Some alternatives to “negative” emotions: Painful Unpleasant Difficult Unbearable Distressing Intolerable Uncomfortable

Spiritual abuse is a compounded and intensified form of psychological/emotional abuse. Victims are often more vulnerable to spiritual abusers because of their assumed trust/role/authority/accountability…and spiritual abusers leverage that, wielding their power in a way that

More horrifying details about Russia’s persecution of Christians in Ukraine in this piece. It’s no wonder so many Americans are clear about the nature of the Russian threat and its opposition to the West, despite the amount of disinformation. time.com/6969273/russia…

How can you tell the difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit & the condemnation of the evil one (or our own thoughts)? Here’s one way: Conviction leads to a greater longing to love better. Condemnation has us focus on how unlovable we are.

Transphobia in the name of Jesus, is still transphobia. Homophobia in the name of Jesus, is still homophobia. Discrimination in the name of Jesus, is still discrimination. Own your hatred. Don’t ruin Jesus with it.

No one is ruined in a crisis whose moral fiber has not already been weakened in private and in the ordinary. Crisis will always reveal character.  — Oswald Chambers

I don’t post a lot here anymore, but I’m doing a series on enhancing relational skills for LGBTQ+/SSA people on my Instagram account (same handle as X) for Pride month. I’m planning to focus special attention on dynamics within the queer Christian community.

I do think there is something about all this that should make LGBTQ people feel empowered. We are here, and we are meant to live real lives. We can give ourselves freedom in figuring that out. We should feel liberated in ignoring people that don’t have a positive project for us.

i hope that the noah’s ark replica that ken ham built is having a great pride month

Probably shouldn't be totally surprised that the decline of the virtue of hospitality has resulted in shifting architectural priorities.

You will be invited to enter old patterns many times. I hope you decline every time. You’re worthy of new beginnings which require new decisions.

The higher up we go in leadership, the greater the level of maturity is required. As people step into progressively wider spheres of influence and greater responsibility, unresolved issues in their inner lives will inevitably be exposed. Immaturity rooted in unresolved issues

To those who will never get the apology: I’m sorry they had the confidence to hurt you, and the cowardice to ignore it’s impact. Please continue to heal without them.

Going to church alone, sitting alone, etc.: a tremendous burden for many (probably more than one might expect). There's a certain discipline, single-heartedness, and faith that many of these folks emit radiantly.

At a time when acceptance was hard to find for LGBTQ+ students, Tim Walz knew the signal it would send for a football coach to get involved in the Gay Straight Alliance. So he signed on to be the group’s faculty advisor.

Beautiful. It’s wild how so many Christians will likely be offended by this act of providing safety for queer students and yet how Christlike it was.

The language of "trauma-informed" is used a lot today. In this piece over at Missio Alliance, a former student and friend Cheryl You 尤家慧 talks about the journey of becoming a trauma-informed pastor. A really helpful article! missioalliance.org/the-ongoing-jo…