No Religion On the Trail… Thank God
The Camino is out there. Still existing. On the other side of the world. I wake up each morning, stumble into my kitchen to make coffee, and I think about how right now, it’s still there.
Inspiration
Stop Trying to Be Enough; You Already Are
What if I told you that you are enough? Moreover, what if you woke up this morning and, for the first time ever, you actually felt like enough. What if you loved yourself? And I mean really loved yourself. Do you love yourself? Let’s find out.
The Birds of the Air
Dear Tara, I heard that your cancer has spread. They tell me you’ll need to undergo some invasive surgeries, not least of which is a mastectomy. They tell me you’re frightened.
The Princess and the Dollar General
Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a great big old castle. She was very beautiful, with long, flowy hair, and her teeth were really nice, too. Nice and straight.
Last Night at the Ryman Auditorium
It is the Gatlin Brothers 70th anniversary concert, and every Nashville A-list celebrity you can think of is here. I am supposed to do a song with everyone at the end. Larry Gatlin told me to bring my banjo. But I’m experiencing a bad case of “tiny banjo syndrome” right now. I don’t belong here. I don’t know how to act around famous people.
Mother Mary and the Jaybird
Years ago, I was sitting with my Methodist mother-in-law in the living room. We were replaying old memories like worn out records only weeks before she would pass. Hospice was already in the house.
Be Still and Know That I Am God
How do we navigate in such a complicated, corrupt world? The answer is in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Sean Dietrich: How to Save This Country
The way to save this country is to eat together. We don’t eat together anymore. We don’t eat supper at the same table. When did that stop?
Acorns, Aggression, and Melanin: Why the Black Squirrels Run Northern Michigan
If NATO ever needs a real-world case study in territorial conflict, dominance hierarchies, and cold-weather logistics, they can skip the war colleges and simply hang a bird feeder in northeastern Michigan. Within hours, it becomes a contested supply hub. Within days, a full-blown squirrel conflict emerges—predictable, ruthless, and strangely educational.
The Good News They Don’t Tell You About
Currently, polar bears are fatter than they have been in the last 30 years. In a recent study, 770 polar bears were in better condition and had higher fat reserves than in the 1990s. In other good news, I also have higher fat reserves than I did in the ‘90s.
In Their Own Words
JOHN—My angel story takes place when my wife was dying, and I watched everything go downhill in a matter of months. And every night, I would hear a voice tell me “You can get through this, John.”
Among Us
Yeah, I believe in angels. I haven’t always. And sometimes I wish I didn’t believe. It would be easier not to.
The Dancers
The old man showed up to visit his granddaughter in the pediatric oncology wing of the hospital. He walked into his granddaughter’s hospital room. The little girl’s face turned 101 shades of thrilled.
The Last Walk to Jerusalem
Did Jesus know where His journey to Jerusalem would lead? Yes! And He did it for you and me and for our “everlasting life!”
The Big Day
I’ll call her Julie. Julie parked the car in the prison-visitor parking lot. Her hands were shaking, but not from nerves. More from excitement.
The Dogs Who Own Us
I used to volunteer at an animal shelter. I loved it. My favorite place in the shelter was called the “Introduction Room.” This was the room where people went to meet the dogs that were up for adoption.
We Must be the Masters of our Fate in America
Invictus” is a short poem first published in 1888 that expresses the speaker’s resolution to remain in control of his fate.
The Great Festival of People
Sometimes you meet people. People you feel like you’ve met before. Strangers whom you’ve mysteriously known all your life.
Somehow
Go Down, Moses
She was walking her hound. It was a young beagle. Loose skin. Smooshy face. Uncoordinated feet the size of Lodge skillets. I was in Forsyth Park, in the heart of Savannah. It was overcast and gray. There were various soccer teams on the field, doing drills. And I was mesmerized by the animal.
The Best Valentine
Do you look forward to Valentine’s Day, or do you try to ignore that it exists? There’s plenty of love out there for everybody.