Jake has been my best friend since birth. He’s that friend, the one I’d bleed for—and as scars would attest, I have. Even though we now live in separate states, we haven’t allowed the distance to separate our friendship. Our pastime is eggs and bacon. That’s what we do. If there’s one thing about our breakfast summits, the eggs are always served with a side of truth. We hold nothing back. We can’t. The reality of a great friendship is […]
Our surroundings influence us more than we know. They engage our senses, our conscious and subconscious minds, and they have the power to move us in a certain direction. Are you arranging your life so that your surroundings move you in the direction of your dreams? While I think adaptability is important, I also believe that we need to orchestrate our lives to support who we are becoming. On this episode of the podcast, I talk about my recent closing […]
A mentor once told me that life is a series of adventures. Some are more fortuitous than others and, quite frankly, some don’t seem like adventures at all. New seasons can be terrifying, but in the midst of our fear, we cannot lose hope. Living Your Adventure In the summer of 2013, my life drastically changed after pursuing a calling to write. This season was an adventure of uncovering true richness and contentment in the midst of everyday life. It was both fun and challenging to […]
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 […]
When Liz and I were pregnant with our first son, my grandmother gave me something very special. She handed me a small, felt-covered box and said, “Your grandfather wanted you to have this.” I slowly opened the taupe encasement to reveal a small diamond set in a slightly embellished gold band. It was the same ring I had seen on my grandfather’s weathered hand many times before he died—it was his ring. This year marks fourteen years since Paw-Paw Ham passed […]
Too often, this time of the year brings about a busyness that is unparalleled. In a furious rush we pace about trying to put a proverbial bow on our year. If your holiday season is anything like mine, there’s an interesting progression that takes place as the days count down: Select the perfect tree, put up all of the decorations as Christmas music fills the air with nostalgia, take pictures of the kids with Santa, creatively relocate the Elf of […]
I stood behind my sons as they waited to see Santa Claus. I could feel their excitement. Their anticipation caused them to sway back and forth, jittering, waiting to sit in his lap. A few years ago, they were terrified of Santa. Sheer panic would break out whenever they saw him. But in time, their fear has been replaced by hope. I have decided that is my favorite part of being a dad. Every day, my sons give me the opportunity to experience what it […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
