Yes, the title seems absurd at first glance, but stay with me. I promise this isn't as far-fetched as it may appear. It may be unfair to compare two rap artists to two of the greatest literary figures of our time, but while the scope, context, and framing of their content may be different, I believe their overall missions have a lot in common...

I was sitting with a group of friends the other day and one of them was telling everyone a story that went something like this: he started by giving about 30 seconds worth of back story, then said, "to make a long story short..." and then "the end." That was it. "Something happened, and to make a long story short, the end." I felt robbed. I mean, I'm sure whatever he was about to tell us was great, but by shortening his story so much I totally lost why he was even telling it in the first place. Here's why I believe the phrase “to make a long story short” should be removed from our vocabulary...

So I play basketball a fairly regular amount, and while I try not to brag about too many things, I am pretty much a younger Steph Curry. If you’ve seen me play, you know the similarities are remarkable. He shoots ridiculous 3-pointers. I shoot ridiculous 3-pointers (whether or not mine go in is irrelevant). He wears a mouth guard when he plays. I wear a mouth guard when I sleep. His career free throw percentage is over 90. My career school test average is…well…

I remember being told when I was a Senior in high school that I should enjoy college because it was going to be over before I knew it. Of course, in my infinite wisdom as a 17 year old boy, I thought this was the dumbest advice I had ever received. “There is no way four years is going to go by quickly,” I said. At the time, four years seemed soooo long, and as I moved into my dorm room, the furthest thing from my mind was graduating...

Have you ever been to a surprise party where someone is led into the party with a blindfold on? I find it funny that when someone is blindfolded and led into a room they are still completely surprised when their blindfold is removed. Now, I’ve never been blindfolded and led somewhere, but I feel like if that were to happen to me, I would know that something is coming. Because doesn’t the blindfold give away the fact that there is going to be a surprise? Granted, the person may be surprised by what they see when the blindfold is removed, but I have to think I would anticipate that there is a surprise waiting on the other side of the blindfold...

If you haven’t seen Into The Woods yet, I would highly recommend it. I’m sure that the live play version is much better, but I still thought it was really enjoyable. I’m not writing a review of the movie, but actually, I’m writing about a part of the movie that I believe teaches a very valuable lesson about God. Now, I realize the movie theater isn’t the first place people go looking for truth, but I think there might be more to this movie than what’s on the surface, so read on if you’d like…

Do you remember playing the game “Red Light Green Light” when you were a kid? (Or maybe more recently for some of you Peter Pan never grow up types.) It was one of my favorite games growing up, and it is very simple. One person is in charge, and they shout out “red light” “green light” and “yellow light.” The goal is to get from one side of the room to the other, but you can only move at the speed designated by the person in charge...

I have two vices. Well, really I have a lot of vices, but two really stick out; sin and self-pity. The latter is a result of an addiction to the prior, and while they are both independent faults, I find they go very well together in that they both cause each other. There’s a cycle that starts with sin, which leads to frustration, which leads to self-pity, which leads to more frustration, which leads back to sin. It’s an exhausting circle that, once one is caught in it, can be very hard to break out of...

I cannot tell you the last time I had my car filled up to more than half a tank. And honestly, it’s rarely above a quarter of a tank. Even with my regular commute to work, it’s not uncommon for me to get in my car with the gas light on. In fact, I have learned that I can usually last three-four days once the gas light is on. It has become a symbol for how I live my life; one day at a time with little to nothing in the tank...

If you have never seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, you should immediately stop reading this and figure out a way to watch it. Not only is it a phenomenal movie, but it teaches us a truth about Jesus that, once we fully comprehend, gives us a new appreciation for his death on the cross...