“Strengths Finder”: The Intro

A couple weeks ago, I took one of those repetitive personality test things. Only this test was different. This one was Strengths Finder. You heard? My church uses Strengths Finder in its leadership, and it’s frequented our many life groups over the years. I joined my current life group about a year after they took the […]

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five minutes from home

blue car goes straight white car turns left red light turns green cars surge forward surge toward me. tonight i sit behind a window and watch eyes stare and mind wanders i wonder where everyone is going tonight wonder where i am going tonight? soon i will gather my things and walk i will walk […]

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(Non) Wandering Wednesday

I KNOW, I KNOW, I need to recap my return to the Exodus Conference from this past weekend. It’s coming, I promise. The conference was amazing, and I’m still unpacking so much from the experience. You can check back Monday for the first in a series of Exodus blog posts. In the meantime, I wanted […]

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Storyline: Why I’m Flying to Nashville and Why You Should Come Too!

Last week, I did something I’m not usually prone to doing. I made an impulse decision. Although, to be fair, it was an impulse decision preceded by a few weeks of legitimate pontificating: Should I eventually or should I immediately register for Donald Miller’s Storyline conference in Nashville? After dwelling for years on “eventually,” I […]

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Homeless Hope in an Alleyway

“Hey, were you guys just praying?” I turn from my four church friends to a man – a young man – with blonde hair. He’s a couple years younger than me — a veritable kid with studded earrings. He dons a red sweatshirt emblazoned with the acronym of a local university. “Yes,” we confirm to […]

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“Struggle Central” Around the Web

So. It’s been a good week. Last Wednesday on my 26th birthday, I released my first book, Struggle Central: Quarter-Life Confessions of a Messed Up Christian. Sent it to every single one of my newsletter subscribers for free while it endures self-publishing processing en route to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers soon. […]

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“Struggle Central” Excerpt #4: Camp Ridgecrest Reignites the Struggle

Once again, it’s time for a sneak peak at my soon-to-be-published book, Struggle Central: Quarter-Life Confessions of a Messed Up Christian. If you’ve missed any of my other excerpts, check out my struggles on shame in high school, loneliness at church, and my first harrowing steps into my current church community in California. Today’s Struggle Sunday excerpt takes […]

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One Year Ago

One year ago, I turned 25. A quarter-century. The halfway mark between 20 and…30. One year ago today, I was baptized. It was one of those ethereal moments that fully convinced my belief in a God. Those kinds of moments just don’t happen. Nobody gets baptized on a Tuesday night in a water park surrounded by […]

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The Story of Ahh: My Grandfather

I love my grandfather. I grew up a mile down the road from my grandparents, and I often walked to their house for adventures only grandparents and their grandchildren can appreciate. In turn, my grandfather would often take early morning walks to our house, tweed cap, leather jacket, and sweet hickory pipe in tow. My […]

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On Interrupting Someone’s Meal

“Excuse me, can I just say something?” I turned from the vulnerable conversation I was having with a new friend and looked up at a middle-aged woman’s face. She’d been sitting two tables beside us, eating dinner with her teenage son. Upon rising from her completed meal of Panda Express goodness, she stepped over and […]

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Goodbye, Camp Ridgecrest

Dear Camp Ridgecrest: For seven months, the surface of my laptop has worn a sticker of your name; coffee shop sojourners 2,500 miles west of your borders see it everyday. For seven months of routine mornings, I slipped on a blue bracelet etched with the Indian name you gave me. A name nobody but you […]

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Yes, Book Trailers Are a Thing

So, yesterday was a wonderful day. After a week and a half of faithfully/madly editing some personal video footage, I finally uploaded a book trailer for my upcoming project. Yes, book trailers are a thing. The reaction couldn’t have been more encouraging. From Twitter to Facebook to YouTube itself, the encouragement was overwhelming. Yesterday was such an affirming benchmark in the […]

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Westboro Baptist Church Freedom

Westboro Baptist Church fascinates me. Though not a perfect metaphor, I liken this fascination to that with colorful characters on Survivor. And by colorful, I basically mean despicable. I’m looking at you, RUSSELL HANTZ. For those unfamiliar, Westboro Baptist Church lies at the geographic center of America: Nowheresville, Kansas. The church was started by Fred […]

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Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunts

Happy Valentine’s Day! Or Single Awareness Day for the pessimistic cynics out there. Go team. I’ve never spent a single Valentine’s Day in love, so admittedly, I don’t really grasp the lovey-dovey magnitude of this day like so many do. For me, Valentine’s Day seems like a great chance to waste money on chocolates or […]

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Tuesdays Are the Worst

Today is Tuesday — actually, it’s 12:27am as I type this initial draft of a post. So while it is now officially Wednesday here in southern California, it’s still Tuesday night in Hawaii. Wednesday evening in Korea. I don’t get time. I don’t know whether I should have capitalized the “Are” in the title of this […]

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Brandon Heath Songs: TMZ’s Top-11 Favorites

Over the last year-and-a-half, I’ve counted down some of my favorite things. It began with countdowns for my favorite Hillsong United and Casting Crowns songs. Then I branched away from music, listing my favorite pumpkin foods and books I’ve never read. But another musical countdown involving Brandon Heath is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. I’m pretty sure Brandon […]

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“Enjoy Your Mitsubishi.”

I used to hate the homeless. That sounds harsh, but it’s true. I’d see one and equate him to a stain on the carpet or a zit on the forehead. What’s their problem? Why are they so lazy? Why don’t they do something with their life? Why don’t they get a job? Why don’t they […]

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TMZ’s Top-5 Posts of 2012: #1

Over the last few days I’ve been counting down my top-5 posts of 2012. From birthday baptisms to books I’ve never read, it’s been quite the adventure. Here’s a quick rundown of my last four top posts: #5 – A Birthday Baptism by Buccaneer Bay #4 – Lessons in California Driving #3 – Why I’ve […]

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TMZ’s Top-5 Posts of 2012: #2

Guys. We’re almost there. Today’s TMZ countdown brings us to my #2 post of 2012. And it was one of my personal favorites of the year, too. When I wrote “TMZ’s Top-11 Books I’ve Never Read,” I never sought to change the world. And yet by the end of this post…I still didn’t accomplish that. […]

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TMZ’s Top-5 Posts of 2012: #3

I’m smack-dab in the middle of a top posts countdown. I’ve already talked about my fifth and fourth most popular posts of the year. Time to pop the champagne on post #3. Wait, the champagne is for the first post… Time to pop the seltzer water for my third most popular post of 2012! It […]

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TMZ’s Top-5 Posts of 2012: #4

I’m in the middle of a five-day stretch featuring my top-5 posts of 2012. At #5 was a recap of my emotional birthday baptism. And now at #4 comes something…completely different. “Lessons in California Driving” was my much needed venting session about how bizarre it is to drive out here. I’ve only been a California […]

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When Words Won’t Come

I haven’t posted in two weeks. An empty blogless stretch unmatched on this site since…never. It’s never happened; I always have something to say. Something to write. I write about my life. My faith. I write about struggle. I write about my favorite music or my latest quirky observation of the world. I write about […]

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November: I Kinda Really Hate You

I hate November. Those who know me best know this isn’t much of a secret. Ever since my dog died six years ago this month, I’ve dreaded these 30 particular days of the year. Truthfully, I can’t remember experiencing a “good” November since 2006 attacked. I always anticipate strife and struggle and regret and remorse […]

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Stop Praying for Others

Prayer is powerful. Praying for someone can be a powerful tool we have as struggling fallen humans. We see others entering rough horrid phases, and we pray. We pray, we pray, we pray. Stop. Stop praying, and start doing. Prayer can be paradoxical in many ways. Our intentions are good. We pray that God ministers […]

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A Friday Night Lights Kind of Change

A dear friend has been powering through one of my all-time favorite shows, Friday Night Lights. How fitting that this incredible show serves as inspiration for this post. I’ve been back in southern California for nearly three weeks, and I’ve experienced quite the gamut of emotions in that span. Relief? Check. Loneliness, despair? Check, check. Hope, frustration, […]

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The Second Worst Day of My Life

I’ve experienced some bad days in 25 years. Moving from Pennsylvania to Georgia as an innocent 12-year-old kid was pretty sucky. My dog’s sudden death left me in pools of undying tears. Now, add this past Monday to the Worst Day of My Life list. Monday was horrific. I took my car to the mechanic […]

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One Word 365: My Autumn Check-In

One Word 365: my succinct “theme” for 2012. I began this year with the declaration that these 365 days would be courageous. A year of leaps and bounds like never before. I checked in this spring with an update on my courageous moments. Not as a chance to puff myself up, but rather as a […]

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Eastward Ho! The Grand Finale

I’ve been eastward ho-ing on this blog for ages, it seems. A nice parallel to my ever-winding trip itself. I truly can’t put into words (or video) the impact this road trip had and still affects on my life. From Vegas to Chicago to Pennsylvania and everything in between, my appetite for new and nostalgic […]

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Eastward Ho! Pennsylvania Pride

I grew up in eastern Pennsylvania before moving to Georgia at 12 before moving to California at 23. Pennsylvania always comes to mind whenever I think of my earthly “home,” and yet the western part of this great state had always been such a mystery. Until this trip occurred, that is. I entered PA through the […]

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Eastward Ho! Chicago at Night

Last time, I chronicled my eastward trek from Omaha to Milwaukee. I didn’t film much in Milwaukee because, well, I was pretty emotional. In this next chapter of my journey, I elaborate on my Milwaukee angst. After 24 hours in Milwaukee, I hit the road at night and drove south toward Chicago. I’d had no […]

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Milwaukee Paradise

Several months ago I reentered Milwaukee a year removed from the most life-changing summer of my life. Midway through the summer I blogged about that heavy drive into the city; here now is the continuation of that tale, recounting my 24 hours back in sweet Milwaukee. After parking on all too familiar Logan Street I […]

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Eastward Ho! Milwaukee Dread

Last time on Eastward Ho, I lost approximately 8 years of my life lost in the boredom desert of Nebraska. BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE. In this episode, I reach the Nebraska/Iowa border and say hey to the city of Omaha. And then I quickly skedaddle out of there, zooming across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin en […]

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Eastward Ho! Rocky Rockin’ Nebraska

Eastward Ho was the greatest solo venture of my life. I’m only halfway through posting my video recaps, as the fun was just getting started with my next chapter. Nebraska was awesome! So many exciting roadside attractions! Thrilling adventure around every turn! Beautiful scenery surrounding you! I’m just kidding, Nebraska was horrible. BUT THAT DOESN’T […]

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Eastward Ho! Utah, Metah, Wealltah

For the next week or two I’m posting videos from my May eastward trek across America. I’ve already posted about my stay in Las Vegas, and then because there was so much absurd glitziness to absorb, I posted another Vegas video. Alas, eventually I had to leave my sin behind in Sin City. That brought […]

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Eastward Ho! Hungry in Vegas

As I continue recuperating and recharging from an exhaustive summer at camp, I’m excited to FINALLY start posting the videos of my epic eastward road trip from California to the east coast. Such a life-changing trip; I’m forever grateful. Up first for Eastward Ho is a stop in Las Vegas, the first of two videos […]

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Eastward Ho! THE MOVIE

Now that I’m back home in Georgia, recuperating from a draining yet life-changing summer at camp, I thought I’d finally get around to uploading those countless videos from my spring trek across America: “Eastward Ho,” as I’ve liked to call it. Or just EH for short. But I promise this trip was anything but “eh.” […]

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The End is the End

I was preparing to leave. Been salivating over the blissful thought the entire fourth session. Would I be sad to leave this magical place? Had I experienced countless blessed moments? Certainly. But I was exhausted. Wearily spun into emotionally seasick circles. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the life boat. I describe […]

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The End is the Beginning

This “final” session at camp was a doozy. I utilize quotation marks for reasons to be revealed later. Probably at the end. It was certainly the most exhausting session of the summer, and at times the most defeating. Coming off a near-perfect session, it was inevitable that this session just wouldn’t compare. Simply wouldn’t stack […]

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A Most Incredible Devastation

My third session at camp now resides in the books, and it’s with legitimate sadness that I type this recap, because this session – these precious kids – rocked my world. And now it’s over. Now they’re gone. My role as “camp counselor” took on elevated meaning and purpose as nine incredible Tennesseeans flooded my […]

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When Boys Become Men

My goal going into the summer was to post a blog every single week about my life at camp. I quickly realized that a new post every single week was simply going to be impossible. Since my camp runs in two-week sessions, I figured a post every other week would be more feasible. I succeeded […]

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Eastward Ho: Milwaukee Melee

I recently drove across the country to reach my summer camp destination on the east coast. What follows is one of several real-life wandering stories from my incredible “Eastward Ho” adventure. Before I can talk about what I actually did upon my return to Milwaukee, I must first explain the magnitude of my initial arrival. […]

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Repetitive Rains and New Names

I’ve been at camp for two weeks, and the first group of boys have returned home. Time to tell the tale of session one… The Arrival Waking up on Opening Day, I was incredibly anxious. I’d just endured two emotionally draining weeks of training, and this was what it was actually all about: the kids. […]

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I Don’t Have All the Answers: A Wandering Wednesday by Rob Shepherd

It’s Wandering Wednesday with a summertime twist, as I’m getting to feature some awesome guest-posters during my hectic camp-filled summer. Here’s a great one from one of my absolute favorites, Rob Shepherd. Be sure to follow Rob on Twitter @robshep and check out his hilariously transparently pseudo-pastoral-ish blog at robshep.com. If you’d like to guest […]

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Eastward Ho: 30 Minutes in Chicago

I recently drove across the country to reach my summer camp location on the east coast. What follows is one of several real-life wandering stories from my incredible “Eastward Ho” adventure. I’d thought about just passing by. It was already dark and getting kinda late. I had 500 miles to travel the next day and […]

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Jesus Hit Me

I’M AT CAMP. And finally, I’ve got a chance to report what’s been going on these last couple weeks. Excited to share my experience with y’all this summer! During camp training, it was engrained within all the counselors that we, under no circumstances, were to ever hit a child. They said nothing about Jesus hitting […]

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West Texas Highways and Lingering Essays: A Wandering Wednesday by Lauren Bailey

It’s time for another summer installment of Wandering Wednesday: Guest Post Edition. Today I’m honored to host Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com. Lauren, let your wandering tale now commence: It was a late December day at maybe five pm or so. The sun was setting […]

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Lost in Yosemite: A Wandering Wednesday by Kevin Haggerty

IT’S SUMMERTIME BABY. Well, maybe for you it isn’t yet. Maybe you’re still taking classes or maybe the summer solstice hasn’t officially hit or maybe you’re living in Australia where it’s currently weirdly winter. Regardless of your/Earth’s situation, my camp-counseling self needed some blogging help this summer. And thus I present, “Wandering Wednesday: Guest Post […]

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Struggle Sunday: I’m Not Worthy

I recently spoke in church. Like…big-people church. Not children’s church or Sunday School or the nursery. It’s about as insane a claim as my slam-dunking over Shaq. At the start of the year I’d have given greater odds to becoming LeBron Tom than Pastor Tom. But God’s been challenging me this year. Calling me out […]

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