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Real Live Preacher

Real Live Preacher is a blog by a Texas preacher and it's funny, warm, and passionate. Start from the beginning and read the whole thing. From The Preacher Remembers Earl the Grave Digger:

The conversation turned to God. Earl was a thoroughgoing atheist. Not angry. Not defensive. No need to convince anyone to join him. Very rational. He celebrated my calling to the ministry and was genuinely interested in the classes I was taking.

One night we were sitting at our desk and a bookmarker fell out of whatever the hell Earl was reading. It was a construction paper cross with “Jesus loves you Daddy” written on it in crayon.

I picked it up and looked at him. “Earl?”

It was given to him by his daughter who went to church with her mother. Like lots of little kids, she really, really loved Jesus.

I asked Earl if he minded his daughter going to church.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “Whatever gets you through the night.” He punctuated this with a thumbs-up. “Plus, she gave it to me because she loves me.”

At that time the preacher was newly married. Later I would discover how your child can pull your heart out of your chest with a little gesture like that.

He cradled the small cross in his large hands. For a moment our heads were bowed across the desk in adoration of this little icon of love.

The seminarian giving his life to the service of that cross and the atheist who understood the love of his child shared a moment of worship.

Dear friends, I celebrate our common ground. I marvel at the impulse of love which is clearly present in all of us.

Now I lay me down my need to save or evangelize you. That’s not an easy move for a preacher. We’ve been taught that all souls are our responsibility. That’s a terrible burden to bear, and it feels good to let it go.

Thank you for making me welcome. Thank you for letting me tell my stories. I didn’t realize how desperately I needed to share them.

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