“Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”   Joseph gets into some tight spots, but even when things are hard, they work out for the best. How does that line up with our lives? Our trials can help us grow, but can they ever break us? In this second portion I provide some historical and… Continue Reading

“Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”   The masterfully written story of Joseph in Egypt is like nothing else in the Bible–it can actually be described as a novella. This touching account also engages with fundamental life questions: What contributes to success? How can our trials and suffering be for our good? How do… Continue Reading

“Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”   Joseph’s story has a bit of a fairy tale happy ending, but how do we apply it to our own stories, which have not yet ended? How do we put ourselves in the path of Providence, so to speak? This update reviews lessons from both Joseph and… Continue Reading

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”   In this segment we return to the narratives from a literary and historical perspective, discuss LDS approaches to sexuality from a more critical perspective, confront difficult issues such as rape and sexual abuse, and get into more detail about sexual morality.   Recurring Donation: $5   $10   $25 … Continue Reading

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”   Sexuality is an aspect of life universally experienced but difficult to talk about. And the assigned readings are no exception. This episode  engages with the stories of Dinah, Tamar, and Potiphar’s wife and models a constructive approach to talking about sexuality in a Church context. We also discuss… Continue Reading

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”   All of us are deeply impacted by sex… it’s why we exist, afterall, but we are often reluctant to discuss it. The challenging and terrible stories about Dinah, Tamar, and Joseph invite, even demand us to grapple with the important topic of sexuality in our lives. This… Continue Reading

Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant The episode continues by reviewing Jewish practices of endogamy (marrying within one’s culture), wrestles with challenging or even harmful aspects of LDS approaches to marriage and children, and concludes with a discussion of healthy approaches to relationships.   Recurring Donation: $5   $10   $25   $50 One Time Donation: $25    … Continue Reading

Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant What difference does preparing for marriage in the temple make? And how does that relate to the stories of Rebekah and Isaac and Jacob and his wives? This episode reviews these narratives, discusses the relationship between a temple marriage and successful marriage, and reviews the principles of healthy relationships.… Continue Reading

Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant   The dramatic story of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau may seem extreme… but all of us need to wrestle not just with God, but with our families of origin! This update explores the relationship between our families and our romantic relationships, and reveals the paradox that leads… Continue Reading

“God Will Provide Himself a Lamb”   In Part 2 we touch on the place of Isaac in history and then delve into the terrible but widespread practice of human sacrifice in the Ancient Near East. In Part 3 we wrestle further with the issues of God’s goodness and healthy approaches to obedience. The importance… Continue Reading