Shake yourself from the dust and arise. Loose the bonds from your neck.
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
“I should just quit.” That’s what I thought to myself one morning months ago while driving home from a particularly discouraging jiu-jitsu training. I had been stuck on the bottom again with the air smashed out of me, I had missed takedowns, and got submitted over and over. “I’m not improving, and I’m going to… Continue reading On Quitting
Author’s note: I am not sure why I have chosen to write this, except as a catharsis. I have no application, no lesson here. Only lament. If you like doleful essays, then read on. Perhaps you have had a similar experience. If so, please share in the comments. “I think your dad has dementia,” the… Continue reading Dementia
Cover art by Caleb J. Saenz I’m a man of tradition. I went to Texas A&M, and they have made a whole cult out of tradition. It makes me feel secure that I have the context of history behind me. If someone figured it out once, why reinvent the wheel? If such and such process… Continue reading Sent: Missional Reflections for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
Awake! Put on strength! 