Without fail, every time I come near a car with the sticker “Caution: Student Driver,” I’m transported back in time...
“In the torment of the insufficiency of everything attainable we come to understand that here, in this life, all symphonies remain unfinished.”
So many of us have been looking forward to making the end of 2020 and a fresh start in 2021.
I don’t underestimate God’s intelligence, but if it were me, I’d question if our world was a safe place for my son, knowing what I know from both the media and experience, and even more so if I were God.
When I was a kid we lived with my great-aunt. She was great at many things but one thing that stands out in particular is that every year before Christmas she would set up an epic nativity scene.
Of all the characters featured in the nativity story, the one I feel is the most misunderstood is the innkeeper.
While it can feel like our cell phones have us constantly connected with no space for our souls, they can also provide us with some pretty amazing opportunities for spiritual growth as well.
We were a couple months into the pandemic when the questions from my six year old started pouring in...daily.
My gardening skills leave a lot to be desired. Usually I have killed someone’s thoughtful begonia...
My son Hosea’s first ever pre-school end-of-year concert did not go as planned.
So, when it was my turn behind the wheel, I immediately started feeling a sense of fear and dread.
I had never thought of "befriending brokenness” or repositioning it as a blessing in process.
With San Francisco starting to move forward in safe reopening phases, we have a new opportunity ahead of us to re-engage intentionally.
The reality is that many of us are struggling. Even as believers the uncertainty we’re living through can take a toll.
I was cleaning out my email inbox last week (there’s nothing quite like an inbox with 0 unread messages, amiright?)
Have you ever stared at your morning coffee and considered just how much had to happen in order for it to exist?
The more time I spend getting to know the Lord and His Word, the more I realize that we need adversity to grow in our faith...
Although there is much to be said of the value of a long life lived with God, I think it’s a mistake to say that potential is determined by time.
Strange thing what I’m about to share, because it’s just a recap of what you already know.
There’s a thing in California called a “super bloom” which happens about once every decade.
Reflecting on these past few months of sheltering-in-place, it feels as if time has moved quickly and slowly at the same time.
Summer looks very different this year. Shelter-in-place means less travel, fewer events to attend (if any), camps closed, not even summer blockbusters to avoid spoilers for until we can go to the movies.
We can’t go back to the way things were. So how do we move forward in hope?
One day, one week, one month at a time. But what sustains in times of prolonged endurance? I have found gratitude to be one of those key things.
In light of our current Shelter in Place, I have not been able to go to the gym...
Isn’t it so shockingly human to have all your plans stripped from you in the blink of an eye?
The death and resurrection of Jesus form the cornerstone of the Christian faith. The fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead proved his ability to give us new life in God.
For many of us living in the Bay Area, it's not uncommon to clock in 60+ hours at work. While being hardworking is a great characteristic to add to your list of personal attributes, what's the right way to go about it?
During this time of sheltering in place, each of us has an opportunity...
Vocations are an important piece of people's identities. This is true for all of us, including Christians. For Christians, our vocations should fit within the broader context of our faith, and our faith should inform our work.
For many of us, our day begins and ends with our eyes glued to our smartphones. Technology has some amazing benefits, but it can also create some challenges for our lives, relationships, and faith.
A few months ago, I came *this close* to calling it quits on everything in my life...
What if you're feeling lost and unsure of what you're meant to do with your life? In this guide, we'll discuss some practical ways you can discover your God-given purpose and start living in that.
Pause for a moment and imagine that someone has just asked you why God deserves your devotion...
In an age of social media influencers, it can be easy to misplace your faith in Christian influencers and other Christian leaders in your life rather than placing it in the Bible.
Unity. It's a word we often through around in church, but what exactly does it mean to be unified with the people in your church, and how can you foster this sense of unity?
The first rule of improv is you don’t talk about improv. No, wait. That’s Fight Club.
Quiet time with God's word and in prayer is crucial to restoring our souls and growing as Christians. But where to go? As crowded as San Francisco feels, the good news is that SF has some beautiful places where you can get away from it all to reflect and come away restored.
When you find the right church, it becomes a second home — a place of warmth, encouragement, and love and where you're accepted.
Whether you're learning about Christianity for the first time, or you came to the faith decades ago, you may wonder what it means to live a Christian life.
If you're interested in taking your first steps to Christianity, keep reading to see what the Bible says about what Christians believe, and what you need to do to accept God into your life.
I tried to start a new Christmas tradition with my son this year. It went down in flames...
This Christmas, we decided to get a real tree for our home. As a child, I remember...
I smile as I remember being sent to Home Depot to pick up our first Christmas tree as a married couple...
My son, Blue, jumped up to show me his finished homework after a long day...
Every night before I go to bed, I write down three things I am thankful for that day...
I was standing in line at Safeway. This particular Safeway usually only has one or two lanes open...
I had the good fortune of having memorable childhood vacations with my family.
Take a moment to think about the relationship you’ve had with scripture in different seasons of your life...
As a child I remember my mom putting a verse of scripture on our fridge...
Scripture plays a central role in our faith. This ancient library of 66 books has been the source of many a Christian’s faith journey. I thought it would be worth spending this month exploring the different ways we can be impacted by these unchanging words in an ever-changing world.
While it can feel like our cellphones have us constantly connected with no space for our souls, they can also provide us with some pretty amazing opportunities for spiritual growth as well.
It’s been one year since my family and I moved from Alabama to SF...
My relationship with feedback is long and complicated. I’m an artist and a perfectionist so I'm doubly sensitive...
Not long ago, I overhead two people talking. Don’t worry, I don’t eavesdrop on everyone; these two were pretty loud, so I just paid attention.
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2 If you are anything like me, you just re-read that line of scripture a few times...
The skill of carrying our influence is what I’d like to explore this month...
Have you ever been in a waiting room too long? I’m sure you have. You’re sitting at the doctor’s office...
I was hesitant to write this blog. Mostly because I don’t have any answers for you. When I think about how we are to live as Christ-followers in the culture at large, but not be part of it...
One of the lessons I had to learn (and often relearn) is that self-consciousness interferes with my ability to give to others. This is especially true when it comes to public speaking.
As we take this month to rise into humility, we want to go beyond the words on a page into the depths of our soul.
Humility is often seen as weakness in our culture and it makes sense to me; so often, it feels like a betrayal of our own ego. However, as followers of Christ, we are invited to discover the counterintuitive, elevating force humility carries.
Resilience is one of those qualities in life I’ve always admired. I remember growing up watching the 49ers play football...
One of the privileges of leading The Journey is hearing people’s stories...
This weekend, we are going to celebrate mothers. While they deserve far more than a day of celebration, this upcoming Mother’s Day has me thinking of the many different ways that moms bless our lives.
My father attended his first Cornerstone Easter play in 1998. Up ‘til that point, he was a self-professed Darwinian.
The ancient Greeks had a strong sense of death, knowing its impartial shadow eventually covers everyone. Any desire on their part for immortality was best realized by living a life worth remembering...
The tragedy of the Gospel is something worth exploring. Jesus came into the world knowing He would endure darkness, tragedy, and pain. He was a joyful man, but He wasn’t oblivious to the brokenness of our world.
As we move towards Easter, I’d like to explore one way the gospel impacts our lives. At the risk of oversimplifying, Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection gives us power.
It was over 20 years ago when our church community first saw me. I mean really saw me.
Jean and I have a 16-month-old daughter named Adeline. She has special needs which require special attention. Though caring for her has been difficult at times, she is a unique blessing to our family. Being someone who is used to being on the move, having Adeline in my life has caused me to learn how to slow down…substantially.
I remember reading these words when I was a teen thinking, “Woah, I’m like a city on a hill. Epic! But, what does that mean?” Have you ever read scripture’s declarations or promises and thought something similar? Better yet, have you ever read scripture thinking it applied to you personally, but when you tried to live it out, it felt impossible?
The desire for meaningful friendships is universal, yet loneliness plagues us. The cultural trend since the middle of the 20th century to increasingly elevate the individual, the relentless pressure of displaying an idealized version of ourselves on social media, plus the nearly infinite ability to connect with anyone paradoxically leaves our hearts aching for true relationship.
Before we get too far into February, let’s pause to see how last month went. Maybe things have been getting off to a great start. Maybe there were challenges, pressures, or circumstances that required us to exercise some courage. However we’re doing, one thing is certain, none of us would mind becoming more resilient.
Can you believe the first month of the year is almost over?! Time definitely flies. In fact, Groucho Marx said, “Time flies like arrows. But fruit flies like bananas.”
