Two Sundays ago, our pastor preached about God speaking to Job "out of a whirlwind" (Job 38:1-7). Why a whirlwind? It’s a question I’ve asked for many years as I pondered this provocative chapter in Job.

The big 4-0 is hard for a lot of people. For me, it’s because I’ve set expectations for myself that I haven’t met and that increasingly feel unachievable.

In my mid-20s, I joined an uncharitable Christian sect and became a spiritually uncharitable person.

OLYMPIA — COVID-19 vaccination rates at state agencies in Washington have climbed in recent weeks, ahead of a deadline for workers to be fully vaccinated or lose their jobs.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As I reflect on this month’s theme, I cannot help but think about my experience overcoming suicidal ideation and how those three simple but powerful words saved my life.

On a bike the demons have nowhere to hide. I have to face them, ride with them - just like I have to pedal through the burning in my legs.

A letter of thanks and recognition to the Jewish teachers and organizers trying to make the best of the High Holidays as the COVID-19 pandemic roars on. 

America’s major religions and denominations, often divided on other big issues, have united behind the effort to help receive an influx of refugees from Afghanistan following the end of the United States’ longest war and one of the largest airlifts in history.

Unlike many of my friends, I’ve never wanted kids.

An answered prayer arrives for a Washington State University student grappling with COVID-19 and her parents' divorce. 

Great stories free us. Great stories move us to imagine beyond our petty self-preoccupations, beyond our living circumstances, beyond our destructive biases.

I like conflict about as much as I like this heat wave. I’ll do anything to avoid it.

Turbulent fire seasons are the result of drought conditions. We’re warned to be careful. But those warnings don’t prevent human-made fires even this early in the fire season in our region. I believe we’re also wallowing in a cultural drought our country hasn’t seen in many decades.

Negativity seeps in and makes itself at home in my psyche. I don’t realize it’s happening until it becomes palpable, until I sense a sinking, dark feeling in my chest.

The university is buying their first Torah for the small community of Jewish students, faculty and staff members led by Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein. 

Laments are unhealthy if there is too much “woe-is-me” without a conscious hope weaving its way through the prayer. Laments can be only empty tears if the praise is not undergirded by grief honestly, deeply expressed.

"Everything happens for a reason" works as a reassurance mechanism to cope with hardships. With reference to the question, it is often considered that it has been extracted from one of the monotheistic Scriptures, but it is not.

People of faith, particularly Christians, seem to be conflicted about whether protests do any good, or even if protests are “Christian.” Aren’t we supposed to be peace-lovers, even peacemakers? Certainly. So, I ask: Can peacemaking include protests? In 2 words: OF COURSE.

When we learned about the breast cancer (I’m not naming anyone because of privacy), a few of us put our heads together. We knew our patient was sad and scared so decided to have an outdoor “Boob Voyage” party.