Between the Lines

     Last month, I facilitated a weekly virtual Bible study gathering with adults in my church. My approach to these specific studies are a little different than others I facilitate at our church; there is no lesson plan, no outline, except to read passages of scripture collectively, and see where the Spirit takes us. Whatever questions, thoughts, reactions, or truths one offers up is free game.       Given the global pandemic we all find ourselves in, and my desire to engage a passage of scripture we don't usually preach/teach, I was immediately drawn to the book of Lamentations. Lamentations is that easily flipped over book of the Old Testament nestled after Jeremiah and before Ezekiel. It is only 5 chapters long, but is full of powerful imagery. It is commonly attributed to Jeremiah (hence its location right after his prophecy), however there is some debate over whether or not he actually was the one who wrote it. It does however deal with the destruction of Israel following bei

     Graduates of the class of 2020, can I just say, you and the rest of the world will not soon forget your graduation season. The concluding months of your final year have been marked by a global pandemic, civil advocacy, and an economic shutdown of historic proportions. Yet here you are. You have weathered all of these turbulent waters and have come out on the other side, a little worse for wear yes, but no less having earned the title of graduates. You had to mourn the loss of so many things; senior year staples like prom , banquets, yearbook signings, tear-filled goodbyes, and of course your commencement celebrations. Many of you had to forego your final seasons, last concert, or that senior recital. The amount of loss you have had to endure, at no fault of your own, is heartbreaking. Let's just say what having all of these things robbed from you really is... just plain wrong.       Yet, all of these calamities and loss will not be what defines you, or even what you are rememb

If you know me, then you know one of the great sources of joy in my life is food. When I travel, I love trying new or different places, I'm always down for a good old fashioned greasy cheeseburger, and I like to reward myself on occasion with trips to Krispy Kreme after a tough day or successfully completing a project. Whether you are reconnecting with an old friend, or taking in a baseball game, good food and drinks always seem to have a way of elevating that which you are experiencing. Well, over the last 30 days, I have undergone a new, and certainly different experience with food, the Whole30 program .  A few months ago (pre-pandemic) my wife, Lindsay began mentioning her desire to take a hard look at our tendencies and norms with regards to diet and exercise, and she floated the idea of her wanting to do the Whole30 program . If you are not familiar with the program, Whole30 was first offered up in 2009 by a blogger named  Melissa Hartwig Urban that would go on to become a wor