I want to live a transformed life--one that is not held in chains from my past. Through God’s grace, I know I am not the same person I used to be. I know God has freed me from many sins. I know I am growing and changing, but it never seems quite fast enough. In addition...
Our family just celebrated one year in Fresno, and I would consider it a good year. My wife, Amy, and I both started new jobs. She began working for the Fresno School District, and her new job has a steep learning curve but overall she’s been thriving. My job as a missions...
As summer winds down and fall sets in, the harried life of a new school year stirs stress in our family. I imagine it does in many other families too. New milestones are being reached: first year in high school for one child and first year in middle school for another. New routes to and...
I’ve never been very good at trust falls. You know, that team building exercise where you’re supposed to fall backwards into the arms of a partner or a group as a sign that you trust people to have your back? Yeah, I always catch myself. It’s not because I don’t...
I don’t really believe in prayer. I’m not talking about mindfulness or centering or yoga-breath-prayer or contemplation in nature—all of which have immediate, easily measurable embodied benefits. I am talking about intercessory prayer the way Jesus, Paul, and your...
The other day I was working on a large project on my laptop when I received the error message of doom: “There is not enough free disk space to perform this action.” I’ve had my beloved Mac since 2010. It’s been through a lot of love, falls, cat pawing, crumbs...
Countless sermons over two thousand years of Christian history have done a great disservice to Thomas Didymus, otherwise known as “Doubting Thomas.” I believe it’s high time we repair his image. If you are a natural skeptic like me, I’m sure you agree—in as...
I grew up in the farmhouse my grandpa was born in. Our family has farmed and gardened the same land for many generations. I come from a long line of gardeners. In the rural Midwest, it’s just what you do. My mom grows the best tomatoes; my dad grew giant pumpkins; my grandpa...
When I was young, I tended to see things in black and white. In many ways, my mind was closed for repairs. My understanding of Scripture was likewise rigid. Theological positions were mountains to conquer and debates to be won. I arrived at a place where I thought all my questions were...
A few weeks ago, I was catching up with a client in my headhunting business that I have known for many years. He was frustrated with his current role. Since his skill set fell outside my core focus, I held little hope that I could help as effectively and efficiently as he desired. That...