Faith

Jen and Patrick are joined by James Patton to explore the multidimensional nature of peace, emphasizing its relational and movement-driven aspects. Drawing from his rich spiritual journey and extensive experience in peacebuilding across cultures and faiths, James offers nuanced perspectives on community, faith, truth, and conflict. They discuss the Old Testament idea of a chosen people, how that relates to diverse faith groups today, and how to avoid conflict when believing i

Scripture is inexhaustibly full of possibility. It's less like a cryptic code to be cracked and more like a story. And the best stories stay with us precisely because they resist single interpretations. So, I want to be very clear that I do not mean to suggest that what I offer below is a Correct or Definitive or Perfected reading of Revelations. What I do mean to suggest is a possibility. And the possibility is this: I think there's a way to read the book that isn't a story

The story of Ruth and Naomi is especially moving to me. After Naomi’s husband and two sons had died, she pleaded with her Moabite daughters-in-law to return to their own nation and families of origin to be taken care of. Orpah left, but Ruth, determined to remain by Naomi’s side, lovingly replied, “Whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). They left Moab and returned to Bethlehem where,

Jen and Patrick are joined by Sarah Perkins to explore the profound ways stories shape our understanding of peace, justice, and reconciliation. They focus on the contrasting peacemaking styles of Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha. Sarah shares her journey as a writer, filmmaker, and peacemaker, emphasizing the power of faith, imagination, and human connection in transforming conflicts into moments of compassion.

Moroni teaches that “charity is the pure love of Christ” and invites us to “pray with all the energy of heart” that we might be filled with it. He then offers a remarkable promise: that when Christ appears, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (Moroni 7:47-48) Paul makes a similar claim. We may possess knowledge, wisdom, faith, power, and good works, but “if [we] have not charity, [we are] nothing.” He concludes his writings on charity with these words: “For

Marianne Viray joins Jen and Patrick to delve into the dynamics of conflict and peacemaking within leadership and society, drawing lessons from the biblical story of Jonathan, David, and Saul. They explore how leadership decisions can influence societal polarization and offer practical tools for engaging with leaders respectfully. The discussion emphasizes the importance of modeling civility and virtue in public discourse and provides strategies for individuals to break cycle

This is going to be an unusual devotional, but bear with me. Back in January, facing what I already knew was going to be a climb of a year, I decided that I was not going to burden myself further by attempting to make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I determined that the best thing I could do over the course of the next 365 days would be to purposefully try to insert some joy into my life. So, on the afternoon of January 1st, I sat down and did two things. First, I wrote dow

For several years, I co-ran a nature education outdoor school for kids and teens. Our school year program culminated in a week-long campout in the mountains with all kinds of challenges, nature crafts and campfire programs. One week-long craft campers of all knife-certified ages did was carve a spoon from a block of wood. Carving something very cylindrical, narrow and delicate from a chunky block of wood is not totally intuitive. I’ll explain it just as I taught it. First, dr

Jen and Patrick are joined for a profound conversation with conflict transformation pioneer John Paul Lederach, who shares deep insights on peace, reconciliation, and the power of moral imagination rooted in faith and human connection. They explore the story of Jacob and Esau, why reconciliation is a horizon more than an event, and the four ways to use moral imagination to achieve reconciliation.