Faith on Tap” is a short series on the divine connections I see between monastic life and the art of brewing beer. (Check out Part 1 and Part 2 here.) This blog series is meant to be a red-carpet inauguration of the First Annual Strategic Monk Brewery Pilgrimage. Our tour began on May 1st with Eagle Rock Brewery […]
Faith on Tap (Part 3): God Bless the Paulaner Monks! Read More »
“Faith on Tap” is a short series on the divine connections I see between monastic life and the art of brewing beer. This blog series is meant to be a red-carpet inauguration of the First Annual Strategic Monk Brewery Pilgrimage. Our tour is set to begin on May 1st with Eagle Rock Brewery in Los
Faith on Tap (Part 1): Why Your Beer Needed the Benedictines Read More »
My faith has become more contemplative over the last several years. Sometimes it’s a challenge, coming from an Evangelical background, to describe how my relationship to God is growing and deepening. It can be difficult to understand and explain; it can be frightening and lonely; it is both draining yet also the source of great
Book Review: Pilgrimage of a Soul Read More »
The second of an ongoing series of reflections on Lent. Click here to read earlier posts in this series. Lent can easily become a challenging and ill-humored season. People who are struggling to live without caffeine or other familiar comforts can be cranky! It is easy to get caught up in accomplishing our goal,
Looking at Lent – part two Read More »
We commonly think about crime as something that happens between the government and a defendant. We understand they are the ones represented in court, and they are the ones who participate in the probation, jail, prison, and parole system. Through this, my work in the criminal justice system sparked my interest in Restorative Justice. Restorative
Restorative Justice Read More »
Lent is a season of the church calendar which begins on Ash Wednesday, and culminates with the great celebration of Easter. This season helps us recognize that we are not able to provide for ourselves, and prepares us to receive God’s overwhelming gift of new life. Lent is a lot like working in the yard,
Looking at Lent – part one Read More »
I read a lot. I have loved books for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, I was one of those kids who perennially won the reading contests at the public library. I love bookstores and libraries, and can spend hours shopping for books online. There is nothing quite like the
Reflections on Anne Jackson’s, Permission to Speak Freely Read More »
Hello, and Happy 2011! New Year’s is one of my favorite holidays. I love the love the feeling of making a fresh start, letting go of the past, and turning the first page in a new book. I remember specific New Year’s holidays of past years, some in cities and some in the country. Growing
Always, We Begin Again (Happy New Year from the Strategic Monastic!) Read More »
I am trained and certified as a spiritual director. I am a lay oblate at a Benedictine monastery. I have also coordinated the contemplative life ministries at various churches. I practice, and introduce other people to, centering prayer. For a lot of people, hearing about prayer can create separation and build walls between us. Some
A Quick Primer on Centering Prayer Read More »
It sometimes feels like living in the 21st century is all about getting and staying connected; to friends and family, to the internet, to popular culture, to podcasts and downloads. With the demands most of us have on our time and attention, it is easy for us to become imbalanced and to lose touch with
Introduction to Centering Prayer: January 22 Read More »
