Starting New Research

I’m writing a book. The working title is Vulnerable Christianity. Don’t get too excited because I’m still in the early early early stages of research and outlining what this thing is going to be.

Here are the books I know I need to read in the next few months as I flesh out my idea. I’m sure I’ll add more to the list as I dive in but this is where I’m starting.

The Social Animal by David Brooks

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler

Lament: Reclaiming Practices in the Pulpit, Pew, and Public Square

The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson

I Thought it was Just Me by Brene Brown

The Art of the Apology by Lauren M. Bloom

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

How Not to be Secular by James K.A. Smith

Faith Formation in a Secular Age by Andrew Root

Disruptive Witness by Alan Noble

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler

3 Questions When Planning Your Church Event

I’m reading Chris Gethard’s new book Lose Well. In one chapter he gives the three questions he asks himself whenever starting a new creative venture.

WHY THIS?

WHY HERE?

WHY NOW?

If he’s able to come up with clear and specific answers to all three, he trusts that it must be thought through enough to pursue.

If I can’t explain why a thing is necessary in this time and place as its creator, I assume anyone asked to consume it will be confused as well.

The same is true with church events. Do you want people to come on board as volunteers and help make it happen? Do you want people to attend the event and invite people to join them? You need to have strong answers to those 3 questions.

If you’re not there yet, that’s ok. It doesn’t mean you scrap the idea all together. Maybe you just need to flesh it out or move some elements around until it fully clicks for you.

You’re the first person you have to convince that the event is going to be worth it.

Some times I’m afraid we’re too easy on our ideas. It’s not enough to think to yourself “Yeah. Sure. I guess that could be good. We need something on the calendar and I can’t think of anything else. Let’s go with that.”

We need to answer those questions. And when things get hard and we reach those moments where we realize just how much work it’s going to take to pull it off, we can look back at our answers to motivate us to keep going. “This is worth it. This is worth it.”

I’ve also answered these questions about my 3 night comedy outreach event.

Watch This Old Man Cry

I love watching people get surprised. Show me a soldier coming home from war, pregnancy announcements, wrestlers making their grand return, cameos, Oprah giving away cars. Show me all of them so I can cry for days at all the beautiful joy.

This might be my favorite video of a man being surprised. His reaction is so sweet and pure.

There’s a whole subreddit dedicated to videos of Happy Crying Dads because there is something special about a grown man weeping. It’s not something you get to see (because we don’t do enough to spread the message that crying is cool). I think this video would fit right in there.

Grandma’s Fridge

For the last 8 years my grandma has had this picture of me on her fridge. The one of my cousin is used to cover up my ex-girlfriend who is also in my picture . Every time I see it I laugh. My grandma has no plans of taking it down. “You look so nice!” Fair enough.

Broke for Christmas

My Strangest Gift

My girlfriend had this pillow made for my birthday. It made me laugh really hard but now i don’t know where to put it. Is it weird if it’s out in the living room? Is it weirder if it’s in my bed?

When I posted this on instagram one guy said I should include one of these as a gift to every church who books a service with me in 2019. It’s a weird idea but not a terrible one.

It Feels Like Christmas

“A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love
It feels like Christmas”

I love everything about A Muppet Christmas Carol. I love this song. I love these lyrics. I love how Michael Caine shows Scrooge starting to warm up when he’s around such infectious joy.

It’s true, wherever you find love it feels like Christmas.

Confession Isn't Enough

“It does give you a good feeling to know that there’s something that you can do to help you become the master of the mad that you feel.”

My shows end with a message on the importance of confession but that message alone is empty of hope.

“You’re allowed to talk about how messed up you are” isn’t enough.

“What you’re going through right now doesn’t have to be forever. There are real things that you can do that can change your situation.” That’s the stuff right there.

I hope I’m making it clear that healing doesn’t end with confession, it begins. Once you open up you can begin to address and deal with the issue that you’ve been hiding.

It really is a good feeling to know I can be the master of the mad that I feel. You’re right again, Mister Rogers.

Christmas Time in Missouri

Christmas time is here.

Last night I did comedy in Muskogee. Today I drove up to St. Louis to spend Christmas with my family. All of my extended family lives up here we come every year.

Please enjoy this picture from my childhood. I’m the Chinese girl in the middle. Obviously.

Just kidding. Obviously I’m the one with the sweet bowl cut. My sister’s on the left. My cousin is in the middle.

I love Christmas. It’s the one time of year I’m guaranteed to see my extended family. I get to eat my favorite pizza in the world at IMO’s, a Missouri exclusive. And I end up with too many because I don’t know what other gifts to ask for.

...Yet

I see great potential in you.