Top Posts of 2021

Here are the 10 most trafficked blog posts from 2021, with #10 being the most-read. I appreciate you following along over the past year!

1. More COVID… and sources to read that aren’t trying to scare you to death (December 2)
   Another day, another COVID-19 variant, more fear. This post offered some sources that I’ve been following, mostly independent journalists, that encourage and contrast the prevailing metanarrative of fear.
2. The broken edges of brokenness (September 7)
   This was a reflective blog examining the biblical worldview that when Adam and Eve sinned against God, it wasn’t just they that was impacted by their sinfulness. The world was also broken. When we face deep questions about pointlessness and suffering, we are often brushing up against the sharp edges of the world’s brokenness.
3. The way out of affliction (May 30)
   This post was a reflection on Psalm 119 – known for being the longest Psalm. Weighing in at 176 verses, it’s a beautiful masterpiece highlighting the wonder of what God’s Word is and what mediating on its truths can do for you. One of the benefits is the power of helping you through affliction.
4. No social media withdrawals (February 27)
   It was a long time coming, but I said goodbye to Old Social Media (OSM) in January 2021. Crazily and curiously, I didn’t (and haven’t) missed them. Instead, a glorious quiet descended where there was once mental noise.
5. A year for tears (June 5)
   In 2020, I began my first sabbatical. You can read about my tear-filled drive away from church in my Overwhelmed entry here. This post reflected what seemed like an entire lifetime that had been lived in last 12 months.
6. Ordinary Celebrity features Point of Grace (January 31)
   The January episode of Ordinary Celebrity featured Shelley Breen and Denise Jones, two of the founding members of the Christian contemporary music group, Point of Grace.
7. First Easter in church (April 10)
   After 18 years as nomads, our church family celebrated moving into its first church facility on Easter weekend! It’s surreal to have your own “place.” These were a few thoughts from moving in.
8. What isn’t being said: the science is in (May 14)
   Amid new and ever-changing guidance from the CDC, what we knew in May remains basically true today – about masks, our ability to stop a virus and the absurdity of government interventions.
9. Merry Christmas 2021: Let’s Go Braeden (December 25)
   This was my annual Christmas post, and I introduced a new family member – again, and with the addition, we experience a “drop the mic” moment.And drumroll… the most visited post of last year was:
10. The Mysterious Disappearance of Sammy Rhodes (March 19)
    What do you do when someone you used to follow on Twitter dropped off the digital map? And how good of a follower are you when you realize that his disappearance was due to a Twitter feud? Here’s a rabbit trail for you about Sammy Rhodes, AKA @prodigalsam.
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Which post did you enjoy from 2021?

I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment! You can peruse the archives here to identify another post that you enjoyed that isn’t listed above.

Personal Likes

While the above 10 posts got the most site traffic last year, the following posts were some that I enjoyed writing and would classify as being worth reading/revisiting:

• The Capitol Incursion and Vengeance (January 9)
  Wednesday, January 6, 2021 was an unhappy day for America. Not only were Constitutional processes interrupted and perhaps subverted by fear and unrest, but it was depressing. A year later, the Democrats are obsessed with it, with VP Harris comparing it to Pearl Harbor. Senator Marco Rubio came out this week (Jan. 13, 2022) and said, “I don’t care how many candlelight vigils and musical performances you have from the cast of Hamilton, you’re not going to convince most normal and sane people that our government last year was almost overthrown by a guy wearing a Viking hat and speedos.” That was my point last year, just less eloquent. 😉
• The $2 trillion COVID Relief Package (March 7)
  Ramrodding legislation of massive proportions along party lines has never been good for the nation’s health. You wouldn’t proceed like that in a marriage or in a church. We need our political leaders to work together. This post reflect on more of the political asininity this past year.
• No love? No worth (August 1)
  Whatever we may call it, love is not love if it’s not accompanied by behavior that reflects self-emptying. Our culture wants love without limits and without truth. This post looks at a radical, alternative way to define your worth by whether you’re loved.
• More COVID… and sources to read that aren’t trying to scare you to death (December 2)
  Many of my readers know that I’ve been skeptical about the narrative foisted upon us by the CDC, Dr. Fauci and parroted and promoted by the MSM. This post shares a few of the great resources from independent journalists and citizen sleuths that have informed and pointed out lies and inconsistencies along the way.
• Sleepy reflections on Star Trek and sovereignty (December 4)
  I’ve been binge watching Star Trek series (currently on Voyager) since 2020. One particular evening of watching prompted some deeper reflections related to the sovereignty of God.