• Finding Your Happy Place

    _MCL6050-600

    _MCL6018-600

    _MCL6043-600

    _MCL6084-600

    _MCL6094-600

    Our Happy Place

    I should say, this is one of our happy places in San Diego. Next to spending Sunday at the beach, grabbing In-N-Out and enjoying the sunset at Sunset Cliffs Park in Point Loma is one of our favorite things to do.

    Technically, we go to a seldom used green space on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University because there are only a few people and a large field for running around and playing. It’s a short half mile hike that we’ve done dozens of times and always ends with everyone smiling.

    There’s just something about watching the sun disappear into the Pacific Ocean, running around in the big grass field, and walking back in the early dusk darkness that brings us all to a happy place.

    What’s Your Happy Place?

    Is there a place in your area that is your happy place? I don’t mean a place you go once a year on vacation. I mean a place you can go to regularly… a mini-retreat. 

  • Worship With Us

    Is worship making you lonely?A couple weeks ago I confessed that worship times at church often leave me feeling lonely. My proposition was that this was, in part, to the lyrics of the songs themselves. (Along with a few other factors.)

    I wrote:

    I wonder what it’d be like to stand with my brothers and sisters in Jesus and lift our voices in worship proclaiming that I, me, mine are cheap compared to the power of we, us, ours?

    (more…)

  • Sexting and the Attack on the American Teenager

    This is what I call “The Slow News Day” story

    Make no bones about it, stories like this raise eyebrows and get people talking. When USA Today ran this piece last week it was run and rerun over and over again at newspapers around the country.

    It is a well-articulated story.

    It seems so… true.

    But Most of This Story is Fabricated

    (more…)

  • Preparing My Heart for Cambodia

    Screen Shot 2013-02-28 at 9.37.45 AMAs part of my preparation for Cambodia, I’ve been getting my hands on books and soaking up stories to better understand the history and culture. Prior to going on this trip I didn’t know much about Cambodia. I’d heard of the infamous killing fields, but didn’t grasp how recently in history the genocide began. (1975)

    (more…)

  • Why I’m Going to Cambodia

    540965_10151174595217478_769490549_nHello again! I’m back to share more about Cambodia. But first, a HUGE thank you to those who sponsored a mile yesterday. I’m grateful for your support. Just over $800 has been raised and there are still opportunities available. Miles 1-5 are looking a little lonely…

    (more…)

  • The Steps of Justice Blog Takeover

    photo-5Good morning! Let’s start this day off with a little blog takeover, shall we? I hope Adam doesn’t mind…

    I’ve just come back from a brisk early morning run. I’m not normally comfortable being the center of attention, but while I’m still running high on endorphins, I’ve got a favor to ask.

    You see, I’ve got two significant events coming up in the next six months. The first is that I’m running a half-marathon in April. This will be my third half-marathon, after taking three years “off”. The second is that I’m going to Cambodia with Steps of Justice in August. I need to raise $795 plus airfare. (About $2000 total) So far, I’ve raised just over $500 by selling household clutter on Amazon and Craigslist.

    (more…)

  • Downton Abbey as a Metaphor for Church Life

    Downton-Abbey-Explained2

    Kristen and I are late-comers to the Downton Abbey craze. Other than the season 3 finale we’re all caught up. (Don’t spoil that last episode for us, we’ll probably watch it tonight.)

    Speaking of spoilers this post won’t have any. Instead, this post will talk about things in general ways. 

    If I were going to preach about church life… I might use Downton Abbey as a metaphor because of its popularity and because of the parallels we can make between the life portrayed and how people in the church generally see the world around them.

    Here’s the metaphor I’d use:

    (more…)

  • Two Years of The Joy Machine

    Jackson McLane - 2 Years Old Today
    JT in his favorite spot doing his favorite thing, eating!

    Jackson Turns Two Today

    Here’s 10 things about our toddler that I wish I could bottle up and save forever.
    (more…)

  • Bad Lip Reading the President

    That’s funny stuff right there. 

    (more…)

  • Talking to Parents about Principles of Social Media

    Last week, I had the opportunity to spend some time chatting to Paul Turner, a longtime friend in youth ministry from the great state of Alabama, about some of the principles we teach in A Parent’s Guide to Social Media.

    (more…)