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Joe Puentes

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General Christian

2020-04-03T11:48:23-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We are supposed to be a little bit crazy right now

Last updated on: April 3, 2020 at 11:48 am By Joe Puentes

Mental Health, Random Thoughts, COVID-19 “WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY RIGHT NOW.” One of my professors said this the other day. I really like the class I have with him. The class is Group Counseling. Part of the requirements for this class were we needed to sit in and observe 10 hours of group counseling in open groups like AA or Grief groups or something along those lines. But because of COVID-19, everything went out the window. So our professor basically... Read more

2020-03-28T09:54:49-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Coronavirus and the Bare Naked Essentials

Last updated on: March 28, 2020 at 9:54 am By Joe Puentes

I’m reading a book for my Crisis & Trauma course, and part of the assignment is to journal my thoughts on my reading. I want to share a few of my journal entries with you all. My head and my heart are having difficulty embracing the agony of defeat that goes along with a graduate school schedule. These past couple of weeks it seems the winter chill is lingering in the air a bit longer than the time before last.... Read more

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2020-01-14T23:48:58-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The God of Empathy

Last updated on: January 14, 2020 at 11:48 pm By Joe Puentes

I was at church this past Sunday; our pastor started a new sermon series on the book of Exodus. As he read through the verses he was preaching on, my mind became fixated on Exodus 2:23-25. These verses introduce us to the God of Empathy. Empathy is something I have been learning about in my graduate program. In the counseling world, empathy is an essential ingredient to counseling relationships, and for any relationships. God Hears Israel’s Groaning During those many days the king of... Read more

2020-01-07T20:42:38-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Fighting the Demons of Fear and Shame With Self-care

Last updated on: January 7, 2020 at 8:42 pm By Joe Puentes

Yeah, I know it’s been awhile since I’ve been on here putting any intelligible thoughts on this blog. I’ve been preoccupied from posting on my PATHEOS column for two reasons: I was derailed by an old demon and I have been deterred by a life-changing event. The old demon is what I call “I wish I would’ve/could’ve been” which is a product of fear and shame. The life-changing event is I am back in graduate school working on my Master of... Read more

2019-04-20T22:03:31-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This Monday is Different

Last updated on: April 20, 2019 at 10:03 pm By Joe Puentes

“This Monday is Different” No one likes the day after Sunday. We cringe at the thought of this day. So we lay ever so still wrapped in safety. With uncertainty and trepidation we crack open an eye — only one we dare. We peer out as if behind a mother’s apron. With hope we pray this Monday is not like others past — That doom is still upon us because of Sin. That we still have an Accuser who will confess our... Read more

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2019-04-20T21:50:48-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

April Fool’s Day

Last updated on: April 20, 2019 at 9:50 pm By Joe Puentes

“April Fool’s Day” Death thought he had won the day. He laid man to rest on a bed of stone. He felt the fibers of the universe crumble. He witnessed the tears of human despair. He licked his lips with satisfaction and hunger. He knew nothing could stop his feasting. He held up his cup of bittersweet victory. But there was no room in the tomb. Read more

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2019-02-21T21:13:22-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Pile of Dead Animal Bones and a Brain Tumor

Last updated on: February 21, 2019 at 9:13 pm By Joe Puentes

It was late May midmorning day when my friend Pat and I arrived at the base of Barnes Butte. The sun was melting away the chill in the air, and we knew if we didn’t get going up the trail soon we’d get caught out on the open trail with the scorching noonday sun. Pat and I hiked Barnes Butte at the last minute, so we didn’t have all the things someone takes on hikes like food and water. Pat... Read more

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2019-02-10T14:22:18-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Wolverine Flew into my Chest and Saved my Life and Faith

Last updated on: February 10, 2019 at 2:22 pm By Joe Puentes

My dream and the calling I believed God put on my heart was falling apart. I wanted to quit it all—God and life. And it was thoughts of quitting the latter that kept me up at night, tossing and turning. Then a wolverine struck me in the chest and everything in my life changed. Barry Lopez tells a story in his essay, “Landscape and Narrative,” about a hunter who follows a wolverine’s tracks for miles. This hunter occasionally spots... Read more

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2018-12-23T17:27:33-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“When Christmas Smelled Like Dung”

Last updated on: December 23, 2018 at 5:27 pm By Joe Puentes

“When Christmas Smelled Like Dung” Nothing is untouched from the smell of hay and dung. Even my little baby lying there in dust and hay is absent of a newborns scent. What do newborns smell like, anyway? Why are all these people here? Why do they keep staring? What do they want? Are they going to take my baby? Or is it my baby, I’m not sure anymore? No one can blame new parents for wondering these things. So much is... Read more

2018-12-23T17:41:51-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

God, I Pray I Don’t Lose the Mundane Beauty of Advent

Last updated on: December 23, 2018 at 5:41 pm By Joe Puentes

Today is Christmas Eve eve. I was hoping I could find words to share with you about some profound thought I have about Advent, but I can’t because I don’t. If you take a peek on the internet, there’s plenty of people a lot smarter than me coming up with all kinds of insights both new and old about Advent. Sometimes we get so caught up in the zingers and zappers of pop-theology we lose the mundane beauty of... Read more

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