HeyJaredAstonishing Things
Despite all the trouble, life is astonishing. History is not merely "one d*mn thing after another" as Henry Ford reportedly concluded, but a surprising, divine drama. I try to follow Mary Oliver's advice: "Pay attention. Be Astonished. Tell about it."
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 6
- Latest publication
- Sep 16, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 8, 2026
Latest issues
New Book Release: Modern Protestant Theology (opens the original)
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What kind of artist is God? (opens the original)
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About ten years ago, my first lecture at Gordon-Conwell Seminary was called “What kind of artist is God?” In that talk, I explored how we have biblical precedent to talk about God as the Divine Artist who unfolds an aesthetic mission in creation, covenants, and in Christ. I remember someone coming up to me after this talk, expressing their appreciation, and asking what resources I might recommend on this topic. Unfortunately, I came up short, save for a couple articles and some juicy quotes.Than
Wendell Berry, Loving the Particular, and Watershed Discipleship (opens the original)
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The writer, agrarian, and contrarian Wendell Berry passed away this week, and the web is flooded with remembrances and appreciations, showing how wide and deep his impact has been.For me, Berry’s work was a constant reminder to pay attention, appreciate, and care for particular places as a way of loving Creator and loving neighbors both human and other-than-human.Whenever we approach people and places in the abstract, we are prone to use and abuse them rather than love them as we love ourselves.
How the arts help us sense God’s beauty (opens the original)
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On the beauty of birds, non-anxious faith, and books that tie them together (opens the original)
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I wouldn’t say I’m a birder, but I do have a deep love for birds, which went dormant for years but recently has been rekindled during my daily morning walks in urban Charlotte. It could just be that I’m getting older (a trend that the Holderness Family recently parodied), or it could be that I’m getting better at slowing down and noticing beauty, which I’ve come to believe is oxygen for a breathable life.My love for birds began in childhood, where I grew up enjoying bald eagle
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