Taking a Break

Overthinking? Oh you mean predicting the future.

My Instagram algorithm has me figured out. It knows I’m not there to look at posts from people I actually know. I want memes and memes alone.

My favorite memes are the ones that make me laugh and feel seen in my personality quirks. One recent meme spoke deeply into my soul. It said:

You think you can hurt my feelings? I’m an over thinker, I hurt my own feelings.

True, so true.

I am an over-thinker, which, like all personality traits, comes with blessings and curses.

I recently caught up with a friend who remarked, “How are you pastoring, working on a doctorate degree, and writing as much as you do? You have a lot going on in that head of yours.”

It’s true. I do. And I’m thankful for the way my overthinking allows me to process deeply about many different things at once.

I also wish my brain could just shut off sometimes. Not only do I often feel exhausted by the number of thoughts going through my head, but my inability to act on them all results in a good deal of self-condemnation that I have to struggle with daily.

Our family is traveling to California for the rest of the month. The first part of this trip will be a vacation with my wife’s family, and the second part will be for my classes at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena.

It’s hard for me to step away from work and enjoy rest. I’m earnestly going to try this time.

This means I won’t write here for at least the next several weeks.

I do have one post scheduled to go out next week. It will be familiar to some of you and new to others. I hope it encourages you either way.

I also have some ideas ready to go when I return. Here is a preview for some of those:

1.      The Civil Rights Test: The Church’s Role in Social Activism

2.     The Reformed Tradition and Social Justice Short Reviews on 50 Resources

3.     What Does it Mean to ‘Be Saved’?

4.     Challenges for Urban Leadership

I have enjoyed engaging with you all on this new Substack platform. I’m really glad I made the switch. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this work so far.