By: John Fehlen on November 11, 2024
As a Christian, I would find a conversation with Peter Boghossian nearly impossible. Hmm…I wonder if there is a book on the market that could help me with this? Oh wait, Mr. Boghossian wrote one called How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide. Allow me a moment of sheer snark: I think this…
By: Jenny Dooley on November 11, 2024
A Story After checking in with the apartment management office where I’m staying in Penang, Malaysia, I was asked to wait as ID cards were made. A few minutes later, I was greeted by a friendly gentleman who worked at the facility. He welcomed me to Penang and spoke of his upcoming holiday. A few…
By: Tim Clark on November 11, 2024
I was ready to be inspired when I started reading the book How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide. After the first couple of chapters, it seemed like the book might be more about “how to have any conversations” than only the impossible ones because the principles and practices I started noticing in…
By: Kally Elliott on November 11, 2024
I’ve sworn off conversations about politics with my father. I haven’t told him this but I think he’s taken the hint. I’ve witnessed him trying really hard to not talk about politics with me. I can see him squirming, beginning to say something divisive (at least it is divisive from my perspective) and then stopping…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on November 11, 2024
I am terrified at the moral apathy, the death of the heart, which is happening in my country. These people have deluded themselves for so long that they really don’t think I’m human. And I base this on their conduct, not on what they say. And this means that they have become moral monsters…
By: Cathy Glei on November 11, 2024
Our Children’s Ministry is in the process of adopting a new curriculum. The curriculum resource we are currently using was adopted just after the pandemic. It was purchased because it fit our scope & sequence, Biblical foundation, and spiritual formation benchmarks for kids. It also had components that fit our needs during the pandemic. Currently,…
By: Esther Edwards on November 11, 2024
My daughter has two-year-old twins. It can be quite comical to see how they are learning to negotiate and converse. Without a doubt, they are beginning to see that they are not alone in the universe. The controversy is continually around what is “mine.” My toy. My food. My shoes. But skills are being taught…
By: Jennifer Eckert on November 10, 2024
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” — Attributed to Vince Lombardi Lombardi’s quote addresses the idea that grit is the will to keep pushing forward, and despite the difficulty, it is often a quality that determines…
By: Noel Liemam on November 8, 2024
“The Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” by Dr. Carol S. Dweck, has a good content that I can learn from. I would love to have it in bookshelves; however, I would read it only once or twice. This book teaches about the ‘two mindsets’ which are fixed mindset and growth mindset, and the remaining…
By: Dinka Utomo on November 7, 2024
My Standpoint Colonialism and slavery, in my view, are both kinds of oppression and exploitation that are carried out by a group of people or nations against other groups or nations who are weaker. Colonialism and slavery are practices that are carried out to accrue the most significant possible benefit from the people or nations…
By: Jennifer Eckert on November 7, 2024
The contentious U.S. election has left me feeling battered and drained, much like the Oklahoma tornadoes that struck shortly before. Americans remain deeply divided in how the country should move forward, and many increasingly rely on social media headlines instead of fact-checking or thinking critically. Those who challenge misinformation are often publicly criticized or even…
By: Jana Dluehosh on November 7, 2024
Summary of my most deeply held convictions before the readings and why I have these beliefs. My first encounter with my whiteness occurred as a young teen when I was visiting my dad’s extended family in Michigan for a family reunion. I clearly remember sitting in a Pizza Hut as I heard my grandpa and…
By: Daren Jaime on November 7, 2024
It was one of my first denominational ministerial classes. We were nervous, uncertain, and in a healthy fear of what our ministerial journey will take us. The course was pastoral administration. A very well seasoned scholar and pastor was sharing with us what we should expect if we were ever assigned to a pastorate. As…
By: Chad Warren on November 7, 2024
With the arrival of winter and snow in our part of the Rocky Mountains, I am reminded of the widely used skiing metaphor “Over your skis.” This describes a skier who leans too far forward, making them unstable and more likely to lose control or fall. Figuratively, it means taking on more than you can…
By: Adam Harris on November 7, 2024
‘Yes, I got my wife’s approval for the title. This week we are supposed to write about our views and assumptions about colonialism and slavery before we read A History of Slavery by Jeremy Black[i] and Colonialism by Nigel Biggar.[ii] Pre-Reading Thoughts First, I realize our tendency with just about anything and everything is to…
By: Julie O'Hara on November 7, 2024
I follow a social media account called Visual Hustles, it was the source of the above image. If asked, I would describe it as cartoons which demonstrate the value of not giving up when faced with challenges. I thought of the account while reading Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck and I looked…
By: Christy on November 7, 2024
Hi, my name is Christy, and I have some fixed mindset triggers. Meet Koa, her name means “fear”. When I am in a high risk situation, Koa tells me that I can only trust myself and if I want something done right, I should just do it myself. Koa encourages me to avoid making hard…
By: Elysse Burns on November 7, 2024
Cooking is one of my favorite activities. There’s something deeply therapeutic about it, and nothing excites me more than discovering a new recipe, experimenting with ingredients, and adding a personal twist. But it wasn’t always this way. When I first began, cooking felt like a high-stakes test. I needed a foolproof recipe, something guaranteed to…
By: Todd E Henley on November 7, 2024
Shame can often feel like an overwhelming and paralyzing force in our lives. As a therapist, I’ve learned to navigate my own feelings of shame, and I have come to realize that openness is key. Honestly, before delving into this topic, I had no understanding of colonialism, and my background kept me from shaming myself.…
By: Kari on November 7, 2024
The past two weekends revolved around my colleague, Elysse, and my design workshops. We have different NPOs, but they are closely related. The workshops addressed, in different ways, the lack of collaboration between Mauritanian communities and non-profits, the government, and other leaders. All workshop participants said that the solution is a societal change of mentality.…
