One of the great things about a blog is that, after we the authors (that’d be Jason, Deb, and I) have shared our thoughts, you the reader have a chance to respond and add your voice to the conversation!

We encourage you, after reading any post in our blog, to review the comments that others have left (Click the “Show Comments” link under the post), and then to chime in using the “Add Comment” link.  When you do, you’ll be asked to share your name, your e-mail address, and your website in addition to your comment.  All of these are completely optional—you’re welcome to submit an anonymous comment if you wish.

When you click “Submit Comment,” I’ll get an e-mail notifying me of your submission.  Once I’ve taken a look at your comment (just to be sure it’s not spam), it (and your name, if you’ve included it) will appear under the appropriate post so that others can read your words when they visit the site.  Pretty cool, eh?

If you do include your e-mail address when you submit your comment, you’ll earn a couple of “perks”:

1. You’ll be added to the blog’s list of approved commenters: the next time you submit a comment, you won’t have to wait for me to approve it before it appears.  It’ll be all instant and magical-like.  ;-)
2. Your Gravatar, if you’ve chosen one, will automatically display beside your comment, so you (and others) can see at a glance which comments have come from you.

Note that only blog administrators have access to the e-mail address you submit with your comment; no one will e-mail you directly in response to anything you post here.

Oh—and by the way…  

Since our ministry is all about “wounded souls,” it’s only natural that many people who visit with us are experiencing some kind of pain, and are therefore feeling a little spiritually raw.  And folks who are feeling raw can often use stronger words than they otherwise would in dealing with other people.  (As one of my spiritual directors often reminds me, “hurt people hurt people.”)  So we ask that everyone who comments on the site—whether you’re a newbie or a frequent commenter—re-read your words with a loving eye before you click “Submit.”  The following guidelines may help.  (We’ve shamelessly lifted and gently modified them from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s delightful blog…. [Hi, Stephanie!])

1. Consider this blog our virtual living room. Welcome. Please act as you would in the home of a good friend.
2. The internet is made up of real people with real feelings that need respecting.
3. Everyone has a right to an opinion, even if it differs from ours. As long as you state your opinion without impinging on the right of another person to hold an opposite view and are respectful of them as people, you are fine.  (Stephanie provides a couple of great examples on this question….)

If you have any questions or concerns about commenting on our blog, please feel free to send us a plain ole e-mail.  We look forward to hearing from you!