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Roaring Rapids of Anxiety

My stream of consciousness is a steady flow of thoughts, floating with the current like a fleet of boats. But when I experience anxiety, my calm stream of consciousness is suddenly a set of roaring rapids, my thoughts getting thrashed about in the treacherous water! What do I do?

Peter Gammell

March 18, 2025

My Anxious God

I have a constant internal voice asking me anxious questions. But what’s truly bizarre is how easily I put this internal dialogue into God’s mouth. Without realizing it, my own impossible, contradictory standards become sacred obligations.

Brandon Booth

March 11, 2025

Unfolding Grace: Transforming Anxiety into Art

When I’m anxious I have an odd habit of folding paper. With anxious precision my fingers crease and re-crease a once-crisp sheet until it becomes worn and frayed. I don’t know why I do this, but it mirrors what’s going on inside my head. My thoughts, like the paper, fold and refold in on themselves until I’m worn out. Anxiety focuses my attention ever more narrowly. It crumples me up.

Brandon Booth

March 4, 2025

Freed to love my family

I am very grateful for my family and I desire to love them everyday, but I’ve got a problem… I often feel like an awful husband and father! It rarely feels like I have enough time, energy, and solutions to give my family. Even when I am present and attentive, I can feel inadequate because I haven’t solved all our problems and made everyone happy!

Peter Gammell

February 25, 2025

Jesus loves real people

I have many narratives, fears, and self-judgments that are deeply embedded in my heart. A particularly nasty duo of devilish dogmas has hounded me for as long as I can recall: “You could be so much better than you are right now” and “You’ll always falter short of the finish line.”

Peter Gammell

February 18, 2025

I'm not God: accepting forgiveness

I know I’ve seriously screwed up, but my skin crawls when you forgive me. In the face of your kindness, I feel trapped and defensive. Maybe it’s not rational, but my inward response is, “I guess you think I’M the only bad one! What’s so horrible about ME that I particularly need to be forgiven?!”

Liv Booth

February 11, 2025

Twisted in Knots: Why Grace Won't Make You a Spiritual Couch Potato

The Gospel says I don’t need to perform. I don’t need to prove my worth. Jesus already loves me! “But,” someone always protests, “if I stop pursuing spiritual improvement, won't I just become a grace potato!?”

Brandon Booth

February 4, 2025

What does it mean to be "spiritual"?

“Spirituality” is in vogue these days. I meet more and more real witches and true believers in Odin every day, and well-respected academics have a renewed interest in esoteric wisdom literature and shamanism. But what does it actually mean to be "spiritual"?

Brandon Booth

January 28, 2025

Reading scripture (who is God really??)

I want more connection with God when I read the Bible, but sometimes the God I read about in the Bible doesn’t seem like the type of person I actually want to connect with at all!

Peter Gammell

January 21, 2025

I want more connection with Jesus!

So I should read more scripture right? At least that’s how I have often felt! I often notice myself thinking, “If only I was more consistent with my daily devotions!” or “Surely something is wrong with how I’m reading scripture, because I just don’t feel the presence of God enough!”

Brandon Booth

January 14, 2025

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