I am a Type A/Creative, recovering evangelical Christian, a poet, writer, self-sabotaging contemplative and community advocate living in the heart of the rural prairies, the buckle in the Bible belt of Canada, near Landmark, Manitoba.
Most Christians don’t believe in a seven day literal creation story, but some do. What is the danger in believing the creation story as allegory? Does it in some way remove God’s power? What is the difference between an intelligent designer that creates using atoms and molecules that fuse together out of energy and evolve … More Great Big Magical God
Previously, we attempted to define deconstruction for anyone on a faith journey. Deconstruction isn’t for everyone. It can be disorienting, disheartening, distressful. I also want to say that deconstruction should be and may actually happen to everyone. It is a natural part of human developmental psychology and developing personal identity and resilience. Pretending it doesn’t … More The Names They Called Me
A little light Sunday evening musing for you. Overall, I’m writing today because I’m wondering if there is any church community locally anyone would recommend where I might fit. Friends and mentors have suggested I might seek a United or Lutheran church, or even Catholic. I’m Mennonite by culture and history, and evangelical by my life’s … More Deconstruction
Gardening Know How calls the bull thistle “…a free-seeding weed with a prickly demeanour and rapid spread”. I think they are beautiful. I can’t escape the metaphor dancing around in my thoughts about thistles, how I see myself and how I desire some of my thoughts on life to affect others. Here’s a poem I … More The Prairie Thistle
Back in November 2020 as COVID-19 cases soared in Manitoba, I shared about churches flouting pandemic restrictions. I aired some of my own experience of navigating theological and philosophical differences with my own local churches during the first six to eight months of the pandemic, using it and other sources to encourage critical thinking and … More #notallchurches
This past month, we have arrived at a certain milestone as we mark – certainly notcelebrate – the anniversary of the arrival of COVID-19 in North America. Post-COVIDlife has changed our daily routines in many ways, or at very least has impacted the waywe see the world we live in and how we operate in … More The Anniversary Post
Been thinking that I’d like to write a reflection on where I’m at with God lately. It’s been a journey of nearly 2 years since I realized I was wrestling with the existence of God. It also happens to be Christmas time right now, and it kind of brings Christianity and God to mind for … More From the Archives: Schrodinger’s Christmas
Published on March 11, 2019 on sarasmanyhats.ca. There is a shortage of moderates blogging and commenting online. A shortage of the tolerant, the kind, and the educated. This is because these types of people aren’t affected by hype. But the result is rampant unchecked negative, knee-jerk spreading of fear or stupidity. The antivax movement is … More From the Archives: How the Weakest Minded Got the Loudest Voices in the Vaccine Debate
Published on January 15, 2015 on sarasmanyhats.ca. A bit of a longer post, with a pointed message on unity that I believe can be summed up in this quote: Jesus Christ asks us to interpret ourselves, and each other, with the same hospitable, good-hearted diligence that we grant to him. He offers the truth not … More From the Archives: On Differences in the Church
A note from 2021: I’m including this on the Thistle because it was interesting to me to realize what I was on about seven years ago would still be so pertinent today. Views can change and my writing style has changed, but this is a good representation of my longstanding views on social media. Published … More From the Archives: On Media Platforming
The Prairie Thistle 