Remembrance is resurrection. An excerpt of my audiobook for As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve. On remembering the dead and bringing them back to life ..read more

I am very happy to share that my book As Long As You Need received a star review by Publishers Weekly. I’m told this is rare, given to about 5% of tens of thousands of books. I’m really, truly, sincerely blown away. Book releases on April 16th. ? AsLongAsYouNeedBook.com — Here is the book trailer ..read more

Book title and cover reveal: • As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve • You can now preorder AsLongAsYouNeedBook.com • My book releases on April 16th, 2024. It’s about grief. I talk about my hospital chaplain work and multiple dimensions of grief, such as loss of: / dreams / mental health / autonomy ..read more

Hello online family. I am very happy to share that I was interviewed by CNN journalist Faith M Karimi about my hospital chaplain work. Thank you Faith for interviewing me and our amazing palliative physician Dr. Tuch about our care for our patients. Very grateful for my fellow chaplains and healthcare workers. Full interview: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/18/health/hospital-chaplain-lessons-wellness-cec/index.html ..read more

It matters who tells our stories and how. The violence against marginalized communities is rooted in erasure. Every word spoken is a stitch woven into systems which weaves its way into our DNA. The words unspoken, the apathy left unchecked today, are woven into policy and pop culture tomorrow. Terms like “Chinavirus” and racist portrayals ..read more

CW/TW A year ago I began taking antidepressants. Almost twenty years ago I tried to take my life. I spent three days hospitalized after ingesting half a bottle of pills. Over ten years ago I fell into one of the worst depressions of my life. I was laughed at by the pastor of the church ..read more

I have to tell you this story about “Ray,” who thought he didn’t deserve help. I used to work at a nonprofit charity for the homeless and I met Ray when he finally got housing and landed a new job. But he needed a new tool belt. My friend heard about his situation and bought ..read more

Disclaimer: Angry and disagreeable post to follow. I’m still not over the American church of 2020 withholding comfort for pandemic anxiety, compassionate wisdom for masks and vaccines, and solidarity with POC— but instead yelling election fraud and “my freedom.” The church could’ve ended the pandemic in a summer and cut hate crimes by half. Every ..read more

Too often forgiveness is a burden on the wounded. Instead the imperative of accountability must be on the abuser. When I’m told to forgive, I think about my math tutor when I was barely twelve years old, who shouted in my face and dug his fingers in my shoulders a grown woman who beat me ..read more

I need to tell you this story. When I was a pastor over ten years ago, I preached at a tiny conference and afterwards a young woman approached me. She had tears in her eyes, said she was single and anxious all the time and nearing forty years old and had “accomplished nothing.” I hurt ..read more