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Grace can be so elusive. Not because of the character of grace, which is abundant and available, but because of the barriers we have put up. Whether the voices in our head that push performance, the demands of the culture, or just the completely illogical notion of grace, we have a hard time grasping and taking hold of what has been lavished upon us. 

Our clan of 5 went back to visit my family in Pennsylvania this summer and luckily our trip coincided with the annual celebration for the town of Intercourse. So many jokes come to mind, but must…stay… focused. Adding a third kid to our family has created some new travel constraints, especially the size of car we need. To help us cut down the cost of the trip, my parents and sister’s family sacrificed time and energy to constantly switch around cars to make it work without us renting a van! We drove my sister’s minivan throughout the week, which was a huge blessing.

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THE MAN OF HIS HOUSE (The Backdrop)

The power of a father’s voice is unparalleled. Whenever my dad would leave the house when I was a kid, he would say these simple words to me, “You are the man of the house while I am gone!” For a young boy, an apprentice to his dad, those words carried weight and dignity…even though he probably just meant taking out the trash and listening to my mom.

Unfortunately, the apprenticeship was short-lived. At the age of 7, that phrase became a reality. My father, on the way home from work, was hit by a train and died upon impact. A combination of missing road signs, the conductor not doing his job, and the desire to find a different radio station left a gaping hole in my family. Read More

Most people have now heard of the Myers-Briggs personality test, and the younger you are, the more assessments you have been asked to take to find the box you will be the most comfortable in. Although it can be taken too far, there are some incredibly helpful insights within exploring who God created you to be!

When it came to how I make decisions, based on thinking or feeling, I completely tipped the scales. Emotions were barely a factor. Logic reigns!

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I remember the moment clearly. I had resistantly agreed to attend a Christmas Conference with Cru, a college ministry I connected with at Penn State. I honestly went to a bible study that freshman year out of a longing for something I couldn’t describe, but knew I didn’t want the religion that I had known.

I was listening to a few recent college graduates who had given a year of their life to travel to remote areas of the world to show the Jesus film. For some reason, God pierced through my cynicism.

Was faith more than just blindly following rules and missing out on fun in life? What if joy and adventure were part of the journey? Read More

We are approaching the halfway point of Lent, which is unique season in our normal rhythm of life. There is so much possibility packed into this time of sacrifice and self-control, and what was once a discipline only found in specific denominations has spread more mainstream. I wanted to share a bit about what I gave up this year, and the reason behind it. 

I gave up nothing this year. And I have been doing amazing at it!

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ROADMAP FOR CONNECTING AND GROWTH THIS YEAR

Several opportunities to cultivate your spiritual life and engage with others. Like a menu, choose what nurtures you. Look for monthly updates beginning in September.

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