August 2025

As you read this, I’m in my final few days of preparation for my annual worship planning retreat in the Wet Mountain Valley of Colorado. At 8,000 feet in an international dark sky community, the air is thinner, the stars are brighter, and the cell signal is thankfully scant for miles. It’s the same location, the same rhythm, and the same prayer request I’ve made 5 times now: that God would meet me here in this thin space and guide our church’s path for the year ahead. I’ll be away from Wednesday, August 27, through Tuesday night, September 3, taking a few days afterward toRead More →

There’s a term that’s been making the rounds lately, but it describes something that’s been around for… well… forever. It’s called the “Sunday Scaries”. If you’ve done child-rearing, you might know exactly what I mean. It’s that feeling of anxiety or dread that creeps in on Sunday night before school. Maybe it’s because you procrastinated on homework that’s due Monday. Maybe it’s disappointment that you didn’t get everything done you hoped for over the weekend. Or maybe it’s knowing you have to face an unpleasant situation, or a lingering conflict once Monday arrives. Of course, this isn’t just a kid thing (notice what I didRead More →

I woke up early last Sunday morning, enjoying the cooler weather with the windows open. It made me think of classic Door County weather: lower humidity with temps ranging from the mid-50s to mid-70s. Just 72 hours earlier, we were camping in Door County, and the weather wasn’t nearly as pleasant. In fact, it was much smokier up there than it is down here. That’s when this blog came to mind even before dawn. I started thinking about how the past two summers of camping with my family have felt… different. Not just because the girls are getting older or the campsites are booked faster,Read More →