(Part 3 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series) We were made for connection.Not Wi-Fi. Not group texts. Not “likes.”Real connection. The kind where someone sees you, hears you, and stays. But let’s be honest: that’s rare. And that rarity is saddening. Most of us walk through life surrounded by people but are suffocating from…
I stand behind pulpits and podiums,smile through scripture, break bread with the broken,but behind the suit and dress shirtmy heart is cracked glass. See, they say, “Pastor, it’s part of the job,”like grief is a line in my call papers.Like funerals come with the welcome packet.Like burying saints is just part of the benefits package.But…
While at the gathering we’ve been treated to original poems by Tanner Olson. Here’s my crack at a written to speak style poem summarizing last night’s event. Remember it’s written to speak which means you kind of need to read it aloud to get the rhythm to it. I didn’t earn this place.Didn’t climb enough…
(Part 2 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series) Let’s be honest, most of us are addicted to approval. We don’t call it that. We call it being “driven,” “motivated,” “on our game.” But underneath the hustle is a hunger: Please notice me. Please like me. Please tell me I’m enough. And if you think…
Inspired by Night 2 of the LCMS Youth Gathering & Hebrews 12:1–3 Some moments stay with you. For many who gathered on Night 2 of the LCMS Youth Gathering, there was a phrase that echoed through the arena and hit deep into the soul: “I am that joy.” “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter…
There’s a reason the theme of this year’s Youth Gathering echoes loud and clear: Endure. We live in a world where it’s easy to quit. Quit trying. Quit believing. Quit showing up. Life throws curveballs, culture applies pressure, and sometimes it feels like we’re barely holding on. But Hebrews gives us a different word. One that…
Ever feel like you’re drowning in noise. Not just the sound of traffic or your neighbor’s dog or the 37th autoplay video on Instagram. I’m talking about the kind of noise that sits in your brain even when it’s quiet. The constant scroll, the endless to-do list, the pressure to keep up, to stay informed, to…
(Part 1 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series) It often goes without saying – we’re exhausted. Not from work. Not from parenting. Not from the latest crisis-of-the-week. So many people exhausted from pretending. Smiling when we’re breaking. Posting like we’re thriving. Walking into rooms, churches included, wondering if we’re being judged for not…
There’s something sacred about those beloved colors of red, white, and blue. They’re more than just a color scheme for a t-shirt or those skirts around floats for a parade. They tell a story. They tell our story whether we like it or not. Every thread of that flag carries the weight of history and the…
There’s an American flag flying outside my home, and it doesn’t just go up for holidays. It’s there most every day, through wind, rain, snow, and sun. It flies for the men and the women who stand for me. It flies for my family, my cousins, my grandfather, my brother, and even my son –…
