Normal Is Not An Option

If you haven't already done so, you should watch the new Netflix series "Death of the Pastor's Wife." I thought it was well done and not lurid or exploitative, like so many true crime series are. I also appreciated that the family of the victim, Mica Francis Miller, was heavily involved. They clearly loved her and want her story to be told.  I would also recommend that you listen to " Coerced: The Devotion & Death of Mica Francis Miller ." It's a podcast done by Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell, the same investigative journalist duo who did the Murdaugh Murders Podcast (now called "True Sunlight"). They have been covering this case since the week after Mica Francis died, when her estranged husband's bizarre sermon announcing her death went viral online. One of the themes I'm seeing on social media is people being appalled at John-Paul Miller's sermons about sex. He repeatedly talked about how wives owe sex to their husbands, and if ...

 A couple of weeks ago, the Episcopal bishop of Chicago, Paula Clark, visited my congregation and performed baptisms, confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations. I was one of three adults who were confirmed in the church, so now I am officially an Episcopalian, with my signed certificate to prove it. I surprised myself by how emotional I got during the service. It was beautiful and deeply moving, but I also think maybe it was the fact that it represented my final, formal break from the church of Christ.  Once I left the CoC, I knew I would never go back, but I never imagined formally joining another church again. I always felt nervous about the idea, like I was worried that another church would turn out to be a toxic trap.  But I've been attending this congregation for 14 years and so far, so good. It's not perfect, and the Episcopal church at large isn't perfect by a long shot, but it suits me. I feel like I've finally found a place where I really belong and am trul...