Tomorrow is Thanksgiving , and lately I’ve been struck by the image of  preparation . Two scenes in particular keep coming to mind: 1)  A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Poor Charlie Brown never meant to host a Thanksgiving meal, but once his friends invited themselves over, he did his best. He, Snoopy and Linus whipped up toast with butter, pretzels, jellybeans, and popcorn while the iconic Peanuts theme played in the background. But when the guests arrived, they scolded him for

For the past several weeks, I’ve been going to physical therapy. This is new for me. In all the years I’ve played sports, I’ve never been seriously injured until now. Sure, I’ve had my share of scrapes: years ago I sprained my thumb badly enough to wear a brace from wrist to elbow; last Fall I broke a finger playing flag football with some teenagers. But this summer, I sprained my sternoclavicular joint and strained my scalene and trapezius muscles doing hang cleans at Cros

Photo by Aidan Bartos on Unsplash Yesterday marked the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States. This was a defining...

Nane and Me (Armenia, July 30, 2025) A few weeks ago, I returned from my third mission trip to Armenia , and it was nothing short of amazing! I’ve really grown to love this place and its people. Last year, I met a little girl named Nane. Some of you may have heard me talk about her before. This year, I hadn’t even been there a few hours before I reunited with her! When she came up the stairs of the church, we immediately recognized each other and ran into a big embrace . Even

Photo by  Ben White  on  Unsplash Have you ever heard the phrase, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it”? It’s often said...

Scarlett and Kendall (May 4, 2025) May is a busy month for my wife and me, full of family celebrations: two nieces' birthdays, her...

Photo by  Antony Freitas  on  Unsplash Have you ever gotten lost before? I suspect all of us have at some point—whether in a store, in...

Photo by Morrow Solutions  on Unsplash He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Easter Sunday is here, and while many people are focused on...

This past Saturday, I ran in the Monument 10K . I’ve done this race once before, and let me be clear—I’m not trying to win the thing. But...

The weather is finally starting to turn more favorable. But here in central Virginia, it's toying with our emotions—30 degrees one day,...

This time of year is beloved by many because of the budding trees, blossoming flowers, changing weather, and college basketball...

This week, I had to have several difficult conversations in my ministry side gig. About two years ago, I became Co-Director of RuraLove , a ministry of the Goshen Baptist Association . When I was first asked to step up from volunteer to Co-Director, I was excited — excited to serve in a practical way and to have the freedom and encouragement to share Jesus with people. But over time, frustration crept in. Resentment followed. Two major challenges stood out: volunteer chemist

Joel, Steve, Powell, Me, JT (aka Hairy Feet,...

"The first 100 days" is a well-known benchmark, often used to evaluate a U.S. president’s early performance in office. These first...

As a regular at our local Mexican restaurant , I’ve witnessed plenty of amusing moments. But on a recent visit, one particular scene...

How do you sit when you go to a restaurant? Many families choose their seats without much thought, yet the way we sit can reveal something deeper about relationships and connection. Not long ago, I was dining at one of my favorite local spots when I bumped into a couple I know through Upward Sports. They were grandparents of one of our regular participants. As we chatted about their grandson's experience with wrestling, something caught my attention. They were sitting side b

*This is not the actual desk. Recently, I was asked to substitute teach nearly every day at our local school. I had to decline several...

Basketball season is winding down for me as an official , and one of my recent games happened to coincide with a school's senior night....

Recently, I was officiating a high school basketball game that wasn't very competitive, but on the final play of the first half, a...

What a crazy week! Last Sunday afternoon, my wife and I were strategizing about how to spend a quiet day at home. With no commitments or...