Tony Russell

  • The Cross: Cruel or Comforting?

    I occasionally walk the few blocks through town to go to a noon mass at the Catholic Church. It’s an old stone building sitting right in the middle of high rises, and modern structures. I am not catholic, but I love the sacred time and beautiful rituals. I look forward to arriving and seeing the…

    Tonyrussell

  • My Letter from An Atheist

    I heard a “ding ding” come from my iPad, which meant someone commented on one of my blogs. It was like a bell to a Pavlovian dog as I quickly went to read it! In case you haven’t noticed I have one very big “issue” and that is my desire to make people like me…A…

    Tonyrussell

  • Who is in Your Mirror?

    There I stood in front of the mirror at 16 years of age, and I could not see what everyone else seemed to be seeing. I stood there in only my gym shorts noticing every imperfection. I can picture that moment in my mind as if it happened yesterday. Everyone around me called me thin…

    Tonyrussell

  • Meet The Love of My Life

    I was merely 5 years old and we were on our way home from church when I announced from the back seat that I wanted to follow Jesus. I had to say it loudly, because my father had just bought a Chrysler that was the size of a bus! So the zipcode was different for…

    Tonyrussell

  • What The Hell?

    I was about to go to bed when my phone rang. At first I assumed one of my kids needed money, but then realized it was a friend. As a person surpasses the 50 year mark they stop sending late night calls to voicemail. “Hey man, how are you” he asks every single time with…

    Tonyrussell

  • When My Father Left and God Appeared

    I was sitting in the house that built me in my home state of West Virginia in October of 2016. My father’s health was failing after a stroke, and I had flown in from Washington with the anticipation of saying goodbye. My mother was in her chair of many years, which was right beside of…

    Tonyrussell

  • For Those Who are Lonely

    He took a deep breath, made sure his sandals were ready for the journey, and headed toward a small town called Bethany. There would be no party, turning water into wine, or laughter on this journey. He would walk a great distance to visit a group of people who were in mourning. During his journey…

    Tonyrussell

  • Do You Feel Broken?

    I was speaking to a beautiful and strong friend last night who has recently gone trough a difficult breakup. She loved him dearly and he told her that he loved her as well, and yet one day he walked away. And she said three words to me with a deep sadness in her voice. As…

    Tonyrussell

  • Is that God Speaking or is it Just Hormones, Gas, or Wishful Thinking?

    I was sitting in my office at The Bridge Community Church many years ago, and in walks a young man with a big question. He was old enough to have a “real job” but young enough to wear clothes that made him appear homeless! It was a question many Christians ask and that is, “What…

    Tonyrussell

  • How I Went from Pastor to Fitz in The Morning

    I was standing outside of Evergreen Ford in Issaquah, Washington in January of 2017. It was dark as I shivered and looked up at the snow and rain streaking in front of the huge lights, and uttered a simple prayer. It was one of those heart felt prayers of desperation. A Hail Mary if you…

    Tonyrussell