I've decided to try a new medium. I don't know what to call it. A lot longer than a blog post. Not quite an eBook. Really it's more like a manuscript. In it, you'll find four of the talks I've given over the last four years. You'll read common themes but also discover some new … Continue reading Jess Talks
Shalom and False Peace
It's a typical Saturday morning. I'm at a local coffee shop, sipping my espresso and enjoying some peace and quiet. I take out my books and my laptop, preparing to read and write. But someone doesn't get the memo. A few minutes into my peace and quiet, I hear a voice behind me say, … Continue reading Shalom and False Peace
The Stories We Tell
I believe we are, and we become, the stories we tell ourselves. The stories we tell ourselves are the sum of stories from God, our ancestors, environment, and our own life experience. I have believed since I was young that I was not athletic, not physically strong. I had scoliosis as a kid and later … Continue reading The Stories We Tell
Dinner with the Professor
"Do you speak Spanish?" The Latino professor asks, in between bites of deliciously fresh tacos. We are at an outdoor wedding reception in Santa Ana, California. He and his wife happen to be sharing a table with me and a white couple. The professor and I are in the middle of a lively conversation with … Continue reading Dinner with the Professor
The Welcome We Give
In our part of the United States, the world has come to work here at various tech companies and startups. Whether their transition is across the country, across the pond, or across the globe, each newcomer wonders, 'Will there be a home for me here? Will I belong?' Seattle does not have a good track … Continue reading The Welcome We Give
Lunch with the ‘Bros’
Sometimes, I feel like I'm on the show "Silicon Valley," the fictional HBO show about "bro" life at a startup. To be honest, I haven't watched the show. I feel like it would just be too painful and traumatic for me. A little too real. Like this lunch. I like to keep in touch with … Continue reading Lunch with the ‘Bros’
The Invisible in the City
I think the key difference in working downtown versus the suburbs is proximity. Buildings and structures are closer together; human beings physically share space. As I make the cold, wintry walk to my office, I walk alongside other commuters. I also pass by the homeless and marginalized on the street. One day, one man in … Continue reading The Invisible in the City
Hitting Pause
Six months ago, I left the company I worked at for ten years. Some days, I still wonder if it mattered I was there. I recall the hard days, the politics, the highs and lows of daily work. I remember trying hard to build relationships and friendships. But impact can fly - along with relationships. … Continue reading Hitting Pause
A New Spirituality
My son starts middle school this year. Being future oriented, I have been anticipating his first day of school since the last school year ended. Mostly I feel anxious and fearful of what lies ahead. I tell myself it's a necessary part of growing up. It occurs to me - he's not just entering a … Continue reading A New Spirituality
Crossing the Bridge to the Other Side
"PEOPLE don't like crossing the bridge to the other side. They stay on their side of the bridge, we stay on our side," advised a local pastor years ago, before we moved to Washington State's Puget Sound area. He added, "That's just the culture, the way things are around here." Why do people prefer their … Continue reading Crossing the Bridge to the Other Side
