suffering – 300 words a day

really good seats

If you want the good seats, you have to get in line early. You have to spend the night. You have to pay extra to get really close. Unless, of course, you are going to a messy show. If it’s a messy show, where the person up front sprays water or smashes watermelons, you want […]

by Jon Swanson

Because of me

Christ followers are dying right now. I’ll be more accurate. They are being killed right now. Because of Jesus. Because they decided, somewhere, somehow, to identify with Jesus, they are being killed and harassed and robbed and tortured and exiled. Jesus was clear. Being identified with Him is dangerous. He said: Blessed are you when […]

by Jon Swanson

up and down

[Matthew 3:17-4:2] The heavens parted. We use that phrase jokingly when someone is about to make some dramatic pronouncement. In the situation that Matthew talks about, there was a dramatic pronouncement. Though not a joke, it feels pretty friendly. The Father says of the Son, “I’m proud of him.” And then, while there is still […]

by Jon Swanson

I don’t know.

Drew is 27. He has been married for a couple years. He’s at the hospital. He’s elated. His wife just had a baby. Their first. He walks out. He drives away. A truck hits his car. He’s dead. His dad’s a pastor. He’s a great kid. His wife’s a great kid. He’s a golf course […]