What I'm Working On and When You Can Read It

Upcoming Articles, What I'm Reading Right Now, and a Vocational Update

Self-portrait (of sorts); Chicago, September 2024 📸 Brady Goodwin

“You’re a writer? What do you write?”

Thus a fellow baseball dad asked me in the bleachers at my son’s game on Sunday. I was talking with a friend about my work here and a few other things I’m tinkering with. I was honestly taken aback by the question, and unprepared to respond. Except that’s exactly what I would have done if I overheard something similar in a stranger’s conversation. So I guess that should show me.

I stammered out a meek retort, “Yeah—I mean, it’s not my full-time job or anything. I have a Substack where I write mostly long-form essays. Stuff like that.” I immediately regretted not being more assertive.

“Cool, like memoirs and stuff?”

“Yeah, basically.”

I thought of the scene in Woody Allen’s 2011 film Midnight in Paris where Ernest Hemingway (played wonderfully by Corey Stoll) exhorts the protagonist Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) to courage as a writer:

“If you’re a writer, declare yourself the best writer! But you’re not, as long as I’m around. Unless you want to put on the gloves and settle it.”

I may not be the best writer (sorry Hemingway), but I could probably stand to be a bit more confident about what I’m doing here. So, a quick update on some things I’m working on, what I’m reading, and a recent vocational change in my life.

What’s In My Queue?

I was having coffee with my friend Jon Seidl the other day and he offered this helpful tidbit about one’s pace of writing and how that shapes publishing output. He said, “Find the pace that works for you, whether it’s every day, every week, every month, or otherwise.”

While I make it a point to write nearly every day, on the publishing front it seems that I’m falling into the “every month, or otherwise” category. And that’s okay. Last month, I published my longest and most personal essay I have shared to this point, “What Can Depression Teach Us?”, about my experiences with depression after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. The readership was greater than I expected, and the feedback an encouragement as I continue to refine what writing looks like for me day by day. As you have probably gathered, I trend toward longer, reflective essays. Writing like this takes time, and I’m a champion of the ‘low and slow’ approach. I’m always thinking about new ideas to write about, but it’s a different story how those ideas morph into a coherent, compelling piece of writing. In other words, I’m aiming for quality over quantity, and that’s kind of hard.

Currently, I’m working on a few pieces that I plan on sharing with you soon. The first, “Someday Soon Everything Will Change”, is a look at what happens when change comes, whether in our circumstances, relationships, or vocations. I’m planning on posting this next month.

The next, which I’m tentatively titling “I Have Three Degrees But Still Can’t Find My Keys” is a humorous look at what it’s like to be a (relatively) high-functioning person coming to terms with my own personal neurodivergence, as well as that of my children. My wife is a saint for living with the four of us and being the structure that keeps our family standing.

The final piece (title-less for now), will likely be a longer meditation on prayer and what it means to be spiritually and emotionally awake in a world that is more than happy to remain in a dormant, unseeing state. I have been thinking about this idea for many months, and am excited to explore it further. Look for these final two later in the Fall.

Lastly, I have started working on a novel that for now is called, “The Three Sons”. It’s the story of three brothers coming to terms with how their relationship with their father—a prominent, yet tragically flawed pastor—has influenced their lives, for good or ill. I really have no idea what to expect with this, but I’m excited about it. I may share excerpts here, but it’s probably a little early for that.

What I’m Reading

I always enjoy hearing what others are reading through, so maybe you are like that too. If so, here’s a look at what books I’m currently reading:

• The Power Broker, by Robert Caro

• Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men, by Lundy Bancroft

• Hula, by Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes

The most recent book I finished was Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan. Before that was Sourdough by Robin Sloan. Almost everyday I read The New York Times, and The Atlantic, as well as blogs by Christian authors/journalists operating in the church health/counseling/mental health fields. If you’ve got any good book or reading recommendations, let me know!

A Vocational Update

If you’re in my life on a personal level you already know this, but this summer I resigned from the pastoral position I held for the last twelve years to begin meeting with clients full-time at Restore Christian Counseling. In addition to offering counseling to individuals and married couples, I am also available for pastoral consultations for those navigating issues related to care in their ministry or non-profit setting.

This is an exciting move for me, but it has also required saying goodbye to many people I love, and taking a big leap into a new world as an entrepreneur (scary!). I am currently building a client base, so if you or someone you know would interested in my services, I’d love to hear from you. I am available for both in-person and video counseling.

Thanks for reading this update. Look for my next essay in the coming weeks. In the meantime, feel free to share Evensong with anyone and everyone. I appreciate it!