Bertrand Russell, the mathematician and Nobel Laureate, once described his early years by saying, “There was a footpath leading across the fields to New Southgate, and I used to go there alone to watch the sunset and contemplate suicide."

That's an ominous setup.

"I did not, however, commit suicid...

Imagine a family with two parents with college degrees. They both have jobs that require continued education each year. They want to make sure their kids grow up to be well-educated too. That's why they take an active role in their schooling and discuss the latest ideas they are learning together as...

For the last few years we've had a rental property in Oregon wine country. Our family spends numerous weeks there in the summers and whenever we can find time to get up there. Although managing this is normally pretty simple, running a rental property is not the 'passive' income stream people often ...

I was listening to one of Rob Bell's recent podcasts where he talked about how we have things that matter more to us than they matter to most people. He didn't reference this as a negative trait but rather as a unique gift we have to offer the world from the lens only we have.

He gave an example of...

I write this post in the middle of the most bizarre week of the year. Those unique days after Christmas when time seems to freeze and we all collectively catch our breath from the holiday rush. No one knows what day it is or how to find motivation to do much of anything.

But it's also an invitation...

I was a picky eater as a child, and I carried that into my early years of adulthood. When things got more serious dating Michelle, and she noticed this, I explained my food preferences as "simple."

But there came a point as an adult when I realized I was missing out on tons of food that I wouldn't ...

Wm. Paul Young (author of The Shack) wrote the foreword to Brian Zahnd's book, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. In it he makes a profound argument.

"If transformation is by the renewal of the mind and I have never changed my mind, then be assured I am actively resisting the work of the Holy ...

One of the books I've read a few times is called Essentialism by Greg McKeown. I appreciate how he helps you narrow down your life or work into the things that matter most. When it comes to how to implement these ideas, McKeown offers the following list:

"To discern what is truly essential we nee

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