind capable of self-awareness, sensory experience, and personal agency? How can we explain the link between mind and matter? This is called the “explanatory... Read more
by Keri Wyatt Kent I am currently training for a half marathon. Today, my training consists of not running. I am writing this from the couch. That’s right. Any training schedule for long-distance race will recommend days to run, cross train, lift weights—and at least one day per week of rest. The resting allows the body to recover, to rebuild. Exercise physiologists know that the human body performs optimally when it gets at least one day off out of seven to... Read more
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