Rachel Marie Stone's Blog, page 2

Tis the season for really sad songs in church

It is really no wonder that Western European Christians began celebrating Advent in the days and weeks leading up to the winter solstice, the time when the light starts creeping in, ever so slowly. But what’s weirdly incongruous is how American culture — and many churches right along with it — “celebrates Christmas”  beginning sometime [Read More...]

Five minutes that’ll make your day — and your life — better.

“Being more mindful” “Being more present” “Meditating more” “Spending more time in prayer” “Nurturing the spirit more” Please tell me that I am not the only one who feels guilty at the mention of “yoga,” “meditation,” “mindfulness” and “prayer,” with my first thoughts being something along the lines of I should do that MORE. And please [Read More...]

Don’t bother me, kids: I’m having my disquiet time

I was nurtured in a Christian tradition that encouraged the daily practice of what was called a “quiet time.” This involved sitting down — preferably early in the morning — reading some of the Bible, reflecting on it, and praying. All good things, all good things. For me, the experience of “the quiet time” was [Read More...]

Craving an adrenaline rush? Do something selfless.

Hate me if you must, but I am not a fan of Cheryl Strayed’s book Wild, and I don’t ever plan to see the movie. Why? Because Strayed’s choices were foolish, and could have ended very, very badly for her. I know that she acknowledges this. Still, she frames the story as a story of redemption, without [Read More...]

Eating disorders, diets, delicious food and a beautiful God

Once upon a time, I was convinced that as soon as I truly loved God as I ought to, food would cease to be important. And that, I thought, was how He wanted it to be. I would finally understand the sublime sufficiency, goodness, and beauty of God. I would eat only enough to survive [Read More...]

Marilynne Robinson on politics: “the cheapest intellectual environment that you can enter into.”

People of every faith and no faith at all respect Marilynne Robinson’s formidable intellect, creative brilliance, and, I daresay, the sheer beauty of her vision. Those who have delved into her nonfiction know that she is an astute reader of primary sources and highly skilled at separating the accumulated reputations of, say, the Puritans, from [Read More...]

Marilynne Robinson on faith and fear (& how we can be free not to worry)

It’ll sound like I am joking but I’m not: I was worried about reading this book about worry. Maybe it was the subtitle that had me most worried, partly because it touches a nerve — I know that it is possible to “choose faith in a world full of worry” but it’s a lot easier [Read More...]

Why a former exotic dancer says its not up to Christians to say “go and sin no more.”

Anny Donewald lived her young life in the spotlight. Her dad was a well-known college NCAA basketball coach. When one of the players began sexually abusing Anny at the age of 13, part of her soul withered. She had been confident, athletic, and musical. By age 19, she was working as an exotic dancer and [Read More...]

Why a former sex worker says its not up to Christians to say “go and sin no more.”

Anny Donewald lived her young life in the spotlight. Her dad was a well-known college NCAA basketball coach. When one of the players began sexually abusing Anny at the age of 13, part of her soul withered. She had been confident, athletic, and musical. By age 19, she was working as an exotic dancer and [Read More...]

The ordinary suffering of animals and the (extra-)ordinary radicals who do something about it.

Anyone who has spent more than just a little time in a very poor country has seen the sad sight of starving domestic animals. Mother cats with kittens, nearly grown but still yearning to suck, rangy and hungry and not too wild to beg from human passersby. I wept for the dogs I saw in [Read More...]