You’re in the middle of the ocean. You’re the only person on the boat. And, the boat is sinking. This is my greatest fear—complete isolation in the middle of the ocean. Yet I have purposefully been visualizing this fear. While some may see it as unnecessary or unproductive to emotionally assume your greatest fear, I have found it empowering. By placing myself in this scenario and choosing to feel the emotion, it has helped me realize that I […]
I’m not sure if this is ok to admit, but I’m a thirty-five-year-old father of four and I just watched Taylor Swift’s new single and animated music video, “Look What You Made Me Do.” But, there you have it. And I’ll be honest, as a fan of music and a kid who grew up in the pop culture era, I was a bit uneasy after watching it. Why? Because I immediately saw history repeating itself—maybe. Much like Elvis Presley, Michael […]
There is a fierce battle raging in our country. The events in Charlottesville and the backlash that followed have sprouted bitter fruit from a crippled seed planted long ago. At a quick glance, the conversation is about Confederate statues, racism, and taking sides. Like a schoolyard fight, we line up on one side holding fast to our stereotypes, anger, and hatred for those across from us. But is that really the issue? In a moment of clarity, I feel like God […]
In the wake of events like those that recently took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, we are forced to wrestle with the darkest parts of the human condition—a darkness that isn’t only seen in the events themselves, but in the pain and backlash which follow. These moments peel back the veneer of progress and expose the deep wounds that have yet to heal. Looking at the division and hatred that still exists in the United States, is like looking underneath the […]
Anxiety is one of those taboo things that we all experience in some form, but are rarely willing to talk about. The conversation surrounding such an issue is much bigger than I can address within this post. There are many reasons not to share something so personal, but I’m choosing to overlook those reasons because I believe that vulnerability has the power to break things open. What I’m about to share, I share for two reasons. One, because I know […]
I first felt a call to be baptized about two years ago, but I quickly brushed it off for a number of logical reasons. But God doesn’t work by logic. In fact, faith, by definition, isn’t logical. For two years, the idea of baptism burned in my heart while I wrestled with the logic in my head. Every time I saw the word or happened to watch someone else be baptized, I couldn’t deny that’s what God was calling me […]
My wife, Liz, is an amazing mom to our four children. We’ve walked through a challenging season with her health that has proven to be both humbling and empowering. As you read her story, we hope it will be both humbling and empowering for you as well. In the fall of 2011, I gave birth to identical twins boys. Despite being born six-weeks early, each weighed six pounds. I knew that pregnancy had done a number on my body, but […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
