Dear friends,

Today marks seven days since my dad – Joseph James DeCort Jr. – died (February 9, 1944 – April 27, 2024). It’s a kind of sabbath in this new world with(out) my dad living in it.

I won’t simply call it a world “without” dad, because I don’t believe that. He’s still here, with us, near us — but in a different way that’s more mysterious and difficult to access and discern.

When I walked on the prairie path the day after he died, I felt the wind on my body and told Padre, “I feel like you’re close to me; you’re in the wind now.” And I knew that to be true. I could feel his presence on my skin, even as I often wake up with a dull sense of absence now.

He went home to his Creator a week ago on April 27 at 9:14pm due to cardiac arrest. He had gotten the flu and fell out of bed on April 18... Read More

Dear friends,

On October 7, Hamas killed over 1,200 Israelis and others, and kidnapped over 200 people. This was an act of atrocious terrorism. Today marks six months since Israel started militarily devastating Gaza in reaction to Hamas’s violence.

I invite you to consider this very limited summary of the devastation.

Israel’s violence has killed over 33,000 Gazans or 1 out of every 70 image-bearers of God in Gaza. This includes more than 25,000 women and children. What Israel described as its 9/11, Israel has inflicted over 27 times on Gaza.

Israel’s violence has injured over 75,000 Gazans or 1 out every 30 image-bearers of God in Gaza.

Israel’s violence has inflicted “extreme food insecurity” on more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people. Some, including children, are starving to death.

Israel’s violence has destroyed or damaged over 50% of Gaza’s infrastructure. Over 60% of homes and 80% of schools have been damaged or destroyed.

Israel’s violence has displaced around 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people from their homes... Read More

Dear friends,

Over the weekend, I watched Tucker Carlson’s 127-minute interview with Vladimir Putin from start to finish. The interview has been watched over a hundred million times and offers important, if troubling, windows into our time.

I’m sharing some notes that I took on the discussion as I watched. As always, thank you for stopping and thinking with me.

1. Authoritarian Strategy and Psychology

From the start, Putin immediately tries to embarrass Tucker for not understanding history. After checking him, Putin says he’s going to talk for thirty seconds.

He then gives a thirty minute monologue. In fact, the whole first hour and much of the “interview” is a monologue by Putin. When Tucker actually inserts questions, Putin often responds as if he’s merely transitioning to the next point in his lecture.

Putin models authoritarian strategy and psychology 101: intimidate (or ingratiate) your dialogue partner and then dominate what is said with your single story.

2. Imperial History and Psychology

Putin then gives a bogus history of Russia that no historian would take seriously... Read More

Dear friends,

This is such a special Stop & Think for me to share with you. I’ve written before about my wife Lily’s journey of becoming a painter. Today I’m delighted to announce that Lily is now making her paintings available for purchase on her new website.

As a writer who works in words, the wordless power of Lily’s paintings has been deeply moving and enlivening to me. Each time Lily finishes another canvas, I experience afresh how her work communicates meaning and evokes presence in a way that bypasses words. Her paintings bathe the viewer’s consciousness in beauty. They open space for deeper feeling and cast mirrors for fresh reflection. They open windows for seeing and being seen in new ways. Peace and freedom, honesty and hope well up. This word-transcending, presence-opening quality in Lily’s paintings has been tremendously refreshing, healing, and grounding to me.

In recent weeks, I’ve shared a preview of Lily’s website with a few friends, and it’s been a delight to hear them describe a similar experience... Read More

Dear friends,

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of 2024. How do we want to begin this new year? What might the Spirit be saying to us and inviting us into?

As I prayed and listened over this time in my life, I heard four simple words: Do not be afraid! Perhaps this message is also relevant to you.

Confessing My Fear

I have to begin with a confession. In many ways, 2023 was a year of fear for me. Looking back, I can see how fear haunted me, limited me, strove to trap me, block me, and pull me under.

I began the year with the fear that I would be rejected and abandoned by people I love.

I was dogged by the fear that I couldn’t heal from traumatic wounds in my soul and that I would always feel broken and empty inside.

I was haunted by fear that I could no longer write and that my vocation was coming undone... Read More