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One of my favorite teachers, and the founding pastor of the church I happily attend in downtown Portland, recently re-released one of his bestsellers, Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human. Along with the release, his teaching podcast Practicing the Way (also the name of his latest book), re-aired his six-part sermon series by the same name, originally delivered in 2013. My how the world has changed since then (especially mine), but his message has not. As I hav

Easter Brunch at Cornell Farm In recent years, I’ve been introduced to the inner workings of the annual church calendar. When I started in full-time youth ministry, the church calendar meant Youth Convention in the fall, Winter Camp, spring Fine Arts Festival, Summer Camp, and assorted beach trips and lock-ins along the way. Those were great days, but I still don’t miss the smell of the boys’ cabins, and why in the world do we do all-night lock-ins again? I mentioned in one

2026 has not gone according to script as of the end of the first quarter. It hasn’t gone according to resolution either, because I finally learned the secret . . . don’t make any!  A long time ago I heard the secret to happiness is having low expectations. Sad . . . but kinda true. Sigh. But my sad start to the year actually had nothing to do with resolutions. Many of you know that I lost my father recently, after a lengthy time in the hospital, and an even lengthier battl

No, this isn’t an end of year financial appeal. I’ve gotten more than a few of them from great organizations, and I wish I could support them all. The need is always great, and now in my neck of the woods with the recent flooding in the Pacific Northwest. It has been hard to watch the news and see the devastation being wrought by the rain and the wind. Convoy of Hope, who we support every month, is always one of the first on the scene, as they are in northern Washington stat