Programming Notes

By
Okay. I think that my blog posts from this week need further explanation and clarification (and backpedaling).

My name is Jeff. I pastor a church in northeast Ohio. Shortly after I began that pastorate, I started this blog. It ended up being a way for me to process those early years of ministry, and to nurture a love of writing at the same time. Over the years, the blog has evolved and changed, from "adventures of a fresh-faced pastor" to emerging church fanboy to Serious Writer wannabe to...whatever it is now.

I began anonymous, although many family and friends were readers when I started. Now I have some church members who read and the blog is even listed on my church's website, so whatever. I figure what you see is what you get nowadays...I haven't changed really anything in response to that fact.

At times it feels like I'm speaking to an empty theatre, I won't lie about that. The big moment where everybody was writing and reading blogs has passed, it seems. It's been suggested that I land some guest-blogging gigs elsewhere. Perhaps I could invite some people to do the same here.

So am I staying? Sure, I'm staying.

Oh, and the "365 Albums" thing that I want to resurrect? I really had good intentions about that, but the pacing that I'd have to keep up with really is a bit insane. Don't get me wrong, I love music, but an album a day is too much. But I tell you what I will do...I'd like to take the spirit of that idea and apply it to something more manageable. So maybe I can covenant with those of you (if anyone) who loves the Pop Culture Roundups (haha, you're silly) to listen to no less than 3 new albums a week. That's doable. Totally doable. Much more doable than that other crazy thing.

So you're stuck with me, I guess. I can't not write. I hate quitting things.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Order my books!













Sign up for my author newsletter!

powered by TinyLetter

Popular posts from this blog

Frequently Asked Questions about Prayer in Motion

By
Image
Now that Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times has been released into the world, here are answers to a few of the most common anticipated questions that might arise about it.

Wait, didn't you just release a new book in June? Why, yes, I did. The story goes that I sent a proposal for Wonder and Whiskey pretty much on a lark, just to see what would happen. When I didn't hear back for a while I assumed that nothing would come of it, and turned my attention to the idea for Prayer in Motion instead. Then in the middle of receiving some interest for the latter, I heard back from Wipf and Stock about publishing the former. So as strange as it seems for me to be publishing two books pretty much back to back, it's all due to a fortunate series of events and coincidental timing.

So, what's this book about? As a pastor and spiritual director, I've accumulated enough anecdotal evidence that a lot of people find prayer difficult either because they don't thi…
Read more

A Prayer for Opened Ears

By
Image
based on Mark 7:24-37

Faithful God, our ears are often closed to so much. We miss the needs around us because we're so preoccupied with our own desires. We don't heed the possibility of new things in our midst because we've become comfortably numb with what we've long been doing. We are unwilling to listen to your presence because acknowledging it might ask something of us that we're not ready to accept. Whether of our own making or due to complicating factors in our lives, we don't, can't, or won't hear what you wish to show us.

Our hope and prayer this day is that you take us aside to show us what we've been missing. Unstop our ears to your gifts. Speak your healing word of "Ephphatha" for us to be open to your speaking of renewing and grace-filled truths into our hearts. Through Jesus, show us what we've been ignoring whether in our own lives and in the lives of others so the movement of all your creation toward restoration and who…
Read more