One Thousand Words - Stories On The Way

I make terrible art all the time. I think what keeps us from making stuff, is feeling like we ought to be good at it first. But that’s impossible. So, this week, I’m thinking about the invitation to art-making as a way God extends grace to us, which frees us to just start enjoying it. The post S5:E3 – The Joyous Grace of Creative Incompetence appeared first on Matthew Clark .

On a walk this week, I felt a reluctance to acknowledge the goodness of the emerging springtime beauty, and I wondered why gratitude felt a little dangerous to me. This week, I'll be exploring how gratitude is connected to hope, and how hurt can make hope scary. I'll close with a prayer for God's healing kindness. The post S5:E2 – The threat of gratitude? appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Welcome to Season 5 of "One Thousand Words - Stories on the Way!" This week, I felt like I didn't want to add to the noise, but instead to point to words and sounds that "make quiet." The post S5:E1 – Words the Make Quiet appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet teacher, poet, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings", Rex Bradshaw. Rex chose the song "Meet me at the Well" from the album and wrote a wonderful essay called "The Digger's Tale". In it, Rex explores the wells we all dig on our own that run dry, and a meeting with One who is himself the wellspring of Living Water. The post S4:E19 – Only the Lover Sings: Rex Bradshaw, “The Digger’s Tale” app...

Meet educator, author, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings", Junius Johnson. Junius chose the song "That won't stop Him" from the album and wrote a gut-wrenching essay of the best kind called "All you have to do is die: the power of abiding in death". In it, Junius walks with us to the shadowed valleys of our hearts, where we discover Jesus is more than willing to meet us with his redeeming car...

Meet writer, gardener, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings", Amy Baik Lee :) Amy chose the song "I See a Light" from the album and wrote a rich essay called "The Sound of Eucatastrophe". In it, Amy leads us in story as she goes looking for the ways Jesus, in the midst of our darkness, meets us with a sudden, unexpected turn towards joy from "beyond the walls of the world." The post S4:E17 – Onl...

Meet artist, writer, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings", Adam R. Nettesheim. Adam chose the song "The Return of the Prodigal Son" from the album and wrote a hope-filled essay called "Learning to Walk Again". In it, Adam, a father himself, reminds us that Jesus has shown us the true heart of our Heavenly Father who takes joy in even our wobbly-est steps towards him. The post S4:E16 – Only the...

Meet delivery nurse, writer, and essayist for “Only the Lover Sings” Jessie Todd. Jessie chose the title track of this project “Only the Lover Sings” and wrote a great essay called "Excavation”. In it, Jessie tells the story of her Scottish miner ancestors to offer us a picture of Jesus as one who goes digging for buried treasure: you and me. The post S4:E15 – Only the Lover Sings: Jessie Todd, “E...

Meet... um... me! :) Surprise, I wrote an essay for my own book! I chose the song "The Heart of Our God" from the album and wrote an essay called "The Way Home". In it, I'm looking at the death of Jesus - asking not necessarily *how* it does what it does... but *what* does it do? Was it necessary or just a loving gesture? Does the cross really have anything to do with my actual life? The post S4:E...

Meet teacher, editor, podcaster, author, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings" Heidi White. Heidi chose the song "Trying to get my heart back" from the album and wrote a fantastic essay called "Embracing a New Name: St. Photini". In it, Heidi fills us in on the Samaritan woman's story after meeting Jesus, and shares how his face gently coaxes our hearts out of bondage to fear, giving us a bright...

Meet singer/songwriter, poet, author, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings" Adam Whipple. Adam chose the song "Everything But You" from the album and wrote a great essay called "In the Darkness of Noontide". In it, Adam sits with us beside Jacob's well as we reach the end of ourselves and assures us there is another source of life beyond self-esteem, beyond ourselves in Christ's love. The post S...

Meet writer, editor, children's book reviewer, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings" Théa Rosenberg. Théa chose the song "The Well" from the album and wrote a wonderful essay called "Below the Tideline". In it, she tells the story of a walk with her daughter beside the vast ocean, reflecting that Jesus brings us those unknowable waters in a way we can know: as a Well. The post S4:E11 – Only the...

Meet author, lecturer, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings" Lanier Ivester. Lanier chose the song "Every Beauty" from the album and wrote a responsive personal essay called "Eggardon Hill". In it, she invites us to join her and her husband Philip as they make a trip through the English countryside looking for confirmation of God's goodness and love in the beauties they encounter. The post S4:E1...

Meet poet, pastor, and essayist for "Only the Lover Sings" Andrew Roycroft. Andrew chose the song "Looking for you" from the album and wrote a responsive narrative essay called "A Stranger on the Road". In it, he imagines what it's like to be led down the paths of despair shackled to the legion voices of shame and accusation. How could that story end well? It can't unless a "Stranger" comes seekin...

This week on the podcast, I'll share an excerpt from the introductory essay to the new book, tell you more about the project, and read a favorite related psalm to close. Over the next weeks, the amazing essayists who wrote for the book will share excerpts from their essays written in response to the songs and the woman at the well. The post S4:E8 – Only the Lover Sings: Matthew Clark – I want to s...

I just released my own book and album "Only the Lover Sings" last Friday, but this week I want to tell you about another book: "Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children" by Square Halo Press. I'll share the essay I wrote for the book about George MacDonald's "Sir Gibbie". The post S4:E7 – The Fragrance of the Blessed Realm appeared first on Matthew Clark...

This week, writer, poet, photographer, and editor Amelia Friedline asks, "Are quiet little thumbnail sketches of my particular corner of the universe worth anything when the world is rent by war, injustice, and all other kinds of evil?" Find Amelia at www.innocenceabroad.com The post S4:E6 – Amelia Freidline, What is Poetry for? appeared first on Matthew Clark .

It is costly to love, isn't it? But, because of what Christ has revealed about reality, we can afford it. This is what I'm looking at this week on the podcast. Also: I've got a new single releasing this Friday, March 25th! Visit matthewclark.net and click the pre-save on Spotify button! The post S4:E5 – What superabundance affords us appeared first on Matthew Clark .

It's no small thing to keep doing the small things. Last night, our small group started reading Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" and I was reminded that willpower will disappoint us, but keeping at the little practices that keep us close and open to the Lord, cultivates healing by keeping us in contact with the Life of our life. The post S4:E4 – Like a tree planted by the streams appea...

Recently, a friend on facebook asked "why is it so hard to apologize?" Well, that got me thinking, "Yeah! Why does it feel so scary to admit we're wrong and as for forgiveness?" I know that feeling, and this week I'll share some thoughts on and close with an original song off my "Beautiful Secret Life" album. The post S4:E3 – Why is it so hard to apologize? appeared first on Matthew Clark .

This week, I'm sharing a concept I learned in counseling that has stuck with me, and some reflection on what makes change and healing possible. How do we grow? I'll end with a favorite G.M. Hopkins poem. In other news: the first single from my new album releases March 4th! Stay tuned! The post S4:E2 – Open System/Closed System: Welcoming New Hope appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Welcome to Season 4 of One Thousand Words! This week, I'll be sharing about one of the surprising last things Moses did before he died and the rabbit trail it led me down, and I'll read a few lyrics from one of my favorite old Rich Mullins' songs. Subscribe and share, if you enjoy this episode, and sign up for my newsletter over at matthewclark.net. The post S4:E1 – The Furious Love Song of a Dyin...

What is a face? What does it mean for someone to face us, for us to have to face ourselves, and how does facing and being faced by Jesus change us? It is scary to turn and face Jesus, because we’re afraid God doesn’t really love us. But the one who dares to look finds out the shocking good news and comes away singing, “God has made his face to shine upon us!” Seeing Jesus see us as his beloved, ch...

This week, guest essayist Maribeth Barber will explore what Wendell Berry means when he implores us to “do something that won’t compute”— arguing that it’s less about rebelling against the culture for rebellion’s sake, and more about living and loving well. Maribeth's debut novel "Operation Lionhearted" releases 10/13/21, find out more: maribethbarber.com The post S3:E29 – Maribeth Barber, The Def...

This week we'll welcome a guest essayist from Norway, Erling Rantrud. A trained gardener, husband, father, and pastor in Sandefjord, Norway, Erling will share about God's life-giving invitation to both His work and His rest in a place where heaven and earth meet. And he'll sing a benediction for us in his native tongue! The post S3:E28 – Erling Rantrud, There Was a Garden appeared first on Matthew...