Matt Erickson

Just completed reading: Inheriting Paradise by Vigen Guroian πŸ“š

Just finished reading: The Idiot (Vintage Classics) by Fyodor Dostoevsky πŸ“š Not necessarily my favorite work by Dostoevsky but there are some wonderful portions within this book, including the wonderful line: “beauty will save the world.”

Enjoying the beauty of Door County, Wisconsin, as the colors change and leaves fall during the week.

Another day at the writing desk, rewriting a chapter and having conversations with authors and their books.

Doing research for the next round of manuscript rewrites for my book project. Thankful for good libraries nearby, like Marquette University’s Raynor Library and the Milwaukee County Library System,

Just finished reading aloud, with my wife, Kelly, Glowrushes by Roberto Piumini. What a beautiful book that was moving throughout. πŸ“š

Just finished the delightful The 13 Clocks by James Thurber πŸ“š

Currently reading: The Art of Being a Creature by Ragan Sutterfield πŸ“š

No filters on this photo of an amazing sunset last night.

“As Jesus walked this earth, living and working among all kinds and classes of people, he gave us the divine paradigm for conjugating all the verbs of our living.” - Richard J. Foster in Streams of Living Water

Love this photo from a trip out west this past year. Makes me want to enter that craggy cave path again.

When I draw near to the end of a sermon series, I share resources I utilized in my study and preparation for sermons. Here is the bibliography for our recent series, β€œGod’s Grace for an Imperfect Church: 1 Corinthians.”

Looking forward to getting our staff into Richard Foster’s classic book, Streams of Living Water, this coming ministry year (Aug-May). I loved this book when it first came out and am so thankful to work through it together with my team.

You Have Loved Us First - a poem by SΓΈren Kierkegaard

Found this while walking through a back alley in the Third Ward in Milwaukee this past weekend.

Bob was right…

Just finished reading: The Care of Souls by Harold L. Senkbeil πŸ“š What a wonderful book on pastoral ministry.

Caught the moon over Spider Lake before sunset up here at Fort Wilderness while on a walk last night. So beautiful.

So thankful to return to a favorite, beautiful place in northern Wisconsin at Fort Wilderness where I’ll teach for a weeklong family camp.

Currently reading: Hope Against Hope by Nadezhda Mandelstam πŸ“š

Just finished reading Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay πŸ“š

Working on a series of devotionals on community for ministry staff at a camp this summer, and enlisting these powerful voices to help bring their rich words along the way.

While on a hike recently, I came across this stunningly dense and channeled bark. I don’t know what it is about the curious rhythms and textures of tree bark that captivates me, but it does nonetheless.

Spent the morning talking with an old friend over coffee. It’s a gift to enjoy conversation with someone I’ve known for almost 20 years in different seasons and different places. So much wisdom on life comes from that longer perspective.

Does anyone have recommendations on musical renditions of Psalm 1 that you could point me toward? I am doing a series of teachings on that psalm and always find that music helps me remember the words. I’d like to be able to recommend something to others during this series. Thanks!