NRH

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Oct 10, 2024: I’m not saying I never miss it, but you know, I never regret starting my day with Scripture & prayer.

Jul 30, 2024: I know the whole Inbox Zero thing can be taken to an extreme but it does feel good to get there once a week or so.

Jul 16, 2024: Been a while since I checked in with Workflowy. The Kanban board view and presentation features are killer. I may transition from Trello.

Jul 16, 2024: Dusty had a couple skin tags removed. Inflatable donut seems more comfortable for him than the Cone of Shame 😆

Jun 14, 2024: Amazing use for AI - had a client send me an image with lots of text I had to replicate. Instead of typing it out, I just asked Claude to do it for …

Jun 10, 2024: What is the message the Apostles received and passed on? God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Jun 1, 2024: Just released: I’m fine. Back to my alternative roots. I'm Fine by Nathan R. Hale

May 24, 2024: We were so grateful for the opportunity to do a re-design (from the ground up!) for Restoration Community Ministries in Phoenix, Arizona! This church …

May 19, 2024: Thinking about the ethics of disclosing how I use AI in various capacities, both in design and for the church. AI has become a regular conversation …

May 19, 2024: 🕊 A blessed Pentecost to all! 🔥

May 18, 2024: Now using a slightly customized version of the excellent Tiny Theme.

May 17, 2024: LAUNCHED: Rising Sun Coaching and Consulting Beth was an amazing client and doing amazing, positive work in the world!

May 8, 2024: I feel blessed to be in the place that I’m in: both fulfilling my priestly calling, and working to build a web design business that provides for …

May 4, 2024: Hey it’s May the 4th (Star Wars Day) and Free Comic Book Day! Here are some awesome local spots we hung out to day in Historic Downtown …

Apr 19, 2024: St. George is the patron saint of Ethiopia. A fitting drink for tonight’s Ethiopian feast at Abyssinia.

Apr 13, 2024: Really enjoy my ESV Reader’s Bible, but can confirm the beautiful cloth over board cover definitely attracts dog hair 🤦‍♂️😂

Apr 2, 2024: Don’t have a lot of CDs but here’s a stack of a few I have left I’ll be taking out to the car

Apr 2, 2024: So grateful

Mar 26, 2024: For anyone in the Phoenix area: you are warmly welcomed to join me and the rest of my church for worship this week. 🗺️ Location ⁜ Holy Week 2024 ⁜ 🥖 …

Mar 21, 2024: Business cards!!

Mar 19, 2024: Let us bless the Lord. He has done great things. As we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week, I am so grateful for the Lord’s kindness in drawing …

Mar 19, 2024: Recently gave this podcast interview - Grateful for the opportunity to share about how God is working in the small things to bless Sunnyslope through …

Mar 14, 2024: Currently reading: Loving Disagreement by Matt Mikalatos 📚 2 chapters in, and impressed with the depth candidness, and accessibility of this book!

Mar 14, 2024: Finished 2024: Dearly Beloved by Vermon Pierre 📚 Excellent overview and exploration of how the Bible uses the metaphor of marriage to communicate …

Mar 13, 2024: Photo source On Monday I went to a business networking meetup at our local library here in Phoenix. All freelancers like me, and mostly brand new, …

Mar 8, 2024: Yesterday my favorite phone ever– my Samsung Galaxy S20 FE–finally succumbed to a failing battery. Walked out of the Verizon store about 3 …

Feb 29, 2024: I’m usually kind of wary of online courses and memberships. However as I have gotten back into web design I have to say I have gotten a ton of …

Feb 21, 2024: Beginning web design work for TWO really amazing Anglican ministries this week

Feb 19, 2024: REN FEST!!

Feb 13, 2024: Have been grateful the last several months to have the opportunity to pray the Daily Office regularly with others (usually at least once a week). …

Feb 9, 2024: Very grateful for the support I’ve received as I launch my web design business. It means so much!

Feb 4, 2024: 👋 Hey friends and fam! I’m leaning into my design and development skills to launch a freelance web business, Hale Creative! I’m helping …

Jan 29, 2024: Hey friends and fam - wanted to let you know that due to budget constraints at the church, I’m moving to half-time. I’ll still be serving …

Jan 24, 2024: Three Nuns tobacco in my trusty Dr. Grabow pipe this cloudy Phoenix morning.

Jan 23, 2024: Beautiful rainbow today

Jan 15, 2024: “…fret not yourself, lest you be moved to do evil.” Psalm 37:8b - New Coverdale Psalter

Jan 1, 2024: Happy 2024

Dec 21, 2023: Hard to count how many times I’ve realized something in Bible study or theological reflection… …only to recognize… …

Dec 21, 2023: I love preaching in Advent. The themes of Advent really resonate with me personally - especially the anticipation of the celebration of the …

Dec 20, 2023: Late getting Christmas cards out again this year, but it’s all coming together. Looking forward to couple of chill days with the family soon.

Dec 18, 2023: Attempting to resist Instagram’s constant suggestion I get on board with Threads

Dec 13, 2023: I just discovered Scribe, an ultra clean and minimalist way to publish a post to Micro.blog. This is what a great web application looks like!

Dec 9, 2023: It was time for a design and a /now page refresh. Really liking what I have so far. Things are only going to get more interesting from here. As for …

Nov 24, 2023: Heartfelt moments with Full House while we decorate the tree 😂

Nov 22, 2023: 📚 Advent: The Season of Hope by Tish Harrison Warren

Nov 11, 2023: I’m refreshing my web development skills and going back to basics. Taking this course and realizing I have a lot to learn but really enjoying …

Oct 27, 2023: Amazon's Kindle Scribe (First Generation) - Full Review for Writers & Pastors Contents Why I’m interested in the Kindle Scribe (and why you might be too) So what exactly is the Kindle Scribe? Reading on the Kindle Scribe …

Oct 27, 2023: This looks to be a useful tool - it generates a table of contents for you from a Markdown document. Markdown TOC generator

Oct 17, 2023: Morning Prayer today with another local priest. Have been saying the Morning Office Monday - Thursday in the chapel at DMAC since getting back from …

Oct 10, 2023: Saturday, and then again Monday: small signs that God provides. An unexpected oblation: a small prayer book. A surprise act of thoughtfulness: a stump …

Oct 8, 2023: I’m using AI weekly for evaluating texts, coming up with ideas, video editing and more!

Sep 27, 2023: We may see a Star Trek computer in our lifetime🖖

Sep 26, 2023: I asked an AI to write an article on the ethics of using it as a writing tool. Here's what it said. The Ethics of AI in Blogging: Should We Allow Machines to Write Our Content? The rise of artificial intelligence is changing many industries, …

Sep 25, 2023: FAITH IN THE AGE OF AI IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE…IT IS ESSENTIAL A review of Faith in Age of Artificial Intelligence: Christianity Through the Looking Glass by Dan Scott There is no question for me, as an Elder …

Sep 22, 2023: Currently reading: Gardens of the Moon: Book One of The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson 📚 I have no idea what’s going on so far …

Sep 20, 2023: Morning friends. Rivendell from The Country Squire in the pipe this morning while I wait for the pool repairman to take a look at our malfunctioning …

Aug 29, 2023: Another collection of newly released songs. Thematically, this EP is ultimately about discovering rest that is possible in divine love as the absolute …

Aug 29, 2023: New music, a track about the inevitability of Love. don't be too scared by Nathan R. Hale

Aug 10, 2023: Happy birthday to my wife, Amber Happy birthday Amber! You are a gift to all who know you. Not only are you extremely competent at everything you do, you are so genuinely kind in how …

Aug 10, 2023: After 4 weeks away it feels good to come back to this sacred space.

Jul 31, 2023: i could be by Nathan R. Hale Freshly released: a contemplative kind of synthy song ➡️ Bandcamp link

Jul 26, 2023: This is fine

Jul 26, 2023: Bishop Scott is synthesizing and analyzing a tremendous amount of key ideas for the Christian community here. Really outstanding work.

Jul 12, 2023: A false start with Kindle Scribe 1st gen I’ve been looking into e-ink writing tablets, mainly to save space on notebooks when on the go and for ease of organization. Picked up the …

Jul 11, 2023: One thing (out of several) that elevates Dial of Destiny above the last installment in the Indian Jones franchise: it feels like a real movie. A real …

Jul 9, 2023: We had a good time at Swingin' Safari Mini Golf this afternoon!

Jul 8, 2023: Family D&D night

Jul 7, 2023: I will just say I am thankful for the sanity and simplicity of micro.blog in the midst of all this Twitter/Threads/Meta drama. I hope we get some new …

Jul 7, 2023: Updated: site look and feel, now page

Jul 4, 2023: Deleted my Reddit account. The forcing out of third-party apps seemed so egregiously wrong. As much as I appreciate many of the communities on Reddit, …

Jun 23, 2023: Back at it

Jun 21, 2023: New beer to me, quite enjoyable. Good times with family by the pool.

Jun 19, 2023: Marvel Munchkin with the fam!

Jun 16, 2023: AI and its implications are of pastoral concern right now. As a priest, I’m already walking alongside others as they explore this topic.

Jun 14, 2023: TIL what synechdoche means.

Jun 12, 2023: Well, it’s happened. An entire church service generated by AI.

Jun 12, 2023: What an amazing resource for us Anglicans! ➡️ The Scriptural BCP

Jun 12, 2023: Currently reading: Faith in the Age of AI by Dan Scott 📚

Jun 2, 2023: My beautiful wife and best friend, Amber.

Jun 1, 2023: Feels different to get 8 full hours of sleep.

May 25, 2023: Good morning! Country Squire Chesapeake tobacco, Costco coffee, sacred reading.

May 24, 2023: What a blessing to spend some time with one of my spiritual fathers and founding pastor of Desert Mission Anglican Church, Fr. John Dyson. So thankful …

May 21, 2023: Working on preaching with fewer notes. This morning I took about half of what I usually do with me, and was able to fit it all on a single sheet of …

May 19, 2023: One of my core “mentors from afar,” Tim Keller, has died. It feels like such a tremendous loss. Although I did not know him personally, he …

May 1, 2023: NT Wright on the martyrdom of St. Stephen: In the great Jewish tradition of martyrdom, the dying called down curses on their persecutors; the first …

May 1, 2023: Finished 2023: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker 📚 Essential ideas for understanding the essentially foundational nature of sleep, written with energy …

May 1, 2023: Finished 2023: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by Ryan North 📚 Fun and whimsical comic. Great lighthearted reading.

Apr 28, 2023: A new retrowave-synth-experimentation: ISIT ISIT by Nathan R. Hale

Apr 28, 2023: Finished 2023: On the Ecclesiastical Mystagogy by Saint Maximus the Confessor 📚 Maximus, helpful and inspiring as always. was gratified to find that …

Apr 18, 2023: Cal Newport gives a great explanation of how ChatGPT works and why it probably won’t become Skynet.

Apr 17, 2023: Been reading a bit about David Foster Wallace today. In my circles, quotes from his famous Kenyon College commencement address, “This is …

Apr 10, 2023: Something beyond comprehension happens to the crucifixion of Jesus when it gets turned into “Good” Friday. That something is the resurrection, which …

Apr 3, 2023: Game night last Friday at the church was blast. Games played: Codenames Azul Catan

Mar 29, 2023: Guitar players, like myself, believed for years that these artists had access to futuristic tools and production tactics that were out of reach for …

Mar 20, 2023: Yesterday I witnessed my sisters and brothers in Christ: joyfully welcome newcomers, pray with compassion for those that are hurting, labor toward …

Mar 18, 2023: Good morning! Last bit of Escudo I’ve been aging since 2020 in a St. Paddy’s Day pipe from Missouri Meerschaum

Mar 16, 2023: Thursday morning pipe. Three Nuns. I know it’s not the same as it was, but it’s interesting to note this was C.S. Lewis' preferred brand.

Mar 15, 2023: Enjoying this locally-roasted coffee spotted in the supermarket the other day.

Mar 14, 2023: A glimpse from today’s visit to the Desert Botanical Garden.

Mar 13, 2023: Started listening: The Hiddenness of God by Michael C. Rea 📚

Mar 12, 2023: Dunkin' has now gone to the dark side; they’re selling Pepsi products now in my area.

Mar 12, 2023: 🎵 My 13yo son is on an 80s music kick and I couldn’t be more proud.

Mar 11, 2023: 🍿 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this afternoon with Amber. Fun movie, about on par with the rest of this phase of Marvel films. I do think they …

Mar 4, 2023: 🍿 Introduced Ang Lee’s Hulk to my son today. We agreed that it holds up well as a thoughtful and character-driven superhero film. We loved the …

Mar 4, 2023: St. Paul said, “…the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free …

Jan 30, 2023: The foolishness of the Cross of Christ To be honest, many people do misunderstand the cross, and think of it as some kind of divine child abuse, as if the suffering of Christ in itself …

Jan 24, 2023: Psalm 67 Deus misereatur 1 May God be merciful unto us, and bless us, * and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us. 2 Let your …

Jan 21, 2023: Saturday morning at home.

Jan 20, 2023: I told ChatGPT: Write a short prayer for Christian unity in the style of the Book of Common Prayer, 1662. Result: O merciful God, who hast taught us …

Nov 28, 2022: Christ is the Mountain Isaiah casts a breathtaking vision for the inevitable future that awaits us. “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many …

Nov 22, 2022: King of Forgiveness Even the people of God can’t govern themselves in such a way that provides for the flourishing of the community. This is because all people, including …

Nov 13, 2022: 🕹️ Just finished Homeworld: Cataclysm (AKA Homeworld: Emergence) and I absolutely loved it. What a game! A different emotional experience than the …

Nov 12, 2022: Was sad to hear of the passing of Kevin Conroy. He has been the voice of one my favorite heroes, Batman, for as long as I have engaged with animated …

Nov 12, 2022: Clip of a song I wrote for my daughter, Selah.

Nov 10, 2022: Currently reading: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker 📚

Oct 31, 2022: Without just works, our worship can't be true Both right worship and good works are vital, but without just works accompanying it, our worship cannot be true. Listen to what the Lord said through …

Oct 25, 2022: 4 parts of making peace with discernment I think the church today would do well to emulate these practices that are evident from the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15: Entering a process of …

Oct 22, 2022: My next “laptop” will probably be a Galaxy Tab S8. I’ve been using my 2019 Galaxy Tab A 10.1 for some actual work lately and …

Oct 17, 2022: Ordained a priest 7 years ago today. So grateful to God and to those that he has called me to serve. I’m especially thankful for my wife, Amber, …

Oct 17, 2022: Practice what you pray Prayer is what grounded and energized Jesus' life of action for the sake of the world. Jesus practiced what he preached and what he prayed. He was …

Oct 15, 2022:

Oct 13, 2022: The Word of God is not bound St. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy in the first chapter and second part of verse nine writes: The word of God is not bound. How does God speak …

Oct 12, 2022: Logos 10 was just released, and while there are some nice updates….the Sermon Builder feature *still * doesn’t support footnotes or …

Oct 11, 2022: Tonight, I worked on my initial revision to the Spiritual Disciplines class I just took my church through. Finished working through the first session …

Oct 8, 2022: Sometimes it’s relaxing to just mess around with synths on a Saturday afternoon

Sep 13, 2022: Queen Elizabeth, Servant of God | This reflection by always thoughtful Rowan Williams is very much worth reading.

Aug 31, 2022: Pride & Dignity We could talk about how every person’s selfish and self-destructive attitudes, actions, and affections disqualify us from deserving anything from God. …

Aug 24, 2022: Kallistos (Timothy) Ware 11 September 1934 — 24 August 2022 Memory Eternal!

Aug 23, 2022: On the Narrow Door Someone comes to Jesus and asks, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (Luke 13:23, ESV) Jesus doesn’t answer the question, though, at least not …

Aug 16, 2022: A Faith That Sings Reflections on Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46–55) Our Christian faith is a faith that sings. The people of God have always sung about our God and his …

Aug 11, 2022: Trello is down which means my whole system for tracking/capturing/updating tasks is down. This is very rare (only time I can remember it happening) …

Aug 11, 2022: Announcement: A big really small shift

Aug 11, 2022: Daytime desk pic

Aug 10, 2022: Pretty happy with how my home workspace is coming together. Trying to purposely create a different vibe for a different kind of creative work than I …

Jul 28, 2022: Some new music from band I just discovered. Digging it. ➡️ Progfusion

Jul 25, 2022: Today the Church celebrates James the Elder, Apostle. O gracious God, your servant and apostle James was first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom …

Jul 23, 2022: 📺 Fun little mini doc on the computer game classic, Microsoft Solitaire youtu.be/3x5VAg1HJ…

Jul 22, 2022: 🕹 Greetings from #MarsMars Pretty fun update to the classic Lunar Lander. marsmarsgame.com

Jul 22, 2022: When I’m making coffee for just myself, the Aeropress is a method I enjoy often. Here’s my recipe for a largish 12-14 oz mug: 2 Aeropress …

Jul 20, 2022: Pipe by the pool

Jul 20, 2022: Procrastinated a bit today by designing a custom day planner sheet to put in a discbound notebook. Full size image

Jul 19, 2022: Accidentally initiated a factory reset a couple of weeks ago. Took the opportunity to not reinstall social media (excepting micro.blog) and re-think …

Jul 19, 2022: Good news! Successfully replaced the light switch yesterday without killing myself.

Jul 18, 2022: Gearing up to replace a few switches and outlets around the house. This video was super helpful.

Jul 10, 2022: Today at St. George’s Anglican Church Pastor Shane reminded us that pride is the source of judgmentalism, and that ultimately, no one has any …

Jul 9, 2022: Hope for the renewal of all things in and because of Jesus is what keeps me going when I consider and experience the suffering of the world. …

Jul 7, 2022: Dusty’s stress at my wife Amber going out on the lake is palpable in this photo, I think.

Jul 7, 2022: Woods Canyon Lake, AZ

Jun 21, 2022: The Downward Way of Christ and Salvation We want our comfort and convenience. We want our power. We want to point out our success in pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps. But Jesus …

Jun 15, 2022: This commentary on Luke reads like a bunch of really great sermons. Which is probably its genesis!

May 31, 2022: Lashed to the mast of Word and Sacrament This how I try to understand and live out my pastoral and priestly vocation: “lashed to the mast of Word and Sacrament.” “One more thing: …

Feb 24, 2022: Christians, prayer for the world is an essential aspect of our vocation Christian brothers and sisters, Prayer for the world is an essential aspect of our vocation. We must stand firm in prayer always, and especially in …

Feb 22, 2022: Learning about Ephrem of Syria today. Really looking forward to reading him and other Syriac Fathers more.

Feb 3, 2022:

Jan 10, 2022: Battle station ready for my Monday morning sermon prep focus session (reading/research)

Jan 8, 2022: I am pretty excited to preach about God’s heart for the nations tomorrow morning–not least because I see how that heart is being manifest …

Jan 8, 2022: I need these prayers

Dec 30, 2021: Goals for today: finish some key tasks for Desert Mission Anglican Church, play some games with the kids (they’re still home on break), read …

Dec 27, 2021: You are God's Delight It’s the Third Day of Christmas. We remember St. John the Theologian. He wrote: “…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have …

Dec 22, 2021: She preaches with passion Over and against rulers with delusions of divine favor and power, Mary proclaims in her Spirit-inspired song that divinity is not found in those that …

Nov 23, 2021: The Cross is the Throne The religious and political leaders around Jesus were right that his kingdom threatened theirs, because he was at every turn exposing the evil and …

Nov 22, 2021: The Kingdom of Christ is fundamentally spiritual, but not merely spiritual What makes a good king different from a bad king is the kind of power used and the way that power is used. The thing that destines every king to fail …

Nov 17, 2021: 7 encouragements for the deconstructing “Deconstruction” is the topic du jour in the Christian social media space right now. It’s the recognition that many former …

Oct 22, 2021: Pretty excited to release a collection of songs, p r o d i g a l, today. Hit the link or stream below. p r o d i g a l by Nathan R. Hale

Oct 14, 2021: Every opportunity to love So thankful today that Jesus did what I could never do: Every temptation, he resisted. Every sin, he rebuked. Every affront, he forgave. Every blow, …

Oct 9, 2021: A present friend Watched the Disney version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last night with the kids. Haven’t seen it since it released in theaters. …

Oct 5, 2021: I encourage our church to wrestle with the teaching of Jesus in the Bible. Here’s how I define “wrestle”: To acknowledge openly the …

Oct 5, 2021: Updated my /now page.

Sep 14, 2021: “Over and over again the formation of a party, the growth of a clique, the promotion of a split have been justified as standing for the truth. …

Sep 1, 2021: Just look at him A real problem with so much hand wringing over the future of the Church is that there’s so little re-centering of hope on the person and work of …

Aug 1, 2021: The liberating Way of Christ We pray fervently for God to come through for the oppressed in the present, through those of us that have been given his Name, through the taking up …

Jul 29, 2021: We can have courage to confess our sins, because God in Christ in Christ gives us assurance of forgiveness.

Jul 27, 2021: I WAS BORN IN 1 9 8 4 a musical sketch Having so much fun with virtual synths/midi these days best w/headphones

Jul 25, 2021: Today we commemorate St.. James, who demontrates that leadership and authority in the church have much more to do with the Spirit of self-giving than …

Jul 22, 2021: 📚 Some gems found today at Costco, of all places: a great Sherlock Holmes box set, a really helpful collection of key American writings and political …

Jul 13, 2021: Christianity is comforting, not comfortable Church is a community where all the distraught can be comforted with the sure hope of the Gospel. Nevertheless the comforting and confident path we …

Jul 12, 2021: Nationalism, Christianity, encouragement -- and regret It’s encouraging to see there are gestures in America toward a renewed humility in the so-called “prophetic” movement. This …

Jul 7, 2021: Behold the heart of God in Christ If Jesus gives us the Spirit of the Law in the Sermon on the Mount, then the Spirit of the Law is revealed as non-violent. If the Spirit of the Law is …

Jul 6, 2021: He directed Superman, and I loved everything about that movie Yesterday, I found out that Richard Donner, the director of Superman (1978) and The Goonies has died. I don’t know much about him, except his …

Jul 3, 2021: Thankfully, my country is not my church As those of us in the U.S. prepare for 4th of July festivities, I want to recognize the main things I am grateful for as an American: Unprecedented …

Jun 27, 2021: Love & Deconstruction Like many my age and younger, I went through a fairly severe period of deconstructing my faith, trying to make sense of what we read in the teachings …

Jun 24, 2021: Prescott, AZ. What a beautiful part of the great state of Arizona!

Jun 20, 2021: Updated nathanrhale.com today. A bit more color. A little more homey. Less navigation. And I’m bringing the newsletter back?

Jun 20, 2021: So thankful to be the father of these amazing humans

Jun 20, 2021: Sun’s going down

Jun 20, 2021: Erin Go Bragh tobacco Knob Creek 9 Year bourbon Happy Father’s Day!

Jun 20, 2021: View from the deck where we’re staying right now in Prescott, AZ.

Jun 17, 2021: Finished up the final track and published a little EP today. Ether & Experiments by Nathan R. Hale

Apr 17, 2021: When the glory of God has left the Temple One time, I was visiting a mainstream, large, influential American Evangelical church for a mid-week special service. They had invited a …

Apr 6, 2021: Happy Monday of Easter Week, friends! I’m giving Royal Yacht a try and so far I like it! A prayer for today from my Anglican tradition–in …

Apr 3, 2021: Early morning, an Easter poem Alleluia! The Resurrection of God-come-to-as-us-one-of-us– Jesus!– can only be the Declaration: no one else has to die– not …

Mar 30, 2021: The profound goodness of God on display in the mystery of Holy Week is too deep to articulate with words. I can only direct my heart God in all the …

Mar 30, 2021: In my experience, it seems the default position of many Christians towards their siblings in Christ is one of distrust. Often, there are good reasons …

Mar 23, 2021: All anyone truly has is the love of God in Jesus Christ and that love is everything, more than enough.

Mar 10, 2021: New vehicle. Hover-1 Alpha.

Feb 22, 2021: Why discuss potentially controversial topics in church? Why discuss potentially controversial topics in church? 4 reasons: 📖1) To educate the Church in light of the Gospel – in other words, to examine …

Feb 17, 2021: When we are found in Christ, his light becomes our light. His Spirit becomes our Spirit. We partake of the exact same divine nature as we are filled …

Feb 17, 2021: Smoking a clay pipe A clay pipe can very inexpensively obtained from Pipes & Cigars. I got this one as a Christmas present this year. It offers a great, pure-flavored …

Feb 4, 2021: Replaced battery in my aging laptop… Been a loooooong time since I’ve done anything like this. Very cool that it was overall very easy. …

Feb 3, 2021: In last Sunday’s sermon, I tried to work out the distinction between capability (raw power) and credibility (real authority), and to communicate …

Jan 29, 2021: A brief outline of my spiritual journey A brief outline of my spiritual journey though theological “phases”: Childlike faith in God in Christ, interrupted by: Fear-based …

Jan 15, 2021: Helpful

Jan 11, 2021: A sermon after January 6 Here’s last Sunday’s sermon for those that might be interested, in which I attempt to consider the recent terrorist attack on the Capitol …

Jan 9, 2021: Beyond Burger night!

Jan 8, 2021: In truth, then, God became a man and provided another beginning (ἀρχή), a second nativity (γένεσις), for human nature, which, through the vehicle of …

Jan 7, 2021: Just recently decided to give Microsoft ToDo a shot for organizing all my GTD lists…and what do you know, there’s an official setup …

Jan 7, 2021: “Moderation or the middle ground is not always the loci of righteousness.” Esau McCaulley, Reading While Black

Jan 7, 2021: I am deeply saddened that some think what happened yesterday at the Capitol is in any way after the pattern of Christ. There is no biblical …

Dec 31, 2020: 2020 brought much about the Church in America into the light. Turns out, we’re even worse off than we perhaps thought in terms of our continued …

Dec 24, 2020: A meditation for Christmas Eve There are few images as precious to me as Christ on the cross, the Creator King of the universe hanging, naked from two rough pieces of wood, crushed …

Dec 19, 2020: A Culture of Unhealthy Silence I reject the notion that the solution to any communal tension is to pretend it doesn’t exist by not talking about it. As a pastor I have been …

Dec 15, 2020: This Advent, those of us that claim the Name of Christ have an opportunity to–like John the Baptizer—point beyond ourselves, and cry out with …

Dec 12, 2020: “Holy ordinances are Christ’s, though administered by weak men.” ~ Matthew Henry Hallelujah!

Dec 12, 2020: Dan Scott, writing at Facebook: In the last few months, all sorts of prophets told us how the election would turn out, who was on God’s side and who …

Dec 11, 2020: So grateful for Fr. Kenneth Tanner’s way of articulating a key implication of the Gospel here. This has helped clarify my thinking, soften my …

Dec 11, 2020: Faithful companions

Dec 10, 2020: The reading chair

Dec 9, 2020: 108 COVID-19 deaths reported in AZ today. I believe this is a record high, the previous being 103 on July 17. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. …

Dec 8, 2020: With Pastor Matt, I affirm I’m not an economist. I’m a priest. That said, it is part of my vocation to bring the witness of Scripture to …

Dec 7, 2020: Dennae Pierre, writing at Facebook: “A lot of pastors chose trying to defend the chruch from some kind of “false social justice teaching” (that …

Dec 6, 2020: I am grateful for the teaching of the Church, so clearly articulated at the time of the Reformation, that we have a true encounter with God in …

Nov 25, 2020: It is an honor and privilege and joy to witness in my own feeble way to the only True King, my Lord Jesus. I am in perpetual awe of how unlike any …

Nov 20, 2020: Interpreting the Thirty- Nine Articles Religion with Room to Grow Owen Chadwick in his essay “The Mind of the Oxford Movement” notes that church historian Thomas Fuller (17th century, mind …

Nov 17, 2020: Love is prior to unity. Grace and mercy are prior to agreement.

Oct 22, 2020: And, with gratitude for all you have done and who you are.

Oct 17, 2020: “You will be dead, so long as you refuse to die.” - George McDonald

Sep 30, 2020: Last night’s shameful “debate” confirms the inability of earthly nations and leaders to offer lasting hope, a compelling moral/ethical vision, or a …

Sep 15, 2020: It’s not “being right” that makes us right with God, but the righteousness of Christ.

Sep 1, 2020: We are in a season of confusion, disinformation, and distraction. God’s Word incarnate, Jesus Christ, as revealed in God’s Word written, …

Aug 28, 2020: The distinguishing mark of the Church I wholeheartedly believe the church is meant to credibly model and offer a different way of life than what the rest of the world experiences. In …

Aug 18, 2020: Keeping the peace or peacemaking? I think there is a difference between “keeping the peace” and peacemaking. In the first, tension is avoided for fear of …

Aug 1, 2020: Current slate of physical books in play

Jul 27, 2020: A dear friend, brother in Christ, and parishioner of mine passed away last week. This is how I can express my feelings. A Prayer in Memory

Jul 25, 2020: These are changing times, friends. Hard times, but not without some hope. A new track.

Jul 25, 2020: Soundcloud is so aggressive in suggesting their pro option that I just moved everything over to BandLab, where I’ve been spending a ton of time …

Jul 23, 2020: 15 years married to Amber today. She’s the best friend anyone could ask for, an inspiring parent, and an absolutely dedicated wife. Faithfully follows …

Jul 22, 2020: 02 What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the good news that God loves the world and offers salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ. (Psalm …

Jul 21, 2020: A few (though not all) of the books I intend to read as I participate in Nashota House’s “The Bible & Theology in Color” with Fr. Esau McCaulley …

Jul 20, 2020: Currently reading: The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby 📚

Jul 14, 2020: Food for thought: “The shallow character of many strategies for renewal is revealed just to the extent that the resulting churches cannot …

Jul 11, 2020: A risky faith I’ve been thinking about the whole idea of risk-taking, faith, and Christian witness. They are all intertwined–and rightfully so–for …

Jul 10, 2020: Moments from the creek

Jul 7, 2020: Keychron K2. Love this Keyboard.

Jul 7, 2020: “Mystery, in the New Testament, is never total, enduring obscurity, but the grace of God made manifest in God’s way and time.” F. Dean …

Jul 6, 2020: First full track made in Abelton with my Launchkey Mini Mk 3

Jul 6, 2020: Made a music page so you can find some of the stuff I’m composing and recording. More to come.

Jul 4, 2020: God’s purpose is not that we should be Old Testament Christians, regenerate indeed, but living in slavery to the law and in bondage to indwelling sin. …

Jul 4, 2020: John Stott cites Tom Wright in his commentary on Romans. Pretty exciting find for me since these are two of my absolute favorite pastor-theologians.

Jun 23, 2020: Look what just came in the mail

Jun 20, 2020: Current mood. Pensive. Pic by Amber

Jun 16, 2020: Sitting down for a morning of pastoral administrative work (uploading the podcast, reviewing parish hall remodel estimates, email, etc) with a …

Jun 9, 2020: “God doth justify the believing man, yet not for the worthiness of his belief, but for His worthiness who is believed.” Richard Hooker, Definition of …

May 20, 2020: Just got my video in for Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir! I did not sing perfectly but I gave it my best with the time I had.

May 18, 2020: The way of Jesus expresses hope that transformation is possible for ANYONE. Even enemies.

May 17, 2020: Sunday afternoon jams with my new little practice amp!

May 16, 2020:

May 16, 2020: Thankfuk to RNAtreasures for this great find at a fair price. Perfect little pipe for walking the dog, reading, and on the go. The deep bend in the …

May 15, 2020: Pretty stoked to give this new pocket pipe from RNAtreasures a go on my evening walk tonight. I imagine I’ll load it it up with some BLWB.

May 12, 2020: The Sacred Enneagram

May 11, 2020: Grateful to be led in worship each Sunday by my wife Amber.

May 2, 2020: Tomorrow’s sermon is on submitting to the government. Total word count: 1776. Coincidence? You decide.

May 2, 2020: A little lick I came up with years ago to warm up the fingers. Kinda challenging for me these days as I’m pretty rusty.

Apr 18, 2020: I’ve been out of the…loop…(see what I did there) on audio production for a long time. I’m super impressed with what is now possible for …

Apr 16, 2020: The church is learning to suffer, to be patient, to be creative, to bear with one another in this time so that when we can gather again in the fullest …

Apr 7, 2020: A Palm Sunday Meditation Last Sunday’s homily (audio): As we encounter the Scriptures for Palm Sunday in the liturgy, we find ourselves in a special place. This is the …

Apr 3, 2020: WHAT IS HAPPENING

Mar 31, 2020: Perhaps you’re barely able to remember or imagine what it might be like rejuvenated by rivers of living water, not just physically, not just socially, …

Mar 28, 2020: Q 109. May we omit church assemblies on the Lord’s day if the magistrate forbid them? A. If the Magistrate for a greater good, (as the common …

Mar 26, 2020: Desert flowers

Mar 23, 2020: Here are some resources I have been using to organize and facilitate church during COVID-19 Xenvo Pro Lens Kit for Smartphones/Laptop Cams This has been helpful by providing a wide-angle shot for when we need more people in the frame for …

Mar 22, 2020: Drive up Communion. What a time.

Feb 23, 2020: Sunday afternoon pipe.

Feb 20, 2020: The study is coming together.

Feb 4, 2020: So disappointed that Fantastical 3 insists on prompting me to upgrade to a subscription when I have in fact purchased the software some time ago. One …

Jan 30, 2020: Unpacking all my books into a new space. So grateful for the ones I have read, haven’t yet read, and will never read.

Jan 18, 2020: This is one of the most true and challenging—yet somehow also comforting—books I have ever read. You can finish it in an hour, but consider taking an …

Jan 17, 2020: Here’s a Bookmarked, Easy-to-Navigate PDF of the ACNA’s New Catechism - Anglican Pastor —- Have been using this heavily to prepare for …

Jan 4, 2020: Jesus is a person, not merely a principle. We share a person, not just a set of doctrines, with the world. Real religion is about real communion with …

Jan 2, 2020:

Dec 29, 2019: Lord have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. God, in your mercy, remember all involved in the shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ in …

Dec 26, 2019: I was excited to receive an Osprey Arcane Small Dayback for Christmas this year, and couldn’t wait to take it out for a spin today to the movies. This …

Dec 25, 2019: Merry Christmas, all!

Dec 25, 2019: A couple of Christmas gifts from my lovely wife that will be treasured: an estate Tim West pipe that is light, smokes exceptionally well, and has a …

Dec 24, 2019: What a beautiful celebration of the birth of our Lord tonight with these awesome people along with many of the rest of our family in Christ. It was my …

Dec 23, 2019: Opinion - How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don’t - The New York Times “…while believers can register under a party …

Dec 21, 2019: Where Will Pipes Be In 100 Years? Great article on the benefits and blessings of pipes, the pipe smoking community, and what that could look like in a …

Dec 21, 2019: Christianity Today sure kicked the hornet’s nest. I have a hunch that stating whether or not I agree with Galli’s opinion on the impeachment of the …

Dec 14, 2019: Was glad to get new 2019 BCPs along with ESV w/Apocrypha pew Bibles for the church today!!

Dec 11, 2019: St. Paul says he wants harmony in the Body of Christ so “that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” …

Dec 10, 2019: Food for thought

Dec 8, 2019: 1 Peter 3:17–4:2 (ESV): …it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered …

Dec 7, 2019: Our hope is for a future that has already begun. “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall …

Dec 3, 2019: I can’t not share this photo, perhaps my favorite ever of my youngest daughter, Gwyneth.

Nov 20, 2019: Clouds coming in over the mountains lend an ethereal beauty to the concrete landscape of Phoenix today. I love where I live and work, and am always …

Nov 11, 2019: The makings of a fine autumn evening. Yes, I’ve got that Carolina Gent loaded with C&D Autumn Evening tobacco

Nov 1, 2019: Anglican liturgical living, following the curriculum of prayer and Scripture found in the Book of Common Prayer, brings us straight to the point. …

Nov 1, 2019: 🖊 Journaling through Colossians 2:11-22 today. God is indeed a God of righteous order, not only organization in itself. God does not stand for any law …

Oct 28, 2019: Got this Topical Memory System to begin working through Bible memorization with my kids. Surprisingly they are pretty excited about it!

Oct 27, 2019: Really beautiful morning at church today.

Oct 25, 2019: Fr. Esau McCaulley, writing for the Washington post: ‘Jesus Is King’ and Kanye West is a tax collector

Oct 25, 2019: 🎵 Fave track so far on the new Kanye album: “Use This Gospel,” cause lyrics…and the Kenny G sax solo.

Oct 25, 2019: 🎵 JESUS IS KING by Kanye West

Oct 25, 2019: 🎵 New original music: SYNTHS // GRIDS // SUNSETS ON IPHONE 🏎🌴🌇

Oct 25, 2019: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” Pablo Picasso Image: The Old Guitarist

Oct 24, 2019: A moment of harmony. From my time at The Casa last week.

Oct 24, 2019: From Kenneth Robertson’s Facebook this morning: I’ve always dreaded the repetitiveness of Psalm 119, and recently the daily lectionary …

Oct 20, 2019: 🍻 Deschutes Black Butte Porter 💨 Country Squire Parson’s Blend Absolute match made in heaven.

Oct 12, 2019: The made-in-Rwanda phone is available for purchase in the US!

Oct 11, 2019: Apple removes app used in Hong Kong protests after pressure from China - The Verge Massive tech companies like Google and Apple aren’t just …

Oct 10, 2019: 🍿 Joker (2019) micro-review: An aesthetically beautiful film that’s difficult viewing at the same time; Joker is unsettling, sad, and shocking. …

Oct 10, 2019: Rwanda’s Mara X, Z are the first smartphones made fully in Africa woww.fastcompany.com This is awesome! Would love to see these available to purchase …

Oct 9, 2019: 🍿 Joker (2019). Highly anticipating this film.

Oct 8, 2019: Fascinating data!

Oct 7, 2019: Nothing is more perilous than to be weary of the Word of God. Thinking he knows enough, a person begins little by little to despise the Word until he …

Oct 6, 2019: 🍻 Smithwicks Red Ale 💨 Rattray’s Red Rapperee. This afternoon’s relaxation time!

Oct 6, 2019: Seen on reddit Median home value in 1950: ~$7,500 Median household income in 1950: ~$3,300 1950 median yearly earnings to purchase a home: ~2.3 …

Oct 2, 2019: There are journeys for which we not only do not have a map, but we have no resources for drawing one, either. We must allow God to lead us on the …

Sep 26, 2019: A Must-Read for Every Aspiring Pastor Note: this was originally published for The Anglican Mission in America blog. Shortly after I began speaking with my pastor about the possibility of …

Sep 26, 2019: In a perfect world, I might be iOS all the way due to the overall polish and security focus. Yet, the reality is that Android allows me to have …

Sep 24, 2019: It may have been 88 degrees today but I got into the Fall spirit with some Oktoberfest and Autumn Evening pipe tobacco before dinner

Sep 23, 2019: Today I was preaching at a local soup kitchen’s outdoor area, from John 11 (the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead). Toward the end, I …

Sep 19, 2019: “Holiness is to be recognized not by religious achievements or by a spirituality that is superior to the normal human condition, but by the …

Sep 18, 2019: Finding a good email client is way harder than it should be on Windows. Windows Mail is fast, but buggy and weird. Outlook is overkill and …

Sep 16, 2019: All 243 Riddles solved (with a lot of help from YouTube). Took this pic right before the final boss fight with Riddler and his robot henchmen.

Sep 13, 2019: The Batfleck films were terrible, but the suit was great and is fun to have in Arkham Knight.

Sep 12, 2019: How do you hate the sin in your life without hating yourself? This can be so difficult. I think the key is to realize that you are not your sin(s). …

Sep 11, 2019: What is Anglicanism? by Charles Erlandson. Probably one of the better definitions of Anglicanism I have read, and certainly one of only a few that has …

Sep 11, 2019: The practically, morally, and financially responsible thing to do is to use your current phone for as long as possible. A tough pill to swallow for …

Sep 10, 2019: No student of history can deny that people claiming to be Bible-believing Christians participated significantly in the establishment, propagation, and …

Sep 10, 2019: Anglican Pastor graciously published my write up about the website I created for praying the Daily Office online.

Sep 10, 2019: Updated my beginner’s guide to pipe smoking with a note on filters.

Sep 6, 2019: WAS NOT JESUS AN EXTREMIST FOR LOVE? M L K

Sep 6, 2019: Popped a fresh tin of Rattray’s Red Rapperee this morning. Like welcoming an old friend.

Sep 5, 2019: “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will …

Sep 4, 2019: The ULTIMATE beginner's pipe smoking starter kit [everything you need for $40 or less] Before you start smoking a pipe, know what you’re doing. It’s not like cigarette smoking, but it’s not without risk, especially if you inhale …

Aug 30, 2019: This is such a great conversation with Anglican priest and author Tish Warren. I totally get what she means about not having a “camp.” As a pacifist, …

Aug 28, 2019: Spiritual discipline is necessary for spiritual direction.

Aug 27, 2019: Happy Cob Tuesday. Today is sermon day for me, so I’m smoking some Country Squire Summer Breeze in my MM Morgan. This small and lightweight pipe is a …

Aug 27, 2019: “I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission …

Aug 22, 2019: Why I went with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 I own a great 2-in-1 laptop, a 2016 Dell Inspiron. This 13" Windows 10 machine switches easily to tablet mode by folding back on itself, which is …

Aug 21, 2019: I loathe to even dip my toes in the water of publicly critiquing a political or even simply a public figure (especially as a pastor and a priest) …

Aug 20, 2019: Today is a work-from-home admin day. Catching up on emails, updating the calendar, etc. Also trying out Dynalist as a possible replacement for …

Aug 20, 2019: Happy Cob Tuesday. Parson’s Blend in my Shire churchwarden.

Aug 16, 2019: I’ve come to realize I’m just not really an Apple customer, even though I do appreciate the overall hardware design, reliability of the …

Aug 14, 2019: Being her husband is the best.

Aug 9, 2019: Preaching Against Racism Is Not a Distraction from the Gospel “All of us are called to embody the love of Christ, which is not bound by race, gender, or class. What I want, then, is to see the church become the …

Aug 8, 2019: Today I got the August lectionary up at Anglican Daily Office. Took a little more work than I anticpated as I had test a few different formats/layouts …

Aug 7, 2019: I made something today! Check it out: anglicandailyoffice.online You’ll find the texts for Morning and Evening Prayer from the 2019 Book of Common …

Jul 27, 2019: Date night last night celebrating 14 years married to my lovely Amber.

Jul 26, 2019: A mosaic made by a local in West Point, GA. Beautiful.

Jul 16, 2019: There is no one more beautiful, more loving, more full of grace, more merciful, more truthful, more wise and just than Jesus, and it is so freeing to …

Jul 13, 2019: I have had a great system for backing up photos for years: Google Photos app automatically backs up my photos to Google Photos cloud Google Photos …

Jul 3, 2019: Took a moment to enjoy God’s good creation.

Jun 25, 2019: “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without Church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution …

Jun 23, 2019: A wonderful reflection. I used to celebrate ad orientem (fading liturgical East) weekly at our Wednesday Eucharist. Properly understood it is a …

Jun 22, 2019: A comprehensive and clear introduction. The ACNA’s 2019 Book of Common Prayer (BCP): A Rookie Anglican Guide - Anglican Pastor

Jun 20, 2019: After 10 days traveling I’m ready to get back to my pipe and Bible time! With a new MM Shire churchwarden my wife got me for Father’s Day. …

Jun 17, 2019: Opening Eucharist for the 10 year anniversary provincial assembly of the Anglican Church in North America at the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral!.

Jun 12, 2019: The Texas country, a poem The Texas country Can be a pressure valve On the crucible of the Phoenix city For those that make the trip No less teeming with life Organic more than …

Jun 4, 2019: One of the hardest things for me to do is to admit that I’m not okay. When someone asks me how I’m doing, my instinctive response is to say “great!” …

May 31, 2019: I updated, then deleted my “now” page. It’s not fun or useful unless updated frequently, and doing that just felt like another task …

May 28, 2019: Just realized my Fire HD 8 keyboard does Swype-style entry. Cool! I’m sure this is heresy to some of you out there, but I like the Fire tablet …

May 23, 2019: St. Francis of A CC LOL

May 23, 2019: Frederica Mathewes-Green, writing for the National Review in 2016: I understand all the reasons why the movement’s prime attention is focused on the …

May 23, 2019: Morning pipe, Prince Albert. Enjoying with coffee.

May 21, 2019: Hey friends, I was recently on the Daniel Generation podcast with my friend Drew, and it was a blast! Loved talking liturgy, Anglicanism, ecumenism, …

May 20, 2019: Before Christ went to the Cross for you and me, he told his disciples exactly what would mark them as his people to the world. Love has always been …

May 15, 2019: In the book of Revelation we have a vision of a multitude praising and worshipping before the throne of God, “…crying out with a loud voice, …

May 11, 2019: SKETCH 01 In the spirit of Micro.blog’s emphasis on short form content, here’s a short musical sketch. Maybe I’ll do more.

May 10, 2019: Why I might (one day) get an iPad I continue to enjoy my 2016 13 inch Dell Inspiron. It’s still pretty snappy, can do pretty much anything I need for work, and I’ve grown …

May 10, 2019: Last bowl of the now discontinued Dunhill Early Morning Pipe this morning. Enjoying with coffee as as I always have.

May 7, 2019: Ed Stetzer: …our churches need to be a safe place for people who wander, and for people who wonder. Reflecting on Rachel: Why She Mattered

May 6, 2019: Now, a call to give our very lives for the sake of discipleship, for the sake of following Jesus, might seem rather morbid. It might seem rather …

May 5, 2019: Sunday evening in the back yard…time for a few minutes of relaxation before putting the kids to bed. Cult Blood Red Moon in my trusty …

May 4, 2019: Part of my free comic book day haul.

May 4, 2019: G investigates a surprisingly lifelike alligator at a local park

May 4, 2019: Miraz Jordan - Why not move a community group’s website to FB? Really good points here. Using FB as your content “home” if you are a church or …

May 3, 2019: The slaveholding mentality, which many American Christians assume is past, continues to distort the way we read Scripture and think about each other. …

Apr 30, 2019: Photo By Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1987-074-16 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Link

Apr 28, 2019: This piece by @Ben is by far one of the most helpful and practical I have stumbled across on going full time with an iPad Pro.

Apr 26, 2019: The File Manager Strategy for Keeping and Organizing Your Notes Over the past few years I have been an avid user of OneNote as a way to organize reference material, plan projects, and keep personal notes. However, …

Apr 25, 2019: I love these beautiful lilies my wife set out for Easter. Watching them bloom over the past week is a meaningful reminder that in the Great Tradition …

Apr 18, 2019: How do I know that I’m saved? This is a question that plagues many faithful Christians, particularly those in Evangelical circles. With such a strong …

Apr 12, 2019: The ergonomic improvements from this simple shift to using a laptop stand and bluetooth keyboard are quite noticeable. The laptop stand I got is super …

Apr 11, 2019: A frictionless Weekly Review For those of us that practice GTD to manage our commitments and keep them with integrity, the weekly review habit is crucial. This is the time each …

Apr 6, 2019: Updated my now page.

Apr 6, 2019: It’s a different way of life to intentionally avoid the new and shiny to for the good of your wallet and your soul.

Apr 6, 2019: People say GTD requires too much time manging your lists. This is a feature, not a bug.

Apr 6, 2019: I notice that when I publish a draft in Micro.blog, it retains the date in the timeline that I created the draft, so it doesn’t get posted to …

Apr 5, 2019: Makeshift laptop stand. I realized half of my chronic neck and shoulder pain is probably due to hunching over my computer.

Apr 4, 2019: Here’s a handy site to estimate reading times of text.

Apr 4, 2019: GTD in 3 Minutes In David Allen’s modern classic book on personal productivity, Getting Things Done he describes an ideal state of mind: Imagine throwing a …

Apr 4, 2019: People say GTD requires too much time manging your lists. This is a feature, not a bug. The longer I think on this, the more convinced I am that GTD really doesn’t ask you to do much with your lists. Simply moving things from your …

Apr 3, 2019: At least my email app gives me compliments.

Apr 1, 2019: “The priest is a priest at the altar; a priest in confession, he is a priest on the street; indeed, he is a priest everywhere” ~St John …

Mar 31, 2019: FINALLY finished N. T. Wright’s magisterial The Resurrection of the Son of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, Vol. 3), and while it …

Mar 29, 2019: Made it to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back with my youngest brother, Mark!

Mar 26, 2019: Stewart Ruch III on Best Practices for Holy Week Preaching, and on preaching Easter Morning year after year. …I’ve grown in this as a …

Mar 26, 2019: Recently found carrd.co–essentially a one-page website builder (more on the philosophy of the platform) made by a really good designer. It is …

Mar 23, 2019: Once you start really pealing back the layers on the Old Testament, you realize it’s grace all the way down. That’s just how God works.

Mar 23, 2019: Why You Should Enable Privacy-Enhanced Mode on Your Embedded YouTube Videos I’m starting to do this. I think might make sense as a common …

Mar 23, 2019: Laura Sydell at NPR: Too Much Video Streaming To Choose From? It’s Only Going To Get Worse Back to square one when it comes to saving costs on …

Mar 23, 2019: I’m headed to hike the Grand Canyon soon, so I wanted to try some new camp coffee that might be better than the instant stuff I brought on my …

Mar 19, 2019: Micro.blog's intentional minimalism keeps it a sane and human place on the Internet Inspired by @simonwoods reflection on internet comments: The question before our digitally-saturated culture is: How can we intentionally design an …

Mar 14, 2019: A Darkmode version of the Micro.blog timeline would be awesome.

Mar 14, 2019: “God doth justify the believing man, yet not for the worthiness of his belief, but for His worthiness who is believed.” Richard Hooker, Definition of …

Mar 8, 2019: Shane Parrish: Inefficient does not mean ineffective, and it is certainly not the same as lazy. You get things done – just not in the most effective …

Mar 6, 2019: Deleted Twitter, LinkedIN, MeWe. Deactivated Facebook, Messenger, Instagram. Uninstalled Reddit. Feels weird.

Mar 6, 2019: This resonates. From @richnewman: I suddenly felt like I had an online network that I had to “manage” (not just on Facebook, though I am going to …

Mar 2, 2019: 🐶 We rescued Dusty today. Welcome to the family!

Feb 27, 2019: Can you help me replace OneNote? I think I’m ready to think about replacing OneNote, and I think I need helping finding something. As great as OneNote is on the desktop, I’m pretty …

Feb 27, 2019: 🤔 According to Tish Warren, The Church Made Vagina Sculptures Long Before Nadia Bolz-Weber.

Feb 26, 2019: TIL text.npr.org is a thing, thanks to @eli. This is very cool.

Feb 25, 2019: Got a chuckle out of this.

Feb 25, 2019: 🏃🏻‍♂️ 6 mile run today felt great.

Feb 25, 2019: John Bacon, writing for Anglican Pastor: In our current climate, it would be very Anglican to return to the feet of the early, divided Church, and …

Feb 23, 2019: 🎵 Sermon inspiration this week

Feb 20, 2019: A lament for a divided church

Feb 16, 2019: I was reading yesterday about Microsoft’s plans to replace OneNote 2016 with OneNote for Windows 10. This means an end to third-party add-ins. …

Feb 15, 2019: The fog today in Phoenix was crazy!

Feb 14, 2019: I learned about the calendar, the Eucharist, the morning and evening office, the saints, the fasts, and the feasts. I was introduced to a Christian …

Feb 14, 2019: The new Book of Common Prayer from the Anglican Church in North America will be here before we know it, and I’m excited. Looks like they were …

Feb 13, 2019: Gwynnie (3) upon seeing my beardless face: “I don’t like your style.”

Feb 13, 2019: Beardless

Feb 13, 2019: Good to be home. Escudo in a MM Legend in the Arizona room.

Feb 11, 2019: Granny’s Apple Fries is probably one of the best of many great things about LEGOland

Feb 11, 2019: Aparently LEGO is serious about manufacturing.

Feb 10, 2019: WEDDING ACCOMPLISHED

Feb 10, 2019: Lovely traditional worship from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer this morning at St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Catholic Church services this morning. A …

Feb 9, 2019: This picturesque spot is where my brother-in-law is getting married tomorrow!

Feb 7, 2019: Officiating my first wedding on Sunday, for my brother-in-law and his fiancé. I’m stoked.

Feb 7, 2019: My grandmother tells about her life in rural Georgia.

Feb 7, 2019: 🎙 The Hurry Slowly podcast discusses the insidious spread of burnout.

Feb 6, 2019: Excellent time at the 2019 Diocese of the Rocky Mountains Gathering connecting with fellow Anglicans on mission! Glad to be on the plane headed home …

Feb 4, 2019: Mountain View from the hotel room. Hello Colorado Springs!

Jan 31, 2019: Errant pack from Boundary Supply first impressions I was Kickstarter backer #2606 on the Boundry Supply Errant backpack, billed as the “ultimate everyday backpack.” The promise was a environmentally …

Jan 30, 2019: Remember Y2K? 😂

Jan 30, 2019: Seen on the way to the church today.

Jan 29, 2019: Keep coming back to my trusty Cahiers.

Jan 28, 2019: Wasn’t selected this time.

Jan 28, 2019: Jury duty today. Not very convenient, but I’m grateful to contribute what I can for a fair and just process.

Jan 27, 2019: Amazing that I could video chat my brother in the DRC today via WhatsApp. So grateful. Family is important.

Jan 25, 2019: Okay, okay. I can get behind this.

Jan 25, 2019: 🎙 The Daily Office from Trinity Mission for those days when you need say the Office on the go, or if you just want to hear someone else read the …

Jan 24, 2019: 90 minutes of retreat I stared at this Fountain And hanging flowers For an hour. I was glad and grateful For the hummingbird That hovered by for a …

Jan 23, 2019: Enough by @patrickrhone is free for Amazon Prime members right now. This book is so great if you–like me–are constantly struggling with …

Jan 23, 2019: I do not regret checking out of the 24 hour news cycle.

Jan 22, 2019: If you grew up Christian in America there’s a very good chance you do not know the beliefs and practices of the people who followed Jesus in the first …

Jan 22, 2019: Until Christ comes again, he has left us with his word. And so we, God’s people in the “time in between,” attend to it. We preach it. We proclaim it. …

Jan 21, 2019: How we have blemished and scarred that body Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been …

Jan 21, 2019: A tragic misconception of time I have just received a letter from a white brother in Texas. He writes: “All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights …

Jan 21, 2019: Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. …I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable …

Jan 21, 2019: Mornin’

Jan 19, 2019: I once asked a Lutheran pastor why we needed the sacraments if the grace given by simply believing in Jesus is enough for ultimate salvation. He said, …

Jan 19, 2019: I have been really loving Spider-Man on the PS4!

Jan 17, 2019: My little Missouri Meerchaum Morgan pipe looks comically huge here because because of the angle, but it’s actually tiny and light. A great pocket pipe …

Jan 17, 2019: Brilliant discussion with renowned New Testament scholar N. T. Wright on the historical Jesus, the destructive potential of ultra-conservative …

Jan 16, 2019: I read this week about the miracle at Cana, when Jesus turned water into wine. His mother Mary didn’t demand a specific solution to the problem at …

Jan 16, 2019: Got some news today that was—initially—quite disappointing. But I was reminded that because of Jesus there’s nothing to fear, even if things don’t go …

Jan 15, 2019: Scot McKnight talks infant baptism and the New Testament. Solid.

Jan 14, 2019: 🍿 Finally saw Bumblebee yesterday afternoon with Amber and really enjoyed it. As far as Transformers movies go it is certainly the best so far—it …

Jan 11, 2019: Sermon inspiration.

Jan 11, 2019: Just deleted Reddit from my phone 😱 EDIT: replaced with Pocket.

Jan 11, 2019: “The Cross has the final word!!” Loving this song. Will be a great Lenten reflection.

Jan 10, 2019: This is Edit. A simple piece of paper to write on as needed. It opens instantly, ready to capture whatever you’ve got on your mind. It includes a word …

Jan 9, 2019: Reminders

Jan 9, 2019: PLAN THE WORK WORK THE PLAN

Jan 8, 2019: ⌨ Writing. Soundtrack: David Baloche.

Jan 8, 2019: Nana’s Pie from Isa’s is one of my favorite slices in Phoenix

Jan 7, 2019: Martin Smith of Delirious? fame is at the height of his vintage Bono/U2 channeling ability on his project from 2017, Army of Bones. I flipping love …

Jan 6, 2019: A little bit of Sutliff Christmas Spice during the downtime before tonight’s Epiphany Party at church.

Jan 5, 2019: My wife, Amber, has flown to Texas to be with her family as they grieve the loss of her Nana and celebrate the beautiful life she lived. I enjoyed …

Jan 5, 2019: Book: Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas by Chris Marchand » It happened: the book is funded! — Kickstarter GREAT news. I am excited to be a part of …

Jan 4, 2019: Great morning out on the mountain today for my first Grand Canyon trip training hike. I’ve done this hike many times before, but a 10 lbs pack …

Jan 3, 2019: May her memory be eternal Ann (I called her Nana as if she was one of my own grandparents) was one of the kindest, most caring, patient and loving people I have met. When I …

Jan 3, 2019: Does blogging count as journaling? 🤔

Jan 3, 2019: My favorite part of today was sitting down at my home desk with coffee, Bible, and prayer book…and then having my six year old daughter ask to …

Jan 2, 2019: 📧 Published the first edition of my new newsletter. I don’t know what I’m doing.

Jan 2, 2019: To a healthy 2019 My word for 2019 is health. I want to be healthy in mind, body, spirit. I intend to get a doctor and dentist this year. I want a healthier marriage …

Jan 1, 2019: Choosing a new email app in Windows 10 I finally got fed up with syncing errors, freezes, and no Google Calendar support in Outlook 2016 today, which caused me to launch a quest for a …

Jan 1, 2019: Why is it so hard to to find a usable Windows 10 email client?????? Taking suggestions.

Jan 1, 2019: A little liturgical New Year humor. Source.

Dec 31, 2018: A reflection on the meaning of Christmas The time has come! It’s Christmas! Yes, I know you may have already celebrated Christmas Day (if you celebrate Christmas), yet, the season continues! …

Dec 31, 2018: Super stoked to start using these beautiful Scripture journals that I got for Christmas, but I must confess I have some decision paralysis! Should I …

Dec 30, 2018: First time playing Ticket to Ride tonight with Amber! Pretty fun game.

Dec 30, 2018: A 2018 Media Review According to my records, I finished 20 books, 5 graphic novels, 21 movies, and 6 TV series in 2018. Here are my favorites: Books On the Thirty-nine …

Dec 30, 2018: When Anxiety in Children Looks Like Anger, Tantrums, or Meltdowns When children are under the influence of an anxious brain, their behaviour has …

Dec 29, 2018: 🍿 Just saw Aquaman with Amber. What a fantastic fantasy adventure film! Jason Momoa owns the title role with infectious glee, and director James Wan …

Dec 28, 2018: Spent the day in the snow.

Dec 27, 2018: The Christmas fun continues with tea, pipe, and novel. ☕️ Trader Joe’s Candycane Green Tea 💨 Sutliff Christmas Spice in my Cassillero 📚 Dark Fire by …

Dec 26, 2018: Great time at Lights of the World with the fam.

Dec 26, 2018: Just getting out of watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse with my 8 year old son. Quite possibly my new favorite superhero movie…in the …

Dec 25, 2018: 🍻 Christmas cheer, Christmas beer. A wonderful Irish stout.

Dec 25, 2018: Merry Christmas to all! It’s been a wonderful day around the Hale House. I love watching our kids enjoy giving and receiving gifts, and I love having …

Dec 24, 2018: “Jesus, Lord at thy birth.” Love that line.

Dec 24, 2018: 🌲Eve🏃🏻‍♂️

Dec 23, 2018: www.reddit.com Jesus statue popping out of the ground at Abtei Himmerod Germany

Dec 23, 2018: The KJZZ Holiday Show with Blaise Lantana & Friends at The Nash is about to start!

Dec 22, 2018: www.reddit.com Put ADOT under the tree because they are a gift

Dec 22, 2018: I am really loving facilitating pre-marital counseling for a couple I am performing the wedding ceremony for in February. Today we talked about the …

Dec 21, 2018: You know what’s great about most personal blogs like the ones hosted at Micro.blog compared to other more comercial websites? Very little or no …

Dec 21, 2018: Via this great guide on web typography.

Dec 20, 2018: Happy Hipster Christmas via the Church Humor Newsletter

Dec 19, 2018: 🍻A new one. Came in the Winter seasonal pack, but would make a great summer beer. Tastes of citrus and melons.

Dec 19, 2018: THIS IS HAPPENING PEOPLE

Dec 19, 2018: Spending some time chaperoning my daughter’s class field trip to the Science Center!

Dec 18, 2018: View from the Skytrain at PHX.

Dec 17, 2018: Watching my kids through the screen on my phone instead of in the world is not an even trade.

Dec 17, 2018: Support this book explaining the traditions of Christmas! My friend Chris is writing an awesome book to help individuals, churches, and families understand and practice so many of the traditions around …

Dec 17, 2018: Drew Zeiba, writing for Vulture: Refusing to be an artist-as-public figure in the era of social media seems almost reckless — like willful career …

Dec 17, 2018: Signed up for ProtonMail today. Personally I’m not as freaked out as everyone else regarding Google’s use of my email for ads; but just in …

Dec 16, 2018: WELL, it’s done. After just a few days on the free trial of Micro.blog, I’ve decided to really give old fashioned blogging another all-in …

Dec 15, 2018: My ballerina princess is performing tonight.

Dec 15, 2018: A concise case for the reasonableness of classical, creedal Christianity Classical, creedal Christianity is reasonable because: Theism (the belief that there is a supreme being of some kind) is a reasonable explanation …

Dec 15, 2018: Can’t imagine life without Amber. So beautiful, smart, tough, patient, godly, loving, kind, thoughtful, inspiring. Amazing partner in life.

Dec 15, 2018: Possible solutions for fixing my terrible posture: A cushion for the car or office, $25 A rather innovative and smart-looking chair that will …

Dec 15, 2018: Woke up this morning with some brutal back pain. My terrible posture has finally caught up with me. Can’t say I wasn’t warned.

Dec 14, 2018: Question: What would you do? As I move toward a more human, personal, relational way of blogging, should I move my blog from nathanrhale.com to …

Dec 14, 2018: Out for a lunt this afternoon. C&D Nutty Irishman in my MM Carolina Gent cob.

Dec 14, 2018: As I consider switching totally to Micro.blog, I’m thinking deeply on the appeal, and what my reservations about switching are. I think …

Dec 13, 2018: I have customized my Micro.blog micro blog (say that 10 times fast) and I really really like the simplicity of this platform. It reminds me a lot of …

Dec 10, 2018: Micro.blog is interesting, but could it replace my self-hosted Wordpress blog I’ve been using for 10+ years at nathanrhale.com?

Dec 10, 2018: What can wash away my sin? What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Refrain: Oh! precious is the …

Dec 6, 2018: A prayer before meditation

Dec 5, 2018: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World - New book from Cal Newport Cal Newport is releasing a new book called Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World . I loved his book Deep Work, so you can be …

Dec 4, 2018: The brain drain of your smartphone Your cognitive capacity is significantly reduced when your smartphone is within reach — even if it’s off — suggests new research. — Read on …

Nov 27, 2018: Why I am not a determinist

It is sometimes asserted that evil is not simply allowed but “ordained and guided” by God for the purposes of a grand narrative; it serves the “story” …

Nov 24, 2018: This ESV Journaling New Testament could be a game changer for study and sermon prep The Productive Pastor, Chad Brooks, just posted a pic of his study notes on Instagram. I had to ask him what Bible he was using. Turns out it was the …

Nov 20, 2018: This is where I do ministry This is the neighborhood where I do ministry–Sunnyslope in Phoenix, AZ. A place of striking beauty, intense need, and full of amazing people.

Nov 16, 2018: Why Christians are always talking about the blood of Jesus

This week we were listening to Spotify in our home and the song “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2 came on. My son Jensen wanted to know if it was about …

Nov 10, 2018: Amazing lightweight, compact, great-sounding headphones for travel. For under $20. Wireless headphones are all the rage these days, as they should be. There’s delightful freedom in being able to start your music, podcast, or …

Oct 29, 2018: A Christian perspective on Halloween This is “a” Christian perspective not “the” Christian perspective in today’s world, and there’s plenty of grace to go around on how to observe (or not …

Oct 27, 2018: Biblical thinking If the biblical story does not control our thinking, then we will be swept into the story that the world tells about itself. -Lesslie Newbigin

Oct 26, 2018: Fr. Thomas Keating has passed away It's with great sorrow I found out today that Fr. Thomas Keating has passed away. His writing taught me to understand how prayer can be about being …

Oct 25, 2018: Debunking the 81% Many of the 81 percent [of white Evangelicals that voted for Trump] were not influenced by church leadership. The data tells us that most American …

Oct 22, 2018: Social Media is designed for division The way AI is designed will have a huge impact on the type of content you see. For instance, if the AI favors engagement, like on Facebook and …

Oct 17, 2018: When I look into the face of my enemy I see my brother Let us call ‘brothers’ even those who hate us and forgive all by the Resurrection. -The Doxasticon of Pascha

Oct 16, 2018: Just don't get political, though All issues of any importance are both political and moral: for morality is simply the inside, and politics the outside, of every human problem. …

Oct 6, 2018: Don’t rock the boat, they said. Nothing like a midday run to clear the mind. I just came to grips with the fact that—as an idealist, not a pragmatist—I will always be a thorn in …

Oct 1, 2018: Effort Is Not the Opposite of Grace Richard Foster, author of The Celebration of Discipline: There’s a back and forth—there is a role that we play in our relational life with God. That …

Sep 29, 2018: I believe in angels Today, we celebrate St. Michael and all angels. In a particularly dark, challenging time in my life as a child, I had a vision of an angel. It was a …

Sep 24, 2018: 8-Point Checklist for Pastoral Body Care Photo by Todd Quackenbush on Unsplash 8-Point Checklist for Pastoral Body Care - Charles Stone This is important.

Sep 24, 2018: Niceness is not kindness In fact, “niceness” is often the enemy of kindness. “Nice” is often code for “avoiding conflict” or …

Sep 11, 2018: Collect for social justice from the Book of Common Prayer Almighty God, who created us in your own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we …

Sep 5, 2018: My favorite quote from Blessed Mother Teresa Today we remember Mother Teresa. She said: Jesus is the Word – to be spoken. Jesus is the Truth – to be told. Jesus is the Way – to be walked. Jesus …

Aug 14, 2018: A prayer for our times Righteous Lord God, you love justice and hate evil, and you care for the weak, vulnerable, needy, and the oppressed. Bless our country and its leaders …

Aug 8, 2018: Cool weather this week in Phoenix

Aug 7, 2018: The Discipline of Proclaiming the Gospel We’re talking about a discipline of proclaiming the Gospel as a practice of faithful presence. In the fellowship of the faithful, we might sometimes …

Aug 6, 2018: Sow good habits Tell me what good it is to weed a garden if we do not plant good seed…. Sow good habits and dispositions. To be free from a bad habit does not mean we …

Jul 26, 2018: Jen Pollock Michel on the limits of public intellectuals To satiate the ravenous demands of digital readers, a public intellectual today might easily ignore the limits of her knowledge and attempt to become …

Jul 25, 2018: The Discipline of Reconciliation

Antagonism is that spirit of opposition that seems so prevalent in society today. The world runs on antagonism, says David Fitch. Do any of us really …

Jul 12, 2018: 10 brief thoughts on getting paid as a priest

Preface: I’m not saying here every senior pastor must be paid, or be full time, or that full-time, paid pastors are even necessarily optimal in …

Jul 11, 2018: The discipline of the Lord's Table

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

The discipline of coming together regularly around the Lord’s Table helps us return to Christ and trains us to tend …

Jul 10, 2018: I tried the Impossible Burger, and I liked it

The brand new, totally plant-based Impossible Burger is a game changer for vegetarians like myself, and possibly for carnivores as well. This …

Jul 9, 2018: I cannot live a holy life It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord…”— but you can …

Jul 9, 2018: Puzzle at the cabin So grateful to have the opportunity to visit a cabin on the creek a couple of hours north of Phoenix every now and then. Wonderful times as a family a …

Jul 7, 2018: The man who created the web has some regrets The increasing centralization of the Web, he says, has “ended up producing—with no deliberate action of the people who designed the platform—a …

Jul 5, 2018: God's plan to change the world In the beginning, out of love, God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) creates light, creates a world, creates human beings to reflect his love to one …

Jul 2, 2018: Looking forward to the ESV Anglican Edition

I’ve been wanting/needing a solid pew Bible that will include the Deuterocanon, and the English Standard Verson is our current reading and …

Jun 30, 2018: Packing a 13 liter backpack + small messenger for a 3 day trip For the past several years I have been challenging myself to pack light, so I can go fast. No waiting for checked baggage on arrival when traveling by …

Jun 21, 2018: Home from the hospital

After a rough couple of days I am home from the hospital and feeling much better; that said it will be a while yet before I’m 100%, and a while …

Jun 20, 2018: Boredom in meditation I suggest that you received a gift of time, time that did not have to be filled because you were already in God's presence. - Fr. Carl

Jun 19, 2018: Eucharist is the moment The eucharist is the moment at which the past event comes forward to live again in the present, and the future moment of the Lord’s return comes …

Jun 18, 2018: The simple way to practice centering prayer

Centering prayer is about cultivating an awareness of the presence of God and an attitude of submission to his will. In other words, it is practicing …

Jun 17, 2018: A Prayer for Father's Day Heavenly Father, you entrusted your Son Jesus, the child of Mary, to the care of Joseph, an earthly father. Bless all fathers as they care for their …

Jun 16, 2018: What I believe about immigration and giving up the right to bear arms, in brief I am in favor of Christians treating illegal immigrants humanely, hospitably, and fairly (and advocating for the same) as a witness to the future …

Jun 16, 2018: Christians are weak and lawless Christians are indeed by definition weak and lawless according to worldly standards. Our weakness is in loving our enemies and caring for the …

Jun 16, 2018: 7 observations regarding social media in the present time

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

Social media is both more important and less important than we often give it credit for as communications …

Jun 16, 2018: My GTD system, June 2018 Capturing On the go: Emailing my Trello inbox via my iPhone In meetings: Pen & paper On the web: Trello extension for Chrome Clarifying  GTD …

Jun 14, 2018: The essential books This is a “living post” and will be updated over time. You’ll find a curated list of books here that have proven themselves …

Jun 11, 2018: Growing in gratitude

This 5-day, Bible-based devotional ebook is designed to help you:

•  Learn how to live a life infused with joy
• Enjoy living in authentic …

Jun 11, 2018: Meditation made simple

Learn Christian meditation in 15 minutes or less per day for 21 days, and make it a life-giving habit that lasts.

We live, in fact, in a world starved …

Jun 11, 2018: Super-quick sermon prep

Finish your sermon or Bible study in half the time.

Are you a busy pastor, small-group leader, or Bible-teacher that struggles to get your sermon or …

Apr 20, 2018: Beginning with the Common English Bible I started reading through the Common English Bible today. This is a controversial translation, to be sure (well, two or three verses, anyways). …

Oct 13, 2017: Skye Jethani's IMMEASURABLE is a book I’d like to give every person just starting out in ministry

I’m very grateful to be part of the launch team for Skye Jethani’s brand new book Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of …

Jun 19, 2017: Video Review: Premium Value Holy Bible Large Print NLT Buy on Amazon  

Mar 18, 2017: 5 powerful ways to leverage Trello for church Trello, the digital Kanban and project management software, is all the rage for personal productivity and collaborative project management. Its simple …

Mar 6, 2017: The Timbuk2 Rogue Laptop Backpack for travel & every day carry

I like backpacks. It’s a weakness. I can often obsess over finding the perfect pack, and I own way more than I really need. Moreover, I …

Dec 26, 2016: How I'm Getting Things Done with Field Notes Field Notes are the clever, collectible (and thus, a bit addictive), design-focused notebooks that all the bloggers rave about. They really are fun, …

Dec 23, 2016: How I'm Getting Things Done with Trello For context, you’ll want to read Say hello to Trello, a new tool to organize your life and ministry I have a “team” in Trello called …

Feb 15, 2016: If you'd like humility, try praying for it.

God gives grace to the humble. Are you developing the virtue of humility?

This old Christian prayer–in a form of repeated petitions called a …

Feb 11, 2016: Why I observe Lent I had been in an emotional and spiritual struggle for years, processing how the Body of Christ could be so defined, so marked, by division, quarrels, …

Sep 14, 2015: How to win spiritual battles

In Paul’s ending to his letter to the Ephesians, he talks about how to defeat the powers of evil and darkness. We have take up the whole armor …

Sep 7, 2015: Who are you fighting? In Paul’s famous passage in Ephesians 6:10-20 on the armor of God, he makes a big deal about letting us know who we’re really fighting …

Aug 31, 2015: That time my mother-in-law demolished me at paintball

A few years ago Amber’s side of the family decided it would be a great idea to get together around Thanksgiving. And at this family get …

Jun 16, 2015: Become the righteousness of God

This is an edited manuscript of a sermon I preached at Grand Canyon University.  Watch the whole thing below, or keep scrolling to read through the …

May 22, 2015: Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit?

"...be filled with the Spirit..."

(Ephesians 5:18 ESV)

The celebration of Pentecost is nearly upon us. As we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit in …

May 8, 2015: What I learned about the Holy Spirit from my wife's life-threatening blood clot About two weeks ago now, my wife Amber noticed some swelling in her left leg. She was experiencing some pain and discomfort, but (being the strong …

Mar 31, 2015: 4 weird things about Palm Sunday

This is an edited transcript of one of my recent sermons at Desert Mission Anglican Church. Listen here.

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to …

Mar 9, 2015: #Lent, @Twitter, and the real meaning of self denial. Brothers and sisters, we are now solidly into the season of Lent. Lent is that time of the Christian year where we remember own sin, our own deep need …

Feb 3, 2015: If your heart belongs to God, so does everything else

When my wife Amber and I married each other, a lot changed for both of us in the days immediately after our marriage. For instance, we went from two …

Jan 14, 2015: My GTD system, January 2015 Capture & Organize Simple tasks For the capturing and organizing simple tasks, I use the Any.do app. Any.do lets me add tasks quickly and organize …

Dec 4, 2014: 3 reasons you should be savoring Advent to better celebrate Christmas Christmas is all the rage in our culture right now…but I say we slow down and do something counter-cultural. Let’s savor Advent so we can …

Nov 20, 2014: How a dreaded chore became a sacramental action Once upon a time I hated washing the dishes. The left over, sticky food residue was smelly and repulsive to the touch, especially after …

Oct 7, 2014: How to have a life-changing mentoring conversation I’ve spent the last three or so years mentoring college-age men in both one-on-one and group settings. One of my initial challenges was figuring …

Sep 30, 2014: My top 3 spiritual struggles If there’s one thing I’m not a fan of, it’s the goes-without-saying assumption that Christian leaders should basically pretend like …

Sep 24, 2014: Stop resisting God's grace. Start resisting false gods. My pastor has been preaching on it. My friends and coworkers have been practicing it. It keeps coming up in conversation. Sabbath. It is a …

Sep 10, 2014: 4 reasons I’m afraid of silence

If you’re like me, you fill most waking moments with some sort of noise. Maybe it’s music, the radio, TV, Pandora, or podcasts. Too often, …

Aug 19, 2014: This quote has been haunting me for weeks This quote by one of my favorite Christian authors has been haunting me for weeks. No short cut exists for a deeper spiritual life...the man who …

Jul 22, 2014: My Top 3 Leadership Struggles

I consider it an honor to lead in multiple areas of Christian ministry. From my university ministry day job to working on staff at my local church, …

Jul 15, 2014: Freedom is more than liberty I used to buy into the idea that freedom was about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I thought freedom was primarily the ability the make …

Jul 1, 2014: What's the point of spiritual gifts? In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul describes what he calls “spiritual gifts.” These charisms are special …

Jun 24, 2014: It won't always be pleasant, but I promise it will be worth it. One of best things my wife and I have done for our marriage is intentionally making time to spend together, just the two of us. We’ve learned …

Jun 10, 2014: 3 ways to think about the Trinity

The doctrine of the Triune nature of God is a core, essential teaching for historic, orthodox Christianity. This concept, officially formulated very …

Jun 3, 2014: Preparing for Pentecost: Are you trying to tame God the Holy Spirit?

It seems to me American Evangelical culture in general is guilty of trying to sort of domesticate God. There’s an emphasis on the love of God …

May 28, 2014: 5 surprising benefits of taking a digital sabbatical

I just took my family on camping trip in the woods of northern Arizona. I barely had cell service, so I couldn’t be on Twitter or Facebook or check my …

May 19, 2014: How and why you should keep a prayer journal

Keeping a prayer journal has been simultaneously one of the most rewarding and one of the most difficult decisions I’ve tried to stick with. …

May 12, 2014: Are you feeling far from God? Are you feeling far from God? You’re not alone. Even the greatest saints have struggled with doubt and the fear of being abandoned by God. …

May 8, 2014: I'd like to say I'm not a liar, but... "There are things which a man is afraid to tell even to himself, and every decent man has a number of such things stored away in his mind." ~ Fyodor …

Apr 23, 2014: How to avoid ministry burnout

Did you know that 90% of pastors feel fatigued and worn out every week?

That’s not okay.

The same percentage works well over 50 hours a week. Do …

Apr 21, 2014: The exponential power of encouragement

Years ago I was going through a very tough time. I was a long way from home, feeling alone, and wondering how I was going to move forward. My dad, one …

Apr 18, 2014: Say hello to Trello, a new tool to organize your life and ministry

Think of Trello as note cards on digital steroids. I tend to resist new organizational tools these days, but when I started digging into this one, I …

Apr 16, 2014: Do you have too many Bibles? According to the American Bible Society and Barna Group, 88% of American households have Bibles, and the average number of Bibles per household is …

Apr 14, 2014: 3 reasons why you hate going to church (and what to do about it) Edited 2023-09-22 You know the feeling. You wake up on a typical Sunday morning, roll over, and feel a sense of dread, followed swiftly by a pang of …

Apr 11, 2014: How to Please God Chapter 13 must have been especially powerful to the Hebrews, since the author reiterates that it is the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving …

Apr 7, 2014: 3 reasons you should run a Tough Mudder (or any obstacle race) Me about halfway through the Tough Mudder When I started on my fitness journey less than 2 years ago, I could barely run three miles. I couldn’t …

Apr 4, 2014: The one reason you can't give up when things get tough You may be tired, worn out, discouraged, and in pain. But you can’t give up. Not now. You’ve come too far, and too much is at stake. Like …

Apr 2, 2014: Why do we need the means of grace? And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John …

Apr 1, 2014: 4 life-changing lessons I learned about spiritual leadership while being a follower. Four years ago I finished my graduate degree and had been working part-time as a worship leader for nearly three years. I was certain the best way I …

Mar 28, 2014: What is saving faith anyways?

Here we come to one of the most beautiful and inspiring passages in all of Holy Scripture–the “hall of faith.” As the many names are …

Mar 26, 2014: 5 powerful ways to keep growing when you can't find a spiritual mentor I’ve written about how to find a spiritual mentor, but one thing is for sure: it’s not an instant process. It can sometimes take a while …

Mar 24, 2014: What I learned about life by training for the Tough Mudder I’ve been training for the Arizona Tough Mudder event. The Tough Mudder comes around once a year and completing it has been a fitness goal of …

Mar 21, 2014: Can you lose your salvation? The scope of Jesus' work is epic. Unlike the old sacrificial system, which required continued animal sacrifice and couldn’t in and of itself …

Mar 19, 2014: How to find a spiritual mentor Having a spiritual mentor is an effective and important way to grow spiritually. One-on-one coaching relationships provide effective accountability, …

Mar 17, 2014: 5 common myths about discipleship debunked

Misunderstandings abound out there when it comes to how you should train up others in the faith. Discipleship is weak in the institutional church …

Mar 14, 2014: Why the blood of Jesus is enough for me, you, and God

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22 ESV) …

Mar 12, 2014: Meditation on the Resurrection is like...a lottery ticket? Say a stranger buys you a lottery ticket in the gas station line as a random gift on an otherwise mundane day. You get back to your car and put the …

Mar 11, 2014: 5 practical ways to guard your personal time with God from distraction I recently asked my Facebook friends what distracted them from their personal time with God. Here are some of the answers: Myself Facebook Kids Job …

Mar 10, 2014: What to do when you feel spiritually stuck

Do you ever feel like you’ve hit a wall when it comes to spiritual growth? Does there seem to be something missing, even though you are pretty …

Mar 7, 2014: A new kind of covenant Chapter 8 of Hebrews elaborates on this new covenant innaugaurated with Christ. Now, God’s law can be written our minds and hearts, and we can …

Mar 6, 2014: If I had to choose between all the spiritual disciplines Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would …

Mar 5, 2014: Poem for Ash Wednesday Return from your sin. Be faithful to the Gospel. And remember from dust you came and to dust you will return. Words that–when spoken along with …

Mar 3, 2014: 3 highly effective methods for memorizing Bible verses

There’s no doubt that memorizing Bible verses is difficult for many people (myself included!). A big aspect of the challenge for me has been …

Feb 28, 2014: Jesus the perfect priest did this once and for all Chapter seven of Hebrews gives what few details we know about a mysterious priest named Melchizedek – that his name carried a meaning regarding …

Feb 26, 2014: 3 vital questions to ask yourself when picking a Bible translation for memorization

Photo Credit: UnlockingTheBible via Compfight cc The very first “real Bible” I remember having as young child was the Good News Bible. …

Feb 21, 2014: This is one of the most disturbing passages in the New Testament When I first encountered Hebrews 6, I remember being confused and scared. I had always believed “once saved, always saved.” I thought it …

Feb 20, 2014: A challenge from C.S. Lewis' spiritual mentor "We must not merely do as He did; we must see things as He saw them, regard them as He regarded them; we must take the will of God as the very life of …

Feb 19, 2014: Is Jesus making you uncomfortable? Good.

Although I’ve been a Charismatic in theory for most of my Christian life, I would say I have not been one in practice, at least not in terms of …

Feb 14, 2014: Do you know what it means for Jesus to be your High Priest? In the fifth chapter of Hebrews, the author moves from speaking about Jesus as God and and Messiah to Jesus Christ as high priest. It’s …

Feb 12, 2014: 3 Biblical reasons memorizing Bible verses is essential

I’m convinced we act out of our most deeply held beliefs.

So, before I was ready to commit to a daily habit of memorizing Bible verses, I had …

Feb 11, 2014: Christian spiritual growth: the one discipline that can change everything

Of all the spiritual disciplines, which is the most important discipline for Christian spiritual growth?

For the longest time if someone would ask me …

Feb 7, 2014: The path to inner healing Inner healing starts with Jesus. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is essential to inner healing, because somehow the more we focus on him, the more we desire …

Jan 31, 2014: Do I believe? In Hebrews three, the author compares and contrasts Jesus with Moses, the greatest leader in Jewish history. The writer of Hebrews states that both …

Jan 29, 2014: An Embarrassingly Emotional Experience

I was recently part of a prayer service where I was (for reasons still somewhat unknown to me) touched by the Holy Spirit and overcome with emotion, …

Jan 24, 2014: Our God suffers Chapter two of Hebrews solidifies Christ’s sovereignty in all things, especially salvation. In a final, powerful statement, however, the …

Jan 20, 2014: The lost practice of mental discipline One of the biggest obstacles for seriously following Jesus in our hyper-connected world is a simple lack of mental discipline, otherwise known as …

Jan 17, 2014: The most unfathomable mystery? The first chapter of Hebrews is beautiful, enlightening, and foundational for Christian doctrine. It sets up Jesus as God in no uncertain terms, tell …

Jan 16, 2014: Only want Christ Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are …

Jan 15, 2014: It's time for a revival of critical thinking The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind. ~ Mark Noll Evangelicalism and especially the revivalist …

Jan 14, 2014: 4 ways to keep theological disagreement civil on Facebook Have you ever noticed how theological conversations on Facebook tend to disintegrate quickly? Anger, accusations, and off-the-cuff rhetoric now seem …

Jan 13, 2014: Why we have to get discipleship right the first time

In educational psychology, there are a number of “laws of learning” or “principles of learning.” One of those is called the …

Jan 10, 2014: Keeping track of your sins In the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, the saint lays out a thirty-day program for discipleship, generally meant to be completed as part of …

Jan 9, 2014: 7 Lost Areas of Discipleship On a whole, I agree with J.I. Packer that the Church at large just isn’t taking God seriously. At least not as seriously as we should. Deep …

Jan 8, 2014: My neighbor spent Christmas alone and it was my fault.

“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” ― Mother Teresa

We had a wonderful family …

Jan 7, 2014: Church is a vineyard By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8, ESV) Gregory Nazianzen calls the church a …

Jan 6, 2014: Martin Luther actually said this. No joke. Recently, a prominent Reformed blogger I read (and generally appreciate) asserted that the the Roman Catholic Church is a false church. Of course, …

Dec 27, 2013: This Book Will Have the Most Impact on My Ministry This Year

I believe that mentoring relationships should be at the core of any discipleship program, and they are the foundation of my own ministry. Spiritual …

Dec 23, 2013: 4 Ways to Start Well This New Year

The New Year is almost upon us. Of course, New Year’s Day is just a day like any other, but the culture and customs surrounding it can provide a …

Dec 19, 2013: How to Start Your New Year Refreshed and Recharged

With the new year arriving in just weeks, it’s time to rest up and get ready for a new season of life. Don’t let yourself get caught up in …

Dec 18, 2013: "Ecumenism of blood." Powerful Words From Pope Francis on Christian Unity

Pope Francis, in a response to whether or not ecumenism is a priority for him:

For me, ecumenism is a priority. Today, there's the ecumenism of …

Dec 17, 2013: Level-Up Your Concentration, Get More Done With Focus@Will

When you need really focus in to write that sermon, finish that blog post, complete a project, or get administrative tasks out of the way, do you …

Dec 16, 2013: What About Hitler? The Myth of Ineffective Pacifism

When it comes to the non-violent message of Jesus, many people become troubled because of the what if scenarios.

What if my loved ones are attacked? …

Dec 13, 2013: Jesus had his disciples buy weapons. What's up with that? How could a non-violent Jesus ask his disciples to buy swords, as he apparently does in Luke 22:36-39? And he said to them, “When I sent you out with …

Dec 12, 2013: Doesn't Violence in the Old Testament Mean that Pacifism isn't Biblical? A common objection to Christian non-violence is often articulated as follows: A unified view of Scripture demands we accept justified violence based …

Dec 11, 2013: A Brief, Scriptural Defense of the Non-Violent Message of Jesus This week’s Advent focus is peace, so I thought it would be appropriate to write about something that’s been developing in my theology for …

Dec 10, 2013: 5 Ways to Keep Social Media from Taking Over Your Life (And Ministry)

Social media is clearly a massive blessing to many ministries, but it is also the source of much distraction, idle talk, and even anger. Have you …

Dec 9, 2013: This Kept Me From Abandoning The Church Not so long ago I was ready to abandon the Church, at least in all its institutionalized forms. I had been hurt (no one’s fault but my own, …

Dec 6, 2013: Why I say I am a Catholic Christian It often surprises people when I describe myself as a Catholic Christian, because the association immediately goes to the Roman Catholic Church. In …

Dec 3, 2013: My 3-Year-Old Son: "Daddy, can we help her?" We were driving to church; it was a fairly typical Sunday morning. I was thinking about new improvements to this site, the worship set I would be …

Nov 22, 2013: Contentment Isn't Just About Material Things I've been thinking this week a lot about contentment, and how I seem to focus on ridding myself of desires for material things. This is all well and …

Nov 12, 2013: Why I Consider Myself Charismatic The Charismatic movement has been (often rightly) taken to task for excesses, abuses, and cultural flaws that obstruct the Gospel. Nevertheless the …

Nov 9, 2013: Give It All Up For This To reach satisfaction in all desire its possession in nothing. To come to possess all desire the possession of nothing. To arrive at being all desire …

Nov 5, 2013: Don't Just Stand There, PRAY! ...confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is …

Oct 31, 2013: Reformation Day Shouldn't Be a Celebration It’s not that I don’t recognize that the Church was in a rough spot in the Middle Ages. It’s not that I don’t admire the …

Oct 29, 2013: Gloria Patri - Original Acoustic Worship Song I was changing the strings on my guitar late at night and came up with this little chord progression to help sooth my kids to sleep. Started singing …

Oct 25, 2013: This is the Most Insanely Durable ESV Bible I've Seen I’ve been looking for a Bible that’s not too big or too small, but that’s rugged enough to take camping and traveling without a lot …

Oct 18, 2013: Moving Beyond Routine, Rote, and Obligations to Find Delight in God

I’ve continued to ponder the John Piper sermon I wrote about and his signature catchphrase “God is most glorified in me when I am most …

Oct 15, 2013: Why I Still Call Myself an Evangelical

Evangelicalism is quickly going the way of fundamentalism as far as being a useful term.

Although fundamentalism hasn’t always meant …

Oct 11, 2013: Don't Shortchange the Holy Spirit When It Comes to Holiness

I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of holiness. What it means to be set apart for God, for the new creation to begin.

It seems to me …

Oct 9, 2013: Did God Create Me to Use Me or Love Me? John Piper on Being Made in the Image of God I recently got to hear John Piper preach at the Catalyst Atlanta conference. Although I have my differences with Piper on theology and practice, I …

Oct 2, 2013: Cultivate Your Mind: How Memorizing Bible Verses Can Give You Clarity of Thought

A cultivated mind is one that is well-tended, nourished, disciplined, and flourishing. How do we cultivate our minds? By taking in ideas, actually …

Sep 27, 2013: Rhythm & Blues: Why I Pray the Daily Office Few things have had as much impact on my life as the discipline of praying the Daily Office, a cycle of morning and evening prayer in the Anglican …

Sep 24, 2013: Prayer: The Pathway to Peace As the Fall season hits full-swing, tiredness and burnout can appear more swiftly than we think. It is vital remember that in this state your ministry …

Sep 16, 2013: Mentor Like Jesus, Change the World

In Mentor Like Jesus, entrepreneur and investor Regi Campbell has set out to encourage a generation of men to invest in others. This is both a …

Sep 4, 2013: This One Simple Practice Changed My Life It’s only been in the last twelve months or so that I’ve realized the power of physical discipline for taking my spiritual discipline to …

Aug 6, 2013: Not Light But Fire: Confronted with Spirit & Truth

It was quiet outside the small, cylindrical building. Vividly green desert plants lined the bottom of the cement wall. Bright Arizona sun glinted off …

Jul 30, 2013: 5 Reasons This Millennial Went High Church Rachel Held Evans and others have been posting about the recent trend for Millennials (those currently in the 18-29 age bracket) to end up in the high …

Jul 26, 2013: Why Protestants Don't Get How Roman Catholics Talk About Justification

Cemented in the Protestant doctrinal ethos is the great Reformation declaration, Sola Fide! We are justified before God by faith in Jesus Christ …

Jul 12, 2013: Hail Mary: What Roman Catholics Really Think About the Mother of Jesus Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of …

Jul 10, 2013: Why You'll Never Have What You Want

Brother, sister. Self:

You’re always striving, always trying. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Still trying to get there. Still trying to get …

Jul 8, 2013: This is the Best Book on Marriage I've Read

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God was written by popular pastor Timothy Keller (from Redeemer …

Jul 1, 2013: The United States of America Is Not God's Chosen Nation

I believe that God can and does use all circumstances to ultimately bring glory to himself. I am grateful for the prosperity and freedom I enjoy here …

Jun 28, 2013: How Long, O Lord? When You Feel Abandoned by God

It is perfectly normal to sometimes feel as if you have been abandoned by God. This doesn’t mean you are in some sort of grave sin.

It …

Jun 21, 2013: Do Roman Catholics Worship Saints? The Answer May Surprise You

I’ve often heard accusations against Roman Catholics of idolotry–even a subtle polytheism–because of the language that they often …

Jun 17, 2013: Formed by Love, Not Fear The most-repeated exhortation in the New Testament is “do not be afraid." Fear is the antithesis of spiritual formation, because spiritual …

Jun 14, 2013: In Honor Of My Children, For Making Me A Father Two all-original songs, performed with my wonderful wife, Amber.

Jun 12, 2013: Multiple Sources For Spiritual Formation The same way that our natural bodies need more than one nutrient to remain healthy and grow, our spirits are also nourished by multiple sources. This …

Jun 10, 2013: Something is Better Than Nothing I have failed at being consistent with daily devotions. I have failed a lot. I have for the past year been attempting to pray the Daily Office, an …

Jun 5, 2013: How Spiritual Disciplines Help Us Conform to the Mind of Christ A graphic I created as part of my graduate work. This presents in a visual way how spiritual disciplines work to conform us to the mind of Christ.

May 31, 2013: Roman Catholics Are Christians Too: What We Have in Common I’ve found it interesting–and disconcerting–that in many evangelical circles there is a high degree of suspicion regarding Roman …

May 27, 2013: Love Meets Us In The Mundane As a parent it can be so frustrating just to get a child to sleep. You’ve worked all day, had some time with the kids, battled your way through …

May 24, 2013: Donald Miller's Storyline Will Help You Find Meaning, Focus, and Clarity in Life There’s a lot to be excited about regarding Donald Miller’s new project, Storyline. I just finished the process and I am filled with many …

May 22, 2013: The 12 Spiritual Disciplines: Essential Tools for Spiritual Growth The spiritual disciplines are means by which individuals and communities can very literally “practice” their faith. They are tools by …

May 20, 2013: Peace is Always Possible An acquaintance recently linked to article about recent Muslim attacks on Christians in Pakistan. They understandably asked, “In light of events …

May 17, 2013: Traditions of God and Men

God does use tradition to communicate his will and make his voice known. Tradition is any teaching, thought, or practice that is handed down or passed …

May 15, 2013: Teach Your Children Who They Are

Christian parenting isn’t easy. Several books I’ve read or skimmed recently speak of reminding our children of who they are in …

May 13, 2013: Be Fueled by Love Today I was reminded of just how important it is to be motivated by overflowing love from God. When you preach and teach and lead musical worship, are …

May 8, 2013: What is the Path to Spiritual Growth? It’s hard for me to believe that it’s taken me this long to pick up and read Richard Foster’s classic on essential tools for …

May 6, 2013: Is Radical Christianity A New Legalism? Is the kind of “radical” Christianity advocated by the likes of Francis Chan and David Platt just another way for Christians to rely on …

May 2, 2013: A Devotional to Help You Hide the Word of God in Your Heart

I’ve not made Scripture memorization the priority that I should have in the past. As part of my attempt to rectify this, I bought Scripture by …

May 1, 2013: How to Discuss Theology -- Without Losing Friends Pray before, during, and after conversations Listen Be humble Have an open mind Don't interrupt Think before you speak Squash your insecurities Avoid …

Apr 30, 2013: The Importance of Theological Conversation

I’ve had some fantastic discussions lately with friends and acquaintances around theology. Over the past few days I’ve been able to really …

Apr 24, 2013: You're Too Busy And So Am I Our culture is obsessed with busyness. The more and more I live and work here in the United States, the more apparent this becomes. A “strong …

Apr 19, 2013: Press In or Give Up You have two options today. Option Number One: act as if you believe what you say you believe. Press into the truth and your values. Commit. …

Apr 15, 2013: Worship is Doing There was a time when many in the Church objected to the laity simply watching a special class of people “performing” worship. After all, …

Apr 13, 2013: Rest in Peace, Brennan Manning

I woke today to the news that Christian author and thinker Brennan Manning has died.

From his official website:

It is with mixed emotions that we must …

Apr 12, 2013: Church Should Be An Oasis Church should be an analog oasis in the midst of a digital desert. A community and place where one can rest from the demands of Facebook likes, …

Mar 25, 2013: Founding Fathers I’ve noticed that many Christians are quick to quote the Founding Fathers of the United States. Many look to these wise men for guidance today …

Mar 4, 2013: Pour: A poem about death and life We are called to pour out ourselves for the lost and forgotten, the broken and the marred. That is what Christ did for us. Although it is not …

Feb 25, 2013: This is the best study bible on the market The ESV Study Bible from Crossway is my tried and true companion for delving into Scripture. This review explains why. The English Standard Version …

Feb 11, 2013: What Kind of Person is God? We know what kind of a person someone is primarily by what they do. God created the world. He is powerful. God has never tolerated sin. He actively …

Feb 4, 2013: Stress & fear are the same thing I’m convinced that stress is ultimately nothing less than a form of fear. What if I don’t leave the house on time and we’re late I …

Jan 21, 2013: Life is a Sacrament A sacrament is commonly described as an outward sign of an inward grace. It is the physical manifestation that accompanies a spiritual reality. A …

Jan 14, 2013: Why An Anglican Christian? Friends have recently asked me why I am an Anglican–instead of a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox–Christian. Given the similarities …

Dec 20, 2012: I believe in the Communion of the Saints We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV) This past Sunday morning I received a call from my mom telling me that …

Oct 11, 2012: A Study Bible by the Church J. Mark Bertrand has a typically comprehensive review of a fantastic new Bible design by the folks over at EvangelicalBible.com–one the best …

Jul 12, 2012: Illusions of Influence

I think the Internet can give us a tremendous advantage when it comes to influencing people. We can reach so many with our ideas, thoughts, and …

Jun 30, 2012: Identity Crisis

I am twenty-eight years old, riddled with angst about the person I should be but I’m not, dreams dreamt and not acted on, talents wasted along with …

Jun 12, 2012: Salvation by Faith and Works

The Apostles Paul and James are often set against each other when it comes to roles of faith and works in salvation. It's often asserted that Paul …

Jun 3, 2012: The ESV Single Column Legacy Many of you know that I’ve been on the quest for the perfect reading Bible. What I mean by “reading Bible” is a Bible I can sit down …

May 20, 2012: Religion with Room To Grow One of the best things about classical Anglican Christianity is that it is a tradition where one feels they have room to grow. I can be more or less …

Mar 22, 2012: Enough by Patrick Rhone I’ve followed Patrick Rhone’s work for years now because he just keeps coming out with awesome. Also, he’s just a great human being. …

Mar 18, 2012: Lancelot Andrews Press BCP Since we began worshiping with an Anglican church, I’ve been extremely interested in the history and various incarnations of the Anglican liturgical …

Jan 21, 2012: A Talk From Francis Chan

Yesterday I was present at a talk by famous author and pastor Francis Chan. His book Crazy Love changed the trajectory of my Christian life and …

Oct 27, 2011: Why I Chose the ESV This blog post is pretty much inspired by Carson’s post on the NRSV, since he got me thinking about Bible translations, and why I’ve chosen the ESV. …

Sep 21, 2011: Notes from India

It’s super late for me (10:17 pm on a weeknight!) and I should really be getting to bed, but it’s been over a week since we got back from India, and I …

Aug 22, 2011: Intentionally Pursuing Discipleship Through Mentoring Relationships Seeking wisdom from other members of the Body seems to be no easy affair in today’s church culture, regardless of denominational affiliation. …

Aug 14, 2011: How to begin hearing from God When I was in college, I struggled through a pretty long spiritual dry-spell. Then I discovered something that drastically changed the trajectory of …

Apr 25, 2011: Belief & doubt & and a new song Belief is a funny thing. At least in the biblical sense, it’s more than mere intellectual assent, but rather a trust, confidence, acceptance of …

Apr 22, 2011: Love I Do Not Understand Today is Good Friday, the day our Lord was crucified for us. Last night, my local church (Desert Mission Anglican Church in Phoenix, Arizona) had a …

Mar 3, 2011: So I'm a vegetarian... One day I was thinking about the food that I eat and I realized that meat had ceased to be a once-living thing to me. I had totally forced the concept …

Feb 24, 2011: Tension is a passing note I have what seems to be an unquenchable thirst for peace through knowledge. What I mean by this is that I like to have things figured out. Who …

Feb 10, 2011: The Myth of Religionless Christianity What is religion, really? Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to …

Jan 23, 2011: How I Became An Anglican Since we moved to Phoenix in August of 2010, more that a few people have asked me about our church situation–where are we going to church, how …

Dec 15, 2010: Grace abounding And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 …

Nov 19, 2010: 3 reasons you should be observing the Christian Calendar As a kid, my family participated in Advent through a liturgy that I assume my father created, drawing from various sources and scripture. Each Sunday …

Jul 3, 2010: Notes on Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer Although the Internet Monk went to be with the Lord just a few months ago, he continues to be a spiritual mentor to me. Michael Spencer’s book Mere …

Apr 19, 2010: Becoming a Minimalist Many of you (even those that know me pretty well) wouldn’t characterize me as a minimalist. I don’t have a modern-style home, my desk is sometimes …

Jan 11, 2010: Everyone Has a Calling I’ve struggled a lot over the years with the idea of calling…that very specific sense from God as to what you’re supposed to do with your life. I’ve …

Dec 19, 2009: Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller's seminal work: a review This book is getting old now, but I just read it for the first time. I’m glad I waited, so I could separate it a bit from the hype that surrounded it …

Sep 26, 2009: Thoughts on The New Living Translation of the Bible, 2nd Edition Based on some things I’ve been reading online, as well some recommendations from friends, I decided to pick up a copy of the 2007 revision of the New …