Suffering is something our culture tends to look down on, and tries to avoid. It seems that to show any outward signs of suffering can be seen as a sign of weakness and failure. Since moving into Uptown and the JUSTembrace community, I have seen more outward signs of suffering than ever before. One thing… Read more »
I just got home from church where I sobbed nearly the whole time. I’m up in the attic that we’ve transformed into a chapel space and listening to a soothing Pandora station where Cademon’s Call is expressing my pain: The prince of despairs been beaten Lord But the loser still fights Death’s on a long… Read more »
“Who smells like grape bubblegum?!” I asked a line of folks waiting to eat at a soup kitchen one summer day in 2011. Anthony was the culprit, as he showed me his grape cigarello. That was the beginning of one of the closest friendships I have been gifted in Uptown. A few weeks after meeting… Read more »
But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to… Read more »
Thursday morning the doorbell rang. “Hi Sheryl. I want you and Jordan and Rachel to meet me at Benny’s tonight between 4:30 and 6. I will buy you something to eat and drink.” I love listening to Warren talk – especially considering how many years it’s taken him to open up enough to talk… Read more »
Tears have been following me around lately. They show up at work, at home, and often when I’m just walking through my neighborhood listening to Derek Webb or Jon Foreman on Pandora. They appear over a shared meal, or in a phone call. Last night they were present during my dreams – I willed myself… Read more »
Tonight our record-breaking 14th Holiday Feast was held here at the JUSTembrace hospitality house. It never should have happened. I’m going to share a story and some deep emotion that I’m currently in the midst of, so please take the following with a warning of its honesty. This morning we held our monthly foot clinic…. Read more »
This past Sunday, I was attending a new faith community in my neighborhood when I heard Scripture and a sermon that helped something very important click for me. It’s a story Jesus tells about a sower sowing seed. Jesus tells the story, then He unpacks it for his followers a little later. You can read… Read more »
I say that each and every month on the 3rd Saturday, around 8:15am when my alarm starts to go off. Today marked the completion of 3 full years of monthly foot clinics held at The People’s Church’s sanctuary. All in all, we’ve seen WELL over 620 community members in 3 years. That mean’s we’ve cut… Read more »