<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
  <channel>
    <title>Christianity &amp;mdash; Dallineation</title>
    <link>https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity</link>
    <description>A personal weblog.</description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:09:15 +0000</pubDate>
    <image>
      <url>https://i.snap.as/Xmr1St6g.ico</url>
      <title>Christianity &amp;mdash; Dallineation</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>What Belongs to God</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/what-belongs-to-god?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[I wanted to share a quick thought from the Gospel reading and homily in last night&#39;s Catholic Mass. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;The Pharisees once asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15-21). Jesus responded by asking them whose image was on the Roman coin used to pay the taxes. They replied that the image was Caesar&#39;s. And Jesus said: &#34;Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;The Roman coin had the image of Caesar stamped upon it. Therefore, it belonged to Caesar.&#xA;&#xA;And whose image is &#34;stamped&#34; upon me? God made me in His image (Genesis 1:26). Therefore, I belong to Him.&#xA;&#xA;But, unlike Caesar, God does not force me. He lets me choose.&#xA;&#xA;Am I willing to give myself to the One whose image I bear? Am I willing to give myself to God?&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/what-belongs-to-god&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 179) #faith #Christianity ]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wanted to share a quick thought from the Gospel reading and homily in last night&#39;s Catholic Mass. </p>

<p>The Pharisees once asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15-21). Jesus responded by asking them whose image was on the Roman coin used to pay the taxes. They replied that the image was Caesar&#39;s. And Jesus said: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”</p>

<p>The Roman coin had the image of Caesar stamped upon it. Therefore, it belonged to Caesar.</p>

<p>And whose image is “stamped” upon me? God made me in His image (Genesis 1:26). Therefore, I belong to Him.</p>

<p>But, unlike Caesar, God does not force me. He lets me choose.</p>

<p>Am I willing to give myself to the One whose image I bear? Am I willing to give myself to God?</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/what-belongs-to-god">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 179) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/what-belongs-to-god</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2026 17:10:53 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Learning About the Catholic Approach to Prayer</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/learning-about-the-catholic-approach-to-prayer?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[I listened to a couple episodes of the Catholic Answers Live podcast on the topic of prayer and a few things stood out to me. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;I should preface these notes by saying I feel I have struggled with prayer most of my life, especially as I have gotten older. Latter-day Saints believe in praying &#34;from the heart,&#34; as in no written or rote prayers except in the case of prayers said when ordinances are performed.&#xA;&#xA;I know the form of prayer as taught in the LDS church, and I know what to say vocally in settings like church meetings when public prayer is expected.&#xA;&#xA;But personal prayer has been hard for me. Sometimes I am focused and the prayer is heartfelt. Most of the time my thoughts wander and I feel like I am mostly asking for what I want rather than truly praying to God.&#xA;&#xA;LDS tend to avoid saying rote prayers, especially repetitive prayers like the Rosary, which they would say is &#34;vain repetition.&#34; But w hen I came to see written prayers as merely hymns without music, I no longer had problems with them.&#xA;&#xA;And I have come to understand that repetition in prayer (the few times I have attempted saying a Rosary or when I say the Our Father at times during my day) can actually help draw my thoughts heavenward and keep my mind from wandering if I am intentional about it.&#xA;&#xA;It is not repetition, but vain repetition that is warned against in Matthew 6:7. Blabbing gibberish or repeating words for the sake of repetition without any thought or intention behind them is not good. Jesus is trying to teach us there that the sheer volume of words does not ensure that God hears us.&#xA;&#xA;Repeating prayers with purpose of heart and &#34;real intent,&#34; as Latter-day Saints would say, has precedence in the Bible.&#xA;&#xA;In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus prayed the same words multiple times in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:39)&#xA;&#xA;Many Psalms contain repetitive phrases.&#xA;&#xA;Revelation 4:8 speaks of four &#34;beasts&#34; (angels) and that &#34;they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.&#34; Probably one of the ultimate examples of how repetitive prayer, when done properly, is not in vain.&#xA;&#xA;What is appealing to me about Catholic prayer life is beautiful written prayers that demand my attention and reverence for God - especially if I am reading them aloud.&#xA;&#xA;So here are some thoughts on prayer from one perspective on the Catholic Answers Live podcast:&#xA;&#xA;Don&#39;t approach prayer as transactional.&#xA;&#xA;Don&#39;t try to &#34;fill&#34; the prayer with activity.&#xA;&#xA;Be more attentive to God - don&#39;t obsess over the prayer itself.&#xA;&#xA;There are three types of prayer:&#xA;&#xA;Vocal - this is where we start. The &#34;Our Father&#34; is prime example. Christ prayed vocally throughout his ministry, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross, etc.&#xA;Meditative - using the mind to focus intently on godly things&#xA;Contemplative - the height of prayer. Beyond speaking to or focusing on God, but spending time with Him.&#xA;&#xA;When doing vocal or meditative prayer, if you find yourself invited into contemplative prayer, don&#39;t worry about &#34;finishing&#34; the vocal or meditative prayer - contemplative prayer is the goal.&#xA;&#xA;All three types of prayer are important.&#xA;&#xA;We cannot pray at all times if we do not pray at specific times.&#xA;&#xA;Prayer is about giving God all of ourselves.&#xA;&#xA;How we pray and how we live are closely related.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/learning-about-the-catholic-approach-to-prayer&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 176) #faith #Christianity #prayer]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I listened to a couple episodes of the Catholic Answers Live podcast on the topic of prayer and a few things stood out to me. </p>

<p>I should preface these notes by saying I feel I have struggled with prayer most of my life, especially as I have gotten older. Latter-day Saints believe in praying “from the heart,” as in no written or rote prayers except in the case of prayers said when ordinances are performed.</p>

<p>I know the form of prayer as taught in the LDS church, and I know what to say vocally in settings like church meetings when public prayer is expected.</p>

<p>But personal prayer has been hard for me. Sometimes I am focused and the prayer is heartfelt. Most of the time my thoughts wander and I feel like I am mostly asking for what I want rather than truly <em>praying</em> to God.</p>

<p>LDS tend to avoid saying rote prayers, especially repetitive prayers like the Rosary, which they would say is “vain repetition.” But w hen I came to see written prayers as merely hymns without music, I no longer had problems with them.</p>

<p>And I have come to understand that repetition in prayer (the few times I have attempted saying a Rosary or when I say the Our Father at times during my day) can actually help draw my thoughts heavenward and keep my mind from wandering if I am intentional about it.</p>

<p>It is not repetition, but <em>vain</em> repetition that is warned against in Matthew 6:7. Blabbing gibberish or repeating words for the sake of repetition without any thought or intention behind them is not good. Jesus is trying to teach us there that the sheer volume of words does not ensure that God hears us.</p>

<p>Repeating prayers with purpose of heart and “real intent,” as Latter-day Saints would say, has precedence in the Bible.</p>

<p>In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus prayed the same words multiple times in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:39)</p>

<p>Many Psalms contain repetitive phrases.</p>

<p>Revelation 4:8 speaks of four “beasts” (angels) and that “they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Probably one of the ultimate examples of how repetitive prayer, when done properly, is <em>not</em> in vain.</p>

<p>What is appealing to me about Catholic prayer life is beautiful written prayers that demand my attention and reverence for God – especially if I am reading them aloud.</p>

<p>So here are some thoughts on prayer from one perspective on the Catholic Answers Live podcast:</p>

<p>Don&#39;t approach prayer as transactional.</p>

<p>Don&#39;t try to “fill” the prayer with activity.</p>

<p>Be more attentive to God – don&#39;t obsess over the prayer itself.</p>

<p>There are three types of prayer:</p>
<ul><li><strong>Vocal</strong> – this is where we start. The “Our Father” is prime example. Christ prayed vocally throughout his ministry, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Meditative</strong> – using the mind to focus intently on godly things</li>
<li><strong>Contemplative</strong> – the height of prayer. Beyond speaking to or focusing on God, but spending time with Him.</li></ul>

<p>When doing vocal or meditative prayer, if you find yourself invited into contemplative prayer, don&#39;t worry about “finishing” the vocal or meditative prayer – contemplative prayer is the goal.</p>

<p>All three types of prayer are important.</p>

<p>We cannot pray at all times if we do not pray at specific times.</p>

<p>Prayer is about giving God all of ourselves.</p>

<p>How we pray and how we live are closely related.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/learning-about-the-catholic-approach-to-prayer">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 176) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:prayer" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">prayer</span></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/learning-about-the-catholic-approach-to-prayer</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:37:34 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Forgiveness of Sins</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/forgiveness-of-sins?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[In my deep study of both Catholicism and Mormonism over the past year or so, one question that seems to keep coming up is: how can I know when I have been forgiven of sins? !--more--&#xA;&#xA;Latter-day Saints believe that we can know we have been forgiven of our sins when we have truly repented and we feel peace and joy through the Holy Ghost. Forgiveness comes only after repentance. (Repentance is a whole other topic in and of itself, perhaps for another blog post.)&#xA;&#xA;With Catholics, repentance is also a factor in forgiveness, but they also have the Sacrament of Reconciliation - confessing your sins to a priest and the priest pronouncing your absolution. The priest himself is not the one doing the forgiving, but he is acting on behalf of Jesus Christ and represents the Church.&#xA;&#xA;The struggle I&#39;m having with the LDS view is whether feelings of peace and joy are a reliable sign that you have indeed been forgiven of sins. Can you feel like you&#39;ve been forgiven when you really haven&#39;t? How can you know for sure? LDS bishops and stake presidents do not have the authority to forgive sins. They can counsel with you, give advice, and tell you they think you have sufficiently repented and been forgiven, but they don&#39;t know for sure. It is ultimately between you and God.&#xA;&#xA;The certainty of the Catholic approach is appealing to me. They believe the passage in John 20:19-23 is clear evidence that Jesus Christ gave his apostles authority to forgive sins. Specifically verse 23: &#34;If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.&#34; (NRSVCE) They believe the apostles gave that same authority to bishops, who gave that authority to priests, and so on down through the ages.&#xA;&#xA;So, as a Catholic, if you have sincere sorrow for your sins and desire to turn away from them, give a verbal confession of grave sins to a priest, perform a penance assigned by the priest, and receive absolution from the priest in the name of Christ, you can have certainty that you are - in that moment - forgiven, regardless of whether you personally feel peace and joy or not.&#xA;&#xA;Can Reconciliation be abused? Sure. But the LDS model can, too.&#xA;&#xA;I think any believing, practicing Catholic or Latter-day Saint who is sincerely seeking to follow Jesus Christ would tell you that intentionally committing a sin with the idea that you will repent later is wrong. But it happens among members of both churches.&#xA;&#xA;But the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation seems to me like a better model with clearer feedback as to your standing with God. Regardless of whether or not you feel forgiven, you are forgiven. You can know that you are starting with a clean slate in that moment.&#xA;&#xA;Whereas with the LDS model, you must hope and trust that you are forgiven even when you don&#39;t feel peace and joy through the Holy Spirit. Or you could be suffering tremendous guilt and anxiety for a sin for which you have indeed been forgiven because you still don&#39;t feel like you have been forgiven. Or you could feel peace and joy and assume it means you have been forgiven when you actually have not been.&#xA;&#xA;Some sins can take a long time, even a lifetime of work to overcome. There is space in each tradition to acknowledge and accommodate this. Regardless of either church&#39;s doctrine and practice, I believe that God knows us. He knows our heart, and He takes all our desires and circumstances into account.&#xA;&#xA;The underlying question for me on this topic and in my investigation over the past year is: which church can best help me to become more like Jesus Christ? That&#39;s a question I am still actively wrestling with.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/forgiveness-of-sins&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 172) #faith #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In my deep study of both Catholicism and Mormonism over the past year or so, one question that seems to keep coming up is: how can I know when I have been forgiven of sins? </p>

<p>Latter-day Saints believe that we can know we have been forgiven of our sins when we have truly repented and we feel peace and joy through the Holy Ghost. Forgiveness comes only after repentance. (Repentance is a whole other topic in and of itself, perhaps for another blog post.)</p>

<p>With Catholics, repentance is also a factor in forgiveness, but they also have the Sacrament of Reconciliation – confessing your sins to a priest and the priest pronouncing your absolution. The priest himself is not the one doing the forgiving, but he is acting on behalf of Jesus Christ and represents the Church.</p>

<p>The struggle I&#39;m having with the LDS view is whether feelings of peace and joy are a reliable sign that you have indeed been forgiven of sins. Can you feel like you&#39;ve been forgiven when you really haven&#39;t? How can you know for sure? LDS bishops and stake presidents do not have the authority to forgive sins. They can counsel with you, give advice, and tell you they think you have sufficiently repented and been forgiven, but they don&#39;t know for sure. It is ultimately between you and God.</p>

<p>The certainty of the Catholic approach is appealing to me. They believe the passage in John 20:19-23 is clear evidence that Jesus Christ gave his apostles authority to forgive sins. Specifically verse 23: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (NRSVCE) They believe the apostles gave that same authority to bishops, who gave that authority to priests, and so on down through the ages.</p>

<p>So, as a Catholic, if you have sincere sorrow for your sins and desire to turn away from them, give a verbal confession of grave sins to a priest, perform a penance assigned by the priest, and receive absolution from the priest in the name of Christ, you can have certainty that you are – in that moment – forgiven, regardless of whether you personally feel peace and joy or not.</p>

<p>Can Reconciliation be abused? Sure. But the LDS model can, too.</p>

<p>I think any believing, practicing Catholic or Latter-day Saint who is sincerely seeking to follow Jesus Christ would tell you that intentionally committing a sin with the idea that you will repent later is wrong. But it happens among members of both churches.</p>

<p>But the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation seems to me like a better model with clearer feedback as to your standing with God. Regardless of whether or not you feel forgiven, <em>you are forgiven</em>. You can know that you are starting with a clean slate in that moment.</p>

<p>Whereas with the LDS model, you must hope and trust that you are forgiven even when you don&#39;t feel peace and joy through the Holy Spirit. Or you could be suffering tremendous guilt and anxiety for a sin for which you have indeed been forgiven because you still don&#39;t <em>feel</em> like you have been forgiven. Or you could feel peace and joy and assume it means you have been forgiven when you actually have not been.</p>

<p>Some sins can take a long time, even a lifetime of work to overcome. There is space in each tradition to acknowledge and accommodate this. Regardless of either church&#39;s doctrine and practice, I believe that God knows us. He knows our heart, and He takes all our desires and circumstances into account.</p>

<p>The underlying question for me on this topic and in my investigation over the past year is: which church can best help me to become more like Jesus Christ? That&#39;s a question I am still actively wrestling with.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/forgiveness-of-sins">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 172) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/forgiveness-of-sins</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:21:33 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>My First Catholic Mass by Myself</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/my-first-catholic-mass-by-myself?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[I have gone to Mass several times with my mother and step-father. But yesterday I attended my first Catholic Mass by myself. Here are my thoughts and observations. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;I decided to go to the Saturday 5pm Mass. Although I am not Catholic, I have learned enough to know that Saturday evening Mass satisifes the Catholic obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Sundays are complicated for me right now, as I am still attending Latter-day Saint meetings and the times for my ward overlap with the 10am Sunday Mass times at my local Catholic Parish.&#xA;&#xA;I wanted to go early. I was anxious and I wanted to have time to find my seat and settle down a bit - to direct my attention heavenward. I live only a five minute drive from the parish (what are the odds of that in Utah?). I left at 4:30pm.&#xA;&#xA;A small chorus of seven women along with two guitarists and one pianist were singing through some of the songs that I later learned would be sung during the Mass. It was lovely music and set a familiar tone, as I am used to prelude music being played before LDS sacrament meetings.&#xA;&#xA;The building was constructed in 2005, so while the nave (or what LDS would call the chapel where the pews and such are) is not very ornate like an older Catholic church might be, it feels like a sacred space and it is peaceful.&#xA;&#xA;I watched people come in and bow, genuflect, and/or make the sign of the cross before taking their seats. I recognized a couple of men who have been helping to teach the inquiry and pre-catechumen classes I have been attending at the parish. Oh yeah...I should probably write a post about that development, haha.&#xA;&#xA;Before the services, a woman made some announcements. At one point she was interrupted by loud feedback from the sound system as mics were turned on - I just cringed with everyone else and smiled as I have lost track of how many times we have had sound issues in LDS sacrament meetings.&#xA;&#xA;The Mass was lovely. I noticed the priest sang - or chanted as it is probably more accurate to say - certain parts of the mass, and the congregation would sing in reply. This is different from the Masses I have attended before. &#xA;&#xA;Although I didn&#39;t always know what to say or sing at many points during the service, I followed a long as best I could. I am hoping that, as I get used to the form of the Mass and how things work, I will be able to pay more attention to the spiritual aspect.&#xA;&#xA;The officiating priest this time was the priest from the Newman Center up at the university. He gave a lovely homily on sacrifice - how everything we have is from God and how we should sacrifice or offer a little of that back. And that when we do, God turns around and makes something amazing out of what we offer. He likened it to the Holy Eucharist - how, as Catholics affirm, during the Mass, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We offer the bread and wine, and God makes something amazing out of it. He asked us to consider &#34;what am I offering?&#34; I have been reflecting on that.&#xA;&#xA;There were several opportunities for the congregation to sing during the Mass, and they had hymn numbers posted and hymnals. This is also something I wasn&#39;t used to - the main parish my parents attend is very large and rather than hymnals, they have screens that show lyrics for the songs. It was nice to be able to see notes so I could more easily follow along with the music. But I noticed that while I was trying to read the music, I wasn&#39;t paying attention to what was happening at the altar. Not everyone was singing, I suspect, for that reason. They were observing what was happening at the altar.&#xA;&#xA;There were people of all ages and various ethnicitities. Lots of elderly folks, but there were also middle-age people like me, and a few families with young children. I expect Sunday Mass has the most in attendance - I hope to experience one of those soon.&#xA;&#xA;Another thing I noticed: I didn&#39;t see a single smartphone. I saw people reading from physical copies of missals and hymn books and such. There might have been a few phones out, but I didn&#39;t see any. This is different from LDS meetings in my area where electronic devices are near ubiquitous. Speaking as one who has allowed myself to be distracted by my phone at church in the past, I decided before going to Mass that I would bring my phone but would not take it out once during the service. It was refreshing to see others doing the same.&#xA;&#xA;After Mass, the gentlemen who teach the inquiry class came up to me and said hello. We chatted briefly and then I went home.&#xA;&#xA;This was a big step for me. But I have been taking a lot of those lately.&#xA;&#xA;I went to Mass by myself for the first time, but I wasn&#39;t alone. I saw many people who wanted to be in the presence of Jesus Christ and worship together. I am glad I went.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/my-first-catholic-mass-by-myself&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 169) #faith #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have gone to Mass several times with my mother and step-father. But yesterday I attended my first Catholic Mass by myself. Here are my thoughts and observations. </p>

<p>I decided to go to the Saturday 5pm Mass. Although I am not Catholic, I have learned enough to know that Saturday evening Mass satisifes the Catholic obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Sundays are complicated for me right now, as I am still attending Latter-day Saint meetings and the times for my ward overlap with the 10am Sunday Mass times at my local Catholic Parish.</p>

<p>I wanted to go early. I was anxious and I wanted to have time to find my seat and settle down a bit – to direct my attention heavenward. I live only a five minute drive from the parish (what are the odds of that in Utah?). I left at 4:30pm.</p>

<p>A small chorus of seven women along with two guitarists and one pianist were singing through some of the songs that I later learned would be sung during the Mass. It was lovely music and set a familiar tone, as I am used to prelude music being played before LDS sacrament meetings.</p>

<p>The building was constructed in 2005, so while the nave (or what LDS would call the chapel where the pews and such are) is not very ornate like an older Catholic church might be, it feels like a sacred space and it is peaceful.</p>

<p>I watched people come in and bow, genuflect, and/or make the sign of the cross before taking their seats. I recognized a couple of men who have been helping to teach the inquiry and pre-catechumen classes I have been attending at the parish. Oh yeah...I should probably write a post about that development, haha.</p>

<p>Before the services, a woman made some announcements. At one point she was interrupted by loud feedback from the sound system as mics were turned on – I just cringed with everyone else and smiled as I have lost track of how many times we have had sound issues in LDS sacrament meetings.</p>

<p>The Mass was lovely. I noticed the priest sang – or chanted as it is probably more accurate to say – certain parts of the mass, and the congregation would sing in reply. This is different from the Masses I have attended before.</p>

<p>Although I didn&#39;t always know what to say or sing at many points during the service, I followed a long as best I could. I am hoping that, as I get used to the form of the Mass and how things work, I will be able to pay more attention to the spiritual aspect.</p>

<p>The officiating priest this time was the priest from the Newman Center up at the university. He gave a lovely homily on sacrifice – how everything we have is from God and how we should sacrifice or offer a little of that back. And that when we do, God turns around and makes something amazing out of what we offer. He likened it to the Holy Eucharist – how, as Catholics affirm, during the Mass, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We offer the bread and wine, and God makes something amazing out of it. He asked us to consider “what am I offering?” I have been reflecting on that.</p>

<p>There were several opportunities for the congregation to sing during the Mass, and they had hymn numbers posted and hymnals. This is also something I wasn&#39;t used to – the main parish my parents attend is very large and rather than hymnals, they have screens that show lyrics for the songs. It was nice to be able to see notes so I could more easily follow along with the music. But I noticed that while I was trying to read the music, I wasn&#39;t paying attention to what was happening at the altar. Not everyone was singing, I suspect, for that reason. They were observing what was happening at the altar.</p>

<p>There were people of all ages and various ethnicitities. Lots of elderly folks, but there were also middle-age people like me, and a few families with young children. I expect Sunday Mass has the most in attendance – I hope to experience one of those soon.</p>

<p>Another thing I noticed: I didn&#39;t see a single smartphone. I saw people reading from physical copies of missals and hymn books and such. There might have been a few phones out, but I didn&#39;t see any. This is different from LDS meetings in my area where electronic devices are near ubiquitous. Speaking as one who has allowed myself to be distracted by my phone at church in the past, I decided before going to Mass that I would bring my phone but would not take it out once during the service. It was refreshing to see others doing the same.</p>

<p>After Mass, the gentlemen who teach the inquiry class came up to me and said hello. We chatted briefly and then I went home.</p>

<p>This was a big step for me. But I have been taking a lot of those lately.</p>

<p>I went to Mass by myself for the first time, but I wasn&#39;t alone. I saw many people who wanted to be in the presence of Jesus Christ and worship together. I am glad I went.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/my-first-catholic-mass-by-myself">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 169) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/my-first-catholic-mass-by-myself</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2026 17:04:17 +0000</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Can religious liberty truly exist where other rights are trampled?</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/can-religious-liberty-truly-exist-where-other-rights-are-trampled?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Today I read a heartbreaking article about a Catholic nun who was arrested by ICE agents on Sunday while she walked to Mass in her habit in South Texas. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;Sister Leticia Ugboaja was released the next day, but only after parish officials posted her story on social media and it gained traction in the news, leading to intervention of members of the United States Congress on her behalf.&#xA;&#xA;ICE, of course, refuse to comment on the incident. But this is not the first time ICE agents have arrested someone who was in the very act of exercising their religious freedom. There are numerous accounts of ICE raids in and around places of worship. And who knows how many people who have been arrested in this manner may still be in ICE concentration camps without the intervention of members of Congress on their behalf.&#xA;&#xA;This story had me asking myself: can we truly have religious liberty in a country with a federal government that can and does infringe on other rights every day?&#xA;&#xA;On the last Sunday in May of this year (2026), congregations in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States had a special lesson on the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, with an emphasis on the importance of religious liberty.&#xA;&#xA;LDS Church leaders have also asked that all members engage in a special fast on Sunday July 5th, 2026 to &#34;express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;I believe this is indeed a worthwhile and good cause for a fast. But this call rings hollow for me because of the Church&#39;s near silence when it comes to attacks on other God-given, Constitutionally protected rights in the United States and elsewhere. If we believe, as the Founding Father did, that all our rights come from God, and that it is the duty of government to protect those rights, why does LDS church leadership not consistently speak out when any of those rights are infringed and declare the doctrine of Jesus Christ on such matters?&#xA;&#xA;This coming Sunday, I will be fasting not just for religious freedom, but for ALL our God-given rights to be protected from this madness. Because, religious liberty is really just liberty, and all rights are in need of protection.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/can-religious-liberty-truly-exist-where-other-rights-are-trampled&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 161) #faith #Christianity #politics]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today I read a heartbreaking <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna352374">article</a> about a Catholic nun who was arrested by ICE agents on Sunday while she walked to Mass in her habit in South Texas. </p>

<p>Sister Leticia Ugboaja was released the next day, but only after parish officials posted her story on social media and it gained traction in the news, leading to intervention of members of the United States Congress on her behalf.</p>

<p>ICE, of course, refuse to comment on the incident. But this is not the first time ICE agents have arrested someone who was in the very act of exercising their religious freedom. There are numerous accounts of ICE raids in and around places of worship. And who knows how many people who have been arrested in this manner may still be in ICE concentration camps without the intervention of members of Congress on their behalf.</p>

<p>This story had me asking myself: can we truly have religious liberty in a country with a federal government that can and does infringe on other rights every day?</p>

<p>On the last Sunday in May of this year (2026), congregations in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States had a special lesson on the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, with an emphasis on the importance of religious liberty.</p>

<p>LDS Church leaders have also asked that all members engage in a <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-invites-us-saints-to-participate-in-united-fast-of-gratitude-for-religious-liberty">special fast</a> on Sunday July 5th, 2026 to “express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world.”</p>

<p>I believe this is indeed a worthwhile and good cause for a fast. But this call rings hollow for me because of the Church&#39;s near silence when it comes to attacks on other God-given, Constitutionally protected rights in the United States and elsewhere. If we believe, as the Founding Father did, that all our rights come from God, and that it is the duty of government to protect those rights, why does LDS church leadership not consistently speak out when any of those rights are infringed and declare the doctrine of Jesus Christ on such matters?</p>

<p>This coming Sunday, I will be fasting not just for religious freedom, but for ALL our God-given rights to be protected from this madness. Because, religious liberty is really just liberty, and <em>all</em> rights are in need of protection.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/can-religious-liberty-truly-exist-where-other-rights-are-trampled">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 161) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:politics" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">politics</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/can-religious-liberty-truly-exist-where-other-rights-are-trampled</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:20:58 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Holy Places and Quiet Spaces</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/holy-places-and-quiet-spaces?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[I wish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had sacred indoor spaces where anyone could go to contemplate, pray, or just sit in peaceful silence. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;Sometimes I feel like I need to get out of my house an go to a place where my thoughts and intentions can be drawn to God and to holy things. To turn my attention to Jesus Christ. To be still.&#xA;&#xA;LDS meetinghouses are only open for worship on Sundays, and Sacrament meetings are crowded and focused on the ordinance of the Sacrament.&#xA;&#xA;LDS chapels (the main gathering rooms where we have Sacrament Meeting) are nice, but plain and functional. Little to no ornamentation, no religious art or imagery of any kind. And outside of Sacrament Meetings and other meetings like conferences or devotionals, LDS chapels sit closed to the public, dark, and vacant. Even on Sundays, you don&#39;t really see people quietly sitting in the chapel unless they are waiting for a meeting to start or a meeting has just ended. If there&#39;s not a meeting in the chapel, you are expected to be elsewhere.&#xA;&#xA;Instead, LDS are encouraged and expected to go to the temple during the week. Temples are different from meetinghouses. We go to temples to perform what we believe are sacred ordinances, first for ourselves, and thereafter on behalf of our ancestors and the deceased. We believe that through our participation in these ordinances, we enter into covenants with God that - as long as we remain faithful to them - qualify us for eventual exaltation in the hereafter (becoming like God and living with God and our families forever in the eternities).&#xA;&#xA;But you cannot go inside temples and participate in these ordinances unless you are a member of the church and have a Temple Recommend - proof that you have been interviewed by local church leaders and are deemed worthy to enter.&#xA;&#xA;And even if you have a Temple Recommend, you go to the temple to work and serve. You are either participating in ordinances or waiting to do so. Unless one is a temple worker (someone who has a calling or assignment to serve in the temple and assist temple patrons), one does not usually go to straight the Celestial Room (considered one of the holiest and most sacred rooms in the temple) if one wishes to just sit and pray and meditate.&#xA;&#xA;Maybe this is just due to my own misunderstanding of what is appropriate for a temple patron to do, but I would personally feel awkward entering the temple without the intention of participating in any proxy ordinances. To just be still and to think and to pray. I&#39;m not saying it is impossible to do these things during temple service, just that we&#39;re expected to be doing other things, as well.&#xA;&#xA;But again, only members of the church who have a Temple Recommend may enter the temple. For this reason, and because our chapels are not open during the week, many members and non-members alike go to the temple to walk the grounds. The beautiful temple building and well-manicured grounds are indeed a wonderful setting for meditation, reflection, and prayer. I have done this, myself. However, weather conditions are not always agreeable. And some days, the temple grounds can be bustling with activity and people when there are weddings (sealings) and such.&#xA;&#xA;A couple more things about temples. While the church has accelerated temple construction to provide easier access to as many members of the church as possible, there are still many members of the church who live more than an hour driving distance away from them.&#xA;&#xA;Temples are also closed on Sundays and Mondays, holidays, and for several weeks each year for cleaning.&#xA;&#xA;Sometimes going out in nature can also be a wonderful way to connect with God. I enjoy doing this. But weather conditions are a factor here, too, as well as travel time depending on how far away you want to get from...everything.&#xA;&#xA;We can and should learn to pray and contemplate and connect with God in our homes and, really, wherever we are. And I strive to do this, with much room for improvement. But sometimes I just want to get out of the house, away from my distractions, to a holy place with no other expectations of me than to just be. To be still and know that He is God.&#xA;&#xA;And this is one of the many things that draws me to Catholicism. Catholic churches are open to the public most days if not every day. Weather is not usually a factor. Many of them even hold daily Mass. I&#39;m sure they have events and things that need to be planned around, but if you just want to go sit in a holy, quiet place for a while and just be, there&#39;s a good chance you can. You don&#39;t even have to be Catholic. They don&#39;t check at the door.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/holy-places-and-quiet-spaces&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 160) #faith #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had sacred indoor spaces where anyone could go to contemplate, pray, or just sit in peaceful silence. </p>

<p>Sometimes I feel like I need to get out of my house an go to a place where my thoughts and intentions can be drawn to God and to holy things. To turn my attention to Jesus Christ. To be still.</p>

<p>LDS meetinghouses are only open for worship on Sundays, and Sacrament meetings are crowded and focused on the ordinance of the Sacrament.</p>

<p>LDS chapels (the main gathering rooms where we have Sacrament Meeting) are nice, but plain and functional. Little to no ornamentation, no religious art or imagery of any kind. And outside of Sacrament Meetings and other meetings like conferences or devotionals, LDS chapels sit closed to the public, dark, and vacant. Even on Sundays, you don&#39;t really see people quietly sitting in the chapel unless they are waiting for a meeting to start or a meeting has just ended. If there&#39;s not a meeting in the chapel, you are expected to be elsewhere.</p>

<p>Instead, LDS are encouraged and expected to go to the temple during the week. Temples are different from meetinghouses. We go to temples to perform what we believe are sacred ordinances, first for ourselves, and thereafter on behalf of our ancestors and the deceased. We believe that through our participation in these ordinances, we enter into covenants with God that – as long as we remain faithful to them – qualify us for eventual exaltation in the hereafter (becoming like God and living with God and our families forever in the eternities).</p>

<p>But you cannot go inside temples and participate in these ordinances unless you are a member of the church and have a Temple Recommend – proof that you have been interviewed by local church leaders and are deemed worthy to enter.</p>

<p>And even if you have a Temple Recommend, you go to the temple to work and serve. You are either participating in ordinances or waiting to do so. Unless one is a temple worker (someone who has a calling or assignment to serve in the temple and assist temple patrons), one does not usually go to straight the Celestial Room (considered one of the holiest and most sacred rooms in the temple) if one wishes to just sit and pray and meditate.</p>

<p>Maybe this is just due to my own misunderstanding of what is appropriate for a temple patron to do, but I would personally feel awkward entering the temple without the intention of participating in any proxy ordinances. To just be still and to think and to pray. I&#39;m not saying it is impossible to do these things during temple service, just that we&#39;re expected to be doing other things, as well.</p>

<p>But again, only members of the church who have a Temple Recommend may enter the temple. For this reason, and because our chapels are not open during the week, many members and non-members alike go to the temple to walk the grounds. The beautiful temple building and well-manicured grounds are indeed a wonderful setting for meditation, reflection, and prayer. I have done this, myself. However, weather conditions are not always agreeable. And some days, the temple grounds can be bustling with activity and people when there are weddings (sealings) and such.</p>

<p>A couple more things about temples. While the church has accelerated temple construction to provide easier access to as many members of the church as possible, there are still many members of the church who live more than an hour driving distance away from them.</p>

<p>Temples are also closed on Sundays and Mondays, holidays, and for several weeks each year for cleaning.</p>

<p>Sometimes going out in nature can also be a wonderful way to connect with God. I enjoy doing this. But weather conditions are a factor here, too, as well as travel time depending on how far away you want to get from...everything.</p>

<p>We can and should learn to pray and contemplate and connect with God in our homes and, really, wherever we are. And I strive to do this, with much room for improvement. But sometimes I just want to get out of the house, away from my distractions, to a holy place with no other expectations of me than to just <em>be</em>. To be still and know that He is God.</p>

<p>And this is one of the many things that draws me to Catholicism. Catholic churches are open to the public most days if not every day. Weather is not usually a factor. Many of them even hold daily Mass. I&#39;m sure they have events and things that need to be planned around, but if you just want to go sit in a holy, quiet place for a while and just <em>be</em>, there&#39;s a good chance you can. You don&#39;t even have to be Catholic. They don&#39;t check at the door.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/holy-places-and-quiet-spaces">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 160) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/holy-places-and-quiet-spaces</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 15:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Lent 2026 Day 37 - &#34;I know in whom I have trusted.&#34;</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-37-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[If your Lenten resolve has failed, know that you are not alone. This past week I have slipped back into pre-Lent habits and not done as much as I have been in the way of personal prayer, contemplation, and scripture study. This is mostly why I have not been keeping up with my Lent posts, but it also has to do with me returning to Twitch and streaming and engaging with other streamers and viewers. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;I think returning to Twitch has been a good thing, overall, as it has allowed me to reconnect with good friends I have made there and interact on some level socially with others. It has also reminded me how much I love and need music and enjoy sharing it with others.&#xA;&#xA;It&#39;s also been a good creative outlet, so I feel less of a need to use my blog for that purpose. But I know I need to find a good balance - all things in moderation.&#xA;&#xA;It would be easy to just throw up my hands and say &#34;what&#39;s the point?&#34; But I can&#39;t deny that I am in a better place with my faith now than before I started my Lenten observance. So it&#39;s been worth it.&#xA;&#xA;A favorite passage from the Book of Mormon comes to mind, sometimes called &#34;Nephi&#39;s Psalm,&#34; that I can relate to so much.&#xA;&#xA;  Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.&#xA;&#xA;  Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.&#xA;&#xA;  I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.&#xA;&#xA;  And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.&#xA;&#xA;  My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.&#xA;&#xA;  He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.&#xA;&#xA;  He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.&#xA;&#xA;  Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.&#xA;&#xA;  And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.&#xA;&#xA;  And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.&#xA;&#xA;  O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?&#xA;&#xA;  And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?&#xA;&#xA;  Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.&#xA;&#xA;  Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.&#xA;&#xA;  Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.&#xA;&#xA;  O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?&#xA;&#xA;  May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!&#xA;&#xA;  O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.&#xA;&#xA;  O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.&#xA;&#xA;  Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.&#xA;&#xA;I often read and reflect on this passage when I feel upset about my own failings and shortcomings - when I know that I still desire in my heart to be like Jesus but am forced to recognize how far short I am, and how much more I still need to change.&#xA;&#xA;Sometimes I despair. But then I hope. Because I trust in Jesus Christ. Because I know that God is still reaching for me and I can keep reaching for Him.&#xA;&#xA;&#34;I know in whom I have trusted.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-37-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 159) #faith #Lent #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If your Lenten resolve has failed, know that you are not alone. This past week I have slipped back into pre-Lent habits and not done as much as I have been in the way of personal prayer, contemplation, and scripture study. This is mostly why I have not been keeping up with my Lent posts, but it also has to do with me returning to Twitch and streaming and engaging with other streamers and viewers. </p>

<p>I think returning to Twitch has been a good thing, overall, as it has allowed me to reconnect with good friends I have made there and interact on some level socially with others. It has also reminded me how much I love and need music and enjoy sharing it with others.</p>

<p>It&#39;s also been a good creative outlet, so I feel less of a need to use my blog for that purpose. But I know I need to find a good balance – all things in moderation.</p>

<p>It would be easy to just throw up my hands and say “what&#39;s the point?” But I can&#39;t deny that I am in a better place with my faith now than before I started my Lenten observance. So it&#39;s been worth it.</p>

<p>A favorite passage from the Book of Mormon comes to mind, sometimes called “Nephi&#39;s Psalm,” that I can relate to so much.</p>

<blockquote><p>Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.</p>

<p>I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.</p>

<p>And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.</p>

<p>My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.</p>

<p>He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.</p>

<p>He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.</p>

<p>Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.</p>

<p>And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.</p>

<p>And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.</p>

<p>O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?</p>

<p>And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?</p>

<p>Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.</p>

<p>Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.</p>

<p>Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.</p>

<p>O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?</p>

<p>May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!</p>

<p>O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.</p>

<p>O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.</p>

<p>Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.</p></blockquote>

<p>I often read and reflect on this passage when I feel upset about my own failings and shortcomings – when I know that I still desire in my heart to be like Jesus but am forced to recognize how far short I am, and how much more I still need to change.</p>

<p>Sometimes I despair. But then I hope. Because I trust in Jesus Christ. Because I know that God is still reaching for me and I can keep reaching for Him.</p>

<p>“I know in whom I have trusted.”</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-37-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 159) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Lent" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Lent</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-37-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:25:30 +0000</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>Lent 2026 Day 30 - Good vs Good</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-30-good-vs-good?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[When we were children, we thought we had it all figured out. Life was about good vs evil. We wanted to be the &#34;good guys&#34; and to triumph over the &#34;bad guys.&#34; So all we had to do was learn the difference between the two, choose the good, and we&#39;d be all set, right? But as we grow up and work our way through adulthood, we come to realize that it&#39;s not that simple. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;As Terryl and Fiona Givens state in Chapter 2 of their book &#34;The Crucible of Doubt,&#34;&#xA;&#xA;  [T]he circumstances that define the reality of the human predicament are not a blatant choice between Good and Evil but a wrenching decision to be made between competing sets of Good.&#xA;&#xA;  ...&#xA;&#xA;  We feel unmoored if our religion fails to answer all our questions, if it does not resolve our anxious fears, if it does not tie up all loose ends. We want a script, and we find we stand before a blank canvas. We expect a road map, and we find we have only a compass.&#xA;&#xA;&#34;Unmoored&#34; is exactly what I felt like as I have examined my faith and encountered questions I couldn&#39;t find the answers to - or the answers I was expecting, anyway.&#xA;&#xA;But maybe true religion isn&#39;t supposed to give us conclusive answers to all our questions or make us feel warm and fuzzy all the time. Maybe it&#39;s meant to make us uncomfortable as we are compelled to examine our own hearts in light of what we do know about what Jesus Christ has taught us - and as we try to make sense of what we don&#39;t understand.&#xA;&#xA;This is nothing new. The New Testament is full of stories about the disciples of Christ being constantly made uncomfortable both by the teachings of Christ they understood and the teachings they didn&#39;t understand.&#xA;&#xA;So maybe the fact that I am wrestling with questions is not the bad thing I thought it was. Maybe it&#39;s the point.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-30-good-vs-good&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 157) #faith #Lent #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When we were children, we thought we had it all figured out. Life was about good vs evil. We wanted to be the “good guys” and to triumph over the “bad guys.” So all we had to do was learn the difference between the two, choose the good, and we&#39;d be all set, right? But as we grow up and work our way through adulthood, we come to realize that it&#39;s not that simple. </p>

<p>As Terryl and Fiona Givens state in Chapter 2 of their book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crucible-Doubt-Reflections-Quest-Faith/dp/1609079426">“The Crucible of Doubt,”</a></p>

<blockquote><p>[T]he circumstances that define the reality of the human predicament are not a blatant choice between Good and Evil but a wrenching decision to be made between competing sets of Good.</p>

<p>...</p>

<p>We feel unmoored if our religion fails to answer all our questions, if it does not resolve our anxious fears, if it does not tie up all loose ends. We want a script, and we find we stand before a blank canvas. We expect a road map, and we find we have only a compass.</p></blockquote>

<p>“Unmoored” is exactly what I felt like as I have examined my faith and encountered questions I couldn&#39;t find the answers to – or the answers I was expecting, anyway.</p>

<p>But maybe true religion isn&#39;t supposed to give us conclusive answers to all our questions or make us feel warm and fuzzy all the time. Maybe it&#39;s meant to make us uncomfortable as we are compelled to examine our own hearts in light of what we do know about what Jesus Christ has taught us – and as we try to make sense of what we don&#39;t understand.</p>

<p>This is nothing new. The New Testament is full of stories about the disciples of Christ being constantly made uncomfortable both by the teachings of Christ they understood and the teachings they didn&#39;t understand.</p>

<p>So maybe the fact that I am wrestling with questions is not the bad thing I thought it was. Maybe it&#39;s the point.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-30-good-vs-good">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 157) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Lent" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Lent</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-30-good-vs-good</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:55:07 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Lent 2026 Day 28 - Emotion and Reason</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-28-emotion-and-reason?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Earlier this Lenten season, I expressed some thoughts and questions I had about the influence of the Holy Spirit. Does He communicate with us through feelings? Thoughts? Reason? I think it&#39;s all of the above. Chapter 1 of the book &#34;The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith&#34; by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens helped me understand this.!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The Givens make the case that there are different ways of knowing. We can learn much through reason, but not everything. We can learn much through emotion, but not everything. Reason and emotion don&#39;t have to be mutually exclusive, nor should they be.&#xA;&#xA;They use art as an example. Reason tells us how a beautiful painting was created, but it cannot tell us what it means or how we are supposed to interpret or react to it.&#xA;&#xA;  In most of life’s greatest transactions, where the stakes are the highest, it is to the heart that we rightly turn, although not in utter isolation from the rational and reasonable. But whom to marry, when to discipline a child, when to let go of a dream, what sacrifices to make and promises to keep—these are decisions best made when emotion is moderated but not obliterated by reason, by logic, by “scientific” thinking. And these decisions are certainly made, not in the absence of truth, but in recognizing those very truths which logic and science may be powerless to detect. (&#34;The Crucible of Doubt,&#34; Chapter 1)&#xA;&#xA;I had begun to think that some past experiences where I believed I felt the influence of the Holy Spirit testifying of truth to my heart might have been just me feeling really good at the time. After the fact, it would be so easy for me  to rationalize them into irrelevance. But I cannot do that. Because if I am honest with myself, those experiences were more than just me being overly emotional. They were God communing with me. I know this because in those moments, I felt His love for me.&#xA;&#xA;  Do a camera, a DNA sequencer, and a full-spectrum lab report provide the truest, the richest account of who I am? Or do my spouse, my children, and my circle of friends? Love does not blur the reality behind the appearance. Love reveals reality. So why would we privilege scientific rationality over our intuitive, emotion-laden ways of perceiving truth? (&#34;The Crucible of Doubt,&#34; Chapter 1)&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-28-emotion-and-reason&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 155) #faith #Lent #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Earlier this Lenten season, I expressed some thoughts and questions I had about the <a href="https://write.as/dallin/lent-2026-day-9-feeling-the-spirit">influence of the Holy Spirit</a>. Does He communicate with us through feelings? Thoughts? Reason? I think it&#39;s all of the above. Chapter 1 of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crucible-Doubt-Reflections-Quest-Faith/dp/1609079426">“The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith”</a> by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens helped me understand this.</p>

<p>The Givens make the case that there are different ways of knowing. We can learn much through reason, but not everything. We can learn much through emotion, but not everything. Reason and emotion don&#39;t have to be mutually exclusive, nor should they be.</p>

<p>They use art as an example. Reason tells us how a beautiful painting was created, but it cannot tell us what it <em>means</em> or how we are supposed to interpret or react to it.</p>

<blockquote><p>In most of life’s greatest transactions, where the stakes are the highest, it is to the heart that we rightly turn, although not in utter isolation from the rational and reasonable. But whom to marry, when to discipline a child, when to let go of a dream, what sacrifices to make and promises to keep—these are decisions best made when emotion is moderated but not obliterated by reason, by logic, by “scientific” thinking. And these decisions are certainly made, not in the absence of truth, but in recognizing those very truths which logic and science may be powerless to detect. (“The Crucible of Doubt,” Chapter 1)</p></blockquote>

<p>I had begun to think that some past experiences where I believed I felt the influence of the Holy Spirit testifying of truth to my heart might have been just me feeling really good at the time. After the fact, it would be so easy for me  to rationalize them into irrelevance. But I cannot do that. Because if I am honest with myself, those experiences were more than just me being overly emotional. They were God communing with me. I know this because in those moments, I felt His love for me.</p>

<blockquote><p>Do a camera, a DNA sequencer, and a full-spectrum lab report provide the truest, the richest account of who I am? Or do my spouse, my children, and my circle of friends? Love does not blur the reality behind the appearance. Love reveals reality. So why would we privilege scientific rationality over our intuitive, emotion-laden ways of perceiving truth? (“The Crucible of Doubt,” Chapter 1)</p></blockquote>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-28-emotion-and-reason">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 155) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Lent" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Lent</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-day-28-emotion-and-reason</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:35:14 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title>Lent 2026 Days 26 &amp; 27 - Faulty Frameworks</title>
      <link>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-days-26-and-27-faulty-frameworks?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Sundays are often so busy for me that by the end of the day I&#39;m ready to crash (hence my lack of a post yesterday). But the past few Sundays, instead of feeling overwhelmed as I have every Sunday for the past five months, I&#39;ve felt gratitude and peace. So what changed? Mostly my perspective. !--more--&#xA;&#xA;Sundays are busy because I am serving as the First Counselor in my ward bishopric. I accepted this calling in the midst of a faith crisis as I allowed myself to question for the first time: &#34;what if it isn&#39;t true? And if it isn&#39;t, then what?&#34;&#xA;&#xA;At the same time, I began a deep study of Catholicism. I have always had a genuine interest in learning more about other faiths, but my curiosity soon became a serious investigation and consideration of potentially becoming Catholic, myself.&#xA;&#xA;This all began about six months ago, and my guiding mission statement at the outset was that I wanted to know God&#39;s will for me and to have the faith and courage to do it. So when I was called into the bishopric, I thought &#34;well maybe this is my answer&#34;. In retrospect, I believe it was, but until a few weeks ago I was struggling so much that I was seriously considering asking to be released.&#xA;&#xA;So what happened? The turning point was when I read the book I mentioned earlier called &#34;The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith&#34; by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens. But it&#39;s simplistic to say it was the book by itself that did it. I see now that my reading of the book was the culmination of a series of events that led me to being open and receptive to the concepts and ideas the book explains. And it resonated with me in a powerful way.&#xA;&#xA;That week I had been feeling particularly troubled and unsettled. I was praying, studying, pondering, and listening to podcasts throughout each day, as I had since the beginning of Lent (and really since before then). I had been listening to contemporary Christian music, as well, but then I discovered a vocal group whose music I can only describe as heavenly (VOCES8). As I listened to their music - and one song in particular that really resonated with me called &#34;Even When He Is Silent&#34; - I felt that I was finally reconnecting with God in a spiritual way after feeling disconnected for months.&#xA;&#xA;It was in this spiritually receptive state that I felt it was time to read &#34;The Crucible of Doubt,&#34; which has been recommended repeatedly by Latter-day Saints who had left and come back, or who had struggled with their faith. But it was out of print and I wasn&#39;t sure I wanted to spend $30+ dollars on a used physical copy, so I bought the Kindle version, not having high expectations. I had recently read another book by Terryl Givens called &#34;The Doors of Faith&#34; that didn&#39;t really click at the time (I plan to read that one again with fresh eyes), so my expectations were low.&#xA;&#xA;But, to my surprise, the book resonated with me so much that I read most of it in a day (not an impressive feat as it&#39;s a short book) rather than over several days. And more than once, the things I read hit me so powerfully that I had to stop and weep. The authors were telling me what God needed me to hear.&#xA;&#xA;And as I reflected on what I read, my perspective changed. I was reminded of the richness and beauty of Latter-day Saint theology, how inclusive it is, how hopeful it is. I learned more about how God works through imperfect people, that our church does not have a monopoly on truth, that goodness and truth can be found everywhere. And I came away understanding that there is room in the church for people who doubt, who question, who really don&#39;t know for themselves that some or any of it is true.&#xA;&#xA;But I also learned that sometimes, the very way we approach our quest for truth can be flawed and need adjusting. It can cause us to ask the wrong questions based on incorrect assumptions or to be completely oblivious to the questions we should be asking.&#xA;&#xA;In the introduction, the Givens write:&#xA;&#xA;  Various faulty conceptual frameworks, or paradigmatic pathogens, may undermine our spiritual immune systems and create an environment where the search for truth becomes all search and no truth, where we find ourselves “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” To be open to truth, we must invest in the effort to free ourselves from our own conditioning and expectations.&#xA;&#xA;When I first read that passage I thought &#34;that&#39;s me - ever learning about the LDS and Catholic faiths for the past six months, yet no closer to knowing the truth than when I started.&#34; I realized I needed to be open to the possibility that I was approaching my personal search for truth with flawed preconceptions. If there&#39;s one thing I had come to realize, even before reading this book, it was how little I actually knew about my own church&#39;s theology and history, let alone Catholicism.&#xA;&#xA;The introduction is a great foundation the rest of the book. It made me want to make an honest effort to look for and think outside my own faulty framework. I am reading it again, and in the next several blog posts I plan to discuss each chapter and what I learned from it.&#xA;&#xA;a href=&#34;https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-days-26-and-27-faulty-frameworks&#34;Discuss.../a&#xA;&#xA;#100DaysToOffload (No. 154) #faith #Lent #Christianity]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sundays are often so busy for me that by the end of the day I&#39;m ready to crash (hence my lack of a post yesterday). But the past few Sundays, instead of feeling overwhelmed as I have every Sunday for the past five months, I&#39;ve felt gratitude and peace. So what changed? Mostly my perspective. </p>

<p>Sundays are busy because I am serving as the First Counselor in my ward <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/bishop">bishopric</a>. I accepted this calling in the midst of a faith crisis as I allowed myself to question for the first time: “what if it isn&#39;t true? And if it isn&#39;t, then what?”</p>

<p>At the same time, I began a deep study of Catholicism. I have always had a genuine interest in learning more about other faiths, but my curiosity soon became a serious investigation and consideration of potentially becoming Catholic, myself.</p>

<p>This all began about six months ago, and my guiding mission statement at the outset was that I wanted to know God&#39;s will for me and to have the faith and courage to do it. So when I was called into the bishopric, I thought “well maybe this is my answer”. In retrospect, I believe it was, but until a few weeks ago I was struggling so much that I was seriously considering asking to be released.</p>

<p>So what happened? The turning point was when I read the book I mentioned earlier called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crucible-Doubt-Reflections-Quest-Faith/dp/1609079426">“The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith” by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens</a>. But it&#39;s simplistic to say it was the book by itself that did it. I see now that my reading of the book was the culmination of a series of events that led me to being open and receptive to the concepts and ideas the book explains. And it resonated with me in a powerful way.</p>

<p>That week I had been feeling particularly troubled and unsettled. I was praying, studying, pondering, and listening to podcasts throughout each day, as I had since the beginning of Lent (and really since before then). I had been listening to contemporary Christian music, as well, but then I discovered a vocal group whose music I can only describe as heavenly (VOCES8). As I listened to their music – and one song in particular that really resonated with me called <a href="https://write.as/dallin/lent-2026-day-13-even-when-he-is-silent">“Even When He Is Silent”</a> – I felt that I was finally reconnecting with God in a spiritual way after feeling disconnected for months.</p>

<p>It was in this spiritually receptive state that I felt it was time to read “The Crucible of Doubt,” which has been recommended repeatedly by Latter-day Saints who had left and come back, or who had struggled with their faith. But it was out of print and I wasn&#39;t sure I wanted to spend $30+ dollars on a used physical copy, so I bought the Kindle version, not having high expectations. I had recently read another book by Terryl Givens called “The Doors of Faith” that didn&#39;t really click at the time (I plan to read that one again with fresh eyes), so my expectations were low.</p>

<p>But, to my surprise, the book resonated with me so much that I read most of it in a day (not an impressive feat as it&#39;s a short book) rather than over several days. And more than once, the things I read hit me so powerfully that I had to stop and weep. The authors were telling me what God needed me to hear.</p>

<p>And as I reflected on what I read, my perspective changed. I was reminded of the richness and beauty of Latter-day Saint theology, how inclusive it is, how hopeful it is. I learned more about how God works through imperfect people, that our church does not have a monopoly on truth, that goodness and truth can be found everywhere. And I came away understanding that there is room in the church for people who doubt, who question, who really don&#39;t know for themselves that some or any of it is true.</p>

<p>But I also learned that sometimes, the very way we approach our quest for truth can be flawed and need adjusting. It can cause us to ask the wrong questions based on incorrect assumptions or to be completely oblivious to the questions we should be asking.</p>

<p>In the introduction, the Givens write:</p>

<blockquote><p>Various faulty conceptual frameworks, or paradigmatic pathogens, may undermine our spiritual immune systems and create an environment where the search for truth becomes all search and no truth, where we find ourselves “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” To be open to truth, we must invest in the effort to free ourselves from our own conditioning and expectations.</p></blockquote>

<p>When I first read that passage I thought “that&#39;s me – ever learning about the LDS and Catholic faiths for the past six months, yet no closer to knowing the truth than when I started.” I realized I needed to be open to the possibility that I was approaching my personal search for truth with flawed preconceptions. If there&#39;s one thing I had come to realize, even before reading this book, it was how little I actually knew about my own church&#39;s theology and history, let alone Catholicism.</p>

<p>The introduction is a great foundation the rest of the book. It made me want to make an honest effort to look for and think outside my own faulty framework. I am reading it again, and in the next several blog posts I plan to discuss each chapter and what I learned from it.</p>

<p><a href="https://remark.as/p/dallincrump.com/lent-2026-days-26-and-27-faulty-frameworks">Discuss...</a></p>

<p><a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:100DaysToOffload" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">100DaysToOffload</span></a> (No. 154) <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:faith" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">faith</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Lent" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Lent</span></a> <a href="https://dallincrump.com/tag:Christianity" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Christianity</span></a></p>
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      <guid>https://dallincrump.com/lent-2026-days-26-and-27-faulty-frameworks</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:52:17 +0000</pubDate>
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