Beneath the intensity of the fluorescent lights, the pediatric intensive care unit felt even more garish at 3 a.m. as I stood in the hallway with a patient’s dad who was tearful and afraid. His daughter’s nurse had called me…
A pastoral letter to transgender children
Dearest trans child of God, You are loved through and through. You are loved just as you are in this moment, and in every step of your becoming. I will always believe you when you tell me who you are….
American kids’ mental health is in crisis; the solution isn’t just therapy, it’s revolution
In early December, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a nationwide Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health in light of what he termed “the pandemic’s unprecedented impacts on the mental health of America’s youth and families, as well as the mental…
Sacramental pizza
For my first venture out of the house after surgery, Janice decided that, despite my mobility restrictions, we should go to Costco. So, she shopped while I stood in line, ordering lunch — Costco’s famous cheap hot dogs. By the…
Survey asks how Americans prioritize marriage and childbearing
Among all Americans, white evangelicals are most likely to say that prioritizing marriage and having children is better for society, but in real life they are not more likely to be married than other Christians — and previous studies have…
The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever
Christmas season means a lot of things — family, presents, carols, Hallmark movies, the Grinch, lights, Santa, Nativity scenes, stockings hung by the chimney with care, and the dreaded Christmas pageant. Why, oh why, did the church decide turning over…
Homeland Security asks for ideas on how to prevent future family separations at border
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking Americans for ideas on how to prevent the future separation of migrant families at the southern border. This controversial practice of the Trump administration ripped thousands of immigrant children from their parents…
Advice for parents wondering about COVID-19 and child vaccinations
The following Q-and-A with three health care professionals who have experience with pediatrics and parenting was created by Heather Mustain, associate pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Heather is the parent of two young children, and her husband, Chad,…
Decent men of faith and sexual abuse
Before I get into this piece any further, let me admit that decency is a pretty low bar for people of faith. I find that in most churches (I cannot speak for synagogues or temples or mosques), the bar is generally set…