“What’s in a name?” This iconic phrase was made popular by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Juliet gives voice to the line, implying that a person’s intrinsic qualities matter more than their name or title. The conversation goes on to speak of a rose by any other name would certainly smell as sweet. While I totally get the point and agree in general, I’d like to push back a little bit... Names matter more than you think. First off, in this day and age many kids want to

Taken from Reddit , edited in Canva (Image may be subject to copyright) One the most memorable television shows in history, and one of my wife’s and my favorites, is I Love Lucy . The shenanigans, the craziness, the humor, and the relational dynamics are top-notch. I’ll admit, occasionally it’s hard to watch because you just know Lucy is about to do something that will mess everything up. Sometimes it even feels unrealistic. You think, “No one would really do that.” And yet,

We live in a time in American history when people seem more divided than ever, even while loudly proclaiming messages of diversity and inclusion. This division is especially evident in our political scene. Whether you like him or not, Donald Trump, the current president of the United States, is deeply loved by many and just as deeply despised by others. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, or whether you even knew this was a thing, I recently came across a headline

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

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about a fairly tough, sensitive topic. Death. A few weeks ago my wife’s grandfather passed away. He is a beloved and well respected man in his community, and loved by his family. Funerals are never easy, but like it or not, we will all face this one day. While helping and watching my in-laws prepare for the funeral, I was overwhelmed by the stories, pictures, and love they demonstrated to their husband, father, and grandfather. There were