matt tullos: writer
Four Lessons for the Depressed from 1 Kings 19 Early in my ministry, I was serving as a youth pastor in Amarillo, Texas when I walked straight into a deep chasm of spiritual warfare. It was born out of too many promises, too many personal expectations, and a growing pile of disappointments. In the midst […]
Coldplay’s haunting anthem Viva La Vida tells the story of a king who has lost everything—once commanding armies and ruling cities, now reduced to sweeping the very streets he used to own. It’s a portrait of reversal, of glory turned to ash, of a crown that couldn’t save him. When I hear that song, I think of […]
When I was 3, I had an X-15. Picture a small trike with more noise than brakes — and a whole lot of reckless joy. I loved racing down hills on that thing — the wind in my face, the rattling wheels, the rush of freedom. But I had one problem: I didn’t trust the […]
After heart of Redford’s passing, my mind wandered back to my sophomore year at Louisiana College, when I stepped into a darkened theater at the Alexandria Mall to watch “The Natural.” With just a couple of teenage months to spare I was captivated by what seemed like a simple story about baseball and second chances. […]
Grace slips through our fingers like water, not because it’s elusive, but because we keep clenching our fists. There’s something almost maddening about the concept of grace—how it defies every instinct we have about earning our place in this world. We live in a universe of transactions, of cause and effect, of merit and reward. […]
You know that moment when you’re the first one awake on a Saturday morning? Your phone isn’t buzzing every thirty seconds, and even the neighbors haven’t started their leaf blowers yet. You step outside with your coffee and suddenly realize: Holy cow, it’s actually quiet. Even your phone is still asleep. No Amazon delivery trucks rumbling […]
“So, what’s shaken’ down there?” Gabe asked Raphael, a seasoned guardian of an American church. “Looks like they’ve gathered to worship,” Raphael said as he squinted down at the entrance. “What’s that lady carrying in? Looks like some kind of package,” Gabe asked “Probably a casserole,” came the matter-of-fact response. “A casserole?” “Must be having […]
There’s a thought experiment that haunts me: What would happen if we took the Bible seriously? Not just as a collection of inspiring stories or moral guidelines, but as the actual Word of God that should fundamentally reshape how we live, love, and engage with the world around us. The primary foundation of any authentic […]
Remember the movie “A Bug’s Life”? If you have kids, you’ve probably watched it countless times—children love repeating their favorite films over and over. In that animated classic, a colony of ants lives in constant terror of the grasshoppers who swoop in like a plague, devouring everything in sight. The ants cower and hide, always […]
The grocery cart announced Jed’s arrival long before he came into view. The front-left wheel squealed with each rotation, a metallic protest that had become his signature sound in Legalville. Jed didn’t notice the town’s pitiful glances. After fifteen years of collecting cans and bottles, he had perfected the art of being simultaneously visible and […]