Category: Soul
-
Why I write…
Writing – the quest and journey of seeking truth and understanding through my written rants and wonderings and laments and reflections and questioning – led me from shock and spiritual insecurity to a place of deeper faith and trust.
-
Blooming reminders…
Yesterday, midway through my much-needed renewal leave, God sent me a reminder. Discouraged, deflated, dripping with sweat, I discovered magnolia blossoms blooming right in front of me… and I remembered.
-
I’m still learning
My spirituality, calling and employment have always been inseparable. Who is God when I’m not the pastor in the pulpit? I don’t know if know, because it’s all I’ve ever known. It’s time to find out!
-
And so it begins…
Today (April 6, 2026), I begin a three-month(ish) “Renewal Leave” from full-time United Methodist ministry.
-
“Holy Curiosity” – Part 5 of 5 (Finally!), of Developing an “Opposable” Theology
Even the most absolute, clearest of truths can be understood in deeper, richer, more complex and applicable ways.
-
“Thinking like a Mystic” – Part 4 of 5, of Developing an “Opposable” Theology
The mystics demonstrate a path that begins and ends with seeking God – God, not information about God – and accept the complexities, paradoxes, and inscrutable qualities of God merely as a mystery worthy of continuing pursuit.
-
Look at Your Hands
We live our lives through our hands. We work with our hands. We prepare food with our hands. We do chores with our hands. We play with our hands. We write or type with our hands. We carry stuff with our hands. We can touch lovingly with our hands, or…
-
How’s the water?
We exist in God, and God in us. God is as close as the air we breath. Every step we take is on holy ground, as every step we take is with God. God is everywhere we go, and there’s nowhere God isn’t.
-
Stop Ignoring God
What if we paid more attention, more often, to God’s presence and movements? What if we were more aware? What if we more frequently, consistently, intentionally paused to acknowledge God’s presence? What if we trained our selves to be more sensitive and aware of the Spirit’s moves within ourselves and…
vancerains.com 