Why God wants you to be a little impractical

Looked at from one angle, it’s pretty clear Christianity wasn’t made for rigid planners. In the Old Testament (cf. Ex 3:1-12), the Lord didn’t tell Moses at the burning bush, “Get all your ducks in a row and then go to Pharaoh

The spirituality of creativity

You’re a creative person. Just think of how many creative arguments popped into your head just now trying to convince yourself that you aren’t a creative person. No, you can’t paint like Michelangelo. But you picked the ideal color for your living

Getting God off ‘to do’ lists

We are bombarded beings whose “to do” lists are rarely completed. Never before in human history have people received so much information and stimulation while often feeling a nagging sense of insufficiency. No matter how much we accomplish, we never feel as

‘Show us a better way’

“I’ve seen wickedness.” Samuel, my Uber driver, described a recent acid attack he read about back in his native Cameroon, recalling all kinds of flashbacks. He talked about some of the unspeakable violence the government there has been known to inflict on

‘Exodus 90’: Brutal, demanding, life-changing

OK, men: Want a modern desert experience? Give up alcohol and sweets, social media, pastimes like video games and televised sports for 90 days. Don’t spend any money except for necessities. Take only cold showers and commit to a program of strenuous

The complex spirituality of Thomas Merton

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of spiritual writer Thomas Merton (1915-68), a Trappist monk from the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. During his life, Father Merton produced a large volume of writings, among which is his 1948 autobiography