Making It Easier by Misty Chaffins

May 9, 2013 by 7 Comments
Broken Heart

I can't tell you how much today's guest post means to me. This story is one that will show you just how big love can be - so much bigger than I ever, ever expected. As I have said before, Misty is an amazing woman and I have so much love for her and profound admiration for the trust that she shows to me and Rich in supporting our friendship.  This post is what Jesus is about.  ++++++++++++ Shortly after my husband got back from Chicago with another woman, that woman hugged me and said something to me that I won’t soon forget. You see, my husband went to Bold Boundaries: A Sacred Friendship Gathering with his best friend to talk about their cross-gender friendship. As Alise hugged me tightly she said “Thank you, I know that it’s not easy.” Thank you for knowing that. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, Sacred Friendship Gathering

Promises

May 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

About a month ago, Registered Runaway invited me to participate in the Love Letters series. I have written a letter to the LGBT community in the past, but I didn't want to just rehash that, so I took a lot longer to write this post than I ever intended. But I'm happy to say that I did meet my deadline and today my post is up over at RR's site. I wrote it to someone who emailed me here a few months ago. Dear friend, You sent me an email a few months ago. I’m pretty sure I responded, because I usually try to get around to responding to messages that people send me. But I don’t know that I said everything that I needed to say in my email back to you. And even though it was months ago, I want you to know that I think about your letter to me and I think about it often. And I want to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, LGBT issues

There May Be Something to Christianity by Ed Cyzewski

March 22, 2013 by 7 Comments
Soap Box

Every once in a while I get to meet someone who has an even more difficult name to pronounce than mine. Ed is one of those people. He's also someone who has influenced my writing in a more profound way than most other writers I've met. He has offered me help and encouragement and I admire him more than I can say. I'm so grateful for his contribution here. If you’d like to contribute, check out the details here. +++++++++ In college, I served as a discipleship coordinator for my floor. A “D.C.” was basically a small group leader with minor pastoral responsibilities. Naturally, this was an unpaid position. We were doing this for heavenly riches folks. With a new car at my disposal, I took to driving the freshman all over the place. Driving Range? Sure! Late night … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, interfaith, Mixed Up Faith

New Series: Mixed Up Faith

March 8, 2013 by 10 Comments
Mixed Up Faith

As I've written about my interfaith marriage, it's been beautiful to me to see how many people live and work and exist with people who have a different faith. I don't in any way want to minimize some of the difficulties that can arise in mixed faith relationships, but I do love seeing how people walk out those relationships in spite of their differences. I'd like to invite you to share your stories of your mixed faith relationships. But I want to open it up to all kinds of relationships, not just marriages. How do you navigate a friendship with someone who doesn't share your faith? How do you live in a marriage where one of you is Catholic and the other is Protestant? How do you get along with your parents when one of you is theologically conservative and the other is more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, interfaith, Mixed Up Faith

Home Is Where the Heart Is

February 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Doing Justice

Today I'm posting for my friend Ed Cyzewski. He is hosting a new series called Doing Justice and I am honored to be a part of it. I think I’m a missions anomaly. Everyone I have ever met who has done any kind of missions work has always told me that as soon as they got back from their first (or fifth or tenth) trip, they immediately begin thinking about their next one. They’ve had a taste of serving in a different country and they can’t wait to do it again. I don’t feel that. I'd love it if you'd head over to Ed's place and read the rest. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post

Syndicated at BlogHer

January 17, 2013 by 1 Comment

The lovely folks at BlogHer have been kind enough to syndicate another of my posts. A few months ago I celebrated seven years of blogging and shared some of the lessons that I've learned as a blogger over that time. Today, that post is being shared over at BlogHer. I would love it if you'd stop by and give that little post some love. To those who have been around, thanks for sticking with me all of these years. And to those who are new, welcome! Have a look around, and be sure to check out my Twitter feed and my Facebook page. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post

Sitting Down to Eat by Brandon Ambrosino

January 15, 2013 by 8 Comments
bama church

I'm so thankful for all of the interesting folks I get to meet through blogging, and Brandon is no exception. When soliciting guest posts, I like to ask people to write about unexpected relationships, and he offers a fantastic take on that prompt. Enjoy! ++++++++ “Because you’re dating a Jew!” That was what my mom said after I finished complaining about the lack of Christmas decorations in my house. “Mom…” I started to reply as I rolled my eyes. I wouldn’t have done that in person, but that’s one of the benefits of having conversations like this over the phone. “I know, I can’t say ‘Jew,’” she said. “It’s not that,” I shot back. “It’s just…” and I tried thinking about how I should continue the conversation. “I just want a tree,” I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, interfaith, LGBT issues

Not naked, and not ashamed

January 9, 2013 by 1 Comment
naked

  Today I'm guest posting for Joy Bennett. Joy and I have had an opportunity to get to know each other a bit better over the past year and I'm honored that she's offered me a chance to post over at her place, especially since this piece might seem like I'm disagreeing with her (I'm not). My friend Joy has an amazing post about writing naked. I love her words. I love how raw and honest and gutsy they are. Not just the words in that piece, but so many more. She lives what she preaches and I am grateful for that, both as a writer and a reader. I really, really want to do that. I want to strip down to my pale white skin on my blog and blind you with ALL of me. All of the beautiful, sexy parts, as well as the blemishes, the scars, the lumpy bits. I want to be able to flip off the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post, writing

Spirit-Led Parenting Blog Tour

December 3, 2012 by 2 Comments
sheets

When Megan Tietz asked about hosting a post for Spirit-Led Parenting, the book that she and Laura Oyer wrote together about the baby's first year, I wasn't sure, because I don't often write about parenting on my blog, and my first-year parenting days are well behind me. But when I saw that there was a sex chapter, I  jumped at the opportunity to host a post about THAT.  ++++++++ Shortly before our book was released, I was talking with my mother on the phone and she mentioned that she planned to send a copy to my 93-year-old grandfather. “Okay.” I replied.  “Oh!  Oh.  Um … just so you know?  There’s a sex chapter.” Yikes.  I mean, I’m not uncomfortable talking about sex, per se.  I’m totally fine with it in conversation with friends.  But the whole … [Read more...]

Filed Under: family, guest post, sex

God’s Grace in the Heart of a Fallen Pastor by Ray Carroll

October 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
Fallen Pastor

It's always nice to hear from people about how your writing affected them. So when Ray contacted me with his story, I was honored to share it with you. Grace is a beautiful thing and I love to see it given freely. If you'd like to guest post, be sure to check out the guidelines here. +++++++++ To make a short introduction, I'm a sinner. I was once a Southern Baptist pastor with a seminary education. I took great pride in that. I also tended to be very judgmental. Everything fit so nicely into black and white categories for me. For instance, I had an unmarried couple in the church one time who got pregnant. I am ashamed to say I didn't practice much compassion in those days. I demanded over and over again they get married or they be removed from the fellowship. It caused great … [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest post
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