J.R. Houck
@hopefulmystic.com
Queer Episcopalian trying to find someway of making sense of faith in a world that seems more intent on weaponizing it then practicing it.
Come find me on my website as I start journeying through the Lectionary Readings. https://hopefulmystic.com
Come find me on my website as I start journeying through the Lectionary Readings. https://hopefulmystic.com
Pinned
J.R. Houck
@hopefulmystic.com
· Dec 3
βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι’ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον· ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.
Honestly, I didn’t expect my writing to be this focused on empire and principalities, but it’s hard not to read it into so much of the biblical narrative. If religion has any value in modernity, it’s to be a constant reminder that we don’t have to choose this.
I just want to say I wrote this before the events that transpired yesterday.
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS | JANUARY 4, 2026
It can be dangerous to insert oneself into biblical narratives. Often we want to see ourselves as the heroes, but in reality most of us likely have more in common with Herod than we do with the famili...
hopefulmystic.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Honestly, I didn’t expect my writing to be this focused on empire and principalities, but it’s hard not to read it into so much of the biblical narrative. If religion has any value in modernity, it’s to be a constant reminder that we don’t have to choose this.
I just want to say I wrote this before the events that transpired yesterday.
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS | JANUARY 4, 2026
It can be dangerous to insert oneself into biblical narratives. Often we want to see ourselves as the heroes, but in reality most of us likely have more in common with Herod than we do with the famili...
hopefulmystic.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:11 PM
I just want to say I wrote this before the events that transpired yesterday.
Went to the local coffee shop this morning, and several tables here are suffering from what can only be called severe "youth pastor" vibes.
December 31, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Went to the local coffee shop this morning, and several tables here are suffering from what can only be called severe "youth pastor" vibes.
One thing about writing is I read 20x more words than I end up writing, and sometimes I can read whole books and nothing comes of it, but that’s also the fun part because as I have gone along, things just pop back up there in that head of mine.
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
First Sunday After Christmas | December 28, 2025
In the beginning, before anything that was made was made, the Son of God’s mission to earth was crystallized. To be born of a virgin, to be crucified on a cross, to rise from the dead, to defeat death...
hopefulmystic.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
One thing about writing is I read 20x more words than I end up writing, and sometimes I can read whole books and nothing comes of it, but that’s also the fun part because as I have gone along, things just pop back up there in that head of mine.
Reposted by J.R. Houck
DEMONS—a ten-week online course through Dostoevsky’s most prophetic novel. You can register at wolc.com/demons
December 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
DEMONS—a ten-week online course through Dostoevsky’s most prophetic novel. You can register at wolc.com/demons
Jesus Christ, the light of the world, has given to us the Gospel of Peace, and in it is the mission of the Church and to the Christians who are part of it. We are a gathering of people called out from the world to be for the world,...
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
First Sunday After Christmas | December 28, 2025
In the beginning, before anything that was made was made, the Son of God’s mission to earth was crystallized. To be born of a virgin, to be crucified on a cross, to rise from the dead, to defeat death...
hopefulmystic.com
December 29, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Jesus Christ, the light of the world, has given to us the Gospel of Peace, and in it is the mission of the Church and to the Christians who are part of it. We are a gathering of people called out from the world to be for the world,...
Reposted by J.R. Houck
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
First Sunday After Christmas | December 28, 2025
In the beginning, before anything that was made was made, the Son of God’s mission to earth was crystallized. To be born of a virgin, to be crucified on a cross, to rise from the dead, to defeat death...
hopefulmystic.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
First Sunday After Christmas | December 28, 2025
In the beginning, before anything that was made was made, the Son of God’s mission to earth was crystallized. To be born of a virgin, to be crucified on a cross, to rise from the dead, to defeat death...
hopefulmystic.com
December 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
A culmination of all my thoughts on Advent and Christmas.
Christmas dinner. Pheasant Normandy with buttery roasted garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
December 25, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Christmas dinner. Pheasant Normandy with buttery roasted garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
Hardest part of writing is when you use a turn of phrase and you know you’re quoting someone but can’t remember who. I have too many books.
December 23, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Hardest part of writing is when you use a turn of phrase and you know you’re quoting someone but can’t remember who. I have too many books.
Reposted by J.R. Houck
Becoming an Episcopalian has meant learning the joys of the liturgical calendar, the various seasons of the church, and the lectionary, and how all of these play together in order to balance out your year.
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT | DECEMBER 21, 2025
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Becoming an Episcopalian has meant learning the joys of the liturgical calendar, the various seasons of the church, and the lectionary, and how all of these play together in order to balance out your year.
Becoming an Episcopalian has meant learning the joys of the liturgical calendar, the various seasons of the church, and the lectionary, and how all of these play together in order to balance out your year.
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT | DECEMBER 21, 2025
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Becoming an Episcopalian has meant learning the joys of the liturgical calendar, the various seasons of the church, and the lectionary, and how all of these play together in order to balance out your year.
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT | DECEMBER 21, 2025
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com
December 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We’ve reached the tail end of Advent. Four of our five candles are lit. The angels are being dispatched to sing songs of the coming King. But, first, we wait in anxious anticipation.
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
hopefulmystic.com/anxious-anti...
A little fire for this almost winter night.
December 21, 2025 at 3:48 AM
A little fire for this almost winter night.
Reposted by J.R. Houck
A new federal rule would ban gender affirming care at virtually every hospital system in the country.
Now, an organization says they've prepared, have private clinics and financial aid ready for families that need them.
Meet one group fighting back, the TYEP.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Now, an organization says they've prepared, have private clinics and financial aid ready for families that need them.
Meet one group fighting back, the TYEP.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Trans Youth Emergency Project Offers Families Guidance To Help Keep Getting Care After New Trump Anti-Trans Rule
The organization tells EITM that they are prepared to scale up for further shutdown of care, and can offer most families places to continue getting care.
www.erininthemorning.com
December 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
A new federal rule would ban gender affirming care at virtually every hospital system in the country.
Now, an organization says they've prepared, have private clinics and financial aid ready for families that need them.
Meet one group fighting back, the TYEP.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Now, an organization says they've prepared, have private clinics and financial aid ready for families that need them.
Meet one group fighting back, the TYEP.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Chose life reject the cult of death.
Chose life reject the cult of death.
Christian Nationalism Is a Death Cult—And Trans Kids Are the Target
They worship a transphobic god who would rather see them dead than develop into who they were created to be.
substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:22 AM
"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Chose life reject the cult of death.
Chose life reject the cult of death.
Look, I don't want to judge, but who actually enjoys something like this? Bad off-Broadway spectacle with lots of noise and incoherence.
Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas...$70 per ticket.
December 20, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Look, I don't want to judge, but who actually enjoys something like this? Bad off-Broadway spectacle with lots of noise and incoherence.
This is a favorite of mine.
Hania Rani – Live from Studio S2
YouTube video by Gondwana Records
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 3:11 AM
This is a favorite of mine.
My Instagram is foodie shit and mom comedians. I’m beginning to think the algorithm thinks I’m a domesticated house wife.
December 20, 2025 at 2:22 AM
My Instagram is foodie shit and mom comedians. I’m beginning to think the algorithm thinks I’m a domesticated house wife.
This "win" is pretty short lived. Doesn't even matter now.
December 18, 2025 at 6:50 PM
This "win" is pretty short lived. Doesn't even matter now.
Once again, we need to call this what it is: evil. Denying anyone care is evil; telling children receiving care that they can no longer receive medically necessary care is evil.
4.The new rule contains no exceptions for patients already receiving care, meaning transgender youth who have remained in treatment even under some red-state bans would immediately see that care cut off. For many, this would amount to forced medical detransition.
The government acknowledges this.
The government acknowledges this.
December 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Once again, we need to call this what it is: evil. Denying anyone care is evil; telling children receiving care that they can no longer receive medically necessary care is evil.
If there is one minor good to come out of this period, it is a renaissance of the Patristics and Patristics not grounded in Augustinian tradition. People re-discovering Gregory of Nyssa is a fundamental good. Also, I will ironically thank Kirk Cameron for kicking off the recent freakout about Hell.
This Book Made Me Rethink Hell
YouTube video by Gospel Simplicity
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 4:56 PM
If there is one minor good to come out of this period, it is a renaissance of the Patristics and Patristics not grounded in Augustinian tradition. People re-discovering Gregory of Nyssa is a fundamental good. Also, I will ironically thank Kirk Cameron for kicking off the recent freakout about Hell.