Category: Blogs

Respecting this beautiful place

“I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Psalm 145:5 The South American country of Bolivia is filled with incredible beauty that is matched only by the beautiful people who live there. My wife and I had the privilege of going there twice last year, as we developed… Continue reading Respecting this beautiful place

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Sabbath in a 24/7 World

Earlier this week, Dr. Sleeth shared some reflections on the fourth commandment — remembering the Sabbath — with medical students at the University of Kentucky. It was clear that the message he shared was both a gift and a challenge to this hard working group of young people. The gift: to be reminded we are… Continue reading Sabbath in a 24/7 World

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What does God require? Part 4: Creatures of the land

How does God view the survival and prosperity of the wild creature? Throughout the Bible, we read that even in a fallen world, God rejoices in the beauty and balance of his creation. We also read that God has designed the created order so that his wild creatures will have the food, water, and habitat… Continue reading What does God require? Part 4: Creatures of the land

Chickens and Discipleship

Next door to our home, the urban farm is alive with bees hovering, fruit trees growing strong, blackberries creeping up fence-posts, and watermelons expanding like balloons among the bright marigolds. While these are all beautiful to behold, we have new favorite subjects inhabiting this tenth of an acre lot. Two weeks ago nine 12-week-old chickens… Continue reading Chickens and Discipleship

Q&A with Nancy

This Q&A with Nancy was originally posted September 14, 2011 on Jason Hess’s blog “Ecksermonator: Evolve Your Thinking.” It is reposted with permission. This month I was able to ask Nancy Sleeth, the co-founder of Blessed Earth, a few questions about the organization. With more and more people getting involved in the green movement, environmentalism… Continue reading Q&A with Nancy

Taking a Break from Consumerism

One of the most poorly understood realities in Christianity today is the connection between our lived faith and everyday consumption. Unfortunately, most of us (myself included) give little thought to what we buy–and even less to where it was made, who sold it, where our money goes, and the ethical implications of its production, consumption,… Continue reading Taking a Break from Consumerism

The Gift of Water

With so many of our brothers and sisters around the world suffering from the effects of either droughts or floods, I cannot help but think about water–an indispensable building block of life. Our very bodies consist mostly of water. Without water, life on this planet would not exist. God was extravagant with water–he covered nearly… Continue reading The Gift of Water

Blessed Earth partners with the National Cathedral

…and five other major churches in the next five years Last spring Matthew was invited to speak from the pulpit of the National Cathedral, the “Nation’s Church,” in Washington, DC. His talk and forum were the centerpiece of their Earth Day celebration. As a school child, Matthew had taken yearly field trips to visit with… Continue reading Blessed Earth partners with the National Cathedral

A Place at the Table

Last month, we had John and Margo from the Wildlands Network over for dinner. John is doing an east coast trek to raise awareness about the need for wildlife corridors in North America. One of their staff members follows Blessed Earth on Twitter and Facebook, and she asked if John could stop by while he… Continue reading A Place at the Table

Hospitality: God, Humans and Animals

I recently read an excellent book by Professor Laura Hobgood-Oster called The Friends We Keep, in which she challenges believers to examine our relationship with animals through a deliberately Christian lens. By addressing such issues as their role as food, pets, endangered species, and in sport, she reminds us of the many varied ways that… Continue reading Hospitality: God, Humans and Animals

What About the Poor?

Part 2: The Destitute As we discussed in my last entry, the Israelites understood that “their” land actually belonged to God. They therefore believed that the produce of their land belonged to him as well. As a result, Israelite law dictated that rather than the Israelites exhausting the produce of the land in their quest… Continue reading What About the Poor?

Salad Season!

Spring has arrived with gusto in Kentucky. We are still having lots of rain and some cool days but the green life everywhere is a treat for the eyes and soul. We have planted our little backyard garden and are getting excited about being able to eat what we grow ourselves. It always feels like… Continue reading Salad Season!

For Our Viewing Pleasure

It seemed like winter lasted forever and once the wildflowers began popping up here in KY, I headed down to the Red River Gorge to find a few. These little fellows are called Dutchman’s Breeches. These interesting flowers like limestone regions and Kentucky is in no short supply! Unlike many wildflowers, Dutchman’s Breeches, are not… Continue reading For Our Viewing Pleasure