Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Writer's Unusual Faith Journey
Exploring the twists, turns, and unexpected lessons that have shaped my walk with God and my writing.
Beginnings are hard.
I grew up in East Los Angeles, CA, and I’m proud of my roots. My culture has shaped me to be tough, unafraid, uncompromising, and decisive.
I’ve always stood out—whether on the streets of East LA or in the halls of seminary. As an unlikely seminarian and Christian, I don’t fit the mold of your typical mainstream believer.
While starting something new is never easy, I’ve realized that the most challenging beginnings lead to interesting and meaningful journeys—and that’s exactly why I’m here, launching this space now.
Why this, why now?
I’m launching this space because writing is both my ministry and my passion. It gives me the opportunity to add my voice to the evangelical conversation and allows for in-depth, personal exchanges with you—my readers. It’s intimate and unique, and I love that.
The inspiration to write came after several seminary professors and close personal friends encouraged me. They often said my writing was insightful and clear, but what truly sparked this journey was hearing how my words led them to love God with their minds. They shared how my writing helped them think more deeply about their faith.
Many approached me privately, sharing stories of their own struggles—battling uncertainty, adversity, sin, or even a faith that had grown cold. They told me I had a gift that needed to be shared, and that’s why we’re here together now.
This space is for us to share a journey—a conversation, a laugh, a cry, moments of pain or joy, or simply to reflect. My hope is that we can challenge, uplift, and encourage one another to live bold, fearless lives for Christ in a world that’s increasingly divided.
What kind of community are we building here?
I’m not just starting a newsletter—I’m building a community. I’m inviting you to engage with my thoughts, my worldview, and join in meaningful conversations. We won’t always agree 100%, but that’s the beauty of this space. We welcome independent thinking, critical reflection, and even respectful debate.
I love when people are well-read, articulate, and passionate about persuading me to see things from their point of view. Like any good relationship, this is a give-and-take. I’m not just a content creator, and you’re not simply a consumer. We’re partners in a mission to shift how we engage with culture, sharpen our thinking, and highlight compelling Christian perspectives.
Expectations
If you’ve read my About page, you know I’m juggling a lot—work, seminary, and life. I’m aiming to post once a week, though the exact day might vary depending on my workload and assignments. I’ll also write whenever something sparks my interest or when breaking news hits the evangelical world.
You may have already seen this on my About page, but I want to reiterate it here for clarity on free vs. paid subscriptions.
Becoming a subscriber won’t cost you a thing. Don’t believe me? Try it out! Click that tantalizing orange button (you know you want to) and see what happens. Will it ask you for a credit card? Nope. Will it be the best thing you’ve ever done? Well… I’d like to think so!
Why become a paid subscriber?
First off, you don’t have to! I’ll never ask you to pay for my content. If you receive an email encouraging you to become a paid subscriber, that's from the Substack platform—they get paid when authors get paid, so it makes sense. But please don’t feel any pressure to contribute financially.
Now, why might someone choose to become a paid subscriber? Simple: because they enjoy the content and want to support my work. Like-minded people often support causes they’re passionate about, and what’s more important than God? Those who see value in my writing, and believe it’s helpful or necessary in the larger evangelical conversation, often choose to amplify my voice by becoming a paid supporter.
Paid subscribers typically get access to:
More content
Behind-the-scenes commentary
Insightful academic and analytical research
Community discussions
Early notifications on events impacting Christianity and the evangelical church
Archived publications
Additional perks include:
Answers to questions
Personalized advice
Shout-outs
The ability to comment on all posts
What’s next?
I’m excited to bring you along on my publishing journey! I’ve written a book, currently in the editing phase, called Fed Up: Reclaiming Truth in an Age of Deception. It explores the tension between church and culture, emphasizing the need to reclaim biblical truth, increase biblical literacy, and uphold strong, godly leadership.
You’ll get sneak peeks into the editing process, updates along the way, and be the first to hear about the book launch. Once it’s published and available, I’ll announce it here—so stay tuned!