I have a coffee shop for all sorts of occasions! I have one for writing, one for actually needing to get work done, and a couple just for social interactions. One reason I love coffee shops is that when I leave, I carry that pleasing scent with me. I can recall countless times where I would have dinner with people after spending the day at a coffee shop, and they immediately knew where I had been…

If life were like a party, many of us would be guilty of orchestrating an elaborate shindig where we are the guest of honor, and all the festivities are about us. Our parties (and lives) tend to celebrate our achievements and accomplishments where we make much about ourselves. Very few people tend to come to these types of parties because frankly, they aren't much fun.

A few years back, God laid a vision on my heart. I was so excited and couldn’t wait for this dream to become a reality. I began to pray for God to show me signs and open doors. As I listened for His guidance, I felt like He was telling me to stay right where I was. What are You doing, God? Did I hear you wrong? In this time of waiting, I had two options: I could check out due to frustration or remain faithful and lean in…

When I was a teenager, I had a pair of sunglasses with gold metal frames and pale-pink lenses. I felt like Farrah Fawcett when I wore them. (You should’ve seen my feathered hair.) Not only did these shades make me feel glamorous, they made the whole world look glowy, like every moment was the magic hour before sunset…

Commencement season might look a little different this year, but the speeches, whether done virtually or in person, will remain much the same. Politicians, titans of industry, or celebrities will take the stage to inspire and motivate. As the graduating students head out to the "real" world, they will hear similar messages: tips to success, setting high expectations, persistence, taking responsibility, setting goals, determination…

I was filled with excitement and nerves. I was finally getting the chance to preach my first sermon. I grinned as I was introduced with talk of how great of a young man I am. I stepped up to the pulpit and I basked in my first step into the spotlight…

My first phone call today was from a dear friend with some great news. Over the last three years, he has been through some really tough times, one of which has been a 3-year battle with a potentially life-threatening illness. Today he called me with tears of joy and said…

For our first Christmas as a married couple, my wife and I purchased furniture from IKEA. The smell of Swedish meatballs and cinnamon buns wafting through the store made us feel like we could build anything. Being newlyweds, we were starting with a blank slate and a new home…

If I had enemies, the worst place I could banish them would be inside my mind. It is a place that demonstrates the absence of silence. If I am breathing, my thoughts are racing. Some days the thoughts are worried and stressed. Other times, they are fun, exciting, or even random. Regardless, the search for silence is a daily one for me…

There I was in line at the store (six feet behind the person in front of me) tapping my foot impatiently. What is the holdup? I thought to myself as I waited for the couple checking out. Are they too scared to touch the keypad? Maybe they’re disinfecting their items while still in the store. With each passing tick of the secondhand, I grew in my discontent. Hurry up already! I began to look around for a manager to help speed up the process when the line finally moved…

Have you ever found yourself mirroring the life of someone else? If you want to be a musician, you find a famous musical artist as a role model. As you study that musician, you begin to form your life as a musician around their life. You mimic their forms, training, and style; and suddenly, you are a mini-version of them. This could be in any area of life: teacher, athlete, artist, comedian, business owner, and any other field that exists…

I'm not one for sitting around. Being a mama, I'm always anticipating the needs of my children. Mama, I need a Band-Aid or Mama, I need some more milk or Mama, I need you to tie my shoe. Staying on the move has become the norm. Even in my waiting, I'm moving. While standing in line at the grocery store, I sway back and forth. While sitting at the doctor's office, I tap my feet…

No one loves to wait. We have all been stuck. We all know how it feels when the wait is out of our control and we just want to advance to the next thing. We will often take shortcuts to skip the waiting if at all possible. To quote the famous theologian, Tom Petty…

I have a confession: I am not always the best at waiting.

I’ve driven down I-40, frustrated as all get out because the car in front of me, which also happens to be in the left lane, isn’t going fast enough. I’ve stood in line at the grocery store impatient because I just want to get home. I’ve gotten overwhelmed when I see things happening for others and thought

What's the worst name someone called you? It might've been a parent, a spouse, a teacher, or a friend who threw out this label. Most likely, you can remember the exact word or phrase, as well who said it, how it made you feel, and also how that label impacted you over the years. What was the label? Failure, over-achiever, addict, worthless, ordinary, fat, weird, screw-up? Stop for a moment and reflect on the labels you cling to and let define you…

Rest and downtime are precious, but very rare, when you have young children. A few years back, my wife and I were experiencing this sweet feeling of bliss as both our daughters were off in dreamland. Unfortunately, as soon as the tranquility appeared, it quickly departed when a loud voice and horns jolted us from off the couch…

As a middle schooler, I thought the city pool was the place to see and be seen. Since my friends and I were too young to get a part-time job, our days were consumed with playing Sharks & Minnows and Marco Polo while filling our stomachs with Sunkist Soda and Twizzlers from the Snack Bar.

Still, in terms of popularity, nothing topped the diving board. When someone made his or her way to dive, they knew all eyes were fixed on them…

For over two hours, I tore the house from top to bottom looking for it. No luck. In the midst of my frantic searching, I asked my wife Jenn if she'd seen my beloved Baltimore Orioles hat. She hesitated and then fessed up, "It was disgusting...and I threw it away."

"You did WHAT!?!!" How dare she toss my cherished cap into the garbage? Over the years I had managed to make it fit perfectly around my big noggin…

Rejoice over the fact that we know the story of God’s love and that it doesn’t end on the cross. This is an advantage we have that those who witnessed firsthand what happened to Jesus did not. They were in the dark as the chaos unfolded before their very eyes. Reread today’s passage on the crucifixion of Christ and pay particular attention to how individuals reacted to the events taking place…

Sometimes silence can be deafening. While everything and everyone around you is quiet, content, and fast asleep, you sometimes toss and turn at night, wondering why God seems distant. You struggle to remember the last time you heard His voice. You wrestle with the distance while at the same time yearning for that lost connection….