Author - Fr. Barnabas Powell

I Am the Chiefest of Sinners


He was actually bragging about being the best at being the worst! I’m not kidding! I sat in front of him staring in absolute disbelief at what I was hearing. I was lamenting the shallow commitment of my own heart to the rigorous practice of the Faith when he...

Do Good to Those Who Hate You


Let’s face it, grammar wasn’t my best subject in school! I’ve always been impatient with the rules, wanting to get to the end without having to mess with all that “process” nonsense! And yes, that is a problem because the process is part of the solution! A bit of wisdom...

A Level Place


It seems everyone has a friend like my friend. He was always either on the top of the mountain emotionally or in the pit of despair. His mood swings were huge and usually unhealthy. Finally, he came to me and confessed he was exhausted with the constant up and...

The Way To Do Family


It’s no secret that family life is filled with challenges. To be honest, I don’t think we’ve seen the real fallout of all the societal experiments we Americans have engaged in since all these movements have been demanding this or that change in society. One of the interesting, if...

Realize Your Limits


I don't like to admit my limitations. In fact, one of my besetting sins is seeing a Speed Limit sign and thinking of it as more of a "suggestion." Knowing my limitations is important information for me. Most of the time I have to learn the hard way! But we...

Thank God!


"3 Easy Steps to a Happy Life" or "The Path to Getting Rich" or "How To Beat The Odds in Vegas" Over and over again we are inundated with this or that "formula" to "be happy" or "rich" or any number of wonderful things that will finally make us...

Go To Church!


In one of the retreats that I give around the country, I have a particular presentation about how to heal the weaknesses of our modern age. I use examples from sociology, psychology, science, and even religion. But then I get down to the timeless and purposeful answer from Orthodoxy: GO...

Are You STILL Wearing THAT?


It was an old suit, but I loved it! It had both sentimental value and the added benefit of actually fitting me! But my dear bride said it had to go! Sure, it had a few stains but I thought they were hard to see. Yes, there was a...

The Whole Armor of God


I love this Armed Forces Motto: “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.” Isn’t that great? In other words, when you put the time into preparing for battle, the more ready you are to face the fight. And what is true for physical fighting...

Unsearchable Riches, An Eternal Purpose


I really like to write and I enjoy public speaking, but I had a hint of my tendency to wordiness when my first time in seminary produced a comment from one of my favorite professors. I had just finished a fairly intensive philosophy paper for his class and was...