The Hidden Stories of the Movies I Never Saw
Looking back at the movies that defined the year I was born, I realized how many of them I never really knew at all. What began as a simple trip through film history became a deeper reflection on growing up in a conservative Christian culture where entertainment was expected to reinforce a carefully curated moral world—and how the stories we avoid can shape us just as much as the stories we embrace.
Why I’m Calling It ‘Life’ Now
Fourteen years ago, I named this blog Randomly Rudimentary Faith Stuff.
The writing—and the writer—have changed.
I’m calling it Life now, not because faith matters less, but because I’ve come to see faith and life as inseparable.
When Grace Has to Carry More Than We Thought
Christians love to talk about ‘grace’. But do they mean by that? What if grace isn’t abstract, or dependent on getting everything right? As I re-examine what I was taught about hell and salvation, I’m beginning to see that real grace has to carry more than just our mistakes—it has to carry our misunderstandings too.
When the Truth Doesn’t Fit the World You’ve Built
As headlines swirl about Kristi Noem’s husband, a deeper question emerges: what happens when who you are doesn’t fit the world you’ve built around you?
When Faith Chooses Sides: Praying for Victory or Praying for Peace
Pete Hegseth prays for the destruction of American enemies. Pope Leo says God won’t hear that prayer. Same faith tradition. Same Bible. Two completely different conclusions. This isn’t an exclusively ‘Christian’ problem, but…if every religion produces both compassion and extremism, what does that say about religion itself?
Divinely Inspired Coat Checks (and Other Things We Probably Don’t Need to Turn Into Doctrine)
I was brought up in a religious culture that maintained that everything in the Bible was ‘God-breathed’. But if every sentence carries identical eternal weight, then we probably need a church committee for lost-and-found cloaks and medicinal merlot.
Songs in the Key of Me: Ticket to Ride
The music didn’t change. But it changed me. Reflections on “Ticket to Ride,” heartbreak, peer pressure, and the quiet permission to feel sad without shame.
When Abuse Becomes the Air You Breathe
Donald Trump’s dehumanizing remarks about Virginia Giuffre aren’t just political vulgarity—they’re a window into how survivors of abuse are treated when they no longer serve a narrative. This post explores the ongoing cycle of trauma, and how spiritual abuse echoes the same patterns in quieter, more accepted ways.
Good Cultures Don’t Need Slogans
When a company has to keep reminding people how great its culture is, that’s usually a red flag. Good culture doesn’t need marketing — it shows up quietly in how people treat each other, solve problems, and stay connected without a slogan or a campaign.
Randomly Rudimentary Life Stuff 
Two Songs at the Ballpark
A seventh inning stretch at an Astros game sparked a reflection on patriotism, belonging, and why baseball’s organic rituals may unite us better than nationalistic ones.