Consumer culture regularly tells us lies about who we are. You are not: Your workplace. Your car. Your paycheck. Your job title. Your house. Your leadership role in church/an organization. Your success. Your failure. Your family members’ success. Your family members’ failure. Your clothes. Your material possessions. Your social media
Last month I participated in a silent retreat at Holy Cross Monastery. Yes, you read that correctly. I voluntarily signed up and went on a retreat at which no one talked for days on end. And yes, there were other people at this retreat. Twenty-five of us or so went
My husband Will and I recently went to see the musical Hadestown, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus, a talented musician, and Eurydice fall in love, but Eurydice soon dies from a snakebite. Orpheus travels to the Underworld and convinces Hades, the ruler of the Underworld,
Ignatius of Loyola (eventual founder of the Jesuits), while serving in the military, was hit by a cannonball and severely injured. During his time recovering (and enduring multiple, very dangerous surgeries), he had a spiritual awakening and turned toward God. This event and long recovery was a turning point for
A few years ago, former Manhattanite and 30-something journalist Noelle Hancock wrote an article that ended up going viral: “Why I Gave Up a $95,000 Job to Move to an Island and Scoop Ice Cream.” The article caused such a pop culture and social media frenzy that she was interviewed
On Wednesday April 8th, my Father-in-Law Norman Platnick died. He had been in the hospital for 1.5 weeks following a nasty fall down the stairs and severe head trauma and stroke. My husband Will and I were not allowed to visit him in the hospital here in Philadelphia due to
Lately, I’ve been reading through Psalms and Proverbs for my regular Bible devotions. And I came across this Bible verse: Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. Proverbs 1:19 (New Living Translation) I was immediately struck by this verse, since as
Over the last few blog posts, we have discussed how living as a Christian minimalist is counter-cultural. Our theme verse has been: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is