Today I finished reading a book I have been meaning to read for a long time called “The Crucible of Doubt” by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens. This is a book I have heard recommended by several faithful LDS who have struggled doubts and questions. The book was written in 2014 and is out of print, so it's hard to...

You might have noticed I've been thinking a lot about music lately. Taking a break from Twitch has allowed me to sort of “musically reset” as I have tried to focus on listening to music that elevates the soul and draws me closer to God. It is reawakening a long-dormant part of myself that once loved to play musical...

I need to do better at recognizing the tremendous blessings in my life and acknowledging God's hand in all of them. A favorite hymn among Latter-day Saints is “Count Your Blessings”. It's fun to sing and has a good message. (1) When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all...

I received some good news about my job today. I'm just grateful to have a job in the first place, but it's nice to know my contributions are valued and are making a difference. It made me realize how starved for good news I've been. I've gotten used to bad news. In my extended family. In my community, state,...

Occasionally I listen to a podcast called “The God Minute”. These are daily prayer and meditation programs that last 10-15 minutes. They are a wonderful way to help me focus on God and on sacred things. And they often feature wonderfully curated, beautiful music that draws your thoughts heavenward. One of the songs...

I didn't sleep well last night. My first church meeting was at 7am this morning and it was another busy day. I also had to take allergy medicine, which always makes me feel tired. Needless to say, I'm running on fumes a couple hours before my normal bedtime. I have good moments on these busy Sundays, but I spend...

I woke up to the news that the USA and Israel launched a major military strike against Iran. It is natural to feel worry and fear over what this might mean not only for innocent people in Iran, but of the surrounding region and even the world. And then I read the Daily Readings from the United States Conference of...

I have started to watch the television series “The Chosen” again during this Lenten season. I think this will be my fourth time watching these earlier seasons. It's easily one of my favorite TV shows of all time. I do enjoy TV and movies. I subscribe to a couple video streaming services. I still collect DVDs and...

Yesterday, for Lent Day 8, I posted about an important letter. I didn't title it as the Day 8 entry in the series because I wanted it to be more of a standalone post. But today I'm continuing with Day 9, sharing some thoughts on the Holy Spirit. I've been reading from a journal I kept while serving as a full-time...

Yesterday I learned about a letter that hundreds of Christian leaders and scholars had signed which calls for resistance to a cruel and oppressive government and urges all to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. The letter is called “A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy” and I...

For Roman Catholics, Lent is a time of reconciliation in a sacramental sense. Reconciliation with God, with others, with ourselves. I'm learning more about that, but it's also been a time of reconciliation in other ways for me. I'm trying to reconcile what I have been taught by my church to be the truth over half a...

I have been spending much of my free time trying to learn more about my Latter-day Saint faith and about Catholicism – reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos, seeking to understand. It's been like drinking from a firehose and I need to pace myself. In reality, this is exactly what I had hoped would happen –...