I miss her. I could selfishly say that I miss her carrot cake, her chicken and rice, or her homemade sugar biscuits, but truthfully, I miss her. And of all the things I could miss, what I miss most is her unshakable confidence in her convictions. We used to joke that Grandma Ham could stare at a menu for ten minutes without making a decision on what to eat. When it came to her faith, however, she knew exactly what […]
The like button on Facebook has changed our culture. In this highly socialized world, we hold more power in our ability to dish out digital thumbs than entire news organizations had just ten years ago. With each click, we approve or we don’t. Our thumbs sway elections, dictate corporate spending, and create instant celebrities overnight. Approval is a funny thing, though. While we long for it ourselves, we often withhold it from others. We’re like the little hobbit, Sméagol, in J. R. […]
It was an overcast April morning. I stood in the fellowship hall of our family’s church. My heart was racing as I peered through the stained-glass window into the sanctuary. The stained glass blurred my view, but it appeared to be a full house. I wasn’t sure why I was anxious, but I couldn’t mistake the butterflies in my stomach.. I had no doubt that Liz and I were supposed to be married, but with a sanctuary full of the […]
Too often, I use social media to show you the picturesque version of my family, smiling for a selfie followed by the hashtag #DadLife. What you don’t see is the unrelenting effort that it took to capture that picture, and that’s not fair to you. You only get to see the facade. Truthfully, I spent all of my time trying to capture the moment that I missed the moment altogether. Social media has done a great job of connecting us. But it has also given […]
The Himalayan peak of Mount Everest rises an astonishing 29,029 feet above sea level—the highest point on Earth. The audacious task of reaching its summit was first attempted in 1921 and, for more than thirty years, unsuccessful attempts were common-place. It left a swath of defeated pioneers in its wake, leading many to believe that it was simply unscalable. That changed in 1953 when a thirty-three year old Englishman set his sights on doing the unthinkable. As the ninth British expedition launched, there […]
Subscribe/Listen in iTunes Subscribe/Listen in Stitcher Radio Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of college upperclassmen that were part of a leadership journey at Port City Community Church. During our time, we talked about the concept of faith and some of the main roadblocks that exist. With resounding consistency, I heard the word fear. With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it appropriate to talk about fear in relation to our faith. In […]
Imagine with me a sapling that takes root in fertile soil. Someday, it will become a beautiful oak with branches spreading forth to provide shelter and shade. However, beside this sapling grows a vine, full of thorns. As the sapling sprouts forth from the earth, the vine reaches for its trunk and takes hold. The two begin to grow together. At first, the sapling isn’t affected as the vine slithers its way around and around, meticulously executing its plan. But, as the […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
