PinnedMember-onlySo, I’m a Pastor at the “Big, Rich Church” in Town…Jesus turns the tables on the weirdest circumstances. — Well, seems like a good time for the “money talk,” my friend. More specifically: let’s talk about our hang-ups with money. Especially — if you’re a churchgoer — the ones that get in the way of following Jesus. Feels like an appropriate topic for Black Friday. You know I have…Money7 min readMoney7 min read
PinnedMember-onlyEverything’s Connected to Everything: Start HereI promise it will all make sense in the end. — Wanna know the one thing you can do, at any moment, to begin changing every area of your life, all at once? Start getting honest with God, yourself, and other people. Hi, My Name is Serenity A Pastor, a Bartender & an Alcoholic Walk Into a Church… Just Cuz I’m a Pastor Doesn’t Mean I…Faith4 min readFaith4 min read
PinnedMember-onlyA Pastor, a Bartender, and an Alcoholic Walk Into a Church……in the same body. Hi, my name is Serenity. Ever have that surreal, relentless sense... the low-level anxiety that won’t leave you alone... the suspicion you’re living a lie? Are these people for real? Is this actually the world right now? Am I crazy or is everyone else? The only…Faith5 min readFaith5 min read
2 days agoMember-onlyI’m a Friend of Medium! How ’Bout You?Happy Giving Tuesday, my friends! I don’t normally (okay, ever) write on Medium about writing on Medium. But have you seen the new opportunity to become a “Friend of Medium”? As soon as I saw it, BOOM — I’m in!Giving4 min readGiving4 min read
Sep 29Member-onlyOnce Again, I Will Not Get Rich From Medium This MonthBut I’m learning a few things along the way. — First of all, it takes exactly 1,260 words to make the 5-minute cut-off. Trust me, I have ADHD; I can’t let this stuff go til I know. 1,260 words is the magic 5 min read number 1,261 words will bump you to 6 min read This is the internet, friend…This Happened To Me10 min readThis Happened To Me10 min read
Sep 17Member-onlyOn Gospels and Genealogies: Finding My Hidden Story ToldWhen it’s time to tell your story, where do you start? Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. — “How It Works,” Alcoholics Anonymous p. 58 The one-year chronological New Living Translation begins the gospel accounts…Jesus7 min readJesus7 min read
Sep 16Member-onlyHoly Cranky Lady Prophets: Confessions of a Vulnerable White-Trash ADHD PastorLike it’s not already weird enough being a woman in ministry. — Dear Church, Sorry-not-sorry we’ve never really gotten off on the right foot before. I get it — I’m weird. But look, I keep asking God what the hell He had in mind when He took this unwanted white-trash kid from a background of total dysfunction and put me in charge…Faith7 min readFaith7 min read
Sep 15Member-onlyIs Vulnerability Still “In,” Or Am I Just Being “Too Much”?ADHD thoughts from the desert places with God. — Remember back when vulnerability had its day as the word of the year? Thanks, Brené. For a while there, you made it brave for us to wear our insecurities like a cape. As a late-diagnosed ADHDer, I’m not the only one who’s spent a lifetime pin-balling between contradictory extremes —…Faith5 min readFaith5 min read
Sep 14Member-onlyWell, the Truth Could Hurt, But What You Don’t Know WILL Hurt You…Culturally speaking, our ’Merican idea of confession is so closely tied to our fear of punishment, we carry some doubts about the “healing power” of coming clean. I mean, we want to be honest. We want other people to be honest with us, anyway. Or… do we? After all, the…Faith4 min readFaith4 min read
Sep 13Member-onlyLooking for Problems in Faith: The “5 Whys” Approach to Living With ConvictionAs a second-career “ADHD pastor,” it’s not unusual for me to geek out about weird stuff like Lean principles of process improvement — and end up with my church peeps staring at me like I’m an alien abductee. Remember, #adhdisfun and everything’s connected to everything. Jesus used all kinds of…Faith5 min readFaith5 min read
