the tyler smith blog

Photograph by Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos. My Own Worst Enemy Before I could even finish pouring the milk onto my frosted mini-wheats that morning, a tear had already begun rolling down my face. I felt absolutely awful inside. More tears followed, and it didn’t take long before I was audibly weeping. I was terrified to think of what might happen if I continued to feel this way. I pushed the cereal bowl aside and buried my head into my hands. It was a beautiful sunny day outside, yet, as I sat alone in the dark kitchen, I couldn’t help but feel like I was dying inside. When the tears finally ceased, I was faced for the first time with the reality that I was no longer the same person. I had become my own worst enemy. This is my story of depression. It’s a story that I used to be ashamed of, but have since learned to embrace. It’s a story I started sharing with others but now would like to open the door and invite everyone in. I experienced depression’s unique abili...

The Editable Bible? “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” Romans 12:2 This is the call placed upon every Christian’s life, to be set apart from the culture around us. A culture that has not only turned its back on God, but has also taken up its morals and seems to be running faster with every passing day in the opposite direction. Our call is simple, but far from easy. Similarly to paddling a boat upstream, the moment we stop actively following Christ is the same moment we will be swept away by the never-ending lies and temptations. Only instead of a river leading to a waterfall is a culture leading to an eternity forever separated from God. Despite this clear call to be set apart, as I look around there appear to be fewer Christians “paddling upstream”. I know friends and family are reading this so before I get labeled as the hypocrite that I sometimes am, an important distinction needs to be made. I can easily look back at my ...