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What to do When You’re Unemployed Long-term

By Kevin M

One of my regular readers left a couple of comments on my Easter post, The Promise of Easter, that were deep enough in scope that I thought it best to respond to it with a full post rather than with just a comment. The subject of her question is just that important.

One thing before we get started: this is a BIG topic, so this will be a LONG post. Anyway…

“What about doing some research to see how folks are using their FAITH to deal with the recession – whether they have an income or don’t…How to not give up when you get tired of stressing over income generation and feeling something is wrong with you…?”

Angela has been dealing with the unemployment issue for at least three years. Most people see unemployment as mostly a statistic—one the government confidently and regularly reports is getting better. Those statistics, I believe, mask much bigger issues. The number of people who are chronically unemployed, or chronically underemployed, is well in the millions and the options for these people appear slim.

The real story on unemployment


Continue reading What to do When You’re Unemployed Long-term →

The Promise of Easter

By Kevin M

Most people in Western Civilization are familiar with the Christmas story of the Bible (Luke 2:8-14). It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re a believing Christian, a cultural Christian, a member of some other faith, or even an atheist or agnostic.

Perhaps it’s the magnitude of Christmas itself—since the holiday is almost universally celebrated and on a level that dwarfs every other, there’s some understanding that the birth of Jesus Christ is somewhere in the origin of the holiday.

But to the believing Christian, Easter is the most significant holiday. Christmas is, after all, about the birth of Jesus Christ–not that that’s an insignificant event in itself, but all of us have been born and we have various holidays that mark the birth of many significant people in history.

Easter isn’t a day to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ either—that’s Good Friday, a day long on prayer and solemn reflection and virtually absent festive celebration of any kind. No, Easter is different.

Easter is a holiday unique among all holidays

The significance of Easter to the believing Christian is that it’s the day that commemorates and celebrates Christianity’s most outrageous claim—that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Continue reading The Promise of Easter →

Who Do You Give Thanks to at Thanksgiving?

By Kevin M


In light of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re going to take a break from the regular fare of careers and money on this site. There are, after all, some things that are more important than money—and even careers! One of them is marked by this very holiday, but I think it often gets lost in the shuffle.

We’ll be sitting down to celebrate this holiday we call Thanksgiving, and what is it we will be thankful for? More specifically, who are we giving thanks to? Are we giving thanks to anyone?

The definition of “thanksgiving”

Maybe it would be best if we begin with a definition. Dictionary.com provides the following definitions of the term “thanksgiving” (little “t”):


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How can there be a God when there’s so much tragedy in the world?

PART 5 OF “OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GOD”

March 13, 2010

By Kevin M

“There are starving children in the world, so how can there be a God?”.

Have you ever heard that question, or a variation of it? Have you maybe wondered about it yourself?

If you’re not a believer, rest assured that even believers wrestle with this question. We see the same injustice and human misery that everyone else does, and yes, we struggle to come to terms with the existence of a loving God in the midst of it. But while as believers we may not fully understand what often looks from a human standpoint to be an apparent contradiction, we don’t allow it to be an obstacle to faith either.

That faith isn’t an abdication of rational thinking, but a willingness to accept some self-evident truths, including this one:

A true God does not exist to serve man


Continue reading How can there be a God when there’s so much tragedy in the world? →

Does Religion Really Cause War?

PART 4 OF “OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GOD”

December 16, 2009

By Kevin M

“More wars are started in the name of religion…”

This common refrain might be the favorite preserve of non-believers all over the planet, but it’s also living proof that if a lie is repeated enough times, it will be accepted as the truth. If you doubt this, start studying some non-religious books—like history books. There have been religious wars in history to be sure, but by far the most and the greatest of human conflicts had nothing to do with religion, or were only superficially religious in nature.


Continue reading Does Religion Really Cause War? →

“I Don’t Have a Specific Faith, I’m Spiritual”

PART 3 OF “OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GOD”

December 10, 2009

By Kevin M

Diversification is an imperative in the financial world, but maybe many of us have taken the liberty of extending its reach into faith as well. How many times during a discussion of faith do we hear a phrase along the lines of “I don’t have a specific faith, I’m spiritual”? Talk about hedging your bets! I believe there’s something, but I’m not sure it can be defined. It’s a thoughtful declaration if we’re looking to discuss faith without the risk of offending someone.

But isn’t that kind of “belief” really more about holding the barn door open so just about anything can wander in? I could be painting with too broad a brush here, but I’ve heard some Spiritualists pushing really deep into the gray zone. Some believe that all faiths contain some elements of truth but none represent the absolute truth, and some open the door even wider by declaring that there are no absolutes.

Spiritualists are virtually a faith category unto themselves. While they don’t ascribe to any single religious faith, they aren’t atheists or even agnostics either. While the atheist denies the existence of God, and the agnostic is a doubter, the Spiritualist does have some sense or awareness of a higher power. He just rejects traditional or conventional faith explanations as possibilities.

It’s my contention that Spiritualism, in its many forms, is the most common faith in Western Civilization, and maybe even the world.

New Age, or just another name for paganism?

Continue reading “I Don’t Have a Specific Faith, I’m Spiritual” →

Many Paths to the Same God

PART 2 of “OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GOD”

December 2, 2009

By Kevin M

We often hear people recite words to the effect of “I believe there are many paths to the same God.” Are you among them?

In the post-Christian era in which we now live, it’s become politically correct—even considered somehow socially responsible—to frame a discussion of the Creator in this manner. The presumption is that all faiths, all beliefs, what ever they may be, inevitably lead the believer to the One True God.


Continue reading Many Paths to the Same God →

But I Think God Is…

PART 1 of “OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GOD”

November 26, 2009

By Kevin M

Thanksgiving Day is a very appropriate day to launch the first post of the OutOfYourRut.com Faith Forum. It’s a day set aside in which we are to be thankful. But a relevant question today—in this largely secular era—is, to whom are we thankful? In the historical context, we all know what the answer to that question is, but what does it mean for us today?

Many argue that faith is personal, that it’s different for all people, and that we must respect people of all faiths, and even those of no faith at all. I agree on all counts. But in this forum, I will put forth my own set of personal beliefs—and those of anyone willing to add to the discussion—under the presumption that if you’re here reading this, you have at least some interest in matters of eternity.


Continue reading But I Think God Is… →