Seth Haines's Blog, page 39

On Pain and Creativity (A Story Nashville Post)

This week, I’m traveling to the beautiful state of Tennessee to lead a breakout session at Story Nashville.I’ll be speaking about the intersection of pain and creativity. It was my pleasure to the below preview piece for the folks at Story.

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There are less awkward ways to introduce oneself, but for the sake of brevity, indulge me: I am a Christian drunk. Yes, there’snuance to unpack, as everyone is so prone to say these days, and yes, I’ve been sober for some time. The truth is the truth...

The Weekend Review: Midnight Jesus and Walking With Ghosts

It’s been a while since I’ve popped in with an edition of The Weekend Review, and that’s been the product of a lack of disposable time. It’s been a busy season around here, what with the move to the new place. But it’s late September now, and we’ve managed to unpack most of the boxes before the leaves started turning, which was my secret goal. (Truth be told, Amber did most of the work; I try to give credit where credit is due.)

There’s still a lot to do at this house, but time has slowed a b...

Recovery Room: Like Me, Like Me, Like Me (Confessions of a Social Media Addict)

Welcome to the Recovery Room.

On the occasional Thursday, I invite guest writers, pastors, therapists, and practitioners to step in and discuss their process of recovery–recovery from any old thing.

Today, welcome Tanya Marlow, theologian, writer, and colourful Brit (hence the across-the-pond spellings below). Tanya is the author ofComing Back to God When You Feel Empty, and writes honestly about God, suffering and the messy edges of life at Thorns and Gold. Find her on Twitter @Tanya_Marlow...

The Language of Abortion

1.

Abortion.

Let the word do it’s work. Let it take you to the edge of your emotions, whatever those emotions are. Consider it. Contemplate it. Do you have any connection with it? Have you terminated a pregnancy? Has your sister? Your mother? Sit with your emotions and connections for thirty seconds.

Now, let’s begin.

2.

Abortion has found it’s way into the news cycle again, as abortion always seems to do. This time, it’s the #ShoutYourAbortion social media campaign that’s causing all the sti...

A Free eBook: Coming Clean |Austin Outtakes

On the weekend of my coming clean—the weekend I was blinded by the epiphany that, yes, I had a drinking problem—I traveled to Austin. A lawyer by trade, I was presenting at a humanitarian conference known as the Idea Camp. My topic du jour related to international orphan care, and how worldview, international legal frameworks, and Gospel dignity should shape our view of it. Riveting stuff, eh?

Don’t answer that question.

A group of friends converged from across the country for the conference,...

A Free eBook: Coming Clean|Austin Outtakes

On the weekend of my coming clean—the weekend I was blinded by the epiphany that, yes, I had a drinking problem—I traveled to Austin. A lawyer by trade, I was presenting at a humanitarian conference known as the Idea Camp. My topic du jour related to international orphan care, and how worldview, international legal frameworks, and Gospel dignity should shape our view of it. Riveting stuff, eh?

Don’t answer that question.

A group of friends converged from across the country for the conference,...

What is Inner Sobriety?

It’s been nearly two years since I drank my last drink—September 21 to be exact—and this could be cause for celebration. If there’s one thing sobriety has taught me, though, it’s that pre-mature celebrations are precarious things.

At this time last year, I was breaking my arm to pat myself on the back when the old dog of desire came nipping at my heels. I crossed the threshold of my one year anniversary, and on September 22, my thirst for a stiff drink sent me to shivering. I was with a good...

How to Write Unafraid

I’ve been in a bit of a back and forth with a couple of friends, and we’re asking, “what would you write if you wrote unafraid?” Perhaps a more universal way of stating the proposition (so it applies not only to writers) is this: what would you say if you could cut the crap? It’s crass; I know. But it’s the sort of question that begs honesty–maybe too much honesty.

I’ve been considering the question, really pondering it. I’ve been asking whether I hold back too much, or whether I write what I...

Recovery Room: Breaking the Chaos Addiction

Welcome to the Recovery Room.

On the occasional Thursday, I invite guest writers, pastors, therapists, and practitioners to step in and discuss their process of recovery–recovery from any old thing.

Today, welcome Aaron Smith of Cultural Savage. Aaron is a husband, father, nerd (self-proclaimed), and coffee chugger. He’s a great writer to boot! You can find him at Cultural Savage, Bedlam Magazine, and a smattering of other places. Follow him on Twitter; you’ll thank me.

And now, without furth...

Redefining Recovery

It’s National Recovery Month, so I’m spinning a few pieces on the subject and reimagining the language. What is recovery? How do we find it?

Consider the word–recovery. We use it as a badge of honor, sometimes a scarlet letter of shame. “I’ve been in recovery for almost twelve years without a drop,” or “did you hear how Mary had to check herself into a long term recovery program?” It’s a shorthand of sorts, a way of classifying the more broken folks from the less broken folks.

What is recover...