I’m struggling with a writing project, but I’ll share some important perspective. It’s perhaps prophetic encouragement in a double-sense, as you will see.*
*No inner-voices, soft or loud, subtle or screaming, were used in the inspiring exchange of religious comfort and discussion.
Filed under As Christian Writers, Theological reflection
I’ve been excited about a particular idea for a while now, but I think it’s melding into something else. Something better.
Filed under My projects, Theological reflection
My dad’s been reflecting on what the Bible says to musicians/artists and to scientists. What are some passages tucked away in plain sight that address what the Bible says to writers, like those passages my father is seeing with new eyes? Immediately I thought of Psalm 51:15: “Open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.”
Filed under As Christian Writers, Theological reflection
I’m wrapping up a proposal/project that is a children’s book on the means of grace. But after reading it again, I thought to myself, “Hmm. Is it more a book on Word and Sacrament?” It’s made me think, are the means of grace as sweet by any other name? Is there a difference?
Filed under Theological reflection
The Annunciation and Good Friday come together today: hope and fear, faith and betrayal, good news and a judge’s verdict, “Guilty!” Historically the days belong together and unhardened hearts are right to agree it’s a day of days. It is a good time for Jesus’ return, in my opinion, adding, “It is made new” to His “It is finished.” Continue reading
Filed under Theological reflection
When I write “stony silence,” what do you think of? A conversation that went too far? Anger? Or maybe the presentation that dwindled into awkward silence from boredom? Stony silence is not typically a goal for us writers—quite the opposite. So imagine my surprised when I noticed something in Scripture . . . Continue reading
Filed under Audiences, Theological reflection
Something sad has happened in our congregation and it has me thinking of darker, sadder things. It wasn’t anything grand or thrilling. It wasn’t anything that someone would jump to write about. There wasn’t even the thrill we sometimes wickedly seek in sin or seeing a sinner’s downfall. It is real life in this fallen, death-ridden world. It is loss and pain and uncertainly and the trauma of life support for a beloved young man.
While our days go on in the midst of myriad vulnerabilities, I thought about how novels sometimes are mimicking life in part to emotionally prepare us for the unknowns ahead. Guiding us toward answers and lessons we finally learn when we experience the grief or pain first hand. At the same time . . .
Filed under Theological reflection
There was this guy. In a lot of ways, this guy could be any other guy, and that doesn’t really make him main character material. That is, sometimes being mundane sort of sets the scene to explore what’s actually different or valuable underneath. Isn’t that the point of plot and character development? But what if I told you . . .
My biggest fear about blogging, and really writing in general, is burn out. Churning out text can be daunting enough, but striving for it to be interesting and in some way crafted too? But I’ll tell you my hope (and it is not a hope in myself):
Filed under Theological reflection, Writer Troubles, Writer's Life
Getting into hymn writing is obviously a personalized road, so I asked one of the most creative people I (cyber-) know, Kelly Klages, artist extraordinaire, about her own experience. Now, before we read her compelling narrative, I’d like to remind you that there are eight days left for the 2016 Reformation hymn contest. To further encourage you to write for it, this blog will focus more or less on hymn-writing for the next week before returning to our regularly scheduled, semi-random, writing-related variety. For your contemplation . . . Continue reading
Filed under As Theological Writers, Hymns, Theological reflection, Writer's Life
