Shake yourself from the dust and arise. Loose the bonds from your neck.
This morning, I was talking to a friend with a son who is a senior in high school. Like every senior, he’s weighing out his options: two-year versus four-year college, military, and future career. Like many seniors, he isn’t sure what to do. “He’s got time,” I said. “I’m just now doing what I want… Continue reading Advice To My Past Self
What is your favorite John Wayne movie? Mine is The Cowboys, potentially considered an odd choice because it is not a classic action western, and (spoilers!) the Duke dies in it. Unlike Rio Bravo or True Grit, instead of frequent gunfights its a coming of age tale where boys have to decide if they have… Continue reading Do You Have What It Takes?
I knew after two weeks of dating Amanda that I wanted to marry her. Not the casual “she seems nice" kind of wanting, but the all-consuming, no-turning-back certainty that changes everything. To be fair, I had already known her for 4-5 years at that point, and she is a really good cook (a key selling… Continue reading Jump All In: The Cold Water Won’t Kill You (But Hesitation Might)
My first and only backpacking trip as a Boy Scout was a certified disaster. Despite weeks of planning and a pack shakedown the night before the trip, where leaders went through and removed all the unnecessary stuff from our packs, I still had too much crap in my pack. Part of that was thanks to… Continue reading The Day I Decided I Was Done With ‘Mediocre’
It was a cold night, and the pipes froze in your trailer. No coffee, no toilet. Even though you’re making 19,000-step days and working long before the sun rises and long after it sets, you still claw your way out of your bunk, walk through the sub-freezing temps, and hit the gym. Even though you… Continue reading Cowboy Up: The Rodeo Work Ethic
Anything that keeps you from pursuing the will of God is not just a distraction—it is an assault from Hell designed to derail your soul. Notice I did not say “keeps you from pursuing your dreams” or “keeps you from living your truth.” That’s because, despite our tendency to be self-absorbed and entitled, life isn’t… Continue reading The Great Work: Refuse to Come Down
Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. Taken by the author in 2013. The more I read Nehemiah, the more I am struck by his wise leadership. He knows what he is about, he knows the work that needs to get done, and ain’t nobody gonna stop him from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. And he did… Continue reading Fear the Lord, Not the Enemy: Wisdom from Nehemiah
Have you ever had a moment that seemed to transcend your current reality and circumstances and filled you up with so much weighty joy? The kind that if you try to recreate it when it's gone, like a junkie chasing a high, or that second bite of cake never as good as the first, you… Continue reading Deep Joy: Echoes of Eden
There will always be opposition. No matter the type of work, no matter how beneficial, there will always be naysayers and deniers opposing it. This is especially true for those doing the Lord’s work. When we imitate our creator God, and build for him rather than ourselves, the world takes notice and then tries to… Continue reading Opposition Is Inevitable
December 13 is Taylor Swift’s birthday. I hate that I know that. Last year on December 13, I noticed a disturbing trend: evangelical pastors and professors simping for Tay Tay. On the surface, that almost seems understandable. Swift has made a global impact and changed the music industry. Swift has been on the same tier… Continue reading Evangelical Feast Days
Awake! Put on strength! 