on set with the chosen: season 4 interviews

last may, i had the opportunity to visit the set of the chosen outside of dallas, texas, in production for season 4 at the time. alongside other journalists, we toured the set—impressive in its scope and detail—took a horse ride through the texas landscape, and interviewed producers, directors, and actors alike.

Nicodemus + Joseph of Arimathea: Models of grief

the following homily was offered to the community of st. luke’s episcopal church in seattle on Good Friday: “after these things,” john writes, summing up everything that has just happened before moving to Jesus’ burial. “After these things,” which is as swift of a transition as any you’ll find. at the end of John’s lengthy […]

appreciating the art of divine surprise

visual art and poetry can put me in a place where i’m more likely to notice the everyday burning bushes and abounding annunciations.

i’m no less inclined than the next person to prayerfully ask God for my preferred future for myself and for my family, for my community and for our nation—indeed, for the aching wider world. but advent and christmastide invite me into something grander and, ultimately, more remarkable.

these seasons invite us to cultivate a posture of expectant waiting. yet our inherited history and tradition beckons a longing that is wholly receptive to the unexpected arrival of grace—where God’s presence is promised and declared precisely in places and voices we least expected.

remembering broken bodies: a reflection on the Lord’s supper

“on the night He was betrayed.” that is, on the very night on which Jesus’ broken body was foremost on His mind. on the night when those closest to Him looked straight into His face and pretended they didn’t even know Him. on that night, Jesus took a loaf of bread in His hands, broke it, and said, eat up. it’s mine. it’s for you.

but who do you say that I am? a devotional

i was recently asked to lead the staff of westside: a Jesus church, in portland, in a time of devotion. here are the reflections i gave on matthew 16:13-17, the story of peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ. who do others say that I am? Jesus begins this episode by asking His disciples who other people […]

grief: reflections on loss

i wish to be completely forthright in saying this entry was written entirely to help myself deal with a deep amount of recent pain. to walk through the many thoughts of loss and hurt the past several weeks have brought. and to attempt to make some sense of the horrific loss of our dear sister, […]

what are we to do with grace

i recently grabbed dinner with my brother. pizza. at a very eclectic pizza place in my hometown. where the menu is just as eccentric as the town it resides in. the pizza is prepared in an open kitchen, so you can watch it tossed in the air, spinning and stretching. then placed in an open […]

prayer: the Savior who saves

“so she’s cool?” i asked. “tow-tally,” he said, drawing out the “tow-” for emphasis on just how cool she was. “in middle school, she was smoking hot. the first time i saw her, i was like…” long silence, to emphasize how attractive she was. “i could hardly speak.” “He saved her, man. if it wasn’t […]

the bicycle: God’s humbling patience

i picture a young boy learning how to ride his bike. standing it upright, stepping over and placing his foot on the peddle for the first time, his face full of pride as His father speaks gently, “now, remain focused. keep your eyes straight ahead of you and you’ll do just fine.” and as the […]

Kingdom currency

if our money, our possessions are no good in His Kingdom, then we must ask the question, “what is?”