I do a lot of nodding and listening in my line of work. For the most part, this is confined to my office, but every once in a while, I...

It’s rare that I get fewer than five people who ask for a blessing during my stint on the sidewalk. I’ve been doing this roughly once a...

Last year a woman walking her dog stopped to tell me there’s a ghost in my church named Margaret. She couldn’t give me any details except...

I got the idea for this ministry from Ashes to Go, when clergy and laypeople alike offer ashes outdoors, rather than inside the church,...

“I like your scarf!” She was referring to my stole. It’s the long piece of fabric that priests where around their necks and that hangs...

As I’ve written before, I rarely get snide remarks in this ministry. One of these rare moments occurred a few months ago when a very...

Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. As I once told a man who asked for a blessing, anti-trafficking work is a cause close...

One prayer request I frequently get is for guidance from God. Someone is at a crossroads, is not sure whether to stay in a relationship,...

“I’m an atheist. My girlfriend is a Christian. And we can’t even talk about religion without her bursting into tears. Can you help?” ...

I haven’t been at this ministry long, but long enough to have noticed a recent trend. I’m hearing from more and more women about sexual...

Last week, I had two people back-to-back tell me they’d left church for 10 plus years. One had returned a few years ago, and one was...

My church isn’t far from a hospital, so I sometimes get people on their way there for treatment, or a procedure, or to visit a loved one....

Earlier this week, I was walking near Herald Square (always a busy part of Manhattan) and came upon a group of people wearing red aprons...

One of the most common prayer requests I receive is that of parents seeking prayer for their children. Children who are sick or stressed,...

My neighborhood recently had its annual street fair. This involves closing off five or six blocks along Park Avenue so that people can...

Every once in a while, someone stops to share a powerful spiritual story with me. Often the person doesn’t identify as Christian, or...

Occasionally I get an email from someone who found me through this blog. The subject line will read “please pray for me” or something...

Do you ever run into someone unexpectedly, have a surprisingly meaningful conversation, and just know it wasn’t a coincidence? Those...

This past week, I had the pleasant surprise of seeing and hearing from people I hadn't blessed in months. One stopped to tell me that my...

“My friend died and I’m having a hard time.” “My wife just had a miscarriage.” “Today is the one-year anniversary of my father’s...