I recorded a few thoughts, mostly hopeful, on America’s quarter-millenial birthday in the following audio. I’m grateful to a multiethnic and multigenerational basketball scrimmage at our local YMCA, to Adam Kinzinger’s encouraging perspective, and to the Fourth of July fireworks scene in The Sandlot movie for much of the inspiration.

References from the audio, along with two other meaningful reflections on July 4th:

• Adam Kinzinger’s video “This Needs to Be Said This Fourth of July” (posted on YouTube, as well as on Substack with transcript)

• “The Fourth of July Game” scene from The Sandlot movie (posted on YouTube by Disney)

• Robert Arnold, “On 250 Years” (posted on Substack): “Let every public servant remember whom they serve.”

• Makoto Fujimura, “OPINION: America at 250: Behold the Crack” (posted on Substack): “That act of communal lament is itself a form of resistance. It refuses the algorithmic demand for resolution. It insists that grief is real, that wounds matter, that the crack in the (Liberty Bell) cannot simply be patched over.”

Grace on my own birthday

I turned 47 last month, and took a few minutes to record a video reflection at my favorite spot (Des Plaines River Trail in Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve, Lake County, IL). I’ve had a number of emotionally difficult birthdays in the past, where I wasn’t feeling too good about myself, and I’m grateful for exceptions to that.

God gave me some encouragement this birthday, and a reminder of his lifelong presence with me, in part through a favorite song (“But I Found You, Didn’t I” by Geoff Zanelli and Jon Brion, from the Christopher Robin soundtrack). I hope he finds a way to do the same for you, whatever you’re up against right now.

Small People, Small Tunes

A couple weeks back, I introduced a new “section” of Small People, Small Things called Small People, Small Tunes. (And no, I don’t plan on having any other potential new sections be a play on the same wording, but this one seemed to fit.) Here’s part of the introduction from the initial Substack post:

Music has been a companion to me just about all of my life. It's been one of the main ways God has carried and accompanied me, through a lot of heaviness and much good as well. I don't know where I'd be without it. And now I'm trying to be more intentional in sharing it. …

A big part of the motivation behind Small People, Small Tunes in particular is to promote and encourage less publicized or "mainstream" artists. So the focus is firstlies (in the parlance of Tavin Dillard) on the incredible music being made by many indie Christian artists. But there will be some other great music shared as well. …

I hope you’ll consider tracking with Small People, Small Tunes, and that you find some new songs and artists worth checking out along the way! Here on Substack, my goal is to regularly share playlists along with some additional notes/background, and eventually to work in some music reviews and interviews with artists as well.

By the way, all Small People, Small Things subscribers are automatically subscribed to Small People, Small Tunes posts as well. But it’s totally fine if you prefer to focus on other SP,SThings content. If that’s the case, I’d be very grateful if you deselected your subscription to the SP,STunes section specifically (via these instructions), rather than unsubscribing from SP,SThings altogether! (Also, do you like my chic abbreviations?)

Tavin Dillard

Speaking of Tavin Dillard, if you could use some good, clean humor in your life (and who cain’t?), I highly recommend this gentleman of the South. He’s an upstanding resident of Arkansas, not to mention a lawn care specialist and rec league softball player, who long-sufferingly puts up with the foibles of his Meemaw and brother and community members. He muddles his words and didn’t go to “schoo” for many things, but those are just a couple of his lovable quirks.

You can find Tavin on Instagram, and he also has a YouTube channel and podcast. Tavin is the creation of Joel Berry of Sweet Tea Films (not the Babylon Bee), who is a good man himself, and a follower of Jesus. You can even find a recent sermon he preached on YouTube. Here’s a good example of one of Tavin’s mini commentaries:

By the way, just in case you think I’m stickin’ my nose up at Southerners, I love all good-natured cultural humor, including Charlie Berens (Instagram profile) who riffs on our shared Midwestern/Wisconsonite cultural stereotypes (he can run a tad blue at times, just fyi).

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share your own input or recommendations. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others, or even subscribing below? Thanks!

Grace and peace, to all of us …

Small People, Small Things is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

Subscribe now

This first playlist is focused the natural beauty and homeward pull of our country, both regionally and as a collective United States. I couldn’t include a song for every state, unfortunately, but I hope the songs that are selected are a decent representation. The playlist includes some beautiful pieces from indie Christian and other artists, ranging from folk and country, to Americana and pop rock and R&B, as well as some lovely instrumental numbers.

“New Music, vol. 2” (posted 7/1/26) features more new music, released in the last six months or so, from some really cool indie Christian artists. Styles range between retro pop and dance pop, folk and country, indie rock and groove rock, gospel and Afrobeat and rap. There are some introspective and testimonial pieces, some contented and grateful numbers, and some joyful and worshipful songs as well, even a classic hymn.

Thank you to the following friends for pointing me to some of these artists/bands: Caylee L. (DWLLRS), (Ethan Nathaniel), and Nate Ortiz (K’saan Preston. Nate drums on K’saan’s latest album). Also much respect and gratitude to the artists on Instagram who also point to their friends’ amazing music.

“Jadon’s 17th” (posted 6/28/26) is a bit of a break from other playlists I’ve shared recently, but in a really good way. In honor of my son Jadon’s 17th birthday last month, I asked if he’d be interested in putting his own list of songs together, and I’m glad he did. I think you’ll find he has some really cool taste in music. There are some legendary artists and quite a few classics included in the playlist, along with some newer standouts as well.

Happy birthday, Jadon!

I hope you connect with some of the songs in these playlists, and have a chance to track down some of the artists and check out more of their music. As always, please feel free to share your own recommendations with me!

Grace and peace, to all of us … Ben D.

Small People, Small Tunes is part of Small People, Small Things. If you prefer to focus on other SP,SThings content, you’re welcome to deselect SP,STunes via these instructions.

Small People, Small Things is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

Subscribe now

The latest playlist, which was posted on Spotify yesterday, is a tribute to our dads and other father figures we have in our lives, including our ultimate Father. I’m grateful to the handful of friends who suggested songs in honor of their dads, and in one case her husband (credits below). By the way, that's my own dad, Daryl DeVries, in the photo with yours truly just a few years back. He's one of the most giving and serving people I know. I'm grateful for you and I love you, Dad.

On the other hand, I know many people have sadly lost their dads, and/or have had very complicated relationships with their fathers. Some of us are dads ourselves, and are all too familiar with the reality that we’ve let down our own kids. So I’ve included a few songs which speak to these dynamics. But there are also a few songs which remind how God longs to wrap us in his own arms and be our loving Abba, no matter how we’ve disappointed or been disappointed.

song list & tributes:

• “Father’s Love” by Bob Carlisle

• “In the Arms of a Loving Father” by Graham Jones and Sam Bowman - dedicated by Bethany J. to her husband Graham, who also happens to be the lead singer

• “You Should Be Here” by Cole Swindell - dedicated by Julie K. to her father Jim

• “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler - dedicated by Adrianne A. to her Dad

• “My Dad” by Brye

• “Garment of Praise” by Brooke Ligertwood and Passion - dedicated by myself to my father Daryl

• “Give Me Away” by Riley Roth - dedicated by Caylee L. to her father Matt

• “Father and Son” by Yusuf/Cat Stevens

• “You’ll Find Your Way” by Andrew Peterson

• “Mansion Builder” by 2nd Chapter of Acts - dedicated by Phil H. to his Dad

• “Daddy” by Coldplay

• “Wounded Boy” by Brian Morykon

• “Run to the Father” by Matt Maher

• “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon

• “Young at Heart” by Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra - dedicated by myself to my grandfather Bob DeVries

• “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin - submitted by Owen L.

• “Good Heart Bad” by Jaco Early

• “Abba” by John Mark Pantana

• “Cinderella” by Steven Curtis Chapman

• “Like My Father” by Jax

• “My Father’s Crown” by Charlie Peacock

• “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” by Chris Rice - dedicated by myself to my grandfather Omar Brubaker

Thank you to those who contributed, and to anyone who read this far or spends any time with the playlist. I hope you get the chance to track down some of these artists, and check out more of their work. Happy Father’s Day!

Grace and peace, to all of us … Ben D.

Small People, Small Tunes is part of Small People, Small Things. To receive notifications for this content, please be sure you’re subscribed to the SP,STunes “Section” of SP,SThings. All SP,SThings subscribers are now subscribed to SP,STunes, but if you prefer to focus on other SP,SThings content, you’re welcome to deselect SP,STunes via these instructions.

Small People, Small Things is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

Subscribe now

Music has been a companion to me just about all of my life. It's been one of the main ways God has carried and accompanied me, through a lot of heaviness and much good as well. I don't know where I'd be without it. And now I'm trying to be more intentional in sharing it.

The name Small People, Small Tunes is a play on the title of the Substack I started a few months ago, Small People, Small Things. I wonder sometimes if both names comes across as belittling or condescending, but please know that neither are meant to be in the least demeaning. Instead, both are meant to value humanity and modesty in how we approach life and faith, and in what we do and make, and to shine a little light on those embody this way of being in the world and in God’s kingdom.

A big part of the motivation behind Small People, Small Tunes in particular is to promote and encourage less publicized or "mainstream" artists. So the focus is firstlies (in the parlance of Tavin Dillard) on the incredible music being made by many indie Christian artists. But there will be some other great music shared as well. I'm not an across-the-board pop snob, and there’s a lot of excellent music which isn’t explicitly Christian.

I hope you’ll consider tracking with Small People, Small Tunes, and that you find some new songs and artists worth checking out along the way! Here on Substack, my goal is to regularly share playlists along with some additional notes/background, and eventually to work in some music reviews and interviews with artists as well.

By the way, the above is adapted from my initial post on the Small People, Small Tunes Instagram profile a few weeks ago. I hope you can connect with that Instagram profile if you care to, as I’m able to share songs from recent playlists and other content from artists on a daily basis. And every few days, you’ll be treated to my cinematographic short videos, such as the compelling example below from my first reel (tell me you couldn’t pull youself away).

Regardless, thank you for reading this far! As always, please feel free to share your own recommendations with me! I appreciate checking out new artists and music, and sometimes I’m even able to include them in upcoming playlists.

Grace and peace, to all of us ... Ben DeVries

Small People, Small Tunes is part of Small People, Small Things. Please be sure to subscribe to the Small People, Small Tunes section to receive this content. All SP,SThings subscribers are now subscribed to SP,STunes, but if you prefer to focus on other SP,SThings content, you’re welcome to deselect SP,STunes via these instructions.

Small People, Small Things is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!

Subscribe now

This tribute is a week late, but I’m grateful for the chance to thank my Mom, and other mother figures in my life, for their faithful prayer for me.

Prayer is often one of those “small things” we tend to struggle to find time for, and wonder if it’s really making an impact. This is all exacerbated when God doesn’t seem very responsive, and the person we’re praying for doesn’t seem as healed or changed as we’d hope, often over many months or even years (I count myself one of them). All of this makes these prayers in reality an incredibly significant act of generosity and faith.

I know some of you may not have had mother figures like this in your life, or ones you did have are no longer with you. I’m very sorry, if so. I hope and pray God brings a praying mom or friend into your life, and that he himself will be a mother to you in a special way.

You can watch the video reflection here.

Kids at risk

The following reflection relates to watching my own boys suffer in relatively minor ways, which makes me think of the much greater suffering of children, in our own country and around the world. I find myself asking again, how could anyone could possibly cause that suffering intentionally?

You can watch the video reflection here, as well as find a few links to advocates for children suffering here in the U.S. in our immigrant detention centers, as well as in parts of the world experiencing great violence, such as Ukraine and Gaza. We know children are also suffering and experiencing great need in many other places around the globe. Please feel free to share about any who are weighing on your heart.

Here is one short video from the BBC on the impact of Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian children:

A mothering spider, and a lonely pig

My 5-year-old son and I recently finished reading the classic children’s book “Charlotte’s Web” together, which was written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams (first published in 1952 by Harper & Brothers). There are a couple of very caring mother figures in the book, some emotionally honest descriptions of an at times lonely and insecure young pig, and some wonderful “children” who take Wilbur by surprise. I was quite touched in places, even having read the book before.

“Thank God for Moms” - a playlist

This playlist is a tribute to our moms, grandmas, and other mother figures, including songs lovingly dedicated by several friends and family (credits are listed here). Thank you for all you’ve done and all you mean to us, even when you’re no longer with us. I’m not sure where we would be without you.

I know some of you have not always had the best mother figures. And I know there are many who would love to be moms, but who haven’t had the chance. I’m sorry, and can imagine you understandably feel different things on a day like today. If there are songs which speak to those hurts, please feel free to share them.

Other recent playlists include:

• “Oldies but Goodies,” made up of submissions from friends and family of songs which were meaningful to them in the past and still stick with them today.

• “David Danced,” a collection of dance songs, which you can hopefully nod your head and tap your feet along to.

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others?

Grace and peace, to all of us …

Special places have been on my mind recently. And with Earth Day being celebrated a few days ago, I thought I would use a video reflection to offer a little window into one of the places which has been most special to me over the last 15-plus years.

Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve, including its trailhead for the Des Plaines River Trail, in the northeastern corner of Illinois is definitely my favorite spot in nature, and has been a profound godsend to me. Aside from its natural beauty and peacefulness, God has met me there so many times, helping me become aware of his presence and love, even when I (commonly) didn’t deserve it, and sometimes even helping me give voice to my own prayers and longings which are often hard to articulate.

You can watch the video here, as well as find links to a few references in it.

People care, and creature care

I’d love to introduce you to Angela Townsend, one of the kindest and most uplifting people you could hope to know, and a most gentle advocate for the hurting and disadvantaged, whether human or animal. I met Angela Townsend by way of an online Christian animal advocacy initiative which I was involved with some years ago, and we reconnected 4 years ago through a mutual concern for the people of Ukraine who were (and still are) being brutally attacked by Russia.

Every weekday, Angela posts a brief but ever so hopeful and encouraging personal reflection, along with a beautiful photo often of nature or cats, on her Instagram profile “fullyalivebythegrace”. I highly recommend following her there, for your own soul support! And here are a few lines from Angela’s entry today, including her signature sign-off:

Never underestimate your calling. …

… The words of encouragement you speak may be the turning point in someone's year.

… Your warm hand may hold the hopes a neighbor lost long ago.

… You are a main character in the mending of the world. …

… Let’s keep praying for each other, for Ukraine, and for the whole wide family.

God loves you and so do I!

Angela is also Development Director, for nearly 20 years now, at Tabby’s Place, whose mission is to rescue “cats from hopeless situations,” and to “embrace the neediest cats regardless of age, most medical issues, or temperament … . Most of our cats go on to be adopted; but those who aren’t find a loving home for life at Tabby’s Place.”

Angela writes inspiringly and with her typical affection about Tabby’s Place, and some of the lucky residents there, in a wonderful article posted at Catster.com (“Where No Cat is Hopeless: Inside Tabby’s Place, the Sanctuary Saving Forgotten Felines”). She notes about two of those residents:

Best buddies Berry and Peabody will frolic at your feet, inviting you to their next adventure. Berry was born with spina bifida, and Peabody scarcely survived being struck by a car. But at Tabby’s Place, the boys are inseparable and unstoppable, with a future as bright as the sunbeams that tickle their faces.

Thank you, Angela, for all you do to serve God’s children and creatures alike. And thank you for how you model the love, grace, and care of our heavenly Father.

Mini review - “WALL-E”

I watched “WALL-E” (Disney Pixar, 2008) again recently with my wife and boys (it was our 5-year-old’s first time watching it), and was reminded of how beautiful and often tender a film it is. Who knew a robot could bring a tear to your eye? This time around, I also realized how powerful a cautionary tale it is, in the age of rapidly expanding robotics and artificial intelligence.

I posted a brief (under 3 min.) review/recommendation of the film here. I hope you get a chance to watch it, and more importantly the film itself, whether again or for the first time (following is a trailer). And let’s take its caution to heart.

A little playlist - “Creation Sings”

I’m grateful to the many friends who suggested artists and/or songs to include in this playlist (you can find a list of credits here), which pays tribute to God’s creation and creatures in all their boundless diversity and beauty. What a gift they are, and what a responsibility to steward them well on God’s behalf. Anyway, thank you all for the great recommendations!

I also wanted to briefly spotlight “The National Park Series” (Orange Tree Productions) here, which mixes nature sounds from various Parks with soothing music. It’s been an instrumental balm to me for a decade now, and a handful of songs are included in the playlist. “The Sounds of Shenandoah,” “The Sounds of the Rockey Mountains,” and “The Blue Ridge Mountains” are great albums to start with, if interested in listening further. And if you’d prefer calming nature sounds without the music, I recently discovered wildlife sound recordist Andrew Skeoch as well, whose “The Blackbird Sings” closes out the playlist.

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others?

Grace and peace, to all of us …

Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve, including its trailhead for the Des Plaines River Trail, in the northeastern corner of Illinois has been a profound godsend to me. Aside from the natural beauty and peacefulness of this place, God has met me there so many times, helping me become aware of his presence and love and encouragement, even when I (commonly) didn’t deserve it, and sometimes even helping me give voice to my own prayers and longings which are often hard to articulate.

Do you have a place in nature which is especially meaningful for you, maybe even where you can meet with God more easily? If so, please feel free to share.

Here are some resources referenced in the video:

• Bible references include: Psalm 18:16 (I mistakenly reference Psalm 40 in the video), Psalm 23, Isaiah 41:13, John 14:26 (from the New International Version, 1984 or 2011), and Matthew 28:20 (from the New King James Version, 1982).

• Another Substack video post, in which I mention the “corner of the river” spot from two different perspectives.

I wasn’t sure I’d get a video reflection in last week, following Easter. I think I was dealing with some mental and maybe even creative fatigue, on top of the usual demands of life. But I managed to get one recorded on Sunday, in an atypical moment of relative stillness both inside and out.

You can find a bit more about the video, including the Psalm referenced and a mini playlist related to the theme, and watch it at this Substack post.

Standing together for No Kings

I had a great experience at our local No Kings 3 event on March 28, along with many others from our community standing against authoritarianism and for democracy. I never thought the former could gain such rapid ground, or the latter be so threatened, in the land of the free and the home of the brave until these recent months. But here we are, and all our voices are needed to speak loudly for our neighbors and for we the people’s ownership of our government (thank you to Heather Cox Richardson for impressing that value on me).

I finally recorded some thoughts on participating in my first polical protest, including: going on my own and feeling safe, comfortable conversations with a few folks I didn’t know, eventually making my way to the curbside, many passersby honking in solidarity and a small handful making clear their lack of solidarity, creative and often hilarious signs (few slogans remembered unfortunately), and appreciating standing as an evangelical Christian alongside many other demographics for democracy. I hope you’ll get a chance to watch the video at this Substack post.

Hungary as a model

This past Sunday, the people of Hungary came out in awe-inspiring droves to vote out the 16-year authoritarian regime of Viktor Orbán. This was a massive victory for democracy, not only in Hungary, but with global implications as well.

The following short videos provide helpful background on Orbán’s rule (not coincidentally under the thumb of Russia’s mob boss Vladimir Putin) serving as a model to the Trump administration (including Project 2025), and his impressive defeat at the hands of the people of Hungary and his former acolyte, and still conservative, Péter Magyar. Both videos point to the hope and encouragement for us in America to take a similar stand against our own authoritarian and corrupt government.

• Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger writes in the caption to his YouTube video from 4/15: “Peter Magyar surged to victory with a grassroots movement that bypassed traditional media and reshaped the political landscape.”

• Senator Chris Murphy wrote in the caption to his Instagram video from 4/13: “The people of Hungary chose democracy and the rule of law. As will happen here too. But only if we do our work, like they did.”

Found music, and an appeal for nostalgia

(URGENT) REQUEST - Before I get to this week’s set, do you have a favorite nostalgic song which you’d like me to include in an upcoming crowdsourced playlist, a song from your past which you keep coming back to in the present? If so, please see a few guidelines, and send me your song via comment or DM! I’m still collecting contributions up until next weekend.

My latest playlist includes artists or projects which landed on my radar in the past year. They’re new to me, and I’m grateful to have discovered them. You can find a few notes on the playlist at this Substack post, including an unexpected fiddler and a song which can’t help but make dry bones dance. I very much hope you can check a few of these artists out as well. Please let me know if you do, and please share your own discoveries!

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others?

Grace and peace, to all of us …

I hope to touch on that more soon. For now, I’ll just say that, sure enough, the usual Sunday malaise (briefly mentioned in the video) hit like a hammer later in the evening. The give and take of life …

Here are a couple of resources related the video:

• “Be still, and know that I am God” is from Psalm 46:10 (NIV ‘11), and the entire Psalm is worth a read, both personally and with respect to this broader moment of national and international insecurity.

• A few songs came to mind as I was thinking about this reflection, and I included them in a mini Spotify playlist. I hope to expand on it some day, if I get the chance to mull over the “be still” theme some more.

My personal Holy Week didn’t get off to the best start, as I found myself in a pretty major funk, which unfortunately is a more common experience of late. But I pulled out one of my favorite Christmas music playlists as I worked Monday morning, and began the crawl back to a more level place. This struck me as a bit out of place this particular week, and a natural prompt for a video reflection.

It also seems in line with my usual inability to look the passion of Jesus head-on, including during Holy Week. After recording the video, it even struck me that I was more preoccupied with describing my own self-focus and weakness, while appropriate and definitely related, than on the anguish and pain which Jesus himself went through … case in point. But somehow Jesus’ love and sacrifice are large and persistent enough to encompass even this.

You can watch the video, and find a related resource, at this Substack post.

Hearing from Others - On Holy Week

Hear are a few Substack Articles with meaningul insights on Jesus’ passion and resurrection, and how the Holy Spirit continues to weave these boundless realities into our lives:

• “Maundy Thursday: When Love Costs Everything,” by Dawn Pulgine, who writes:

  And while He is crushed under that weight, His closest friends sleep. He asks them to stay awake, to watch, to pray, and they cannot. It is easy to shake our heads at that until we recognize how often we do the same. We grow numb to the very things that should undo us. We choose comfort over vigilance, distraction over devotion, and in doing so, we reveal just how little we understand the weight of what Christ is carrying.

• “Unprepared for Holy Week,” by Courtney Ellis. She writes:

  In Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott writes that “when everything starts going wrong all at once, it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born.” There are spiritual realities at work all around, and as the church turns its attention toward the gift of the Resurrection—renewal, rebirth, miracles, life eternal—it makes sense that all the other principalities and powers would start to go a little berserk.

  Anything to disrupt. Anything to distract.

• “Resurrection, Unfiltered,” by my friend Michelle Van Loon. Reflecting on Jesus’ resurrected appearance to two initially unaware disciples on the road to Emmaus, Michelle writes:

  God will use all kinds of methods to remove those filters from our eyes including a jolt of revelation, suffering, our willingness to hear the stories of those on the margins of our society and give attention to the theology and experiences of those from other church traditions and cultures. To see the resurrected Jesus more clearly will change the way we see and relate to the world he loves.

A Little Playlist or Two - The Passion and Victory of Jesus

Some years back, I began collecting songs in a special playlist for Holy Week. I shared many of those, along with some fresh discoveries, in two parts this week. The first part, shared on Maundy Thursday, focuses on the Passion of Jesus from Gethsemane through Good Friday.

Of note, the final song in this playlist is a touching instrumental solo brass rendition of “Were You There”, composed by Phillip Keveren. In part, it’s a tribute to our recently retired Pastor Bruc, who closed many Good Friday services with his own moving rendition of “Were You There” on harmonica and a capella. You can find just a bit more about this playlist at this Substack post.

The second part celebrates Easter and the hope of the Christ’s resurrection. It was shared yesterday evening on Holy Saturday, a day when we’re ideally waiting in the period between Jesus’ violent death and his glorious coming back to life. Some Holy Saturdays (and many other days), life has a way of reminding us all on its own of this already, but not yet tension. But I wanted the playlist to be available for Sunday morning, and you can find a bit more about it at this Substack post.

Most importantly, I wish you and your loved ones a very happy and hope-filled Easter, and the days to follow … He is risen!

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others? Grace and peace, to all of us …

It also seems in line with my usual inability to look the Passion of Jesus head-on, including during Holy Week. After recording the video, it even struck me that I was more preoccupied with describing my own self-focus and weakness, while appropriate and definitely related, than on the anguish and pain which Jesus himself went through … case in point. But somehow Jesus’ love and sacrifice are large and persistent enough to encompass even this.

resources related to the video:

• “The Passion of Jesus” music playlist which I mention can be found at this Substack post.

• Karen Swallow Prior’s Substack post yesterday, “In the Beginning, It Was Not Good,” touches on the natural uncomfortability with calling Good Friday “good”.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the daily news feed - the constant onslaught of encroaching authoritarianism, power and resource grabs by a small group of “elites,” and the dehumanization and cruelty being inflicted on our neighbors here in the U.S. and around the world? I know I do, and earlier this week I recorded a personal reflection, or perhaps more of a venting session, on that burden and exhaustion.

I don’t have any quick solutions to offer, unfortunately. Personally, I don’t want to walk away from an awareness of what’s going, or to drop the responsibility I feel for doing something about it, however insignificant that ends up being. But I also sense God nudging me that He doesn’t want me to carry this burden alone, or to be flooded by information and worry and responsibility. It’s hard to turn ultimate responsibility for all things to be well over to Him.

You can watch the video at this Substack post, as well as find links to a few resources referenced in it, including two Articles featured just below.

On Limitations, and Grace

I happened to come across two very honest and meaningful Substack articles within the past couple of weeks on how limitations can impact our lives, and how God’s love and grace persist even so, despite and through them:

• “Remember That You Are Dust: A Short Lenten Reflection” by Sterling Ray is a poignant reflection on living with chronic illness, and carrying the burden of friends’ suffering as well: “I am reminded that I do not remember my human weakness alone, but that (God) also remembers it. He knows the short reach of my arm and the small power of my will. He knows the frailty with which we stumble through this bitter and beautiful world. He remembers that we are dust.”

• “The Gift You Didn’t Ask For: On the Subtle Blessings of Aging” by Leslie Corley (Strovas), a friend for many years now, is a thoughtful and gently challenging reflection on the limitations of growing older and facing reduced emotional capacity: “And then, gradually, I started hitting walls. / Not failure, exactly. Something far more subtle than that. It showed up in a body that needed more time to recover from intense exercise or illness, more downtime, and more sleep. It was there in an emotional bandwidth whose previous spaciousness and flexibility diminished into a desperate need for regular silence and solitude.”

Please consider subscribing to both of these worthy authors. I know it would be an encouragement to both of them, as it is to all of us.

The Call to Notice

I’m excited to share the artwork of my friend Erika Loftis, which always brightens my day when it crosses my social feed! Erika and I met during college at Moody Bible Inst., and despite living in very different spots of the globe since then, she’s been one of the most encouraging friends I’ve had. Erika currently makes her home in Australia with her husband Chad and four kids, where she teaches and helps coordinate the creation of art with both students and adults, including at her church.

As mentioned, Erika’s encouragememt is reflected in her artwork as well: it’s colorful and playful, and carries a lot of attention for the people and things directly in front of her, and a great deal of heart in general. Here are a couple of examples from Erika’s artwork profile on Instagram (used with permission), along with her own captions:

“‘Look Mom!’ One of my favourite parts of parenting is the call to notice. Notice little flowers, snails, cool rocks. I love the things they see and want to share with me.”

“This painting has been years in the making. There are layers barely visible. Layers that start maybe even two years ago, when we first returned to living (in) Melbourne. Layers that were hard and sad and lonely, and then there were layers of adjusting and playing and fun, and then the final layers. The final layers of finishing a year, and starting a new one. While finishing this rose, I learned about the death of a little boy we knew in Thailand … and so I built in some tears as well as I prayed and grieved for his family.”

I hope you’ll give Erika a follow on Instagram. She has artwork and prints available for sale, which she highlights in various posts. You can also message Erika through her profile for more information, or to propose a custom piece!

A Little Playlist - Resistance & Hope

This week’s playlist, which I shared heading into the third No Kings Day, is themed around resistace and hope. Speaking of, I had a wonderful experience at our local No Kings event yesterday, my first, and would love to share more about that soon.

I hope this playlist is a decent mix of motivation to resist mounting authoritarianism and dehumanization, and also hope to persevere and depend on the only One who can sustain our hope. I know I need both. You can find a couple of notes on the list at this Substack post, including a nod to Phil Larson who gave me the idea.

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others? Grace and peace, to all of us …

I don’t have any quick solutions to offer, unfortunately. Personally, I don’t want to walk away from an awareness of what’s going, or to drop the responsibility I feel for doing something about it, however insignificant that ends up being. But I also sense God nudging me that He doesn’t want me to carry this burden alone, or to be flooded by information and worry and responsibility. It’s hard to turn ultimate responsibility for all things to be well over to Him.

Here are the resources referenced in the video:

• “Remember That You Are Dust” by Sterling Ray (Substack article)

• “The Gift You Didn’t Ask For” by Leslie Strovas (Substack article)

• “Let it Fall” by Over the Rhine, from their 2014 Christmas album Blood Oranges in the Snow

• Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV ‘11)

Have you ever walked by a spot you used to spend time in, whether recently or in the more distant past, and in your mind’s eye saw your former self in that place? Did specific memories, or maybe an atmosphere, come back to you of what you were experiencing at the time, for better or worse?

And in those moments, have you ever unexpectedly had an image, however brief, of Jesus sitting or walking alongside you in those memories? It comes to me occasionally as a gift, especially when I need a reminder that I wasn’t alone then, and I’m not alone now in what I’m currently going through. I need to keep more of a lookout for these glimmers of awareness …

You can watch (or just listen) to the video at this Substack post. And following is a photo from my original vantage point of the spot along the Des Plaines River which I mention (taken March ‘18).

Common Christians for Common Good

Here are a few rubber bullet points on the “now or never" urgency for each of us to stand up for our democracy. However imperfect, it’s far better than the alternatives being pushed, which consistently value and protect the few over the whole of us.

• Former 6-term Republican Congressman and retired Air Force Colonel, Adam Kinzinger, who is also a Christian, is a trustworthy and steady voice worth following in these unsteady days (whether here on Substack, his YouTube channel, or Instagram profile, etc.). He wrote a highly recommended Substack essay this past week, “Don’t Lose Heart: A Blueprint for Staying in the Fight,” in which he makes a compelling case for the value of democracy, and provides motivation for overcoming discouragement and pushing back on the authoritarian barrage. Adam writes: “The whiplash of daily outrages, the flood of executive orders, the relentless assault on norms and institutions — this is not governing. It is a method. Chaos is the point. Overwhelm is the weapon. / … If we simply refuse to get discouraged and quit, we have already won half the battle. Not a small half. Half. … The other side is counting on our exhaustion. Don’t give it to them.”

• If you’ve been hearing about the “SAVE America Act,” and are wondering if it’s just a commonsense election safeguard or a thinly veiled voter suppression campaign, I highly recommend Marc Elias and Democracy Docket’s video (and related article) from last week which argues for the latter. Marc also suggests the bill won’t pass, but that the Trump administration will only continue to escalate its attack on free and fair elections going into this Fall’s midterm elections. Remember the lengths that Trump went to in in January, 2021, attempting to overturn a legitimate election. Let’s not embrace anxiety (myself included), but let’s be aware and help spread the word, let’s make it clear to our representatives that this cannot be tolerated, and let’s pray that God protects all of our right to vote and collectively determine who governs us.

• A reminder that the next “No Kings” nationwide event is this coming Saturday, March 28. I’ll be at my local event, and hope you’ll consider being part of this public, nonviolent demonstration of solidarity with democracy and the common good, over and against the rising tide of authoritarianism and oligarchical rule here in the U.S. and around globe. One of the handmade signs I’m considering is “This authoritarianism will not stand, man …”.

Beasts, Birds & Other Creatures

I hope to pick a theme back up which has appropriately dogged me throughout my life, though I’ve had many seasons when I didn’t pay as much attention to it as others, including recently. It’s the beauty and joy of encountering animals, and the reality of their inherent but often overlooked preciousness and vulnerability. Perhaps I’ll share more about my own history with this subject at some point, but for now here are a couple of more noteworthy resources to pass along:

• Sheila McEntee’s recent brief essay “Dignity in Death” is a great introduction to her Substack, and to her nature-themed writing in general, which has a very welcome personal touch and includes the recently published book Soul Friend and Other Love Notes to the Natural World, which I’ve appreciated reading of late. Sheila writes in the essay: “Wildlife, I feel, deserves dignity in death, like people do.”

• I enjoyed watching the following short video from Wisconsin’s own Badgerland Birding with my five-year-old son, and learned a few cool things about cardinals (who occasionally grace our yard) in the process!

Just a Little Playlist (or two)

Catching up on the last couple of playlists I’ve enjoyed putting together, I humbly present:

• “Spring” - This playlist theme seemed appropriate, with Daylight Savings Time and the first day of Spring both taking place these last two weeks. These are big days for me on the calendar, marking the hope that winter does in fact have an end date, despite most evidence to the contrary (seasonal affective seems to hit a little harder each year). Lyrics for the two hymns in this list are quite beautiful, “Morning Has Broken” and “O Blessed Spring”, and you can find them along with a few other highlights at this Substack post.

• “Warm Covers” - This playlist consists of nothing but covers, and some really cool ones at that, even the ones that feel like a warm blanket. Two of the more personally nostalgic songs in the list are Johnny Cash’s legendary cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”, which I covered myself (not quite so eloquently) a couple of decades ago, and King & Country’s nod to Michael W. Smith’s “Place in this World” (Smith even makes an appearance in the recording), which brought back a lot of the feels of being a young teen on the other side of the globe. A few more highlights are in this Substack post.

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share your own input or recommendations. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others? Grace and peace, to all of us …

I recorded a personal video earlier this week which is more of a short reflection than an official review of two noteworthy resources on calling, purpose, and work which I’ve taken in recently.

The first is Karen Swallow Prior’s book You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good & Beautiful (Brazos Press ‘25 - bakerpublishinggroup.co…), and the second is a recent episode of the Good Faith Podcast hosted by Curtis Chang: “Dave Evans: Designing and Living a Meaningful Life Now” (goodfaith.org/podcasts/…).

You can watch the video at the Substack post, as well as find a couple of additional thoughts which occurred to me after recording it.

Small Things Along the Way

One of those bonus reflections (free of charge) mentioned above relates to the Good Faith podcast’s reference to looking for encounters with wonder in the midst of the mundane. It occurred to me that I’ve actually done this on several weekday lunchtime walks recently, when in additional to benefitting from a few minutes of fresh air and off-and-on sunlight, I began looking for interesting closeup photos to take of the vegetation around the campus. There’s a beauty to it, even when uncultivated or before the landscaped plants come roaring fully back to life.

If interested, you can find more of these photos at my Instagram profile.

A Playlist in Honor of the Ladies

A week ago today was International Women’s Day. I’m deeply grateful for and indebted to all of the amazing women I’ve been lucky to have in my life. And it also seemed like a perfect day to recognize some of the incredible female vocalists/songwriters/musicians who are a gift to me, and to so many others. You can find a bit more about the playlist at the Substack note.

By the way, my wife Cheryl is not only one of those amazing women, but also a wonderful singer, musician, and songwriter in her own right. She’s not on Spotify, at least yet, but please enjoy the following recording of her beautiful rendition of “Be Still, My Soul” at Epikos Church in Milwaukee, around Spring of 2025:

Rest in Peace, Dr. Perkins

Dr. John M. Perkins, a deeply respected Christian minister and Civl Rights activist who influenced countless people over 60 years of service and advocacy, passed away this past week at the age of 95. I listened to the audiobook of his Let Justice Roll Down a few years ago during Black History Month, and was very struck by it. I hope to take in more of his writing soon.

The following short documentary from 2018, Redemption - The John M. Perkins Story (produced/directd by Greg Fromholz), is well worth your time:

Un-clicking Amazon

I’m done with Amazon, as much as I can be. I’ll share more soon hopefully about the reasons for boycotts in general, and of Amazon in particular, especially in this age of mega-business and its increasing complicity with authoritarianism. Both are decidely un-small in their values, and their depersonalizing impact on tens of millions of people.

For now, I’ll mention that I’ve replaced purchasing new audiobooks from Audible with Libro.fm, which is “a Social Purpose Corporation, Certified B Corp™, and 100% employee-owned.” I’m really liking my experience with Libro.fm so far, and below is a screenshot of the first few titles I’ve purchased through them. As an added bonus, Libro.fm is currently offering a promotion where you can get 2 extra audiobook credits when you sign up for a new credit-per-month membership.

Thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to share your own input or recommendations. And if you appreciated this newsletter at all, would you please consider sharing it with others? Grace and peace, to all of us.

Welcome to the first (and tentatively not last) Substack newsletter for Small People, Small Things. The theme of Small People, Small Things has been a meaningful one to me for most of my life. It’s spoken to me in different ways at different times, though not always fully understood or accepted (to this day).

Settling on the “right” name has always been key for me, when a creative and/or advocacy project seems to grab me. I imagine there’s some risk in Small People, Small Things sounding like it’s diminishing certain people, and devaluing their output and contributions to their community. To be clear, my hope is the exact opposite: to shine a soft spotlight on “smallness,” and honor it in its various incarnations.

(continue reading here, or you can listen to this post in the following audio bar)

“Have you ever been in a blustery day?”

As a first entry in the “Small Moments” category , this may be my first selfie reel ever, in which my 5-year-old son’s Winnie-the-Pooh reference (a proud dad moment) leads into some thoughts on my love for the classic stories by A. A. Milne, and especially their touching conclusion in “The House at Pooh Corner”.

An added bonus lies in clearly being witness to a rising video star and videographer in the making (apparently I squint a lot when trying to talk while tired) …

(you can watch the video here, where you can also find links in the comments section)

Some Thoughts on War

The following post and essay are well worth taking in1:

• From Benjamin R. Cremer’s post (published 3/3/26): “When a commander tells American troops that war with Iran is part of ‘God’s divine plan,’ that a sitting president is ‘anointed by Jesus’ to ignite Armegeddon, and when over a hundred complaints arise across dozens of units, including from believers themselves, both our theological and constitutional alarm bells need to be going off.”

• From Robert L. Arnold’s poignant essay “On Iran & 150 Dead Children,” published 3/1/26 (which you can also listen to): “We deserve leadership that understands history. Leadership that respects law. Leadership that weighs long-term consequences over short-term theater. Leadership that knows war is not branding and foreign policy is not performance. / We deserve better than improvisation in a region that is already soaked in blood.”

“Breathe a Little" (a playlist)

I had a chance to rest and recoup some a week ago, as my in-laws Louis and Laural graciously hosted us at their home in Arizona. I happened to hear Coldplay’s “Amazing Day” on a sunny day while my little guy and I were grabbing some lunch, and stumbled into a theme for my most recent music playlist.

(a few notes on this playlist can be found here; and for more on why I began sharing these playlists, please click here)

Thank you for reading, and as always please feel free to share any input or recommendations of your own!

Subscribe now