The Parliament Raven

The Parliament Raven Storyteller, Journeyman, Spiritual Coach, and host of The Parliament Raven podcast.

I explore faith, hidden history, and the search for truth through essays and reflections that challenge, inspire, and unravel Christianity with depth and wonder.

08/08/2026

Your Brain Is Always Training

What if temptation isn't just trying to make you sin, but trying to train your brain? The famous piano study showed that repetition, whether physical or even imagined, reshapes the brain, and Scripture has been pointing to that truth all along. The enemy doesn't just want your attention; he wants your patterns, because patterns become pathways, pathways become habits, and habits become character. The good news is that Jesus doesn't just forgive your failures, He renews your mind, rewires your thinking, and transforms you from the inside out. Every choice is training your brain, so the question is: what are you practicing today?

07/23/2026

Never Stop Raising Your Ceiling

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is this: if my ceiling becomes someone else's floor, then I have a responsibility to keep growing. That's why I'm always reading, studying, asking questions, and gathering material—because I want to have something meaningful to pass on. It's okay to appreciate how far you've come, but if you're called to lead, teach, or mentor others, growth can't stop with you. Keep raising your ceiling so the people coming behind you have a stronger foundation to stand on.

07/22/2026

Don't Erase Your Story

We spend a lot of time wishing we could rewrite our past, but the truth is our struggles are often the very things God uses to shape us. If I could go back and change everything, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

That doesn't mean every painful moment was good, but it does mean God doesn't waste any of it. James reminds us to count our trials as joy because they're producing something deeper in us, character, perseverance, and maturity.

Maybe the goal isn't escaping your story, but trusting God with how He's using it to form you.

07/21/2026

Capacity Before Calling

Success doesn't really change who you are, it just reveals more of who you've already become.

That's why God often spends more time building our character than opening the next door, because if our foundation can't carry the weight, eventually everything starts to crack. We've seen it happen too many times: people are elevated before they're ready, mistakes are made, and others get hurt in the process.

Don't chase a bigger platform; chase deeper growth, because your capacity today determines what you can faithfully carry tomorrow.

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07/19/2026

God Builds You Before He Promotes You

We love the idea of instant success, but God usually works a little differently. Before He hands us the assignment, He shapes our character, and David's story is one of the clearest examples of that.

David was anointed as a young shepherd, but he still had to walk through seasons as a servant, warrior, leader, and even a fugitive before he ever sat on the throne. Maybe the season you're in isn't a delay, maybe it's the training ground God is using to prepare you for what's next.

Trust the process, because God is often more interested in who you're becoming than how quickly you arrive.

07/18/2026

Sometimes we pray for the next door to open, but God is more interested in preparing us for what’s on the other side.

The waiting, the pressure, and the responsibility you’re carrying right now may not be signs that He’s forgotten you, they may be the very things shaping your character. Looking back, you might realize the greatest blessing wasn’t just the opportunity God gave you, but the person He transformed you into along the way.

So don’t waste this season. Every challenge is part of the journey, and every step is preparing you for what comes next.

07/17/2026

A Book You Should Wrestle With

I picked up PreacherNSneakers from a $5 bargain bin in 2023 …and it sparked a conversation many Christians avoid.

The book tackles Christian call-out culture, celebrity pastors, social media influence, and what it means to faithfully follow Jesus in a world obsessed with platforms and personalities. I don't agree with everything the author says and that's okay. (Also, Joel McHale wrote the intro that should count for a thing.)

Some of the best books aren't the ones that confirm your opinions; they're the ones that force you back to Scripture to think more deeply.

Have you read PreacherNSneakers? Would you recommend it, or did you put it down? Let's talk in the comments.

07/13/2026

The Salt Rabbit Hole

Funny how one conversation can send you down a rabbit hole. After talking with my friend Mar White Christian being salt and seeing an Instagram video about Salt: A World History, I had to track it down.

Barnes & Noble didn't have it, so I dusted off my Kindle Paperwhite and grabbed the digital copy because I wasn't about to wait.

So far, it's been a surprisingly fascinating read... maybe even making me a little salty. If you're a history nerd like me, I'd definitely recommend adding it to your reading list. More updates soon!

07/10/2026

Zelda, Faith, and the Christian Walk

What if one of the greatest pictures of the Christian life came from an old Nintendo game?

Link wasn't sent out fully prepared he was given a mission, equipped along the way, and grew through every challenge so he could stand against evil and rescue someone else.

Maybe that's exactly what God is doing with us. Every battle, every setback, and every lesson is shaping us to stand for others when the time comes.

Always keep growing... and always, always be questing.

07/02/2026

Sometimes you’re not weak, you’re just exhausted.

When Elijah reached the end of himself, God didn’t shame him for feeling overwhelmed. He let him sleep, fed him, and reminded him there was still purpose ahead. If you’re ready to quit today, maybe don’t give up—just take a breath, grab a snack, and let God meet you where you are.

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