One Thousand Words - Stories On The Way

This week, my phone randomly started playing a section of Boethius’ “The Consolation of Philosophy” (I have a very philosophical phone), and I ran across a little line about the richness of music that sent me down rabbit hole about patterns of reality and what makes for a truly rich life. Also, some fun etymology about patterns, patrons, and pater (father) showed up along the way. The post S6:E11...

This week, I’m looking at the idea that, to some degree, we all have to deal with a little storyteller that lives in our head–a storyteller who doesn’t always read the situation accurately for one reason or another. And I’m looking at a great little book about unreliable narrators: Katherine Paterson’s “Jacob have I loved.” The post S6:E10 – Unreliable Narrators appeared first on Matthew Clark .

This week, I’m sharing some thoughts that emerged from a conversation I had on a walk with an old friend last week about a phrase from C.S. Lewis’ sci-fi book Perelandra, and how we’re called to pull back the veil on things that claim to give life but are really offering us the “sweet poison of a false infinite.” The post S6:E9 – The sweet poison of a false infinite appeared first on Matthew Clark...

This week, I’ve been looking at the big ways our lives are affected by small choices. There’s a whole field of research in Network Dynamics, in fact, that shows how deeply interconnected humans are, and how our choices—kind or cruel—make more of an impact on others than we could ever imagine. The post S6:E8 – Please, don’t mind your own business appeared first on Matthew Clark .

This week, a few conversations reminded me of a family story that my Grandmother used to tell about my sister talking to God when she was a little girl. That made me think of some Chestertonian ideas about childhood and what real maturity might look like, if good childlikeness were treasured as Jesus seems to have treasured it. The post S6:E7 – Growing up wise and innocent appeared first on Matthe...

This morning my friend, his son, and I got up before dawn to go help do a little work with some other guys at the church. Just before I left, I was looking at chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, where Paul assures us that our labor is not in vain, precisely because a literal return to physical life after death, a la Christ’s resurrection, is very much a real thing. I needed that little boost to remind me...

I’ve always had a bit of a wanderlust, and that, alongside a variety of maybe weird life circumstances, has meant that God has given me the great gift of friendships all over the country. So, today I’m thinking about how much we need good friends, how we can be creative with our lives and connections, and how it’s never too late to start a new tradition. The post S6:E5 – Come live in my driveway!...

Jesus was realistic about the fact that this world will break us. We’ll be tempted to capitulate to the cold-hearted tunelessness of evil. Jesus prepared us for inevitable suffering and discouragement, and he promised to keep a hold on us to the end, singing a song over us that radiates from the warmth of his unquenchable heart. The post S6:E4 – We’re going to need a new song, Moses appeared first...

This week, I’m looking at this idea that “the medium is the message.” For instance, if I want to communicate how delicious chicken curry is, that message will best be made available by actually making you a delicious chicken curry. How might that relate to God’s desire to make himself available to us? The post S6:E3 – Horse-sense and the Meaning of the World appeared first on Matthew Clark .

This week, I’m sharing some thoughts I’ve been having while spending a lot of time lately out at my family’s farm. Specifically, I’ve been deer hunting, which, if you’ve ever been, leaves you lots of time to sit quietly in beautiful places and think. The post S6:E2 – Sitting very still, very cold, for a very long time appeared first on Matthew Clark .

To kick off season six, I’d like to share some thoughts I’ve been thinking while working to fix up an old four wheeler out at our family’s farm in rural Mississippi. What started out as a more practical project, wound up surprising me, as, on a deeper heart-level, I felt unexpected joy and excitement about reclaiming an old, worn out machine. The post S6:E1 – Reclamation: Fixing up a Four-Wheeler...

Meet professor, scholar, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Jonathan Koefoed. Jonathan chose the last song on the album, "By the Rivers of Babylon," and wrote a rich personal essay exploring, in the midst of a broken world, Christ's command to practice a peculiar hope. The post S5:E17 – A Tale of Two Trees: Jonathan Koefoed, “Moonlight in the Desert: Singing the Sojourner’s Song” appeared fir...

Meet Poet, Artist, and Essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Susan Cowger. Susan chose the song "In the Waters" from the new album "A Tale of Two Trees" and wrote a stunning chapter combining personal narrative and original poetry called "Time Between the Times." The post S5:E16 – A Tale of Two Trees: Susan Cowger, “Time Between the Times” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet editor, encourager, book coach, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Anita K. Palmer. Anita chose the song "Take to the Fields" from the new album, and she gives us the great gift of her honesty and vulnerability in an essay entitled, "Mercy in the Wind." The post S5:E15 – A Tale of Two Trees: Anita K. Palmer, “Mercy in the Wind” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet singer, conductor, pianist, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Amber Salladin. Amber chose the song "The Word became Flesh," and wrote a stunning essay on how singing together, whether lament or praise, shapes us both body and soul into the likeness of Christ. The post S5:E14 – A Tale of Two Trees: Amber Salladin, “Singing the Feast of the New Creation” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet Founder and Executive director of Cultivating Magazine (& The Cultivating Project), and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Lancia Smith. Lancia chose the song "Let Your Roots Go Deep," and wrote an essay about longing and holding on in places of "mending and rooting." The post S5:E13 – A Tale of Two Trees: Lancia E. Smith, “Reaching for the Unseen” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet John Barnts, YouTuber, Bible translator, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees." John chose the song "Follow You Down" from the album, and wrote an essay tracing his personal journey of understanding suffering, not as something God does to us, but something we do with our wounded God. The post S5:E12 – A Tale of Two Trees: John Barnts, “Downside Up” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet Jason Smith, story-gatherer, YA novel author (Fayborn Trilogy), and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees." Jason chose the song "When I Cried Out" from the album, and wrote a wonderful essay about a God who hears us, meets us, and works with us through every hard place. The post S5:E11 – A Tale of Two Trees: Jason Smith, “The Power and the Pit” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet Steven Elmore, President of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, teacher, and essayist number four for "A Tale of Two Trees". Steven chose the song "Like a Lamb" from the album, and wrote an essay exploring the joyfully surprising love revealed by our crucified Lord Jesus. The post S5:E10 – A Tale of Two Trees: Steven Elmore, “Sustained by Joy” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet Benjamin Holsteen, songwriter, PhD Candidate at St. Andrew's University, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees". Ben chose the song "How can we sing?" based on Psalm 137, and wrote an essay (that just made me cry) about the longing for home and trusting Jesus to get us there. The post S5:E9 – A Tale of Two Trees – Benjamin Holsteen, “Sing an Exile’s Love Song” appeared first on Matthew Clark...

Meet classical educator, author, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees", Heidi White. Heidi chose the album's title track and write a myth-intoned essay exploring the storied history of cross of Christ, and how only the crucified Lord can transform us and the world. The post S5:E8 – A Tale of Two Trees: Heidi White, “Two Trees, One Cross” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

Meet visual artist, world traveler, and essayist number one for "A Tale of Two Trees", Emily Verdoorn. Emily chose the song "You Belong" from the album, and wrote an essay called "Rain" exploring a new kind of thirsty longing that often follows having tasted Living Water. The post S5:E7 – A Tale of Two Trees: Emily Verdoorn, “Rain” appeared first on Matthew Clark .

I had a conversation this week about the need for encouragement, and how we often keep the good things we could say to each other to ourselves for a variety of reasons. They go unsaid. But no one can fill their own cup; we need to say the good things out loud to one another. The post S5:E6 – Encouragement: Saying the Good Things appeared first on Matthew Clark .

A friend asked about how to deal with cynicism, and it's been on my mind since. What an important question. This week, I'm sharing some thoughts on that, and I'll close with a prayer. The post S5:E5 – The (understandable) lie of cynicism, and the reality of hope appeared first on Matthew Clark .

So often, good things are made to feel bad. But the Lord is always redeeming words and ideas that have gotten muddied by bad experiences or deceit. This week, I'll share a recent occasion of that for me, and my friend Amy Malskeit will close us with a "Prayer for God's Nearness." The post S5:E4 – I have a confession to make appeared first on Matthew Clark .