While on vacation, my extended family and I went boating, something I have fond memories of from childhood vacations.

As is often the case when extended family gathers, as we sat around the beach, people started telling stories. One story was told...

What I'm Reading:

Fiction:

The end of summer and the beginning of fall have been CRAZY! Nevertheless, I read 7 fiction books during the last two months.

Best beach read: Truly Madly Guilty by  Liane Moriarty. I don't typically consider...

I stopped at the library yesterday to pick up some books I'd reserved. When I did, the librarian asked me if I'd found “Goose Needs a Hug” yet.

When I said it wasn't lost, she responded, “Oh. I just assumed it was since you've had it since July....

This year, I'm particularly excited about my adult leadership team because it includes a combination of returning and new leaders. Last week, we discussed five contributions veteran leaders make to your team. But the truth is, new leaders...

One of my consistent struggles with Christianity is that it can feel as though there is no place for those who struggle, for those who doubt. So many Christian books are written from this struggle-free perspective.

I remember being acutely aware...

One of the things I'm most excited about this year in ministry are my leaders. We met last week for training and I walked away thinking, “There's one word to describe that meeting: Holy.”

One reason why I'm particularly excited about this group of...

What the book's about: Waking Up White chronicles the author's, Debby Irving's, journey in discovering her part - as a white woman - in the story of race in America. 

Why I read this book: Each year, my senior pastor selects a book for our...

Dear Todd and Margo -

I admit, I don't know if these are actually your real names. They're likely not. But when we had the misfortune of meeting you tonight at dinner, you reminded my husband and I an awful lot of Todd and Margo Chester – the...

My research from The Jesus Gap found there’s a gap between what youth workers think churched teens believe about Jesus and what they actually know about him. In response to this data, many youth workers have told me, “I agree there’s a gap. But...

The first year I did the 30 Hour Famine, I was super excited about it. It was a new event to me – one I’d never participated in when I was in high school. It sounded fun, engaging, and impactful. And it was!

The second year I did the 30 Hour...

I’m in countdown mode.

My fall programming starts in 5 weeks… And I’m on vacation for two of them.

Needless to say, that means I’m knee-deep in program prep for the fall. I’m recruiting adult leaders, training student leaders, and putting together...

I recently went to a youth ministry event at a local, well-known Christian college. I arrived at the event on-time only to remember too late that youth workers seldom arrive on-time to anything. The school's greeters directed me to the event space...

What I'm Reading:

Fiction:

If there's one thing summer is NOT for me, it's relaxing. Summer is the season of mission trips... Which means life is chaotic and full. Nevertheless, I read 9 fiction books during the last two months.   

...

Today, I'm linking up with Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

This week's prompt: Hidden.

I have this expression I use around my student leaders: “You have a...

What the book's about: Lessons in Belonging from a Church-Going Commitment Phobe is a book about belonging. More specifically, it's a book about finding your place in church, written by someone with a self-proclaimed "complicated" relationship...

I’m a new mom. Currently, my 9-month old daughter, Hope, is into everything. She’s a speedy crawler who’s started pulling herself up and cruising along furniture.

As Hope has become more mobile, I’ve become increasingly aware of the dangers...

Much of my husband's family lives near Springfield, IL, as do several of our friends from college. Several years ago, many of them began sharing blog posts from a local woman named Courtney Westlake whose daughter, Brenna, was born with a serious,...

What the book's about: Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer uses research to analyze what factors contribute to the death of a church and in contrast, keep congregations alive. 

Why I read this book: When I spoke on The Jesus...

During our first day in San Diego with The Global Immersion Project, we met with a young woman named Nohemi. Although she didn't know it until she was older, Nohemi came to the US undocumented as a young child. She worked hard in school to earn...

Today, I'm linking up with Kate Motaung's Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

This week's prompt: Build.

Days before leaving for our Peacemaking Trip, I was struggling with...