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Jen Bradbury
May 07 · 5 min read

Firstborn but not first

I recently received a message from a friend expressing excitement over the birth of my firstborn. To be honest, the word, firstborn, jarred me.

I am, indeed, expecting a Baby Girl in just a couple of weeks who – assuming all goes well - will be...

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#hope #church #youth worker #pregnancy #miscarriage #grief

Jen Bradbury
Apr 28 · 5 min read

The earthquake in Nepal

In my adulthood, there have been a number of devastating natural disasters that have ravaged our world including the tsunami in Indonesia and the typhoons in the Philippines. Each time, I've watched the scant news coverage, stunned by the horrific...

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#refugee #grief

Jen Bradbury
Apr 24 · 5 min read

Review: Snake Oil by Becca Stevens

Filed in Book Review and Book Review

I first heard Becca Stevens speak several years ago at the ELCA's Youth Ministry Extravaganza. That year, she also spoke at the ELCA's triennial Youth Gathering. I was intrigued by her work. She's an Episcopal priest who founded a non-profit, ...

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#books #conferences #Youth Gathering #environment #grief #hope #ELCA #love

Jen Bradbury
Feb 26 · 5 min read

Recent Reads: The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann

Filed in Recent Reads and Recent Reads


Prophetic Imagination

What the book's about: From Moses to Jesus, in The Prophetic Imagination, Walter Brueggemann highlights the prophetic vision found in Scripture and explores what it means for us today. 

Why I read this book: After a friend recommended this...

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#hope #justice #grief #Jesus #books

Jen Bradbury
Jan 23 · 5 min read

Recent Reads: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor

Filed in Recent Reads and Recent Reads

Altar In The World

What the book's about: An Altar in the World is, quite simply, about discovering God beyond the walls of the church. 

Why I read this book: After hearing people talk about the wisdom and beauty of Barbara Brown Taylor's writing for the...

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#vocation #Prayer #church #grief #books

Jen Bradbury
Jan 22 · 5 min read

Concerns about "Where I Belong"

It's January. That means that once again, it's time for K-Love's 30-Day Challenge – something I have some concerns about. In response to my concerns, today I'm continuing to critically evaluate some of the songs that...

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#music #culture of welcome #doubt #environment #justice #Jesus #Prayer #service projects #grief #hope

Jen Bradbury
Jan 20 · 5 min read

Learning to rejoice

My husband and I have a New Years Eve tradition wherein we ask each other a series of questions in order to reflect upon our year together. Rather than use a prescribed list of reflection questions, ours differ by the year in order to uniquely...

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#mentor #pregnancy #miscarriage #Missions #introvert #student leadership #youth worker #youth ministry #grief #Prayer

Jen Bradbury
Nov 21 · 5 min read

Review: Rare Bird by Anna Whiston-Donaldson

Filed in Book Review and Book Review

Rare Bird

Following my miscarriage last year, I searched high and low for books and in particular, for memoirs that would help me find my way through my grief. Though I stumbled upon a few gems like A Force of Will and An Exact Replica of a Figment of My...

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#hope #brave #miscarriage #grief #books

Jen Bradbury
Aug 20 · 5 min read

How to prepare for the fall

I snapped at my boss yesterday.

I realized it a few hours later and sent him an apology in which I also said, “I’m operating out of a place of depletion and stress right now.”

That’s not an excuse. It’s more a confession of my current reality.

At...

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#Sabbath #burnout #grief #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Dec 26 · 5 min read

"Most" Posts of 2013


Most Posts Today I'm linking up with Amongst Lovely Things to share some of my favorite posts from 2013. 

Post with the most clicks: Why I Submit,  a post I wrote for Rachel Held Evan's one-to-another link-up. This was a fun post for me to...

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#gratitude #story #church #miscarriage #grief #Missions

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Latest Posts

  • Firstborn but not first
  • The earthquake in Nepal
  • Review: Snake Oil by Becca Stevens
  • Recent Reads: The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann
  • Recent Reads: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor
  • Concerns about "Where I Belong"
  • Learning to rejoice
  • Review: Rare Bird by Anna Whiston-Donaldson
  • How to prepare for the fall
  • "Most" Posts of 2013

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