Yesterday I hit a huge milestone in my writing life, I finished the first full draft of my manuscript of a book that will soon be looking for a publishing home (anyone want to talk to me about it?). When I hit the print button and saw the huge stack of papers that I’d produced …
Books
Shameless Promotion for Friends
In my journey toward becoming an author, I’ve found it important to build community with other writers. Not only because these are the type of folks whom I really want to read my own work (because they provide such helpful feedback), but for the sake of having encouragers for the journey. Other writers, for me, really do …
Reading, Re-reading and Dreams
In our consumer driven everything culture, we often treat reading as just another thing to conquer, to finish, to master. In seminary, we marked our progress by how many textbook were on our shelves. Colleagues ask me at conferences, “How many books have you read lately?” Congregants ask me: “What books can you teach us more about?” …
Book Review Week: Traveling with Pomegrantes
“I realize what a strange in-between place I am in. The Young Woman inside has turned to go, but the Old Woman has not shown up.” ― Sue Monk Kidd “I’ve tried to shield myself from life and inhabit my own small, safe corner; but there’s no immunity from life.” ― Ann Kidd Taylor “I …
Book Review Week: Bless Her Heart
I don’t know if it is my new addiction to the Kindle app on my IPad or just the season of spring, but I’ve been on a reading kick lately of some really wonderful titles that I think many of you, blog readers, might like too. So, I’ve decided to devote the next five days …
When I Grow Up I Want to Be . . .
. . . a writer like Anne Lamott She recently said this about writing: “I try to write the books I would love to come upon, that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families, secrets, wonder, craziness — and that can make me laugh. When I am reading a book like …
I Love and Support My Muslim Friends
Yesterday, I got this email from the ADAMS Center (All Dulles Area Mulism Society) in Sterling, Virginia of which Washington Plaza Baptist is a friend. As you might remember last January, Kevin and I traveled to Israel in support and friendship of Imam Magid of ADAMS. What troubles me most about this email is that the state …
Art, Pastoral Life and Books
The pastoral life like any other profession, I believe is an art form. To practice it is to create: to explore the unknown deep waters of life through practice, mistakes, more practice and more mistakes and hopefully come out with something beautiful on the other side. One of the best things I do to stay …
Some Summer Reading
When people ask me what my hobbies are, I usually feel quite lost. I’m not sure exactly what to say because I don’t naturally gravitate toward activities that seem hobby worthy (getting pedicures just doesn’t count does it?). But, there is one thing I always do regularly– even as dorky as it may be– and that is …
Breathing Space
Does calling to a particular congregation automatically mean you are required to give your whole life to a particular group of people? Recently, I finished a wonderful pastoral memoir called Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in South Bronx by Heidi Neumark. Heidi is a Lutheran pastor who writes about her 20ish year journey with a congregation in …
