Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 4

Deconstruction: a topic that’s too big for words

“I’m not walking away from Jesus, but I’m done with the church.” Perhaps you’ve heard this statement, or made it yourself. I sure have. Fed up with what seemed to be a culture of hypocrisy, I concluded that the Holy Spirit must not be real if so many Christians who claimed to know Christ were… Continue reading Deconstruction: a topic that’s too big for words

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Grieving antisemitism as a Jewish-born Christian

There’s a strange irony in being a Jewish convert to Christianity. The former community no longer considers me a member, yet the Nazis would. And now, more recently, so would the terrorist group Hamas.  I struggled for years with needing external validation for who I am and where I belong. Though accepting it from hate… Continue reading Grieving antisemitism as a Jewish-born Christian

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The annoyingly non-linear process of grief

“It won’t always be like this.” I’ve said that to myself, and heard it said to me many times before. But sometimes the recovery feels worse than the impact. It’s something I’ve found to be true in figure skating when learning a new trick that lands me square on my butt, and in life when… Continue reading The annoyingly non-linear process of grief

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The Church needs the questions that progressives are asking

Books introduced me to Christ, and it was books that led me back to him after deconstruction. But it wasn’t the writings of C.S. Lewis or Charles Spurgeon or any of those “spiritual giants.” I was re-introduced to Christ through Rachel Held Evans and Peter Enns and Sarah Bessey, leaders of progressive Christian thought whose… Continue reading The Church needs the questions that progressives are asking

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Thank God I’ve changed

There have been two major shifts in my faith so far. The first, and most obvious, is the shift from Jewish to Christian. The second is more recent. Around the time I dropped out of seminary in 2013, my faith started falling apart. I had been a believer for about five years at that point,… Continue reading Thank God I’ve changed

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The condensed “confessions”

I recently found a Word doc called “Testimony” that I had written to share with my church small group a few years ago. Consider it a condensed version of Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter…even at 2000 words! *** For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with reading about sainthood: especially the saints… Continue reading The condensed “confessions”

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On waiting well

I’ve been married nearly a decade, but still vividly remember being single all through college. I remember having one friend after another pair off, wondering when it would be my turn. I heaped so much shame on myself for not being able to find satisfaction in God alone. Everyone at Bible Study told me that’s… Continue reading On waiting well

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A Jew-“ish” Christian goes to Poland

Last month my family went on a trip to Poland to celebrate my mom’s birthday. Why Poland, you ask? My mother’s side of the family is from there. This trip was a deep dive into our Jewish ancestry, as well as a quest to find the best pierogies in every city we stayed in.  It’s… Continue reading A Jew-“ish” Christian goes to Poland

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What is our highest calling?

I had an epiphany around 4am this morning. Having returned the day before from a two-week trip around Europe, my internal clock is still disrupted and I wasn’t tired at all. I lay awake, tossing and turning, gripped with fear that I might never get pregnant again. Or may never be able to carry a… Continue reading What is our highest calling?

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Validating early motherhood

Josh and I were divided about when to tell our friends and family about the baby. He wanted to wait until the socially accepted 12-week mark, when the likelihood of miscarriage is reduced. I struggle with anxiety, so I more than understood that precaution. When to tell is a personal decision each family must decide… Continue reading Validating early motherhood

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