There are times in my life when climbing into bed at night is the scariest part of the day. As I write that line, my memory flashes back to being 6 years old and asking my mom or dad to check the closet for monsters. “Oh and momma, can you please leave the door open … Continue reading How Will We Hold Each Other?
I asked her when she first started looking at pornography. She looked up at me with a thoughtful but puzzled glance. “I was in 7th grade.” I knew her story. That’s when the abuse started: physical, emotional, and psychological. “How else did you escape?” I asked. There was some more silence. “Basketball. Fantasy novels. Video … Continue reading Pornography Saved Your Life.
Early on Monday mornings the week starts in my counseling office with three close friends. We sip on piping hot coconut coffee from the local bakery, we share about the ups and downs of our lives, and we pray. It’s become an incredibly meaningful space for me. I’m one of those people who like to … Continue reading The Power of Presence & a Genuinely Curious Heart
I dialed the counselor’s phone number into my iPhone. I distinctly remember my thumb hovering over that little green call button. Shaking. For about twelve minutes. Or maybe it was only seven. I don’t know. I knew I needed help. The anxiety. The pornography. The panic. But to ask for help, for whatever reason, was, … Continue reading The Courage To Call
We had just finished our first worship session. Our youth group was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for a mission trip and it was now time to break out into our small groups that we would be working with for the week. We were staying in a local high school and the group I had … Continue reading The Day I Heard Jesus Whisper
Four years ago, I was attending Western Theological Seminary and taking a class with Chuck DeGroat. One of the assigned readings was Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this seemingly random book would play a part in transforming my journey. Three graduate schools later (with no degrees … Continue reading The Secrets: Revisited
This afternoon I cracked open a new book: The Gift of Therapy by Irvin D. Yalom, M.D. I’m a whopping nine pages in and loving it so far. Dr. Yalom borrows a story and I think it’s worth sharing given where we are at right now: “One of my favorite tales of healing, found in … Continue reading Fellow Travelers.
What do you do with your disappointment? What happens when life takes a turn you never expected? Where do you run when someone lets you down? What do you turn to when your relationship hurts more than it helps? How do you handle not getting the promotion, not being chosen for the investment, not being … Continue reading Hide & Seek: I’m Disappointed.
I have a new Uber story for y’all. For the past few months I have been doing most of my Ubering out on the coast in the Daytona Beach/New Smyrna Beach area. Needless to say, the craziness of Orlando wore me out. And to be honest, Ubering people who are on vacation is way more … Continue reading I’m a good person who made a bad decision.
I was driving down the highway a few days ago and found myself stuck behind a red jeep wrangler who was taking it way too easy in the left lane. On this rare occasion, it actually didn’t bother me much. Lately, I have been dreaming of driving an old jeep with the doors and top … Continue reading Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost, Right?
My Story. Your Story. God's Story. 