Month: October 2025

What If the Church Looked More Like Jesus?

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Churches, Christianity, Bible, Chaplaincy, Scriptures, Peace, All Faiths

“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” — Matthew 9:36

What if the church looked more like Jesus?
Not like a brand, a building, or a belief system, but like the living Christ who walked among the broken, the doubting, and the outcast.

When Jesus saw people hurting, He didn’t lecture them. He didn’t ask for credentials or moral records. He was moved with compassion. That’s the word the Gospels use over and over-compassion. Not fear, not suspicion, not superiority and not judging.

Somewhere along the way, the church began to lose that center. We became gatekeepers of grace instead of its messengers. We drew up statements of who’s welcome, who’s not, who’s “biblical” enough, who’s “repentant” enough—forgetting that none of us came to the table by merit.  There is no unforgivable sin.  

If the church truly looked like Jesus, it would not be known for who it excludes but for who it embraces. It would welcome the ones religion has turned away: the LGBTQ believer longing to belong, the divorced parent trying to rebuild, the doubter who still shows up to pray.

Jesus did not come to start a club for the clean. He came to build a home for the broken.

And that home still stands open.

When the church begins to look like Jesus again; when it chooses compassion over correctness, presence over pride, and grace over gatekeeping, it will rediscover its power. The world doesn’t need a louder church; it needs a kinder one. A church that sees people the way Jesus saw them: harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

To look like Jesus means to love without exception. To heal instead of divide. To feed the hungry, clothe the lonely, and lift the ones who’ve been told they don’t belong.

That’s not compromise; it’s the Gospel.

Prayer

Lord, help us to look like You.
Let our hearts be moved with compassion where there is judgment,
mercy where there is fear,
and welcome where there has been exclusion.
Make Your church a reflection of Your love. Amen.

Lessons from Kierkegaard

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Christianity, Kierkegaard, Peace
The Absurdity of Hope:

“Against all hope, Abraham believed.” — Romans 4:18

Søren Kierkegaard called faith “a leap into the absurd.” Not because it is irrational, but because it dares to believe when every rational reason has vanished. Hope, for Kierkegaard, is not optimism. It’s not wishful thinking or the naive belief that things will work out. Hope is absurd because it stands firm precisely when circumstances declare defeat.

Kierkegaard’s classic Fear and Trembling tells the story of Abraham, who believed God’s promise even as he prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. For Kierkegaard, Abraham’s faith is absurd, believing the impossible and choosing to have trust in God. In a world that says, “There’s no way forward,” faith whispers, “Nevertheless.”

True faith doesn’t rest on outcomes; it rests on the God who transcends them.

In the modern world, we often reduce hope to probability. We say things like, “I hope it works out,” as if hope depends on the odds. Kierkegaard challenges that. Hope rooted in God exists beyond the odds. It’s not a calculation, it’s an act of trust.

To hope in the face of despair is not denial; it is discipleship.

The cross is the ultimate symbol of absurd hope. The Son of God, crucified and yet, through that death, the world is redeemed. This is the pattern of Christian hope: life born from death, light from darkness, resurrection from the tomb.

Kierkegaard wrote, “Without risk, there is no faith.” Hope always risks disappointment. But that very risk is what makes hope holy.

For the chaplain, the caregiver and the believer hope often looks absurd. We stand with the dying and proclaim resurrection. We listen to the hopeless and speak of love. We pray for peace in a violent world. Yet it is in these moments that faith burns brightest.

Hope is not the denial of reality; it is the courage to believe that God’s reality runs deeper.

In closing, Kierkegaard teaches us that the absurdity of hope is not its weakness, it is strength. To hope absurdly is to live as Abraham lived, trusting God when the promise seems impossible.

“Faith is the highest passion in a human being. Many in every generation may not come that far, but none comes further.” — Søren Kierkegaard

When God Feels Silent: 

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Christianity, Chaplaincy, Scriptures

How to Find Faith in Doubt

“for we walk by faith, not by sight” 

-2 Corinthians 5:7  

As believers we have not seen proof of resurrection and glorification with their own eyes. However, Paul encourages us to live by faith and to confidently expect God to do what He promised in Christ.          

There are seasons in faith when God feels far away; when prayer seems to be forgotten and the comfort we once felt goes quiet. These are the moments when we start to ask: “Where are You, God?”

If you’ve ever felt this way, you are not alone. Even the saints and prophets knew the ache of divine silence. The Bible is full of people who wrestled with absence — and still chose to trust.

Silence Is Not Absence

When God feels silent, it’s easy to believe we’ve been abandoned. But silence does not mean absence.
Sometimes, God’s quiet is an invitation — a space where faith deepens beyond feelings.

Kierkegaard called faith a “leap into the absurd”  believing even when reason falters, trusting when proof is gone. That’s the essence of mature faith: not constant reassurance, but steady trust in the unseen. Faith involves a risk-taking element, as one must act without certainty of success or rational justification

God may be silent, but He is not still. The silence itself can become sacred ground, a place where we learn to listen differently, to sense His presence not in words but in the quiet strength that keeps us standing.

Faith Beyond Feelings

In the noise of our world, silence can feel like punishment. But sometimes, silence is where God whispers most clearly.
When answers don’t come, we can still cling to what we know of God’s heart, His goodness, His mercy, His faithfulness through every storm.

Faith is not the absence of doubt. It is the decision to trust even when we do not understand

Reflection

Are you walking through a silent season?
Instead of striving to hear something new, rest in what you already know: God’s love has not left you.
Sometimes the silence is where He strengthens your soul to stand on its own and not apart from Him, but deeper in Him.

I understand that faith isn’t always easy. If you’re struggling with silence, doubt, or distance from God, you don’t have to face it alone.

A chaplain can walk with you through the quiet places of faith to help you find peace, purpose, and hope in the midst of uncertainty.

How Chaplains Help People

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Spiritual, Chaplaincy, All Faiths

People of All Faiths (and No Faith)

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
 — 1 John 3:18

One of the most misunderstood parts of chaplaincy is the idea that a chaplain serves only people who share their faith. In reality, a chaplain’s calling is broader and deeper — to meet every person where they are, no matter their belief, background, or doubt.

Chaplains are not gatekeepers of religion; we are companions of the soul.
Our ministry is one of presence, compassion, and care which is freely offered to anyone who is hurting, searching, or simply human.

Meeting People Where They Are

In hospitals, workplaces, homes, schools, and communities, chaplains walk beside people from every walk of life.
We pray with those who believe and sit in silence with those who do not. We listen to stories of faith, fear, and grief without judgment or agenda.

A chaplain’s question is never, “What do you believe?”
It is always, “How are you doing — really?”

That question opens a sacred space. It says, “Your story matters. You matter. I am here for you. You are not alone. 

Love Without Barriers

Jesus often met people who stood outside the walls of religion:  the sick, the doubting, the outcast and He loved them first.
That is the model of chaplaincy: love without condition, care without boundaries, hope without any prerequisites.

The presence of love often speaks louder than the language of doctrine.

Reflection

Is there someone in your life who sees the world differently than you?

What would it look like to simply listen; not to persuade, but to understand?
That, too, is a form of ministry.

When we love without labels, we reflect the heart of God, who is the One who meets us all in grace.I serve people from all walks of life — believers, seekers, and skeptics alike.


My mission is simple: to offer spiritual care through compassion, presence, and understanding. To me, every story is sacred.

How to Find Peace in the Midst of Chaos

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Christianity, Chaplaincy, Peace

Find your Peace

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
 -Isaiah 26:3

Life doesn’t slow down when our hearts are weary. The bills still come, the phone still rings, and the world keeps going even when we’re overwhelmed. In moments like these, peace can feel impossible.

However, Scripture reminds us that peace is not the absence of noise, chaos, or conflict — it’s the quiet inner strength that holds us steady within it.

Peace Is Not a Place — It’s a Presence

Many people search for peace as though it’s a far off destination: “If I could just get past this month, then I can rest.”
But real peace isn’t found in control or escape. It’s found in presence, God’s presence, here and now.

The ancient Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means more than calm. It means wholeness, a sense of harmony that comes from trusting that God is near, even when life is chaotic. 

When everything feels uncertain, peace begins with remembering this simple truth:  God is here, you are not alone. 

Simple Practices for Finding Peace

Try these practices when life feels too heavy to carry alone:

  1. Pause and Breathe:  Take three deep breaths. Whisper a prayer like, “God, be my calm.”
  2. Gratitude:  Name one small thing you’re thankful for. Gratitude is a doorway to peace.
  3. Go Out in Nature: Going out in nature can include simple acts like taking a walk, sitting mindfully, gardening, or just stopping to smell the roses.
  4. Reach Out: You don’t have to face the storm alone. Share your burden with someone you trust and who will listen.

These are by no means quick fixes, they are simple tools to remind us that peace is not something we earn, but something we receive.

Reflection

Where in your life are you craving peace today?
Invite God into that space, not to make it disappear, but to fill it with His presence.
Peace doesn’t always change our circumstances, but it always changes us.

I walk beside people who are seeking peace in uncertain times. Whether you’re facing grief, stress, or spiritual weariness, a chaplain can help you rediscover stillness and hope.

Reach out today for a confidential conversation or prayer session.


“Helping hearts find peace in the storm.”

The Ministry of Presence:

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Chaplaincy, Scriptures

Why Just Showing Up Matters

“Be still, and know that I am God.”
 — Psalm 46:10

We live in a world that celebrates action; fixing problems, offering advice, filling silence with words. Yet some of the holiest moments in life are found not in doing, but in being present.

This is the heart of chaplaincy: the ministry of presence.
 It’s the quiet courage to sit with someone in pain, to stand beside them in uncertainty, or to wait with them in the in-between. It is the grace of simply showing. 

Presence Over Performance

In chaplaincy, we quickly learn that we cannot always make things better.
There are no perfect words when someone has lost a loved one, when a diagnosis changes everything, or when faith feels like it’s slipping away. But even when we cannot fix the situation, we can still be there.

Our presence tells the other person:

“You are not alone. I see you. I’m here.”

That simple act of being with someone quietly and faithfully speaks volumes. It’s how God’s love often moves through the world: through ordinary people showing up in extraordinary moments.

God’s Presence Through Us

The ministry of presence mirrors the heart of God.
When Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God,” it’s an invitation to trust that divine love is at work even in silence.
In our stillness — in our willingness to simply accompany — we create space for that love to be felt.

In those moments, presence itself becomes prayer.

Reflection

Who in your life needs your presence more than your words?
Maybe it’s a friend in grief, a family member in crisis, or someone who just needs a safe space to speak. You don’t need perfect answers — just a faithful heart willing to be there.

Sometimes, the holiest thing you can say is nothing at all.

In closing, I believe that God meets us most deeply through presence — not perfection. Whether you’re walking through grief, doubt, or transition, we are here to walk beside you with compassion, stillness, and hope.

What Does a Chaplain Really Do?

by Chaplain Joshua, posted in Chaplaincy, Scriptures

“The greatest ministry is sometimes just being there.”

When people hear the word chaplain, they often think of hospitals, soldiers, or hospice rooms. And while those are sacred spaces of chaplaincy, the truth is that a chaplain’s work reaches far beyond those walls. Chaplaincy is not about a specific place — it’s about a presence.

At its heart, a chaplain is a companion of the soul. We walk beside people through seasons of suffering, uncertainty, and change. We do not come to fix or to preach. We come to listen — to hold space for the stories, questions, and grief that don’t always fit neatly into the boxes of religion or psychology.

We stand at the crossroads of faith and humanity — not as judges or experts, but as witnesses. Sometimes that means saying a prayer; sometimes it means saying nothing at all. Presence itself becomes the prayer.

The Power of Presence

“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

— Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

In a world that rushes to solve, explain, or distract, chaplaincy offers stillness in a crazy world.
It says, “You are not alone. I am here with you. God is here too.”

The greatest ministry, after all, is not found in eloquent words or perfect answers — but in the quiet strength of being fully present with another soul.

Reflection

Take a moment today to notice where God might be inviting you to simply “be there” for someone.
It might be a phone call, a text, a visit — or a silent prayer.
Presence is often the holiest thing we can offer.

Chaplain Services

I believe in the healing power of compassionate presence. Whether you’re struggling with loss, doubt, or transition, a chaplain can help you find peace, hope, and spiritual grounding.

If you’d like to talk or request support, reach out for a confidential session.
Helping people find light in dark places — one soul at a time.