When I was growing up, I can’t say I ever identified as an ‘evangelical.’ ‘Pentecostal,’ absolutely. But ‘evangelical’? It just wasn’t a familiar or even a relevant term to me. As a child, I didn’t quite understand how I fit in with the larger body of Christians around me; while I felt a strong identity…

{I recently found this poem that I wrote in May 2016, as a reflection of my retreat time at Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri. The photo below is the visual that inspired my written words. Feel free to click for a closer view.} My cotton blanket was an altar,Green grass its ornamentation.The call-and-response came from…

As this second semester of seminary has begun, the words and insights of Henri Nouwen have continued to speak truth into my heart, especially as I’ve journeyed to invest in what it means for the Lord to access all of who I am – without disguises and without facades. One of my dear friends here…

This past semester, I wrote a research paper on the life, theology, and ministry of Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest, writer, and psychologist, who blessed the world with his kindness and his seemingly endless insights. As I read his writings, I fell ‘in love’ with his explained concepts of Belovedness – specifically, living Beloved as…

{Warning: this post is political in nature} I must be honest and up-front with my emotions. I am hurting. More than once, I have cried about the results of this Presidential election. Quite honestly, I would have felt a tinge of dissatisfaction no matter what the results. Thus, my tears are not indicative solely of…

{I’ve written this post in response to the recent Refugee Crisis in America & abroad, as well as recent political discourse} I am a Christian before I am an American. I don’t believe these two identities should be intermingled beyond recognition, though I believe that this intermingling is repeatedly done within the United States of…

“Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee.” – St. Augustine Introversion. What a beautiful word. It’s a word I wasn’t aware of until the last few years, and grasping an awareness of this term has released me to understand my faith in Christ in a deeper way than I could ever have imagined.…

I wrote this poem during class one day, after I had passed a cluster of green-leafed trees that were being de-leafed because of a fierce autumn wind. With a fear of heights this leaf does live,             But connected to a tree, He grows strength from her perspective.             This knowledge makes him free. He…

“The term imago Dei refers most fundamentally to two things: first, God’s own self-actualization through humankind; and second, God’s care for humankind. To say that humans are in the image of God is to recognize the special qualities of human nature which allow God to be made manifest in humans. In other words, for humans…

{Disclaimer:  This entry really isn’t about Boxing Day.}In reality, I don’t exactly know what Boxing Day is, but I’m choosing to reflect upon Christmas on this day because Boxing Day is special enough to have a spot on an annual calendar. As this holiday season comes to a close, I can’t help but ponder the growing…