Meet Founder and Executive director of Cultivating Magazine (& The Cultivating Project), and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees," Lancia Smith. Lancia chose the song "Let Your Roots Go Deep," and wrote an essay about longing and holding on in places of "mending and rooting."

The post S5:E13 – A Tale of Two Trees: Lancia E. Smith, “Reaching for the Unseen” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet John Barnts, YouTuber, Bible translator, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees." John chose the song "Follow You Down" from the album, and wrote an essay tracing his personal journey of understanding suffering, not as something God does to us, but something we do with our wounded God.

The post S5:E12 – A Tale of Two Trees: John Barnts, “Downside Up” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet Jason Smith, story-gatherer, YA novel author (Fayborn Trilogy), and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees." Jason chose the song "When I Cried Out" from the album, and wrote a wonderful essay about a God who hears us, meets us, and works with us through every hard place.

The post S5:E11 – A Tale of Two Trees: Jason Smith, “The Power and the Pit” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet Steven Elmore, President of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, teacher, and essayist number four for "A Tale of Two Trees". Steven chose the song "Like a Lamb" from the album, and wrote an essay exploring the joyfully surprising love revealed by our crucified Lord Jesus.

The post S5:E10 – A Tale of Two Trees: Steven Elmore, “Sustained by Joy” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet Benjamin Holsteen, songwriter, PhD Candidate at St. Andrew's University, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees". Ben chose the song "How can we sing?" based on Psalm 137, and wrote an essay (that just made me cry) about the longing for home and trusting Jesus to get us there.

The post S5:E9 – A Tale of Two Trees – Benjamin Holsteen, “Sing an Exile’s Love Song” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet classical educator, author, and essayist for "A Tale of Two Trees", Heidi White. Heidi chose the album's title track and write a myth-intoned essay exploring the storied history of cross of Christ, and how only the crucified Lord can transform us and the world.

The post S5:E8 – A Tale of Two Trees: Heidi White, “Two Trees, One Cross” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

Meet visual artist, world traveler, and essayist number one for "A Tale of Two Trees", Emily Verdoorn. Emily chose the song "You Belong" from the album, and wrote an essay called "Rain" exploring a new kind of thirsty longing that often follows having tasted Living Water.

The post S5:E7 – A Tale of Two Trees: Emily Verdoorn, “Rain” appeared first on Matthew Clark.

I had a conversation this week about the need for encouragement, and how we often keep the good things we could say to each other to ourselves for a variety of reasons. They go unsaid. But no one can fill their own cup; we need to say the good things out loud to one another.

The post S5:E6 – Encouragement: Saying the Good Things appeared first on Matthew Clark.

A friend asked about how to deal with cynicism, and it's been on my mind since. What an important question. This week, I'm sharing some thoughts on that, and I'll close with a prayer.

The post S5:E5 – The (understandable) lie of cynicism, and the reality of hope appeared first on Matthew Clark.

So often, good things are made to feel bad. But the Lord is always redeeming words and ideas that have gotten muddied by bad experiences or deceit. This week, I'll share a recent occasion of that for me, and my friend Amy Malskeit will close us with a "Prayer for God's Nearness."

The post S5:E4 – I have a confession to make appeared first on Matthew Clark.