Freeing Pharaoh

Today, I've been asked to speak on magnifying our callings. I would like to start by what it means to magnify something. Colloquially, when I think of magnifying I think of a magnifying glass or a telescope; something which enlarges what we see. Which can make it seem like magnifying our calling is about making ourselves look larger, or making our callings more important. Interpreting "magnify" as visually enlarging could also as mean we need to go over-the-top and devote large sums of time to our duties. It could also feel like magnifying a calling is about looking at the small details of our calling and correcting flaws and imperfections. But, historically "to magnify" means "to make great". The term magnify was applied to lenses because lenses make smaller things appear larger, or greater. So, to magnify something is to make it great, as in "important", "influential", "enlarged", "extended", or "seen...

When we read the genealogies in the Old Testament, we encounter jaw-dropping claims about human lifespans. Methuselah, for instance, is said to have lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27). Noah clocked in at 950 years (Genesis 9:29). Even Adam lived to 930 (Genesis 5:5). For modern readers, these numbers seem impossible—nobody today comes close to such ages. So, what’s going on? Were these people biologically superhuman, or could the answer lie in how ancient people understood the concept of a "year"? I have a theory: what if "year" didn’t always mean the 365-day solar cycle we know today? What if it referred to a different celestial rhythm, like the lunar cycle, and the meaning of "year" shifted over time? Let’s explore this idea, drawing on insights from neuroscience, cultural context, and a theological perspective on God’s creation. The Shifting Concept of "Year" In her groundbreaking book How Emotions Are Made , neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett ar...

As I shared in my post on the Path to Action , our stories shape our emotions and actions—but our body’s signals inform those stories. Typically, we think of “see and hear” as external evidence, like others’ actions, but an unbalanced internal state sends sensations—hunger, fatigue, inflammation—that tempt us toward negative narratives. I learned this through decades of struggling with psoriasis, depression, and weight. By caring for my body, I transformed those signals, making it easier to choose blame-free stories of hope and connection. Nurturing our physical selves can deepen our connection with others and ourselves. A Long Struggle with Signals Since 1997, I’ve dealt with a recurring rash in an uncomfortable spot. Doctors couldn’t diagnose it, occasionally offering steroid injections or creams that temporarily helped but provided no long-term solution. In 2011, a Seattle dermatologist took a biopsy and identified it as inverse psoriasis, an autoimmune condition. I finally got a pr...