This is an excerpt from the introduction of Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Christopher Richmann (1517 Publishing, 2026).
We can bring our troubles, griefs, sorrows, and sins to Jesus, who meets us smack dab in the middle of our messy mob.
Confession isn’t a detour in the liturgy. It’s the doorway.

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The following excerpt comes from Chapter 7, “When Love Repents Us,” in Chad Bird’s new book, Night Driving: Notes from a Prodigal Soul.
Luther accepted Augustine’s view of the church as a mixed body.
When I was about 10, I went on a hike with a boys brigade. We were all racing down this path at lunchtime when I decided to beat everyone to the bottom by deviating from the path.
Good preaching does something for you. It delivers to you a Good Samaritan.
I’ve always been a very passionate person. Adventure is my favorite thing.
The Reformation handed over the crystal-clear Gospel of Jesus Christ on to the next generation.
When we are unsure of who God is, it’s to Christ that He tells us to look.
These teachings are the heart of the Reformation…If it is about you, it isn’t about Jesus.
But where love is necessary we pray for our enemies and bless them in the hope that God will repent and convert them to the Gospel.
The Christian who understands Gospel-based love recognizes the false promises and rewards of the Playboy Mansion.
Conflict demands resolution, tension demands a balancing act in the face of uncertainties.
By focusing intently on what one wants to avoid, we often crash right into the moral hazard we are trying to evade.