Sally was kind enough to list me as one of the bloggers who make her think, and I am now posting a blog in response:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn’t fit your blog).

Here are five blogs that make me think:

The Dude Abides by Kathleen Falsani. I’ve enjoyed Kathleen’s writing since I moved Chicago last year. Her book, The God Factor, had just come out, and I read it and loved it. I also always catch her column is the Chicago Sun-Times. I love how she weaves together religion and faith with pop culture. For you nature lovers out there, Kathleen is in Montana working on a book, and she’s posting some fabulous pictures.

Sally of Eternal Echoes–I have a soft spot in my heart for Sally. I have clinical depression and have struggled with it for years while going through seminary, ordination and then on into ministry (sound familiar Sally?). She’s really inspiring me to start writing up my own experiences with depression. I plan on doing that once I have the book proposal on spiritual direction done. It’s also very obvious the influence her posts have on me as I am regularly referring you to her blog.

the merge, or as I know him Eric. Eric and I went to seminary together and worked together as well. We’ve been buds a long time. Eric is a church planter and has excellent posts on being a leader and planting churches. He also passes on great articles and resources when he finds them. But my favorite posts are about his daughter: she wants to be President one day. 🙂

Junia’s Daughter is Mother Laura’s blog. She is insisting on following her call to be a priest in the Catholic Church, and I have a great deal of respect for her. Sometimes it’s hard enough being an ordained minister in a tradition that has been ordaining women for 103 years (like the Church of the Nazarene, although for a time we forgot about our history of incredible women pastors, evangelists, and teachers), but to be doing what she’s doing in the Catholic Church just leaves me in awe. She always has thought provoking posts, and she has written some incredible stuff on redeeming the sexual abuse she endured. I probably should be referring you to her as often as I do to Sally!

Hugo Schwyzer who always makes me think whether I want to or not. Hugo covers everything from sports to teaching to feminism to men who are feminist, and always seems to be able to be theological about all of it.

I’m not going to “tag” anyone, but I’d love to know what blogs influence you the most. If you’re comfortable sharing with us, then please share!