When Your Job Becomes Your Affair
Let me tell you about my first affair. Her name was The Sextant – a 30,000-square-foot restaurant in Newport Beach that consumed every waking moment of my life. My second affair? Heads Up Inc., a manufacturing company that grew to over 300 employees. Both relationships ended badly, and both nearly cost me my marriage. Now, […]
The Secret Ingredient of a Healthy Family (Hint: It’s Not Perfect Parents)
Let me tell you about my first day as a father. There we were, bringing baby Jack home from the hospital, and I kid you not – we turned him over and over, searching every fold and crease for the instruction manual that surely must have come with him. Spoiler alert: there wasn’t one. That […]
Three Non-Negotiable Guardrails That Could Save Your Life
Ever driven along a mountain road? Those guardrails might not look like much, but they’re often the only thing between you and a very long drop. Life’s a bit like that too – we all need some non-negotiable guardrails to keep us from veering off into dangerous territory. Let me tell you a story about […]
Finding Your Purpose Through Life’s Detours
Let me tell you about my first attempt at following my brother into dental school. There I was, sitting in Organic Chemistry at Pasadena City College, convinced I had my whole life figured out. My brother was already a successful dentist, and I thought, “Why not follow in his footsteps?” Seemed logical enough. Well, let’s […]
The ‘What’ That Changes Everything
Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs in our spiritual journey come from the simplest shifts in perspective. I learned this lesson the hard way, but it’s transformed how I view every challenge that comes my way. Back when we were building Standing Stone Ranch in Colorado, everything that could go wrong did. Construction delays, weather issues, budget […]
The Cost of Living in ‘Why?’
Let’s get real about something that can paralyze us in ministry – living in the land of “why.” I spent years there, and trust me, it’s not a great neighborhood. You know what I mean, right? Why didn’t this program work? Why did that staff member leave? Why isn’t God blessing our efforts? Why, why, […]
From ‘Why?’ to ‘What?’: A Journey of Faith and Purpose
I spent a lot of years asking God “Why?” Why did my father struggle with alcoholism? Why did Debbie’s parents have to die so young? Why did our businesses fail? Why did we lose our precious Colleen? Those “whys” can eat you alive if you let them. But somewhere along this journey, God taught me […]
The Art of Letting Go: Lessons from Ministry Transitions
Can we talk about something that’s rarely discussed in ministry circles? Letting go. Not just of small things, but of major responsibilities, roles, and even ministries we’ve poured our hearts into. In 2022, Debbie and I transitioned Standing Stone Ministry’s leadership to Jeramy and Jerusha Clark. It wasn’t just about finding capable leaders – it […]
The Power of One-on-One Ministry
You know what’s fascinating about Jesus? With all the crowds following Him, He often focused on individual encounters. Think about it – Nicodemus, the woman at the well, Zacchaeus. Some of His most profound ministry moments happened one-on-one. This truth hit home for me during our early days at Standing Stone Ranch. We could have […]
Finding Your Voice in Ministry Leadership
Let me share something that took me years to learn: being an effective leader doesn’t mean mimicking someone else’s style. For the longest time, I thought I needed to be like the “successful” ministry leaders I saw – you know, the ones with the dynamic personalities and perfect presentations. Remember when Tim Timmons was leading […]