Email
Phone
Enneagram Number
1 - Reformer
Passion Verbs
Encourage, Love, Counsel, Teach, Guide
Address
4322 Klein Drive
Durham, NC 27705
United States
My Journey with God
A few years back, 2018 it was Thursday night and the room was filling up with men. It was our second year of a really large crowd, 400+ with all of us. So much energy, hope, expectation, and frankly, brokeness. The soundtracks were playing and just before the lights were to dim and the first clips played to sweep us up and in I said something to Jesus. "Thank you for this." He kindly said back, "Sure, it's what you wanted, It's what you prayed for." If He was standing in front of me I'm certain He would have winked. I had the wild sense it is what He wanted too. The lights went down, the clips began and my heart was full.
My 3 Favorite Movies and Why
- Braveheart- a story about love lost, love found. A story of fatherhood with Wallace and his Dad then Argyle... Amish and his dad, Robert the Bruce and his Dad, Longshanks and his son. And finally an Epic story of the battle and Good and Evil and the fight for freedom. One of the most important gospel films of my life.
- The Matrix- first time I saw it I was stunned. I believe it is the film in which God took the blinders off and gave me my eyes to see the Larger Story. It was back when we were all still using VHS and I remember showing clips of the Matrix on a VHS player and TV in churches, Sunday School classes and men's groups.
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe- Narnia - I loved the books and was so hoping they would make a good film out of it and they did. I saw it 3 times in the theater within 3 days, Aslan captured me as did the children and their journeys to becoming. I saw myself is each child. I wept each time Aslan sacrificed himself on the stone table.
My 3 Favorite Books and Why
So many good books, this category could change depending on the day. I'm going to get some extra mileage out of this one...
- Wild at Heart was a life changer for me and when I look back it is the book where it all started, my invitation and conversion to true masculinity. Larger Story, Warfare, Being Fathered and more!
- The Harry Potter Series as well as The Lord of the Rings series AND their films. So, so important for my journey home and permission to see my life as a character in an Epic tale where I mattered, my friends mattered and the mission was large and inviting us to take the next steps.
- The Glory of Your Life/Its Your Call by Gary Barkalow absolutely changed how I saw the calling God had on my life- the glory He had entrusted me and throughout my life the roles and assignments, both good and hard, on my journey to shape my heart and identity as a man in the Kingdom of God. I heard several of the messages in conferences before they became a book but Gary's teaching gave me an invitation to play a large role and permission to be larger rather than shrink, live less and believe the lies of the enemy. Wanting to contribute and play a part like so many of the characters I loved in the stories I just mentioned gave my heart.
My 3 Favorite Places and Why
- Disney World- "The magic is all around you!" This was a relationship that started when I was a young boy in Southern California and trips to Disneyland. The Wonderful World of Disney was a sacred Sunday night show for three boys growing up in the 70's and a "franchise" built on story, wonder, unlikely heroes and evil villains reminds me of Chesterton's quote (something like) "We don't believe in fairy tales because they tell us dragons are true, we believe in fairy tales because they tell us dragons can be killed. " Happily Ever After exists, it's true and Disney has been stealing from the Gospels for years!
- The Mountains (The Blueridge, Rocky's, Smokey's) any place that the views carry on for miles, it's green or on fire in the fall with leaves, there are lakes, ponds or rivers to fish and you can stand amongst the forest trees and feel the presence of God both ancient and infant in the same quiet moments. The mountains are a sacred place to me where campfires, cigars, good drink and friends can talk about important things for hours.
- YoungLife Camps because.... well you know.