I often sit down with couples who are about to get married and ask them to tell me about their households as they were growing up. These questions are meant for the couple to consider the ways in which their families interacted, what they talked about, what they didn’t talk about, how they treated one another, how they approached various topics, and what they valued. Pre-marital couples are encouraged to reflect on these things because they need to consider the origins of the

When I was the youth pastor at White Oak in the early 2000’s, I recall a rhythm I undertook one day each year. On that day, I would find a coffee shop somewhere in town or I would find a nice seat at a park lodge, and I would spend the day reading, dreaming, and planning for the future of our youth ministry. Those days, though few, filled my soul. I often came back from them energized and ready to..

When I was in middle school I thought I wanted to become an architect. I loved drawing houses and buildings. However, I hated math. A little bit later I was thinking about something in the medical field. But I didn’t really have a reason why I considered pursuing that. And then in high school I thought I would like to become a...